Page 58 of The Baby Contract With My Hot Billionaire Boss

“No?” I answer, with a slightly breathless, wry laugh. “Are you sure?”

“No, I’m not sure,” is his response, his fingers curling slightly at my hip before he grumbles and releases me. “Go, before I drag you back upstairs and have my way with you.”

“Is that supposed to convince me to go?”

Now it’s his turn to give a wry expression but I know that I really should get going. Knowing my sister, Leann has probably been ready to go for ages and now she’s driving Mom crazy by staring at the clock. And with Mom already being judgy sometimes, getting there late won’t be a good start.

Though it’s not like she can blame Chris for me being late to pick her up; or rather, she could but she doesn’t know that. And I’m not going to tell her.

I hurry out the door before I can get distracted yet again, seeing Chris make his way to the living room this time instead of back to the kitchen. So at least one of us is now calmer.

As for myself, my heart is racing at least as much now as it was before, and it’s the same all the way to the house where, sure enough, Leann and Mom are waiting.

“There you are! I was starting to think you forgot about us!” Leann exclaims, practically running to the car and throwing herself in the front seat. “Let’s go. I’m ready.”

I can’t help but laugh at her infectious energy. And I’m more than happy with how healthy she looks.

From the soft smile on Mom’s face, I know that she’s pleased about Leann as well. And that’s actually countering some of whatever judgment she would be passing on me.

“All right, let’s go.” As we drive through the neighborhood I can see Mom watching out the window, wondering just where we’re going. And as the neighborhoods start getting nicer and nicer, Leann is staring excitedly out the window, exclaiming over backyards and nice cars, while Mom seems to be pulling herself up straighter and straighter, her lips thinning out into that line I recognize well.

It’s the same look she used to have in the hospital, when Leann was younger and the nurses would offer us pretty much anything for free. She hated that we had to take charity. Would try to stave off whatever she could but … well … there wasn’t much she could refuse in those days.

And driving through these neighborhoods to see what these people have is bringing all of that back. I can tell.

Which only gets worse when we pull into Chris’s actual neighborhood, and then stop in front of the house.

“Wow! Your new boyfriend lives here?” Leann asks in a shocked but extremely excited tone.

“Yes, Chris lives here,” I reply, trying for the same light and easy tone as hers. But I’m not so sure that I actually succeeded.

Well, here goes nothing. I take a quick moment to draw in a breath and then lead both of them into the house to meet the father of my child … and just maybe, something more.

Chapter Twenty-Seven ~ Chris

Much as I try to play things off and pretend that nothing is wrong, I know that I’m not coming across as confident as I would like about this whole thing.

The fact that Emma noticed it before she left tells me that much. It’s just that there’s a lot riding on this.

Even though Emma never mentioned her family until recently I know that they’re a huge part of her life. It’s all starting to fit together now. Where she would run off to all the time. All the times that she was late for work. It’s all been about them.

Even the reason that she took me up on my offer and the reason she was looking to become a dancer. Everything was about them.

Which means that if things don’t go well between me and them … I don’t know what it could mean for my future with Emma.

As the door opens I take a deep breath and try to convince myself that I can handle this. And that it’s the same as meeting with new clients. Except the girl that bursts through the door first is a whole lot more excitable than any of my clients.

“Oh, my gosh, this place is gorgeous!” she exclaims loudly, staring around the foyer, and then her eyes land on me. “Oh! You must be Chris! Right?” She glances back at Emma who gives her a smile that instantly conveys so much love and affection that I feel my nervousness ratchet up even more. But even before I have a chance to say anything, Emma’s slight nod gives her everything she needs to know and her arms wrap around me in a quick hug. “I’m Leann, Emma’s sister.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” I reply, a little startled by the sudden embrace that’s over so quickly I don’t really need to react.

It’s clear that this isn’t a surprise to Emma who only shakes her head with that same smile and then glances back at her mother who has walked through the door a little more calmly.

“Ms. Randolph,” I approach her slowly, holding out my hand and she takes it.

“Mr. Warren, is it?”

“Chris, please,” I reply, hoping that we can dispense with all the formalities and everything here can be comfortable.

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