The Billionaire's Borrowed Baby(25)

       
           



       

He slung an arm above his head and yawned, his somber gaze noting that   Hattie slept peacefully. Too bad he wasn't as relaxed. The sex had been   nothing short of spectacular, but now that his head was in control and   not his libido, he was able to think clearly. And the conclusions he   drew were unsettling.

He was in danger of falling in love with Hattie all over again. Perhaps   in some ways he had never fallen out of love … which might explain why  the  many women he had dated in the last ten years never quite seemed to   measure up to some unknown standard. His grandfather had accused him  of  being too picky … of expecting a paragon of a woman to fill his bed  and  his life.

Turned out … his grandfather was right.

And that woman was Hattie Parker.

He watched her sleep for a long time, mulling over his options. Right   now she needed him because of the baby. Which gave him an advantage for   the moment. But what happened when the kid's father was no longer a   threat? What then?

Would Hattie try to bid Luc a pleasant goodbye and walk away? The   possibility made his chest tight. He was no longer a naive and   vulnerable kid. He'd learned his lesson well. Loving someone too much   only opened the way for hurt.

Losing both of his parents at the same time had sent him and Leo into a   tailspin. Only their grandfather's gruff, tough affection had rescued   them. Perhaps way back in college Luc had fallen hard for Hattie because   he needed so badly to fill a void in his life.

He was more self-sufficient now, able to enjoy a physical relationship   without involving messy emotions. And besides, the barrier between   Hattie and him remained the same: his need for control. He had let her   too close once upon a time and suffered the consequences. And if his   money gave him power, did she expect him to give it all away and live in   a shack?

Perhaps since his embarrassment of riches was currently saving her   niece, she might decide that being with a wealthy man wasn't exactly a   ticket to purgatory.

He touched her arm … he couldn't help himself. The need to keep her close   was all-consuming. She had come to him for help … for protection. He  would  keep Hattie and Deedee safe at all costs. It was the honorable  thing to  do. And he'd given his word.

Hattie was grateful to him … and she was attracted to him. But that wasn't   enough. He wanted her to need him, to depend on him, to beg him to let   her stay. How or why she initially came to him didn't really matter in   the end. She was vulnerable now. And God help him, he liked it. His   course was clear: enjoy the physical side of their marriage as long as   it lasted, maintain his emotional distance … and then …

He refused to contemplate the future. Not now when life was close to perfect. He would keep her as long as it suited him.



The next time he awoke, it was morning; dawn to be exact. Clear, liquid   light filtered into the bedroom. He stroked his wife's shoulder. She  was  sleeping on her stomach, her face turned away from him. "Wake up,   sleepyhead. I'm starving."

She blinked her eyes and struggled up onto her elbows. One brief glance   at her warm, pink brea**sts was all he got before she rolled onto her   back and clutched the sheet to her chest.

Her eyes were wide, her honey-blond hair tousled. "What time is it?"

"Early. We slept through the night. But missing dinner was definitely worth it."

A deep blush painted her face crimson.

He took pity on her. "I'll use the other bathroom to get ready."

"Ready?"

"I thought we'd go snorkeling this morning. Out to the reef. Are you game?"

She frowned. "I've never done it. Is it difficult?"

He patted her leg. "Not really. You'll love it, I promise." Her   expression was unconvinced, so he grinned at her. "Or … we could stay in   bed all day."

Hattie stumbled to her feet, almost tripping over her bed-sheet toga.   "Snorkeling sounds great," she said, the words breathless as she   struggled to maintain her modesty. "If you'll order breakfast, I'll be   dressed in a jiff." She disappeared into the bathroom.

He chuckled aloud at her discomfiture. Teasing Hattie had always been   fun. Too bad she agreed to the snorkeling. He could have been persuaded   to follow option two.

Just thinking about the night before made him hard. With an inward   groan, he picked up the phone and called for sustenance. It was going to   be a long day, and he needed some serious calories.



Hattie dressed in a modest coral one-piece and covered it with a crisp,   white poplin top and khaki walking shorts. A new pair of taupe leather   sandals completed the outfit.

When she looked in the mirror, she winced. Going to bed with damp hair   meant that she looked like a wild woman. It took a hairbrush and patient   determination to tame the mess. Finally, she tucked it up into a   ponytail, donned an Atlanta Braves cap and smoothed sheer sunscreen onto   her face, neck and arms.                       
       
           



       

In addition to her new wardrobe, Luc had gifted her with an array of   expensive cosmetics. Though most of it was products she would only use   for fancy occasions, she had already come to appreciate the many   wonderful skin-care creams and lotions.

Breakfast was just arriving when she stepped out of the bathroom. Luc,   freshly shaven, his hair damp, tipped the young woman who brought up the   largesse.

He spread a hand. "Let's eat."

They consumed an embarrassingly large amount of food in record time. Hattie hadn't realized how hungry she was.

Luc watched her bite into a huge strawberry. "You've got juice all over   your chin. Let me … " He dabbed her sticky skin with a cloth napkin, his   face close to hers. His expression was shuttered, and she wanted badly   to know what he was thinking.

Her head was filled with memories of last night … experiences that were life-changing.

But men were far more cavalier about sex and intimacy. When it was over   it was over. Luc might want to be with her again, but that didn't mean   he'd be doodling a heart with both their names on scrap paper.

Sex was only physical as far as Luc was concerned. She'd do well to keep   that fact firmly planted in the front of her brain. And that meant   staying out of this suite as much as possible.

She scooted back from the table. "Let's go. I'm excited about this."



Luc had not chartered a private boat. And for that Hattie was glad.   Having other people around diffused the natural awkwardness she was   experiencing. She couldn't even look at Luc without remembering how his   powerful body had joined with hers, how their skin had been damp with   exertion, their muscles lax with pleasure.

If she let herself, she could imagine that they were like any normal newlyweds. Deeply in love, and ravenous for each other.

Luc didn't help her resolve to be sensible. He was in turns tender,   affectionate and teasing. More and more she saw glimpses of the young   man she had fallen in love with. Away from the pressure of business and   responsibilities, Luc laughed often, was more relaxed and carefree.

He handed her a pair of flippers. "Put these on, and I'll help you with   your mask." All around them, fellow passengers were doing the same   thing. The large catamaran had cut its engines and was bobbing in clear   blue-green water over the reef below.

Hattie and Luc had already shed their outer clothing and tucked all of   it into a big raffia tote bag. She tried not to drool over her new   husband. His black swim trunks were plain, but it was his sculpted torso   and powerful arms that drew attention. Hattie didn't miss the fact  that  she wasn't the only one eyeing Luc's masculine beauty.

He wore expensive, reflective sunglasses that made him look like a movie   star. It didn't seem fair for one man to have everything-looks,   character and money to burn.

She sighed inwardly as he handed her a mask and snorkel tube. "What happens if I swallow water?"

"You'll be fine. I'll be right beside you."

The boat captain gave some basic instructions, including a warning to   listen for the whistle that signaled time to return to the boat. Hattie   was very glad she had a reliable partner.

She had assumed they would jump over the side like in the movies, but   the catamaran had a ladder that could be lowered into the water between   the two large hulls. Backing down the steps was a little  claustrophobic,  but Luc went first and was waiting for her as she  descended. He took  her arm, his face almost unrecognizable behind his  mask. "Come on,  little mermaid. We don't want to waste any time."