Tanya Michaels - Their Precious Christmas Miracle - Mistletoe Baby / In the Spirit of...Christmas / A Baby By Christmas

“Whoa. One question at a time. We haven’t known for very long at all. David was with me when I took the home pregnancy test. We got the results confirmed by the doctor, but we were waiting to tell people. Obviously.”

“I don’t think that’s gonna work out. No offense, but you and David don’t have poker faces. When I went to lunch with the two of you the other day, I knew something was up. For one thing, whenever one of you thought the other wasn’t looking, you were staring at each other.”

Rachel felt her face heat. “We were?”

“Oh, yeah. He was in such a great mood, too. But he’s also been tense lately. I get it now. He must be really happy but maybe worried about you and the baby all at the same time. Is everything all right?”

“So far. I mean, I’ve had a few dizzy spells, some nausea. Dr. McDermott assured us all that was normal. And I’ve been tired.”

“We noticed. You were practically falling asleep over your craft scissors, then you refused a glass of one of your favorite wines.”

“ We noticed?”

Arianne bobbed her head. “I asked Lilah and Quinn if they thought you’d been feeling all right lately, and Lilah mentioned that you’d seemed less than a hundred percent shopping the other day. She also said that you asked them to stop the car because you had to go to the bathroom every five minutes. The way David was hovering at the shower and all that food he brought you? I think everyone suspects, but we didn’t want to …”

“Get your hopes up?” Rachel asked, knowing that Arianne was treading lightly because of what had happened last time.

“So when are you going to tell the family? You can’t wait until the second trimester—everyone will have figured it out by then!”

She made a valid point. Rachel sighed. “I don’t know. I’ll have to talk it over with David.”

Arianne was grinning from ear to ear again. “I am going to be the coolest aunt ever. No offense to Lilah or your sister, but come on. This is me we’re talking about.”

Rachel experienced a twinge of guilt. Even though it hadn’t been intentional, she felt bad that one of David’s family knew about the baby and he hadn’t been part of the announcement. He would have wanted to share in the moment.

“I know you’ll be a fantastic aunt. You’ve always been a fantastic sister-in-law,” Rachel said with feeling. “But right now, there’s something I need you to do for me as a friend. Well, two things.”

“Yes?”

“First, keep it just between us?”

“You got it—it’ll be our little secret!”

Yours, mine, David’s, Mindy’s, May’s, Dr. McDermott and her entire staff … Chloe, Quinn and Lilah had probably all figured it out, too.

“Second.” Rachel rubbed her eyes. “Any chance I could convince you to clear out of here so that I can drop into an eight-hour coma?”

Arianne laughed. “Deal. I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

Once Rachel had the house to herself, she brushed her teeth and changed into a silky, oversize sleep shirt that buttoned down the front. In the darkness, she climbed into bed, but her conscience nagged that there was something she should do before she let herself sink into slumber. After only a minute or two of deliberation, she reached for the cordless phone.

Would he be asleep? It was a few minutes past eleven, and David liked to be up with the sun.

He answered on only the second ring, sounding plenty alert. “Rach? Is that you?”

“Hey. Sorry for calling at this hour.”

“You can call anytime. Is everything all right?”

“Absolutely. No problems today. But … something happened tonight that you should know about.”

“All right.” From his end, there came rustling and a click. Rachel imagined him sitting up, turning on the light and bracing himself for whatever news she might have.

“It’s nothing bad,” she reiterated. “Your sister caught me off guard.”

He snorted. “Ari has a way of doing that.”

“We were all over here working on party favors for the wedding, and after Quinn and Lilah left, Arianne asked me point-blank about being pregnant. I didn’t mean to tell her, but I didn’t deny it convincingly.”

“You’re a very honest person,” he said, his voice laced with affection. “So my sister knows?”

“She said she won’t tell anyone, but I figured now that the cat’s out of the bag, it would only be right to let the rest of your family know. Soon.”

“Christmas is right around the corner. Why not tell them Christmas morning?”

She smiled at the idea. “That sounds festive. With the big announcement as backup, I won’t have to worry about whether your family will like their presents.”

He chuckled. “Oh, come on. They’ll love whatever you got them because it was from you.”

She picked at the fringe on the edge of her bedspread. Their bedspread. “Actually, I did all right shopping for most of your family, but …”

“But?” he prompted.

“I was at a loss as to what I should get you. Everything seemed either hypocritical or too impersonal.” When he didn’t say anything, she couldn’t help asking, “Didn’t you have trouble picking something out for me?”

“No.”

“Oh. Well, I—”

“Rachel, it doesn’t matter. It’s the thought that counts, and I … Really, it doesn’t matter.” His voice lowered. “There’s only one thing I want, anyway. You.”

Her breath stuck in her throat, her skin tingling at the intensity in his voice. She was suddenly, miraculously, not the least bit tired. You, he’d said—not the baby, not another chance at their marriage, simply you .

“I …” Maybe it was a surge of hormones, maybe it was old-fashioned lust, but she couldn’t turn away from what she was feeling. Not this time. Didn’t she want to be that bold woman who went after what she wanted, a woman who wouldn’t cower away from making love with the lights blazing?

“Last night?” she prompted. “When you were leaving after dinner, I really wanted you to kiss me. And when we said goodbye after shopping with Tanner and Lilah. And when you picked me up for shopping with Tanner and Lilah. I should have just taken action.”

Now she heard his breathing hitch as he fumbled for words. It was a delicious sensation.

“Give me five minutes.”

PLEASE don’t let her change her mind, please don’t let her change her mind . David shoved his arms through the sweatshirt he’d discarded earlier and took the steps two at a time toward the front door. Part of him thought it would be quicker just to sprint toward the house—the way he felt now, he could make it in twenty seconds flat—than mess with the car, but then he’d show up sweaty and panting. That was only romantic under certain very specific conditions.

What is it you think is going to happen? he asked himself as he turned the key in the ignition. So she’d admitted to wanting to kiss him. That didn’t necessarily translate to …

But instead of listening to what was probably the voice of reason, he focused on thinking positively. He let himself dwell on the way she’d responded when he’d kissed her over a week ago. Such heat. It had to mean she missed him at least a little. And what about the way she’d looked at him during their dinner with Lilah and Tanner, and her request yesterday that he hold her? He couldn’t help believing that things between him and Rachel were shifting for the better.

Pulling into the driveway, he barely had the engine shut off before he flung open the door. Now what, Einstein? Did he approach this casually, asking if he could come inside so they could talk about what she’d said? Or did he just plant one on her, not giving her the chance to take back her rash admission, and hope for the best?