The D'amici Mistake, page 6
Elena’s bare feet slapped against the terracotta tiles as she made her way toward the wide, sweeping staircase flanked by two modern sculptures. Santo stood at the bottom wearing crisp, dark pants and a tucked-in, black, button-down shirt. His hair was still wet from his shower, and he talked on his cell phone. She glared at him and kept walking, but he snagged her hand and pulled her beneath his arm.
“Thanks Cristina,” he said. “We’ll see you soon.”
Her heart stuttered. Cristina?
Closing the phone, he kissed Elena’s forehead and looked down at her, making her wish she’d put on her shoes. Even a few inches would be better than nothing. She wondered if this Cristina he’d been talking to was tall.
“Tell me what?” he asked. “Lorenzo yelled he was ‘telling Santo’.”
Elena huffed. “Nothing. He irritated me, so I was rude to him. And since neither of my parents would care, you’re the one to tell. You know, to get me in trouble.”
He smiled and nuzzled behind her ear, making her shiver. “Spankings are my specialty.”
She placed her hands against his chest, intending to push him away, but instead her fingers shaped the hard muscles beneath his shirt. “I’m already in trouble, remember? As in the nine-month kind.”
“Speaking of which, we have an appointment in an hour with an obstetrician.”
“On a Sunday?”
“Yes. Cristina’s a friend of the family and she’s agreed to see us.”
Cristina. A tall obstetrician. Obviously she hadn’t dropped out of university or jumped from job to job.
“What’s the matter?” he asked. “You have a funny look on your face. I thought you would want confirmation since you were sure you couldn’t be pregnant.”
Elena bit her lip. Did she want confirmation? No. In many ways, she’d still prefer to be in the dark. No troubling future to think about or obligations to consider. “I do want to be sure, it’s just…I don’t know. It makes it all too real.” She stared hard at his chest, playing absentmindedly with the buttons on his shirt. “How well do you know this woman? Are you sure she’s the best choice?”
Santo nudged her chin up with his fingers and searched her face. “I know her very well. Since I was two years old. She’s well respected in the medical community.”
That just made it worse. “Yeah, but, can she keep a secret? What if your family finds out?”
“Elena, she’s a doctor, she won’t tell anyone about your medical status. And my family is going to find out, so is yours. It’s not like we can hide it—nor should we want to. We’re having a baby. This should be an exciting time for us.”
She dropped her chin and rubbed her forehead. “Well it’s not. It’s confusing and…and…” The breath gushed from her lungs. “Have you slept with her? Because if you have, don’t you think it’s a little rude to have her check me out?”
“Cristina?”
“Yes, Cristina. Ms. Obstetrician extraordinaire.”
Santo half laughed, half groaned. “No. She’s like a sister to me, although God knows I have enough of those already. I may have kissed her once when I was ten, but I think it was on a dare.”
“So you’ve never pined after her?”
“No. Never.”
He sounded amused, and she looked up to see he wore a self-satisfied smile.
“What?” she asked, annoyed.
“You’re cute when you’re jealous.” His hands slid down her spine to cup her backside. “It’s kind of hot. Do you want to go up to your room and make out? I can tell you all about the kiss. How she held me down and pulled my hair.”
“No.” Elena pushed out of his arms and stepped back toward the stairs. “I thought we had an appointment?”
He moved toward her. “I could delay it.”
She stepped onto the stair, putting her closer to his height. Much better. “We broke up, remember?”
“Uh huh. People who break up don’t get jealous about old friends.”
She sniffed and took another step up the stairway. Now she was taller than him. “I’m going to get dressed. I’ll be ready in half an hour.” Turning, she stomped upward.
“Do you need any help?” he asked.
“No.”
When she reached the top, he called out. “Elena.”
“What?”
“You’re damn sexy in that outfit.”
Glancing down at herself, she frowned in bemusement. All the money she’d spent to look alluring last night and this was what turned him on?
