The Billionaire's Borrowed Baby

by Janice Maynard

  She slid her arms around his neck.

  He shuddered, struggling to keep a rein on his passion. Sexual attraction. That’s all it was. Natural male urgency after a stretch of celibacy.

  At first, their lips barely met, hardly touched. Some innate caution they both recognized pretended to slow the dance. But the cataclysm was building and nothing could hold it back.

  When her small tongue hesitantly traced his bottom lip, he growled and lifted her off her feet. Their mouths dueled, fumbled, smashed together again in reckless, breathless pleasure.

  He had never forgotten her taste…sweet, but with a tart bite like an October apple. The month they first met. The time he’d fallen hard.

  And speaking of hard. He rubbed his shaft against her soft belly, making her whimper. That sound of feminine longing went straight to his gut, destroying all semblance of sanity.

  Again and again he kissed her…throat, cheeks, eyelids, and back to her soft, puffy-lipped mouth. He dropped to his knees and tongued her navel, wetting the fabric and gripping her hips so tightly he feared bruising her.

  Her hands fisted in his hair. But she was holding him close, not pushing him away.

  The tsunami crashed over him, an unimagined, unexpected wave of yearning so endless, his eyes stung.

  But the aftermath was devastation.

  He stumbled to his feet when Hattie tore herself from his embrace, her hair wild, her eyes dark and wide.

  She held out a hand when he would have taken her in his arms again. “You’ve got to give me time,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “It’s not just me anymore. I have the baby to think about. I can’t afford to make another mistake.”

  “A mistake.” He repeated it dumbly, his control in shreds. His soul froze with a whoosh of unbearable coldness. He shrugged, the studied nonchalance taking every ounce of acting skill he possessed. “You’ll have to forgive me. I got carried away by the ambience. But you’re right. We’re both adults. We should be using our heads, not succumbing to moonlight madness. Let’s chalk this up to a long day and leave it at that.”

  Her arms wrapped around her waist. For a moment he could swear she was going to say something of import.

  But she didn’t. And for the second time that day, she left him.

  If Hattie slept at all, it was only in bits and snatches. Her eyes were gritty when the alarm went off at eight-thirty. And the fact that she had set an alarm for the first morning of her honeymoon made her want to laugh hysterically. She bit down on the macabre humor, afraid that if she let loose of the tight hold she had on her emotions that she would dissolve into a total mess.

  She was dressed, packed and sitting on the bed by nine-fifteen. There was plenty of food in the kitchen, but the prospect of eating made her nauseous. Her stomach was tightly knotted, her mouth dry with despair.

  When Luc knocked on her door just before ten, she opened it with pseudo calm. “Good morning.”

  He didn’t return her greeting, but merely held out a cup of coffee. It was black and lightly sweet, just the way she liked it. Luc’s expression was shuttered, dark smudges beneath his eyes emphasizing his lack of sleep.

  As he picked up two of her bags, he spoke quietly. “I can hear the chopper. The pilot and I will load the luggage. Why don’t you wait on the porch until we’re ready?”

  It was all accomplished in minutes. The man flying the helicopter was polite and deferential as he handed Hattie up into the large doorway. Luc followed. They buckled in, the rotors roared to life and moments later they were airborne.

  Hattie gazed down at the island and had to blink back tears. It had been a fairy-tale wedding. Too bad she knew that fairy tales were nothing more than pleasant fiction.

  The noise in the chopper made conversation impossible. Which was fine by Hattie. She kept her nose glued to the glass and watched the shoreline recede as they cruised across central Georgia. Ignoring Luc at the moment equaled self-preservation.

  Landing at Atlanta’s enormous airport was frantic. Chaos reigned in controlled waves. Luc gave her a sardonic look as they made their way into the terminal followed by their luggage. “We’re flying commercial today,” he said, scanning the departure board for their gate. “I know your Puritan soul would have balked if I had chartered a jet for just the two of us.”

  The security lines were long and slow. But finally, they were able to board. Hattie had never flown first-class. The width of the seat was generous, but still dangerously close to Luc’s. She closed her eyes and pretended to sleep as the jet gathered speed and took off.

