“You should have texted me at least,” Ashley said. “Oh, Brooke, I’m so thrilled for you. I can only imagine how excited I’ll be when I become pregnant. I hope our babies are close together and can be playmates!”
Ashley had grown louder and louder, her exuberance drawing the attention of the others, who cast indulgent smiles in Ashley’s direction.
She was animated and talking a mile a minute, throwing her hands this way and that, and nearly crashed into a passing waiter. Only Devon’s and Cam’s quick lunge for the tray of drinks prevented complete disaster. Ashley continued, oblivious to the chaos around her.
Then she impulsively hugged Brooke again. For the third time. Then she hugged Paul. Then she hugged Brooke again, the entire time wringing her hands in excitement.
Cam chuckled and shook his head. “You’ve got quite the chore on your hands, Dev. Keeping up with her is going to wear your stick-in-the-mud ass out.”
“Don’t you have somewhere else to be and someone else to torture?” Devon muttered.
Cam glanced Ashley’s way once more and Devon swore he saw genuine affection in his friend’s eyes.
“She’s cute,” Cam said as he put his wineglass aside.
“Cute?”
Cam shifted uncomfortably. “She’s sweet, okay? She seems…genuine and you can’t ask for more than that.”
Devon stared agape at his friend. “You like her.”
Cam scowled darkly.
Devon laughed. “You like her. You, who doesn’t like anyone, actually like her.”
“She’s nice,” Cam muttered.
“But you don’t think I should marry her,” Devon prompted.
“Shh, she’s going to hear you,” Cam hissed.
But Ashley had already drifted away from Devon and was solidly ensconced in a squeal-fest with Brooke as others had heard the news and had descended. She wasn’t going to hear an earthquake if a fault suddenly opened up under the building and sucked everyone in.
“If you think she’s so cute and nice, why the big speech about not being a martyr and getting married, et cetera?” Devon persisted.
Cam sighed. “Look, I just hate to see her get hurt and that’s what’s going to happen if you aren’t straight with her. Women have a way of knowing when men aren’t that into them.”
“Who the hell says I’m not into her?”
Cam arched an eyebrow. “Are you saying you are? Because you don’t act like a man who’s into his future bride.”
Devon frowned and looked around, making sure they weren’t overheard. By anyone. Least of all Ashley’s overprotective family. “What do you mean by that? You, Rafe and Ryan know the real circumstances of my relationship with Ashley but no one else does. I’ve given no one reason to suspect that I’m marrying her for any other reason than I want to.”
Once again Cam shrugged. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe because I know the real story it’s easier for me to see that you aren’t as excited as your lovely bride to be is over your impending nuptials.”
“Damn it,” Devon swore. “Now you’re going to have me paranoid that I’m broadcasting disinterest.”
“Look, forget I said anything. I’m sure it’ll be fine. It’s none of my business anyway. She just seems like a sweet girl and I hate to see her get hurt.”
“I’m not going to hurt her,” Devon gritted out. “I’m going to marry her and I’m damn sure going to take care of her.”
“And you’re being summoned again,” Cam said, nodding in Ashley’s direction. “I’m going to take off. I’ll walk with you over to Ashley so I can offer my congratulations again and say good night.”
Devon started in Ashley’s direction then listened attentively while she introduced him to one of her cousins—one of the many in attendance—and then waited while Cam said his goodbyes and kissed her on both cheeks.
But the entire time, his mind was racing as he processed his conversation with Cam. Was he coming across as someone who was less than enthused about his upcoming marriage? The very last thing he needed to do was drop the ball when everything was so close to being in his grasp. Finally.
He’d worked too damn hard and long to allow any slips now. If he had to wed Satan himself to seal this deal, he’d don the fire retardant suit and pucker up.
Five
No matter how many nights she’d already spent in Devon’s apartment, she still got butterflies when she entered his bedroom to get ready for bed. Granted she’d only been here a week and it was still a little uncomfortable and awkward because she still didn’t feel any sense of ownership when it came to his home.
She was pulling on her satin nightgown when Devon’s chuckle broke the silence in the room. She turned quickly, her brow furrowed as he regarded her in amusement.
“What’s so funny?”
“You. Every night you spend so much time putting on that lovely nightgown only for me to promptly take it off you when you come to bed. By now one would think you wouldn’t bother.”
