Джанис Мейнард – The Billionaire's Borrowed Baby & Baby Business: The Billionaire's Borrowed Baby / Baby Business (страница 11)

“How so?”

“He made it very clear that he has no feelings for me anymore.”

Leo shook his head. “You don’t know anything at all about men, sweetheart. If that’s what he said, he’s kidding himself. He sounds like a man who knows his own limits and is covering his ass.”

* * *

Hattie mulled over Leo’s words, torn between embarrassment and hope.

She was on the bed playing with Deedee when the master of the house came home. It surprised her that he sought her out. They had barely spoken a dozen words in the last week.

He looked tired. Not for the first time, she pondered the unfairness of what she had asked him to do. But what choice did she have? On her own, Eddie’s family would have eaten her alive. And Luc had jumped at the opportunity to throw his weight around. So why did she feel guilty?

He sat down on the corner of the bed and grinned at Deedee. She wriggled her way across the mattress toward him in a sort of commando crawl. He scooped her up and held her toward the ceiling. “Hey, kiddo. What mischief have you been up to today?”

Deedee squealed with laughter, her round cheeks pink with exertion. Luc nuzzled her tummy and lowered her to blow raspberries against her belly button.

Hattie watched them, her heart warmed by the budding connection man and infant shared. “She really likes you.”

Luc glanced at Hattie. “The feeling is mutual.”

His obvious enjoyment of something as simple as playing with a baby brought Leo’s words rushing back. In all the time Hattie had thought about what would happen when the marriage ended, she had never considered the toll on Luc and her niece. Deedee would still be young. She wouldn’t even remember Luc after a few months. But would Luc grieve?

Damn Leo for planting doubts.

Luc let the baby loose to roam the mattress again. Hattie had surrounded the edge with pillows, so Deedee couldn’t go far. When the child latched on to one of her favorite toys, Luc finally spoke directly to Hattie. “How was your day?”

The prosaic question surprised her somehow. She leaned back on her elbows. “They delivered the nursery furniture early this morning. Deedee has already napped twice in the new bed and pronounced it quite satisfactory.”

“Good.” Long awkward silence. “Are you ready for the weekend? Do you need anything?”

She sat up. “I’m pretty much packed. Ana has been helping me.”

“And the dress?”

“I finally found what I wanted yesterday. I hope it will be appropriate.”

“I’m sure it’s fine.”

Hattie sighed inwardly. Next thing you know, they’d be discussing the weather. She grabbed Deedee’s ankle and pulled her toward the center of the bed. “Leo came by today.”

That got Luc’s attention. His eyes narrowed. “What did he want?”

“Well, apparently you neglected to mention that you were marrying me…or that I came with a baby. He wasn’t happy.”

Luc shrugged, his expression dangerous. “I don’t make decisions based on Leo’s likes and dislikes. If he doesn’t want to come to the wedding, Sherman can do the honors.”

“Don’t be so pigheaded. Leo loves you.”

“Leo believes his fourteen-month head start gives him the obligation to run my life.”

“I think you should call him.”

Luc’s face went blank, wiped clean of all emotion. “I’ll see him soon enough.”

“Fine. Be an arrogant jerk. See if I care.”

Luc stood up, gazing down at Hattie with an odd expression. “Sherman and Ana have the night off.”

“I know. Did you want me to fix you something for dinner?”

“I thought we could take the baby on a picnic.”

“It’s kind of late.”

“It won’t hurt her to stay up just this once. Will it?”

“I guess not. I’ll need to change, though.”

He eyed her snug yellow T-shirt and khaki shorts. “You’re fine. Let’s go. I’m starving.”

Luc had a garage full of expensive cars for every occasion. They took one of the more sedate sedans, a sporty Cadillac, and Luc moved the car seat. On the way, he dialed his favorite Chinese restaurant for takeout. Ten minutes later a helpful employee ran three bags out to the curb. The young man smiled hugely when Luc handed over a hundred and told the kid to keep the change.

Hattie wasn’t prepared for their destination. Atlanta had many lovely spots for al fresco dining, but Piedmont Park brought back too many memories. Had Luc chosen the location on purpose?

