“What are you thinking about?”
“Us.” She didn’t look at him. “Do you really believe we can make this work?”
“If that’s what we both want.” He didn’t sound certain. “Ally, I don’t know what you want, so I can’t be sure this is going to work out. Last night it was obvious you wanted me, but do you want more than that?”
Feeling more certain of herself than she had been before she looked at him. “I want you. I want to see if we can make this work.” She ran her tongue over her bottom lip, telling herself she wasn’t making a huge mistake. “I love you, Brett.”
“You do?”
“I do, and that’s what I was scared of. Last time I fell in love it almost destroyed me. I can’t go through that again.”
“This won’t.” He sat down opposite her, their eyes meeting. “I love you, Ally, and I want to make this work. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I want to have children with you.” He smiled. “I was dreaming last night of a little girl with skin that was a mix of ours and your beautiful eyes.”
“What did our son look like?”
“He was more like me than he was you, which wasn’t a bad thing. Much paler than I thought possible.” Brett shook his head. “I don’t know why I was dreaming of that, exactly, but it’s been a recurring dream for the last couple of months.”
***
“Congratulations, Mrs Chambers. You have healthy twins, a boy and a girl.”
The midwife passed them to Aliyah, and she looked down at her children. The boy was paler than his sister, which made her smile, and when the opened their eyes she saw they’d both inherited hers. She glanced up at Brett. “It seems like your dream was right, Mr. Chambers.”
“It does.” He smiled. “They’re gorgeous.”
“Do you want to take one of them?”
Nodding, he took their little girl. “What are we going to call them?”
“I don’t know.” She looked down at her son again, trying to see what name fitted him, but she was tired and all she really wanted to do was sleep. “For now they can be baby one and baby two.”
“Take your time with the names.” The midwife’s voice was soothing. “You don’t need to rush. Give it a couple of days and see what works for them. You want to give them the right names.”
“You’re right.” Brett sounded as relieved as Aliyah felt. “We can name them tomorrow.”
“For now they could do with feeding and sleeping. With twins you’re likely to find they’re both hungry at the same time, and it will make things easier if you can work together. Pumping breast milk, if you’re planning on breast feeding, means Daddy can take one while Mummy takes the other. In time you’ll get the hang of what works for you, and remember not to push it. Everything can take as long as it needs to.”
“Okay.” Aliyah put their son to her breast and he seemed to take hold straight away, which wasn’t what she was expecting. “Is that normal?”
“They know what they need to do, Mrs Chambers. Babies are smart in their own way. Sometimes you do get lucky, the way you seem to have done, and they act the way they should, but don’t expect that from both of them. Often things aren’t that easy.”
“I appreciate you reminding me of that.” Aliyah looked at her husband. “When we found out I was pregnant with twins I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but this is what we both wanted.”
“Being parents together makes it a hundred times easier. If you need me I’ll be in the next room.”
With the midwife gone they both relaxed a little more. Brett kissed the top of Aliyah’s head. “They’re perfect, love. I never knew how beautiful babies could be.”
“It’s because of you.”
“Don’t be silly. It’s obviously because of you. You’re the one with the looks.”
Aliyah laughed. “I love you, Brett.”
“Love you too, Ally.” He sat down next to her, so she could see her daughter. “I think you will have to share that with this gorgeous little being though.” She was sucking on his finger. “I… thank you.”
“There’s nothing to thank me for.” Aliyah smiled at Brett. “Now we just need to decide what we’re going to call them.”
This was a wonderful time for both Aliyah and Brett, and they decided to wait 6 months being with their new little twins, before making it official. and happily getting married.
The Alpha Billionaire Cowboy’s Baby
By Joanna Jacobs
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“Oh, come on.” Jennifer held out a glass of champagne. “Just have a sip, to celebrate what I’ve done, and then you don’t have to touch it again.”
Tiana stared at the glass, then at Jennifer, before taking it, shaking her head as she did so. “One sip.”
Nodding, Jennifer held out her own glass. “Here’s to the beginning of a wonderful new career.”
Smiling, Tiana tapped Jennifer’s glass with hers. “Congratulations, Jen. You deserve this after all the hard work you’ve done.”
“Honestly, Tia, the hard work is just beginning.” They both sipped the champagne, and Tiana found herself not wanting to put it down. It was unexpected. The last time she’d tried champagne she hadn’t liked it, but the glass she held was obviously full of good champagne, and that changed everything. “After the launch I’m going to be spending the next month travelling the country for book signings, while working on the next book in the series.” Jennifer brushed a hand through her hair. “I knew what I was getting into when I sent the book off, but now it’s real.”
“Yeah, it is, and this is what you always wanted.” Tiana sipped the champagne again, enjoying the different flavours she could taste within it. “Make the most of every moment.”
“I’m going to. I have no idea how long this is going to last.”
“Call me if you need anything.”
