"You're still talking." His voice had lowered and deepened, his expression stony. "You think I'm shallow, is that it? That I cannot make a commitment and stick to it. I was the one who told you that I wanted this marriage to be real. Me. I came to you and laid it all out. I'm bloody here with you now, am I not? Why the hell must you bring up things that you're not certainof? Christ! You make me so angry that I-" He broke off when the door opened and the doctor strolled in.
He stopped short and studied their faces.
"Am I interrupting?" he asked mildly as he approached his desk.
"We were in the middle of a full-blown argument," Brant spoke up grimly. "My beautiful wife was just offering me a way out if the news is bad. Is it?"
"Brant-"
"Quiet," he ordered. "John, what's the prognosis?"
The doctor hid his amusement behind a cough, an unmistakable twinkle in his eyes.
"Nothing that cannot be remedied." He switched his gaze to Indigo and gave her a reassuring smile. "You have a massive number of fibroids that are interfering with the flow of your monthly flux. That can be taken care of by a simple surgery. There's also a cyst, not a malignant one, on your ovaries. I would like to schedule the operation in a week's time if that's agreeable with you."
Forgetting that they had been fighting, Indigo reached for and grabbed her husband's hand. "I don't have cancer?"
John bent a frowning look on her. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"I thought, the doctors-"
"Were wrong, my dear. I saw in the note that they were contemplating cervical cancer, but there's nothing wrong with your cervix."
"And... and... a baby? Will I be able to conceive?"
"I don't see why not," he responded, beaming at her. "I will give you some medication to start the process and schedule you for the surgery." He saw tears springing to her eyes and figured he would give them a moment.
"I will get the paperwork started." Pushing away from the desk, he left the room, closing the door behind him.
Turning into her husband's arms, she burst into tears. Wrapping his hands around her, he stroked her back and closed his eyes in relief. For the first time in his life, he was invested andcompletely committed, and it felt strange. He had meant what he said about sticking, no matter what, but over the past few weeks he had started to want more with her.
"Hey." Shifting slightly, he tucked his hand under her chin to tilt her face toward his. "No more of that. We're going to be fine."
She sniffed and made an effort to stop the tears.
"I want your baby," she told him huskily, eyes still swimming with tears. "So much, Brant. I want to know that your seed is growing inside me. I want that more than ever."
Desire exploded inside him at her potent words and had him growing hard. Right here inside the doctor's office, he wanted to rip off her clothes and sink himself deep inside her. Taking a steadying breath, he tried without success to get his rampaging desire under control.
"Why?" he demanded hoarsely. "Because you think I want an heir?"
"It's more than that." Lifting a trembling hand to his hard jaw, she caressed his stubble. He had not bothered to shave this morning, and the scruffy look was so sexy on him that she felt her heart swelling. "Much more than that."
Bending his head, he seized her lips in a hungry, rapacious kiss that had her gasping, her mouth opening under the onslaught. Emotions overwhelmed and took over, and she clung to him, returning the kiss with an ardor that had him deepening it. He completely forgot where he was for the moment. Nothing mattered to him except the woman in his arms. The taste of her was like an aphrodisiac that swept through his blood like a tidal wave. He wanted her. More than he wanted to take his next breath.
And it took a supreme will for him to tear his mouth from hers. His breath soughed harshly through his chest, and his eyes were a molten gold that glittered as he stared at her. She ignited something inside him that he had never experienced before, and it scared the crap out of him.
Taking a deep breath, he let go of her and moved away. When that did not work, he rose, surprised to find himself unsteady on his feet and his hands shaking. "I-I need to use the restroom." Without waiting for her response, he strode from the room and slammed the door shut behind him.
Placing a trembling fist over her galloping heart, Indigo sat back and closed her eyes briefly. It had to be today, she decided. As soon as they left the doctor's office and got home, it had to be today. Even if she had to wrestle him down on the bed and cover his body with hers. She was about to explode!
The drive home was accomplished in tense silence. She was armed with supplements and her surgery scheduled for Friday morning. The doctor had assured them that it was a fairly quick procedure, and after that, she would be required to rest a little bit before going home.
"I would advise you to take it easy for a day or two in bed, and then everything could go back to normal."
But she wasn't thinking about that. They were so vibrantly aware of each other that it was as if the vehicle was charged and crackling with electricity. She wanted to reach over and put her hand on his thigh but did not dare touch him. He had returned just as Dr. Wynter came back into the office, a forbidding frown on his face. And he had not come near her.
Now he was silent, calling for music as soon as they got inside the vehicle. He had driven an SUV this time, a luxurious metallic blue one with soft tan leather seats. Winter was still raging, the icy winds cutting through layers like a knife through butter.