The Wedding Secret Read online

  When she whirled around to face him again, she said, “You’re a pretty good dancer.”

  “You’re not so bad yourself.” He didn’t want to say anything that would upset her, but curiosity got the better of him. Trying to keep his tone light, he asked, “How’d you get into floral design?”

  Still dancing, she answered. “I’ve always loved art and aesthetics. Coming from a family of doctors it wasn’t the most popular choice, but by high school I knew it was what I wanted.”

  He nodded. “Must’ve been hard to go against family pressure. I respect that.”

  As the song ended, she stepped closer to him. “Thanks.”

  A long, silent moment passed between them. Her eyes fled, searching the room, looking everywhere but at him. What’s on her mind?

  The DJ dropped a slow record then: “Let’s Chill,” an R&B ballad by Guy.

  Their gazes met, and he opened his arms.

  “May I have this dance?”

  CHAPTER 7

  Renata released a soft sigh as Amir pulled her close. Somehow, it felt natural to have him holding her. She internally chastised herself for that outrageous thought, but then stopped herself. They’d agreed to remain on a first-name basis, hadn’t they? There were no strings, no commitments. So why shouldn’t she enjoy herself?

  She noticed the way he left a respectable distance between them. A sliver of space separated them, and she could sense his efforts to keep it that way as he gently guided her around the dance floor. Knowing that he respected her enough to not get too close made her smile. There seemed to be no end to this man’s endearing qualities.

  The song went into its second verse, with Aaron Hall’s passionate vocals reverberating through the ballroom. The lyrics brought her feelings to the surface, reducing her ability to fight off her attraction to the man whose strong arms were draped around her waist. While she appreciated him being such a gentleman, she craved physical connection with him. Looking up into his dazzling eyes, she closed the distance between them, pressing her chest against his and wrapping her arms around his neck. It was a stretch, due to the height difference. But as their bodies met, she knew it was worth the effort.

  A surprised smile graced his handsome face. “So, it’s like that?”

  “Yes.” She leaned her cheek against the hard wall of his chest, inhaling the glorious scent of him.

  He obliged her, increasing his grip on her waist.

  Flush with him now, she could feel every muscled inch of his body, even through the layers of fabric that separated them. Feeling the hard lines of him pressed so close against the softness of her own body did something to her. It made her feel bold, reckless. He looked incredible in the dark suit and tie he wore as part of the wedding party, but parts of her wanted to see what he looked like without it.

  When the song ended, and a mid-tempo track started, she found that she didn’t want to let him go. A few seconds went by, with her clinging to him, before he took a small step back.

  “Renata?” He looked down at her, his gaze full of questions.

  “Sorry. Guess I got a little carried away.” Embarrassment heated her cheeks and she dropped her gaze.

  He crooked his finger beneath her chin. “Baby, if you want to really get ‘carried away,’ just say the word.”

  Her eyes widened. “Do you mean…” She didn’t finish, but she didn’t have to.

  He nodded. “Whatever you want.”

  They watched each other for a few long moments, other dancers on the floor swirling around them. But she barely noticed them.

  Should she take what he was offering? Heaven help her, she wanted this man, good sense and caution be damned.

  A commotion pulled her attention to the doorway. The newlyweds were leaving.

  Once the newly wedded couple disappeared, Amir touched her arm.

  “What do you want, Renata?”

  CHAPTER 8

  Soon after leaving the ballroom with Renata, Amir had booked them a suite and taken her upstairs. Now, as they kissed their way toward the king-size bed, he was having a hard time believing what was happening.

  He broke the seal of their lips, looked down into her eyes. “Renata, are you sure this is what you want?” Though they’d just met, he sensed something different about her, something that set her apart from the other women he’d known. He didn’t want her to regret this later.

  She busied herself by sliding off his sport coat and tossing it to the floor. “Yes, Amir. I’m sure.” She kicked off her high heels and used her foot to push them aside.

  He swallowed, trying to tamp down his rising desire as he stepped out of his wing tips. They worked together now, with him loosening the knot of his tie and her undoing his shirt buttons. He couldn’t remember ever wanting a woman this badly. Every nerve ending in his body felt alive with awareness of her, and what they were about to do.

  Naked from the waist up, he stopped her as her fingers reached the placket of his slacks. “Renata, no offense, but did you have any champagne today? Because if you…”

  She laid a slender finger over his lips, silencing him. “Amir. I’m stone-cold sober, I want you, and I’m sure. Now I need you to stop talking and get undressed.” Her eyes were glowing with fire and passion as she spoke.

  Dropping his hands, he let her finish undressing him, then moved on to undressing her. With the green cocktail dress stripped away, he eyed the pink lacy bra and panties beneath. “You’re so beautiful.”

  She reached around to undo her bra, letting it fall to the floor. “Then why not finish unwrapping me?”

  He liked the way she’d characterized it; touching her did feel like a gift. Moments later, their two nude bodies crashed onto the soft bedding.