She flushed. “It seems…presumptuous…to think you want…I mean to assume you’d want…”
“Sex?” he finished for her.
She nodded, her cheeks flaming.
He grinned and pulled her toward the bed. “I think it’s a safe presumption that I’ll always want sex with you. Feel free to assume all you want. I assure you…” He bent and kissed her lingeringly. “That I’ll never ever…” He slid his mouth down her jaw to her neck and nibbled at her ear. “Not want…” He licked the pulse point at her neck, and her knees buckled. “To have sex with you. Unless I’m in a body cast and even then I’ll be thinking about it.”
Her nose crinkled and she shook with silent laughter. “It’s true then. That sex is all a man ever thinks about?”
“We occasionally think about food.”
She laughed aloud this time. “My mother is scandalized that I’ve practically moved in with you.”
“Not practically,” he said as he slid one strap over her shoulder. “You have moved in with me.”
She shrugged. “Well she was aghast. My father told her to stop being such a worrywart, that you and I were getting married and it was only natural that we’d want time together before the big day to see if we were compatible. Eric, on the other hand, seemed pretty ticked. He thinks Daddy’s nuts to allow me to move in with a man who’s boned half the city—his words, not mine.”
Devon straightened his stance and stared at her with an open mouth. “Do you always do that?”
She sent him a perplexed frown. “Do what?”
He shook his head. “Blurt out whatever comes to mind.”
Her frown grew deeper. “Well, I guess. I mean I haven’t really thought about it. It is what he said. I mean I didn’t really pay any attention to him. He’s just really protective of me and he always gets snarly when a guy starts paying attention to me.”
“I hardly think me asking you to marry me can be compared to some random guy paying attention to you,” he drawled.
“Well, but I’m living with you now so he obviously knows we’re having sex and he doesn’t like to imagine his little sister having sex. With anyone.”
Devon shuddered. “Who would?”
She grinned. “My point is, he’s just being Eric and he had to get his two cents in.”
“For the record, I have not boned half the city.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to kiss her. “As long as I’m the only one you’ll…well, you know, in the future? I don’t really care about the past.”
“The future? Oh, yeah. And the present. Like right now.”
She shivered as he lowered her to the bed. For having been a virgin a mere week ago, her education was no longer sorely lacking. Every night he’d taken her to places she’d only halfway imagined, and others she hadn’t even known existed.
If this was a precursor to how life with him was going to be, she was going to be one very happy wom
an.
“Joining our meeting via video conference call this morning are Ryan Beardsley and Rafael de Luca,” Devon said as his two friends’ faces flashed up on the monitor on the wall. “Ryan is on location at our site build on St. Angelo Island, where our flagship resort is in its first stage of development. When completed, this resort will be the standard for every new Copeland property. Good morning, Ryan. Perhaps you could give us a progress report on the construction.”
Devon tuned out Ryan and glanced over at Cam, who was slouched in a chair. Devon knew well the progress on construction. He got daily and sometimes hourly reports. Though Ryan was on site, his focus was on his very pregnant wife, who could deliver at any moment. To that end, Devon kept in contact with the foreman so that any issues that arose could be swiftly dealt with.
Cam hadn’t dressed for the occasion. He’d never quite bought in to the idea that image is everything in the business world. But then he didn’t really care what others thought or didn’t think. It was easier for Cam, though. He’d been born to this world, while Devon had to claw and dig his way in, one torn fingernail at a time.
Cam looked like a man who could be heading to the beach for the day or at the very least planning to spend the day kicked back with a beer in one hand and a cigar in the other. But then Cam didn’t drink or smoke. The man had no vices. He was disgustingly perfect in his imperfection.
Members of Tricorp’s staff listened attentively to Ryan’s report. Jotted down appropriate notes. The secretary took detailed minutes. There was an air of expectancy in the room. Everyone knew it was a matter of time before the big merger was announced.
Devon thought it kinder to wait. Maybe he was getting old and soft. Maybe he didn’t even deserve to be on the verge of the biggest coup of his career. Because at the very moment when he stood to gain everything he’d ever wanted, he’d actually gone to William Copeland and suggested that they postpone the announcement for six months. He thought it would be kinder to Ashley if she were to think that business had nothing to do with their marriage and that the merger came after. William wouldn’t have it, however. He insisted that things proceed as planned.
