“Breakfast is ready. I was waiting on you to eat.” he said.Wordlessly, she followed him into the kitchen where she saw a table set for two. Taking a platter off the warmer, he carried it over to the table and began spooning healthy portions of eggs, toast and ham onto their plates.As she sat down, she was forced to admit that she felt better than she had in weeks. She had certainly gotten more rest in the past hours than she had in a long time.“How are you feeling this morning?” he asked as he took a seat across from her. "Did you sleep well?"“I'm fine. Thank you,” she mumbled around a mouthful of egg. "This is delicious".Daniel smiled.Her appetite was coming back and she concentrated on the delicious food in front of her. This whole thing was weird. The ultra politeness. The cozy breakfast for two. It was so awkward that she wanted to go back to the bedroom and crawl back int

"What's been going on at work?" Emma asked Karen and Monica as she poured herself another glass of apple juice."Wow" Monica said. That looks a lot like wine".Emma laughed and raised her glass. "I know" she said. "First time Daniel saw me do it, he thought I was drinking. You should have seen the look on his face. It was so funny""Poor guy" Monica said."I asked you guys how it was going at work" Emma said. "It's bad enough that I'm stuck here doing nothing. I swear I can't wait to get back to work"."Ermm... I got a promotion" Karen said excitedly."What?" Emma yelled. "Why the hell didn't you tell me?""Relax... It just happened two days ago. Frank and I were celebrating and you seem to have a lot going on these days... You know... With the baby, so I just decided to wait till I came over today.""Fine" Emma said. Rolling her eyes. "What's up wi

Emma tried to keep her feelings motherly as Daniel gently rubbed her stomach, following the kicks and movements of the baby. But with him standing over her, reaching down, she was surrounded by his body. Everywhere she looked there was forearm, broad chest, that amazing smell of him.And this was wildly inappropriate, she told herself. He was only touching her, because she was carrying his child. As far as she knew, he saw her as nothing more than an incubator right now. It had certainly been weeks, months, since they had even spoken about the fact that they had once been so intimate with one another. She had no reason to think that he wanted anything other than friendship from her. So she should just pull these pregnancy hormones of hers in line and stop fantasising about the other parts of her body that hand could be touching right now.Emma looked towards the ceiling, still trying to find a safe place for her gaze to rest. But it collided with Da

"A baby. Marvellous news," Jared had declared when they arrived. "Don’t you think so, Alexa? You’ll be an aunt, of course. Really wonderful news."Emma had eyed Jared carefully, trying to see the cruelty behind this affable exterior. And there it was. The slight lift of his eyebrow changed his smile to a smirk. It gave him a slight air of superiority, as if he had guessed exactly how planned this pregnancy was. She could practically see the guessing games playing across his brain.Emma had discussed it with Daniel. But he had urged her not to worry about it. Not that it was easy."I don't want a scene" Daniel had said. "Especially with my mother here...It would really hurt her to see us fighting. He has always been that way. I know it's hard but he is still my brother and that's just his way of looking out for me... He is like that a lot.. But I'm sure he will come around eventually...There's no need to engage him. Besides they will

His words struck her like arrows. The injustice biting at her. Each word’s sting sharper than the last."I—" Emma began but the words just wouldn't come out. Was he really saying those words."Jared was right the first time" he said.The words sounded so much worse, and Emma gasped. Before she could prevent herself, her hand connected with his cheek.Daniel made no attempt to deflect the blow and she watched him, with a feeling of disbelief. The clear marks of her fingers would definitely show on the left side of his face.She regretted it instantly. She didn’t do things like this. She didn't hit people. But it was too late to have second thoughts. It wasn’t the words that hurt the most; it was the expression on his face. The pain, fear and resignation that told her he meant every one of them. He was broken, afraid and angry—and he blamed her entirely.She inhaled deeply, remembering his sudde