Modern Romance May 2016 Books 1-4. Julia James

sucked in a breath. ‘I wouldn’t put it quite like that,’ he said. ‘But I do want to do what’s best for you and the baby—’

      ‘So do I.’

      ‘—and by ensuring you are financially secure, I won’t feel so bad about you having to cope alone.’

      Abby’s brows drew together. ‘What do you mean, having to cope alone?’

      Luke rolled his lips inward. Then he said quietly, ‘I’m thinking of spending some time abroad.’

      ‘Abroad?’ Abby’s stomach dropped. ‘Where abroad?’

      ‘I haven’t decided yet. As you can see, I’m not really fit to travel at present.’

      ‘And you plan to go alone?’

      ‘Of course, alone.’ Luke ran an impatient hand over his scalp. His hair was growing back over the spot they’d shaved, and a dark strand fell appealingly over his forehead. ‘Apart from Felix, that is. I don’t imagine he’ll let me go far without him.’

      Abby could hardly bear to look at him. ‘But I don’t have that right. Is that what you’re saying?’ she demanded painfully. ‘For God’s sake, Luke, you said you loved me. I’m having your child. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?’

      ‘Of course, it means something,’ he retorted, his frustration giving way to anger. ‘Do you think this is what I want to say, Abby? Do you think I want to go and live in some Godforsaken country where I’ll know nobody?’

      With a strength she guessed was born of a sense of inadequacy, he managed to get to his feet. ‘But I can’t stay here, not when being near you is such a temptation. I was planning to ask you to marry me. But that would be pure indulgence now.’

      ‘Then don’t indulge yourself, indulge me,’ exclaimed Abby emotionally. Getting to her feet, she successfully blocked him when he would have moved away. ‘Indulge your baby,’ she added huskily, drawing the hand that wasn’t clutching his crutch to her stomach. ‘I need you. We both need you. Are you honestly prepared to deny you need us, too?’

      Luke stared down at her with tortured eyes. ‘You know the answer to that as well as me.’

      ‘So why hesitate?’ Abby moved closer and slipped her arms about him, ignoring his instinctive attempt to move away.

      ‘Can’t you see, we can face whatever problems there are together? Nothing is easy, Luke. But so long as we love one another, nothing can keep us apart.’

      ‘But you don’t deserve this!’

      ‘You don’t deserve this,’ countered Abby huskily.

      ‘But after the life you had with Laurence,’ Luke protested, ‘I won’t be a burden to you.’

      ‘You couldn’t be a burden to me if you tried,’ she whispered, reaching up to bestow a warm kiss at the corner of his mouth. ‘I want to live with you. I want to share my life with you.’ She pulled a face. ‘I don’t honestly care if you marry me or not, so long as you don’t send me away.’

      Luke’s jaw tensed. ‘It’s what I should do,’ he said, but he didn’t sound as certain as he’d done before.

      ‘What you should do is make love to me,’ said Abby huskily. ‘Then tell me there’s no future for us together.’

      * * *

      Some time later, someone knocked at the bedroom door.

      Luke, who had been sound asleep moments before, stirred reluctantly. Feeling the warmth of a bare thigh cradled against the bandage that encircled his leg, Luke turned his head to find Abby was stirring, too.

      With her hair spread silkily across his pillow and her breasts crushed softly against his uninjured arm, she looked incredibly sexy and incredibly beautiful. And he was loath to speak and break the spell that had held them in its magical grip for the past—he glanced at his watch—almost an hour.

      But Abby was awake, and her smile was so joyous that Luke couldn’t prevent the urge to say roughly, ‘God, I love you. How in hell am I going to let you go?’

      ‘You’re not,’ declared Abby confidently, gathering the sheets about her and leaning over to kiss his injured cheek.

      Then her brows arched mischievously. ‘But now I’d better see who that is before they think I’ve kidnapped you.’

      Luke shook his head. ‘Like that’s going to happen,’ he muttered and she gurgled with laughter.

      ‘It could,’ she assured him, reaching for her tunic and pulling it over her head. ‘In any case, I think it’s your housekeeper. She said she was going to bring some tea.’

      ‘Tea!’ Luke grimaced. ‘I’ll need something stronger than tea if I’m going to ask you to marry me.’

      Abby, who had evidently decided not to bother with her leggings, had been heading for the door when he spoke. But now, she turned, her mouth parting in stunned disbelief.

      ‘You can’t say something like that and not expect me to respond,’ she whispered, staring at him, and Luke pushed himself up on his elbows and regarded her inquiringly.

      ‘Well?’ he countered. ‘What are you going to do about it?’

      Another knock sounded at the door, and Abby hesitated, torn between the need to open it and the equally—if not more—urgent need to return to the bed.

      ‘Damn you, Luke,’ she said helplessly, and, ignoring the other summons, she returned to the bed.

      ‘Is that any way to answer a proposal?’ he mocked teasingly, and Abby took his face between her hands and bestowed a hungry kiss on his mouth.

      ‘No,’ she agreed. ‘But my answer’s the same, anyway. It’s yes, you wicked man.’

      She trembled when he pulled her down onto the bed beside him and returned her kiss with interest. He covered her with his body, his tongue slipping possessively into her mouth so that she moaned with pleasure.

      And whoever had been at the door evidently decided that tea wasn’t needed at the moment.