by Minx Malone
“Wait, where are you going? Town is the other way.”
“I’m not taking you back to town. I’m taking you to my place in Virginia Beach. Just hang tight—we’ll be there in about thirty minutes.”
“Are you crazy? First you take over my press conference. Now you’re kidnapping me?”
“You want to go back to your house right now with all those vultures watching?”
“I have to at least let Sam know where I am.”
Nick frowned. “Oh yes, you can’t make a move without letting your loyal watchdog know where you are. Will he be jealous?”
“Don’t be an ass. It isn’t like that with us. I’m his boss.”
“Hey, I’ll let you be on top if that’s the way you like it.”
“Ugh, you are such a pig.” She turned her back to him and typed out a text to Sam. He immediately replied.
- - - Where the hell are you? Tell Alexander I’m going to kick his ass.
Raina rolled her eyes. She was surrounded by machismo. Although, she figured Sam did have a point. His livelihood was keeping her safe and she paid him very well to make sure that nothing happened to her. Jumping in a car with a guy she wasn’t even sure she liked probably wasn’t the best move.
“Nick, you really have to take me back. This isn’t cool.”
“Tell your watchdog that he can meet you at my place tomorrow morning. My building has twenty-four-hour security on site. You’re going to be the headline in tomorrow’s gossip rags no matter what you do, Raina. But you can control whether it’s good press or bad press. Which would you rather be, the scorned ex-girlfriend or the happy, future bride?”
“Okay, fine. But Sam is coming to get me first thing.”
They raced over the darkened highways until they reached the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel. The radio signal shut out as soon as they entered and the car filled with the sounds of static. She reached for the knob to turn the sound down. Her fingers collided with Nick’s and she yanked her hand back. “Sorry.”
She could feel his eyes on her as they drove, but he didn’t say anything else. After about fifteen minutes they pulled off the highway. Raina sat up as they turned off the main strip. The casual vibe of the tourist area changed into a more modern look with rows of white stucco buildings. They drove up to a gate and Nick leaned out the window and handed his key tag to the man in the security booth.
“I’ve never been to this part of Virginia Beach before. I had no idea you lived here.” Raina bit her lip. She hadn’t actually meant to speak the thought aloud.
“I’ve lived here for almost two years now. I like the privacy and it has a great view. I’ll show you.”
He turned onto the next street and eased his car into one of the numbered spaces in front of his building. She got out of the car and followed him hesitantly.
The last time they’d been alone together, she’d ended up pinned beneath him on her couch. Goose bumps rose on her skin and she rubbed her arms briskly.
I am not going to sleep with him. I am not going to sleep with him.
She could spend time behind closed doors with Nick without anything happening. Especially now that she knew how dangerous he really was. She’d escaped with her heart intact last time, barely.
But if she let him back into her bed or her heart, she wasn’t so sure she’d be able to do it again.
* * * * *
THEY RODE THE elevator with another couple that Nick didn’t recognize. When the car stopped on the fourth floor, Nick motioned for her to precede him. Raina stepped out into the plushly carpeted hallway.
“This is a really nice building.”
He led her to the second door on the left. She followed him into the quiet, dark interior. He’d left the light on in the kitchen but the rest of the place was dark. He moved around the room, switching on lamps and kicking the pair of gym sneakers he’d left in the middle of the floor to the side. He wasn’t a neat freak by any means but the things that normally didn’t bother him suddenly looked really sloppy.
He finally realized that he was moving around at hyperspeed while Raina stood uncertainly in the middle of the room. Damn, he hadn’t even offered her a seat.
Being nervous was a completely alien feeling.
“Please, sit. Can I offer you a drink?” He gestured to the kitchen. “I have iced tea, some type of white wine, and beer.”
“You know, it doesn’t matter. Surprise me.”
As he moved around his kitchen pulling down glasses and pouring their drinks, he thought of the incredibly well-stocked bar he’d seen at her house on their long-ago disaster of a date. She was probably used to colorful mixed drinks and parties every weekend. Ever since he’d started the foundation’s youth project, he hadn’t had much time for partying. Or friends.
Which suddenly seemed really lonely and pathetic.
“No, I actually haven’t done this in ages.” When she spoke, he realized he’d spoken his thoughts aloud.
She sat down in one of the plush armchairs by the window. “I did more bookings than ever this year so I could take time off after the wedding. I haven’t taken the time to sit and relax with a drink in a really long time. Not since before my mom’s death.”
He sat in the chair across from her and set their drinks carefully on the glass coffee table. He leaned over and took one of her hands. Her skin was warm and smooth. “I’m sorry you lost her so young. You must miss her.”
Raina didn’t answer for a moment. When she did, her eyes were sad. “You’re going to think I’m awful, but I really don’t. It’s hard to miss what you never had. My mother never had much use for me. Ridley was her favorite. That really isn’t saying a lot, though. She never had a kind word to say to either of us, really.” She laughed, the sound harsh. “I think I miss the idea of her. Which is worse.”
“I’m really sorry, Raina. I can’t even imagine.”