“Barefoot and pregnant?” she asked.
“Barefoot, pregnant, and mine.”
* * *
Elena watched the city pass by from the leather passenger seat of Santo’s sleek, black SUV. The late morning sun shone bright on Santa Barbara’s Spanish Colonial style buildings with their red tile roofs and white, plaster walls. Palm trees soared overhead against a blue sky, and flowers bloomed even though it was February.
The winter weather was mild compared to New York, but it was a little chilly today, and the people on the streets moved with purpose, many wearing light coats and even scarves.
She was no exception and had dressed in straight-legged, dark jeans with high-heeled, fawn-colored boots and a white, knit sweater. Over that, she wore a cashmere jacket and pink scarf she’d wrapped a few times around her neck. A designer handbag big enough to hold an emergency packet of crackers sat on her lap.
Santo reached out and squeezed her leg. “Nervous?” he asked.
She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant when in reality her stomach had twisted into knots. “Not at all. I regularly go to the obstetrician on Sunday surrounded by bodyguards.”
“We’re not surrounded. There’s just one car behind us.”
Elena turned in her seat to look out the back window, spotting the car. She clucked her tongue in disapproval. “How much is my brother paying you? It’s all a scam you know. Nothing is going to happen.”
Santo’s jaw clenched before he answered. “He’s not paying me anything. I protect my own.”
“Your own what?”
“My own woman.”
“I’m not–”
“Yes, Elena. You are. And until we get to the bottom of the threat, I will dictate how much security you have.”
She crossed her arms over her chest, feeling pleased and irked at the same time. His concern warmed her when she desperately needed to distance herself. They were not a couple. “Well at least have him pay you for the updated security system.”
“That was already underway at the hotels and the estate before this situation occurred. But thank you for your concern.”
Elena peered at him, not knowing if his words were meant sarcastically or not. Finally she said, “You’re welcome. I think.”
He smiled. “See, we’re getting along famously. Now, if you’d only let me make love to you before we left, you’d be in a much better mood.”
She opened her mouth for a cutting response, but his men radioed in, and she held her tongue. They circled the four-story, Spanish style building for security reasons before parking out front. Santo waited until a second man arrived then hustled Elena into the spacious lobby and across the beautiful mosaic floor. The elevator opened immediately upon Santo’s summons.
How dare it do anything else?
The medical clinic was located on the third floor and gave the impression of cutting-edge modernity infused with the elegance and charm of old Santa Barbara. They were the only ones present other than an attractive woman about Santo’s age who approached them.
He greeted her warmly before turning to Elena. “Elena, this is my dear friend Cristina Nelson. Cristina, this is Elena Berrucci.”
Elena smiled graciously, returned Cristina’s hug, and was happy to note the obstetrician was even shorter than she was.
Her mood lightened. “Santo tells me you held him down and pulled his hair when he was ten because he tried to kiss you. Maybe if I’d done the same, we wouldn’t be in this position.”
His nostrils flared as Cristina laughed. In retribution, he lifted Elena’s hand to his mouth and gently bit her knuckles. “I seem to recall it was you who first tried to kiss me. I was minding my own business.”
Cristina shook her head, still smiling. “Now I know that’s a lie. Santo has never minded his own business.”
This time Elena laughed. The woman was obviously very intelligent.
They went into Cristina’s office and Elena answered numerous questions about her health. It seemed like an intimate thing to do with Santo sitting beside her, but neither he nor Cristina suggested he leave, and Elena didn’t want to let on how nervous she was.
“Do you have a guess as to when conception occurred?” Cristina asked.
“Four weeks from yesterday,” he said. “The condom broke.”
Cristina made a note on Elena’s file. “And what made you think you might be pregnant?” she asked her.
“I didn’t. I had a period around my normal time. It was light, but I didn’t think anything of it. I thought I was sick with the flu.”
“And when was your last period?” After Elena told her, Christina rose from her chair. “Okay, let’s get started.”
