Read Online Blitzed by the Brit: A Secret Baby Sports Romance by Jessica Ashe - Free Book Online Page A

baby in his arms. “Sorry I didn’t tell you.”
    “It’s none of my business.”
    “Maybe not, but I should have told you for your article. You could have broken the news and gotten a lot more publicity.”
    “I’m guessing that’s exactly why you didn’t tell me.”
    Charles nods. “People treat you differently when they know you have a child. I know I’ll have to tell people eventually, but for the time being I’m hoping we can keep this between us.”
    “I can handle that.”
    “Talking of handling things, you want to hold her?”
    “Are you sure? She’s so tiny. How old is she?”
    “Ten months. She’s tougher than she looks, although best to avoid dropping her if you can.”
    I can’t remember the last time I held a baby. I’m not sure I’ve ever held one this small. Her face cringes as if she’s about to break out into tears, but instead she just stares at me intently with big curious eyes.
    “She is absolutely adorable.”
    “You wouldn’t be saying that if you saw the contents of her nappy.”
    “Oh I’m sure it was delightful, wasn’t it you cute little thing,” I say, as my voice quickly changes to that silly voice people always use to talk to babies. My heart melts as she cracks the tiniest of smiles, and reaches out to touch my face.
    “I guess I should have wheeled her out earlier,” Charles says. “I forgot that babies make women swoon.”
    “They also remind us that sex has consequences, so I wouldn’t get your hopes up.”
    I blow gently in Gemma’s face and she giggles in response, a little spit bubble appearing and then busting on her lips.
    “Let’s bring her through to the living room,” Charles says. “I’ve got one of those bouncy seats that can keep her amused for hours on end.”
    Sure enough, the second Gemma is in her seat, she starts laughing while working her little body back and forth as much as she can.
    “Does she still do that thing where she grabs your finger when you place it in her palm?” I ask.
    “Sometimes,” Charles replies. “It’s not reflexive anymore, so it just depends what mood she’s in. Give it a try.”
    I reach out my finger and places on the palm of her hand. Charles is right, her reflexes aren’t instinctive anymore, but she still grabs hold of my finger anyway and tugs on it with a surprising amount of strength. I don’t pull my finger away, so Gemma just waves my hand up and down and from side to side as she pleases.
    She’s a real, little person. Logically, I know most people end up having children, and it’s not usually difficult, but that doesn’t change my complete amazement that Charles created this little thing. Not just Charles, of course. Charles and Dana. Dana had been an adorable little girl just like Gemma at one point, but now she seemed a little rough around the edges, and that’s being polite.
    “Are you and Dana still close?” I ask.
    “Do we look close?”
    “Things looked a little frosty from my perspective, but clearly you two had a connection at one point.”
    “Not really. I mean, sure, my penis connected with her vagina thanks to a broken condom, but that’s about it.”
    “So you two aren’t still… you know….”
    “Definitely not,” Charles replies firmly. “She’s a nightmare. I have to pay her a small fortune just to see my own kid.”
    “That can’t be legal.”
    “I’m sure it’s not, but I don’t want to drag my child through the courts.”
    “She’s going for an interview today,” I remind Charles. “Maybe things will change when she has a job.”
    “She’s not going for an interview. She’s going out with friends and is probably going to end up sleeping at some stranger’s house, or she will have some stranger in her house. Hence, she’s not going to pick up Gemma until tomorrow morning.”
    “Oh. That makes sense. Is that how you met? Not that I’m judging.”
    “Pretty much,” Charles admits. “I was over here visiting my father and I went for a few