“Mamaeve,” Stephenia wailed, lifting her arms for a hug.
Eve bent down and Benjamin pulled out a chair for her to sit down. Eve flashed a look of impatience. “Honestly, there’s no need for a fuss.”
“The fainting thing cancels out your denial. You know the old saying—actions speak louder than words,” Benjamin said.
“I’m glad someone else said that,” Pippa said.
Eve still looked irritated. “I don’t like being forced to sit.”
“You’re not being forced,” Coco said. “You’re being helped.”
Eve rolled her eyes in disbelief.
“It’s true,” Coco said. “You have a very important job to do. Probably one of the most important jobs of your life. You’re nurturing a baby. There are two lives at stake and both are very important to many people. Even though it seems that sitting down or resting is being lazy, it’s not. You probably think it’s difficult and boring, but it’s a necessary part of your job.”
Eve stared at Coco for a long moment. “I guess I never thought of it that way. I just expected to take pregnancy in stride and keep doing what I’ve always done.” She glanced at her doctor. “I guess it doesn’t always work out that way.”
“Quite true, Your Highness,” he said.
“I’m just not the fainting type,” Eve said.
“As long as you follow the doctor’s direction, you won’t become the fainting type,” Pippa said. “Like you were today.”
Eve bared her teeth slightly then sighed. “Okay, my job is to gestate. Hopefully someone will help amuse me.”
“The line forms behind me,” Pippa said with a smile.
Coco felt another invisible thread connecting her to Eve and Pippa.
* * *
That evening after Coco and Benjamin both bathed Emma, they sat on the love seat and propped their feet on pillows placed on the coffee table. Benjamin rotated between a soccer game and a television show on the BBC.
“I feel like I need subtitles. The British English is so different from Texas English,” Benjamin said.
Coco laughed, and the sound made his chest tighten and expand.
“Does that mean you feel the same way?” he asked.
“I guess so. I just never thought of it that way,” she said and met his gaze. “Thanks for being with me today. Between the meeting with the advisor and Eve fainting, it was a roller-coaster ride.”
He nodded. “Yeah. What do you think of the Devereaux now?”
“I think they bleed,” she said. “Like you and me.”
He met her gaze and something inside him grew and expanded. Coco was deep, sometimes sad, but he could tell that she kept trying to be positive and hopeful. Despite everything she’d been through, she wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt. Being with her made him want to be less cynical.
“You did well today,” he said.
She laced her fingers together then unlaced them. He covered her hand and her fidgeting stopped. She glanced up to meet his gaze. The moment stretched between them.
Fighting a massive internal debate, Benjamin lowered his mouth to hers. Slowly. Slowly enough that she could turn away if she wanted. But she didn’t. Her gaze was locked with his. Her eyelids lowered with each millimeter he drew closer. He wanted to take her mouth, absorb her into him. He wanted to rush, but he made himself go slow.
Eons seemed to pass. He finally pressed his mouth against hers. Her lips were soft and sweet. There was a sense of waiting and wanting in the air. He inhaled briefly, wanting to focus on her mouth.
She responded, rubbing her lips against his.
The sensation of need ran through him like wildfire, and he felt a little of his self-control shatter. Clenching his hand into a fist, he tried to regain control. But then she rubbed her lips against him again and he felt it all the way down from his mouth to his chest to his gut to his groin.
Benjamin opened his mouth and slid his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sweet and wild. When she slipped her hands around his neck, he just wanted more.
Coco felt as if she were stuck on the top of a ferris wheel. She sank against Benjamin’s chest as his mouth took hers. She hadn’t allowed herself to want him. She’d scolded herself not to be attracted to him. He was her boss, and he was wounded from his experience with Emma’s mother. A bad combination.
But now he felt strong and everything about him was too seductive to resist. The way he kissed her, the way he held her. He deepened the kiss further and her breath seemed to stop in her throat. She felt a terrible restlessness that invaded her from head to toe, with special emphasis in between. She wriggled against him to soothe the sensation, but that just seemed to make it worse.
Benjamin let out a low groan and the sound vibrated inside her. Leaning backward, he dragged her on top of him. One of his hands slid to cup her breast while his other pressed her pelvis against him. His unmistakable hardness found the place between her legs where she began to ache.
She tugged at his shirt, wanting to feel his bare skin. He growled in approval and seconds later she felt her naked breasts against his chest. With her skirt and his jeans between them, she just wanted to get rid of everything keeping her from being as close as possible to him.
He must have heard her need. Benjamin found the zipper to her skirt and pushed it down, along with her panties. Finally, she was naked. All she needed was to help him get rid of his jeans and underwear and—
A muffled sound emanated from the baby monitor. Coco was so turned on she wasn’t sure that she’d heard correctly. Benjamin continued to caress and kiss her, making her hotter with each passing stroke.
Another sound from the baby monitor. This one louder. Another that turned into a wail. Coco stilled as her heartbeat throbbed in her ears and throughout every pulse point in the body. Benjamin didn’t seem to hear.
“It’s Emma,” she finally managed to say. “She’s awake. And crying.”
Benjamin pulled his mouth away from hers, his eyes dark with the same need she felt. When Emma let out another cry, realization crossed his face. He swore under his breath and helped both her and himself into a sitting position.
Coco was still aroused, but she suddenly felt self-conscious by the contrast of her complete nudity and Benjamin’s half-dressed state. Fumbling with her blouse, she struggled to find the buttons. “I’ll get her,” she said. “I just need to put on my clothes.”
“No, it’s okay,” he said as he stood. “I’ll do it.” He pulled on his shirt and left the room.
The blouse was turned half-inside-out, making the act of dressing herself that much more frustrating. She finally put it on, then pulled on her panties and skirt. When she stood, she suspected her panties were on backward.
Confused about what she should do next, she pushed her hair out of her face and walked toward the room where Emma was supposed to be sleeping. She glanced inside in the darkness and saw the outline of Benjamin standing as he rocked from side to side with Emma in his arms.
She didn’t want to interrupt because it appeared he’d successfully quieted her. Her heart twisted. More progress between Dad and his daughter. A few moments ago, however, she’d thought of him as anything but a dad.
Coco stood there for a few moments to collect her breath and sense. What did it mean that they had nearly made love? What next? Should she stay awake or try