They went into an exam room, Santo close on Elena’s heels. She gave him a look over her shoulder as if to say, “get out”, but he ignored her and took a seat beside the padded table. A large machine with a monitor sat on the other side.
“Let’s weigh you first,” Cristina said, crossing to a doctor’s scale.
Slipping off her boots, Elena stepped onto it, wishing she’d worn a lighter top. But it didn’t matter as her weight was down a little. Usually she’d have been happy about that, always wanting to be five pounds lighter, but if the loss was due to morning sickness, she’d prefer to have the pounds back.
Wouldn’t she?
She sighed inside, not knowing the answer. Her emotions were all over the place when it came to Santo and the baby—possible baby.
Last night she’d fallen asleep after deciding if she was pregnant, she would provide a calm, peaceful home for her child, no matter what. That meant no husband or boyfriend around to cause trouble. She would do her best to be loving and supportive—and provide the kid with psychotherapy afterward.
Most likely for both of them.
Elena was a big believer in therapy, be it through a friend, a good book, or an actual therapist. She’d had her fair share of all three since her parents’ divorce and had found it helpful—the one thing her mother had done right. Although Elena suspected it was for the wrong reasons. It looked good in Amanda’s circle for the children to be seeing all the right professionals. Doctors, teachers, and psychiatrists.
Elena had recommended Lorenzo speak to someone after she’d moved in with him, and to her amazement, he’d agreed. Maybe there was hope for him yet—for both of them.
Cristina took her blood pressure, then Elena retreated to a cubicle, stripped from the waist down and returned wrapped in a cover. After lying on the table, Cristina palpated her belly.
Closing her eyes, Elena prayed for…for what? That she wasn’t pregnant or that she was? The conflicting emotions she’d kept under lock and key struggled to break free, and a tear leaked from the corner of her eye.
Raising her hand she wiped it away, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I never cry.”
“It’s the hormones,” Cristina said. “I was a mess with both my children. I’d be giving good news to a patient and bawling my eyes out at the same time. It was very disconcerting.”
Santo linked his fingers with hers and squeezed, causing another tear to fall. He made it worse, and he made it better. The story of her life since she’d become involved with him. How had they gone from a secret rendezvous at Rafe and Sarika’s wedding to handholding at a prenatal visit?
She tried to tug free but Santo tightened his grasp. Damn Neanderthal.
“Scoot down to the end here, Elena, and we’ll see what’s going on inside.”
“Can you tell yet if she’s pregnant?” Santo asked.
“We’ll know in a minute.”
Cristina made sure Elena was covered then proceeded with the pelvic exam. It didn’t hurt, but it was an awkward position. When Santo grasped her hand again she found it oddly comforting.
“Elena, we’re going to do an internal ultrasound now to look at your uterus. Four weeks is early, but we should be able to see something.” She guided a slim wand inside Elena who tightened her hold on Santo as her anxiety mounted. Were they going to see the baby? Would it be alright?
A shifting, grainy image in varying shades of grey appeared on the ultrasound screen. She found herself holding her breath as Santo leaned closer for a better look. “I don’t see anything,” he said.
“Just hold on.” Cristina moved the wand, then said, “There.”
Elena peered at the monitor still unable to discern a baby.
Pointing to an oval shape, Cristina said, “That’s the amniotic sac, and that tiny flutter is the heartbeat.” She smiled at both of them. “Congratulations, Elena. You’re pregnant. I’m so happy for you both.”
You’re pregnant.
It didn’t seem possible.
After being baby crazy for a while as a girl, she’d discarded all those silly fantasies as a teenager. Her post-puberty years had been as boy-filled as any other young woman, but she’d never practiced her signature with her crush’s last name or picked out baby names for their future children like many of her schoolmates.
She couldn’t even remember holding a baby in recent years. If one appeared, Elena usually headed the other way or looked on from a distance, pretending interest.
