Page 54 of Tristan’s Temptation

She wouldn’t tell Tristan about the baby. Not now. Not yet.

Her father had been forced to marry her mother when a little slap and tickle resulted in a child. They’d been miserable. She didn’t want that for her and Tristan. She certainly didn’t want him to feel obligated to her. For anything.

He’d made it clear enough their fling was just that. A fling. Not something he even wanted his brother to know about. The idea of a baby, of eternal, endless responsibility tied to a woman he really wouldn’t have chosen for a long-lasting relationship, would horrify him.

She didn’t want that. She didn’t want this relationship to end so dismally.

She didn’t want it to end at all.

But it probably would.

When she told him.

One could not keep a baby a secret for long.

She crumpled the paper with her test results. Damn it. Just when things were going so well.

How she would handle telling him when the time came, she didn’t have a clue.

But for now, for the rest of this weekend—her last as a footloose and fancy-free woman—she was going to enjoy herself. She was going to enjoy Tristan.

These memories would have to last the rest of her life.

By God, she was going to have fun.

She would tell him when the cruise was over. When they got home, she would start worrying about this.

When they got home, everything was going to have to change.

Tristan was relieved to see Shannon emerge from the doctor’s office with a smile on her face. It was a tight, subdued smile but it beat the hell out of tears. “Everything okay?”

“Sure. Everything’s fine.” She didn’t meet his eyes. “He suggested I stay away from shrimp for a while.”

“So it was the shrimp?”

She wrinkled her nose. He moved in to kiss her but she leaned away and grabbed his hand. “Come on, Tristan. Let’s go out on the pier.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Wouldn’t you rather go back to the room?” He tried to make his voice sexy and hot but her lips tightened and she shook her head.

“I’ve never been to Mexico.”

“It’s Ensenada.”

She laughed. “That’s still Mexico.”

“Hardly. It’s like, LA-South.”

“Come on. I want to go shopping.” She tugged at his hand and, of course, he followed. But something niggled at the back of his mind. A little voice whispered something was wrong. He just couldn’t put his finger on it.

Not to save his life.

Chapter Twelve

The pier was a tourist trap. Passengers—from the boats docked neatly in a row—vied with the each other to purchase cheesy trinkets but Shannon loved it. It was a crazy carnival atmosphere with the delicious scent of churros and lime heavy in the air. Strolling mariachi bands entertained the crowd and a troupe of jugglers performed tricks for tips. Booze flowed freely.

Tristan and Shannon walked from stall to stall, holding hands. Every once in a while one would point something out to the other and they would laugh. The sun was warm on her shoulders and a soft breeze teased at her hair. She tipped up her face, just enjoying the day, the feel of his palm against hers. His presence by her side.

Over to her left, a little girl with enormous brown eyes was making her dog, a poor Chihuahua dressed up like a clown, do flips for the crowd. Shannon’s heart melted. She fished in her purse and pulled out a five and tucked it into the tip jar.