As Hattie freed Deedee from her seat, Luc gathered the food, a blanket from the trunk, a bottle of chilled wine and a corkscrew he’d added before they left the house. It was a perfect spring evening. The park was crowded, but after a few minutes’ walk, they found a quiet spot away from Frisbees and footballs.

Deedee had eaten earlier, so Hattie buckled her into a small, portable seat with a tray and fed her Cheerios while Luc opened containers. The smells made Hattie’s stomach growl.

She snagged an egg roll. “This looks heavenly. I’m probably going to make a pig of myself.”

Luc ran his gaze from her long legs all the way up past her waist to her modest breasts. “A few extra pounds wouldn’t do you any harm.”

The intimacy in his voice caught her off guard. What kind of game was he playing?

They ate leisurely, rarely speaking, content to watch the action all around them. Hattie remembered their college days with wistfulness. Back then, Luc would already have had his head in her lap. She’d be stroking his hair, touching his chest.

She trembled inwardly as arousal made her weak with longing. Deedee was no help. Her little head slumped to the side as she succumbed to sleep. Hattie unbuckled her and lifted her free. Luc moved the seat, and together they tucked the baby between them.

Luc reclined on his side facing Hattie. “I heard from the lawyers today. They’ve spoken to their counterparts, and it seems that Eddie’s trying to claim it was really your sister at the wheel that night. That he was confused by the impact and that was why he left the scene.”

Hattie clenched her fists. “Please tell me that won’t fly.”

He propped up one knee. “The police report is pretty clear. But that doesn’t mean the case won’t drag on. I don’t know what they’re getting paid, but my guys said the other team doesn’t seem to have trouble with Eddie committing perjury if it will get him off.”

Hattie was stunned. Since when could a man literally murder other people by driving under the influence and not end up in prison?

Luc was attuned to her distress. He stroked the sleeping infant’s back. “Try not to worry. I’m only keeping you informed. But I don’t want you to obsess about this. Our bottom line is keeping Eddie away from Deedee. Some judges side with a biological parent automatically, but if it comes to a hearing—and it may not—we’ll show proof that Eddie would be a danger to his own child.”

Hattie shivered. “I hope you’re right. Judges can be bought.”

Luc’s grin was feral. “Good thing I have deep pockets.”

Moments later he surprised the heck out of her by falling asleep. As Hattie looked at man and baby, she realized an unpalatable truth. It would be dangerously easy to fall in love with Luc Cavallo again. The few men she had dated seriously in the last decade were shadows when held up against Luc’s vibrant personality.

Hesitantly, she reached out and barely touched his hair. It was soft and thick and springy with the waviness he hated. Usually, he kept his cut conservatively short, but perhaps he’d been too busy for his customary barber visit, because she could see the beginnings of a curl at the back of his ear.

Something hot and urgent twisted in her belly. She wanted to lie down beside him, whisper in his ear, pull him on top of her and feel his powerful body mate with hers. Her hand shook as she pulled it back. She would go to him eventually. It was inevitable. And he would have the satisfaction of knowing that she had made a mistake in leaving him. He would taste her regret and know the scales had been evened.

Luc held all the power. She was helpless to stem the tide of the burgeoning desire she felt. It had only been lying dormant, waiting to be resurrected.

And no matter how much pain she would have to endure when the marriage ended, she would not be able to walk away from the temptation to once again be Luc Cavallo’s lover.

Chapter 7

The morning of May 14 dawned bright and clear. The entire household was up at first light. Ana brought Hattie breakfast in bed, toast and jam and half a grapefruit.

Hattie, who had been awake for some time, sat up, shoving the hair from her eyes. “You didn’t have to do this.”

Ana sat down on the edge of the bed. “A bride deserves special treatment on her wedding day. Sherman and Mr. Leo have taken Deedee outside for a walk in the stroller. All you need to do is relax and let the rest of us pamper you.”

Hattie took a bite of toast and had trouble swallowing. Even the freshly brewed hot tea didn’t help. Fear choked her. Panic hovered just offstage. She wiped her hands on a soft damask napkin and looked at Ana. “Am I doing the right thing?”

A few nights ago, Luc and Hattie had decided the older couple needed to know the truth. Luc had hired round-the-clock security to be in place during the honeymoon, but it wasn’t fair to leave Deedee’s caregivers out of the loop.