The Paternity Pact

by Cat Schield

  “What am I doing?” she moaned. “Why do I let her get to me?” Harley rolled her head and gazed up at him. Her eyes softened as she asked, “How was your night?”

  “Great. Daniel and I went to dinner at the Royal Diner.”

  She lifted her hand and rested it on his bare chest above his heart. As if she noticed the sudden uptick in speed, she grinned. “You don’t say. Let me guess what you had. Hamburgers and milkshakes?”

  “You know us well.”

  He dipped his head and grazed her lips with his, determined to push their earlier conversation aside so he could concentrate on the here and now. A lusty groan poured from her lips as he cupped her breast and flicked his thumb over her tight nipple.

  “Take me to bed, you handsome hunk,” she purred, sliding her hand up his thigh and brushing her fingertips over the growing bulge behind his zipper. “I wanna get naked with you.”

  “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day,” he murmured against her neck as her fingers went to work on his belt.

  He growled as her fingers slid down his zipper before reaching into the opening. Lust assailed him and blood pooled in his groin at her hot probing touch. Snagging two handfuls of the silky nightgown in his fist, he tugged at the material.

  “Remove this,” he commanded in a guttural rasp. “I can take care of the rest.”

  Seconds later, they were both naked and facing each other across the narrow gap, breathing hard as their excitement rose.

  “Bed,” he ordered, pointing toward the king-sized bed they’d been sharing these past few nights. “Now.”

  Her eyes twinkled mischievously before she squeaked at his glower and rushed off to strip back the covers, throw herself onto the mattress and await his pleasure.

  He followed her after a beat, determined to squash all thoughts of her mother from her mind. His lips and hands came at her in a rush, but she was already rising up to meet him, her fingers tangling in his hair to draw his mouth to hers. As their lips fused together, her tongue darted out to lure him to the exotic pleasure of her mouth.

  She spread her legs and drew him into the cradle of her thighs, playing a treacherous game as his unprotected erection slid along her core. The glide of his bare flesh against hers once again demonstrated just how dangerous she was to him.

  Shifting away from temptation, he eased down her body. His lips trailed over her neck and into the hollow of her throat before drifting down into her cleavage and up the gentle swell of her breast. He teased her nipple with the edge of his teeth, drawing a moan from her throat. Closing his hand around her other breast, he applied the perfect pressure to make her moan. Her hips lifted off the mattress, encouraging him to slide his hand between her legs.

  “Grant,” she whispered, her voice a breathy plea.

  He lifted his head so he could observe the flush cascading over her skin, put there by the heat his hands and mouth had stirred in her body.

  “I need to feel you inside me.” Her voice broke until it was nearly a whimper. “Don’t make me wait any longer.”

  “Not yet,” he growled, arousal making his voice harsh. “Come for me first like this.”

  Her breath spiraled out in a rush and her eyes closed. She threw her head back as every muscle in her body tightened. Watching her surrender to erotic oblivion was the sexiest damn thing he’d ever seen and he locked his full attention on her, his hands guiding her through every wave of her shattering climax, filing away this moment to relive again and again.

  To think he could’ve had five years of this. Five years of pleasure and happiness. Of connecting with the one person who understood and accepted him. He’d been a fool. An arrogant idiot, too afraid of letting his guard down to appreciate how wondrous the surrender could be.

  And then he remembered their earlier conversation and a chill swept over him. It was all just temporary. Over and over, Harley spoke of her life in Thailand. Of her intention to return once she’d funded Zest. She hadn’t come home to be with him. Nor had she returned to Royal so he could meet his son.

  Just as she had her life planned out, so did he. That their goals were in opposition to each other—hers to return to Thailand, his to remain active in his son’s life—meant he had to keep his purpose unclouded by emotion. For the moment, she was his only link to Daniel and that meant she held all the cards. Until the balance of power evened out, he would be wise to keep his wits about him.

  Ten

  Harley lay facedown in Grant’s big empty bed, her arms and legs splayed across the mattress, and let the tranquil white noise of his shower sweep over her. Right now, he’d be running soapy hands all over his hard, muscular body, washing away all signs of their lovemaking. An ache bloomed between her thighs at the thought of joining him, but she was uncertain about facing him until she sorted out what she was feeling. Instead, she replayed the moments since she’d been awakened by his lips coasting down her neck.

  Morning sex with Grant had a different vibe than noon, evening or nighttime sex. Slower. Softer. His kisses reached deep into her soul, soothing her like the first touch of dawn on her face. She’d buzzed with contentment as his hands skimmed her curves and coaxed her body awake. By the time he’d slid into her, she was floating on a cloud of bliss and poised to climax.

  That deep extended orgasm had left her breathless and her heart wide open. Caught up in his own pleasure, he’d buried his face in her neck, her name a sweet moan wrenched from his throat, and hadn’t noticed her bite her lower lip as tears sprang to her eyes. The urge to cry had come out of nowhere and she had no defense against the sneak attack.