  Pretense became reality. She woke up only when they touched down in Miami. Luc must have slept, as well, because his usual sartorial perfection was definitely rumpled.

  Their connecting flight to Key West was a small plane with only two seats on either side of a narrow aisle. Now she and Luc were wedged hip to hip. After her long nap, it was hard to fake sleep again. So she pretended an intense interest in watching the commotion outside her window.

  When they were airborne for the short flight, Luc pulled out a business magazine and buried his head in it.

  Hattie and her new groom had barely spoken the entire day.

  She was travel-weary, depressed and missing Deedee.

  The Key West airport was as tiny as Atlanta’s was huge. Nothing more than a handful of plastic chairs and a few car rental counters. Luc had taken care of every detail. Their leased vehicle, a bright, cherry-red convertible, was waiting for them.

  The first humorous moment of the day arrived when they struggled to fit their luggage into the car’s small trunk. A disgruntled Luc finally conceded defeat and went inside to swap the car for a roomier sedan.

  While he was gone, Hattie made a decision. They couldn’t ignore each other forever. Last night was a bad mistake. He knew it, and she knew it. So it was best to start over and go from here.

  She managed a smile when he returned with the new set of keys. “Sorry that didn’t work out. I liked the convertible.”

  He thrust the last bag into the backseat and motioned for her to get in. “I’d buy you one, but it’s not a great car for a mom.”

  His casual generosity was one thing, but hearing herself called a “mom” shocked her. It was true. She was a mother. The knowledge still had a hard time sinking into her befuddled brain.

  Luc had apparently been here before or had at least memorized the route, because he drove with confidence, not bothering to consult the navigation system. When they pulled up in front of a charming two-story structure that looked like a sea captain’s home from the nineteenth century, Hattie was surprised and delighted. This was so much better than an impersonal hotel.

  The wooden building was painted mint-green with white trim. Neatly trimmed bougainvillea, and other flowers Hattie couldn’t name, bloomed in profusion, emphasizing the tropical ambience.

  Luc and Hattie had barely stepped from the car when a distinguished gentleman, perhaps in his early sixties, came out to meet them. He extended a hand to each of them. “Welcome to Flamingo’s Rest. I’m the innkeeper, Marcel. We have the honeymoon suite all ready for you.”

  Marcel opened the weathered oak door and ushered them inside.

  He grinned at Hattie, clearly happy to be welcoming guests. “You’ve come at a beautiful time of year.”

  Marcel led them up carpeted stairs and flung open the door to an apartment that took up half of the second floor. Before Hattie could do more than glance inside, their host smiled broadly. “Key West is the perfect spot for a romantic getaway. Let me know if you need anything at all.”

  Ten

  In the wake of the innkeeper’s departure, Hattie watched as Luc prowled the elegant quarters. The bedroom boasted an enormous four-poster king-size bed. Just looking at it through the doorway made Hattie tremble.

  At the moment, she was ensconced in less volatile territory. The living area was furnished luxuriously, including a sofa and several chairs, a flat-screen TV, a wet bar and plush carpet under
foot.

  Hattie curled up in one of the leather chairs. “This is very nice,” she said, her words carefully neutral.

  A brief knock at the door heralded the arrival of their luggage. Marcel and a younger employee stowed everything in the generous closets, accepted Luc’s tip with pleased smiles and exited quietly.

  In the subsequent silence, awkwardness grew.

  Hattie waved a hand, doing her best to seem unconcerned. “I’ll sleep out here. The couch is big and comfortable. I’ll be fine.” She tried changing the subject. “I’m going to call Ana now and see if I can talk to Deedee.” She stopped and grinned wryly. “Well, you know what I mean. Do you want to say anything?”

  Luc grabbed a beer from the fridge, his movements jerky. “Not right now. I have some business calls I need to make. I’ll be in the bedroom if you need me.”

  Hattie choked on a sound that wasn’t quite a giggle. She couldn’t help it. After last night, his careless comment struck her as darkly funny.

  Luc grimaced, his gaze flinty. “Give Ana and Sherman my regards.”

