Billionaires and Baby Rattles(61)

She raised an eyebrow. “My schedule doesn’t revolve around you.”

“So you haven’t been avoiding me?”

The lie wouldn’t come.

He ran a finger over her cheek and touched it to her lips. “I’m not used to a woman denying me, Kenzie.”

The words sounded like a warning, but she wasn’t nervous. “I bet you aren’t.”

He pressed closer, and desire ignited in her system. She squeezed out from his hold and put space between them.

“Have you dated since we were apart?”

“I have,” he admitted.

She couldn’t help eying the front of his pants. He raised her chin.

“I’ve been faithful to you.”

“Don’t say it like that. Anyway, I mean your candidates.” She moved to the counter and set out plates. He followed, but she did her best to ignore him. The hands he placed on her waist and the way he moved in until his thigh touched her ass made her forget what she was doing.

“None of them are right. I have no one on my list.”

She dropped the roll she’d pulled out and had to toss it in the trash. “W-What?”

He moved away and shrugged, stuffing his hands in his pockets. “They’re shallow and insipid. Forever seems like a life sentence with any one of them.”

“That’s nonsense. These are women in your circle, who attend the same events as you do. They probably even share your friends. It’s the most unobtrusive match possible. You don’t have to do much rearranging of your life.”

“What about my children?”

“Goodness, Easton, you’re not serious!” She put her hands on her hips. “Okay, fine. I know what we’re going to do. We’re going back over that list, and I’m going to choose one woman. You’ll bring her here. You’ll rent out the restaurant for one evening.”

“Rent it?” he questioned.

She laughed. “You think I’m giving you use for free? Naw, pal, rent. Then you will come here a few days until you can make her dinner from scratch while she watches.”

Easton appeared horrified, and she laughed again. He’d been spoiled by his privilege, but she refused to back down.

“Don’t look at me like that, mister. You’ll do it my way or walk.”

“Fine.” He grabbed the bread from her hand and tossed it on the counter. “Then you will stop avoiding me. You will take my calls and spend nights in my bed.”

“My bed.”

His eyes glittered. “Deal.”

She’d said it before she realized what she did. Easton devoured her mouth and ran his hands over her body. She arched into his touch, hungrily taking all he had to offer. When he shoved up the dress she wore and tangled fingers in her panties, she thrust at his chest. “I am not having sex in my restaurant.”

“No?”

“No!”

He tossed her over his shoulder as if she weighed nothing and kicked the door to the storeroom open. By the time he set Kenzie on her feet, she was well and truly ready to give in to all his demands.

* * * *

One entire month, Easton had put her off. Kenzie couldn’t believe his continual delay. Didn’t the man get that he had just a year to pull off getting married? Didn’t he know he needed nine months to have a baby? She had put the question to him herself, and been told as long as his wife was pregnant, he met the requirements of the will. Still, the man refused to address his delaying tactics, but at last she had gotten him to agree to the cooking lessons. They had spent a number of nights where she taught him her close-kept secrets and the recipe for her mother’s spicy spaghetti sauce. Now, all she needed to do was get him to the altar—so to speak. His date was set for a week from Saturday, and she had put up notices that the shop would close early.

This afternoon, however, she had an appointment with her doctor because lately she’d been feeling like hell, worn out and just off. After waiting what felt like forever and going through the preliminaries, she was assigned to an examining room to wait some more. At last, Dr. Abate stepped into the room.

“Kenzie, it’s good to see you. I hear you’re not feeling so well lately? Still overworking?”

Kenzie offered a weak smile. “Um, I cut the hours back a little and got some additional help.”

“Uh-huh.” The doctor seemed less than convinced. She peered at Kenzie’s chart and scratched some notes. Kenzie ran fingers over the goose bumps on her arm and kicked out her bare feet for lack of anything more entertaining to do. She hoped this would end soon. Maybe if she took some iron pills. Her mother had been slightly anemic, if she recalled.