The Baby Bet: The Royal MacAllister Part 4

"The advice was free," the man said. "Thanks for the nice tip, though. Enjoy your pizza, folks."

Right, Trip thought dryly, as Brent a.s.sisted her out of the vehicle. There was now a bowling ball in her stomach and no room left for any pizza. Two more minutes and Bobby would have missed catching her in front of her building and Brent wouldn't have heard her cousin chattering like a magpie. Darn, darn, darn.

The restaurant was fairly crowded, but Trip and Brent found an empty booth, agreed on the toppings for their pizza, then Brent went to place their order. He returned with a pitcher of cola, sat down opposite Alice and filled their gla.s.ses.

"Here's to-" he said, lifting his gla.s.s "-sharing and caring."

Trip stared at Brent's raised gla.s.s, at her own that she hadn't touched, then back at Brent's.

"All right," she said, her voice not quite steady. She lifted her gla.s.s and clinked it against Brent's. "To sharing and caring."

They each took a sip of the cold, sweet drink, then set their gla.s.ses on the wooden table. Brent leaned back and spread his arms along the top of the leather booth.

She didn't have to tell Brent Bardow anything she chose to keep to herself, Trip thought, frowning slightly as she met his gaze. This wasn't a long-standing relations.h.i.+p with a hoped-for future together that would crumble into dust from the weight of secrets kept. This was a very short-term whatever it was, that had a beginning, middle and an ending already marked on the calendar.

There was no reason to bare her soul to Brent.

But yet...

She wanted to.

She didn't like the image in her mind of the wall between her and Brent that he had spoken of. She already had a barrier between herself and her family that was proving difficult to demolish. She had, in fact, kept an emotional distance from everyone she'd met since she'd left home years before. That's how she conducted her life, which meant she would never fall in love, marry, have babies, because it was too late to change who she was.

But if she lowered that barrier just a tad, answered just some of Brent's questions, it would be a...yes, a safe way to sort of practice at least peeking over the wall she'd erected around herself. Safe because what she had with Brent was temporary. It might enable her to make more positive overtures toward her family.

As far as stepping from behind the wall completely to enable her to fall in love? No. She'd be kidding herself if she thought she could ever do that. It was just too big, too frightening. No.

"Alice?" Brent said quietly.

"What?" She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yes, all right. It's not all that complicated, Brent. I told you that I didn't like being one of the MacAllister triplets, and I did a bang-up job of rebelling against that role when I was a teenager.

"Jessica and Emily were excellent students, so I slacked off and just squeaked by as far as my grades went. They had oodles of friends, so I was a loner, kept to myself. They enjoyed nice clothes, so I wore funky junk from used-clothing stores. They obeyed every rule our parents had set in place, so I broke them all, like coming in later than our curfew. Nice kid, huh?"

Brent lifted one shoulder in a shrug. "You were establis.h.i.+ng your own ident.i.ty."

"In spades," Trip said. "I left home right after high school graduation, refused to even talk about going to college. Not me, not the rebel. I went to New York and pursued... Well, anyway, I lived in New York City for several years, then went to Colorado, then on to San Francisco. I never told my family when I'd be home, I'd just show up from time to time. I...I hurt some wonderful people very, very much by the way I conducted myself."

"But now you've come home."

Trip nodded. "I'd like to think I've finally matured to the point that I realize that what I did was wrong. I've missed my family and want to be a part of the MacAllister clan...but it might very well be too late."

Brent leaned forward and folded his arms on the top of the table.

"I find that hard to believe after meeting your family. They're warm, honest, open. I heard what Bobby said. No one is dwelling on the past."

"That may be true, but they're tense around me, afraid they might say something to upset me, cause me to pack it up and leave town again. I find it hard to relax around them, too. It's been so many years and... I don't know. I guess maybe it is complicated."

"Why don't you want them to drop by your apartment when they're in your neighborhood? Casual visits like that are often more comfortable than scheduled gatherings."

"No," Trip said quickly. "What I mean is, I'm not used to that, and the thought of it makes me edgy. I don't want to open my door and find a MacAllister standing there out of the blue. No."

"I see," Brent said, nodding slowly. "I guess. Okay, go on to the part about why you'll never marry and have kids."

"It should be clear to you by what I've just explained. If I am struggling to connect with a group of people who love me unconditionally, it's far too late to let down my guard entirely, not protect myself in any manner, which is what is required to be an equal partner in a loving relations.h.i.+p, a marriage. I just wouldn't be able to give enough of myself to another person, risk that much."

"But..." Brent started, then c.o.c.ked his head to one side. "That's our number for the pizza. I'll be right back, Alice."

Trip nodded, then Brent started to slide out of the booth. He stopped and looked directly into Alice's eyes.

"I think you're giving up on yourself too easily," he said. "You know, saying you can't change enough to be an equal partner in a relations.h.i.+p and what have you. You should give yourself credit for what you just did here...with me."

"What do you mean?"

"You talked to me, Alice, and I listened, really heard what you said," Brent said. "You did the sharing and I did the caring. You can't beat that combination."

Chapter Four.

