0373659490 (R)

by Michelle Major

  Lucie grinned. “That’s an interesting mental image. Do you have a picture?”

  Charles shook his head. “I could barely remember my own name once I saw him, let alone to take a photo. But I’m staying in Austin and will get to know him.”

  “What about Alice?”

  “I’ll prove to her that I deserve to be part of Flynn’s life, if that’s what it takes.”

  “What I meant was, where does Alice fit into all of this? Mothers and babies are kind of a package deal, you know. How do you feel about Alice?”

  “Alice seems...” How did he describe his jumbled feelings for a woman he’d spent only one night with but couldn’t get out of his mind? Alice was not just beautiful on the outside but a truly good person, someone who deserved to be loved and cherished. She was the kind of woman who produced thoughts of rings and bended knees and forever. Charles might be able to manage fatherhood, but that didn’t make him a forever type of chap. “She’s nice, Lucie. Far too nice for someone like me.”

  “You’ve always sold yourself short.”

  “I’m a realist,” he argued. “I know who I am.”

  “You know who you’ve been up until now,” she countered. “You’re not in Britain, Charles. Trust me, Texas is the best place for a new start.”

  “One step at a time.”

  “Just promise me you’ll get to know Alice as well as the baby.”

  He signaled for the check. “Of course. I’ll be spending time with both of them. I can’t very well take a baby gallivanting about town on my own.”

  “You know what I mean.” Lucie rolled her eyes. “You have more walls surrounding you than the Tower of London. Get to know her, Charles, and let her know you. The real you, not only Bonnie Lord Charlie.”

  “Does that mean you believe there’s more to me than ‘the royal treatment’?” he asked. It was meant to be a joke but the question came out in an almost desperate tone.

  “I know there is,” Lucie answered just as gravely.

  He gave a curt nod, hoping his sister was right.

  Chapter Four

  Alice finished giving Flynn his bottle just as the doorbell rang later that afternoon. Charles had texted in the morning, asking if he could stop by to talk about the next steps, and Alice had been teetering on the edge of panic ever since.

  What did that mean? She knew she had rights as Flynn’s mother, but was also aware that her meager resources were no match for the Fortune Chesterfield family’s power and influence.

  She placed the empty bottle in the sink and threw a burp cloth over her shoulder as she walked toward the door. Her legs grew heavier with each step, even though she’d donned her favorite wedge sandals, a black-and-white zebra-print pattern with sparkling crystals embedded in the ankle strap. Alice didn’t need the extra height but somehow wearing heels always gave her a little jolt of confidence. And she needed all the confidence she could get to face Charles again.

  She opened the door slowly, mentally steeling herself for the sight of the tall, dapper Brit. Unfortunately, not even a superhero-level force field could protect her from Charles. Today he wore dark trousers and a crisp tailored button-down shirt. He looked amazing. She bit down on her lip to keep a groan from escaping, and he flashed a quick, almost uncertain smile.

  “Hullo, Alice.” That accent should be illegal for the things it did to her insides. But before the requisite melting could start, Flynn let out a burp that would make a drunken sailor proud. Nothing like a bit of baby reflux for an icebreaker.

  She rubbed a hand along Flynn’s back and stepped away from the door. “Come on in.” Then she glanced at the throng of bags and packages gathered at Charles’s feet. “Did you rob a toy store?”

  He gave her another smile and adjusted his shirt collar. “I hope you don’t mind. I picked up a few necessities for the boy.”

  Flynn belched again and this time she could feel something warm soak into the cloth over her shoulder. She dipped her chin to look at Flynn, whose cheek was now resting in a puddle of spit-up formula. “Let me just clean him up,” she said quickly, noting that Charles’s expression was an equal mix of amusement and disgust.

  She turned for the nursery and made quick work of cleaning Flynn, who gurgled and gazed at her. She changed his outfit, ridiculously wanting her son to make a good impression with Charles this afternoon. She realized if Charles did indeed decide to be a regular part of Flynn’s life, he’d have to get used to the dirty work of taking care of a baby. Still, for now she wanted things to be easy.

