Ariel looked in the mirror with a critical eye. At twenty-five and a half weeks pregnant, her body was becoming grossly bent out of shape to her way of thinking. Her belly stood out farther than her breast, which were even now still growing well beyond their small A cup before her pregnancy began. She had dark circles under her eyes and lets not forget the stretch marks. No, pregnancy did not agree with her.
Sighing, she finished dressing and wondered wistfully how she had ended up here. Oh, she could hardly wait for her daughter to make her appearance, but she wished it would happen under different circumstances. Her divorce, being final today, meant not only that she would be rid of the lying, cheating son of a bitch she had married, but that her daughter would grow up without a father. She felt pretty sure Brad would be in touch with their little girl, but passing a child back and forth and not having a daddy at home were a less than ideal ways to raise a daughter.
She had found Brad in their bed with her best friend the same day she had found out she was pregnant. She had burst into their bedroom, mouth open ready to impart the glorious news when she saw them. Brad was in the middle of a climax and Sheila had her legs wrapped around his waist. To say the least it was a day of mixed emotions for Ariel.
Being from a southern town, the judge and even her own lawyer had pleaded with her to reconsider the divorce, to "think of the child," but Ariel knew that if she gave in, it would only make it easier for Brad to cheat on her the next time. His transgression was not something she was willing to forgive and forget about even once. She would make it on her own.
She worked at a local twenty-four hour health care clinic. Basically, she took blood pressures, temperatures, and blood from patients. She was on her feet the vast majority of her day, and it was becoming increasingly difficult on her. She knew she needed to find a way to stay off her feet even a little through out the day, but her job was demanding and the place was always busy. Today was no exception.
She started walking from room to room almost as soon as she got there and by the time lunch had come and gone, not only had she not eaten but she had barely had time to sit down at all. The day showed no signs of letting up.
There was one bright spot to the day however. She had met the most gorgeous man she had ever had the pleasure of laying eyes on. Ever. Anywhere. He was a new doctor. Working with them for the first time starting that afternoon. She had literally run into him as she rounded a corner. Which was surprising considering that the baby was pressing on her pretty hard and all she could manage was a moderately swift waddle because of the pain between her legs. Neither of them were watching where they were going and the next thing she new she found herself in the arms of a god.
She doubted she would ever forget his face even if she never saw him again. It was handsome, but harsh. Masculine and beautiful all at the same time. His hair was very dark with unruly curls that he attempted to tame by tying it in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. And his eyes. Icy blue they were. Penetrating. Eyes that saw too much by half. Then she noticed the broad expanse of his chest and the dark hair peeking from the V in his tunic not to mention biceps that bulged in the restraining short sleeves. His arms were vein roped, heavily muscled and dusted with dark hair. He was so tall, her head didn’t even touch his chin.
“Excuse me,” he muttered when they collided as his arms came around her, steadying her when she would have stumbled and perhaps fallen. His gaze seemed to swallow her it was so intense. “Did I hurt you?” he asked, his ice blue eyes dropping to the swell of her abdomen.
“No,” she replied a bit breathlessly. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”
“You look tired. Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yes. Nothing a little rest won’t cure.” She smiled a little at him. Actually, she felt damn miserable.
“Have you eaten lunch?”
“Well, no. But I thought I’d grab a sandwich on the way home.” She knew her smile was a bit strained, but it was the best she could manage at the time. “I’m sorry I ran into you. Excuse me,” she said and waddled off to the next room.
***
Damien Carter stared after the young woman as she rounded the corner. She definitely looked like she needed rest, but other than that she was beautiful. There was something about carrying a child that gave women a warm glow that could not be duplicated at any other time in their life. From her general appearance, he guessed she was under a bit of strain. Whether from the pregnancy in general or for other reasons, he had no way of knowing, but she presented the picture of a woman in desperate need of pampering. Too bad he wasn’t the one responsible to give that to her.
The next time he met the woman, having learned her name and a bit more about her, he found Ariel with her head in her hands sitting at a desk in one of the back rooms. As he observed her a moment, he realized she was crying.
“Ariel?”
She stiffened and turned her head away from him, wiping at her eyes he knew. It was a moment before she composed herself enough to face him, but he didn’t rush her. He let her take her time, knowing it wasn’t always wise to push a hormonal woman. As she turned to face him, the red eyes, nose and cheeks tore at his heart.
“Dr. Carter. I’m sorry. Did you need this exam room?” she asked, standing up.
“No. Are you ok?” he asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
She looked up at him, eyes sad and weary. “Yeah. I’m fine.” She paused. “No, not really.” Then she started crying all over again. Her slim shoulders shaking with her sadness.
Damien couldn’t help himself. He quietly closed and locked the door and drew Ariel gently up into his arms. Murmuring quiet words of comfort, he gently stroked her hair and then her back as she brokenly related her story to him. She was scared she couldn’t be the mother and father her child needed. She was scared of going through the delivery alone. She was just plain scared.
Afterward, Damien wasn’t sure what provoked him to do what he did. But when he kissed her sweet lips, he was lost. At first, he wasn’t sure she was going to kiss him back. She froze, her body stiffening as his lips slid over hers. Then she relaxed into his kiss and whimpered a little as she opened her mouth slightly to allow his tongue entrance.
They stood there gently, tenderly kissing for long moments before he felt Ariel’s urgency. She became a bit more bold and she began sucking at his tongue, nipping at his bottom lip. Her fingers wound themselves in his hair and she clung to him, body pressing hungrily against his.
Damien grunted his approval and slid his hands down her body to her waist, pulling her more fully to him and pressing his growing erection against her rounded belly. He thought she might stop then. He felt her languid body grow tense again and she pulled back to look at him.
“Oh, God,” she said with wonder in her voice. “What are you doing to me?”
“Kissing you. Touching you. Do you want me to stop?” God, he hoped not! She was more than he could have ever hoped she would be. Beautiful in her soon-to-be-mother’s body, sexy in a shy way, and more responsive than any woman he had ever met.
