Page 354 of Billionaire Temptations

“Serena brought her baby into the office today for the first time. She’s due back from her maternity leave next week. Her son is so cute and tiny. I held him.”

“You did?”

“Yeah. For quite a while. He seemed to like me.”

“That’s because you’re extremely likable, Mr. Carter.” I grinned.

“You know, I got to thinking about how we have never talked about children. How many kids do you want?”

I looked at him and gulped. There was a reason this subject never came up.

“Wes, I don’t ever want children.”

“What?” he asked as he walked over to me. “What do you mean?”

“I never have, and to be honest, I don’t plan on having any.”

“Anna, I don’t understand.”

“I assumed you never wanted them either since we never talked about it.”

“I love kids, and yes, I want them. I guess we never talked about it because we were so wrapped up in everything else. You’re seriously going to sit there and tell me that you don’t want to have children with me?”

“You act like you’re taking this personally, Wes. I just don’t want children, period.”

“Why? Because of your mother?” His eyes narrowed at me.

“Don’t. Don’t do this.” I shook my head as I got up from the couch. “Don’t bring her into this.”

“I am doing this.” His voice grew louder. “If it’s because of her, maybe you need to get some therapy.”

“Excuse me? You’re standing there telling me that I need therapy because I don’t want kids?”

“Who the hell doesn’t want kids, Anna?” he yelled as he held out his arms.

“There are lots of people in this world that don’t want kids.”

“That’s just insane.” He finished off his scotch and walked back to the bar.

“Oh. So now I’m insane because I don’t want kids. Do you hear yourself?” I shouted.

“We’re having kids, Anna.”

“Is that so?” I stood there with my hands on my hips. “I hate to tell you this, Wes, but it’s my body, and if I don’t want kids, I’m not having any.”

“Man, I wish we would have discussed this before?—”

“Before what, Wes?” I asked in a harsh tone.

“Nothing. Listen, Anna, let’s discuss this like mature adults. I want nothing more than to have a baby with you someday. It doesn’t have to be now or in a year,” he calmly spoke. “I can wait until you’re ready.”

“I’ll never be ready. I don’t want children. Not now, not ever, and I’m not going to stand here and tell you okay and give you false hope, and then in a couple of years, we’re standing in this exact spot having the same argument. I don’t want children. Period.”

He stood a few feet away from me with anger in his eyes. An anger I’d never seen before from him.

“Then why are we doing this?” he asked.

“What? Getting married? Because we love each other. Have you forgotten that? You’re going to let something like me not wanting children ruin us?”

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