Pregnant by the Billionaire

by Karen Booth

  “I wouldn’t go so far as to say it was enough.”

  Kendall held her breath.

  “But we’re colleagues, right?” he finished.

  “That’s right.” She poked him in the chest with her finger—another dumb mistake, no matter how much she liked touching him. “Which is why I am not here. You did not meet with me at your apartment.”

  He nodded slowly, a wide smile finally blooming across his face. “You aren’t here. Never were. Never will be.”

  * * *

  Sawyer felt like a horny teenage boy as he stood outside the guest room after Kendall had closed the door. On the other side, she was in some state of undress that was maddening to imagine. Away from the surroundings that were an endless reminder of their professional relationship, he was overcome with the realization that one night with Kendall wasn’t enough. He wanted to prove to her that he was a better man than his past behavior and family tree might suggest.

  He popped into his room and changed into a pair of jeans and a sweater—much more suitable attire for a cold, gray day, especially when you’re spending it with a beautiful woman who has no choice but to pad around your apartment in sweats.

  He put on a kettle of water to make coffee in the French press, which was ready by the time Kendall came wandering into the kitchen. Her hair was dry now, her thick waves touchable and sexy. She didn’t swim in his clothes—oh no. She filled them out in a way he hadn’t fully thought through—there were dips and curves and swells beneath those stretches of fabric.

  “I have to say, you look spectacular in my old sweatshirt.”

  She blushed and gently swatted his arm. “You’re terrible.”

  “It’s the truth. You should just take it home with you. Nobody is ever going to look that good in it.”

  She smiled and cleared her throat. “You made coffee? You’re officially my hero.”

  He loved that idea, especially when he felt so horrible for what had happened that morning. “Cream? Sugar?” The question immediately struck him as unfortunate. Considering the intimate moments he and Kendall had shared, they’d never had a cup of coffee together.

  “Just cream. No sugar.”

  “Let’s talk in the living room. Might as well get comfortable.”

  “Yes,” Kendall agreed. “I’m wiped out after this morning.”

  Sawyer flipped the switch for the gas fireplace as she took a spot at the end of the couch. The wind was picking up outside. It had turned into a truly nasty day. He joined her, but sat at the other end, disliking the spare cushion between them.

  “So,” Kendall said, hands wrapped around her mug. “I guess I should tell you why I think your dad is a total creep.”

  His stomach turned sour. Why couldn’t they be spending time together for a happier reason? “Yes.”

  Sawyer braced himself for it, but Kendall didn’t get far into her account of that morning’s events before he was ready to blow a gasket. The driver wouldn’t let me past him. I didn’t know what to do. He’d witnessed his father’s manipulation so many times—but as she said the words, as he heard the tremble in her voice and saw the frightened flashes in her eyes, images came to life in his head, and that made him even more angry.

  “He offered you an apartment.” That really rubbed him the wrong way. It was old-school in a bad way, like he was trying to turn Kendall into a kept woman.

  “He said that my neighborhood isn’t very safe. He’s not wrong, but it’s in transition. You and Noah just broke ground on a project down the street.”

  His dad had put time and effort into researching Kendall, which made Sawyer that much more upset. Was that a thinly veiled threat in itself? His dad had some scary people working for him.

  She looked down into her coffee cup, deep in thought. “Should I be worried? I mean, even more worried than I already am?”

  He would’ve done anything to take away the strain in her voice. “No. Absolutely not. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”

  “He also offered me a hundred grand. He’s desperate to stop you.”

  “And what did you say?”

  “I told him the truth. I would never do that. That’s when he threatened me. He hinted that he could make me lose my job if I didn’t reconsider.”

  Sawyer scooted to the edge of the sofa seat and ran his hands through his hair. He didn’t want Kendall to become collateral damage. He couldn’t live with himself if that happened.

  “I’ll talk to him. This has to stop.”

  “Sawyer, I can’t tell you what to do, but I don’t think it’s going to help. Whatever it is that he hates about the Grand Legacy, I don’t think he’s going to stop until he’s sabotaged the project for good. We have some time to figure out a plan. He said he’d let me think about it. I didn’t bother to argue at that point. I just got out of there.”

  “Then you called me?”

  “As soon as he was gone. Obviously, I’m not going to think about it. I wouldn’t do that to you.”

  A very quiet laugh left his lips, but he found none of this funny. Kendall was astounding. He couldn’t believe he’d ever questioned whether he could trust her. His dad had made her an offer most people would not refuse, especially when their job and personal safety had been threatened. She was putting a lot on the line. “A lot of people would’ve taken the bribe.”

  “First, I could never betray someone like that. Second, how would I even cover that up? You’d know what had happened and then where would I be?”

  “You’re a smart woman. I’m sure you could think of something.” Sawyer looked out the window. The rain was coming down in relentless, pulsing sheets.

  Kendall picked at her fingernail. “There was a third reason, too.”

  “What?”

  “I felt bad for you. For the fact that your relationship with your dad is so terrible.”

  Sawyer shook his head. “Kendall. I do not need you to feel sorry for me. You’re the one who got threatened today.”

