Page 68 of The Baby Contract With My Hot Billionaire Boss

“And I appreciate it. It’s nice having you so close. And it saved us a trip to the doctor.” I manage a laugh and sit more upright. Now that I know everything is fine, there are other things I should be doing today.

Though Baby seems to have other ideas because the kicking continues. And what was cute and amazing for a while gradually turns into a bit of a pain. Because I can’t seem to move without feeling the baby move. Some of it is fine. Some of it tickles, like Mom mentioned. And some of it actually hurts.

“This little one has some strength in there,” I tell them all at dinner one night and Mom smiles.

“You and your sister used to kick me all the time. Anytime I even thought about lying down it was like you decided to dance around in there. Oh, it made me so frustrated.”

I feel relieved. Because I’m not always so thrilled about all the kicking. And hearing Mom mention how she would get frustrated just makes me feel that much better about it all. Maybe I’m not being a bad mother already for being annoyed.

Mom seems to know what I’m thinking because she gives me a little smile and reaches out to take my hand for a moment. But then she turns back to her food like there’s nothing at all to worry about.

Chris’s eyes narrow slightly for a moment in confusion, but he also seems to decide that it’s not a big deal and simply gives me a smile.

“I think it’s amazing that the baby is moving in there,” Leann pipes up. “It’s crazy to think about. I mean, I know there’s a baby in there, obviously, but I can’t imagine actually feeling it moving around. That’s a whole new level of awareness.”

“Definitely,” I agree, because I feel the same way. Up until now I knew the baby was there. But I didn’t really know it was there. Now, it’s impossible to ignore. And so is the looming due date that always seemed so far away.

When I glance over at Chris again he’s giving me that same soft smile he does nearly all the time now. The one that definitely feels like something more than just the look you give the woman carrying your baby.

But I don’t want to read too much into it. I don’t want to get myself too worked up or too excited or too … anything. Only to have it all dashed away. Still …

I can’t help the soft smile that spreads across my face in return, as I look at him.

Everything feels … perfect, at this moment. The four of us sitting down at the table together, talking and laughing, and just … enjoying being together. And I wonder if this can really be our life forever. With the addition of the baby, of course.

Chapter Thirty-One ~ Chris

This is it.

I’ve already decided that things need to change.

Because I’m not happy with the way things are anymore.

Not content with letting it all go on the way that it has.

Not okay with just hoping that things are going to be another way or that Emma is going to open up about what she feels.

It’s time that I do it first.

“Come to dinner with me tomorrow night.”

She spins around, startled, from where she’s been gathering up a tray of drinks. Her stomach is quite large now and we’ve had to get an entirely new costume to help her feel more comfortable in it. And by her choice she sticks more to the bar, gathering the drinks for the other girls who take them around to the tables.

“I didn’t even hear you come over here,” she says instead of answering but I’m not having that.

“Come to dinner with me tomorrow night,” I repeat instead, and she laughs and shakes her head. But it’s not a no. It’s a wry gesture, like she can’t believe I’m doing this here.

“All right, tomorrow night.”

This time she doesn’t joke about me being the boss and I wonder if that’s because we’re actually at work now. But she hasn’t refused to go so it doesn’t really matter to me. I want this to be perfect. Everything has to be perfect. And that means making some big plans.

So when Emma turns back to her work I head upstairs to make a phone call. One that I think is going to help me make this date the best one that we’ve had yet.

And then I’m slipping out of the office for a little while, so I can make sure everything is set up for tomorrow evening.

When the time comes for our date I change into dress pants and a button-up shirt and enter the foyer to find her wearing a cute sundress that just barely shows off the bump of her stomach. Something that makes me like it even more.

Oh yes, seeing her stomach grow as she gets further and further along is definitely going to be amazing for me. And seeing the smile on her face as I walk into the room is even more amazing, because it makes me think that maybe things really are progressing the way I want.

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