Proving His Worth

by Cari Quinn

  Much to her disgust, his lips twitched. “How about every morning?”

  She crossed her arms. “This isn’t funny.”

  He rolled his shoulders and glanced skyward, his usual tell when he was searching for patience. “I’m not laughing. I guess I don’t see the problem.”

  “You don’t see the problem? She’s probably going to tell people you sperminated me. There, is that better?”

  “Not particularly, but again, not seeing the issue. Trust me, she’s harmless.”

  “Sure she is. Do you want the rumor to get around that you’re my child’s father?”

  His eyebrow winged up. “You do realize you’re shouting right now. That probably won’t help to hide my supposed indiscretions.”

  Hissing out a breath, Ang tried to relax. “You said she’s already hot for your bod. If she thinks you went from her to a younger model, she’ll be hot to have your head.”

  “Hot for my bod?” His eyebrows furrowed as they always did when he was puzzling something out.

  “You told me she was obsessed with having sex with you, remember?” She sighed. “I can see why now, but still.”

  His mouth quirked. “You can?”

  “Sterling, stop repeating everything I say and focus.”

  His smile only grew. “So let me get this straight. You’re worried about my honor.”

  “You don’t have to lie for me. No one does. I’m handling my shit. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me. God, do I appreciate it.” She forced away the memory of Pete’s bruised face and those papers she’d stuffed between the mattress and box spring in Sterling’s guest room. “But that doesn’t mean I’m about to stand by while you harm yourself to help me.” Again.

  “I’m harming myself by allowing people to think that I fathered the baby of a beautiful, smart, funny, sexy as hell woman. That doesn’t track for me.”

  “It wouldn’t,” she said, fighting not to let the glow from his praise swim through her bloodstream. His approval was headier than any drug.

  He stepped forward and brushed her hair back from her cheek. Even that brief skim of warm fingertips elicited a shiver, and she knew from the way he moved that much closer he hadn’t missed her reaction. “If I don’t have a problem, why do you?”

  She had to get away from him. With every word, every touch, he wove more of his spell. The picture he painted of their cute little happy family—even for the benefit of other people—wasn’t real. This wasn’t her fairy-tale ending. Not because she didn’t deserve one, but because she needed to earn it. She’d screwed up badly by sleeping with Pete. She hadn’t thought ahead, and she’d be damned if her baby paid the price.

  Impetuously rushing into things again would be a horrible mistake. Sterling wasn’t like Pete in any way, but that didn’t mean she should lean on him. He was just being sweet to her, as he always was. When he came to his senses, she didn’t want to be his mistake. His Pete.

  Sucking in a breath, she took a determined step back and reached for her door. “You should take me home—” Jesus, his house wasn’t her home, “—I mean, to your house and head to work. I’ve disrupted enough of your day.”

  “Do you remember that part about me blowing off work and us spending it together?”

  When she didn’t say anything, he exhaled and yanked open his door. “You know what, never mind. You’re right. I belong at work.”

  She slipped inside the car and fastened her seat belt while he did the same, well aware that he was seething. Well, as much as Sterling ever seethed. He rarely got angry. But she’d made him mad now.

  She waited until he’d pulled out of the lot. “Look, don’t get me wrong.”

  “I haven’t gotten much right in the last twenty minutes, so I don’t see how that’s possible.”

  “Sterling.” She reached over and laid her hand on the wrist he’d thrown over the wheel. He cut her a glance, and damn if her nipples didn’t harden as if he’d stroked them. He did, but only with a look. He could see she was affected by him.

  Probably the whole world could.

  “Ang,” he returned, voice soft.

  “This isn’t about what I want.”

  “Says who?”

  “Says the blob with toes in my belly. I have to make good decisions now, for her. It’s one thing when I’m only fucking up my own life. But I can’t do that to her.”

  “And being with me is going to fuck her up.” He stared straight ahead, his jaw going taut. “Nice to know.”