He thought Devon worried too much about Ashley’s potential reaction. She loved him, wasn’t that enough? It had made Devon cringe that apparently the whole world knew she was madly in love with her husband to be.
Besides, William pointed out that as disinterested in the family business as Ashley was, the chances of her actually putting it all together were slim. William’s advice to Devon? Keep her busy and happy.
Suddenly in the midst of Ryan’s report, a sound jangled over the room. There was a series of starts as his employees looked down and then around. Devon frowned. What the hell was it? It sounded like a ring tone, but it wasn’t one he’d ever heard before.
Then slowly everyone’s gaze turned to him and it was then he realized it was his phone going off in his pocket.
“What the hell?” he muttered.
Cam snickered.
Devon yanked his phone out of his pocket to see Ashley’s name on the LCD. He nearly groaned aloud.
“Excuse me a moment,” he said as he rose. “I’ll take this outside.”
He hurried out the door, irritated by Cam’s look of amusement. He knew damn well who was calling Devon.
As soon as he was outside the conference room he punched the answer button and brought the phone to his ear. “Carter,” he said tersely.
Ashley wasn’t even remotely put off by his greeting. Or lack of one.
“Oh, hi, Dev! How’s your day going?”
“Uh, it’s good. Look, was there something you needed? I’m kind of in the middle of something here.”
“Oh, nothing important,” she said cheerfully. “I just wanted to call and tell you I love you.”
An uncomfortable knot formed in his stomach. What was he supposed to say to that? He cleared his throat. “Ash, did you change the ring tone on my phone?”
“Oh, yeah. I did. I downloaded one so you’d know when I’m calling. Neat, huh?”
Devon closed his eyes. The cheerful cascade of noise that sounded like a cross between Tinker Bell sneezing fairy dust and a waltz at some damn princess ball would make him the laughingstock of the office in short order. Not to mention that Cam would never, ever let him live this down.
“Neat,” he lamely agreed. “Look, I’ll see you tonight, okay? We still on for dinner at nine?”
“Yes, that’s perfect. I’m at the shelter until eight so if it’s okay I’ll just meet you at the restaurant.”
He frowned. “Do you have a ride?”
“I’ll get a cab.”
He shook his head. “I’ll send a car for you. Stay put at the shelter until it arrives. I’ll arrange it for eight.”
She sighed but didn’t argue further. “Have a good day, Dev. Can’t wait until tonight!”
“Thanks. You, too,” Devon said but she’d already hung up.
He stared at his phone for a long moment and then punched a series of buttons. How did you even change the ring tone? He’d never designated a special ring tone for a person. His phone rang, the contact showed up, and if he wanted to answer he did. If he didn’t, he let it go to voice mail. No way he wanted sparkly Tinker Bell music to play every time Ashley called him. What if she made a regular habit of it?
To his never-ending grief, she called him every single day. It baffled him that her timing was utterly impeccable. She always managed to catch him right in the middle of a meeting or when he was with a group of people.
After the second instance, he began silencing his phone and putting it on vibrate, but on two occasions, he simply forgot and his entire meeting was treated to Tinker Bell on crack.
After two weeks, he began to get amused, indulgent looks from some. Sympathy from others. Delighted grins from the women personnel. And Cam laughed his fool head off.
Ashley simply called whenever the mood struck, and unfortunately for him, he could never be sure when she would be moved to call him. Sometimes she wanted advice on wedding details. Like flowers. How the hell did he know what the difference between a tulip and a gardenia was? And invitations. Elopement to Vegas had never looked so enticing as it did right now.
Rafael and Ryan hadn’t gone through all of this for their weddings. They’d both had exceedingly simple affairs. Devon was in hell. A wedding that was being planned by the entire Copeland clan.
He was ready to throw his cell in the Hudson.
Six
“Dev?”
Devon stuck his head out of the bathroom then proceeded toward the bed, rubbing his hair with a towel. She was laying stomach down on the bed, feet dangling in the air as her jaw rested in her palm.
There was a slight frown marring her delicate features, which told him she was thinking about something. He almost didn’t want to ask because he’d quickly learned that Ashley’s thoughts ran the gamut.
He sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed his hand over her back. “What’s up?”
She turned slightly so she could stare up at him. “Where are we going to live? I mean after we get married. We haven’t really talked about it.”
“I assumed we’d live here.”
Her lips turned down just a bit and her brow wrinkled. “Oh.”
“That doesn’t sound like a good ‘oh.’ Do you not like the apartment? It’s bigger than yours so I naturally thought it would accommodate us better.”
She scrambled up and sat cross-legged beside him. “I do like it. This is a great apartment. It’s a little manly-looking. More like a bachelor pad. It’s not really appropriate for children or pets.”
“Pets?” he croaked out. “Uh, Ash, I don’t know about pets.”
Her frown deepened, which he found distressing. Ashley rarely pouted about anything, which was good, because it was damn hard to resist her when she looked unhappy. Maybe it was because she was rarely ever anything but happy.
“I’ve always wanted a house in the country. A place for kids and pets to run and play. The city isn’t a good place to raise a family.”
“Lots of people raise families here,” Devon pointed out. “You were raised here.”
She shook her head. “Not always, no. We didn’t move to the city until I was ten. Before that we lived on this really great farm. Or at least it was a farm before my father bought it. It was such a beautiful place to live.”
The wistful note in her voice was a shot to the gut.
“It’s something we can discuss when the time comes,” Devon said by way of appeasement. “Right now, my focus is on making you my wife, having a week of uninterrupted time with you on our honeymoon and getting you permanently moved into my apartment.”
She smiled and leaned up to brush her lips across his jaw. “I love it when you talk like that.”
He raised a brow as she drew back. “Like what?”
“Like you can’t wait for us to be together.”
She snuggled against him and wrapped her arms around his waist. And again he was assailed by an unfamiliar nagging sensation in his chest. It wasn’t comfortable. He wasn’t sure he liked it even as he didn’t want it to go away.
“It won’t be long now,” he said. And then some strange urge to continue on and at least make a token effort to lift her spirits pushed stubbornly at him. He stroked a hand over her silky hair and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “We can always revisit the issue of where to live later. Right now, though, I want our concentration to be on each other.”
She squeezed him tighter and then pulled away as she’d done before to stare up at him, her blue eyes shining. “Can we talk about one other thing?”
“Of course.”
“When you say you want our concentration to be on each other, does that mean you’d prefer to wait to start a family? We’ve talked casually about children. I’ve made it no secret that I’d love to become pregnant right away but you haven’t said what you want in that regard.”
A sudden picture of her swollen with his child and her radiant, beautiful smile flashed through his mind. It shocked him just how gratifying the image was. He was assailed by a surge of longing and possessiveness that baffled him.
He’d always viewed marriage, a wife and eventual children with clinical detachment. Almost as if they were components of a to do list. And maybe they had been. Right underneath his goals of business success.
Now that he was suddenly faced with all of the above, he had a hard time thinking rationally about what he wanted. It was a very damn good question.
At some point he’d stopped looking at marriage to Ashley as the chore it had begun as. He’d resigned himself to the inevitability and honestly, he could do so much worse. She was intelligent, good to her core, sweet, affectionate and tender-hearted. She’d make a perfect mother. Much better than his own had ever been. But would he make a good father?
“Dev?”
He glanced down to see her staring at him with worry in her eyes. It was instinctual to want to immediately soothe the concern away. He kissed her brow. “I was just thinking.”
“If it’s too soon to be having this conversation, I’m sorry. Daddy always says I get too far ahead of myself. I just can’t help it. I get excited about something and I just want to reach out and grab it.”
He couldn’t help but smile. It was such an apt description of her. She embraced life wholeheartedly. And she didn’t seem to much care if she stumbled along the way. He wondered if anything ever got her down at all. People like her were a puzzle to him. He didn’t understand them. Couldn’t relate to them.
He pulled her onto his lap until she was astride him. “What I think is that you’ll be a perfect mother. I was just imagining you pregnant with my child and decided I quite liked the image. I also had the thought that I’ve never used protection, which is hugely irresponsible of me even given the fact that we both have clean histories and are safe, which makes me wonder if subconsciously I was hoping to get you pregnant all along.”
She sighed and went soft, melting into his chest as she leaned toward him.