  By the time she returned to the apartment’s small living area, it appeared that half the room was filled with toys and space-guzzling baby contraptions. Alice had purchased the bare essentials when she was pregnant, both to save money and because her two-bedroom apartment in the trendy neighborhood west of downtown and close to her work had a lot of charm but not much room.

  “Is that a T-ball set?” she asked, balancing Flynn in one arm as she pointed to a package that held an oversize baseball and plastic T.

  “Baseball is the American pastime,” Charles told her. “I thought Flynn and I could learn together.”

  She couldn’t help her smile. “It will be a few years before he’s ready for a ball and glove.”

  “I have time,” Charles answered, his tone serious. “I want you to know I’m here for the duration, Alice. I’ll admit I have no idea what I’m doing.” He gestured to the mass of packages on the floor, looking hopeful and utterly irresistible. “But I want to try, if you’ll give me a chance.”

  The good news was she’d gone a whole five minutes without melting into a needy, longing puddle at Charles’s feet. The bad news was, with one sentence, he’d completely turned her to mush. She nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment.

  She knew he was talking about trying with Flynn, but Alice couldn’t stop herself from wanting more. For a year she’d been fine, proud that she’d risen to the challenge of having a baby by herself, resolved to raise Flynn on her own.

  Charles made her long for things a woman like her couldn’t expect to have. What he was offering had to be enough. It was the right thing for Flynn, and that’s what was important. As much as she’d tried to convince herself otherwise, a boy needed his father. Her own dad was sweet, if a bit distant and bumbling, in the role of grandpa, much as he’d been as a father to her. But Henry Meyers, tenured professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin, was never going to teach Flynn to play baseball or how to catch a fish or any of the things men other than her father seemed to know by osmosis.

  Charles, for all his formal British mannerisms and expensive suits, was a man’s man. She’d seen pictures on the internet of him horseback riding and fly-fishing, things she wanted her son to learn if he was interested.

  “As soon as I discovered I was pregnant,” she said quietly, “my baby became my whole world. I’d do anything for Flynn. I thought it was right not to tell you, Charles. I figured you’d be like the rest of my family and friends, who thought I couldn’t handle being a mother. They said I was too fragile, that it took strength and hard work to raise a child alone.” She pressed a cheek to the top of Flynn’s downy head. “I needed to prove to them, and to myself, that I could do it.”

  “Alice.”

  She shook her head. “You say you don’t know what you’re doing, but many new parents don’t at the beginning. Even if you think you’re prepared, if you’ve read every child-rearing book and article ever published, if every weekend has been filled with classes and workshops, nothing prepares you for the moment you hold the baby. Nothing truly prepares you to take that tiny bundle home, knowing you’re responsible for another life. I’ve learned a lot in just four months, and here’s the one thing that can’t be taught.”

  She took a deep breath, cleared her throat. “It’s how to love someone. The reason parents work so hard is love. A life-altering, fierce and potent love for your baby that makes all the sleepless nights and fear and doubt worth it.” She
stepped closer, watched Charles’s blue eyes widen as he glanced between her and Flynn. “You said your father was wonderful, and I know you come from a close-knit family. You know how to love, Charles. I don’t expect it to happen overnight, but I know you’ll make a good father. I believe Flynn is lucky to have you.” She smiled and held the baby toward him.

  * * *

  Charles didn’t realize how much he needed to have someone believe in him until Alice said the words out loud. This woman, whom he barely knew, seemed to see into the heart of him, past his superficial facade and the walls he’d constructed that everyone else assumed made him who he was. She slew him with her honesty—a unique mix of vulnerability and strength.

  He reached for Flynn, even as he wanted to scoop up Alice, too. His fingers itched to pull them both close and hope some of her goodness transferred to him. He settled for the baby, aware that Alice had let him into her life for the sake of the boy.

