Page 27 of The Bad Boy's Good Girl

“No one you need to worry about, Bronx. I don’t need or want anything from you. Have your lawyers draw something up and I’ll sign it,” she told him and turned back to her side, clutching her midsection, body stiff as she waited for him to leave.

“This isn’t over Nola, so don’t think it is for one damn second!” He flew out the room and ran down the steps where Brooks waited.

“Well? Is she okay?”

Bronx kept going, his brother on his heels. “I don’t know if she’s okay, all I know is that she’s fucking pregnant, Brooks. And she didn’t tell me!”

* * *

“Why wouldn’t she tell me, Brooks?” He still couldn’t believe it. Nola. Pregnant. “Am I that big an asshole that she felt she couldn’t tell me?” Even sick in the hospital she hadn’t wanted his help.

“Do you want kids at all, never mind with Nola?”

He never thought he wanted children, but Bronx imagined eventually he would settle down with some hot nurturing mother type and have a few kids. But ten or fifteen years in the future. Not by next summer. “I don’t know.”

“Then maybe you ought to figure out why you’re so upset about this before you talk to Nola again.” Arms crossed, Brooks looked more like her protector than his brother’s. “If she didn’t tell you it’s probably because she didn’t think you’d want to be involved.”

“I still have a goddamn right to know!” He smacked his fist on the dashboard in fury. She should have told him and nothing could justify that. “It’s my choice to make, Brooks.”

“And who’s to say she wouldn’t have told you? It’s still pretty early, right?”

“Yeah, what’s your point?” Because it sounded a lot like his own brother was taking someone else’s side.

“My point is that you are not in a relationship with Nola and,” Brooks held up a hand to stop the argument forming on his lips, “it is customary to keep it quiet until the first trimester has passed.”

“What the hell are you talking about and why do you know this shit, Brooks?”

He laughed, shaking his head. “The risk of miscarriage is high in the first three months so couples generally don’t tell anyone until they reach that milestone. And I know that because I have friends.”

“So you’re not just telling me to take it easy because you’re friends?”

“Hell man, I don’t even know if we are friends. She needed someone to talk to, to be there for her and that’s the time I chose to act like a world class jerk to her.” He hung his head low and buried his head in his hands. “So what are you going to do?”

“I need to talk to her.” Clearly she didn’t want to talk to him. “I have a plan and you’re going to help me.”

“So that explains why we’re staking out a hospital?”

“Yep. I have it on good authority she’s getting out today.” He’d flirted with a young nursing intern who’d found out everything he needed to know to put his plan into action.

“So we’re just going to ambush her? That worked out so well last time.”

“No. You’re going to drive her home and I’m going to do some other stuff you don’t need to worry about old man, all right?” He didn’t like the way his brother studied him so carefully. “What? Do I have spinach in my teeth?”

“You don’t even like spinach,” he answered. “And I’m looking at you because you’re behaving oddly.” He snapped his finger like he suddenly figured out some big damn secret. “You like Nola.”

“Of course, I do,” he snapped. “What’s not to like?”

“No, I mean you like her. As a person. A woman. I can’t believe it. All your women and Nola’s the one to get to you.” His shoulders began to shake, the deep rumble of his laughter bouncing off the sides of the car.

“Why the hell is that so funny?”

“It’s just,” more laughter. “Nola. You’ve got your work cut out for you but if you’re sincere then I think you have a good chance.”

He wanted to know what he had a good chance at but he couldn’t bring himself to ask. “Yeah sure, just get her home. Her car is parked over in Lot D and I’m assuming that extra key on your ring is hers?” He nodded as he slid from the car.

“I got my end, little brother, don’t you worry. Good luck.” One foot in the snow, he turned. “You’ll need this for whatever you’re planning,” he said and placed a key in his palm.

Bronx groaned, wincing when the door slammed. He watched his brother walk inside the hospital and drove off, making several planned stops and wishing he’d planned this all better. It was Christmas Eve and the mall was packed. The grocery store was packed. Every damn place he went was filled to capacity with people. Hadn’t anyone ever heard of online shopping? He hoped Nola would appreciate everything he was doing for her today.

He’d just made it to the house when Brooks sent him a text to say Nola had just left the hospital, so he figured with ten to fifteen minutes of arguing and the drive home, he had about thirty minutes to get everything set up. It wasn’t enough but if he worked fast, the stubborn woman would find it hard to do anything but hear him out.

If not, well he would do the one thing he knew she couldn’t resist.

Seduction.

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