Sometimes pregnancy can ruin the emotional and physical intimacy, but it doesn't here. Grey belongs to that sub species of characters I rarely care for, the victim. Past hurts have led him to believe that love and a legal commitment are not for him. What saves him and the story from being cliched is that Grey knows that his life without Mariah is empty and lonely, virtually meaningless. He's smart enough to finally realize that perhaps his perceptions of love and commitment are all wrong.
Plot devices seem to come in waves.
For a while I felt like I was being swamped in cowboy books, then baby books, then marriage of convenience stories. The latest trend that I've noticed is that of the commitment-shy hero. Oh, I know he's always been around, but lately I seem to be reading about this condition in abundance. I miss the relationship between emotionally healthy characters. Mrs. Denison writes Grey's character so well that I can recommend this story.