can’t focus on anything without screwing it up. I can’t breath e because all I want is the one thing I can’t have.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to father my child.”
“It does if I don’t want you with anyone else.” His fingers tightened against her skin. The little bite of pain was unbelievably arousing.
“You’re jealous,” she breathed.
“Hell yes, I’m jealous. Just the thought of you with someone else…”
It was startling to realize he wanted her so much that he was willing to go this far to keep her from turning to another man. Part of her was alarmed. This level of intensity was exactly the kind of thing she avoided. Emotions ran too high when jealousy was involved. But she was honest enough to admit that what he was offering was too good to turn down.
“Well, I guess we could have a lawyer draw up one of those contracts. So you’ll know I’m not after your money and visitation is clearly spelled out.”
"We won’t need that.” Nick’s hand trailed down her back, drawing slow circles on the small of her back.
She bit her lip to hold in a moan. His hand felt so good it should be illegal. “Aren’t you worried about me trying to keep the baby from you later?”
He looked her deeply in the eyes. “No, I’m not. I don’t think you’d want to keep a loving father away.”
Raina looked away. “Well, what about finances? You’re a little older, so I’m sure you’ve accumulated more wealth than I have.”
He shrugged. “Money is my business, so yeah. Probably.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll try to get my hands on your money?”
“Nope. I’m actually expecting that you will.” He smirked and tapped her on the end of the nose. “Which means I’ll just have to work harder and earn more.”
Raina gaped at him. “You’re being awfully cavalier about this. You really don’t care if I take the baby anywhere and spend all your money?”
“That’s what wives do, isn’t it? At least according to most of my married friends.”
“Married?” Her mouth fell open.
“Oh, hell. I’m making a mess of this, aren’t I? Raina, I’m not just giving you my DNA and then walking away. I have conditions. If you want my baby, then this isn’t going to be a turkey-baster job. You’ll get it the good old-fashioned way. And I promise you, we’ll both enjoy it.” He leaned down until their eyes met. She shivered when he held her gaze. “But you also have to give me something I want just as much.”
He leaned down even farther until their lips were just a breath apart and then said, “You.”
* * * * *
NICK KNEW HE was walking a fine line. Raina looked like she was shell-shocked, her brown eyes slightly unfocused as she swayed against him. It probably wasn’t fair to expect her to make a decision about something this monumental right away, but a huge part of him wanted to pressure her for an immediate response.
The caveman in him wanted to get her answer, marry her, and get her pregnant before she had a chance to reconsider.
“So you’re blackmailing me?” Raina said. She didn’t sound angry as much as confused. As if she couldn’t understand why he’d want to do it.
“No. I’m not holding anything over your head. I’m not going to go running to the press with this story if you say no. I would never hurt you like that. I’m just telling you my conditions for helping you. You want something from me. Something huge. But you have to give me something I want just as much.”
“Me,” she whispered. “That’s really all you want?”
“Yes.” Talk about the understatement of the century. His obsession with her was on the verge of taking over his life. He had to have her. It didn’t even matter if she didn’t love him. If you only knew, pretty girl. I’ll take you any way I can get you.
“What happens when you wake up and realize the infatuation is over? Aren’t you going to feel trapped?”
“What was it
“That doesn’t mean you have to father my child.”
“It does if I don’t want you with anyone else.” His fingers tightened against her skin. The little bite of pain was unbelievably arousing.
“You’re jealous,” she breathed.
“Hell yes, I’m jealous. Just the thought of you with someone else…”
It was startling to realize he wanted her so much that he was willing to go this far to keep her from turning to another man. Part of her was alarmed. This level of intensity was exactly the kind of thing she avoided. Emotions ran too high when jealousy was involved. But she was honest enough to admit that what he was offering was too good to turn down.
“Well, I guess we could have a lawyer draw up one of those contracts. So you’ll know I’m not after your money and visitation is clearly spelled out.”
"We won’t need that.” Nick’s hand trailed down her back, drawing slow circles on the small of her back.
She bit her lip to hold in a moan. His hand felt so good it should be illegal. “Aren’t you worried about me trying to keep the baby from you later?”
He looked her deeply in the eyes. “No, I’m not. I don’t think you’d want to keep a loving father away.”
Raina looked away. “Well, what about finances? You’re a little older, so I’m sure you’ve accumulated more wealth than I have.”
He shrugged. “Money is my business, so yeah. Probably.”
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll try to get my hands on your money?”
“Nope. I’m actually expecting that you will.” He smirked and tapped her on the end of the nose. “Which means I’ll just have to work harder and earn more.”
Raina gaped at him. “You’re being awfully cavalier about this. You really don’t care if I take the baby anywhere and spend all your money?”
“That’s what wives do, isn’t it? At least according to most of my married friends.”
“Married?” Her mouth fell open.
“Oh, hell. I’m making a mess of this, aren’t I? Raina, I’m not just giving you my DNA and then walking away. I have conditions. If you want my baby, then this isn’t going to be a turkey-baster job. You’ll get it the good old-fashioned way. And I promise you, we’ll both enjoy it.” He leaned down until their eyes met. She shivered when he held her gaze. “But you also have to give me something I want just as much.”
He leaned down even farther until their lips were just a breath apart and then said, “You.”
* * * * *
NICK KNEW HE was walking a fine line. Raina looked like she was shell-shocked, her brown eyes slightly unfocused as she swayed against him. It probably wasn’t fair to expect her to make a decision about something this monumental right away, but a huge part of him wanted to pressure her for an immediate response.
The caveman in him wanted to get her answer, marry her, and get her pregnant before she had a chance to reconsider.
“So you’re blackmailing me?” Raina said. She didn’t sound angry as much as confused. As if she couldn’t understand why he’d want to do it.
“No. I’m not holding anything over your head. I’m not going to go running to the press with this story if you say no. I would never hurt you like that. I’m just telling you my conditions for helping you. You want something from me. Something huge. But you have to give me something I want just as much.”
“Me,” she whispered. “That’s really all you want?”
“Yes.” Talk about the understatement of the century. His obsession with her was on the verge of taking over his life. He had to have her. It didn’t even matter if she didn’t love him. If you only knew, pretty girl. I’ll take you any way I can get you.
“What happens when you wake up and realize the infatuation is over? Aren’t you going to feel trapped?”
“What was it
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