Solitary Man(20)
Author: Carly Phillips

He’d won his most important concession. She was moving in. No need to push further. “Okay. Part-time help it is,” he said.

She raised her eyebrows. “That was almost too easy.”

“Disappointed?” he asked.

She smiled. “No. Just relieved.”

“Good.” Apparently he’d made another point then. He wouldn’t abandon her or his child. Did she believe him? He shook his head, knowing he didn’t want to delve deeply into the answer.

“Okay then. I’ll go over to Janine’s and pack up your things before coming back for you.”

She nodded.

The conversation hadn’t gone as smoothly as he’d hoped, and now wasn’t the time to bring up her other problems. The baby would be covered under his insurance, but Nikki would not. She had no coverage for any medical bills or serious problems that might yet arise. Nor did she have the money to cover the bills for the medical care both she and the baby deserved right now.

Although he’d been impressed by the clinic and its range of services, the distance between his suburban home and the city clinic wasn’t safe, should there be another emergency. Add to that the location, which made him uneasy in the first place, and Kevin thought he had a good argument for switching to a private doctor in a suburban hospital. Not that Nikki would agree.

If he could get past her pride, there was much he could offer, including paying for her pregnancy medical care—like the emergency room visit last night. The solution he had in mind, however, would probably scare the living daylights out of her, because it sure as hell rocked his world.

Marriage. Commitment. Trust. He shuddered, knowing how he ranked in that particular department. Although he’d pay for Nikki’s care regardless of whether she became his wife, the baby needed the legalities of marriage. Because then his child would have his name. And so would Nikki, from there on in. No illegitimate stigma, no complications.

He glanced over. Her eyes were still moist, her jaw clamped tight. She’d given in, but not willingly. He was the last person she wanted to turn to for anything. He didn’t blame her, but she had no choice. So yes, he’d won one battle, but he had a hunch that was nothing compared to the fight ahead.

* * *

Nikki stepped inside the front door and glanced around Kevin’s new house as if seeing it for the first time. And in a way she was. For the foreseeable future, this was her new home. Her stomach cramped and it had nothing to do with the baby. Directly in front of her was a large staircase leading to the second floor of his Victorian-style home.

“Consider the upstairs off-limits,” Kevin said, coming up behind her.

“Believe me, I wouldn’t dream of going near those steps,” she muttered.

“Good. I just wanted to make sure we were in agreement” He stood so close his warm breath tickled her neck, sending a shot of awareness throughout her body.

Whenever she was around Kevin, she burned. Nikki hoped he kept a fire extinguisher somewhere close because she had a hunch she was going to need it. She took a step forward but she still felt his solid presence behind her.

“So where’s my room?” she asked lightly, trying to minimize her feelings about setting up house with Kevin.

“Back here. Apparently this old place had a servants’ quarters off the kitchen. There’s a bedroom and full bath.”

“Good. Good.” With his bedroom upstairs, she was half a house and a full flight of stairs away from temptation.

He stepped around her, motioning for her to follow. With the soft denim molding to his thighs and the ripple of muscles beneath his old gray T-shirt Nikki would have followed him to the ends of the earth. And back.

She swallowed a moan. Boy was she in trouble.

He stopped in the family room, in front of what looked like a brand-new leather recliner. “I figured you wouldn’t want to be cooped up in a back room all day, so you can make yourself comfortable in here.”

Sunlight streamed through oblong windows around the perimeter of the room, making for a welcoming place to be. A stack of women’s magazines sat on the table beside the chair, and a large-screen television was directly in front. “This is… this is perfect Kevin, thank you.”

He shifted from foot to foot, obviously uncomfortable with her gratitude. “I stopped at the hospital gift shop,” he said, pointing to the neat pile of reading he’d left for her.

“Thanks.” If this stiltedness continued, the stress would send her right back to the hospital.

“I did a quick pack-and-run when I was in your apartment earlier. Janine said she’d come by this afternoon to visit and help you get your things put away. I didn’t think you’d want me to unpack for you.” His cheekbones were highlighted with color—embarrassment—making him appear endearing and… soft. A word and a look she’d never associated with Kevin before.

But with this offer and unexpected move into his home, she was seeing a fresh side to Kevin Manning. She had a hunch they’d be seeing new and enlightening sides to each other, for as long as this arrangement continued.

“I have to let my boss know I’m out of commission,” Nikki said, thinking of all the repercussions.

“At the risk of starting an argument, I took a chance and called over there this morning. I spoke to Jack myself. I figured you’d want to give him as much notice as possible, all things considered.”

Her gaze met his. No doubt he expected another argument. “That was thoughtful. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m going to make a few calls. The remote’s on the table.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“You should get off your feet.”

She nodded and lowered herself into the comfortable chair. The leather squeaked as it molded to the contours of her body. She pushed herself back into a reclining position. Tension in her back and legs—tension she hadn’t even known she was carrying, eased immediately. She sighed aloud. “This is great”

“And you know where the bathroom is.”

“I’m not likely to forget” She laughed and he grinned in return. The unbearable tension between them had finally been broken. Nikki wondered how long the reprieve would last.

SEVEN

“I hate being waited on.” Nikki tilted her head back and watched as the woman Kevin had hired, Eleanor Reid, cleaned off the dinner table while she did nothing but sit.

“I’m just doing my job,” Eleanor reminded her. A job she’d done well in the last week. Problem was, the job was all she did. There was no small talk or chit-chat.