Page 25 of Taming a Heartbreaker

“Yes, but he will be wasting his time.”

“I guess he feels he can prove it while he’s here taking care of you.”

A dumbfounded look appeared on Carmen’s face. “What are you talking about? Redford will not be taking care of me.”

“Did you not tell him he had to prove he wants the baby?”

“Yes, but I didn’t say anything about him staying here to take care of me.”

“You told him to prove he wants the baby and staying here to take care of you is his way of doing so.”

“That’s utter nonsense.”

Leslie crossed her arms over her chest. “Redford said he asked you if you wanted to know how he intended to go about proving it and you said that you didn’t want to know.”

Yes, she had said that. “But I had no idea what he was planning.”

“Well, he did offer to tell you.”

Carmen frowned. “Whose side are you on, Leslie?”

“I will tell you what you would tell me if our roles were reversed. I am on the side of what’s fair. You would take any opportunity to right a wrong, Carmen. You and I both know it. We also know you don’t go back on your word and you all but gave Redford your word that he could prove he wanted the baby the two of you made together.”

Carmen’s frown deepened. “We might have made it together, but this is my baby and my baby alone.”

“Redford thinks otherwise.”

Carmen didn’t say anything for a moment, and then asked, “Where is he?”

“He left to go to the hotel to gather his stuff to move in here.”

“That won’t be happening. When he returns, let him know that I want to see him immediately.”

“Okay, I will do that. But I want to give you something to think about.”

“What?”

“There are some men who would run away from their responsibility, whether they wanted to be a father or not. You should appreciate a man who wants your baby and is willing to prove that he does.”

Carmen was quiet and then she said softly, “That’s something I did notice during my conversation with Redford.”

“What?”

“He never referred to my baby as mine, although I always do. During our discussion, he always referred to it as ours.”

“I think that’s a good mindset for Redford to have. No matter what kind of relationship you and he might share, the bottom line is that the two of you created a life together. Now...are you ready for lunch?”

She saw how easily Leslie changed the subject and knew her best friend well enough to know the move had been intentional. She’d wanted to leave her with something to think about. “Yes. I’m hoping I keep it down.”

When Leslie left her alone, her thoughts shifted back to Redford and just what she would say to him when she saw him. One thing was for certain, he would not be staying here to take care of her and that was final.

Redford tapped lightly on the door before entering to find Carmen sleeping. Leslie had told him Carmen wanted to see him as soon as he returned. He figured she now knew his plan of action and wasn’t happy with it. Too bad. He refused to let her renege on her word that he could prove her wrong.

Glancing around the room, he saw the colors in here were even brighter than those in her living room. The bright yellow walls were almost blinding. However, the mint green curtains managed to tone the effect down a bit. Huge throw pillows, a good half dozen or so, were lined against one wall and he figured they would have a place on her bed when it was empty.

Laying on top of the bed covers was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She was slumped with her back against a pillow while sleeping in what he assumed was a comfortable position. Her hair was combed back in a single braid situated across her shoulder. He had noticed the hair style earlier; it looked rather cute on her. Sleeping made her long lashes more pronounced and her lips appeared even more kissable than he remembered.

He slid into the chair across from the bed with his gaze still trained on her. She wore a robe over her short gown, and his gaze lingered on her tummy. It was hard to imagine a child growing inside her at this moment and giving its mother a hard time while doing so.

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