Page 22 of Her Forever Billionaire

‘We’re not getting married.’ She cut him off before he could get out the crazy proposal. ‘I’m not marrying you. It’s not necessary. That sort of thing just doesn’t happen now.’

His eyes were wide.

‘You don’t need to worry,’ she added furiously. ‘I don’t have a father to come running after you with a shotgun. It’s a stupid idea.’

He paused, seeming to take a minute to breathe. Kelsi needed to sit. She wished he’d leave so she could process this whole thing; his presence was too much to cope with. She really wanted to cry—alone.

‘Kelsi,’ he said quietly. ‘I don’t want to get married either. I’ve no intention of ever getting married.’

Kelsi went prickly hot all over. He didn’t? Oh, could the floor open up and swallow her now—please?

‘You’re right.’ His voice softened further still. ‘People don’t marry because of unplanned pregnancies any more.’

While she totally agreed, somehow him saying it made her angry. His brutal honesty hurt. ‘Some people don’t go through with unplanned pregnancies either.’

The sharp intake of breath and the leaping in his eyes almost made her take a step back. ‘This can’t happen right now,’ she said harshly. ‘I have a career to build, I need to work?—’

‘You don’t need to worry about money,’ he said furiously. ‘If you go through with this, I will support you and the child.’

‘No.’ Her shoulders slumped. ‘You don’t need to. You don’t need to worry. Just forget about it.’ She didn’t want him thinking he had to do anything.

He was white around the lips. ‘You’re going to get rid of it.’

She closed her eyes, holding back the tears. ‘No,’ she said softly. ‘I’m sorry but that’s not an option for me.’

She was the result of an unplanned pregnancy herself, the offspring of a shotgun wedding. So she knew all too well how those kinds of marriages failed. But she was grateful for her life. And she was weeks gone already. She would love this child no matter that its conception was unintended, no matter the impact. She could figure this out—surely she could.

He turned away from her, lifting his arm and rubbing the side of his neck. ‘Don’t be sorry,’ he said eventually. ‘I’m glad.’

It was long moments before Kelsi could breathe again.

‘We’ll work it out.’ He faced her again.

She held up her hand. She just didn’t want to hear the platitudes. ‘We don’t have to do anything. I do.’ She sighed. ‘Let’s not have this conversation tonight.’

‘Kelsi,’ he asked softly. ‘Where’s your mum?’

She winced. How on earth was she going to tell her? She’d tried so hard to be the success her mother had wanted her to be. She didn’t want to let her down and she just had. She’d never been able to meet her father’s standard in looks, but for her mother she’d ensured she met the requirements—a good girl, with good grades and good attitude and good prospects. Not some hedonistic fool who’d throw it all away with a lust-filled romp with a stranger on a beach. How could she admit that folly? She couldn’t bear to lose her mother’s approval, too. Not when it had been so hard won.

When Kelsi answered it was a barely audible whisper. ‘I’m not talking to her about this yet.’

Jack felt really bad now. She looked so small, so vulnerable. So damned vulnerable. And he couldn’t stop himself from reaching out. Just to comfort, just a little. But she flinched back from his touch and looked wildly angry with him.

‘Don’t.’ She glared at him.

Okay, fair enough. He wasn’t feeling that Disney happy either right now. He was worried—about her—in more ways than he wanted to admit to her or to himself. ‘You haven’t had dinner.’

‘I’m not hungry.’

Nor was he. But it gave him reason to stick around and something to do with his hands. ‘I’ll go get something. Be back in twenty. We can talk some more then.’

A little cool-down time would be good for them both. His knee twinged as he strode to the row of shops down the end of the street but it wasn’t as bad as the stabbing thoughts in his head. He’d never wanted to be responsible for anyone. He’d taken great care not to lead any lover on, or let anyone think themselves attached to him. He just wasn’t ready for family commitments and he didn’t think he’d ever be. He liked the thrill of variety and challenge—professionally and personally. He also liked to keep his distance from anything messy. That meant short, hot flings that ended in a nice friendship.

He liked his freedom. He needed it so he could concentrate on his career.

But there was something so galling about being told outright, from the outset, that he wasn’t required. That any responsibility he felt wasn’t necessary and nor was anything else he might want to offer. It annoyed him. And it made him Mr Contrary. For one crazy half-moment he’d even felt like insisting she marry him. Just to let her know she wasn’t as self-sufficient as she thought. Because she wasn’t. Sure, she had a job and car and everything, but she was renting and it wasn’t as if she was rich. And he wasn’t going to be easily side-lined.

But the truth was marriage hadn’t even occurred to him until she’d pre-emptively refused him. Besides, he couldn’t exactly force her.

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