  It was her turn to stare. “When did this become about you and me…being together?” He couldn’t even toss that around in theory. Her heart was already pounding much too fast, her breath coming too short. Hypotheticals were fine in any case except this one.

  The glance he aimed her way could’ve frozen water. “The minute you came to my bed.”

  She dropped her hand from his arm and used it to cover her face instead. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Clearly one of us got their wires crossed, and it wasn’t you.”

  “You don’t understand.”

  “So you keep telling me, but you’re not offering me anything to clear up all of my misconceptions.”

  She should just put it all out there. I pretended to be someone else to get close to you, and you’re going to hate me when you find out I lied. But that’s better than you regretting one day that you got involved with the crazy wild chick with a baby in tow. I couldn’t live with it if one day I turned into the biggest mistake you ever made.

  But she stayed quiet, because even having him annoyed at her was better than having him hate her. She’d have to go there soon enough. Just not today, after she’d seen her Maybe Baby for the first time and soared through the thrill of having him at her side and weathered the crash of reality all at once.

  A few minutes later, he pulled in to his driveway behind a motorcycle. On the front porch sat Cass and who Ang assumed was her fiancé, Jax. Terrific.

  “You forgot to call in to work, didn’t you?” She picked up her purse off the floor.

  “Yeah, but I didn’t think Jax would show up here. That they both would. Guess I should’ve answered their calls.”

  “It’s okay. You guys can talk. I have to get ready for work anyway.” Not for a few hours yet, but he didn’t need to know that. She’d go wander around the mall or something. Maybe buy an ice cream cone. It was all she could afford after yesterday’s ill-advised shopping trip and today’s doctor bill, since she wasn’t using her parents’ health insurance. Last thing she needed was for them to get a bill about her pregnancy-related care before she’d fessed up.

  Yet another thing she needed to deal with soon.

  Sterling picked up his cell phone from where he’d set it in the console. “You really should consider getting a new position that’s more in line with your qualifications.”

  Despite the accuracy of his statement, she didn’t appreciate his opinion on the subject right then. “Thanks for that.”

  “I’m serious. Do you honestly want to be calling out bingo numbers when you’re nine months pregnant? Being on your feet all day isn’t a good idea.”

  “It’s a job. Besides, it’s only a few hours a day.” She’d intended to tell him about getting hired at Tech Edge, but after last night’s sexcapade, she hadn’t had a chance yet. She also hadn’t fully decided to quit the bingo hall. Maybe she could do both jobs for a few months, sock away some cash. That would be the responsible thing to do.

  He tucked his cell in the inside pocket of his jacket and waved at Jax and Cass through the windshield. “You’re wasting yourself.”

  His supercilious tone set her teeth on edge. “Am I? Perhaps I should make that decision.” She grabbed the door handle.

  “I don’t want you to be stressed out. If you need a job, I can—”

  “No. Just…no.” She got out and shut the door, proud of herself that she didn’t slam it. She didn’t want to embarrass him in front of his friends, and she didn’t want to ca
use a scene. His heart was in the right place, and when she’d calmed down a little and gotten some perspective on the day, she’d probably apologize. But right now, she needed space.

  Sterling climbed out and rounded the hood, his gaze steady on her in spite of the heckling coming from the porch. In his impeccable three-piece suit and tie, he looked like the epitome of a cool Wall Street stockbroker, if not for the blaze in his light-blue eyes. “Ang, wait.”

  “Yo, dude, finally decided to drag your ass back home, huh?” Jax called. “Would’ve been nice if you could, you know, show up at your job. Or call. Calling would be awesome.”

  Ang gave a halfhearted wave to Cass and Jax and faced Sterling again. She should say hi to Cass, especially after their surprisingly fun day yesterday. Except she couldn’t. All her jagged emotions were way too close to the surface. Better she go now and catch up with everyone later when she was back to normal. Or as normal as she could get while trapped in a hormone vortex.

  “I’m going to head out for a while before work.” She gripped her purse so tightly that her knuckles whitened. “I have shopping to do.”

