Read Online The Greek Billionaire's Secret Baby (Contemporary Romance) by Michele Dunaway - Free Book Online Page B

instead grabbed hold of her and took root.
    Something was wrong.
    Her eyes widened as a muscle tightening cramp shot through her abdomen and traveled to her toes. Her quick intake of breath must have alerted Alex, because he turned his attention to her instead of the judge.
    “Lauren, what is it? You’ve paled.” A genuine concern radiated in his black eyes. “Tell me, what’s wrong?”
    “I’m fine,” she braved as another clutching pain shot through her. And had she just wet her underwear? Surely not, but why did her briefs feel damp?
    “Nerves,” she heard Theo mutter disparagingly under his breath. Alex looked over his shoulder and silenced Theo with one cutting look.
    But, maybe Theo was right. Maybe it was nerves. She’d always dreamed of marrying Alex Pappas, but not like this. No, this was not her dream. She didn’t want to marry Alex in a judge’s chamber, ready to commit to a loveless union forever and ever more.
    Lauren clutched the fresh flowers to her protruding stomach as another possibility occurred to her. Surely these pangs weren’t contractions. The baby, it was too early.  She had six weeks left until her due date.
    The baby could not be deciding to arrive today.
    The judge broke the silence that had fallen. “We’re almost finished. About five minutes. Then you can sign the marriage license and go. I know what a trial a woman’s pregnancy can be. My wife had to be off her feet the last four weeks. Nothing but absolute bed rest until her c-section.”
    Lauren nodded. Five minutes until her life sealed itself irrevocably to Alex’s. “Okay.” Her mouth dried on the simple word.
    The judge turned to Alex. “Alex, do you take Lauren, for better or worse, richer or poorer, in sickness and in health as long as you both shall live?”
    “I do.” Alex’s confident rumble filled the room and Lauren dared not look at him. Her hands trembled and the flowers she held shook. Some greenery came loose and fell to the floor.
    The judge turned to Lauren but she couldn’t see him through the clouded certainty that something was truly wrong, and that it wasn’t just nerves. “Lauren do you take…”
    “Alex!” Lauren’s anguished cry cut off the judge. “Alex, I…”
    But words were useless, as Lauren indeed knew she was wetting her undergarments, meaning that at this moment her water had chosen to break at the worst possible time. The flowers fell from her hand and petals frayed and crumpled as the bouquet tumbled on the floor.
    “Dear God,” Theo hissed.
    “Call an ambulance,” Clarice directed someone.
    Tears streamed down Lauren’s face, matching the liquid trickling down her legs. The pain sharpened, nearly doubling her over. She clutched Alex’s arm. “Alex. No. It can’t be now.”
    He seemed not to understand for he reached forward and tucked a loose blond ringlet behind her ear. “Shh, Lauren, we’ve called for an ambulance. You’ll be fine.”
    “Alex, the baby. It’s too soon.”
    His face paled and he searched her face. “Too soon?”
    She dug her fingers into the fine fabric of his sleeve. “I’m only at 34 weeks! The baby’s premature. He can’t come now.”
    A million emotions flitted across Alex’s face in an instant. For such a powerful man, her words had stripped him of all control. She’d rendered him vulnerable. “Lauren, I…”
    “You’ll be fine,” Clarice reassured as she came to Lauren’s side. “Doctors often get these due dates wrong. They were four weeks off with my daughter. If she’d delivered on her due date the baby would have been over ten pounds. As it was, my darling grandbaby Bruce was eight something and as perfect as can be. You’ll be fine, dear, the paramedics are on their way.”
    “Do we need to finish the ceremony?” Theo faced the judge as he asked the all-important question. “Or can we simply have them sign the papers?”
    “This is highly irregular,” the judge said. He stared at his soaked carpet and took a step