  She scooted across the cushion until they were sitting knee-to-knee. “Look. I never knew my dad. He left my mom when I was a baby. I always, always wanted a dad. More than anything. My mom had all of these boyfriends and I kept hoping that one of them would become my dad, but it never happened.” She looked him in the eye sweetly and sighed. “I just, I realized in that moment that I’m not the only one whose dad skipped out on them.”

  He’d never thought of it that way. He took a moment to dive deep into her fathomless blue eyes. He wanted to get lost in them, especially now that there was no longer a matching ring on her finger. “You’re right.”

  “I don’t want to be right. Believe me. In the meantime, we need to figure out what I’m going to tell your dad. You know he’s going to come after me for an answer.”

  His real worry was what else his dad might go after Kendall for. He had to find a way to make sure she was safe. She didn’t think it was a good idea, but he might have to break the silence with his dad. He’d crossed the line today. Threatening the hotel was one thing. Kendall was quite another.

  Sawyer’s cell phone rang. He glanced down at it—Noah. “I’m so sorry. I should really answer this.”

  “Of course.”

  Sawyer grabbed it from the coffee table. “What’s wrong?”

  “Why do you assume that’s why I’m calling?”

  “Because lately everything has been wrong.”

  “Fair enough. I’m calling to let you know the power went out at the office. This storm is pretty bad. I’m going to head home.”

  Sawyer glanced over at Kendall, who granted him a small smile. It was probably of little consequence to her, but it made something in his chest flip. And everything below his waist flicker with warmth and recognition. “Smart. I’ll work from home the rest of the day.” Stuc
k inside, with Kendall.

  “I’m going to take Lily with me and drop her at her place. The subway station by our office gets flooded when it’s raining this hard. I’m worried she’ll be stranded.”

  Sawyer had noticed many times the way his brother looked at Lily. He’d even spoken to him about it. Sawyer might’ve had times when he’d shuffled a fair number of female companions, but Noah was far worse. “Hey. Just make sure everything is aboveboard with you and Lily. She’s too good at her job for us to lose her.”

  “You want me to let her walk to the subway?”

  “No. I don’t. But you could also put her in a cab.”

  “Good luck with that,” Kendall said. “It’s a nightmare trying to catch one.”

  “Don’t worry,” Noah chimed in. “I’m not about to mess things up at work by making a pass at Lily.”

  “Good. Let’s just keep things as simple as we can right now. I’ll talk to you later.” Sawyer hung up, knowing he should take his own advice when it came to Kendall. Problem was, he couldn’t get past the idea that their situation was different. They’d made a connection that night in Maine. Since then, she’d turned into his greatest ally in the thing that mattered most—the Grand Legacy. Of course that was an argument for keeping things professional. And that left him back at square one, horribly conflicted.

  “Power’s out at my office,” he said.

  Kendall glanced out the window. “I’m glad we’re in here where it’s warm and dry.”

  Sawyer couldn’t stop his mind from going to places where he and Kendall spent the rest of the day in his bed. He had no business lecturing Noah in one breath about inappropriate behavior, when all he could think about right now was touching Kendall, kissing her, getting her out of that sweatshirt.

  “Let’s keep it that way. I think you should stay.” Smooth, Sawyer. Real smooth. “I mean you’re welcome to stay for as long as you like. With the weather so terrible.” It was the gentlemanly thing to do. Accompanied by less-than-gentlemanly thoughts.

  “I told Jillian I’d likely be away from the office all day. I told her we were at the hotel. I figured that was as safe a story as anything. It’s not like she’d really have a way to follow up on me aside from calling my cell.”

  Sawyer nodded. “If it’s okay with you, I’m going to duck into my home office for a bit to check email.” I need to cool off.

  Kendall got up. “I’ll get my laptop and hang out in front of the fire. I’ll need the Wi-Fi password, though.”

  Sawyer smiled. “It’s the number 1 then legacy, all lowercase.”

  “Ah. One legacy. The Grand Legacy. I get it.” She grinned wide, further chipping away his resolve.

  He left her and trailed back to his office. His stomach turned when he opened his email and started a new message to his dad. They hadn’t spoken in ages. The rift over the Grand Legacy was that wide.

  Dad,

  We need to talk some things out. I’d prefer we do it in person, but if you’re only willing to do it over the phone, that will have to do. Your interference in the Grand Legacy is one thing, but you crossed the line trying to bribe my PR person, and I can’t ignore it. If you so much as touch a hair on her head or threaten her job in any way...

  He stopped typing. A few sentences in, and his anger was already boiling over. He had to rein it in. Maybe Kendall was right. Maybe going after his dad wasn’t a good idea. He didn’t want to provoke him, especially if there was any chance that Kendall might end up on the receiving end. He needed to speak to his dad in person, where he could gauge the situation and his reactions, and hopefully get him to back off once and for all. In the meantime, it was Sawyer’s first priority to keep Kendall as safe as he could.

  He went through the new messages in his inbox, but didn’t bother answering anything that wasn’t critical. It was too hard to focus with Kendall in the other room. An argument could be made that a good host would check on his guest, and that was exactly what he would do.