To Trip's heartfelt relief, when Brent returned to the table with the pizza, he launched into a discussion about a bestselling novel that was to be made into a movie. They engaged in a game of selecting what actors should play the roles of the various characters, which was rather silly but definitely fun.

When they left the restaurant, they stopped at an ice-cream store, bought two-scoop cones, then strolled along the sidewalk and window-shopped as they ate their creamy dessert. Brent pointed out that they both kept pus.h.i.+ng the ice cream down so that the very last bite of the sugary cone would be filled.

"There's probably some scientific, psychological meaning behind that," Brent said, after popping the tip of the cone into his mouth. "Gives great insight into our personalities, which are, once again, on the same wavelength. Maybe I'll research it on the Internet."

"Oh, for heaven's sake," Trip laughed. "Emily used to bite the end off her cone and practically stand on her head to use it like a straw. I wonder what the shrinky-d.i.n.ks would say about that?"

"Don't have a clue," Brent said, chuckling, "but I'm sure it's very important in regard to the ident.i.ty of Emily's inner child. Speaking of child types, Emily has a son, right? He was sitting next to her at the dinner? Trevor. Yes, that was his name. He looked to be about twelve, or thirteen. Nice kid. I a.s.sume since there wasn't a dad on the scene at the party that Emily is divorced?"

"No," Trip said, tossing her napkin in a trash barrel as they walked past it. "Emily has never been married. She had Trevor when she was eighteen and has raised him alone."

"Whew, that's a tough job," Brent said, "especially when you take it on that young."

"The family was very supportive, there for her when she needed them," Trip said. "I honestly don't know what happened between her and Mark...Trevor's father...because they had been together all through high school, then he suddenly left Ventura for college back east and...

"Well, the truth is I took off, too, so I never heard whatever explanation there was for their split. As time pa.s.sed and I came home to visit, the opportunity to ask for details didn't present itself, nor did it seem to matter by then. I do know she named her baby Trevor Mark MacAllister, so she didn't end up despising Mark for leaving."

"Interesting."

"Trevor is a nice kid from what I gather," Trip continued, "although I guess he gives Emily a bad time about being overweight. He's at an age that having a...well, chubby mother embarra.s.ses him, and he's rather vocal about the subject."

"Teenagers are not known for their diplomacy and tact at times. That statement doesn't include yours truly, of course. I was a prize, a peach of a teen, never gave my parents a moment of grief."

"Is your nose going to grow?" Trip asked, smiling up at him.

Brent laughed. "From here to Chicago. I was, shall we say, busy at that age. Poor ole Devon had to toe the line because he was the prince, the heir to the throne, but I was removed from that just enough to raise h.e.l.l without lightning striking me dead.

"I got lots of lectures about behavior befitting a member of the royal family, but I wasn't under a microscope the way Devon was, and still is. Maggie will have to get used to that when she marries Devon and lives on the island, but I get the feeling she'll handle it just fine."

"I'm sure she will," Trip said, nodding. She glanced around. "Goodness, we've really trekked on and on here. We're only about a block from my apartment building. There won't be a need to hail a cab to see me home, Brent."

"Are you trying to tell me something, Alice? Like you're ready to end the evening?"

Trip stopped walking and met Brent's gaze, seeing the frown that knitted his brows.

"No," she said quietly, "I don't wish to end the evening yet, Brent." She paused and sighed. "I'm not very sophisticated, I guess. I don't know how to play the dating game, don't know all the rules and... You'll see me to my door, then I envision an awkward moment where I'm supposed to either say good-night, or invite you in. Right?"

Brent nodded. "That's how it generally goes."

"And if I invite you in on the pretext of having coffee, I'm actually indicating that I want to...that I want to make love. Am I still right?"

"As a rule, yes. But if you invite me in and tell me it's for a cup of coffee and nothing more, I'll accept that. I won't like it, you understand, but I'll be a gentleman about it to the point of ad nauseam."

Trip wrapped her hands around her elbows. "So, it's up to me, isn't it? To decide how this night will end. That is a tremendous responsibility, Brent, and..." She shook her head.

"Hey," he said, gripping her shoulders. "It doesn't have to be like that, Alice. Everything about us is different, special, rare. We're not going to do that come-in-for-coffee nonsense. We're going to talk it through, discuss this like-"

"Consenting adults," Trip said, rolling her eyes heavenward. "Blak."

Brent encircled Alice's shoulders with one arm and they started off down the sidewalk again.

"I've definitely overused that term," he said, smiling. "I won't say it again, I promise." He paused, his expression now serious. "Okay, we'll discuss this. I'll go first to make it easier for you."

"Thank you," Trip said. A silent minute went by, then two, then three. "Brent?"

"I don't know how to do it," he said, raking his free hand through his hair. "I'm programmed for the come-in-for-coffee bit.

"What am I supposed to do? Just open my mouth and tell you that I desire you more than any woman I've ever met? That I want you so badly I ache? That making love with you is never far from my thoughts, and I think we should sprint the remaining distance to your apartment so I can take you in my arms and...cripe. It's all true, but...d.a.m.n it, Alice, help me out here."

