Surely she should have been relieved that she wasn’t pregnant?

Why did she feel so utterly devastated?

She didn’t even know that Andreas had followed her until she felt herself gathered against his hard chest.

For several minutes she just sobbed without speaking and then she took the tissue he handed her and blew her nose hard.

‘Why are you crying?’

She shook her head and scrunched the tissue into a ball, too upset to speak.

‘Libby.’ His tone was urgent and he put her away from him and cupped her face in his hands, forcing her to look at him. ‘Tell me.’

‘It’s nothing,’ she hiccoughed. ‘It’s my problem, not yours.’

His face darkened and his fingers bit into her scalp. ‘If this is what I think it is, then it’s very much my problem, too. Only actually I don’t see it as a problem.’

She closed her eyes and shook her head. He’d misunderstood, and who could blame him? ‘Just drop it Andreas—please…’

She needed some time on her own. Time to pull herself together. She was being ridiculous.

‘I thought I’d made it clear that I’m very traditional when it comes to certain things,’ he said softly, showing no signs of releasing her. ‘Tell me why you’re crying, because if you’re afraid that I won’t want you now you’re pregnant, you couldn’t be more wrong.’

Libby pulled away from him and scrubbed the palm of her hand over her cheeks to get rid of the tears.

‘I’m not crying because I’m pregnant,’ she gulped finally, her voice jumpy from too much crying. ‘I’m crying because I’m not pregnant. OK?’

She gave a massive sniff, aware that Andreas was unusually still.

‘You’re not pregnant?’

Just hearing the words upset her again and her face crumpled. ‘That’s right—I’m not pregnant. And now will you leave me alone?’

She turned away from him but he reached out and grabbed her, hauling her round so that she was facing him, his fingers biting into her upper arms.

‘If you’re not pregnant, Libby, why are you crying?’

She tried to glare at him but instead her face crumpled again and she gave another sob. ‘Because I wanted to be pregnant, you dummy! I wanted your baby.’ She was vaguely aware that she was shouting but she didn’t even care. ‘Which just goes to show how stupid I can be.’

Andreas stared at her, his dark gaze strangely intent. ‘And why did you want my baby, Libby?’ His voice was hoarse and she tried to focus on him through watery eyes.

‘I don’t know,’ she muttered, and his fingers tightened on her arms.

‘Yes, you do. Why, Libby?’

She hiccoughed slightly. ‘Because you’re very good-looking and I thought we’d make cute babies?’

He lifted an eyebrow and his firm mouth quirked slightly. ‘So you selected me as a prime example of male genetic perfection?’

‘Maybe.’

He looked at her. ‘Come on, Libby,’ he urged softly, ‘be honest with me. Be honest with yourself for once.’