  “For the baby?”

  She rubbed her mouth. How was she supposed to tell him she was afraid to buy things for the baby when she didn’t know where she would be living? She’d figure it all out. She had a better job now, and everything was improving. First she needed to bank a few of those paychecks, and then she’d start making the hard choices. About a place to live, and what she’d need to buy to furnish her new space. Where she would live alone. No big deal. Sure, she was facing more difficult decisions than she ever had before, but she would handle everything like a newly minted college graduate, adult-like person.

  When she didn’t reply, he scraped his hand over the back of his head. “If it would help, I put together a spreadsheet.”

  Dropping her hand, she stared. This wingtip-wearing, spreadsheet-toting man was the one she was so in lust over she couldn’t think straight? Life sure had a funny way of playing tricks. “A spreadsheet for what?”

  Unless she was mistaken, the tips of his ears reddened. “Uh, for things you’d need for the baby, in developmental order. While I was reading What To Expect When You’re Expecting, I started taking notes. Spreadsheets help me think.” He frowned. “You were an engineering major. Deep down, you’re an analytical type. You must use spreadsheets too?”

  “Yeah, but on the surface I’m a bimbo, so that cancels it all out.” She gave him a sweet smile and headed toward her car. Luckily she’d parked on the street, because she had a feeling he wouldn’t simply back out and let her go. He’d want to talk.

  God save her, perhaps she really didn’t want a decent man. She couldn’t figure out exactly what to do with him when he wasn’t flat on his back. At least not without putting some tape over his mouth before he totally wrecked that decent man image.

  “You’ll be home later?”

  Home. There was no reason at all for her throat to get tight. Absolutely none. “I’ll be back,” she called over her shoulder, throwing him a wave before she escaped to her car. When she was alone, she didn’t have to put on a happy face. She didn’t have to be brave.

  God, she seriously needed ice cream. A whole bucket’s worth. Too bad Cass’s shop hadn’t reopened yet. She’d heard her ice cream was to die for.

  Now the pregnancy cravings were kicking in. Next she’d be running out in the middle of the night to get pickles and sauerkraut. Or else she’d beg Sterling to—

  No. She had to stop thinking like that. They weren’t a real couple and he didn’t have to deal with her cravings. She was on her own, enjoying a temporary dalliance with someone she was close to. That’s all.

  Right. She should set that to music.

  She watched out of the corner of her eye as he walked over to talk to Cass and Jax, and her throat constriction eased a bit when he smiled. She loved that smile. Too much. Reason numero uno she needed some space and time to think.

  A quick glance at her cell showed a couple of texts from Brandy and one from Pete. Have you made up your mind yet?

  She tossed her phone on the passenger seat and put the car into gear. Yeah, she was springing for a three-scoop cone today.

  Ang came home as promised, though not until almost eleven o’clock. When she arrived, she heated up something in the microwave and neatly deflected Sterling’s every attempt to pry her out of her silent shell. Then she took her snack upstairs to eat in the guest room, where she remained for the rest of the night.

  So much for them getting everything out in the open.

  The next morning he had another martial arts class, followed by a quick stop at a novelty shop. Ang’s birthday was a little over a week away, and he was willing to bet she didn’t think he remembered. He hadn’t finished gathering things for her yet, but he’d made a good start. They were, quite possibly, the most nontraditional gifts he’d ever purchased. Today’s acquisitions continued that theme.

  He spent the next couple of hours studying his private investigation study guide while he manned the front desk at Deuces Wild. He’d given Cass the morning off after his disappearing act yesterday. Besides, it wasn’t like they were getting a zillion clients. Business was steady most of the time, but the phone wasn’t ringing off the hook.

  Neither was his own phone for that matter.

  Somehow he’d managed to focus on the sensei during his class, but his study time was mostly wasted on an endless succession of cell checking. She wasn’t talking to him via text or online. Even S-quared no longer rated a response. Being cut off from her on all avenues at once was a bitter pill indeed.