  Supporting Flynn’s body in the crook of his elbow, he placed a hand on the back of the baby’s head and lifted him. Flynn’s deep blue gaze focused on Charles, glancing from his nose to his mouth, then finally settling on his eyes. They watched each other for a moment before Flynn squirmed and his tiny, rosebud mouth curved into a small smile.

  Charles hitched in a breath, knocked for an emotional loop at how much one tiny smile could mean to him. “I think he has gas,” he muttered.

  Alice laughed. “He’s smiling at you. He’s a happy baby, Charles.” She stifled a yawn. “Not much of an overnight sleeper, but very happy.”

  He stood there, transfixed by the baby in his arms. “What do I do now?”

  She laughed again. “Talk to him. Bounce him. He’s just like your niece and nephews.”

  “He’s different,” Charles whispered. “He’s mine.”

  Alice sank to her knees on the floor. “Is there anything in this generous pile of gifts that he can use before he’s a toddler?”

  Right. The toys. The reminder snapped Charles out of his reverie. “We should be able to find something. What do you think, Flynn?” He lifted the baby closer, blew a tickling breath against his neck and was rewarded with a gurgling laugh. It was the best sound he’d ever heard.

  “Try that,” he said, pointing to one of the larger shopping bags. He lowered himself next to her, turning Flynn to sit on his forearm, the baby’s back and head resting against Charles’s chest. “I got an activity gym. The colors are glaringly bright, but the saleslady assured me it’s top-of-the-line and perfect for a four-month-old.” He glanced at her. “Unless you have one already?”

  “Not yet,” Alice said with a shy smile. She reached for the bag but stopped as Flynn let out a determined grunt.

  Charles glanced down at the boy, whose face turned bright red. “I think he’s digested the bottle,” he told Alice as he quickly held out Flynn with two hands. The baby kicked and gurgled some more, but there was no mistaking the smell radiating from his back end.

  “Let me,” Alice said quickly, scrambling to her feet. “We’ll be back in a minute.”

  Charles let out a relieved breath as she disappeared into a bedroom with Flynn. Twenty-four hours a dad, and Charles wasn’t sure he was quite ready for nappy duty. Instead he pulled the activity gym out of the box and fastened the toys to the arches that crisscrossed over the soft mat. By the time Alice returned with a fresh-scented Flynn, Charles was just putting batteries into the motorized mobile piece of the play set.

  Alice crouched down and lay Flynn on his back under the arches. The boy immediately kicked his feet and swatted at the dangling toys with his hands.

  “He’s got the hang of it already,” Charles said proudly. “Smart lad. Takes after his...” He paused as Alice arched a brow. “Both his parents.”

  “Of course,” she agreed with a grin.

  He loved making Alice smile and was surprised to find himself content to watch Flynn play with the toys, entranced by the joyful noises the baby made. Alice settled on the floor, stretching her legs in front of her, her back resting against one of the chairs in the small family room. Charles wished he could pull her to his side, tuck her up against him and feel her breathing, but he also knew what he wanted from her was less platonic than simple companionship.

  He moved to the far side of the activity gym and traced one finger along the leather strap at her ankle. “I love these shoes,” he told her.

  “Me, too.” She flexed and pointed her foot a few times. “I’d have a lot more savings in my retirement account if I didn’t love shoes so much.”

  “You don’t have to worry about a retirement account any longer,” he said. “I’m going to take care of you and Flynn.”

  Immediately she moved, drawing her feet up underneath her. “That’s not what I was suggesting. You don’t owe me anything, Charles.”

  “You’re the mother of my child, Alice. Do you really think I’d ignore that?”

  “I didn’t seek you out for financial support.”

  “Which doesn’t change the fact that I have it to give.”

  She bit down on her lip, moved closer to Flynn and softly stroked one of his tiny feet. “Are you going to try to take him away from me?”

  “No,” Charles answered immediately, taking her hand in his. “Alice, look at me.”

  She glanced up, her gaze wary.

  “Why would you think that?”

