Six Of The Best Of Desire 2016. Maisey Yates

dinner outside.” Erika breathed in the air on this rare night of low humidity. She looked around at the elaborate patio table that was dressed for dinner with lights, fresh flowers, silver and china. Ceiling fans circled a delicious breeze from the slight overhang of the porch.

      “I promised you gumbo—” he gestured broadly, before holding the seat out for her “—and I delivered.”

      She settled into the chair, intensely aware of his hands close to her shoulders. The heat of his chest close to her back. Blinking away the awareness, she focused on the table settings, surprised to realize he planned to serve her himself from the silver chafing dishes. “Your home is lovely.”

      “The old plantation homes have a lot of character.” He slid into the seat across from hers. “I know our history here doesn’t compete with the hundreds of years, castles and Viking lore of your country, but the place has stories in the walls all the same.”

      “The architecture and details are stunning. I can see why you were drawn to live here.” When Americans talked about their colonial towns, they always spoke of the old-world charm they’d possessed. But that was selling it short. Cities like New Orleans were the distillation of cultures haphazardly pressed against each other. And that distillation yielded beauty that was so different from the actual Old World.

      “If you would prefer a restaurant...” He paused, tongs grasping freshly baked bread.

      “This is better. More private.” She held up a hand. “Don’t take that the wrong way.”

      “Understood. You made your point earlier.”

      Seafood gumbo, red beans and rice, thick black coffee and powdery doughnuts—beignets. It was a spread that sent her taste buds jumping.

      “Did you have a nice ride from the Four Winds Resort?”

      “I did. The trees heavy with Spanish moss are beautiful. And the water laps at the roads as if the sea could wash over the land at any moment.” The languid landscape was so different than her country’s rugged and fierce Viking past. She’d liked learning about New Orleans so far.

      “You could stay here, you know.”

      “I did not come here for that.” She laced her words with ice even as her body burned with awareness of the man seated across from her.

      “Then why are you here after walking out on me without a word or backward glance?”

      So that hadn’t escaped his notice. She began to prepare the speeches that had replayed in her mind since she had boarded the plane to make the transatlantic journey.

      “I’m sorry about that. I thought I was making things easier for both of us. It was a fling with no future, given we live across an ocean from each other. I saved us both a messy goodbye.”

      At that time she had been thinking about the life she needed to get on track. But all her carefully laid plans were shifting beneath her feet, now that she was pregnant.

      “And when I called you? Left messages asking to speak to you?”

      “I thought you were being polite. Gentlemanly. And do not get me wrong, I believe it honorable of you. But that is not enough to build a relationship.”

      “How much would it have hurt to return one call? If we’re talking about polite, I expected as much from you.” He cocked an eyebrow.

      “You are angry. I apologize if I made the wrong decision.”

      “Well, you’re here now. For your conference, right?”

      “Actually, that wasn’t the truth.” She fidgeted with her leather band bracelet, inspirational inscriptions scrolled on metal insets providing support. Advice. And if ever she was in need of help, the moment was now. “I only said that in case others overheard. I’m here to see you. I want to apologize for walking out on you and have a conversation we should have had then.”

      “What conversation would that be?”

      Oh, what a loaded question, she thought. “How we would handle it if there were unexpected consequences from our weekend together.”

      He stared at her, hard. “Unexpected consequences? How about you spell it out rather than have me play Fifty Questions.”

      She dabbed the corners of her mouth as if she could buy herself a few more seconds before her life changed forever. Folding the napkin carefully and placing it beside her plate, she met his dark brown eyes, her own gaze steady. Her hands shaky. “I am pregnant. The baby is yours.”

      * * *

      Of all the things that Erika could have said, being pregnant was not what Gervais had been preparing himself for. He ought to say something. Something fast, witty and comforting. But instead, he just looked at her.

      Really looked at her as he swallowed. Hard.

      She was every bit as breathtaking as that first night they’d met. But there was something different in the way she carried her body that should have tipped him off.

      Her face was difficult to read. She’d iced him out of gaining any insights in her eyes. Gervais examined the hair that trailed down her shoulder, exposing her collarbone and slender neck. This was the hairstyle of a royal, so different than the girl who had let her hair run wild over their weekend together.

      And what a weekend it’d been. Months had passed since then and he still thought about her. About the way she’d tasted on his tongue.

      He had to say something worthy of that. Of her. He collected his thoughts, determined to say the perfect thing.

      Despite all of that, only one word fell out of his mouth.

      “Pregnant.” So much for a grand speech.

      Her face flashed with a hint of disappointment. Of course, she had every right to expect more from him. But more silence escaped his lips, and the air was filled not with sounds of him speaking, but with the buzz of waves and boats.

      The trace of frustration and disappointment had left her face. She looked every bit a Viking queen. Impassive. Strong. Icy. And still so damn sexy in her soft feminine clothes and that bold leather bracelet.

      “Yes, and I am absolutely certain the child is yours.”

      “I didn’t question you.”

      “I wanted to be clear. Although in these days of DNA tests, it is not a subject that one can lie about.” She frowned. “Do you need time to think, for us to talk more later? You look pale.”

      Did he? Hell, he did feel as if he’d been broadsided by a three-hundred-pound linebacker, but back in his ballplaying days he’d been much faster at recovery. And the stakes here were far higher. He needed to tread carefully. “A child is always cause for celebration.” He took her hand in his, as close as he could let himself get until he had answers, no matter how tempted he was for more. “I’m just surprised. We were careful.”

      “Not careful enough, apparently. You, um, did stretch the condom, and perhaps there was a leak.”

      He choked on a cough. “Um, uh...I don’t know what to say to that.”

      “It was not a compliment, you Cro-Magnon.” She shook her hand free from his. “Simply an observation.”

      “Fair enough. Okay, so you’re pregnant with my baby. When do you want to head to the courthouse to get married?”

      “Are you joking? I did not come to the United States expecting a proposal of marriage.”

      “Well, that is what I am offering. Would you prefer I do this in a more ceremonial way? Fine.” He slid from his chair and dropped to one knee on the flagstone patio. “Marry me and let’s bring up this child together.”

      Her eyes went wide with shock and she shot to her feet. Looking around her as if to make sure no one overheard. “Get up. You look silly.”

      “Silly?”