  Hattie sighed as he disappeared. Luc was definitely disgruntled. She didn’t really blame him. Men didn’t do well with sexual frustration, and Hattie herself was feeling out of sorts. What would it take to coax him back into a less confrontational mood?

  Deedee chortled and babbled when Ana held the phone to the baby’s ear. But Hattie couldn’t really tell if Deedee recognized her voice. When the call ended, she had to wipe her eyes, but she knew that this separation wouldn’t harm her niece. It was Hattie who was having a hard time.

  The sitting room actually had its own bathroom, so Hattie decided to freshen up. Fortunately, she had kept her personal bag with her, so she didn’t have to invade the bedroom. Knowing how airlines could lose luggage, she’d packed a pair of khaki walking shorts and a teal blouse in her carry-on. She changed out of her dress into the more casual clothes, breathing a sigh of relief.

  Being Luc Cavallo’s wife was going to take some adjustment. Hattie was accustomed to traveling in jeans and sneakers, not haute couture.

  Her shoes were in one of the big suitcases, so she padded barefoot to the window and looked out into the courtyard. Two small pools, one behind the other, glowed like jewels in the late afternoon sun. It struck her as she glanced at her watch that she had been married an entire day already.

  It was a full hour before Luc reappeared. He, too, had changed, but only into a fresh dress shirt. He had his briefcase in hand and a jacket slung over his shoulder.

  Hattie’s eyes widened. “What’s going on?”

  “I have to leave.” He didn’t quite manage to meet her gaze as he fiddled with his watch strap. “There’s a crisis in the Miami office, and I’m the closest man on the ground. Our VP there is supposed to be signing a hot new Latin designer, and apparently things aren’t going well.”

  “You’re going to Miami?” She was stunned.

  He shrugged into his jacket. “I’ll talk to Marcel on the way out. Everyone understands business emergencies. He’ll look out for you while I’m gone. Shouldn’t be more than twenty-four hours at the most, not enough time for anyone to question our marriage. You’ll enjoy the shopping here. And order dinner in if you don’t feel like getting out tonight.”

  “You’re leaving me on our honeymoon?” The reality was sinking in. She couldn’t decide if she was more angry or hurt.

  Luc strode to the door, opened it and looked back, his eyes empty of any emotion. “My life didn’t suddenly stop when you came back, Hattie. I’ve done everything you asked. Deedee is safe. We both know this marriage is temporary. You’ll have to make some allowances. I sure the hell am.”

  She curled up on the massive bed and cried for an hour. Insulting, that’s what it was. So what if this wasn’t a real marriage? Didn’t she deserve at least a pretend honeymoon?

  And did Luc care so little for her feelings that he could simply desert her after last night?

  Her eyes were red and puffy, but she was calm when her cell phone rang at nine o’clock. She didn’t recognize the number, though she knew it was an Atlanta area code.

  Leo’s deep voice echoed on the other end. “I need to talk to my brother. He’s not answering his damn phone.”

  Hattie tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and scooted up on the down pillows. “He’s not here, Leo.”

  “What do you mean he’s not there?”

  “He left. He’s gone. Kaput. Some commotion in the Miami office about a new designer and an important contract.”

  “What the hell?”

  Hattie winced. “I don’t know what to say, Leo. He’s not here.”

  Muffled profanity on the other end of the line was followed by Leo’s long, audible sigh. “I’m sorry, Hattie. I should have gone to Miami. But I’ve been tied up with another deal.”

  “It’s not your fault. I’m pretty sure this is his way of showing me he’s the boss. Or maybe he’s dishing out a bit of payback. He still harbors a lot of anger toward me. And I can’t really blame him.”

  “I’m sure the Miami crisis is real.”

  “It probably is,” she said, her voice dull. “But how many brides do you know who would put up with this? Me? I don’t have a choice. He holds all the cards. Good night, Leo.”

  Luc stood on his balcony, staring out at the ocean and cursing his own stubbornness. He’d handled the business crisis in record time and had been ready to speed back to his lovely wife. But at the last moment he decided to stay gone overnight. It was important that Hattie understand he wouldn’t be swayed by his lust.

