‘Talk about what?’
Alexio looked serious. ‘About us...where we go from here.’
Something went cold inside Sidonie. She’d imagined a conversation like this, but not with Alexio sounding as if he was about to discuss profits and losses. Foolishly she’d imagined something altogether more passionate.
In her silence, he clarified, ‘We can’t go on in this state of limbo... You’re feeling better. I have to get back to work. We need to figure out the logistics.’
Limbo. Was that what he thought last night had been about? While Sidonie had been realising how much she loved him?
She slid out of her chair and stood up. Alexio stood too, instantly dwarfing her. She moved back.
‘I don’t think I’m quite getting your meaning.’
His hands curled around the back of his chair. ‘What I’m talking about is where we’ll live—how we will proceed. I’ll have to buy a new house, of course. The apartment isn’t suitable for a baby... Or maybe you want to be here? Near to your aunt?’
Sidonie’s mouth had fallen open at the way he’d laid everything out so starkly. There was no emotion involved. She recovered her wits and felt anger rising at his cool arrogance.
‘This baby is not logistics—it’s a baby. Our daughter.’
Those words pricked her heart. She put her hands on her belly, the by now nearly constant fluttering comforting her.
‘I don’t expect us to proceed anywhere. I do expect me to go on with my life, though.’
Alexio looked every inch the powerful tycoon in that moment. ‘This isn’t up to you, Sidonie. You will allow me to provide for you and the baby.’
Sidonie cursed herself for ever having cast him in the role of benign benefactor. Emotions bubbled over. Enough for the both of them.
‘Her name is Belle. Not the baby. And I stupidly thought that after last night something had changed...that—’ She stopped and cursed herself silently. She’d said too much.
Alexio looked disgusted. ‘Our daughter is not going to be called Belle—what kind of a name is that?’
Sidonie replied faintly, ‘It’s Tante Josephine’s favourite name.’
She felt dazed at how naïve she’d been. Again. Nothing had changed.
That green gaze narrowed on her. ‘You thought what had changed?’
Sidonie shook her head, feeling sick at how she’d almost given herself away. Disgusted with herself for allowing some confessional conversation and some hot sex to melt away her feelings of anger. She’d only ever been a transitory visitor through Alexio’s bed. And now he was stuck with her.
‘Nothing. I’m not doing this, Alexio—committing to some sterile arrangement just for your benefit.’
‘We desire each other. Last night proved that beyond a doubt.’
Sidonie felt as exposed as if he’d just stripped her naked. A few hours ago he had.
Lifting her chin, she said tautly, ‘That was hormones.’