Bracing himself over her, he nudged her slick wetness. Her hips arched against him. With one smooth thrust he plowed into her warmth. Kat moved against him in a rhythm as old as mother earth herself until they completed each other. With a tenderness that did nothing to restore her equilibrium, Andrew brushed his lips against hers.

“I think I may like this gardening business,” he remarked as he rolled off her.

Kat tossed her shorts at his head. “Just make sure you don’t do any planting without me. And speaking of planting, can you bring that bag of manure over here?”

Wearing nothing but a puzzled frown, Andrew hoisted the fifty-pound bag of cow dung. Good Lord, but he was a fine specimen. And quite talented. “Where?”

Kat shifted so that her hips were in the air. “Here.”

“Huh?”

“Yeah, put it underneath me. I read that you should elevate your hips for twenty minutes afterward to optimize chances of fertilization.”

Andrew settled the bag underneath her, smoothing out his shirt for her to lie on.

“And what scientific publication was this?” Andrew stepped into his briefs and shorts.

“No need to cover up on my account. And actually it was a magazine. They suggested pillows or a rolled blanket.”

He stretched out on the grass beside her. “Ah, so the bag of manure is your own personalized version.” His eyes skimmed her sun-kissed body with appreciation. Kat had always felt comfortable with her body, but Andrew’s blatant regard made her feel beautiful, sexy, powerful.

“Consider it a fertilization ritual.”

Andrew threw back his head and laughed. The warm, carefree sound was almost as satisfying to her as the love they’d just made.

“Maybe the pH balance will determine X or Y chromosome.”

Kat giggled at his inanity. “Shut up.”

And in that instant, lying naked in the sun with her hips propped up on a bag of cow poop, Kat realized her plan had gone seriously awry. She’d married Andrew because she didn’t expect to be attracted to him.

Instead she stood in serious danger of moving far beyond mere attraction.

This situation really stunk.

6

RETURNING FROM WORK the next day, Andrew knelt to greet the ball of fur that barreled toward him. He assured himself it was merely in the best interest of his pant leg that he allowed Toto to slop wet doggie kisses on his hand. He’d never gotten around to quizzing Kat on Toto’s incontinence. This seemed the safest way to avoid another episode.

Such enthusiasm on the little dog’s part dictated some return of affection, he further reasoned. Andrew scratched behind the scruffy ears, reluctant to admit to himself he looked forward to Toto’s welcome. He chuckled as he remembered Kat’s assurance that Toto had guarded the house on their wedding day. Had it only been four days? In some ways it felt as if Kat and Toto had been a part of his life much longer.

“So, hound, you kept the castle safe in my absence today? How many warring enemies did you keep at bay?”

Toto rolled over and presented his stomach by way of answer. Andrew chuckled at Toto’s forwardness.

“Aye, milord, and it’s a relief to have you home,” Kat retorted from the kitchen doorway, hands planted on her rounded hips. Sunlight danced behind her, turning her hair into a fiery halo, outlining her shapely thighs through her thin cotton dress.

An increasingly familiar stab of lust besieged him. For a tempting second he fantasized tossing the wench over his shoulder and having his way with her.

Sanity prevailed. Ovulation had come and gone, just in the nick of time. Yesterday at work the memory of their gardening exploits had proved a terrible distraction. And last night’s less exotic but equally satisfying lovemaking actually had him doodling on a brief today. He never doodled and certainly never on a brief. Now the only reason to make love to his wife was desire and that wasn’t part of the deal.

He rose to his feet, annoyed by his lasciviousness and at being caught in a conversation with a dog.

“Hi. Let me change clothes before dinner, okay?”

Laughter sparkled in her blue eyes. “Take your time. Dinner’ll keep. Just don’t let Toto tie you up in anything too philosophical.”

Andrew smiled at her wit and then sobered at a jolting thought. “I’m not sure exactly what you two discuss, but you don’t need to mention this to Bitsy.” He shuddered to think of her merciless teasing.

“What? That you change clothes before dinner?”

“The dog.”

A smile quirked at her delectable mouth. “Oh, you mean that you talk to my dog. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t dream of telephoning Bitsy with it.”

“Thanks.” He started down the hall to the bedroom.

“Then I wouldn’t have anything to talk about at the reception on Saturday.”

He stopped and turned slowly to face her, aware of the stiffness in his neck that had plagued him all day. “What color’s your dress for the party?”