“From the very beginning you were there for me.” Jennifer kissed Tiana’s cheek. “Only you would have been willing to read those terrible first drafts I started with.”
***
Sun shining through the window woke Tiana up. Her head throbbed, and she thought back to the night before. One glass of champagne had become several. Jennifer had left early, due to a flight she’d probably already be on, but Tiana had stayed, as she made some new friends. Those new friends… she moved her head, just enough to be able to look around the room, and as she did her head touched someone else’s. Okay. She stilled, trying to work out who she’d be sharing a bed with. It took her a few seconds to remember Dylan. Gorgeous Dylan. For far longer than she should have been she’d been sitting on his lap and running her hands through his chestnut hair. It was when she’d gone to leave he’d kissed her, and she’d kissed him back. The feel of his lips against her was obviously part of the reason she’d lost all her inhibitions. Letting him lead her up to the room he’d booked… breathing deeply she rolled, hoping she wasn’t going to wake him.
Dylan was studying her. “Hi.”
“Hi.” Her mouth felt like it was full of carpet. “I think I should probably leave.”
“You don’t have to. We could have breakfast together, and talk.” His eyes were the same deep brown they had been the night before. She didn’t know why she thought that would have changed, but then she’d never been hungover before. “I think you’re probably feeling the same way I am right now, so having something to eat, a coffee, and a headache tablet is going to be the best thing you could do.”
Tiana shook her head. “The best thing I could do is go home. I need to pretend last night didn’t happen.”
“Why? We both wanted what happened, and I don’t want it to be a one night stand, Tia. I like you.”
“Dylan, you don’t know me, and I don’t know y
ou. Sleeping together was a mistake. I’m sorry.” She moved, but a hand on her arm stopped her. “Please…”
“Maybe I don’t know you, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want to get to know you. You were fascinating last night. I really enjoyed talking to you about being a part of the process of writing Jennifer’s book.”
“I need some time.” She ran her tongue around her mouth, trying to get rid of some of the carpet feeling, but it didn’t seem to help. “This isn’t me. I never would have done something like this before, and I shouldn’t have done it last night.”
“Sometimes things happen because they’re meant to be.” He smiled. “I can give you the time you need, but promise me you’ll be in contact. I really want a chance to get to know you.”
Making that promise was going to be a mistake. Tiana knew it, and yet that didn’t stop her. “I promise you I’ll contact you in the future, even if it is with bad news.”
***
Calling Jennifer wasn’t something Tiana wanted to do, but she knew she had to. She had to admit that it really had happened. Her hand drifted down to her stomach, and she touched it, unable to believe there really was a baby growing in there. Biting hard on her lip she dialled Jennifer’s number. “Hey, Tia.”
“Jen…” Tiana’s voice died before she could get anything more out. “I need to talk to you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I…” She shook her head. “Just over a month ago I slept with someone. When I missed my period right after I didn’t think much about it. It could easily have been stress. Then I missed this one, and I knew what it meant. This morning, before I went to the doctor’s, I was sick.”
“You’re pregnant?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Who’s the father?”
“That’s an interesting question. When you left I found myself talking to Dylan Knight. I didn’t know who he was at the time.” It wasn’t until Tiana searched his name she realised who he actually was, and that had been a shock. “Now I do… I don’t know if I should tell him. Surely this would all be much easier if I made the decision alone and just forgot the night we spent together even happened.”
“Do you think that’s the right thing to do?”
“Honestly, Jen, I have no idea. I don’t want to be pregnant. I don’t want to be having a baby. The universe, for some reason, has decided now is the time, and I don’t know what to do.”
***
“This is a bad idea.”
“Doing it face to face is much better than doing it on the phone.” Jennifer squeezed Tiana’s hand. “I’m right here. He’s not going to do or say anything stupid with me by your side.”
Before Tiana could say anything more Dylan walked into the coffee shop, and it seemed like everyone there turned to look at him. Why would a billionaire like him be in a coffee shop in the middle of nowhere? As he walked towards the two of them the eyes switched to Tiana and Jennifer. Fortunately Jennifer was a well known local celebrity author, so it made sense Dylan might be meeting her, so all the eyes went back to what they were doing before.
“Jennifer.” Dylan gave her a respectful nod. “Tia.”
Nibbling on her lip Tiana tried to smile, but it didn’t work. “Thank you for coming.”
“You knew I would.”
“I guess I did.” Their eyes met as he sat. “I need to talk to you about something, and Jen convinced me it was best to have the conversation face to face. I don’t know why I let her, because this is so much harder than I thought it was going to be, but you do need to know.” She realised she was babbling. It was an attempt to put off saying the words she knew she needed to say. “When we spent the night together I had no idea who you were.”
“That much was obvious.” He smiled. “Very few people are that comfortable around me if they know who I am. It was nice.”