  He drew her beneath him, placing his kisses on her lips before moving down. Her body, lithe and shapely, was a decadent treat he planned to thoroughly enjoy. And as his kisses moved down over the plane of her belly, and lower still, her moans rose like a song in the silence of the room. He used his palms to ease her thighs apart, so he could enjoy her fully. Her hips rose to meet him, her cries rising an octave.

  When he made his way up again, he found her lying with her eyes closed, her chest rising and falling in time with the deep, heavy breaths she took. He used the tip of his index finger to trace a line between her breasts, and she shivered.

  He leaned down, kissed the tops of her breasts.

  “Amir…” she whispered his name on a sigh.

  This woman was made for passion. And even if they had only this one night, he wanted to draw every bit of it out.

  CHAPTER 9

  Renata watched Amir move around in the dimly lit room. She was impatient for his loving, but knew it would be better if they protected themselves. As much as she wanted him, she didn’t want what they were about to share to be marred by worry.

  As he ripped open the foil packet, she drew in a deep breath. He’d been adamant about making sure she wanted to proceed, and she was beyond grateful for the consideration. But as she’d told him, she was absolutely sure that she wanted this, that she wanted him. Being with him so soon after they’d met wasn’t something she would normally do. However, there was nothing normal about Amir, or about the wild and undeniable attraction between them.

  He returned to the bed then, his impressive hardness sheathed with protection. The sight of his fully nude body only increased her arousal, and she opened her arms to welcome him into her space.

  He hovered above her, watching her, saying nothing. His eyes glittered.

  It went on for so long that she finally asked, “Amir, why are you staring at me?”

  “Thank you, Renata. For trusting me.”

  It was as if he sensed her inner thoughts, as if he knew she didn’t usually do things like this. Emotion rose within her, but remembering their agreement to keep it casual, she smiled. “Why not show me how much you appreciate it?”

  Moments later, she felt her body arching up to meet his as he entered her. She wrappe
d herself around him, arms around his neck, legs around his waist. Pleasure radiated from the center of her body where they were joined.

  Above her, Amir moved with a gentle expertise that set her soul on fire. He took his time, lengthening each stroke, making her feel as if they were the only two people in the whole world. She felt so intimately connected to him. Not even the protection he wore interfered with the sensation of closeness.

  She heard him groan, and he lifted her legs, placing her bent knees in the crooks of his elbows. His movements became faster, more intense. As his ardor increased, so did the blinding pleasure spiraling through her. She clung to the corded muscles of his strong arms, and let him lead her to paradise. Her eyes slipped closed.

  “Renata.” He growled her name, punctuated the last syllable with a deep thrust.

  It was the sexiest sound she’d ever heard. Combined with what he was doing to her body, she knew it wouldn’t be long before he pushed her over the very edge of sanity.

  The glow of ecstasy started low in her belly, drawing a strangled cry from her as it crackled through her entire body. He continued rocking his hips, and as she came down from the high, she realized he was still making the climb.

  She lay beneath him, enjoying the budding of a new orgasm. Nothing could interfere with the bliss he gave.

  Her eyes widened as she felt the pop. All she could do now was hope her birth control pills would do their job.

  CHAPTER 10

  Ten days after the wedding, Renata was still waiting for her extremely late cycle. As she sat on the edge of the bathtub in her apartment, waiting for the pregnancy test to develop, she sighed. No matter the results of the test, she couldn’t say she regretted her decision to throw caution to the wind with Amir. Even though she hadn’t heard from him since that night, and had no way to contact him, the memories of the time she’d spent in his arms would remain with her for the rest of her life.

  The timer on her phone went off, indicating it was time to check the test. Her nerves frayed, she stood and walked over to the test she’d left lying on the counter next to the sink. As soon as her eyes fell on the plus sign in the display window, her hand flew to her mouth. After a few moments, she composed herself enough to pick the test up for a closer look.

  Her mind tried to rationalize as she lifted the test off the counter. Maybe I read it wrong.

  Reality set in the moment she refocused on the result window. There was no mistaking it. She was pregnant.

  What was more, she knew the baby was Amir’s. She and Gary had been having problems in their relationship well before she discovered how trifling he truly was. Because of that, they hadn’t been intimate in months.

  She drew a deep breath, blowing out through her mouth. The no-strings pact she’d made with Amir had seemed like a great idea at the time. It had allowed her to enjoy the time with him, without worrying about what kind of pain she might have to endure if she got into another relationship so soon after her last one. Now, as she stood holding the evidence of the life they’d created, she knew she had to find a way to reach out to Amir. This was his child, too, and he had a right to know.

  The parts of her that had always longed for motherhood rejoiced. This wasn’t the way she’d planned it, but some of life’s biggest blessings arose from the unexpected. She would embrace her destiny and raise her child with immense love and respect for her responsibility.

  Her hope now was that she wouldn’t have to raise the child alone. Amir had been the one to suggest the no-strings pact, so she assumed he didn’t want any entanglements. What if he was already involved with someone else? Maybe he didn’t want to be in a relationship with her, but would be willing to co-parent. Renata frowned when she thought of that. As much as she wanted to protect her heart from another betrayal, she knew she wanted more than an arrangement with Amir.

