Hostile Desires by Melissa Schroeder Page B

since I was done with my stuff for the day, I sent him home.”
    “Ah. So...who is everyone bringing to the wedding? Oh, and when is the bachelor party?”
    Graeme and Adam shared a look, then they looked at Drew. Drew’s eyes widened.
    “You’re his best man, Adam. It’s kind of your job.”
    Graeme looked at Adam.
    “I already asked him, and he declined, although I do think we should take him out before his mom gets here.”
    “And your dates?”
    “We’re supposed to have dates?” Graeme asked. “I always thought it was better to go stag.”
    Not that he actually thought that much about it. Truth was, other than the occasional hookup, he hadn’t dated anyone seriously since he relocated to Hawaii.
    “What do you mean?” Drew asked.
    “It’s always best to come stag. Of course, that is usually to take advantage of the bridesmaids...oh, and one of them is involved with two men,” Adam said.
    Graeme snorted. “I would not touch that woman with a ten-foot pole. I’m pretty sure Sean and Randy would make me disappear.”
    Emma’s half brother had two lovers, Randy and Jaime. The trio were considered some of the best security experts in the Pacific Rim area, if not the world, and all of them definitely knew how to make people disappear. Jaime, the one female of the trio, had her hands full with the two men, but didn’t seem to mind.
    “Yeah. But there are three other bridesmaids,” Graeme said.
    “Only two,” Drew said. “Cat’s going with me.”
    Again, he shared a look with Adam. “You’re taking her to the wedding?”
    Drew rocked back on his heels. “Yep, so that leaves Elle and Charity, and I know Charity is coming stag.”
    “You know, how?” Adam asked.
    Drew’s smile widened. “She told me. Said she liked to keep her prospects open. I have some reports to file for Elle.”
    And then he just left, with Adam and Graeme staring after him.
    “Now, tell me why I’m feeling like a loser,” Adam said.
    “Because Dead Guy Drew has a date with Cat for the wedding and we’re both going stag.”
    “Ah, and who has the bet on their first date?”
    “Damn, I think Charity is keeping track of that one.”
    “Someone is going to win big,” Adam said.
    “Doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, we are both still going stag, and Dead Guy Drew has a date with a hot Hawaiian woman.”
----
    D el knew there was something really wrong. Emma had been in bed since he came home, dead to the world. He stood at the doorway to their bedroom and watched her sleep. She’d been out when he got home. A call to Elle reassured him that she wasn’t really sick, but he hated that the wedding was getting to her. He felt like a bastard for insisting on having a big family wedding.
    “I can feel you staring at me,” she said without opening her eyes.
    “Can you blame me? You have me worried, babe.”
    She opened her eyes and stretched. Then she smiled at him, and he felt it to the soles of his feet. Just that, and his heart started to sing with happiness.
    Emma sat up and stared at him. She scooted over, then patted the bed next to her. He walked over and sat on the mattress.
    “I’m sorry, Emma.”
    “Why?”
    “We should have done a simple run to the justice of the peace, nothing big. Planning this wedding is making you sick.”
    She shook her head and cupped his face. Without closing her eyes, she leaned forward and brushed her mouth over his.
    “It isn’t the wedding, love.”
    Terror filled him. “Give it to me straight.”
    “You’re going to be a daddy, Del.”
    For a second, the world seemed to slow to a complete stop. He couldn’t think, couldn’t even comprehend what she had said.
    “You’re pregnant?”
    She nodded, as tears filled her eyes. “Probably about eight weeks or so.”
    “That’s why you’ve been getting dizzy and sick to your stomach?”
    “And being so sleepy.”
    Then, the reality of what she had just said hit him. Joy filled him.
    “Are you okay?” she