Carrying the Lost Heir's Child

by Jules Bennett

In an instant Jake’s hands were on her shoulders, touching her face, brushing her hair back. His eyes instantly held concern and worry. “Are you dizzy?”

  Damning herself for showing weakness the one time in her life she needed to be the strongest, Lily could only simply close her eyes and nod.

  Before she knew what was happening, Jake had swept her up into his arms and was carrying her out of the stables.

  “Don’t,” she protested, but even to her own ears the plea sounded feeble. “I just need water. I’ll be fine.”

  Ignoring her completely, Jake reached the back door to his house and squatted down far enough to turn the knob. Once inside where the cool air-conditioning hit her, Lily was already feeling as if the world had stopped tilting so much.

  Jake closed the door with his foot and took her straight to the living area where he laid her on the oversize leather sofa.

  “Jake, is everything all right?”

  Lily didn’t open her eyes, but she recognized the female voice from the lady who had answered the front door. Tossing her arm over her eyes, Lily wished she would’ve just phoned Jake instead of coming there. She’d wanted to show him she was just fine without him, wanted to prove she could get along alone.

  And here she was, flat on her back, depending on him and now his girlfriend/maid was taking part in Lily’s humiliation.

  “Could you get a bottle of water, please, Liz?”

  “Of course.”

  The cushion next to her dipped and Jake’s hand covered her stomach, then his fingertips were at the base of her throat. She missed those hands, missed how they could go from showing strength caring for horses to dominating her body in the bedroom.

  “Your pulse is out of control.”

  “I just got hot,” she defended, ignoring her betraying hormones. “Once I get some water and sit for a minute, I’ll be fine.”

  “What have you eaten today?”

  Shifting her arm to behind her head, Lily glanced up at him. “I had some orange juice and toast a couple hours ago.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Lily—”

  “Mom said you wanted some water.”

  Lily jerked her attention just beyond Jake’s shoulder and saw a young boy with honey-wheat hair tousled by the wind or just the lack of a comb. He came closer, extending the bottle to Jake.

  “Thanks, buddy.”

  The boy smiled, showcasing a couple of missing teeth. “Hi,” he told her. “I’m Tyler.”

  Lily couldn’t help but smile back. The boy had no clue who she was and that was just fine with her. He was adorable, but Lily couldn’t help but wonder who he was to Jake. The boy looked nothing at all like Jake, but he didn’t resemble the lady he’d referred to as mom, either.

  “Tyler is Liz’s son,” Jake informed her as if sensing where her thoughts had gone.

  “Hi, Tyler. I’m Lily.” She took the water from Jake and sat up a little higher as she uncapped the bottle. “Thank you very much.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  He turned and ran toward the back of the house, obviously finding nothing exciting with the new arrival.

  Taking a long drink, Lily welcomed the cool liquid as it slid down her throat. She needed to get out of Jake’s house. The longer she stayed, the more questions she had and she really had no business asking them since she’d left Jake. Well, she physically left him. Emotionally had they ever truly been vested? When a relationship was built on lies it was really difficult to say who left whom first.

  When she twisted the lid back on, Jake took the bottle and set it on the coffee table. “Lie down. I’ll get you something to eat.”

  Remaining upright, she shook her head. “I’m not staying, Jake. I just need to pay you and I wanted to let you know about the baby and my appointment. I’ll never keep secrets from you.”

  His shoulders fell and he gave a curt nod. “I deserved that.”

  Lily laughed. “Oh, Jake. You haven’t begun to get what you really deserve.”

  “Then let me have it,” he challenged, his chin tipped up now. “Say what you want, ask whatever you want. Don’t shut me out, not when we have so much between us.”

  He was serious. He truly thought talking would place a bandage over the hurts and they’d go on their merry way to make a family and happily-ever-after. If she started on her rant of how hurt and angry she was now, she feared she’d never stop.

  “Whatever we had between us was a lie,” she reminded him. “No matter how much you wish you’d done things differently, you still chose not to come clean with me, with Damon. You can’t claim to care about us when you hurt us so deeply.”

  Jake stared at her for a minute, his eyes penetrating straight to her heart. Smelling him, sitting this close to him, within reaching distance of his bare torso, was pure hell. She missed the man she knew, the groom. The man before her was a stranger, a millionaire, but still...he was the man she’d fallen in love with.

  Jake jerked to his feet and walked out of the room, leaving Lily confused. He wasn’t going to fight? Was he done here?

  Seconds later he came back in and stood beside the sofa. “I know you hate me, I know you want nothing to do with me, but I have a proposition for you.”

  Lily stared up at him. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  He settled back down beside her, taking her hands in his. Lily tried to ignore how the simple gesture still made her heart beat faster, how she wanted to keep that familiar touch locked away forever. She wanted to tug her hands back, but she wouldn’t be childish. Whatever he wanted to say, she’d hear him out. Fighting at this point was moot. The damage was done and she’d officially steeled her heart...okay, she was in the process of doing so, which was why he needed to stop touching her.

  “Where have you been staying?” he asked.

  “At Stony Ridge.”

  “I figured,” he muttered. “I want you to stay here.”

