She felt as though she’d been sunk into quicksand up to her neck. Her body was going into a full-scale panic attack—her arms and legs refusing to move. This was why practical Meg existed. Reliable, boring Meg would never have made such a mistake.
“I have to get out of here.” She willed her paralyzed body to move, but before she could take a step, Rob picked her up and carried her to the couch, settling her securely on his lap.
“I’m the one who’s sorry, Meg.” He tucked her head in the crook of his neck, resting his cheek on the top of her head. She felt her body give way to fear as she began to shake. “Oh no, sweetheart, please. Please don’t worry. You aren’t alone and you never will be. I would never leave you to deal with this by yourself.”
“My father—”
“Was a bastard,” Rob finished for her. “And he clearly doesn’t know what he missed. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want you? You’re perfect.”
His kind words went a long way to soothing her, yet she couldn’t help but ask the question pounding inside her brain. “If I’m pregnant?”
“If you are, we’ll deal with it. Together. I meant what I said. You aren’t alone. I promise.” Bending down, he sealed his vow with a gentle kiss that was nearly her undoing.
As he kissed her, Rob foolishly prayed his sperm would succeed. He’d started several times today to tell her the truth about his identity, but she had taken such delight in the day, he couldn’t bring himself to ruin it for her. Her enthusiasm when she realized they were going out on the water had been priceless. Rob wished he could give her the world on a silver platter.
His plan to come clean hadn’t been successful and now he’d failed her again by forgetting to use protection. And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, he was silently hoping she was carrying his baby because for the first time in his life, Rob Madison was faced with the very real possibility he might not get something he wanted. And as selfish as it sounded, he was willing to do anything to keep her. He wanted her—not just for this weekend—but forever. However, money wouldn’t buy Meg Williams.
He had to tell her the truth. As he felt her hands in his hair, he realized he couldn’t make any more excuses. Meg deserved the truth. Shaking himself for his uncharacteristic cowardice, he took a steadying breath. He was Rob Madison, for God’s sake. He never shirked from a challenge and he certainly never backed down from something that he wanted.
“Meg.” His next words were interrupted by a knock on the door. Rob cursed the timing. He was tempted to ignore it until another sounded. “I suppose I should answer that.”
“Okay.” Her voice was still a bit shaky. Rob longed to continue holding her. “While you do, I’ll slip into my room and take a shower. I must look like a wreck.” She ran her hand through her tangled curls.
“You look gorgeous. Meg?” He lifted her face up to his. “I meant what I said. Everything will be fine.”
The grateful smile she graced him with had him kicking himself again. She didn’t deserve his continued deception. He’d get rid of their unwanted company and show her how much she’d come to mean to him. “Put on something pretty and I’ll take you out for a nice dinner. Maybe we can stroll Lover’s Lane afterwards.”
She nodded then walked to her room, shutting the door softly behind her.
Another knock, louder than the first two, came and Rob called out impatiently, “I’m coming.”
“Finally!” A shrill, familiar voice chided him as he opened the door. Rob barely had time to step aside before being run over by Shelly Thompson-Rhodes, her beleaguered husband, Seth, and her sister Tara.
“Shelly. What are you doing here?”
“What kind of greeting is that for your dearest friend in the world?”
Rob attempted, yet suspected he failed, to paste on a pleased smile. Truth be told, Shelly was his oldest friend, although old was not a term that would ever cross her lips. Shelly’s parents and his own had been friends forever. Rob knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, their hopes were dashed when Shelly chose to marry Seth Rhodes, a prominent neurosurgeon, rather than him.
Despite Shelly’s numerous faults, she knew as well as he did a marriage between them would be nothing short of a disaster. Unfortunately, she didn’t feel the same held true for him and Tara. She took every opportunity to push the two of them together and, much to his chagrin, Tara seemed to feel she owned some sort of territorial rights to him, regardless of the fact, he’d never expressed any interest in the shallow girl.
“Of course, I’m delighted to see you. Simply surprised.”
“Well,” Shelly answered. “That’s better. We were cruising the islands on our yacht when we heard you were here. It’s been far too long since you’ve come to stay on Martha’s Vineyard with us. Tara is beginning to feel neglected.”