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CHAPTER 1

Emma Cook stepped out of her OB-GYN's office Friday afternoon. She slid into her car and pressed her mother's saved number on her cell phone. "Hi, Mom, I just left the doctor."

"Oh, good, honey," she said, relief in her voice. "Your Uncle George called. The meeting with Mark and his lawyer is set for five thirty at Benjamin Industries. Your uncle will meet you there."

She glanced at her watch. "Okay, I should have just enough time to fill the prescription for my pre-natal vitamins."

"I'll let him know." A grin lightened her voice now. "So what did the doctor say?"

"That everything's okay," she said, knowing actually what her mother wanted to hear. "You were right, Mom. You and Steph. He told me what I'm going through is normal and should be over in about six or seven more weeks."

"See, I told you."

Emma growled. "Yes, you did."

"So when are you due?"

She smiled and pressed her hand on her stomach. "Around June twenty- first."

"Close to your father's birthday," she said, softly. "He would've liked that."

Sadness rose, but she pushed it down. "Yes, I think he would have."

Her mother didn't say anything for a long, thoughtful second. "Look, I'll let you go so you can get to the pharmacy. Don't worry about coming back to work. Steph and I can manage until closing. She just left to help out at her in-laws' anniversary party, but she should be back in an hour or so."

"Mr. and Mrs. Williams like her being there," she said, easing the car toward the exit of the parking lot. She stopped at the road at a sudden memory. "Oh, before I forget, Meg called on Monday. She's got two new clients — big ones — for us. She was supposed to call me back today. If she does, just put the name of the brides on the calendar and I'll take care of the rest."

"Your sister may have gotten that call. Let me check." Her voice faded as she walked through the kitchen area to the office. A few minutes later, she said, "Oh, I see you penciled in the wedding planner's name in June. Looks like Meg hasn't called back yet."

"Okay, Mom." She glanced both ways and then drove out onto the road. "I'm driving now. I'll call you after the meeting to let you know what happened."

"Be careful," she said. "I heard it was supposed to rain again."

"You're kidding."

A quick goodbye was her response. "Love you too, Mom."

She ended the call and threw the phone onto the passenger seat. Emma arrived at the pharmacy ten minutes later and fifteen minutes after that she was on her way to her meeting with the lawyers. Uncle George waved wildly at her when she turned into the large almost empty parking lot. She stopped beside his old dusty truck and slipped out of her small hybrid. Only two other cars shared the lot, both expensive-looking and high-class.

"Wow, you look radiant," George said, holding a large black umbrella over her head. "Pregnancy looks good on you."

She hugged him tight. "I feel better now that I have my vitamins."

"Your mother told me you've been sick." He took her elbow and stepped with her to a side door. "Mr. Benjamin suggested we used this entrance instead of the front door."

"I can only imagine why," she said, sarcasm dripping from her tone. "It certainly wouldn't look right for one of the most respected family court judges to show up at one of the richest families in the area with a pregnant woman, would it?"

He laughed, shaking his head at her statement. "No one can tell Emma."

"No, I'm not fat yet," she said, grinning over at him. "But didn't you just call me radiant."

"You are too much." His grin faded as he tapped her cheek lightly. "I usually don't have to tell my clients this, but ... Please let me do the talking. The baby's father thinks he's getting away with something, yet I'm making sure he hurts too."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I don't want anything from the Benjamins, Uncle George."

"You aren't getting anything," he said, serious judge face replacing his milder uncle one. "That little one he helped to bring into the world is."

"I'm not sure ..."

"Don't worry." He patted her hand before reaching past her to open the door, pressing her into the warm building. He shook the umbrella twice before slamming it shut. "I've taken care of everything for you."

Emma focused on those words as she followed him down the dim hallway toward an open door at the end. He stopped and helped her out of her coat before following her into the conference room. A large table sat in the center of the vast space, with only two chairs on the nearest side. She pulled out one of the chairs from the bare table and sat still until her eyes adjusted to the sharp lighting. Lifting her scrutiny to the two men on the opposite side, she bit her tongue. She frowned at Mark before focusing on the second man. No emotions showed on his lawyer's face — good or bad.

Wow, this would be so much easier if the two men sitting across the table weren't so damn good-looking.

"I'm Lucas Benjamin, Judge Brown." He extended his hand for her uncle's shake. "Does your client understand Mark"— he indicated the frowning man beside him —"is my brother?"

"Yes, his client knows," Emma whispered.

"Good." His deep voice reverberated around the room. "And is that fine with her?"

"It is," she said a bit louder, hands clamped tight in her lap. "I trust my uncle."

"As I do my brother."

Emma refused to look Mark's way.

"Then let's begin." George opened the folder in front of him. He slid a copy of his agreement to the younger lawyer while accepting one from him. Silence lingered in the room while they both looked over the documents. The judge nodded and glanced up at the younger man. "Interesting additions."

