The Billionaire's Daddy Test

by Charlene Sands

  “Mary’s got that covered.”

  “But does she have the right—”

  “She raised three children,” Adam said. “She knows all about laundering baby clothes.”

  “Oh, right. Okay.”

  “If you don’t mind, I’d like you to stay in here until I get this thing put together.”

  “Don’t mind at all. I can lend a hand if you get confused.”

  Adam turned to her. She grinned ear to ear and the frown on his face disappeared. Gosh, the man almost cracked a smile. “Smart aleck.”

  * * *

  The house was finally quiet of noises that would fill his life from now on. Rose playing with her toys, Rose taking a bath, Rose crying for her bottle. Adam breathed a sigh of relief. This was his daughter’s first official night in her home. He’d built the crib she was sleeping in now, his heart bursting as he looked at her small chest rising and falling with steady breaths.

  Assembling the crib hadn’t been too much of a challenge after all. His only struggle had been afterward, when he’d discovered eight leftover screws and bolts. He’d checked over the crib twice, pulling and tugging at it, testing the sturdy factor and only after Mia told him that the same thing had happened to her had he relaxed about it. The leftovers, she said, are either spares or a result of incompetence on the manufacturer’s part. Either way, she’d given him her seal of approval on the crib.

  And somehow, that had mattered to him.

  Adam touched a small curl on Rose’s head. If only he could bend over and kiss her sweet cheeks, wish her a good-night the way a father should. But he couldn’t chance waking her and, worse yet, having her scream mercilessly at him.

  She’d warm up to him. She had to. How long could he go without holding his own child?

  He’d been given a second chance with Rose. He’d do better than he had with Lily. His sister had counted on him and when he’d let her down, it had cost her her life. That pain was always with him and drove him to the outskirts of life. He vowed solemnly not to ever let Rose down. Raising her, he’d try to make up for his failures with Lily and then maybe, he’d find a way to forgive himself.

  Having Mia move into the house seemed like the only solution to keep Rose happy and content while living under his roof. For Rose’s sake, he’d do anything to make up for lost time. Neither he nor Mia wanted it this way, but for all his business smarts and college degrees, he couldn’t figure a way around it.

  The architect couldn’t draft a better design than the plan he’d come up with, so now he had two new females living under his roof.

  Adam left his sleeping daughter and walked downstairs to the kitchen. Mary was long gone. She’d been smitten by Rose and had stayed longer than usual to make sure all was right with the nursery. Rose hadn’t warmed to her either yet. Seemed she was all about Mia right now.

  He dropped two ice cubes into a tumbler and poured himself a shot of vodka. Stepping outside, the cool salty air aroused his senses and he inhaled deeply. It was cleansing and peaceful out here.

  To his left, movement caught his eye. He found Mia standing at the outer rim of the veranda where a low white stone wall bordered the sand. She watched the waves bound upon the shore. And Adam watched her. Breezes lifted the hem of her loose-fitting blouse, her long dark hair whipping at her back, her feet bare. She looked beautiful in the moonlight, and Adam debated going to her. He couldn’t trust her. The lies she’d told him, the deceit she’d employed that had gotten them all to this point, painted an indelible mark on his soul. He’d be a fool to let her get under his skin again.

  And Adam Chase was no fool.

  Yet, he was drawn to her... Something was pulling at him, urging him to walk toward her and not stop. He had to see her. To talk to her. It was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. He took the steps necessary to reach her.

  His footfalls on the stone alerted her to his presence. She turned to him. “Adam.”

  “Can’t sleep?”

  She shook her head. “I’m kind of keyed up. All these changes.” Her shoulder lifted. “You know what I mean?”

  “I think I do.”

  He shook his glass and the ice clinked. “Would you like a drink?”

  Her eyes dipped to his glass. “No thanks. It’s late. I should go check on Rose.”

  “I just did. I was in there before I came outside. She’s sleeping.”

  Mia held a remote video receiver in her hand. She glanced at it and nodded. “I can see that.”

  “A pretty cool invention,” he said.

  “The best. I don’t know how I’d ever get more than five feet away from her room without it. Even so, I get up during the night to check on her. It’s a habit. Like I said, I really should go in.”