Trip stopped walking and stared up at Brent with a rather astonished expression on her face.

"I don't believe this. You, Mr. Worldly and Wise, who probably has broken hearts across the globe, is admitting that you're feeling a tad awkward, rather jangled, shall we say, by this exchange we're having?"

Brent frowned. "I do not have a reputation for breaking hearts, my dear Ms. MacAllister. But as far as the rest of what you said...yeah, okay, I'm a little fl.u.s.tered, due to the fact that I've never taken part in a conversation like this one." He smiled. "But then, I've never met a woman like you before, either, so I guess that makes sense. Okay. I've bared my soul. The ball is now in your court."

Trip stared at Brent for another long moment, then she smiled. It was a lovely smile, a warm, womanly, I'm-glad-I'm-me-and-you-are-you smile. She reached up and framed Brent's face with her hands.

"I absolutely adore you, Brent Bardow," she said, the smile still firmly in place. "You're just so real, so down-to-earth. You take things that could become uncomfortable and complex and just smooth them out and make them seem so easy, simple, without diminis.h.i.+ng their value. That's a gift, it truly is."

"Oh," Brent said. "You have such soft hands. I'll give you three years to get your dainty paws off my face."

Trip laughed in delight.

Brent had done it again, she marveled. He'd made her feel so young and carefree, happy and just plain old glad to be alive.

"I want to make love with you, Brent, very, very much. There. I said it out loud, just as you did. It feels right, the way it is meant to be. I'll have no regrets about taking this momentous step with you." She dropped her hands from his face and took off at a run. "You said we should sprint to my apartment," she yelled. "I'm leaving you in the dust."

"Hey!" Brent said, starting after her. "You cheated, Alice. You're supposed to say ready, set, go."

Brent's long legs covered the distance between him and Trip in short order. They entered the lobby of her building together, their laughter dancing through the air and accompanying them into the elevator.

A few minutes later, Brent was sweeping his gaze over Trip's apartment. She'd left one small lamp on, creating a warm, golden glow.

"A loft," he said. "Dynamite. I really like your home, Alice." But how did she pay the rent for this place on her current salary?

"Thank you," she said, her gaze lingering on the screens she'd moved from in front of the bed to the opposite side of the expanse. "I was lucky to find it when I moved back here. It's perfect for...my needs." She paused. "Would you like something to drink? Oops. I think I'm supposed to ask you if you want coffee."

"No, I don't want any coffee." Brent closed the distance between them. "I want-" he cradled her face in his hands and dipped his head to outline her lips with the tip of his tongue "...you."

s.h.i.+vering at the sensuous foray, Trip whispered, "And I want you."

Trip stepped back, causing Brent to drop his hands from her face. She took one of his hands in hers and led him across the large room to the double bed that was streaked partially with shadows. She turned to him, her arms floating up to encircle his neck. He wrapped his arms around her and claimed her lips in a searing kiss.

Brent ended the kiss slowly, reluctantly, savoring the taste of Alice, the feel of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s crushed against his chest, her aroma of spring flowers and woman. He drew his hands down her arms, then kissed the fingers of both of her hands before releasing them.

Trip swept back the blankets on the bed, then lifted her chin and met Brent's smoky gaze. With hands that were not quite steady, they removed their clothes, fumbling at times, Brent swearing under his breath at the repeated motions and wasted time. Then they stood there...naked before each other, drinking in the sight of what was displayed for them, only them.

"You're exquisite, Alice." Brent's voice was raspy with pa.s.sion.

"So are you," she said, hearing the thread of breathlessness in her voice.

She moved onto the bed and waited...an eternity... for Brent to retrieve a foil pack from his wallet. He stretched out next to her, propping his weight on one forearm.

"Alice," he said huskily, "we are going to go to Wonderland together."

And they did.

They kissed and caressed, explored and discovered the mysteries being revealed to them of a body so soft and feminine, and one so rugged and male, etching all they found indelibly in their minds... and hearts.

Brent drew the lush flesh of one of Trip's b.r.e.a.s.t.s into his mouth, laving the nipple with his tongue. She sighed in pure pleasure, closing her eyes for a moment to savor every heated sensation consuming her. He moved to the other breast to pay homage there, as her hands slid over his moist back, his muscles bunching beneath her palms. He skimmed one hand across her flat stomach, then along her slender hip and leg, his lips soon following the heated path.

"Oh, Brent, please," Trip said, her voice holding an echo of a sob. "I want...need...now...I..."

"Yes," he said, hardly recognizing the gritty sound of his own voice.

He took the necessary steps to protect her, then his mouth melted over hers once more before he entered her with a deep, powerful thrust, filling her, bringing to her all that he was.

She gripped his shoulders as he began the rhythmic tempo, slowly at first, then increasing it, faster, harder, thundering. Trip matched him beat for heart-stopping beat in perfect synchronization.

Higher they went. Heat coiled and tightened, sweeping through them in waves of ecstasy that held the promise of the moment yet to come, the place they would be flung to. Wonderland.

"Brent!"

"Alice. Oh, Alice."