Chapter Eight #3
Because she’d never expected to want to spend time with him? Because she’d never expected to need him.
‘In fact…’ Caius reached for her now, hands on her thickening waist, and tugged her towards him ‘…I feel a little tired too, maybe we should both take a nap before dinner.’
Poppy felt like groaning at the inevitable way her body lit up for Caius, like an instrument, vibrating in his presence.
But then his mouth was on hers and the spectacular backdrop of Manhattan and everything else—all the concerns in her head—fell away as she allowed Caius to transport them both away from thinking about anything.
The following morning the trip to the medical clinic was short.
Poppy had felt shy since seeing Caius at breakfast on the terrace outside the kitchen.
Making love yesterday afternoon into evening…
there’d been an edge of desperation to it, almost as if both of them were freaked out that this insatiable desire wasn’t waning. It was getting stronger.
‘OK?’
Poppy glanced at Caius in the back of the SUV and then couldn’t look away. He was simply gorgeous. In a white shirt and dark trousers. Hair thick and just this side of acceptable messy. Beard short and hugging his hard jaw. Mouth sculpted and—
She looked away before he realised she was staring at him like a groupie, and admitted, ‘Just a bit apprehensive, I guess. I haven’t had a scan since the very first one.’ Truth be told, Caius was an all too effective distraction from any concerns she might have about the pregnancy.
He took her hand and she looked at him. He said, ‘I’m sure it’ll be fine.’
Poppy’s insides swooped dangerously. Caius Mansur de Roche, one of the world’s most notorious playboys, holding her hand and reassuring her? Not to mention marrying her to make their unborn child legitimate and then endearing himself to the people of Valdere by being charming and respectful?
Everyone seemed to have formed a crush on their new king consort, from the grooms at the stable who’d watched, slack-jawed, as Caius had insisted on washing his and Poppy’s horses and mucking out the stables, to the students at Valdere’s university who’d asked him to come in and talk about his career in finance.
Not to mention the people in the smaller villages in the mountains who couldn’t recall the last time they’d had a visit from a king.
Poppy’s father certainly hadn’t been bothered visiting beyond Valdere City, so she’d made it a priority to do regular visits after his death, but her novelty factor had faded considerably next to Caius, when he’d accompanied her on the latest trip.
Out of the bubble of the wedding and honeymoon and here against the backdrop of New York, it was even more stark just how surprising Caius was. And how much Poppy feared she was in danger of forgetting to protect herself.
She pulled her hand free. ‘I’m sure you’re right.’
He frowned at her minutely but then the driver was saying, ‘We’re here, Your Highnesses.’
Within minutes they were in a room in the clinic with the efficient consultant and Poppy was on a bed with her top pulled up to expose her expanding belly. The consultant had put gel on her belly and the lights were turned down so they could see the monitor better.
‘Ready?’
Poppy nodded. Caius said, ‘Yes, thank you.’
The doctor pressed the wand into Poppy’s belly and moved it around.
It took a minute but then the rapid sound of the baby’s heartbeat filled the room and an unmistakable grainy image of a foetus came onto the screen.
A hand lifted as if it was waving and the doctor said with a smile, ‘The baby is waving at you.’
And then, ‘All looks healthy and exactly as it should be. Do you want to know the sex?’
Poppy was still reeling to see the baby and hear that all was well. She looked up at Caius, who was staring at the screen with wide eyes and—it was hard to know in this dim light, but it looked as if he’d gone pale. ‘Caius?’
He dragged his gaze to hers. She said, ‘Do we want to know the sex?’
‘You decide.’
Poppy realised that they really had no choice, not for a significant birth like this. ‘OK, yes, please.’
The doctor looked at them both and said, ‘Well, then, I’m delighted to let you know you’re having a little girl.’
Poppy let out an involuntary sound of happiness, putting her hand to her mouth. Caius said hoarsly, ‘A girl?’
The doctor nodded. ‘Yes. Congratulations.’ She wiped the gel off Poppy’s belly and turned the lights back on. She said, ‘I’ll leave you to take it in. I’ll be outside when you’re ready.’
She left the room and Poppy pulled her top down. Caius still looked a little shell-shocked. She sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. ‘Caius?’
He looked at her, dazed. Something occurred to her and she felt a little sick. Why hadn’t she thought of it before? Her hands tightened on the edge of the bed. ‘You’re disappointed it’s a girl.’
He looked at her, unseeing for a moment and then, with comprehension dawning, ‘What?’
Poppy stood up. ‘You wanted a boy?’ She’d been so blind, she’d never even considered this.
Caius’s eyes narrowed on her as if hearing her thoughts. ‘No, Poppy. No. I am not your father. I don’t share his prejudice about gender. It just…wasn’t what I was expecting.’
She felt vulnerable. ‘Do you mean it? You don’t mind? I’m changing the law in Valdere so a girl can rule if she’s the firstborn.’
She wanted him to reach for her, touch her, but he stayed back. He shook his head. ‘Of course I don’t mind. All that matters is that they’re healthy and happy.’
Words she’d not expected to hear coming out of Caius’s mouth. Now she felt wrong-footed. As if she’d disappointed him with her misjudgement.
They left the room and the doctor reassured them again that all was well and told them to let her know if they needed anything else.
Caius was silent on the journey back to the apartment. When the car pulled up outside the building he said, ‘I’m going to go into the office. I’m not sure how late I’ll be.’
Poppy nodded. ‘OK.’ And then she stopped. ‘Caius, I’m sorry that I assumed you wouldn’t want a girl. It wasn’t fair.’
‘No, but it’s understandable after your experiences.’
She got out of the car and then watched as it left again, merging into the Manhattan traffic heading downtown. She hated to admit she felt she needed more reassurance. But Caius had gone somewhere else in his head, somewhere she had no access to.
It reminded her of the impenetrable wall around her father and the way he’d never give an inkling as to what he was thinking because he didn’t think Poppy’s opinion was required or valid.
Poppy hated that Caius’s response was triggering her. As he’d said, he wasn’t her father. No. But he obviously also had the ability to make her feel shut out. And she’d let that happen because she’d lowered her guard and let him under her skin.
Poppy told herself she was glad now that he hadn’t witnessed this little moment of neediness.
Maybe this seismic experience of seeing the baby made flesh—a little girl—and being back in his old milieu of a glamorous metropolis would remind Caius of what he’d given up and that Poppy wasn’t as tempting as she’d been in Valdere.
And maybe, that would be for the best.