  A week ago, she’d stopped returning to her empty room at Jaymes’s house in the wee hours of the morning. She wasn’t sure who’d suggested that it would be easier if she just spent the night. As tempting as it was to read something into their unofficial living arrangements, she couldn’t help but think great sex and convenience comprised Grant’s list of reasons why he let her stick around.

  A chime erupted from the dresser where their phones sat side by side, the tone alerting her to an upcoming appointment. With urging from the ever-organized Grant Everett, she’d started using her calendar to keep track of everything she had going on. Today, she was attending another lunch with the foundation board member Jaymes had introduced her to. They were meeting at eleven o’clock and she had to run Daniel to day care before making the drive to Fort Worth.

  Having no idea of the time, she slipped out of bed and donned her discarded nightgown as she crossed to the dresser. As she reached out to touch the screen and wake up her phone, the shower ceased to run. Momentarily distracted, she didn’t realize she’d chosen the wrong phone until the screen displayed the photo of her and Daniel that Grant had chosen for his wallpaper. The sight made her smile. A second later, her good mood faded as she read what the appointment banner showed.

  Grant had made an appointment with an attorney.

  Harley’s stomach twisted as she took in the implications. In the seconds before the screen faded to black, she memorized the name of the attorney and law firm and quickly searched the internet while she revisited every conversation they’d had about her eventual return to Thailand. As she’d feared, the lawyer Grant was meeting with specialized in family law.

  Bile rose to her throat. Was he planning on taking Daniel away from her? There was no question that he had the money and power to do it. Especially with her family’s current troubles calling into question her financial stability. Harley took a couple deep breaths to steady herself, unclear how a man who’d just rocked her world in the most loving way possible could be out to hurt her.

  On the other end of the spectrum, however, maybe he was simply meeting with an attorney to legally establish himself as Daniel’s father and had no interest in seeking custody of any kind or preventing her from leaving the country with his son.

  Needing some space to think befo
re she confronted him and said something foolish, Harley headed toward the kitchen, lured by the scent of coffee. Grant’s housekeeper was mixing up Daniel’s favorite chocolate-chip pancakes. Harley snagged a cup of coffee, added a splash of milk and headed for her son’s room to get his morning started. To her delight, he was already up and dressed in the clean clothes Grant suggested they put out for him each night. After smothering him in kisses, she shepherded Daniel into the bathroom to brush his teeth and comb his hair, fighting back melancholy at the way her baby grew more independent with each day that passed.

  What would happen if she were forced to split custody with his dad? Yet, how could she be so selfish as to deny Grant the joy Daniel brought into his life?

  “Mommy, are you okay?”

  Harley met Daniel’s gaze in the mirror and saw that a tear had escaped and was running down her cheek. She dashed away the moisture and summoned a brave smile.

  “I’m fine. It’s just that I’m so proud of you.” She wrapped her arms around his slim form and crushed him to her. “You’re my little man.”

  He wiggled in her snug embrace, protesting half-heartedly until she released him.

  “Go get breakfast,” she told him. “Franny made your favorite pancakes.”

  “Yay!”

  He raced from the room and Harley took a few seconds to collect herself before heading back to the master bedroom. Grant was sliding into a navy sports coat as she entered. Her heart turned over at the sizzling look he sent her way. She took a sip of her coffee, before sauntering over to tweak his pale blue tie and smooth her hand down the front of his coat.

  “You look very handsome,” she said, peering up at him from beneath her lashes.

  “And you look gorgeous as always.” He cupped her cheek and dipped his head for a lingering kiss that left her weak-kneed and breathless. “Good luck with your meeting today. I’ll see you for dinner.”

  The glow from Grant’s kiss lingered as she showered, dressed and drove to the Texas Cattleman’s Club. It wasn’t until Daniel scampered away to join the other kids that her earlier worries came back to haunt her. Seeing the way Daniel was settling into life here in Royal with his father and all his new friends, Harley wasn’t sure if she should move them back to Thailand, after all. But staying would make it harder to ignore family obligations. She couldn’t avoid dealing with her mother or pretend that a couple dinner parties would ease the tension between her and her siblings. Plus, she was used to doing as she liked without a dozen people shoving their opinions down her throat.

  And then she had to consider that Grant had met with an attorney. That was a threat she couldn’t ignore. Suddenly, taking what funding she’d secured and running seemed like a smart option. The longer she lingered in Royal, the more attached Daniel would get to living here. And the more time Grant would have to stake his legal claim to his son.

  As she made her way back to the front door, she spied her sister, Beth, striding in her direction with purposeful steps and altered her course to intercept her. At Harley’s greeting, Beth looked up from the tablet in her hands, but her dour mood didn’t change.

  “Is everything okay?” Harley’s stomach twisted in concern. Did Beth’s peevish expression mean there was more trouble brewing for their family? “Please tell me nothing else happened with the company.”

  Beth noted her sister’s worry and set a hand on Harley’s arm in reassurance. “It’s nothing like that.”

  The whole family was jumpy these days with disaster looming at every turn for Wingate Enterprises. Harley had known challenges with her nonprofit, but the size and scope of Zest was nothing compared to the vast holdings of Wingate Enterprises. She certainly didn’t envy all her brothers had to manage on an average day, much less with the series of woes recently befalling the corporation.

