I Choose You: A Secret Billionaire Romance
Page 45
“How far apart are they?” I asked, putting a hand on my stomach. Nine months. Forty weeks. 284 days. My due date was four days ago and I couldn't wait any longer. I wanted my body back and my baby in my arms.
“Five minutes apart on the nose,” Anne said, checking her phone. “You can go to the hospital now if you want.”
I thought of how the searing pain was going to come back as my body squeezed down again in about three more minutes. I had intended on having a drug-free labor, but now that it was actually happening, I was debating how much I wanted drugs. An epidural suddenly didn't sound near as scary as it had.
“Crap- here comes another one.” The pain stole my breath and it took everything I had to breathe through it.
“That one was a whole minute and only three minutes apart, Allie. I think it's time.” Anne looked me up and down. “I can tell you that right now, I am really really glad I'm into girls and don't have to worry about getting knocked up by accident.”
I glared at her. “We have to get James first. I'm not going to the hospital without him.”
She sighed and checked her watch. “He's in a meeting. That's why we're sitting here in the coffee shop waiting for him.”
I pointed to my stomach. “I don't think he knows Daddy's busy right now. Just drive me to his office and I'll go get him.”
Anne opened her mouth to object, but I crumpled as another wave of contracting pain stole every breath and coherent thought from me. It was supposed to get worse than this? I wasn't sure how people survived this.
“Get in the car.” Anne said as she paled a little. “You just keep getting stronger and more close together. At this rate, I'm scared your going to just pop right here in the middle of the shop.”
I took her hand and she walked me out to her car. Luckily, she was parked directly in front of the shop.
I was glad she had agreed to escort me around. Since three days ago, James had been paying Anne to be with me when he couldn't. He also made sure that there was always a car of some sort available within a few feet of wherever I was. At first I had thought it was overkill, but now, I was incredibly grateful.
Anne gunned the engine. “You sure you don't want to just go to the hospital? James can meet us there.”
“HIS OFFICE!” I yelled.
“Yes, ma'am,” Anne replied. “Note to self, never argue with a woman giving birth.”
She floored it and arrived at the entrance to James' office in record time. I suspected she was afraid I would give birth right there in the car if she didn't hurry.
I unbuckled my seat-belt and opened my door.
“How about I just go get him?” she offered. I shot a death glance at her. “Okay, never mind. I'll wait here.” She put her hands up on the steering wheel and looked straight ahead.
I waddled into the front lobby of James' office building, feeling like I'd never even fit through the doorway.
Audrey was sitting at the main desk, her eyes going wide as soon as she saw me. It was the same desk Lauren used to work at, but Audrey now ruled it like a queen. I remembered seeing Lauren's picture in the paper when she was indicted. Not only had she violated her non-disclosure agreement and sold the pictures of James and I for a mere hundred grand, she had also stolen fifty thousand dollars of advertising money from the company. She was in big, big trouble.
I like Audrey at that desk much better.
“Where is he?” I growled, holding my belly and hoping I didn't dissolve into another contraction in the middle of the lobby.
“In the meeting room.” Audrey pointed across the lobby.
I nodded, already halfway there. I needed James to be there when I had this baby. If it hurt this bad already, there was no way I was going to be able to do this without his encouragement.
I nearly kicked open the door to his meeting room. At first, he turned and glared at the intruder until he saw it was me. Of course, that was when another contraction hit. I crumpled forward, trying to visualize a flower opening or some other nonsense that was supposed to help with the pain.
“Is it time?” he asked, ignoring his meeting and rushing to my side. I hissed with pain and glared at him.
“Nah, I'm just practicing for a play,” I said when I could finally speak again.
His normally calm face blanched slightly and he took my arm. “Meeting's over,” he called back behind him as we left the conference room.
Anne was bouncing in the driver's seat as James practically carried me to the car. It was almost humorous how much more nervous Anne and James were than I was. This was the part that couldn't be stopped. There was nothing left for me to do now but survive the pain and push, though from the nervous flutterings of Anne and James, it seemed a lot more important.
I didn't pay attention to the drive to the hospital. I didn't pay attention to the nurse as I changed into a hospital gown. I focused on breathing and pushing. Somewhere along the line, that flower visualization suddenly was the most important thing I could think of.
James held my hand the whole time. He never left me, not even for a bathroom break. He kept giving me sips of water and making sure my hair was pulled back and out of my eyes. I was in too much pain to focus on much else, but he kept his voice low and soothing. I couldn't have done it without James.
Finally, finally I heard the cry as my son took his first breath. His tiny shriek at being exposed to the world filled the room and my heart. I'd never heard anything so beautiful.
“He's here,” James whispered. He took the scissors from the doctor and cut the umbilical cord. The nurse wrapped our son in a blanket and handed him back to James. “He's so beautiful.”
The catch in James' voice made my chest ache with joy. There was so much love in his gaze, so much heartfelt wonder at the life we had created together. I loved the smile of absolute parental pride as the man I loved gazed at our son.
“Come meet your mommy, Frankie,” James said softly, bringing him to the head of the bed. I held out my arms, tears of joy streaming down my face. James had insisted on naming him after my father, the man that had supported his business endeavors and taught him the value of a deal. The gesture had almost made Dad forgive him for knocking up his daughter.
