Having the Billionaire's Baby(16)

In one fluid motion he was standing too. "The one mere minutes ago you didn't even want to know existed?"

"Yes, that one. Because now I do know it exists and the only thing at all I'm certain about is that I want it."

He held her gaze. "At least we're clear on that."

She turned and leaned on the veranda railing, gripped its rough   solidity. Thoughts whirled in her head. "We've only known for a few   minutes. It's too early to have it all sorted out. There's too much to   take in, to think about." She was pregnant. There was a life growing   inside her, separate from her and yet a part of her. She could barely   even wrap her head around that concept.

Nick came to stand beside her, his presence solid and imposing. She'd   seen the way he protected his family. No matter what her relationship   with this man, she didn't doubt that their child would at least always   have that fierce protection. But how would it affect her? Would he see   her as an obstacle to be outmaneuvered, as he had with her business?                       
       
           



       

"So, you're willing to work things out with me on this?"

Was she being paranoid, or was that a veiled threat? Would he be calling   his lawyers first thing in the morning? "Of course I am." His offer to   have the child had spooked her. Perhaps she should be the one to call   her lawyer in the morning. He already had proved he was capable of   taking drastic precautionary measures.

"There's no of course about it." She heard a shadow of her own uncertainty in his voice. "We don't know each other well."

"And yet here we are, partners in a business and about to have a baby."

He said nothing.

Callie filled the gaping silence. "I don't know what you expect from me, what rights you want or think you have."

"This isn't a promising start," he growled. "Do we need to talk about custody and visitation, about financial arrangements?"

"Don't, Nick." She turned to face him. "It's too soon. Can't you just … "

"Just what?"

A moth fluttered past the porch light and then out into the night. "Just   leave. I need time to think." It was either ask him to leave or ask  him  to hold her, but she couldn't let herself need him.

He studied her. "How much time?"

She shook her head. "I don't know."

"All right," he agreed slowly. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Tomorrow?" What was he thinking? "No. This isn't sleep on it and I'll have it all figured out by morning type of news."

"I want to get this sorted out."

"So do I. But tomorrow's not enough time. Not nearly enough."



"What's more important than this?" He gestured to her stomach.

"Nothing." She fought for calm. Why wouldn't he understand? "I need   time, and that's the one thing we at least have a little bit of. We   don't have to have anything sorted out by tomorrow, or even the next   day. It can wait. Give me … a week." She watched that impassive face.   "Please?"

The frown creasing his brow advertised his reluctance to give her even   that much time. He was the sort who tackled life head-on, who, if he had   a problem, worked at it till he found the solution. But his way wasn't   right for her. "I still have work to attend to. And unlike you, I  don't  have an endless stream of minions I can delegate to." Right now  work was  the least of her concerns, but perhaps Nick would find that  excuse  easier to accept.

"Will you be able to make time to go to the doctor next week? Can you fit that into your hectic schedule?"

She ignored the undertone of scorn. "I'll go to the doctor."

"I'll come with you."

"To make sure I go, or to offer support?" She thought she knew which.

A rueful smile touched his lips. "Perhaps both." The smile vanished. "I   fly to San Francisco tomorrow morning for a series of meetings. If I   reschedule some things I can be back by next week. Make the appointment   for then."

He glanced at her stomach. Callie looked down, hadn't realized that, as   they'd been speaking, she'd placed her hand over her abdomen.

When she looked up again Nick's gaze hadn't shifted, and he was reaching   slowly toward her. He touched her hand with his fingertips.



He looked up and for a moment their gazes met. Did she see an echo of   her own awe and wonder in his eyes? Beneath their hands lay new life.

Nick's hand dropped back to his side. "Is there anything you want me to do?"

"Like what?"

"I don't know." The words, the lack of certainty they revealed, seemed to pain him.



Callie felt a strange stirring of sympathy. She resisted the urge to   step closer, to take hold of his hand once again. To give or take   comfort? She wasn't sure which. So instead she stepped back, wrapped her   arms about herself. "There's nothing you can do now," she spoke  softly.  "Except give me some space. Please."

He nodded slowly and then turned and strode away, his footsteps echoing   in the night. She heard his car purr into life and watched as red   taillights disappeared down her driveway.

Callie sat in her car, staring at the red brick building in front of   her. She should go in. Just get out of the car, walk up the three gray   concrete steps to the front door and go in. She only wished she didn't   feel quite so alone, but there were no friends she wanted to share the   knowledge of her situation with yet. Nor was she ready to tell her   mother. She wasn't even entirely sure where her mother was right now.   Her last postcard from her had been of Inca ruins in Peru.                       
       
           



       

Slowly, she unbuckled her seat belt. As she touched her fingers to the   door handle her phone rang and she snatched it up gratefully. "Hello."   Her greeting was quick and eager. Perhaps they needed her at work and   she'd have to go.



There was a pause. "How are you?" The question earnest, seeking an   honest response. The voice deep and warm. "Did you sleep last night?"

Implying that he hadn't?

She hadn't thought she wanted to hear from Nick again, and certainly not   so soon. But apparently she was wrong. Her spinelessness was great   enough to make his call welcome. "Better than I expected. At least the   uncertainty is gone now." No more lying in bed wondering whether or not   she was pregnant. Just lying in bed wondering what happens next.

"Where are you?"

The one question she hadn't wanted him to ask. Callie took a deep   breath. "Outside my doctor's office. Working up the courage to go in."   She glanced at the wooden front door and then at her watch.

She grimaced as she counted the seconds of the pause. Finally he spoke. "You were going to wait till I came back."

She hadn't actually agreed to that, but now probably wasn't the time to   argue her point. "I'm taking a leaf out of your book. Although I'm not   so sure that I like it. But now at least you won't have to cut short   your trip." She glanced again at the suddenly ominous building and   remembered the other proactive call she'd made. The one setting up an   appointment with her lawyer. Nick sounded conciliatory now, caring even,   but she'd learned her lesson-and she was going to protect herself and   get good legal advice.

"I'm in the country still. Give me the doctor's address." In the background she heard a flight departure announcement.

"You're at the airport?"



"Yes, but I'll change my flight."

The offer seemed to give her strength. "Don't, but thanks," she said   quietly. "It'll be okay. I'll be okay. I just have to get to the front   door. And I should really do it now. My appointment's in a few minutes."

"Okay."

But neither of them hung up.

"Thanks for calling."

"Get out of the car, Callie." This time she definitely heard a smile in his voice and felt an answering tug at her lips.

"I am," she said as she opened her door and got out. "My doctor's   lovely." She walked across the car park. "A gentle, older woman. She's   known me for years."

"How long?" He encouraged her to talk.

"She delivered me, so she knows what she's doing." Feeling like he was   at her side, Callie climbed the steps and pushed open the door. "I'll   call you afterward, if there's anything I think you'd want to know."