  “Because you’re rich and powerful and British. Texas isn’t your home. I know that.”

  He chuckled softly. “It’s quickly becoming my second home, especially since most of my family lives here now.”

  “But you’ll return to England at some point.”

  He nodded.

  “I can’t be separated from Flynn. He’s too young. He’s all I have.”

  “That isn’t my intention, Alice.” As much as he’d loved making her smile, Charles equally hated that he’d caused the pain he saw in her eyes now. “I’ve changed my plans so I’ll be in Austin for three weeks. After that, I’ll need to figure out the next step. But I’m not going to take Flynn from you. I promise, Alice.”

  She gave a shaky nod, swiped under her eye. He shifted closer to her and traced the pad of his thumb along her moist cheek. “No tears, sweetheart.”

  “I’m sorry,” she said automatically. “I’m tired and...”

  “No apologies, either.” He dipped his head until his lips barely brushed hers. “We’re in this together. The three of us are a team.”

  “A team?” she said, the husky note in her voice making him nip the corner of her mouth.

  “Team Fortune Chesterfield,” he whispered, and pressed his lips to hers. Her mouth was soft and yielding, molding to his without question. The taste of her was new and yet familiar, and all the memories of their night together came flooding back to him. The way she’d touched him, her innocence the most erotic thing he’d ever encountered... His fingers trailed through her hair, which was soft as spun silk. He remembered how it felt to have those thick, blond waves fanned out across his chest as she slept. Her tongue touched his, hesitantly, as if she wasn’t sure whether he wanted the kiss to deepen.

  There were no words for what Charles wanted from Alice. His need was so elemental, the potential ramifications so jumbled in his mind that he could barely form a coherent thought. His body grew heavy with desire. Desire he understood. Then he felt something in his heart, a slight shift from normal, and a skipped beat that had him tearing his mouth away from hers. In all Charles’s many interactions with women, his protected heart had never come into play. No one had ever come close to breaching his defenses.

  Until now.

  Until Alice.

  “I have to go,” he said as he lurched to his feet. “There’s a... I need to... I’ll call you tomorrow.”

  She stared up at him as if he had just sprouted a horn from his forehead. Her fingers pressed to her mouth like she couldn’t believe it had, moments earlier, been crushed under his. What the hell was wrong with him? Alice told
him she believed in him, gave him a chance to be a father and first thing out of the gate he practically mauled her. So much for his legendary charm and experience. He felt like a randy schoolboy with his first crush.

  “Thank you for the gifts,” she said after a moment.

  “Of course.” He ran a hand through his hair even as he backed toward the door of her apartment. “I can bring more. If there’s anything you need—”

  “No.” She glanced at Flynn, who was now dozing under the activity gym, and then stood. “You’ve done more than enough, Charles.” Her hands were clenched at her sides in tight fists. If he had to guess, she was trying hard not to physically push him from her home. That was no less than what he deserved.

  “I’ll call you,” he repeated, and turned for the door. But before opening it, he swung back, dropped to his knees and reached for Flynn’s chubby hand. “Goodbye, little man,” he whispered. “Sweet dreams.”

  Chapter Five

  Alice stood under the shade of an elm tree in front of her building the next afternoon, watching as a sleek Mercedes sedan pulled to the curb. True to his word, Charles had called that morning and asked to see her and Flynn again, suggesting he bring lunch to her apartment.

  Unfortunately, Alice didn’t trust herself alone with the handsome Brit after yesterday’s kissing fiasco. Yes, she wanted a father for her son. But could she and Flynn ever be enough for him? She’d told herself at the start of all this that her needs were secondary to those of her son, but she was having trouble convincing her body. It had felt so right when Charles touched his lips to hers, and she’d wanted to sink into him and revel in the feel of her body thrumming back to life.

  It had been silly to believe that Charles would want anything more from her than access to Flynn. What could someone like her possibly offer a man like him? The same doubts had plagued her during her pregnancy, contributing to her long list of reasons for not contacting him.