Tremendous thanks to my loyal reviewers. Your reviews keep me motivated and updating just as fast as the story will allow. Please, please keep letting me know your thoughts and opinions: the good, the bad, and the ugly. It's the only way I know what you like and can get better. I do not own any of the established characters only Haydence and my plot (as always).


With James out of the way, Hayd had a chance to rest before Amir got there. She was really feeling the tiredness grab hold and no amount of coffee or sugar could fight it off. Lucas did his best to make her comfortable.

When Amir arrived, Lucas stayed in the alcove while Hayd escorted the Iranian to the back fitting room. The man always gave Haydence the creeps and today was no exception.

Amir looked down on her, "Where is the blond man?"

"Mr. Roberts is out to lunch, Mr. Amir. But Mr. Gambon is waiting for you."

Amir nodded in response and didn't say anything else. Hayd left him with Mr. Gambon.

Lucas gave Amir a few minutes to start the fitting before pulling out a small box from his suit pocket.

Taking the bug on the tip of her finger, Hayd retraced her steps to the back room. Amir's suit coat was hanging up just inside. Slipping in unnoticed was out of the question. Hayd wasn't built for stealth. Besides, for an aging man, Gambon had the eyes of hawk. Instead, she knocked on the door.

"Mr. Gambon, I'm so sorry to interrupt you. May I come in?"

"Come!" He barked it out like a military order.

Both men stared wholes right into her.

"Mr. Gambon, I need your key to the special fabrics. The gentleman I'm fitting seems prepared to select from the most expensive range."

"Are you sure he's not wasting your time?"

"Yes. He's prepared to make payment today."

Gambon grudgingly gave Haydence his keys. As she walked out the door, she stumbled slightly into the rack of clothes which held Amir's suit on the end. Amir appeared oblivious to the interaction, but Gambon excused himself.

Following Hayd out the door, he grabbed her elbow. "What was that?"

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm just very tired today."

"You know the rule. Precise movements at all times…"

"Because how can we make precise suits if our movements are sloppy." Hayd finished the mantra her voice slightly shaky. "It won't happen again."

Gambon released her arm and stepped back. The older man looked at her not unkindly. "Are you ok?"

"Just tired, sir."

"You're not…?"

"Not what?"

"You know." He couldn't bring himself to say the word. He whispered. "In the family way?"

Hayd laughed, "No, sir. Not at all. Absolutely," she paused for the slightest second, "not." Her answer to that question that had been so automatic for the last ten years couldn't be quite so automatic anymore.

He nodded satisfied with her answer. "So you've made two sales today?"

"Three. Mr. Griffiths is buying two suits."

Gambon nodded appreciatively. "When James gets back, take the rest of the day off. You've made more sales today than he has all week. And it looks like you could use a sleep."

Hayd found it difficult to hide her grin. "Thank you, sir."

He smiled and went back to Amir. Haydence exhaled her breath. She'd done it. She'd placed the tracker without being noticed and gotten away with it. When she got back to the front of the shop, Lucas stood there with an intently expectant look on his face.

She smiled at him keeping her voice low. "Everything's fine. Package delivered. I always wanted to say that."

Lucas remained strangely silent his gaze never leaving Hayd as she moved about the shop.

"Come on, you need to pick out at least one fabric from this lot." Hayd opened the door to the locked cupboard and started to lift out a heavy bolt of fabric. Lucas stopped her.

"Why don't you let me do that?"

"I'm perfectly capable of lifting a bolt."

He edged closer to her. "But what if you are?"

"Are what?"

"Pregnant!"

"Give me strength. Even if I were, which I'm not, I wouldn't be feeling like that so soon afterwards. I'm simply shattered because I hadn't had decent sleep for forty-eight hours!"

Lucas backed off slightly. "Not to mention cranky."

Hayd gave him a look that would melt metal. "Ok. I'll pick out your fabric. Just make sure that device is working right. I don't want to have to do this again."

Just as Hayd was finishing the sale, James walked back in grumpier than ever. Since everything checked out with the bug, both Lucas and Hayd were ready to leave.

"Where do you think you're going?" James was transparent with jealousy.

"Got the rest of the day off, Jim Bo. Going to make the most of it."

Lucas gave him a knowing look as he followed Hayd out of the shop.

Back in the Merc, Hayd's exhaustion was evident. But she still tried to fight it. "So, what now?'

"Now, we let other people follow Amir while you get some sleep. They'll let us know when they find something."

"Good." She leaned back in the chair and was asleep before Lucas pulled into traffic.

As he drove back to the hotel, he thought about the possibility of Hayd being pregnant. A warm possessive glow started building in his chest.

Helping her out of the car, Haydence swayed uneasily on her feet but held a hand up to Lucas. "I'll be fine."

She moved slowly on her own steam but started leaning on Lucas more and more for support. By the time they'd reached the room and Lucas had unlocked it, Hayd's knees gave out from under her.

Lucas caught her in one fluid movement carrying her into the room and closing the door with his shoulder. Laying her down on the bed, he sighed. No matter Hayd's assurances that she wasn't pregnant, he couldn't get the thought out of his head. His Hayd. Pregnant. With his child.

She tried to take off her suit while half asleep.

Kneeling down to her, Lucas whispered. "Let me help you."

"Hmm. Ok. Just promise you'll hang everything up."

"Whatever you say."

Lucas's long fingers went first to loosen her scarf. She gasped a little as she felt him lightly graze her neck. Her little noise startling the hair on the back of his neck to rise.

Kissing her forehead, Lucas went to remove her jacket. She helped with removing her shirt from inside her skirt but was useless when it came to the buttons. Lucas started from the top of the blouse slowly unbuttoned her. His breath caught as he eased the shirt off her revealing a lace bra matching the colours of her scarf – browns, blues, and yellows. Unlatching it from behind, Hayd let out a sigh of relief. That sigh and the sight in front of him caused Lucas to feel everything but relief.

Easing her back onto the bed, Lucas found the elusive skirt zipper bringing it down slowly to the bottom. She had the presence of mind to wiggle her hips out of her skirt. Lucas could hardly stifle the word, "God" from coming out of his lips.

Lifting her up and the pulling back the duvet, Haydence finally collapsed onto the bed. Lucas covered her up. She caught his hand as he tried to rise.

"Come to bed."

"You need sleep."

"I want you with me."

How could he argue with that? Stripping down to his boxers, he climbed into bed behind Hayd. Both fell into a sleep almost instantly clinging to each other.


Hours later, Hayd woke up to a noise.

"Lucas, I think there's someone at the door."

She rose up on her elbows. The room was dim. She could feel Lucas on the bed with her. The last thing she felt before being hit on the head was fabric sliding over her face.