  “I’m working on the annual TCC ball,” Beth continued. “Even though it’s a few months away, there’s a million things to do and every day I swear something else gets added to my plate.”

  Goose bumps rushed over Harley’s skin as her sister mentioned the annual TCC event. At that same ball five years ago, her life had been forever changed. She hadn’t yet decided if she’d still be in Royal, much less whether she’d attend this year’s ball. As much as she needed to return to Thailand and start putting her funding to good use, the idea of leaving town and taking Daniel away from Grant dragged at her. Torn in two different directions, weighing the pros and cons of each left her completely stuck.

  “I’m sure you have everything completely under control,” Harley said.

  Beth had organizational strengths in abundance. Harley wished she possessed more than a sliver of her sister’s capabilities, but she was more of an idea person rather than an implementer. Except where Zest was concerned. Although, she hadn’t done it alone. Jaymes had been a huge help.

  “You’re sweet to say so,” Beth said. “And actually, the event is coming together better than I expected. In fact, I just found out that one of the local radio stations is offering a complimentary makeover and a ticket to the event for one lucky listener.”

  “At a thousand dollars a plate, that’s an awesome prize.” Harley pondered whether that listener would have his or her life changed at the ball the way she had and hoped that was the case.

  “There’ve been a lot of big donations this year,” Beth said. “People are feeling unusually generous. I’m not exactly sure why.”

  Harley wondered if any of her family was amongst those who were making big donations. With all the trouble that Wingate Enterprises was having, it would be a public relations boon to show their support of the local community. Especially now when so many of Royal’s most influential residents had turned a cold shoulder to the Wingate family.

  “What’s this year’s theme?”

  “We’re doing a masked ball.”

  Harley oohed in appreciation. She could see the potential in donning a sexy dress and mask for a little anonymous flirting with Grant. A thrill spread through her as she imagined the pleasure she would get from stalking and seducing Grant Everett at a second TCC function. Unless, of course, someone else caught his eye this year. And that’s when it hit her. She didn’t believe that Grant wouldn’t change his mind about falling in love and getting married again. What truly worried her was that he wouldn’t choose her. She was running back to Thailand to avoid watching the man she wanted fall for someone else.

  “That sounds like a lot of fun,” Harley said, more subdued that she’d been a second earlier. “Maybe I’ll have to stick around long enough to attend.”

  Beth looked surprised. “You’re leaving?”

  “My life is in Thailand,” she reminded her sister, bracing against Beth’s frown. “I can’t just abandon Zest and stay here.”

  “What about taking Daniel away from Grant?”

  Grant might not be interested in a relationship with her, but Harley knew exactly how much he wanted his son. Guilt flooded her, but she refused to let it decide her actions. She couldn’t put her personal life on hold forever. And that’s exactly what would happen if she stuck around. Grant had asked to get to know his son, but he hadn’t given her any hope for the future. Nor had Harley asked.

  “He knows our lives exist on two different continents. His practice is here. Zest is in Thailand.”

  “I don’t envy your decision,” Beth said heavily. “I have no idea what I would do in your shoes.”

  Harley’s chest tightened. She hated being in a no-win situation. “Whatever I do, someone is going to get hurt.”

  “I know you’ve been spending a lot of time together. Is there a chance things will work out between you? I mean, you share a son. Grant will always be in your life. Could you see yourself with him?”

  “It’s confusing,” Harley admitted, giving voice to what had been bothering her these last few days. “He claims he’s not interested in any kind o
f permanent relationship.”

  Beth hugged her tablet to her chest and frowned at Harley. “Have you asked him how he feels about you?”

  “How does one go about asking the father of your child if he could ever love you?” Harley quizzed in dry tones, hiding her anxiety behind dark humor.

  “Are you in love with Grant?”

  “I don’t know,” Harley admitted, but that was far from the truth. Given the way he’d rejected her then and his determination to avoid any emotional attachment to her now, the notion filled her with alternating flashes of fear and longing. “To be honest, I’m terrified to go there.”

  Yet, all she needed was the tiniest bit of encouragement from him, some sign that he wouldn’t reject her love and the cork would be out of the bottle. Even thinking about it now made her want to cry. She had years of pent-up longing and desire rumbling through her like an active volcano. And these last weeks with him, getting a taste of how amazing her life could be if he would just let her in...

  “I’m in love with him,” Harley admitted. “But it’s hopeless.”

  “Maybe not. You’ll never know unless you decide what you want with Grant is worth fighting for. And then go for it.”

  Harley wished it were that easy. “Just because you got lucky in the romance department doesn’t mean everyone does.”

  “But look at Miles,” Beth countered. “Did you ever imagine he’d fall as hard as he has for Chloe?”

  “No.” Harley thought back to the family dinner and the way her brother had doted on his fiancée. Seeing that whole different side of Miles had given her pause. What she wouldn’t give for Grant to look at her that way. As if he’d given her his heart and soul.

  “True love really does conquer all.” Beth’s radiant smile made her sister wince.