“But…how can that be?” she asked, her voice weak. “I had a period.”
“Sometimes women spot when the embryo implants in the uterus. We’ll keep a close eye on things just to be safe.”
Alarm rushed through her. “Is the baby in danger?”
Cristina smiled reassuringly. “You’re young and healthy, so probably not, but there is a higher chance of miscarriage in the first trimester.”
Elena nodded, remembering that Sarika and Rafe had only told a few people in the beginning about their pregnancy for that reason.
“I’m sure you’ve been tired lately,” Cristina continued. “Building a baby is hard work, and most likely your breasts have been tender. Some women find wearing a light sports bra at night helps.”
“What about the nausea?” Santo asked.
“That will usually subside after the third month. Try to eat right away in the morning and never let yourself get too hungry or too full. I found that eating and drinking separately helped, but every woman is different. If the nausea is constant or unmanageable, I can give you a prescription.”
Elena shook her head, some part of her already worried about toxic substances harming her child. “It’s not. I feel better now that I’m eating more.”
“Can we still have sex?” Santo asked.
His question made her eyes pop and heat fill her cheeks. She didn’t care what the answer was, they weren’t doing that anymore.
Cristina laughed. “You don’t know how many men have asked me that. Yes, you can have sex if it’s a normal pregnancy. An orgasm won’t harm the baby, and he or she will experience the same feel-good hormones afterward that you do. The only time I would avoid it, is if it hurts or for some reason you’ve bled. Call me right away, if that happens.”
“Of course.” Santo lifted Elena’s hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. The glint in his eyes promised he’d get started right away on that orgasm, if she was so inclined.
Well she wasn’t. In her head, anyway. Her racing heart told another story.
“Let’s try one other thing.” Cristina leaned toward the dials on the machine. “It’s very early, but sometimes with an internal ultrasound we can hear the heartbeat even at this stage. Are you ready?”
No. Elena didn’t think she would ever be ready.
Then a soft sound came through the speakers, reminding her of galloping horses. She gasped, and Santo leaned forward with a stunned expression. They stared at the image of their child on the monitor as they listened to his or her heartbeat.
“It’s so fast. Is that normal?” he asked.
“Yes.” Cristina pressed more buttons and measured the fetus from crown to rump. Photos were taken and handed to Santo, then Cristina ended the examination. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be in my office.” She shut the examining room door behind her when she left.
Elena turned her head to look at Santo who rose from the chair to sit beside her on the table. An expression of wonder filled his face. He leaned forward and kissed her, his big hands holding her head. She closed her eyes for a moment and just let herself feel. Shut off her brain and allowed her heart to lead her.
The kiss deepened, and she hugged his neck. He pulled back to caress her cheeks, and she realized they were wet.
“I’m happy it’s you,” he said.
“What do you mean?”
He slipped his hand over her chest to lie against her bare stomach. “I’m happy it’s you having my baby. I can’t imagine any other woman I would want mothering my child.”
The tears flowed again, and she shook her head.
He smiled gently. “Yes, Elena.”
“Santo, you don’t understand. I’ll have the baby, and a part of me is glad about that, but…I don’t want to raise my child with you. We’ll work out a custody agreement that’s fair, and each have him or her part of the time. That way we won’t fight or put the kid through a hurtful break-up when things unravel.”
She turned her head, so she wouldn’t see the clouds gathering in his eyes, and fought to breathe past the lump in her throat. “It’s best for everyone that way.”
Chapter Six
Santo fastened his arm vice-like around Elena’s middle and led her across the street toward the park. She was tiny against him, her waist no bigger than the span of his hands. Even wearing high heels, she barely reached his shoulder.
Which made him wonder how someone so small could be so much trouble?
If she seriously thought they would raise their child separately, she was mistaken. Elena would marry him, and they would raise not only this child together, but more to come. She was the one woman he wanted to grow old with, and he refused to sacrifice their future because she was scared.