"The lawyer I consulted thought they were necessary." Lucas said, the hint of a smile softening his voice. "And you, sir, knew that he would suggest these stipulations."

"Yes."

Emma studied Mark's brother's lowered head through narrowed eyes as he reread the agreement a second time. Dark hair glowed in the sharp lighting, brushing over the top of an expressive suit jacket. The gray material enhanced his wide shoulders while the deep blue tie set off the crisp whiteness of the shirt. He glanced up and focused on her, sending a blast of heat through her system. A quick hint of desire flashed hot in his deep blue eyes, disappearing quickly. Did she just experience that, or was it another strange pregnancy-induced reaction?

Her heart beat inside her chest. Breathe dying tight in her lungs, she forced her look away and glanced at her cupped hands.

Not good, not good at all.

* * *

What the hell had just happened?

One look at the woman sitting quiet beside the judge slowed his thought- processes and sped up his heart. Even now, seconds after staring at the bright white paper with sharp black lettering, Luke still had a hard time lowering the beat of his heart.

Kathleen had done this to him too. The first time he'd set his eyes on the beautiful blonde ten years ago he'd been just as muddled and confused.

Luke could understand why his brother picked up this woman in the bar. To call her beautiful didn't do her justice.

"Luke, what's wrong?"

He closed his eyes for a moment and then moved his hand toward his brother. "I'm just reading through the agreement, Mark."

Mark growled loud. "How many times do you need to read it? Just give it to me so I can sign the damn thing and get out of here. Rebecca will be here any minute. I want this over and done with before she gets here."

He fought his temper at his brother's cold attitude. Sometimes he could be a total ass. Pushing away the thought, he rubbed his eyes and placed his hands flat on the table on both sides of the paper.

"Are we in agreement, Mr. Benjamin?"

The air still sizzled around Luke when he glanced up at the older man, attempting to ignore the sexy lady sitting beside him. He swallowed dryness and picked up the page, studying the document word by word until his mind could once again understand it. That's when he noticed the new dollar amount — double what he agreed to at their earlier meeting.

"It seems I'm not the only one changing our tentative agreement."

Judge Brown grinned. "That is because I knew the lawyer friend you consulted would insist on the paternity test and that the child be over eighteen before receiving any of the trust fund money. I was expecting —"

The woman sat up straight and glared at her lawyer, as if only now hearing the stipulations added to his document. She glared at her lawyer before turning it full-force on him and then his brother. "You bastard."

"Emma, that's enough," the older man whispered. "I expected these changes."

"You expected ..."

Her chest expanded in and out as she fought her anger, pressing the sweet mounds of her breasts into the smooth, light fabric of her blouse. He forced back the unexpected reaction to her unintended sexiness. A foot slammed into his outer thigh. His brother's suggestive wink and grin erupted hot in him.

"... but he's calling me a liar, Uncle George."

Her low moan-like whisper settled on his damaged heart, soothing over it in a warm wash of hopefulness. Kathleen's death had torn him up, wounding him for another chance. Two and a half years ago, he'd infuriated her so much she'd gotten into the car and drove away. January snow had been falling hard that morning, making driving bad for normally functioning individuals. His crying wife didn't have a chance. A police officer's arrival at the office a few hours later told him of his loss. His heart had been as dead and icy as that cold January day since.

And, with one look, the woman who carried his brother's baby found a way to start the healing.

Without even being aware he needed it.

"No, I won't agree to that." Emma yelled out her statement this time, no soft, healing whispers now. "If that's what I need to agree to," she said, grabbing up the paper and crushing it in her hand. "Then I refuse to sign anything."

"Emmie, be reasonable," the older man said, pulling the paper from her trembling hands. "Don't you think he has the right to know for sure the baby is his?"

"You mean, the sperm donor," she said, glaring hard at his silent brother. "Because a father wouldn't insist his baby's mother take care of it."

His brother had the dignity to look down.

"Like I'm going to kill my child," she said, standing up from her seat and leaning over the table. "You are not worth it, Mark."

"I didn't tell ..."

She leaned in even closer, pushing the table hard into his direction. "No, you didn't say the words. But what was I supposed to think?"

"Emmie, sit down."

The judge's calming voice pulled her hot look from his brother to him for a disturbing second before she sighed and fell back into her seat. She tapped her nails quick against the table top. "So how will this work? How will he know when I have the baby if he's not allowed to come near me?" Her hand slammed flat in a harsh, final way. "And, he will not be allowed anywhere near me or my family."

Luke nodded. "That's the deal, Ms. Cook."

She refused to look up at him. "Then how will he know?"

He looked at the judge and then back at the calmer woman. "Your uncle will let me know and I'll make arrangements with a private lab to have the test done."

"And no names will be given to this lab?"

"None," he said, forcing his professionalism to the forefront of his brain. "The laboratory we'll be working with is a discreet, trustworthy facility."

