Read Online Expecting the Boss's Baby by Leanne Banks - Free Book Online Page A

gaze. “It’s beautiful.”
    He pulled the diamond solitaire surrounded by tiny pearls ring from the box. “Then you’ll wear it.”
    She nibbled her lip. “I—uh—” She cocked her head to one side. “There’s no rush. There’s really no rush for the wedding. I mean, it’s not as if I’m even showing.”
    His patience shot, Michael cut to the chase. “How do you plan to explain the baby’s premature birth date to your parents?”
    She sighed in resignation. “Okay. How did you know I would like pearls?”
    “You used to wear pearl earrings to the office. You touched them a lot,” he said, “as if you liked the way they felt.”
    Surprise, followed by a dark wary sensuality deepened her blue eyes. “I didn’t know you noticed.”
    “I notice a lot of things,” Michael told her and pushed the ring onto her finger. “It fits.” He tugged her closer. “Seal it with a kiss,” he said and took her mouth.
    He inhaled her sexy scent and struggled with the craving to seal the moment with something farmore than a kiss. Her lips were soft, lush and addicting. “Husband,” he said against her mouth. “Say it.”
    “Fiancé,” she corrected, pulling back slightly, but holding his gaze. Her reticence alternately aroused and frustrated him. “One step at a time.”
    Michael swallowed his impatience. It was better than significant other. “You can tell your mother two of my friends are coming to the wedding.”
    Her eyes widened. “Pardon?”
    “Two of my—”
    “—I didn’t know you had any friends,” she blurted out, then seemed to catch herself. “I mean you’ve always been so busy with work that you never seemed to have time for much in the way of personal relationships.”
    “We go way back. These two guys stayed at the Granger Home for Boys.”
    “Oh, well, can I meet them?”
    “Sure,” Michael said. “I told you they were coming to the wedding.”
    Kate’s lips twitched. “I meant before the wedding.”
    “We’ll see. Anything happen today that I should know about?”
    “Not today,” she said.
    He lifted an eyebrow at her choice of words. “Tomorrow then?”
    “I have an appointment with the obstetrician.”
    “Something wrong?”
    She shook her head. “It’s routine.” She waved her hand. “It’s a long shot, but last time the nurse told me I might be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat at this appointment.”
    “What time?”
    “Two o’clock at the Robinson Medical Center. Dr. Dent.”
    “I have a conference call with the new manager of R and D on the west coast.”
    “No problem,” she said a little too casually. “You really don’t need to be there.”
     
    Michael almost didn’t make it. Although he rescheduled his teleconference, traffic and his latest clueless assistant conspired against him. He strode into the doctor’s office at 2:20 and wangled his way into Kate’s examination room.
    Lying on the table with the doctor’s stethoscope on her abdomen, Kate looked at Michael in surprise. “I thought you had a meeting.”
    “Rescheduled.”
    The doctor glanced up. “Dr. Dent,” she said, introducing herself. “Are you the father?”
    Michael felt a clench in his stomach at the question, but nodded. “Michael Hawkins.”
    “I’m trying to find your baby’s heartbeat. It may be too early, but…” She moved the stethoscope and smiled, then turned up the volume on a small magnification device. “There it is.”
    Michael listened to the fast swishing sound andhis gaze met Kate’s. Her eyes were filled with wonder.
    “It’s so fast,” she whispered.
    “It’s in the normal range,” the doctor said. “Sounds good and strong. Just one,” she added with a smile.
    Transfixed, Michael listened to the sound of the tiny heartbeat and felt something inside him click. Their child, he thought. Although he’d known it was real before, the only outward evidence Kate had exhibited had been morning sickness. The swishing heartbeat made it undeniable. A