  “Am I disturbing you, Mia?”

  Her gaze drifted to his mouth, then those amazing eyes connected to his. “It’s your house, Adam,” she said softly. “I might ask you the same thing. For all I know, you might have a nightly ritual of having a drink outside by yourself.”

  “Just me and my thoughts, huh?” If she only knew the pains he went through not to think. Not to let the demons inside. He sipped vodka and sighed. “You don’t have to walk around on eggshells while you’re here. For now, this is your home. Do whatever you please.” Under a beam of moonlight her smooth olive complexion appeared a few shades lighter. He remembered touching her face, the softness under his fingertips when he’d kissed her. “We’re going to be seeing each other a lot. I mean, my main focus is Rose. I want her to get used to me.”

  She turned away from him. “I get it. You’re stuck with me. If you want to see Rose, I come along with the deal. Is that what you’re trying to say?”

  “It’s just fact, Mia. And I can think of a lot of worse things than being stuck with a gorgeous woman living under my roof.”

  Mia snapped her head around, her eyes sharp and searching, her lips trembling.

  Just days after meeting her, she’d gotten to him. She’d warped his defenses and he’d let her in a little. She’d made him think long range...he hadn’t been that happy in a long time. But the path she’d led him down was broken and dangerous. He was too careful a man to venture in that direction again.

  Boisterous voices carried on the breeze and reached his ears. Adam peered down the shoreline and made out half a dozen teens tripping over themselves, slinging loud drunken words, many of them profane.

  He grabbed Mia’s hand. “Shh. Come with me,” he said leading her into the shadows behind a five-seat sofa. “Duck down.”

  He slouched, tugging her with him. They landed on their butts on the cold stone.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Shh,” he repeated. “Lower your voice. It’s the kids who’ve been vandalizing the beach,” he whispered. “I still owe them for leaving that broken bottle in the sand and hurting you.”

  “How can you be sure they’re the same kids?”

  “Doesn’t matter. News travels fast. They’ll put the word out not to come here anymore.”

  “So, what’s the plan?”

  “Come with me and I’ll show you.”

  Moving through the shadows, they entered the house. Adam left Mia at the foot of the stairs. “I’ll check on the baby on my way back,” he said.

  Three minutes later, dressed in shorts and running shoes, he nodded at Mia as he reached the bottom step. “Not a peep out of her. She’s still sleeping. Come—follow me outside.”

  They stayed out of the light as they returned to the spot near the sofa. “Okay, here’s what I want you to do. Give me five minutes and be sure to watch. You’ll get a kick out of it.”

  Adam explained the plan. Then he slunk through the darkness to the house next door that he’d once leased to his friend, country superstar Zane Williams. Zane was gone now, living back in Texas with his fiancée, and the house was empty. Well out of view, he trekked down to the shoreline and began jogging along the bank, heading toward the kids. He came upon them appearing as a midnigh
t runner working up a sweat and breathing hard. Just as he reached them, he dug his heels in the sand and hunched over, hands on knees, and pretended to be out of breath. “Hey...guys.” A dozen eyes watched him. “Anybody...have...some water?”

  “Water?” one of the kids said. “Does it look like we have water?”

  The kid tipped his bottle and slurped down beer. Then the big shot slung the bottle and it whizzed right by Adam’s head. A crash competed with the roar of the waves as the bottle shattered against a metal ice bucket. Shards of glass scattered onto the sand. Adam ground his teeth. Maybe he should call the police.

  Then one curly-haired boy stepped up and a plastic bottle of water was pushed into his hand. “Here you go, man. Drink up. You look like you could really use this.”

  The kid had compassion in his eyes. Okay. No cops. They were just stupid kids. They couldn’t be more than sixteen years old. “Hey, thanks a lot. You know,” he said, rising to his height and uncapping the bottle. “Just a heads-up, but you should be more careful. I mean, coming here and boozing it up right under the nose of a retired police captain.”

  “What?” the big shot said. “No way.”

  “Yeah, he moved into that house a few weeks ago.” He pointed to the empty house. “I see his wife outside most nights watching the waves as I run by.”