She did look up then, eyes narrowed at his comment. His throat tightened at the intensity, heat rushing throughout his body. Yet he sensed his professional expression and demeanor on the outside didn't show the riot of emotions blasting inside him. He was aware enough to keep his thoughts buried.

"You'll guarantee it?"

"Yes."

"Okay." She snatched the paper from Judge Brown's hand and skimmed the agreement once again before signing her name to the bottom of it. "There."

"And there," Mark said, pressing the document he'd signed to Emma and snatching at hers. After signing the second one, he set the pen down and stood up. "I'm glad that's finally over."

Luke clamped his hands into fist, fighting his anger. "Yes, it's over, Mark."

His brother stopped near the doorway and faced him.

"This is the last time," he said, gathering up the signed agreement and placing it into his folder. He would have Dan make copies of it and send it on to the judge later. "Next time you get into a jam, you're on your own."

His brother narrowed his eyes for a second in confusion before a grin erupted. "Like I haven't heard that before."

Luke hit the folder on the table. "I'm serious, Mark."

His brother froze at his subdued anger before snorting and walking out the doorway.

"You did the right thing, son." The judge pushed back his chair and stood. "Send me copies of your agreement for Emma and my files, and I'll do the same."

"I will do that, Judge."

The older man nodded as he collected his folder and coat. The door closed soft behind him at his exit. He pressed his seat back and glanced across the table.

"My uncle is right, Mr. Benjamin."

"Luke," he said, surprising her with his sign of friendship. Why he wasn't letting her go was beyond him. Nothing good could come from getting to know this woman better. "My first name is Luke."

Her eyes widened before she smiled gently. "My name is Emma."

"Emma," he said, loving the sound of the name. "What actually was your uncle right about?"

"That it's time you stopped getting that ... brother of yours out of bad situations," she whispered, gaze tracing heated interest over his face. "Mark doesn't look anything like you."

He swallowed and stayed quiet as she spread that penetrating look down his body and then up again. Like with a touch of real fingers, he reacted in a real way. Thankfully the table blocked his lower body from her view. He sighed when she finally focused onto his heated face again. A sweet, slight flush warmed her cheeks for a brief moment.

Damn, why did this woman have to make him start feeling? Why did the woman carrying his brother's child make him aware of how long it'd been since he felt a female's touch?

It was wrong, in so many ways. It was all wrong.

"Do you look like your father or mother?"

Her innocent question pulled his mind off his dilemma. "I'm not sure."

"You're not sure?" She sat forward for a moment before slipping onto her feet. "I look more like my mother; my sister looks like my Dad."

"I'm adopted," he whispered, glancing down at the table. "So were my two younger sisters."

"So that's why you think you need to fix all of Mark's problems?"

"Not just his." No anger or pain roared in him at her question. "I'm the firm's lawyer, so I help everyone here."

"Oh, really?" Emma placed her hands on the table and leaned toward him, a real smile playing around her mouth. "I bet Mark's your best client."

"How did you guess that?" Her smile deepened, wrapping around his emotions with total ease. God, but he loved her smile. And her voice. A part of him wanted to sit down and close his eyes, so he could feel that soft, sensual voice weave around him. He'd been alone too long. "You're right, though."

She studied him as he picked up his briefcase from the chair and slipped the forgotten folder inside it. He pulled his coat from the back of the chair and slipped his arms into the sleeves.

"I guess that means it's time to go," she said, a cross between anger and understanding lowering her voice. "Before I do ..." She searched around the room, settling on something behind his left shoulder. "Is that a bathroom?"

"Yes." Puzzled by the unexpected question, understanding hit him when her hand slid down the flatness of her stomach. "Oh?" He twisted to his side and waved past him. "I'll wait until you're finished."

"Thank you."

The door swung shut a second before a loud bang echoed near him. He jerked toward the sound and stared at the person entering the conference room. Drops of wetness flew into him as Rebecca swished her wet hair around her face. "It's pouring out there again."

"Rebecca, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." She pressed against the door to keep it tight to the wall. "I don't know why this thing slams into the wall every time I open it." She lifted her hand and looked at the door for a long second. "Stay, door."

He couldn't help but smile at her expression. "I think you're just trying to scare me, like you used to do when we were kids."

"Did it work?"

"No," he said, forcing his grin away. She needed to leave before Emma finished in the bathroom. "Mark's not here."

"I can see that." She backed from the door toward the table. "He just called me and told me he's going to his office. It's pouring outside so I decided to check the side door and it opened. Then I noticed the light on here. I didn't think this room was ever used."

"Only for special meetings." The toilet flushed, freezing him in his steps. He needed to get her out of here — now. "I'm on my way to my dad's office. I can take you to Mark, if you'd like. That way you won't have to go back outside in the rain."

"No, that's okay," Rebecca said. "I know how to get there from here."

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Excerpted from "Without Love"
by .
Copyright © 2018 Theresa Stillwagon.
Excerpted by permission of The Wild Rose Press, Inc..
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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