  When he rounded the corner into the living room, he came to a stop. Before him was a vision that stole his breath away. Kendall was asleep on the couch, curled up under the throw blanket, her laptop on the coffee table. She was so peaceful and perfect—her russet hair curled under her chin, her lips the color of cherry blossoms in spring.

  He was struck again by the realization that had been brewing for weeks now, clicking into place today. He’d made a big mistake when he hadn’t called her after their one night together, when he hadn’t let her know that it had indeed meant something to him. She’d left more than an impression, she’d left an indelible mark on his soul, one that couldn’t be ignored no matter how hard he tried. He wanted to make her his again, but he didn’t want to wait months, until they were no longer working together. Some other guy could come along during that time. Today might be his only opportunity to show her how much he wanted a second chance, when they could both have the security of knowing that no one would ever have to find out.

  Seven

  Kendall’s consciousness began climbing out of sleep, but she didn’t open her eyes—not yet. She wanted just a few more luxurious moments of her dream. It had just gotten to the good part. Sawyer had taken off her clothes, she’d taken off his and they were doing a perfect job of turning the sheets on his bed into a beautiful, tangled mess. It was such a lovely thought...such a wonderful idea...and if she couldn’t have Sawyer in real life, at least he was starring in her dreams.

  She bemoaned the thought of leaving behind such amazing visions, but she had to get up before Sawyer walked in. It was already embarrassing enough that she’d fallen asleep on his couch. She opened her eyes slowly and pushed herself to sitting. The fire was still blazing, giving off heat. There was music playing softly. She rubbed her eyes and looked outside again. What was earlier only rain had turned to sleet. There was a glaze accumulating on the window ledge.

  Sawyer poked his head into the room. “Look who’s up.”

  Embarrassment sent heat rushing to the surface of her cheeks. “I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’ve been so tired lately. I’m so sorry I fell asleep on your couch.”

  “The question is, do you feel better now? You clearly needed it.”

  She smiled. “I do feel better. Thank you.”

  “You’re probably working too hard.”

  “Yeah. I guess.”

  He stood before her, hands in the back pockets of his jeans. They fit just right—not tight, not baggy. Just enough for her to recall exactly how much she loved his legs. His gray sweater complemented his eyes so perfectly—it made them impossibly dark and rich. She wanted to climb inside that sweater and get lost in it. Possibly never come out.

  “I should probably go. I’ve already taken up half of your day. And I don’t want to risk the weather getting worse.” She began to fold the blanket.

  “Don’t go. I want you to stay.” He looked down at the floor and then back up at her. He cleared his throat. “There are some things I want to say to you. Things I can’t say when we’re working.”

  Her pulse immediately picked up—between his words and the tone of his voice, it was the only logical response. “Okay. Is this about your dad?”

  “No. Absolutely not.” He stepped closer and crouched down in front of her. “First off, I have a confession. I watched you sleep.”

  Now the erratic heartbeat was accompanied by the triumphant return of embarrassment. “You did?”

  “How could I not? You’re so beautiful.”

  A compliment from Sawyer felt special, like an amplified version of something a regular guy might say. “That’s very sweet. You’re not half bad yourself, you know.”

  He laughed and dropped his head, causing his dark brown hair to flop over. When he looked back up at her, she was so quickly caught up in his gaze. It was like a magnetic lure, drawing
her to look at him, and only him. “Can I ask you something?”

  If it’s whether or not I remember which direction your bedroom is, yes. “Of course.”

  “Do you think about our night together?”

  She waited to answer, not sure if it was better to lie and protect herself or give in to the truth because he was clearly baring his soul to her right now. The dream she’d just had wasn’t making it any easier. “I think you know the answer to that question.”

  “You mean the ring.”

  “I wore it because I couldn’t forget you.” It felt good to allow herself to be vulnerable with Sawyer, to let down her defenses.

  He straightened and sat next to her on the couch. He took her hand. She loved seeing his fingers wrapped around hers. It was excitement and contentment rolled up in a single gesture. She couldn’t deny that she felt safe with Sawyer. He was protective. She loved that in a man, as old-fashioned as it might be. She’d never had that in her life.

  “I had a similar problem, but I didn’t tell you,” he said, seeming a bit embarrassed. “There’s this tree across the street from my office. The leaves started to change the day I got back from the wedding. I swear they turned the exact same color as your hair. I would stand at my window and stare at that tree.”

  Goose bumps popped up on her forearms, steadily marching across her skin. It wasn’t just her. “And what did you think about when you were staring out the window?”

  “Everything. Asking you to dance. Having you in my arms on the dance floor. That whole night together. What that first kiss was like.”

  She gnawed on her lower lip, just looking at his mouth. He was leaning closer, giving in inch by inch, and she mirrored his every move. Their mutual resolve was evaporating before her very eyes. “It was a great one.”

  He rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, softly. Carefully. “One of the best.”

  “The kiss goodbye was pretty amazing, too,” she said. “I tried to send you a message with that kiss.”

  “And what message was that?” He moved his head closer and nudged at her hair with his nose before pressing his lips to her cheek.