  The boy craned his head in that direction. “That’s far away. I can’t see anything. Which means they can’t see us.”

  “Okay, suit yourself. But I hear the captain’s a hard-ass about underage drinking. Just a warning to you. Thanks for the water.” Adam began jogging away. A siren bellowed, the sound screaming and urgent, disrupting the quiet of the night. Adam turned and looked into the big shot’s eyes, wide now and panicked, his innocent years showing on his frightened face. The boys jumped to attention, all six of them darting fearful glances at each other.

  One of them shouted, “Run!”

  And they flew out of there, leaving their booze behind, kicking up sand and bumping into each other as they dashed down the beach. They’d run a good mile before they’d stop. The run and fright alone should sober them up.

  Adam jogged over to Mia, who came out of hiding, holding the siren in her hand. She turned it off. “Did you see them run?” he asked.

  “I sure did. Wow. This thing sounds like the real deal. Where did you get it?”

  “It’s a long story, but it’s from my lifeguarding days. Sounds authentic because basically it is.” Adam glanced down the beach, his mouth beginning to twitch. He hadn’t had that much fun in a while. “I doubt they’ll ever come back. Some might’ve learned a lesson. I can only hope.”

  He turned to find Mia smiling at him, her eyes warm and gentle. His heart began to thump, and blood pumped hard and fast through his veins.

  One smile. One gentle look.

  It shouldn’t be that easy for Mia to affect him.

  “You did this because they hurt me?”

  “Yeah,” he admitted. “They shouldn’t be drinking at their age. Disturbing the peace and—”

  Her lips touched his cheek in a kiss that was chaste and thankful. Her hair smelled of sweet berries.

  “Mia,” he said, folding her into his embrace.

  “Adam, what are you doing?”

  He whispered, “If you’re going to thank me, do it right.”

  * * *

  Mia came up for air a minute later. Her lips were gently bruised from Adam’s kisses. The taste of him still lingered on her mouth. As he held her in his arms under the moonlight, she trembled.

  It was crazy. This couldn’t happen. They had a tentative relationship at best, and throwing romance into the mix would complicate everything. Adam clearly wasn’t her biggest fan, and yet how could she forget how wonderful those first few days had been between them, when he didn’t know who she was or what she’d done?

  She hadn’t forgotten about how his touch once made her giddy. How, before the truth was revealed, she had been lost in the moment and had almost given herself to him. Good thing that hadn’t happened,

  “Now, that was a proper thank-you.” His hot breath hovered over her lips and she thought he would kiss her again. And once again, she might not stop him.

  The baby’s cries interrupted him. “Rose,” she said, reaching for the baby monitor on the sofa and glancing at it. “She’s awake, Adam. Fussing around.”

  Adam took the monitor from her hand and also looked.

  “I’ve got to go to her,” she said, walking quickly toward the doors.

  “I’m coming.”

  Adam caught up to her and entwined their fingers. They headed upstairs together and when they reached the threshold to the nursery, Mia stopped and turned to him. “Maybe you should stay out here,” she said.

  Adam’s head shook. “No, I’m coming in. She has to see me here. It’s better that I’m with you.”

  “Okay.” Rose’s cries stopped the minute she saw Mia. She picked her up and cupped her head, kissing her rosy soft cheeks. “I know, my baby girl. This is all so new for you. But I’m here now. And so is your daddy.”

  Mia turned Rose toward Adam. She took one look at him and immediately swung her head in the opposite direction.

  “Hi, Rose,” he said anyway. “Sorry you can’t sleep. Daddy can’t, either.”

  Something lurched in Mia’s heart as Adam spoke so tenderly and patiently to Rose. And hearing him call himself “Daddy” brought tears to her eyes. Her stomach ached. It seemed to do that a lot lately. Losing Rose would destroy her, she was sure, but how could she possibly not encourage the baby to know and love her father?

  Mia turned so that Rose faced Adam. “Will you let Daddy hold you while I get you a bottle?”