“Of course you can’t. Your family is like an episode of The Cosby Show. I’m sure your mom helped you with your homework and had cookies and milk ready when you got home from school.”
She took her hand back and tucked it in her lap. Nick had to resist the urge to reach out for her again. Touching her was becoming too easy, a habit he couldn’t afford to adopt just yet. He had a feeling that if he approached her with too much emotion at once she would do what she did best. Leave him behind. If he had any chance at getting to her, he had to do it slow. Easy.
No sudden movements.
“That wouldn’t be far off the mark,” he admitted. “We were heathens growing up, I’m sure, but my parents managed to corral us somehow. I’m sure there were days they wondered what the hell they’d gotten themselves into.”
“I can’t imagine what that must have been like.” She glanced at him and then snickered. “I can’t believe there are four of you.”
She took another sip of her iced tea and sat back. Nick took it as a cue to keep talking.
“I was the second to youngest, so I had to learn to talk fast. There was always a lot of chaos in our house. I don’t really remember the years before Jackson came along. We’re only two years apart, so it feels like he’s always been a part of my life.”
“I always kind of wished we’d had more siblings. But I’m lucky I had at least Ri. If it had been just me…”
Nick leaned forward. “Is that why having a baby is so important to you?”
She immediately tensed up and set her drink down on the table. “You are relentless!”
“That’s why you should just tell me. The faster you tell me, the faster we can move on to finding a solution.”
“Not everything has a solution, Nick. This isn’t a business deal.” She pushed her hair back and rubbed her hands over her face. It killed him to see her looking so tired. So defeated.
“If you don’t tell me, then I’m just going to work with the facts I have. Let’s see…” He pretended to think. “I find a brochure for a sperm bank that does not belong to my brother and Ridley. Since you wer
e the only other person on the patio that day, it must have been yours. But that doesn’t make sense since last I knew you were engaged. What am I missing?”
Raina glared at him. “Fine. Since you apparently aren’t going to stop until I tell you everything, consider yourself warned. I hope you’re not the type to get squeamish when talking about girl stuff.”
Nick leaned over and took her hand again and held it fast when she tried to pull back. “Raina, this is not high school. Despite our past, I want to know that you’re okay. If that involves talking about feminine stuff, then so be it. So, why would you need a sperm donor when you had a fiancé?”
Raina stood and he let her. She didn’t look at him as she walked over to the window. She stood there so long that he wondered if she was reconsidering her decision to talk. She finally turned to face him.
“I have a condition called endometriosis. I won’t bore you with the details.”
“Nothing about you bores me, Raina.”
“Anyway, bottom line is that I’m a ticking time bomb. Every month that passes where I’m not pregnant means it’s less likely I’ll get to be a mother. A baby is all I want.”
“Did Steven not want children?”
“No, he said he did. We weren’t in love but we both wanted the same things. Partnership. Family. Children. Marriages built on common goals have higher success rates. It made sense to get married and start trying right away. My doctor gave me a bunch of brochures about in vitro fertilization, egg donation, and surrogacy just so that I could be informed. Turns out I’ll actually need them now.”
She turned away and he realized she was wiping away tears. The sight of her crying sent a paralyzing wave of fear through Nick.
“Oh, sweetheart. Please don’t cry.” The endearment slipped out before he could catch himself.
“Sorry. Ugh, I hate crying. As awful as it sounds, I’m less upset about Steven and more heartbroken over losing my dream.”
“What if you could still have it?”
“I don’t think Steven is going to change his mind.” Raina laughed bitterly. “Not that I’d want him to. We were supposed to have a relationship based on mutual respect and trust. If I wanted someone who’d cheat and lie I could just have a normal relationship.”
It was all he could do not to growl. “I’m not talking about Steven. And we’ll have to talk about your shitty relationship expectations later. But I’m saying what if someone else offered to help you out?”
He debated the best way to present his idea to her. He could do what he really wanted to do, which was fall to one knee and tell her he adored her. But their interactions had proven time and time again that Raina didn’t respond well to romantic gestures from him. If he told her he loved her, she’d probably just assume he was trying to get in her panties and just saying what he thought she wanted to hear.
There was only one thing he hadn’t tried. She freely admitted that she hadn’t loved her fiancé and was just marrying him because it “made sense.” Well, Nick would be damned if she considered Silvestre a better bet than him. It was going to kill him to play it cool, but if pretending their interaction was just a business deal got him what he wanted, then he wasn’t above a little deception.
“Help me out? How likely is that? It’s not like I’m asking to borrow a cup of sugar, Nick! How many men would offer to father my child?”
Nick stood and thrust his hands in his pockets, aware that his next words would change his life forever.
“You’re looking at one.”
CHAPTER FIVE
FOR A MOMENT, Raina wondered if it was possible to be dreaming while standing up. Because she was pretty sure Nick Alexander had just offered to get her pregnant.
And he wasn’t laughing.
“Are you crazy? Why would you say that? You and I don’t even get along.”
