Reclaiming His Pregnant Widow by Tessa Radley Read Free Book Online Page B

in the air, hers were cool and distant. “Last night you said it was over.”
    The staccato words hit him in the solar plexus, knocking back his breath. Yes, he had said that. Stupid pride. Of course, he hadn’t meant it. He’d been off balance. Hurting. Humiliated.
    And betrayed…
    How could he forget that? He was laying himself open for his heart to be ripped out again, for her to watch him bleed. To see his pain. No way.
    Just in time, he slammed the mental door shut.
    Clea shrugged out of his grasp. Penning a note in her diary, she said without looking at him, “If you don’t mind, I’ll make an appointment with the bank and confirm the time with you later.”
    He did mind.
    And he was being dismissed. Disbelief shook Brand…and finally the fear surfaced. Fear that he’d irretrievably lost her. Fear that he would never find his way back into that laughter-filled, warm and comfortable world they’d shared together.
    Fear that the past really was gone forever.
    Then he took mental stock. Hell, what was he doing, yearning after a wife who’d found another lover? A lover by whom she was now pregnant.
    Yet, before he could stop himself, Brand snagged her arm. Instantly, Clea spun around, her eyes wide with surprise. “What?”
    Clea had accused him in the past of being too self-contained, never sharing his thoughts. Hell, how to explain that the thought of letting someone into the private space of his soul was terrifying? But this time he didn’t sparehimself—or her—as he pointedly studied her abdomen. “Was it an accident?”
    Her breathing came in great rasps. Brand was conscious of the soft skin of her upper arm in his hold. Finally she croaked, “It wasn’t an accident—I wanted this baby!”
    The admission cut into his heart like a bayonet, causing every muscle to tighten until his whole body vibrated. “Why?”
    â€œNot now, Brand.”
    â€œYes, now .”
    The sound of voices drifted down the corridor outside Clea’s office. She uttered a tense laugh. “This is ridiculous. You want to talk? You know, four years ago I thought the only thing wrong with our marriage was that you always kept your distance—you never talked to me about what you were thinking. Well, I was ready to talk last night…you weren’t.” Clea must have read something of his inner turmoil and tension in his face because she sighed. “We do need to talk, Brand. But not now. I’ve got work to do. Alan just called, he might come looking for me. Anyone could walk in on us.”
    â€œI don’t care who walks in on us!”
    â€œI do.”
    I do. She’d said those words to him during their wedding in the Chapel of Love—she’d vowed to love him, only him, forever. Brand brought his face close to hers. “I don’t need the touchy-feely talk you consider so important. But I do want to know why you betrayed me, betrayed our vows.”
    Clea’s chin came up. “ Betrayed is a very strong word.”
    â€œThat’s what you did. Tell me why.”
    â€œIt’s not enough that you and I had dreamed of starting a family together?”
    He snorted. “That’s romantic hogwash.”
    â€œHogwash?” Something flickered in her eyes. “Well,then, this is going to sound like more touchy-feely romantic hogwash—I did it for the man I love.”
    â€œFor your baby’s father.” It wasn’t a question.
    She nodded, her wide eyes suddenly wary. “Of course.”
    Even though he’d been expecting it, he was shaken by the confirmation that she’d betrayed him in the worst way possible—by falling in love with another man despite vowing to be his for the rest of their lives. The anger that had subsided when the fear arose spread like wildfire through his veins, heat leaping through him until Brand thought he might explode. He fought for cold