“I…” Tiana looked down at the table and then back at Dylan. “I’m sorry. I never meant for any of this to happen, but I’m pregnant.”
A long silence followed. It was something she’d expected, but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with. Finally Dylan nodded. “What do you want to do?”
“When I called you it was because I didn’t want to make the decision alone. I don’t think that’s fair. The baby I’m carrying is just as much yours as it is mine, and I would like your input on this.”
He was going to tell her the best thing she could do was get an abortion. There was no chance he’d want her to keep it. “Not many women would have made the same decision.”
“Maybe not, but it’s the decision I made.”
“What do you want my answer to be?”
“Dylan, I want you to tell me what you want without my input. I want you to be honest with me. I know I don’t have to do what you’re asking me to do, but I want to know what you’re thinking.”
Nodding, he brushed a hand through his hair. “I want you to keep it.” He shrugged. “I told you before I wanted a chance to get to know you, and this doesn’t change that. It’s just changes the reason slightly.”
***
“That didn’t go the way I expected it to.” Jennifer looked at Tiana. “What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea.” Tiana made a face. “I thought he was going to say he wanted me to get an abortion, but now… I can’t do this.” She stood and walked from one side of the room to the other. “Why did he tell me he wanted me to keep it? This would be a hundred times simpler if he’d said what we both thought he would. Why didn’t he?”
“Apparently he wants the two of you to have a relationship.”
“Why?”
“You’re going to have to ask him that.”
“The morning after he told me he thought I was fascinating, but I don’t understand why he’d think that.” She thought back to the party, trying to remember the conversation she might have been having with him, only to find what limited memories she had were blurry and of little use. “I’ve never read anything about him going from one woman to the other. He seems, from what I read, to be a serial monogamist, so at least that’s something in his favour.” Sighing, she sat back down, brushing a hand through her hair. “Maybe it could work out between the two of us.”
“Anything is possible, but I don’t think you can make a decision until you get to know Dylan a little better. He did offer to take you out on a date.”
“Going on a date with him means being seen in public with him, and I don’t think I want that. Today was hard enough. I don’t want anyone to know about this until I’ve decided what I’m going to do.” Tiana stared at the wall in front of her. “I just don’t know what I am going to do. How can I spend time with him knowing he wants me to keep this baby?”
“For the moment all you can do is let go of that. Move on. Give yourself a chance to get to know the person he is, because I don’t think he’s a bad guy, and then go from there. I know you do have to think about the baby, but the priority is working out what your next step is going to be. You’ve told Dylan, and that changes things… so I’m sorry I suggested it.”
“Don’t be. In the end I would have realised telling him was for the best, and it was. I just don’t know how to deal with the fact someone like him wants to have a relationship with me. Of course that could well be because he barely knows me and when he actually finds out more he won’t be interested in spending any time with me at all. Anything is possible.”
“Invite him here. Cook for him. Show him who you are, and then go from there. That really is the only option you have if you’re going to make a decision.”
***
Most of the food was already in the oven. Lasagna was always the best choice in difficult situation, because it was a lot of preparation but once it was all done there was very little more Tiana had to do. She thought about Dylan, about what they were going to end up talking about, and told herself inviting him to her place was the best thing for her to do. Ever since she’d done it she’d been telling herself, but telling
herself that really didn’t seem to help. Sighing, she sipped the juice she’d bought, wondering if she’d made the right choice. At least she wasn’t drinking. She couldn’t stop herself from glancing down at her stomach. There was a baby growing in there. When the doorbell rang Tiana made her way over to the door. She took a few seconds to calm herself before she opened it.
“Hi.” Dylan, fortunately, hadn’t dressed up, but seeing him in normal clothes made him all the more tempting. Pushing aside the urge to do something stupid Tiana smiled at him. “How are you doing?”
“Fine.” There was no chance of her telling him about the morning sickness, or the fact she hadn’t been eating well due to the nausea that kept getting the better of her, because there was no reason for her to. “Thank you for coming.”
“It was the best idea.” He stepped into her apartment, and looked around. “How do you afford this place?”
“My roommates help.” She shrugged. “They’ve agreed to give us the evening, as long as they get something nice from me in the next couple of days. Fortunately they’re easy enough to work with.”
“Something nice?”
“I bake, a lot. It’s how I deal with difficult situations, and they’ve very much enjoyed the fact I’m pregnant, although they don’t know that. The only people who know are you and Jennifer.”
“What about your parents?”
Of course that question was going to come up. Tiana was as ready for it as she could be. “They aren’t a part of my life, Dylan.” She sighed. “I was fourteen when they went to prison, and I made the decision I didn’t want them to be a part of my life any longer. What they did… it’s not something I can forgive them for.”
“Are you willing to talk about what they were imprisoned for?”
The Alpha Billionaire's Unexpected Baby: A Billionaire BWWM Pregnancy Romance Page 10