  Amir seemed so relaxed and carefree. Would that change when he heard the news?

  There was only one way to find out.

  Tucking the pregnancy test into the wicker basket she kept on her countertop, she flipped the switch, plunging the bathroom into darkness.

  CHAPTER 11

  Amir strolled across his office inside Robertson Contracting, coming to a stop beside his desk. Looking at the stack of paperwork there made him sigh. As much as he loved his work and the freedom of being his own boss, he hated doing the paperwork that came along with it. He’d already passed as much of it off to his secretary as he could, so there would be no avoiding this stack.

  While he stood facing his window, shuffling through papers, his desk phone rang. His secretary only forwarded calls to him if they needed his personal attention. Absentmindedly he lifted the receiver to his ear. “Robertson Contracting. Amir Robertson speaking.”

  “Hi, Amir. How are you?”

  He recognized her voice right away. His heartbeat racing, he tossed the papers down. “Renata?”

  “Yes, it’s me. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time.”

  A million questions raced through his mind, but one stood out above the rest. “How did you…”

  “Find you?” She finished his statement. “It took a little digging, but it helps that your picture is on your website.”

  He drew in a deep breath, hoping to steady himself. Dropping into the chair behind his desk, he asked the next logical question. “What can I do for you?”

  A beat passed before she answered. “Well, I’ve been thinking of expanding my flower shop, and I was searching for a contractor. When I found out your line of work, I decided to reach out to you.”

  His brow crinkled. He’d noticed her hesitation before answering, but decided not to read too much into it. Besides, he didn’t make a habit of turning down business. Robertson Contracting was on very stable footing, and he worked hard to keep it that way. “I appreciate your reaching out. How extensive a change are you looking to make?”

  “I’d say it’s pretty substantial. The suite next to me is empty, so we may be taking out a wall.”

  He scratched his chin. “I’ve got a lot of experience in the business, so I’m sure I can handle whatever you need.”

  She made a low humming sound in her throat. “I’m confident you can.”

  He sensed the double meaning in her words. His memories of the night they’d shared were still fresh, and it seemed the same was true for her. Still, she’d called about a job and he wanted to keep their conversation professional. Turning to the appointment book on his desk, he flipped it open. “If you’re eager to get started, I have an open slot tomorrow afternoon. Around two, will that work?”

  “Sounds good.”

  “Give me the address to your shop.” He jotted it down as she recited it.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, Amir.”

  “All right. Have a good day, Renata.”

  As he hung up, he wondered what would happen when he saw her again. He’d been able to keep things light on the phone. Being in her presence would be another thing entirely.

  I guess we’ll see.

  CHAPTER 12

  Renata was standing by the counter the next day when Amir walked through the doors of her flower shop. Her heart skipped a beat as she looked at him for the first time since that passionate night. His handsome face brightened with a smile when he looked her way with those piercing eyes. In his dark slacks and white button-down, carrying his metal clipboard, he looked every bit the skilled professional.

  He walked up to the counter. “Hi, Renata. It’s good to see you again.”

  Barely able to get her breath, she finally managed to say, “Likewise, Amir.”

  His attention shifted from her as he began to look around, taking a few steps into the center of the store. “Nice shop you have here.” He lingered over one of the arrangements on a shelf. “Is it true that all your flowers are silk?”

  “Yes, it is.” She eased around the counter and went to stand next to him. “I love flowers, but I know cutting them means killing them. This way I can create beaut
iful arrangements without doing that.”

  He turned her way. “That’s a really thoughtful perspective. I’ve never met anyone who cared so much about plants.”

  “They’re living things.”

  He watched her for a few silent moments.

  She squirmed under his scrutiny, tucking her hands into the pockets of her khakis. Heated memories of his expert loving rose within her, threatening to derail their entire meeting. She pushed the thoughts away as best she could. It wasn’t easy, with his masculine scent permeating the interior of the shop. “So, you’re the contractor. Do you see good potential for expansion here?”

  He nodded. “Yes. I checked out the building exterior when I arrived. The construction is sound, and I don’t think you’d have any problems if you took out that wall to access the empty suite next door…”

  She nodded, rocking back and forth on her heels. She didn’t want to do it, but with so much nervous energy rolling around inside her, she couldn’t stop.

  Seeming to notice her movements for the first time, Amir stopped talking about the building and fixed her with a penetrating look. “Renata, you’re fidgeting. Is something wrong?”

  She leaned her shoulder against the wall, released a long sigh. There was no use in putting it off any longer. “Amir, I need to tell you something, and it has nothing to do with expanding…the shop, anyway.”

  His brow hitched. “Okay, then what is it?”

  Drawing a deep breath, she blurted, “I’m pregnant.”

  He stared, eyes wide. “Is this your idea of a joke?”

  She shook her head. “No. And I know it’s a shock.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a card. “My number and address are there. When you’ve had time to process this, reach out to me?”

  He folded his arms over his chest, his jaw tightening. “You’re damn straight it is.”