  So much for him being offended by her lie. It wasn’t as if he weren’t shouldering his burden of lies as well. Meeting up with Tricia yesterday could’ve blown his cover, if his ex hadn’t somehow played right into his mistruth. She’d never seemed all that interested in him beyond a mild affection in the past, but maybe sensing competition brought out her competitive side.

  Then he’d spoken too swiftly and things had escalated yet again. He and Ang had spent so many years without a cross word between them. When he thought of her, he remembered her smile. Her laugh. Before the past few months, not much ever got her down or ruffled her feathers. Now she spent more time than not annoyed at him. Possibly for good reason. He just wasn’t adroit at this whole relationship business.

  Not that they were having a relationship. She’d made that clear yesterday. They’d had sex. End of story. As much as it bothered him to let the gulf between them widen again, perhaps she was right to take some space.

  The back of his neck heated. The item in the bag in his desk proved that things were moving too fast between them. He never should have purchased it. They should put on the brakes, take some time to think—

  The door swung open. As he opened his mouth to speak, the visitor darted inside and flipped out the lights. It was a gloomy day outside, and the thin slats of daylight through the blinds offered the only illumination. Then the lock clicked and his lunchtime caller turned in his direction.

  His breath escaped in a rush. “Ang?”

  He hadn’t recognized her at first because she wore a voluminous dress that covered her from neck to ankle. It might as well have been a muumuu. She had no shape underneath the folds of fabric, and as she walked toward him, she even waddled a little, thanks to her outfit.

  She gestured to her attire. “Like it?”

  “What the hell is it?”

  “This is a maternity dress.”

  “Says who? The Michelin man?”

  She chuckled and toyed with the top button. “Actually, no. I had a visitor this morning at your lovely home.”

  He tensed and rose. If this was about that bastard Pete… “Who?” he asked tightly.

  “Not him,” she said quickly, reading his expression. “This visitor was female and blonde and perfect. Ring any bells?”

  “My mother?” Though why his mother would be buying Ang maternity clothes, he had no
idea.

  Her smile took him off guard. “Oh, sometimes you do win points, don’t you?” She moved on to the next button. “Your ex showed up this morning on a fact-finding mission. I do believe she wanted to see if we were really an item. My guess is she convinced herself last night that we weren’t, though I’m pretty sure my answering your door in booty shorts and tank top with a towel around my hair didn’t allay her concerns.”

  “Booty shorts.” He cleared his throat and shifted in his chair. He’d managed not to get hard upon his first glimpse of her, but the image of her she put in his head took care of that problem in no time flat. “You’ll have to demonstrate exactly what those are for me sometime.”

  “Gladly.” She undid a couple of buttons. The dress seemed to have fifty of them. The bonus was that she was wearing something beneath it that clung to every one of her ample curves.

  He leaned forward, his mouth dry. Dick already straining. “So you decided to pay me an early lunch time visit to…what? Castrate me for indirectly causing you discomfort?”

  She tilted her head, eyeing him openly. “What I had in mind involved that part of you, but castrating isn’t on the menu. I’m too fond of your family jewels to threaten their existence.” She licked her lips and came a little closer. “Yet.”

  Swallowing was getting more difficult by the moment. So was breathing. “There’s a relief.”

  “Tricia supposedly purchased this fine maternity wear to apologize for her ‘abrupt’ treatment yesterday. I thanked her profusely, as you could imagine.” She braced her hands on the arms of his chair. “You owe me, buster.”

  “I owe you? For what?” He touched the sleeve of the dress. Bristly cotton. Must be a big seller for Mrs. Michelin. “You didn’t have to actually wear it.”

  “Oh yes, I did. It went so nicely with this lingerie Brandy picked out for me. Besides, I wanted a proper before and after.”

  “Before and after what?” he asked, his fingers itching to yank open his drawer. He wanted to lock her in place before she got away. Wanted to kiss that sassy mouth, then use it the way he had the other day while she made those appreciative noises and begged him for more with her eyes.