Turning to Brittany, he asked. “I have no idea what you meant when you said something about a baby, but if you’re pregnant, you’d better be ready to prove it’s mine.”
“Of course, it’s yours!” she cried, reaching for his arm. “There hasn’t been anyone else!”
Stepping out of her reach, he said, “Fine. I’ll take you to the doctor for a test, and I’ll pay for paternity testing.”
“You don’t need to do that, sweetie,” Brittany said, finally catching his arm, her eyes wide and wet with tears. “Don’t you believe me?”
“Not really, no.” That was one thing he was sure of. Condoms weren’t a hundred percent effective, but they were pretty damned close, and he always used his own instead of one that might have been tampered with. While it was possible that she was very early in a pregnancy, he’d only been home for two weeks. If Brittany was pregnant, it wasn’t by him.
But there was that slim to none chance, and he couldn’t be free of Brittany until he knew the truth.
“You know what?” Jennifer asked. “I don’t care. I don’t watch daytime television, and I have no desire to see an episode of Dr. Phil played out in my clinic. I want you both gone. Now.”
Her face contorting into a snarl, Brittany spun on her. Shaking her finger in Jennifer’s face, she asked, “Who the hell do you think you are? You’re nothing but a frumpy mess of a zookeeper. How dare you?”
“I think I’m the owner of this place. I also think I can have you arrested for trespassing.”
Brittany hauled back to slap her, but Jennifer caught her wrist and slammed it against the wall before he could reach her. Ignoring Brittany’s cry of pain, Jennifer stepped into her space. “You have two minutes. If you and your baby daddy over there aren’t gone, I’m calling the cops. I suggest you choose wisely.”
Letting Brittany go, Jennifer stepped back and tapped her watch. “Two minutes, folks.” Without another word, she turned and marched into her office. Kaden’s bag, open and stuffed with the clothing he’d left in the bathroom, flew out the door, along with the movie they’d watched.
“Jennifer, wait!” Kaden called. Jerking away from Brittany’s grip, he raced to her office, stopping short when the door slammed in his face.
He growled and spun to face his ex-girlfriend. “You have no idea who you’re fucking with, but I’m about to show you.”
Jennifer leaned against the door, swearing under her breath. Hadn’t she told herself Kaden had a girlfriend? Why was she surprised when the evidence slapped her in the face?
She was convenient. That was all. Kaden had no interest in her, aside from that. But why had he refused a ride back to town and the waiting arms of the redhead? Nothing he did made any sense to her, but she was done with the bullshit.
With luck, he’d be gone before the timer ran out. She’d get on with her life in peace and forget all about the handsome soldier at her doorstep who had demonstrated that spankings and dominant lovers were everything her books told her they would be.
Damn him.
She ignored the sounds of his footsteps and the high-heeled clicks coming from his girlfriend. They had forty-five seconds to get gone. At fifteen seconds, she heard the outer door close, and breathed a sigh of relief.
How could she have been so stupid? Thank God, he’d worn a condom. The redhead might be delighted to bear his offspring, but Jennifer had zero interest. Still, she’d get herself tested the minute she had a chance. God knew what those two were carrying around.
Pulling on her big-girl panties, she opened the door and risked a peek outside. Kaden’s bag was gone, and the door was shut. She locked it, making sure the sticky deadbolt caught, then checked the back door. The next person to wreck would just have to sit there until the cops came. She wasn’t leaving the clinic until Matt came to relieve her in the morning.
She went back to her office and cleaned up, disposing of all evidence that Kaden had ever been there. When she finished, she laid on the couch, letting Nero nestle under her chin as Caleb wormed his way behind her knees. Pulling the blanket over her head, she let the tears fall.
Jennifer didn’t sleep much, but she was up and waiting for Matt when he arrived. Hugging him, she pecked his cheek. “Did you have a nice Christmas?” she asked, trying to give him a smile.
