Anna leaned forward and rested her elbows on the bar, propping her chin on the backs of her hands. “I’m kinda the same way. Give me a good movie, a bowl of popcorn and a comfy couch to curl into and I’m in heaven.”
“You like movies, huh?”
“I love movies.”
“What kind?”
“I’ll watch pretty much anything.”
“Fine, then come on,”
Her brow furrowed. “Uh-oh, you have that look. The one you get just before you give me stuff. What did you buy this time?”
He flashed her a grin. “I didn’t buy you a thing. I promise.” He led her upstairs to the living room, then smiled, “I just thought we could see a movie together, Anna. Nothing crazy,”
She laughed, “Fine Cedric. What do you want to watch?”
He simply took a seat and handed her the remote, “Anything you want Anna,” he replied, “Anything you want,”
___________
It was after eleven when the movie ended. Not that Cedric had spent a whole lot of time with his eyes on the screen. As always, he found that watching the woman stretched out on the couch across the room was a much more pleasing way to pass the time. How was it that he never tired of looking at her? She wasn’t the kind of woman who strutted into a room and stunned every man with her breathtaking beauty. She was much more subtle than that. So soft and petite, but sturdy somehow. Cute and sassy, and almost wholesome, until she opened her mouth and fired off a dose of attitude.
Anna’s quiet, determined nature fascinated him. He’d met more than his share of women over the years, through business or socially, but he couldn’t recall ever knowing anyone quite like her.
When the credits began to roll on the screen, Anna turned to him and smiled. “That was so good.”
Since he hadn’t really been paying attention, he would take her word for it.
She yawned and stretched. “I wish we had time for another one, but I’m exhausted. I’m usually sound asleep by now.”
He switched on the lamp beside his chair and used the remote to shut off the television. “We can do it again tomorrow night.” He walked over to the couch and held out a hand to give her a boost up. She accepted and let him pull her to her feet. “I’ll walk you to your room.”
She yawned again and walked with him to the stairs. The staff members had already gone to bed and most of the lights were turned off.
“I’ll probably sleep in tomorrow. Lately, if I don’t get at least eight hours, I’m like the walking dead.” Anna told him.
“I can understand that,” he said.
She smoothed a hand over her belly, a look of pure and complete contentment on her face. “It’s worth it.”
“Does the baby kick a lot?” he heard himself ask.
“Yes, I mean more than it did before, but I expect more as I get closer to the end of the pregnancy. Although I have felt flutters that may or may not be Braxton Hicks or indigestion. I’ll ask next week at my checkup.”
Seven months already since she got pregnant. It seemed like only yesterday, so why did it feel like a lifetime? What was it about her that made him feel so…connected?
“I can leave a message for the cook to have your breakfast brought up a bit later tomorrow morning if you’d like.”
“That would be nice,” she said. “As long as it’s no trouble.”
He didn’t ask any more questions about the baby and thankfully she didn’t offer any details. When they reached her room, they both stopped outside the door. Anna gazed up at him through the dim light, a sleepy, contented smile on her face. “I had a really good time tonight, Cedric.” She told him.
“I did, too.”
She looked at the door, then back at him, her bottom lip clamped between her teeth.
“Anything wrong?” he asked.
“No. I just…” She lowered her eyes.
“You just what?” he asked, and the next thing he knew, Anna’s arms were around him in a bone crushingly enthusiastic hug.
Aw, hell.
Cedric steeled himself for the slam of emotion as her belly bumped his stomach. He waited for the grief to grab hold and drag him down. But instead of feeling pain or guilt or even aversion-and ah, man, he almost wished he had-desire snuck up and pounced on him like a wild animal, digging its claws and teeth into his flesh, sinking through skin and muscle straight to the bone.
Her scent suddenly seemed to be all around him. The same as before-sweet and sexy and enticing as hell-but different somehow. Maternal, maybe, if that made any sense. Or was it even possible. Could a woman smell pregnant? And if she did, would it be so damned…erotic?
Her cheek settled against his chest, the softness of her hair snagging in the stubble on his chin as her hands settled on the flat of his back just below his shoulder blades. And damn did it feel nice. He’d almost forgotten how it felt to be close to her. The excitement and contentment. As if he were right where he was supposed to be. If it weren’t for the baby… He had intended on patting her back a couple of times, then backing away, but his arms were already around her. One hand curling over the base of her skull, his fingers tangling through her silky locks. The other had made itself right at home dangerously low on her back. An inch lower and he’d be copping a feel of her sweet behind.
Holding her now, after all they had been through, still felt the same, like…coming home. A place where everything was warm and sweet and familiar. He wanted to crawl inside the feeling and hold himself there. He wanted to be inside of her. And she would know just how much in another ten seconds, when the last of his blood left his brain and drained into his crotch.
Anna sighed, melting a little deeper into Cedric’s arms. Though she knew it was probably just an illusion, she felt so close to him. When he’d asked about the baby kicking, it had been close to impossible to contain her excitement. To stop herself from gushing out every little mundane detail about her pregnancy.