  Adam put out his arms to his daughter. Rose tightened her grip around Mia’s neck, squirming up her body. Mia tried to pry her off, but Rose was determined not to go to her daddy. Mia didn’t fight her. She stepped away from Adam and strode to the other side of the room. “It’s okay, baby girl. It’s okay. Adam, maybe you could warm up her bottle? I’ll rock her.”

  Adam nodded and walked out of the room.

  While he was gone, Mia changed the baby’s diaper and then plunked down on the glider and began rocking the baby. By the time Adam returned, Rose was calmer and relaxed. Quietly, he handed Mia the bottle and sat cross-legged on the floor, facing them. Rose sucked on the bottle, keeping a vigilant eye on Adam. He said nothing, merely watched as Rose’s eyes eventually closed. There were a few halfhearted attempts to suck the last inch of the formula down before Rose fell back to sleep.

  “She’s out,” Mia whispered.

  Adam nodded, the yearning in his expression touching something deep inside.

  “Do you want to put her into the crib?” she asked.

  “She’ll wake if I do that.” His voice was quietly bereft. Adam believed Rose had a sixth sense about him.

  “No, I can almost guarantee you she won’t wake up. She’s out.”

  A childlike eagerness lit in his eyes and he stood. “Yes, then. Hand her to me.”

  Mia rose from the glider and transferred the baby carefully into Adam’s arms. The baby didn’t move a muscle. Mia sighed, grateful Rose didn’t make a liar out of her.

  Holding the infant in his arms, Adam’s expression changed. The hard planes of his face softened. His gunmetal-gray eyes melted into longing, pride and love. It was beautiful to see.

  But heartbreaking, too.

  Mia stood back, away from Adam, overseeing him putting Rose down to sleep.

  Not a whimper from Rose as her body touched down on the baby mattress.

  Standing over the crib, Adam watched the baby sleep. Mia turned away, leaving the two of them alone. The bonding was happening right before her eyes. She was facilitating it to some degree. It was the right thing to do, but that didn’t stop fearful jabs from poking her inside reminding her, her days with Rose at Moonlight Beach were numbered.

  * * *

  Saturday afternoon, Mia was
just walking into the house with Rose after working a half a day at First Clips when she spotted Adam at the edge of the patio in very much the same place they’d kissed the other night. “Come on, Rose,” she cooed. “Your daddy didn’t see you this morning.” Adam had made it clear he expected to see Rose at every opportunity. Mia couldn’t balk at that. Or that Rose needed the fresh air. Most of her days were spent inside the salon.

  She plopped a sunbonnet on Rose’s head to shield her eyes from the sun. The hat matched a purple-and-white Swiss polka-dotted dress and bloomers that Adam had given her. She pictured him venturing out to shop for baby clothes and, well, she just couldn’t grasp that notion. Yet Mary had insisted Adam had done the shopping with no help from her. She had to admit Rose looked especially adorable today.

  With Rose in her arms, kicking her bootie-socked feet happily, Mia ventured outside. That beautiful kiss he’d planted on her hadn’t been discussed or repeated. She’d thought that after she’d helped Adam chase off those teens, they’d broken new ground. Not the case apparently. Adam had retreated, probably kicking himself for letting down his guard and showing some emotion.

  “Adam, we’re home.”

  He turned around, but it wasn’t Adam at all. The man had similar sharp features, a chiseled profile, strong jaw and shoulders just as broad. Stepping closer, she noted he wasn’t nearly as tall and his eyes were a deep and mesmerizing blue. There was kindness on his face and a grin that touched something delicate in her heart as he gazed at the baby. “Sorry to disappoint. I’m Brandon. Adam’s younger brother.”

  He put out his hand. “And you are?”

  “Mia.” She blinked. Adam hadn’t told his brother about her and the baby?

  They shook hands. “And who’s this pretty little thing?”

  She couldn’t help responding kindly to him. He had a beautiful baritone voice that elevated as he asked about the baby. “This is Rose.”

  “Rose? Named after a flower,” he said, his voice lowering, a veil dimming over his eyes. “Well nice to meet you two stunning ladies,” he said. His eyes shined again. “I’m waiting for Adam. Mary said he’s due back soon.”