Bringing Emma Home. Stella MacLean

hope, the effort, the beautifully decorated nursery, the agony of loss...all of it for nothing. What should have been happy, wonderful years of starting a family had become the most desolate time of her life.

      He tucked her close to his side, his lips brushing her forehead. “This is hard for you, and for me, but the doctors had to tell us the truth. We have to accept that. We’ve got to move on.”

      “I know. But weren’t you excited about my news last night?” she asked, stroking his chin, watching to see how he’d respond. Maybe after a night’s sleep he was ready to talk about when they could see the adoption lawyer.

      He sighed. “We need to really think about this a little more. After what we’ve been through, it’s a huge decision.”

      “I realize that.” She continued to gently touch his face, feeling the light stubble there. He didn’t pull away as he had last night. “But the adoption lawyer has made such a big difference in Cecilia and Dave’s life. I want to talk to him. I decided to call his office to see if we could get an appointment...if you’re willing to go with me.”

      “What was his name again?”

      “Sterling Martin. I told you all of this last night,” she said, feeling frustrated but trying to hide it. “His office is just off King Street. He specializes in private adoptions. Cecilia and Dave are so happy with their new baby. James P is such a perfect child.”

      Aidan’s fingers trailed along her collarbone, something he did whenever they talked about having a child. “Honey, I know how important this is to you. To us. But just this once, can we wake up and think about something else? Like maybe a vacation to Europe. We always said we wanted to go. Remember? All those times we watched our friends take off on vacation to some place interesting while we stayed home because of your worries about what could happen if you conceived while we were out of the country.”

      His words stung. She understood his feelings and, at times, had shared them. But he didn’t understand how much she needed a baby. Her arms ached every time one of her friends had a baby. Then, when Cecilia and Dave had adopted, Grace finally felt hopeful over the possibility she and Aidan might, too. He simply needed more time to think about it, and she was willing to wait. “Sure. Why don’t I make breakfast for us? I promise not to talk about adoption.”

      “That’s my girl. All I really want to do is spend time with you. Just you. Would that be okay?”

      “I would love that,” she said, recognizing the expression on his face. He wasn’t going to talk about a child right now. It was up to her to accept that and have a pleasant breakfast with him. But that didn’t mean she was giving up. Not a chance.

      Suddenly, she brightened. She knew what she’d do. She would invite Cecilia and Dave to dinner, maybe a good Southern barbecue evening. Cecilia’s praise for Sterling Martin would carry more sway than anything Grace herself could say at this point. Aiden had a great deal of respect for Cecilia, one of the computer engineers in his firm.

      He rubbed her shoulder, his fingers circling the skin over her collarbone—a clear sign that Aidan had something on his mind, something he wasn’t ready to share with her. “What is it, honey?”

      He sighed. “Just thinking that it would be nice if you came with me today. I have a client I have to see in downtown Charleston. But I want you with me.” He held her closer, running his lips along her hairline, driving her crazy with need. “Once I’m finished, we could have lunch, take a carriage ride around historic Charleston, buy something for your garden at one of the stalls at the market. We’ve often talked about going into the city and spending time wandering the shops. Why don’t we do it today? I want you with me,” he repeated slowly, his gaze searching her face, coming to rest on her lips.

      “Oh, Aidan, I want that, too, but I promised Cecilia that we’d meet for lunch.” She looked into his hazel-green eyes, seeing the disappointment. Trying to soften the blow, she whispered, “I wish you’d come by and see this little baby. You will not be able to resist him.”

      * * *

      THE OLD GUILT swirled around Aidan’s mind. He didn’t want to talk about babies or adoption or anything related to that today. He wanted his wife to pay attention to him and only him, to focus on their relationship. That was all he’d wanted for the past seven years: her undivided attention on him and their love for each other. Was that so much to ask?

      He’d done everything she wanted, raced home when she called him, tried to console her when each attempt to conceive failed. But at times it hardly seemed worth it. Their marriage had become a marathon of waiting, hoping and frantic lovemaking, all to try to have a baby.

      He didn’t want to remember the one time he’d slipped up, but that weekend entered his mind, as it had a few minutes ago. It had happened five years ago and was long over. He’d hooked up with a woman, a client whose business was in Spartanburg. He’d never heard from her again after that one weekend, and didn’t intend to renew any contact. All the same, he felt guilty about how much he had enjoyed having a woman’s attention focused solely on him. He scrubbed his face with his hands to hide the memory of how that weekend had felt. Sighing, he turned to Grace. “Are you sure you can’t come with me?”

      “I’d have to call and cancel lunch with Cecilia, and I want to see James again.” Grace sighed as she snuggled closer to him.

      He soaked in her smile, felt the old pull of attraction that had been there between them since the day they’d met in high school.

      His eyes focused on hers, he saw the glint of desire there, and his mind raced over the possibilities. She was everything he’d ever wanted in a woman, a wife. There had to be some way to convince her to come to Charleston with him. “Why don’t I book a suite at the Planters Inn? We could go out to dinner, or order room service, a bottle of wine...just the two of us. We haven’t stayed downtown in Charleston in years. What do you say?”

      “A night in Charleston?” she asked.

      “Or two nights, if you’d like. Beautiful surroundings, all the amenities. Think fluffy robes, nothing on under them. Pure luxury in a suite all to ourselves. Me reaching for you,” he whispered in her ear, hearing her breath quicken as his body hardened.

      He kissed her lips, felt her body curve into his. His blood hot, his body arching toward hers, he felt her immediate response as if it was imprinted into his consciousness.

      “I would do anything for you, Aidan Caldwell Fellowes,” she said, her lips on his throat, her breath searing his skin.

      “And me for you,” he whispered, pulling her under him as his lips sought the soft skin between her breasts.

      Her quick intake of breath was all he needed. He continued to kiss her skin, moving his tongue along the space between her breasts. “If you come with me to Charleston, I promise you the best time you’ve ever had, Mrs. Fellowes.” He raised his gaze to hers. “You will not regret a minute of the time you spend with me.”

      She sighed, her hands stroking his face, her skin flushed pink.

      He eased his hands over her tummy, down along her hips, hugging her body against his. “What do you say?”

      She looked deep into his eyes, her lips parted, her hair spread across the pillow. “You never cease to amaze me, Aidan,” she whispered, her fingers continuing their course over his cheek, down his neck.

      “How so?” he asked, loving this game, this moment when she would succumb to him. It had always been that way. He would entice her with something, a dinner out, a trip, a night in, just the two of them. Until recently, Grace had always gone along with his plans. And now, with the whole issue of a baby settled, he wanted them to go back to the beginning, back to the way things were.

      “I agree we need to get away, time to ourselves. It would be really nice to spend a couple days in Charleston. You win, my love. I’ll cancel my lunch date.”

      He kissed her, cradling her head in his hands. “Thank you. You won’t regret going with me.