“Nah, that came straight from summer camp. Guys in my cabin took turns grossing each other out. I took grand champion three years running.” Looking smugly pleased with himself, Gresham propped a shoulder against the opposite wall and sipped.
Still on the sunny side of thirty, with a trust fund in seven figures and serious political clout, Seth Aaron Gresham IV had the same lack of respect for rank that had caused Rafe no end of grief in his first few shaky years—until Linc Slocum had kicked his butt. For his sins—and according to Linc, they were legend—the suits in the big building had tasked him with whipping this particular high profile, gung-ho youngster into shape.
It was almost enough to drive a teetotaler like himself to drink, Rafe thought, corralling his chronic restlessness with more difficulty than usual.
“Question comes to mind why a guy famous for never losing his cool looks ready to explode because one pretty little woman has locked herself in the can.”
Rafe shot him a sour look “You ever been around a pregnant woman?”
“Not my bag, actually. In fact, I tend to break out in a sweat the minute a woman gets that nesting gleam in her eyes.”
Rafe checked his watch. Her ten minutes were nearly up. “I was six when my mom had my oldest brother. Mostly I remember feeling scared for nine months ’cause she was either hanging over the toilet or bursting into tears.”
Seth took a sip, flexed his shoulders. “Guess I should be grateful I’m the last of three. Came along when my sister was almost nine.”
Probably never slept three in a bed with at least one brother who peed the bed either. “Important thing to remember, a pregnant woman needs special handling. Last thing we need is a witness who falls apart on the stand. Tends to make juries do unpredictable things.”
Provided they had a defendant and a solid enough case to take in front of a jury.
“Dr. Fabrizio seems pretty darn stable to me. Took the worst a lot calmer than most.”
Rafe snorted. “Oh yeah, that sprint to the can looked real calm.”
Gresham offered a reluctant grin. “She did look a little green at that.” His grin changed to a frown. “Morning sickness, right?”
“Probably.”
On the other hand he’d also seen burly, hard-eyed men toss their cookies after an emotional hit like the one he’d just given her. Laying it on her cold had been a tactical error, he realized now. Guilt bunched into a sick ball in his belly. Much as he hated to admit it, he had a strong feeling he’d rushed things because he wanted to spend as little time as possible in her presence.
“What now?” Gresham asked.
“We ask our questions, give her a list of contact numbers, and catch the red-eye back to D.C.”
Gresham started to say more, but the sudden click of the bathroom lock had his gaze slicing toward the door. As she emerged and walked toward him, Danni gave them a quick smile designed to reassure. Instead, Rafe felt a jolt of alarm. Instead of queasy, she now looked truly ill. Her lips were pale, her hair damp around her face, and her eyes seemed glazed.
“Sorry about that.” Despite her wan appearance, her tone was brisk, one professional to another. He recognized her need to retain her dignity at all costs.
“No problem.” Rafe straightened and dropped his arms. Without the power suit and fancy high heels she seemed more like the mischievous hoyden with the metal grin and bubbling laugh who’d stolen his heart years before she’d blossomed into a beauty.
“Feel better now?” Gresham asked while watching her warily, as though expecting her to upchuck onto his shiny hand-sown Italian loafers.
Her too-pale lips curved. “Fine. I appreciate you being so patient.”
Oh yeah, she was fine all right, Rafe thought, narrowing his gaze. If fine meant looking wrung-out and hollow-eyed. Despite her bedraggled appearance, however, she still managed to project enough sex appeal to have him shoring up walls he’d once considered impenetrable.
“Aren’t you too far along to still be having morning sickness?” he asked more curtly than he’d intended.
“Actually morning is the only time I don’t get queasy.” She forced a laugh. “Luke says it’s not all that unusual for a woman to have morning sickness through the second trimester.”
In a deliberate effort to reassure her he broke his own rule and combined the personal with the professional “You probably don’t remember, but Mom had to be hospitalized for dehydration while she was carrying Carlos.”
Her mouth turned up at the corners. Damn, but she still had the most kissable lips he’d ever seen. “Actually I do remember, but only because while she was gone, I had to fix dinner three nights in a row before Papa got fed up with canned soup and grilled cheese sandwiches and took us all out to Napoli Gardens.”
“Canned soup and grilled cheese would have been a treat compared to the stuff I managed to throw together for the kids and me while she was gone,” he said with a smile of his own. “I still hate rice and beans.”
Her eyes twinkled, and he grieved for that besotted boy who’d believed in fairy-tale endings. “Don’t tell Aunt Gina, but I feel the same about red sauce.”
“Since your aunt Gina would sooner refuse an audience with the Pope than spend even a moment in my presence, I think your secret is safe.”
Her expression sobered. “She meant well, Rafe. From her point of view I had been promised to Mark in my cradle and my…infatuation with you frightened her.”
Emotions he neither welcomed nor completely understood swam through him. It was tougher than he’d expected, hanging on to even the most justified resentments when the woman in front of him was looking more fragile with every breath she took.
“Come on, let’s get some food in you before we get to those questions you promised to answer.” He tucked his hand into the small of her back and started to guide her toward the living room. She took a few steps, and then faltered.
“Danni?”
She turned her head up to look at him, and her fingers closed over his arm, her nails digging in. She licked her lips, then took a shaky breath. As he looked down at her, her sloe-dark eyes glazed over, and her lashes fluttered like little dark brushes.
Alarm jolted through him as he curled one arm around her back. Bad guys he could handle. Even lousy memories that made him bleed inside were manageable, but a pregnant woman clutching him as though her very life depended on hanging on tight had him going ice-cold with panic. “Danni, talk to me,” he demanded. Pleaded. “Is it the baby? Are you in pain?”
“No pain. It’s just…I’m…sorry, Rafe, but I’m terribly afraid I’m going to…uh…I think…oh, hell.” And then, just like that she crumpled against him like a limp, sad-faced rag doll.
His heart slamming with more than simple panic, Rafe scooped her into his arms and felt her settle bonelessly against him. Her cheek was pressed against his chest, her lashes resting on her cheeks and her mouth softly parted as though in a sigh, giving her a poignantly vulnerable look that pushed a lot of buttons he’d thought he’d disconnected long ago.
“Damn, this is turning into a disaster,” he muttered, tightening his grip.
“Worse,” Gresham replied, looking far from composed. “What do you think? 911?”
God! “Yeah.”
“Phone’s in my jacket,” Seth said before hurrying into the living room. Rafe followed at a more careful pace.
“Hold off a minute,” he ordered as Seth flipped open his cell phone. He figured five to ten minutes for 911 to respond versus a quick trip across the street to fetch her own doctor. He ran