Not to mention that she’d been shutting him down for months. Why would he want to do her a favor now?
“Well, as you just pointed out, it’s not about being in love. It’s about shared goals. I’m a businessman, Raina. I can appreciate the logic of what you’ve described. A stable mother for my children and someone who has the kind of DNA that money can’t buy.”
Nick stood and joined her at the window. If it was possible, he was even more handsome with his clothes all rumpled and his tie askew. He looked like he’d just been rolling around in bed. Which made her think about what he’d just offered to do.
Focus, Raina!
“You want to do this because you like my DNA?” she asked skeptically.
“You are without a doubt one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen,” he stated. “Clearly you’re smart, your career trajectory proves that, and you seem healthy, fertility issues notwithstanding. I want children and I want them to have the best mother possible. Why shouldn’t it be you?”
He said it so matter-of-factly, as if he picked out the mother of his children every day.
“Nick, are you serious? Please don’t toy with me about something like this.”
At that, his face softened. “With all that you know about me, have I ever been cruel? A little too persistent, perhaps, but never mean.” He looked tense despite his relaxed pose, the lines around his eyes and mouth more prominent.
“No, you haven’t. That label probably applies more to me than you.”
“Well, I’m guessing you had your reasons.” Nick regarded her from beneath lowered lashes. “I bet you never expected this. Contemplating carrying the child of a man you hate.”
She squirmed. Was there any tactful way to respond? Even though he drove her crazy and she didn’t really want to get emotionally attached to him, it didn’t mean she wanted to hurt him. She was just trying to keep her own emotions in check so she wouldn’t grow to depend on him.
“I don’t hate you, Nick. I could never hate you.”
“Well, then, what is it? Tell me what it is that’s keeping you from saying yes.”
“I’m trying to understand why you want to do this.”
“Raina, men are wired differently than women. I think we only have three levers. Food, money, and sex. Most men don’t have a biological clock. We have children when we feel it’s time to settle down. This is a little earlier than I’d planned, but if I wait I might not find anyone as well-suited to me as you are. Especially sexually.”
“That makes sense but, Nick, let’s be real. You’re used to having a lot of women. Getting pregnant can be a lengthy process. It’s going to screw up your game if you’re spending so much time with me.”
He curled his hand around her neck, tangling his fingers in her long curls. His thumb stroked her bottom lip. “You’ve already screwed up my game because I can’t get the night we spent together out of my mind. I can’t sleep without reliving it. I can’t focus on anything without screwing it up. I can’t breathe because all I want is the one thing I can’t have.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to father my child.”
“It does if I don’t want you with anyone else.” His fingers tightened against her skin. The little bite of pain was unbelievably arousing.
“You’re jealous,” she breathed.
“Hell yes, I’m jealous. Just the thought of you with someone else…”
It was startling to realize he wanted her so much that he was willing to go this far to keep her from turning to another man. Part of her was alarmed. This level of intensity was exactly the kind of thing she avoided. Emotions ran too high when jealousy was involved. But she was honest enough to admit that what he was offering was too good to turn down.
“Well, I guess we could have a lawyer draw up one of those contracts. So you’ll know I’m not after your money and visitation is clearly spelled out.”
"We won’t need that.” Nick’s hand trailed down her back, drawing slow circles on the small of her back.
She bit her lip to hold in a moan. His hand felt so good it should be illegal. “Aren’t you worried about me trying to keep the baby from
you later?”
He looked her deeply in the eyes. “No, I’m not. I don’t think you’d want to keep a loving father away.”
Raina looked away. “Well, what about finances? You’re a little older, so I’m sure you’ve accumulated more wealth than I have.”
He shrugged. “Money is my business, so yeah. Probably.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll try to get my hands on your money?”
“Nope. I’m actually expecting that you will.” He smirked and tapped her on the end of the nose. “Which means I’ll just have to work harder and earn more.”
Raina gaped at him. “You’re being awfully cavalier about this. You really don’t care if I take the baby anywhere and spend all your money?”
“That’s what wives do, isn’t it? At least according to most of my married friends.”
“Married?” Her mouth fell open.
“Oh, hell. I’m making a mess of this, aren’t I? Raina, I’m not just giving you my DNA and then walking away. I have conditions. If you want my baby, then this isn’t going to be a turkey-baster job. You’ll get it the good old-fashioned way. And I promise you, we’ll both enjoy it.” He leaned down until their eyes met. She shivered when he held her gaze. “But you also have to give me something I want just as much.”
He leaned down even farther until their lips were just a breath apart and then said, “You.”
* * * * *
NICK KNEW HE was walking a fine line. Raina looked like she was shell-shocked, her brown eyes slightly unfocused as she swayed against him. It probably wasn’t fair to expect her to make a decision about something this monumental right away, but a huge part of him wanted to pressure her for an immediate response.
The caveman in him wanted to get her answer, marry her, and get her pregnant before she had a chance to reconsider.
“So you’re blackmailing me?” Raina said. She didn’t sound angry as much as confused. As if she couldn’t understand why he’d want to do it.