  “I don’t want to be here at all, let alone to stay.”

  “Give me one week,” he pleaded, his eyes never leaving hers. “That’s all I’m asking. One week for you to see the side of me I wasn’t able to show you. After seven days if you still want nothing to do with me, I’ll let you go. I will still want to be part of my baby’s life, but I won’t pursue you anymore. I just want you to see the man I’ve become, the man who loves you and wants to show you he’s not the selfish bastard who originally came to Stony Ridge.”

  Lily needed to tell him the rest of what she’d learned at her doctor visit, but she hated admitting she needed anything from him.

  When she remained silent, Jake squeezed her hands. “Don’t listen to your mind, Lily,” he murmured. “Listen to your heart. You even told me yourself that you couldn’t turn off your feelings. I’m only asking for a week. Let me take care of you, show you how we could be with no secrets, no lies.”

  One week. It was a drop in the bucket compared to the time she’d already spent with him. But how would her heart be at the end of that time? Resisting him was hard on a good day and she had no doubt he’d pull everything out of his arsenal to win her back.

  She just had to be smarter, stronger and remain the one in control. Jake couldn’t know how much he still affected her.

  “The doctor also told me I needed to stay off my feet and let others do things for me.” Lily closed her eyes, sighed and refocused on Nash. “I can’t keep imposing on the Barringtons. Looks like you get your wish. I’ll give you one week, but that doesn’t mean I’m falling back into the way we were before.”

  Liz chose that moment to step into the room carrying a plate and a glass. When she set them on the table, Lily laughed as Jake thanked her.

  “Grilled cheese and chocolate milk?” Lily asked, quirking a brow.

  “Your favorites.”

  Why did he have
to be so damn sweet at times? This was the same man who purposely betrayed her. She had to remember that. Who’s to say he wouldn’t resort to those tactics again?

  “You owe me nothing,” Jake continued, picking up where he’d left off before Liz had come and gone. “But I’m willing to give you everything. I’m laying it all out there for you to see.”

  Determination poured from him; he was serious and he wasn’t backing down. It’s not as if he could break her heart any more than he already had, and at the end of the seven days she’d leave. She’d go back to LA or even Arizona to visit her mother and then on to the set to record the animated film she’d just signed on for.

  Lily continued to hold his gaze. “I won’t sleep in the same bed as you.”

  Jake opened his mouth, but Lily cut him off. “That’s my nonnegotiable. I’m not here to play house.”

  His eyes darted to her lips, then back to her eyes. “Deal. But, do you really think you can be here any amount of time and not fall back into my bed?” He eased forward, laid his hands over her stomach and feathered his lips across hers. “Now who’s the liar?”

  Jake came to his feet, set the plate on her lap and walked out of the room. Her lips tingled from the barely there kiss and she cursed her body for the ache that spread through her, begging for more.

  Only an hour into her seven-day stint. Why did she feel as though she’d just fallen right into his perfectly laid trap?

  Eighteen

  Lily had chosen the bedroom upstairs at the opposite end of the hall from Jake’s. That was as far away as she could get.

  Day one down. Only six more to go and she would be free to leave for Arizona to see her mother again before heading home to LA. The thought of going back across the country both thrilled and worried her. She was eager to get going on that animation film, but going back to all the shallow people, the chaos of daily living and the lavish lifestyles just didn’t appeal to her anymore.

  Last night before bed, Lily had sent off a quick text to Ian, letting him know where she was. More than likely the Barringtons knew, but she figured she should at least let her agent know what was going on.

  Not that it was anybody else’s business, but she didn’t mind if Ian shared where she was staying. These were complicated circumstances, after all.

  Lily was thankful for the adjoining bath and it would serve Jake right if she spent the rest of her seven-day term in her room. No doubt Jake would show up at her door with trays of food so she didn’t have to get up. He’d take the bed rest seriously and he’d use it to his advantage—best she knew that going in. She was allowed to get up and move around, but for the most part, she was supposed to be down with her feet up.

  She’d showered and changed into the dress Jake had picked out that day they had gone shopping. Damn it, he’d see this as a sign she was giving in. Little did he know most of her clothes were still back at the rental house and this dress just so happened to be in her suitcase...a suitcase he’d had Linda pack up and bring out to the estate. He was still taking control and she wasn’t sure if she was warmed by the fact or ticked that he still felt he had a right to be in charge of her life.

  Pulling her wet hair up into a clip, she slid on her flip-flops and made her way downstairs. Before she could hit the landing the doorbell chimed, echoing throughout the house.

  When Lily hit the bottom step, she glanced through to the foyer where Damon stood, hands in his pockets and glancing around as if he was just as uncomfortable being there as she was.

  Was he here to see Jake or her?

  Lily remained on the steps as Jake’s footsteps fell heavily on the hardwood floors.

  “Damon,” Jake greeted. “This is a surprise.”

  “I apologize for coming by so early,” Damon told him. “Is there somewhere private we can talk?”

  Jake nodded. “Liz is in the back making breakfast. We can go into the living room. Should I tell her to set an extra place at the table?”

