A baby for Christmas (Season of Romance Book 1) by Dilys J. Carnie Read Free Book Online

do.”
    “What about if you meet someone you want
to marry…someone you fall in love with? What then? Because I don’t believe in
divorce?”
    “Neither do I. Belle, we have a strong
connection that’s why we’re in this position now, there’s chemistry between us.
The minute I come near you, I can feel it. We can build on that.”
    Belle felt her heart beat painfully
fast, and swallowed down sudden nausea.. He wasn’t going to back down but then
she knew that he wouldn’t he was that kind of guy. Perhaps unconsciously she
was aware that if she had tried to find him he would have insisted on being a
part of her life.
    “Come and sit down.” He took her hand
“You’ve gone deathly white, are you okay?”
    She nodded and sat in the chair he
pulled out. He turned and took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and
unscrewed the top for her. Her mind was racing with the conversation they were
having. The weight of the last hour was weighing heavily on her slumped
shoulders.
    “Here, sip some of this.”
    Damn why did he have to be so nice? How
could she hate someone who cared about her welfare? The ice cold liquid was
cool against her lips relieving the dryness of her throat.
    “Come on, you need to take a nap.”
    She looked up at him as he pulled her to
her feet.
    “Don’t be ridiculous I’ve got too much to
do.” She looked at her watch “It’s only just after eleven.”
    He took hold of her hand and proceeded
to walk through the hallway and upstairs with her. She should have said
something more, but truth be told the whole morning had exhausted her and a small
nap would help her get through the rest of the day. It was Christmas Eve and
she needed to prepare for Christmas Day especially now that Ethan was staying.
    They stopped outside her bedroom door
and he opened it. Belle entered and turned to shut the door.
    “Thank you.” On impulse she reached up
and kissed his cheek. It was smooth and soft and her body tingled at the
thought of lingering just so she could smell him, his scent was warm and musky
with hints of cedar. It was a scent that was embedded inside her memory.
    He smiled. “That was nice.” He put his
hand up to where her lips had been.
    “Yes, well don’t get used to it.” She
pushed the door shut but there was a smile on her face. He was so nice to have
around but at what cost? This was her home, the only place she’d known all her
life…to leave it all behind? Blinking away the tears as she shrugged out of her
coat her weary body lay beneath the quilt cover her Gran had made for her
sixteenth birthday.  Huddling up into a foetal position her hand automatically
lay on her tummy and the other hand beneath her ear and thought nice happy
thoughts of previous Christmases with a woman she’d loved her whole life.
    ****
    Ethan had busied himself doing some work
on his laptop and speaking with his family. He would miss them; this was the
first Christmas he’d been away. But it was worth it.
     Belle and their baby would be his
family; he was hoping to persuade her to come home with him for the New Year
celebrations although at the moment that was looking very unlikely. Perhaps
they could work out some sort of schedule where they spent half the year here
and the other half at Pine Tree Valley.
    It was going to be difficult, and he
hadn’t completely convinced Belle that getting married would work. But he
would, he was already in love with her so he was halfway there.
    He could do it. He could make her love
him and if he couldn’t then at least they could be friends. It had worked in
marriages before…being in love wasn’t everything, was it? A strong family
environment and a happy home for their child…children because he wanted more
than one. Ethan had always wanted a large family.
    He’d made some soup for lunch. He
grinned—well he’d opened a tin. He was just about to go and wake her up when he
opened the kitchen door and walked smack into Belle.
    “Whoa, sweetheart,” he