“Yeah, it was great.” Matt took off his parka and put on a lab coat. “I really appreciate you taking the holiday. It meant a lot to Lorraine and the kids.”
“Did they like the movie I got them?”
Matt laughed and shook his head. “They loved it, but now I have to find all the Wallace and Gromit shows.” He sat on the couch, pulling her down next to him. “I heard you had an eventful time, though. Tell me what happened.”
She should have known Matt would ask. Gossip traveled fast in a small town. “Nothing much. Some guy wiped out on the curve north of the clinic, and I kept him for the day until his girlfriend came to get him. And Evan Grant shot Chelsea’s dog, Princess. She’s stable, but you’ll want to keep an eye on her.”
She couldn’t believe she’d managed to talk about Kaden with such aplomb. Matt would never know what really happened Christmas day.
Matt scowled. “Nice. That means we’re stuck with her until we can find her a new home.”
“I’ll take her. I’m going to take Nero, too, so one more won’t be an issue. He needs a few more days in the clinic, but I’ll take him home before the end of the year.”
“Okay. I’ll read your report on Princess. Anything else?”
“Nope. That’s it,” she replied, standing. “I’m looking forward to a few days off.”
He got up and touched her shoulder. “I want you to take the next few weeks off. You look exhausted.”
“Damn, and I work so hard on my youthful glow,” she said.
“Knock it off, Jennifer. You work too hard.” Rubbing her hair, he kissed her forehead. “Take a cruise or something and go somewhere warm. I’ll handle everything here.”
Maybe Matt was right. She had a ton of miles and a valid passport, and really, who would miss her?
Four hours later, a flight attendant handed her a martini and she settled into the first-class seat on her way to Spain. Someone once told her the best way to get over a man was to get under a Spaniard. Or maybe it was an Italian. She didn’t remember the cliché, but maybe she’d try it. Unfortunately, she had a feeling getting over Kaden McCleod wouldn’t be so easy.
10
Arms crossed, Kaden stood over Brittany while she peed on a stick. There was no way he was going to let her do this in private. His mother would be disgusted by his behavior, but Brittany had ruined any hope he’d had of trying to start something with Jennifer, and he was pissed.
Brittany’s penance, a burly sadist named Tennyson, waited outside the door. He’d given her a choice. If she was pregnant, he’d pay her expenses until she gave birth. If the child was his, he’d take responsibility for it. She didn’t know it, but he had every intention of suing for custody. No child of his would be raised by a woman like Brittany.
If she wasn’t carrying a child… He grinned down at her as she laid the pregnancy test on the sink and washed her hands. If the test was negative, she would get a hundred thousand dollars on the condition that she spent a month with his favorite sadist and never contacted him again.
When she tried to leave, he grabbed her arm and made her sit on the toilet seat. “Uh uh, honey. You’re going to sit your ass down.”
She glared at him as he opened the door and called to Tennyson. “Want to watch the verdict?” he asked.
Leather boots creaking, Tennyson stomped into the tiny bathroom of her apartment and crossed his arms over his chest as he smirked down at Brittany.
“You are both assholes,” she muttered.
Tennyson put a thick finger under her chin, lifting her head. “Language, little girl. We’ll see if you’re going to be introduced to a single tail or just my hand.”
To Kaden’s horror, a plu
s sign appeared on the stick and he thought he’d be sick. Swallowing hard, he put his game face on as he watched his future change irrevocably. “It seems to be your lucky day, Brittany. All you had to do was spread your legs and you won the lottery.”
“Fuck this shit.” Brittany stood, pushing Tennyson hard enough to send him reeling. “It’s not yours, you scarred up freak. I was pregnant before I met you.” She sneered, her nose wrinkling. “You think you’re all that, but you’re just a stupid rich fucker too dumb to know when he’s been had.”
“That’s enough,” Tennyson said, his voice deepening in warning.
“Yeah, it is,” Brittany replied, her face red with fury. “Get the fuck out of my apartment, both of you. A hundred grand isn’t worth it.”