  Lily gripped the banister, feeling like perhaps she should slink back upstairs and not eavesdrop on this conversation. But she didn’t move.

  “I can’t stay long,” Damon replied.

  Jake nodded, leading the way into the living area. Lily slid down and sat on the step, grabbing the slender post for support. Damon was here for one reason: he was either ready to forgive Jake or he was letting him go. A portion of Lily’s heart broke for Jake. Even with all the lies and deceit, she worried how he would cope if he lost his father forever. Jake was a strong, determined man, but just discovering your parent and then losing him would be crushing.

  “I’m not sure if I should be worried or glad that you showed up on my doorstep.”

  Damon let out a brief chuckle. Lily couldn’t see the men now, but she imagined the elderly mogul shaking his head as she’d often seen him do when he laughed.

  The silence fueled the tension. Lily’s heart beat so fast, she couldn’t even imagine how Jake or Damon were feeling right now.

  “To be honest I’m not sure how I feel myself,” Damon admitted. “Your latest bombshell really spun me around so fast I didn’t know how to react. But I’ve had several days to think about it.”

  Nerves fluttering in her stomach, Lily closed her eyes and waited.

  “I hate being played for a fool,” Damon went on. “I hate that you were that clever and I was so blinded that I didn’t see through the disguise and the act.”

  “Damon—”

  “Hear me out.”

  Lily took in a deep breath sliding her arms around her swollen midsection.

  “We were adversaries for so long and I know finding out I was your father was a blow you didn’t see coming. Your actions were made out of fear first and foremost. But I also know you’re driven to succeed. How can I fault a trait you obviously got from me?”

  “I still went about this the wrong way,” Jake said, his tone low. “Once I started caring for you, the girls and Lily, I should’ve said something immediately.”

  “Yes, you should’ve,” Damon agreed. “But you didn’t and what’s done is done. I believe everyone should have a second chance and I believe that being without my son for over thirty years is long enough. Life is short.”

  More silence fell and Lily was dying to know what was happening in that room. She’d listened in long enough. As quietly as she could, Lily came to her feet and headed back up the steps. Once she’d closed herself in her room, she sank back against the door.

  Damon had fully accepted Jake for who he was, obviously forgiving the lies and mistakes. Even though he didn’t come out and say the words, Damon wouldn’t be there if he hadn’t.

  Lily didn’t know if she could be that forgiving. Yes, she figured eventually she’d forgive him. But forgiving him didn’t necessarily mean she could let him back into her life, her heart again.

  Lily had only been at Jake’s estate a short time, and she struggled with her emotions for him every single moment. One second she wanted to talk to him, try to figure out if they could get beyond this hurt. The next second she wanted to leave, wanted to get away because she worried she couldn’t trust her feelings.

  She wished she had the right answer and prayed for a miracle to guide her to where she needed to be.

  * * *

  Naps while pregnant were beyond amazing. Napping was a luxury she couldn’t afford when home in LA or on location filming, but here in Virginia where the pace was slower and she was ordered by her doctor to take it easy, Lily fully embraced a good afternoon rest.

  Besides all of that, she was tired. Tired from the pregnancy, tired from the roller coaster ride they’d been on and utterly exhausted from worrying about the future of this child. After spending time on Jake’s turf, she was mentally drained and ready to pull her hair out.

  Sexually, the man frustrated her. She wan
ted him, no matter how much her heart still hurt. He’d given her space, he’d not touched her since that slight kiss when she’d first agreed to stay, and damn if that wasn’t driving her out of her ever-loving mind.

  He’d never even mentioned Damon coming by the other day. Was he keeping that to himself, as well?

  As Lily came down the steps, she realized she’d slept much longer than she’d meant to. The antique grandfather clock in the corner of the living room chimed four times, echoing into the empty space.

  Lily glanced around, noting the photos along the mantel of Jake with his arm around a beautiful older woman, more than likely his mother, photos of him with jockeys and horses at various winners’ circles. In every photo he was smiling.

  She’d thought that smile was devastating with the beard, but without it, she could fully appreciate the intrigue, the devilish attitude and the power behind the man.

  Laughter and squeals sounded from the front yard and Lily moved to the wide windows, shifting the simple linen curtains aside.

  The tire swing swayed back and forth, Tyler held on, his legs dangling out of the hole. And Jake was pushing him.

  Lily couldn’t deny how the scene clenched her heart. Jake wrapped his arms around the boy’s shoulders and pulled back, pausing for a moment before giving another big send-off. The wide grin across Jake’s face spoke volumes for how much the lazy evening activity delighted him.

  He was going to be an amazing dad. No matter what had happened between them, Lily knew that Jake would always put his child first and be hands-on. But, she couldn’t help but wonder about this unique relationship he seemed to have with his maid and her son. Another layer he’d kept from her.

  The fact he’d never let her fully in was the main point in that sharp blade that had pierced her heart.

  Liz suddenly appeared beside Lily. “Tyler adores him.”

  “The feeling seems mutual,” Lily replied, watching Jake’s face light up each time Tyler laughed.

  “Jake has been a good influence for Tyler since my husband passed away.”

  Stunned, Lily turned to Liz. “I’m so sorry.”