NINE
HE TOOK AN INVOLUNTARY STEP back. He’d been so ready to hear the worst; it took him a moment to make sense of what she’d said.
“Pregnant,” he repeated to make sure he’d heard her right and to give his brain chance to catch up. “You’re pregnant with my baby? I don’t understand. How could this have happened? I thought you were on the pill?”
“Nothing works a hundred percent of the time,” she said, her voice cold and distant. “Don’t worry. I’m not expecting anything from you. I can handle this on my own, but I’m keeping the baby.”
Keeping the baby? Of course, they were keeping the baby and what did she mean she could handle it on her own? She wouldn’t have to handle anything. He’d happily take care of her and their baby. He hadn’t known he’d wanted a family but now that Claire was offering him one, it was like every dream he’d never let himself have was coming true.
Except it didn’t look like she was offering him anything. She’d removed one arm from around her middle and was pushing him toward the door. Fuck, she must think he was upset, that he didn’t want their child. He still didn’t understand how it happened, but it didn’t matter. How could he not want a child that their love made?
“Wait, Claire. Stop it,” he said as she continued to try to steer him toward the door.
“It doesn’t matter,” she said more to herself than to him. “I can handle this. I can do it myself.”
“Would you wait for one fucking minute?” He set his heels and stopped, not letting her push him any further.
When she looked up at him her expression held anger and fierce determination in equal parts. He wanted to pull her to him and kiss away all her doubts, but with her looking at him like he was responsible for everything bad that ever happened, he was afraid she’d bite him if he tried.
“What, Masters? Yes, I was telling you the truth when I said I was on the pill. No, I wasn’t trying to get pregnant. I didn’t want to get pregnant, but now that I am, I’m keeping my baby and I’m going to give him or her the best life I possibly can. No, I’m not expectinganythingfrom you.”
Her hands had gone back to cover her stomach, and he wondered if she really thought she needed to protect their unborn child from him. The thought that anyone would hurt their baby sent ice water through his veins and made him want to build a tower to keep her and their child safe. The fact that she acted like he might be the one doing the hurting, pissed him off.
“Do you think you could please shut up for one minute?” How did he always seem to end up on the wrong foot with her? He handled multimillion dollar deals and cocky CEO’s with ease. How the hell did this one small woman always seem to get the better of him?
She looked like she’d as soon kill him as kiss him, but she stopped talking, making a show of pressing her lips together in a line.
“You have made a string of bad assumptions,” he said and had the momentary pleasure of watching her eyes widen. “I know you were on the pill. I know you weren’t trying to get pregnant. And no, you’re not keeping the baby and raising him or her on your own.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he risked her teeth and put his finger over her lips. “We are keepingourbaby and raising him or her together, and I will do everything in my very considerable power to make sure both of you stay happy and healthy. You don’t have to take care of anything. I’ve got this. I want this, Claire, more than I ever imagined possible. You and our baby.”
He knew they were a long way from making a family and happily ever after, but when the tears filled her eyes and she stopped trying to push him away, he let out the breath he’d been holding, sure at least for the moment that they’d have time to figure all of it out.
“Please, sweetheart,” he said, reaching out to pull her into his arms. “Let me take you home.”
He held her rigid body in his arms, stroking her hair and murmuring reassurances about how much he loved her and how much he’d love their baby. It was all true. It shocked the hell out of him, but even though he’d just found out about the baby, he loved their child already. After a few moments, she softened into him, her body fitting into the familiar spot against his chest and he had the overwhelming feeling that he was holding everything he’d ever need in his arms.
“Can we go home?” she finally asked, and for the first time since she’d moved in with him, it sounded like she meant it.
“ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY sure?” Luke asked when they were back at the penthouse. “You’re certain we’re having a baby?”
Before she might have thought he was hoping she’d made a mistake, but the expression on his face looked more like a boy who been given the greatest present ever and was worried it would be taken from him.
“Three pregnancy tests say yes, but I left a message at my doctor’s office to get an appointment to confirm.”
He nodded, still looking concerned, and she couldn’t help but smile.
“It was Esmeralda who figured it out. She found me lying down after Sparks brought me home, remembered me getting lightheaded moving boxes and put two and two together. You need to make sure she’s not worried about her job,” said Claire, remembering the expression on the older woman’s face. “I freaked out a little when she asked when I was due.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were lightheaded?” he asked, pulling her down onto the couch and angling her so her back rested against his chest.
“Yeah right,” she said, tipping her head back to look at him. “You’d have overacted and done something crazy like lock me in the penthouse and threaten Sparks if he let me back on the jobsite. No thank you.”
“It’s not overacting if it keeps you and the baby safe.”
He cradled her in his arms, and she bit back a sigh. He was going to be unbearable. If he was this protective now, what would it be like when he could feel their baby move? Oh God, they were having a baby. When she saw the first plus sign appear, she’d been stunned. What was even more amazing though was that by the time she took the second and then third tests, she was holding her breath, praying that it was true. That she was really carrying Luke’s baby.
In the flash of a moment, she’d gone from being terrified she was pregnant to not being able to imagine her life any other way. She wanted this baby desperately, had wanted it since the moment she realized it was true. The thing she’d been mourning wasn’t the unexpected baby. That part was a blessing. It was losing her relationship with Luke. But she’d underestimated him and his love. She’d been so sure he’d want to run away, it hadn’t even occurred to her that he’d love their baby as much as she did. She could see in his eyes that he did.
His hands rested protectively on her belly, and she snuggled back against him. “So when are you due?” he asked.