Tennyson followed him out, shaking his head as she slammed the door behind them. “Man, she’s a piece of work, isn’t she?”
“Yeah.” Kaden rubbed his face and shivered as he put on his coat. He felt like someone had just walked over his grave. “I don’t know what I was thinking hooking up with her.”
“Eh, she’s hot when she’s not being a bitch.”
“Nobody’s that hot, except…” Kaden cut himself off before the name escaped.
“Except?” Tennyson folded his arms over his massive chest and stepped in front of him. “Do tell.”
“Jennifer Dane.” Even thinking her name made his cock hard, but he tried to hide his reaction.
Rolling his eyes, Tennyson said, “Dude, do not tell me you’re lusting after my vet. She’s way out of your league.”
“I know. And I’m pretty sure I’m in love with her.”
Snorting, Tennyson asked, “When would you have met her? She isn’t in the lifestyle, and honestly, if you were hanging out with Brittany, that sweet girl wouldn’t have given you the time of day.”
“I wrecked outside her clinic and she took care of me.” Kaden looked down at his feet. “She didn’t give a damn about what I looked like or the scars, or anything else, except me. She made fun of me for being rich.”
“Aw, damn, dude.” Laying a massive hand over Kaden’s shoulder, Tennyson said, “Jennifer is a good girl. You need to let that shit go.”
“She tastes like strawberries when she comes,” Kaden whispered. Turning to Tennyson, he straightened his spine. “I need her back, man, and I’m going to get her.”
Tennyson sighed, his shoulders slumping. “Any chance she’s a masochist?” he asked. “I’d be happy to show her—”
Kaden’s vision darkened to red and he grabbed Tennyson by the throat, slamming him against the wall behind them. “You do not touch her,” he growled. “She’s fucking mine. My little girl, mine to spank and to fuck, and to cherish.”
“She’s in Mallorca, last I heard,” Tennyson said, his voice soft as he pulled Kaden’s hand away from his throat. “You feel that way about a woman like Jennifer, you need to go get her.”
Letting go of Tennyson, he took a step back and nodded. He had no idea why she was in Spain, but it didn’t matter. He’d find her no matter where she decided to run.
Jennifer twitched the brim of her hat to better shade her face. The Mediterranean sun reflected off the pebble-strewn beach just south of the Palma resort she was staying in, dazzling her through the large sunglasses covering her eyes.
Even with the memories of the man now known as The Cheating Snake running through her head, Mallorca had been one of her more inspired ideas. She soaked up sun, cocktails, and the soothing waters of the Med in equal measure, and after a week, felt almost human again. And she loved the tiny little white bikini she’d bought when she arrived. It had been a long time since she’d felt daring enough to wear one, but if the person she was trying to forget could wear his scars so proudly, so could she.
In fact, this impromptu getaway had been such a great idea, she planned to do it every year. Maybe not all the way to Spain—she couldn’t afford it—but a week in a spa resort close to home would be enough to recharge her batteries.
Maybe her mother had been right about a few things. Taking time for a little self-care was important, and she’d needed it for a long time. It took getting so thoroughly fucked by one man to make her realize she had to make some changes. She never wanted to be that vulnerable again.
“Is this seat taken?” a deep American voice asked.
Jennifer stiffened. The voice had sounded a lot like the Snake’s, but he couldn’t be in Mallorca. She laughed at herself, then looked up.
“Hi, Jennifer.”
“Kaden.” The sight of him was like a punch to her gut and her thoughts stalled. “What are you doing here?”
He sat down in the beach chair next to her, his chiseled torso bare over a pair of blue board shorts. “Looking for you. I wanted to talk.”
“How’s impending fatherhood treating you? And the proud mama-to-be?”
“Brittany’s pregnant, but it’s not mine. She admitted it to me when I demanded a paternity test.”
“I—”
“Let me finish before you say anything, please.” He turned to face her and took her hands, his blue eyes catching hers. “I’d broken up with her on Christmas Eve when I realized all she wanted was my money. I was leaving town when you found me.”
