‘Because I let you down.’
Angie shook her head. ‘I let you down. I sh-should have given you the opportunity to explain about Nadia.’
‘I let you down,’ he repeated grimly. ‘I let you down because I was not there when you needed me more than you had ever needed me. I think that makes me a lousy husband, Angie. If you want to stick that knife in my chest I will let you.’
He was not joking. ‘I think I’ve already done it,’ Angie murmured contritely.
‘Sim,‘ Roque agreed. ‘Now you say you are pregnant again.’
‘And I’m scared,’ she repeated, in case he had missed that bit when she’d said it earlier.
He hadn’t. Without the slightest of warning he gathered her up into his arms and carried her through to the bedroom. Dragging back the covers, he deposited her on the bed, then came down beside her and enclosed her in his embrace.
‘You are going to stop thinking about the worst-case scenario, okay?’ he instructed.
‘Okay.’ Angie nodded.
‘Let me do all the worrying for you.’ He lifted a hand to stroke her hair away from the side of her face. ‘You just think pleasant thoughts from now on, and we will deal with this together—as we should have done the time before.’
Angie nodded again.
‘No more running around in high-heeled shoes. No more getting lost in hills. And no more fights about stupid Nadia,’ he added. ‘In fact, no more fights at all.’
‘Okay,’ Angie agreed.
‘First thing we do tomorrow is go and see a doctor. If necessary we will fly over to London and consult with a—’
‘I hope you feed me before then,’ Angie posed wistfully. ‘I haven’t eaten a thing today and I’m starving to death.’
‘Why didn’t you say so before?’ He was already trying to get up when Angie grabbed hold of him and brought him back to her.
‘No, don’t go,’ she breathed tautly. ‘I like it when you hold me. It makes me feel—safe.’
‘Loved,’ Roque said with a faint edge of tension as he came back into her embrace. ‘The word you hesitated over using is loved.’
‘Loved and safe, then,’ Angie extended, then her beautiful green eyes misted over and her soft mouth trembled. ‘I love you so much,’ she whispered softly. ‘I was so miserable when I thought I’d lost you.’
That edge of tension left him, and he gathered her closer so he could cover her mouth with a slow, incredibly tender kiss.
Of course the kiss didn’t stay slow and tender. It never could for them. As the passion intensified and their legs tangled together and their breathing quickened, Angie was not in the least bit amused when he suddenly drew back.
‘We can’t,’ he groaned out hoarsely, flinging himself flat onto his back. ‘We have to think about the baby now.’
He was oh-so right, and Angie just didn’t know what so say. Sorry seemed appropriate, because she just couldn’t imagine how they were going to manage for long months without indulging their desire for each other—if she carried this baby through to the end.
‘I could always …’ She fed a hand down his long tense body, only to have Roque snatch it away.
‘I wasn’t complaining,’ he said frowningly. ‘Don’t even think like that again.’
‘Sorry,’ whispered from her lips in genuine contrition. ‘I was being—impulsive.’
‘You were being adorable,’ he groaned, rolling over to gather her in close again. ‘We will just have to practise self-control, that’s all.’
‘Or … we could get up and drive into Lisbon to see the doctor now. Check out what’s safe for us and what isn’t?’
Eyes like black caverns spun with hints of bronzed mockery captured hers. ‘You insatiable witch,’ Roque murmured.
Angie just looked up at him and said nothing. He shifted his gaze to her defiantly pouting mouth. A lazy teasing smile spread across his own mouth, then suddenly died again.