  They were going to have sex…and soon. But he wasn’t a slave to his libido. And he wasn’t going to fall at her knees and beg.

  The irony didn’t escape him. He’d been on his knees on his wedding night. But Hattie’s indecision had saved him from making a fool of himself. He was back in the driver’s seat.

  He wondered what Hattie was doing right now. Was she at a restaurant, where available men were hitting on her? He slammed his fist on the railing and welcomed the pain. Maybe it would clear his head.

  In business, he knew that the key to success was always, always keeping the upper hand. Last night had been a bad mistake. He’d allowed Hattie to see how much he still wanted her. And that knowledge was power.

  She was supposed to beg him for sex, not the other way around. He wasn’t in love with her. This gnawing ache in his gut was simple male lust. His last relationship had ended several months ago, and since then work had been all-consuming.

  When Hattie showed up on his doorstep, it made sense that he would respond to her strongly, given their past and his recent stretch of celibacy. And it made sense for them to enjoy each other physically as long as they were legally man and wife. But when Deedee’s situation was secure, Luc would make it clear that it was time for the two females to go.

  Hattie fell into an exhausted slumber somewhere around two in the morning. So she was peeved when Marcel knocked at her suite before nine. But when she opened the door, the man standing there was not Marcel. It was Leo Cavallo. Her brand-new brother-in-law.

  She ran a hand through her hair, ruefully aware that she looked a mess. “What are you doing here?”

  He seemed unusually somber. “May I come in?”

  Her knees went weak. “Oh, God. Is it Luc?” She grabbed his shirt. “Tell me. Is he okay?” Little yellow dots danced in front of her eyes and the world went black.

  When she came to, she was lying flat on her back on the sofa with Leo hovering nearby. He patted her hand. “I’m sorry I scared you. Luc is fine.” His gaze was accusatory. “You still love him.”

  She sat up carefully. “Of course I don’t.”

  “Are you pregnant? Is that why you fainted?”

  “Leo. For God’s sake. I didn’t eat dinner and I haven’t had breakfast. I got woozy. End of story.”

  She stood up carefully and went to the minibar for a Coke. She needed caffeine badly, and she wasn’t prepared t
o wait for coffee to brew. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.” She shot him a bewildered look.

  He shrugged, dwarfing the armchair in which he sat. “When you told me Luc had gone to Miami, it got me to thinking. At the wedding, only a blind man could have missed the fact that Luc still has strong feelings for you…and vice versa. I wasn’t the only one who noticed.”

  “Your imagination is impressive.”

  “Deny it if you want. But regardless, it’s a crappy thing to do to you…abandoning you on your honeymoon.”

  “And you’ve come to tell him that?”

  “No. I’m here to get him to sign some papers. They’re important, but I wouldn’t have bothered him on his honeymoon except for the fact that he apparently doesn’t see anything wrong with mixing business with pleasure.” He held up his hands. “I’ll hang out with you until he gets back.”

  She shook her head, smiling. “I thought I was the villainess of the piece.”

  “I’ve been known to be wrong on occasion.” He shrugged, his boyish grin equally as appealing as her husband’s. But Leo’s smile didn’t stir her heartbeat in the least.

  “That’s sweet of you, but not necessary. I can entertain myself.”

  “Quit arguing. Go put your swimsuit on. I’ll do a quick change myself and get Marcel to roust us up some brunch.”

  Leo was as good as his word. When Hattie made her way down to the pool in silver slides and an emerald-green maillot, her brother-in-law was already stretched out on a chaise lounge, apparently content to while away a few hours.

  As she sat down beside him, she heard a quiet snore. He must have taken the red-eye. Poor guy. She’d let him sleep.

  When the sun warmed her through and through, she slipped into the pool with a sigh of pleasure. Being rich definitely had its advantages. She did some laps and then floated lazily, feeling the hot rays beating down on her.

  It was nice of Leo to keep her company, but Hattie wanted her husband…stripped down to nothing but his swim trunks so she could ogle his body to her heart’s content.