“So why did she come, insisting she was your girlfriend, and why didn’t you stop her?” Kaden couldn’t possibly have an explanation for that horrible scene, but he’d come so far to find her. The least she could do would be to hear him out.
“I think she realized she would be losing her meal ticket, and she’d hoped to convince me that the baby was mine.”
“What makes either of you sure it isn’t? Did she actually take the paternity test?”
“When I made her take a pregnancy test, she admitted to being pregnant before we met. Besides, I’ve never once slept with a woman without a condom I’ve bought myself, so no one would have had a chance to tamper with one. Also,” he added, kissing her palm, “I was in Afghanistan until about two weeks before I met you.”
“Ouch.” Jennifer cringed at the thought of a woman doing that to any man. “I’m sorry.”
“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. None of this was your fault, and you got caught up in a mess.” Standing, he bent over her and kissed her forehead. “I just came to apologize.”
Blinking in surprise, Jennifer said, “You chased me all the way to Mallorca to apologize?”
“Well, I also came to tell you that I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you, but I understand if you don’t want to have anything to do with me.” He straightened and handed her a slip of paper. “Here’s my phone number. If you want to talk when you get back, give me a call. In the meantime, enjoy your vacation.”
He turned and walked away, his long strides taking him down the beach as she stared after him in shock.
“Go get him, querida,” the elderly woman sitting next to her said.
Jennifer twisted in her seat, facing her. “What?”
“No man who looks like that and confesses his love should get away.” She waved a heavily ringed hand. “If you love him back, you should run into his arms before someone else does.”
Did she love him? Jennifer wasn’t sure, but he’d come all this way just to apologize, and God, it had hurt beyond anything when she’d thought he’d used her. A man didn’t spend the evening on a couch with too many pets watching an action movie with a woman he didn’t like, and she’d thrown him out instead of giving him a chance to explain.
“Querida, you should hurry. He’s getting away,” the woman advised.
Jennifer got to her feet and put her fingers to her lips. She blew a piercing whistle, making everyone on the beach turn to look at her. Ignoring the curious stares and the pebbles under her feet, she took off running toward him.
He stopped, waiting for her, an inscrutable smile on his face. When she reached him, she caught her breath and asked, “Did you mean it?”
“Did I mean what, sweetheart?”
“Did you mea
n it when you said you loved me?”
His eyes darkening, he took a step toward her and touched her cheek. “Yeah. I meant it, but I need to wait until you decide what you want.”
“What if I want you?”
“Scars and all? Crazy ex-girlfriends included?” he asked.
“And dogs and cats, living together?”
“And maybe us, living together?” He winked at her, closing the distance between them. “When you’re ready for it.”
She leaped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his hips. “Yeah. Dogs, cats, us. I’ll pass on the ex.”
Letting out a sigh, he lowered his forehead, touching hers. “That’s my baby girl,” he murmured, touching his lips to hers.
Every time he kissed her was like fireworks in her blood, her desire increasing as he explored her mouth with his tongue.
He squeezed her hard, nearly stopping her breath, and said, “I missed you. God, you have no idea how much.”
“Me too, but I think you ought to put me down before we get arrested,” she said, stroking his beautiful scarred face.
Beachgoers had gathered, circling them, and burst into wild applause when he flushed and set her on her feet. Shaking her head, she dropped into a curtsy, drawing laughter from the crowd.
A child squealed and pointed, drawing several gazes upward. Awed, she watched a double rainbow appear over their heads, brightly visible against the blue Mediterranean sky.
Pulling her against him, Kaden kissed the top of her head. “Merry Christmas, baby girl.”
Turning, she nestled her face against his chest. “Merry Christmas… Daddy.”
Epilogue
Lulu sat next to Devin, holding his hand. He was so nervous his poor skinny knee bounced almost continuously, and he didn’t speak except to mumble a few syllables when asked a direct question.
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