“Yes.” He said through gritted teeth. “I want to take care of you and my child.” She was now pressing herself on his side and he turned, his body craving the feel of hers.
Before he or anyone talked him out of it. He stood up facing her. “This was very much unexpected.” He said sardonically, his fingers going to her chin, holding it tight, and raising it up for her eyes to meet with his.
Her lashes then fluttered down, hiding her eyes from him. His throat felt tight from what he was about to say and do. “But the thought of you carrying my child. I want to be there to helpyou raise her or him and not some other man.” She took his hands and pressed them against her stomach.
“Will you marry me Sierra? I promise you will want for nothing, and I will be a good father to my child.”
Her brown gaze raised and had searched his. “Are you sure, you want to marry me? You haven’t really let me into your life, except for you mentioning how your mother passed away. And some of the rest is from what I have read in the papers about your family, your brothers, and your father.”
He had moved slightly away from her at the mention of his derelict of a father. Both he and his brothers vowed to be less like him and more like their grandfather, but their father’s influence still showed up in the way they handled emotional commitment. He hadn’t planned on getting married and being a father and always wondered how he would feel if he had a child and now, he knew.
This child was important to him. It was a piece of him growing inside her and he felt shocked, scared and happy. Scared that some of the darkness that his father had left in him would impact the child, but he knew that his family and their love would help guide him and Sierra with their first child together.
The one thing he had never done when they became lovers was give her false promises and he wasn’t going to start now. He nodded grimly because she was right that he’d kept her at arms difference. “Yes, well, you will get to know them now as my fiancée. But Sierra, I don’t want us starting off with any illusions and the only promise right now is that I will be a good husband and father.”
She’d nodded, looking sad for a moment, then reach out to touch him on his chest. “Do you care about me a little bit?”
He took her hand in his. “Yes, I do” was all he was going to admit to her and to himself.
Jacob had repeated the same words on the day of his marriage to Sierra. His vow to her now in front of family, the church and minister presiding over the wedding. After his proposal, the marriage had happened a month later. Sierra didn’t want to be a pregnant-looking bride and had gotten her way with her and the Senator pulling strings to make this a lavish wedding affair.
That moment should have been one of joy, but his morning phone conversation had left a bad taste in his mouth. His father refused to attend his wedding and warned him that Sierra had deliberately trapped him into marriage. Brock Norris even went as far as to say that she’d lied about the pregnancy.
He’d hung up on his father and that had set his somber mood, with his smile reaching his lips but not his eyes.
His mood had shifted, and Jacob sucked in a breath when his bride walked toward him on the arm of her father. Sierra had looked like an ethereal goddess walking down the aisle to him.
She had a glow about her, and she looked happy to be become his wife. In that moment, he felt more for her than just lust and it frightened him. He could fall head over heels in love with his wife and it wouldn’t surprise him. He was almost there anyway if he was honest with himself. He was holding back because of his father and because he wasn’t blind to Sierra’s faults. But with the baby and marriage, everything could change the dynamic of what they once were into becoming something more.
So, when he said “I do,” it was with a conviction that his marriage to Sierra could work; they already had chemistry inbed, and he could see she had feelings for him. He just needed to let go and see where this would take them.
After their vows and on the way to the reception was when she’d told him she lost the baby.
He should have heeded all the warnings that went off in his head when she turned and looked back at him through the crowd of guests at the charity function the day that he’d met her.
Chapter 9
“Bravo, that was a masterful piece of work. You even had your bar friend apologizing, despite you deliberately spilling your drink.” Sierra had tossed the man an innocent look, but soon dropped the act and moved into his space. She’d tipped her head slightly back and grinned.
“You’re welcome, and your savior’s name is Sierra.” She held out her left hand to him. She noted his check of her ringless fingers before wrapping his hand around hers.
He offered a half smile. “Jacob. I guess I owe you a drink. Martini on the rocks?”
Her eyebrow rose; he had been paying attention to the drink she ordered.
“Yes, thank you. And Jacob who?” She pressed herself against his side, closing whatever space was left between them. He signaled the waiter, showing him her empty glass. As the man left with a nod of acknowledgement, Jacob turned his attention back to her.
“Norris.”
Sierra had hummed in contemplation. “Ah, your family is one of my father’s biggest benefactors.”
He quirked a brow, fully intrigued. “And your father is?”
“Senator George Wallace”
“Sierra Wallace.” He said her full name and it sounded very nice in his baritone. But then he frowned when the waiter put the drink in front of her.
As she took a sip, she felt him pulling away, mentally. “Don’t believe everything you hear.” Even though everything he would have heard or read about her was true. The doubtful look that passed over his chiseled expression didn’t deter her confident grin.