Still, there was no denying how special this little boy was. My son. James' son. Our beautiful baby boy.
“Hi, Frank,” I whispered, cuddling him close. “Welcome to the world. It's a hard place to live, but it'll be okay. Your mommy and daddy love you more than anything.”
I held him close, marveling at his tiny little fingers and big, beautiful eyes.
James kissed my forehead and held his family close.
My billionaire stepbrother was a father. Together, we couldn't be happier.
You might also enjoy
If you enjoyed this book, you might also enjoy “Yours Royally”. It also contains a billionaire with a secret, and a whole lot of sexual tension!
Yours Royally: A Cinderella Love Story
Can a regular girl ever marry a real life prince?
Prince Marco:
Royal life can be a royal pain, and Marco needs a break. A secret identity, just for a few weeks. A relaxing vacation in America, where nobody knows who he really is. Not even the girl he hires to be his personal assistant, Sabrina. But when Sabrina turns out to be the best part of his vacation, he finds it harder and harder to keep his secret from her...
Sabrina Wise:
Sabrina never imagined that any job could lead to paparazzi encounters and surprise trips to Hawaii. Who could have thought that her boss would turn out to be as charming as he was handsome? But, behind their sizzling sexual tension, she can't help but think there's something more to Marco. Who is this gorgeous man she's taking orders from, and why is he keeping so much hidden away? If she's willing to risk everything to find out, she might end up in her own Cinderella fairy-tale ending...
What happens when Mr. Right turns out to be Prince Charming?
Marco started up the music. It began
with a simple drum beat, but soon flutes and horns chimed in. The music was extremely complicated and sounded like a combination of jazz and blues, mixed with salsa. Underlying the melody, though, was a rhythmic beat that actually caused Sabrina to tap her toes.
“Do you like it?” Marco asked, as he stepped close to Sabrina and placed his hand onto her lower back. “I imagine it sounds quite a bit different from the music that is made here.”
Sabrina nodded. Her bangs fell into her eyes and Marco reached up, pushing her hair across her forehead and behind her ear. It was such a simple act, but meant so much to her.
“My hair is a mess,” she said, desperately filling the silence with anything she could think of.
“I think you look beautiful,” Marco said, sliding his fingertips down her cheek. “The most beautiful girl in New York City.”
Sabrina bit her bottom lip and looked at the ground, unable to fully accept such a compliment. How Marco saw her and how she saw herself were two entirely different things.
“That's really sweet,” she said, bringing her gaze back up to his eyes. “Thank you.”
Marco leaned in and kissed her. Her eyes widened at first, surprised by the sudden affection. They resumed what they had started at the haunted apartment, though this time with even more passion and far fewer ghosts. Sabrina stood up from her stool without breaking the kiss. She brought her hands to the top of Marco's shoulders, pulling herself close to him. Her body tingled all over as their tongues danced.
Somewhere, in the very back of her mind, Sabrina knew that she was falling for this guy. And she realized that it put her at risk of getting hurt. She'd had her heart broken before, and she understood that it could likely happen again. But Marco was different. She wanted to believe that he would never hurt her.
She felt his hands slide down her sides, gliding easily along the smooth fabric of her shirt to the band of her pants. His touch turned her on, and a surge of excitement pumped through her. She breathed in, letting the soft scent of Marco's cologne fill her nose. She placed her hands onto his face. His beard stubble scratched at her fingertips as she drew her hands downward, all the way to his neck and then to his chest.
Marco slowly broke their kiss and looked into her eyes. Sabrina saw that his pupils had dilated and he was breathing harder now. Her hands were still on his chest and she noticed the rise and fall of each breath.
He wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her from the floor, cradling the backside of her knees with his other arm. She was surprised by his strength as he carried her effortlessly away from the bar and to the darkened bedroom. It was as though she was in a trance, unable to take her gaze away from him. His masculine features, the beard stubble and his chiseled jaw, which were half-covered by his shoulder-length black hair. This was every woman's dream come true, and she was living it. Sabrina put a note in the back of her mind to pinch herself when this was over, just to make sure that it was all actually real. Until then, she didn't want to wake up…
Check out my other works!
Billionaires and Brides
Yours Completely: A Cinderella Love Story
Yours Truly: A Cinderella Love Story
Yours Royally: A Cinderella Love Story
The "Kisses" series
Saltwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Kisses From Jack: The Other Side of Saltwater Kisses
Rainwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Champagne Kisses: A Timeless Love Story
Freshwater Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Sandcastle Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Hurricane Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Barefoot Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Sunrise Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Waterfall Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Island Kisses: A Billionaire Love Story
Other Novels
I Choose You: A Secret Billionaire Romance
His Every Desire: A Billionaire Seduction
Wolf Six's Salvation: A Shifter Love Story
Burned: A New Adult Love Story
Walking on Sunshine: A Sweet Summer Romance
Check out my new Youtube channel for promotional videos, exclusive content, and my smiling face reading my books!
Don't forget to join my mailing list as well for updates! (clickable link)