The CEO's Unexpected Child(3)

Did he? He was from a big Italian family. With five brothers and  sisters he had more nieces and nephews than he could count on two hands.  The newest, little Nico, was only a few weeks old. "I do."

"And how would you feel if one of your sisters was in my position? If  her husband died and she was blindsided by the news that he wasn't the  father of her child? Then to be forced to hand over your niece to a  stranger because of circumstances outside her control?"

That made Luca frown. He ran the family enterprise with his brothers by  his side. His whole life revolved around Moretti Enterprises.  Family-blood-was everything to him. That's why Eva was so important.  Regardless of circumstances, she was family. The idea of letting Nico go  off with someone they didn't know was unnerving, even if that man had  the right. Perhaps he needed to change his tactics with Claire. Bullying  would not change her mind any more than it would change his sister's  mind.

"I understand how hard this must be for you. Despite what you might  think, Mrs. Douglas, I'm not keen to snatch your baby from your arms.  But I do want to get to know my daughter and be a part of her life. I'm  not backing down on that. I think you will be more comfortable with the  entire situation if you get to know me better. A lot of your concerns  about me and how well I'll care for Eva will be gone if we spend some  time together. By that I mean time with all of us together, so you can  be there for every moment and be more at ease with my ability to be a  good father."

Claire's frown started to fade the more he spoke. "Do you mean like  playdates? I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it's going to take  a long time for me to be comfortable if we're just spending an hour or  two together every Saturday afternoon. How much can I learn about you  during the occasional walk through the park?"

Luca shook his head. "Actually, no, that's not what I mean. You're right. It's going to take more time than that."

"What are you suggesting, Mr. Moretti?" her lawyer asked.

"I'm suggesting we both take a little time away from our jobs and spend it together."

"Tiptoeing around your penthouse apartment?" Claire asked.

He shrugged. He hadn't given much thought to where or how. "Why not?"

"I would prefer more neutral territory, Mr. Moretti. I won't be  comfortable in your home, and I doubt you'll enjoy the mess a baby and  all her things can make in your fancy apartment. You're not going to be  happy coming to Brooklyn, either."

"Okay. What do you think about us taking a vacation together? Renting a beach house or something?"

"Luca, I'm not sure that's such a good-"

"I'm listening," she said, interrupting Edmund's complaint. Claire's  delicate brows then drew together in confusion. "It sounds nice, but how  long of a vacation are we talking about, here?"

If they were going to do this, and make it work, they couldn't skimp.  She was right; a few hours here and there wouldn't get them anywhere. He  needed to get to know the mother of his child, to bond with his  daughter and to make Claire at ease with him and his ability to care for  Eva. That would take time.

"I think a month ought to do it."





Two

"A month?" Claire was stunned. "Mr. Moretti-"

"Please, call me Luca," he said with a smile that made her pulse quicken in her throat.

That was a dangerous smile. It was charming. Disarming. Combined with  his movie star good looks, it was enough to make her forget that he was  the enemy, not a potential paramour. She almost preferred that he return  to his cold, businessman expression.

"Luca, I have a job. I'm a curator at the Museum of European Arts. I can't just leave for a month, especially on short notice."

"Do you think it will be easy for me to simply turn over the reins of  my family company for a month? It will be a hardship for both of us, but  it has become very clear that it is a necessity to make this work. We  need time away, just the three of us, to get comfortable with one  another. Don't you think Eva's welfare is worth the sacrifice?"                       
       
           



       

Nice. Now Luca was the good guy and Claire was the one being  unreasonable because she wouldn't do whatever it took for her daughter.  "Of course she's worth the sacrifice. My daughter is my whole life."

"Then what's the problem? The way I see it, our court date with the  judge is in six weeks. After spending four of those weeks together,  perhaps we can come up with an arrangement that makes both of us happy  and can present that to the judge."

Claire felt Stuart squeeze her knee beneath the table. She didn't have  to look at her lawyer to know that he liked this idea. No one wanted to  go up against Edmund Harding in court if they could avoid it. Going to  see the judge with both parties on the same page would make things  easier on everyone. Including Eva.

That was the thought that won her over. Her boss wouldn't be happy, but  he would understand. He knew what she had been going through the past  two years. He'd be the first to tell her she deserved a vacation.  Maternity leave was hardly a break. That was just a six-week  introduction to the hard life of a single mother.

"Okay. If you agree to take the emergency visitation filing off the table, I'll agree to your proposal."

Luca nodded slowly and gestured to his lawyer. "Okay. I'll make the arrangements for a location."

"I'd prefer it not be too far away," Claire said. "Long trips with a  baby are difficult, and I'm not sure I'm ready to take her on a plane."

"I have an old friend from college who has a place on Martha's Vineyard. Would that suit you?"

Claire tried not to react. Martha's Vineyard was the summer playground  of the rich. Until recently, she'd been solidly middle class, and a  vacation locale like that had always seemed out of her reach. The sudden  increase in her checking account balance hadn't changed her mind-set  along with her tax bracket. "That would be suitable," she said, coolly.

"Very well. I'll speak to Gavin and make sure it's available. How long  will you need to prepare for the trip and arrange the time off?"

It was Monday. At the best, she could leave this weekend. "I'm not sure, but it will take a few days."

"I'll give you my contact information. Let me know when you find out¸ and I'll have a car sent to pick you up."

"That's not necessary. I can arrange my own transportation." Claire was  never the kind of woman who sat back and let people take care of her.  Not Jeff, and certainly not Luca. She had the capacity and the money to  handle this herself.

"Ridiculous. We'll ride together and start getting to know each other as soon as possible."

Claire clenched her jaw. He spoke as if everything was law. It made her  crazy. She had to pick her battles, though. If he wanted to send  someone all the way out to her brownstone in Brooklyn to pick them up,  then fine. "Very well. Are we done here?"

Luca's lips twisted into an amused smile. "We are."

Good. Claire was in desperate need of getting out of this room. The  spacious conference room closed in on her the longer Luca stared at her.  Those dark hazel eyes had the slightest hint of gold twinkling  mischievously in them. He seemed to look right through her, seeing all  the secrets and shame she was desperate to hide.

Picking up her bag, she pushed up from her seat and turned her back on  Luca Moretti. She needed some distance between them. She wanted to  breathe air that wasn't scented with leather and the spice of his  cologne. Claire moved with purpose out of the conference room, exiting  Edmund's law offices with Stuart on her heels. She didn't stop until she  was standing on the sidewalk, looking at the traffic buzzing down  Lexington Avenue.

Claire took a deep breath and felt the muscles in her neck and  shoulders finally start to loosen. It wasn't just what he saw in her. It  was how he made her feel. Luca lit a fire inside her that licked at her  cheeks and made her think about the needs she'd ignored for longer than  she could remember.

When she and her husband decided to have a child and it didn't happen  easily, sex with Jeff became a chore. Mechanical. When that didn't work  and they went to the clinic, it was even worse. Desire and arousal went  out the window with sterile rooms and medical procedures. Their  relationship changed as their failures became all they could focus on.                       
       
           



       

It was no wonder Jeff strayed.

Claire had been so wrapped up in getting pregnant, and then obsessed  with preparing for the baby's arrival, she didn't notice anything was  wrong. Jeff was working later, going on more business trips, but a lot  of people worked long hours. Even she did from time to time, especially  when a new exhibit was getting ready to open at the museum. But she also  ignored the fact that he took a shower the minute he got home, the  distant look in his eyes and the complete disinterest in physical  contact. She was so adept at justifying every red flag that if his  mistress hadn't died in the car with Jeff when he wrecked, she might  never have accepted he was having an affair.