“Royal blue with jewel tones.” She answered without hesitation, then paused, suspicion narrowing her eyes. “Why?” Before he could say anything, she answered for him, her expression clearing. “You want to get a corsage for me?”

He paused for effect. “No. So, I’ll know what color muzzle to order.”

Kat sputtered behind him as he continued to the bedroom. Andrew unknotted his tie, pleased at having one-upped his impudent wife.

He dropped his briefcase onto the worn rocker resting in a corner of the bedroom. Mark Antony, his decorator, had designated the house’s interior scheme minimalist tranquility. Now, with Kat’s things tucked into corners and nooks, he realized that translated to stark.

Since Kat’s arrival, his house felt like a home. The room across the hall with his exercise equipment could easily be turned into a nursery. His house was fast becoming cozy and warm.

Andrew scowled at the thought and at the little dog that had followed him. Toto hopped up beside him as he sat on the bed and unbuttoned his shirt.

“Dammit, I don’t want warm and cozy.”

In the distance, Kat banged around in the kitchen, for all the world as if she belonged there. As if she belonged here.

The thought further tightened his already tense neck muscles.

He’d seen it time and time again among his peers and his parents. Warm and cozy didn’t last. He doubted if his parents had ever had warm and cozy between them. Perhaps in the beginning? Certainly he’d never seen a vestige of it in their relationship. With painful clarity he remembered a nanny who’d showered him with affection. At eight, he’d soaked it up like a dry sponge. He’d been devastated when she had to leave to take care of an ailing mother. Oh yes, he’d learned early on to maintain a distance.

Adulthood had merely reinforced his stance. How many colleagues had he seen marry with enthusiasm only to end up in divorce court a few years later? Bitsy and Edward seemed the exception. But they were exceptional. And the loneliness was all the more painful when it was over.

Toto cozied up to him and rolled over, offering up his warm belly for scratching, and without thought Andrew immediately complied.

If he grew fond of Kat’s dog so easily, how would he respond to his and Kat’s baby?


SIPPING A GINGER ALE-her wine cooler days were over until she knew for sure if she was pregnant-Kat lounged on the patio and tried to finalize her curriculum for her summer art students. Or at least she intended to think of curriculum. Despite a valiant effort to concentrate, visions of Andrew danced through her head. Andrew tickling Toto and chatting nonsense. The sparkle in his eyes when he’d threatened her with a muzzle. Andrew’s naked, hair-roughened chest and tight buns…

She shook her head. She’d better concentrate on her job. If everything went according to plan, she’d have another person to support in the not-too-distant future. She patted her tummy, torn over the desire to already be carrying their child yet hating the thought that if she was pregnant there’d be no more lovemaking.

She’d already listened to one motivational tape earlier today. She’d better dig out another before bedtime, as well.

Andrew joined her on the patio and eased into his chair. He leaned his head against its back and heaved a sigh into the quiet of the evening.

Kat eyed him sympathetically. “Rough day?”

“Yeah. I went up against Jackson today. He’s good and he’s tough.”

Kat had known the time would come when her husband would go head-to-head with either her brother or father. She loved Jackson dearly, but oddly felt a shifting of allegiance to the man who would father her child. Only because Andrew would contribute genetically, she assured herself.

“Who won?”

“I was better today.” Arrogance, pride and a touch of humor shaped his grin. “But he’s a helluva lawyer. Next time, who knows?”

“Congratulations. For today at least.”

“Thanks.” He winced as he looked toward her.

“What’s the matter?”

“I slept wrong last night. My neck’s hurt all day.” He admitted.

Kat remembered Andrew rubbing her back until she drifted off to sleep on their wedding night. Placing her ginger ale on the table, she moved to stand behind his chair.

Andrew glanced up at her, or at least as far as his impaired neck allowed. “What’re you doing?”

“My mother used to get a stiff neck when she’d spent too much time at her easel. I could always make her feel better.” She positioned her hands on the corded muscles of his neck.

He stilled her by placing his hands over hers. “Thanks, but that’s not necessary. I was out of the office today, but Gloria can help me out tomorrow. She’s taken care of this for me before.”

Kat’s instinctive response rang in her head: It’d be a cold day in hell before she gave the Valkyrie-as she’d come to think of the paragon Gloria-a reason to put her hands on her husband. Even if he was only temporary. And it had nothing to do with jealousy, she reasoned. It simply wasn’t circumspect for her husband’s secretary to rub his neck. And she’d just discovered a newfound regard for circumspect.