Page 36 of Billion-Dollar Baby Bargain

But not nearly as badly as the desire that made him crave to get Victoria into his bed, under his body—

“We should do it again sometime.”

“What?” His voice went rough with want. Could she have read his carnal thoughts?

“Visit the zoo again.”

Of course she couldn’t read his thoughts. He blew out in relief. “Yes, yes, we must.”

He could marry her—the crazy thought leapt back into his mind and just as quickly he banished it. He didn’t want to marry the woman. Hell, he hadn’t wanted to marry Dana, either. Victoria was just as career-minded—nothing like the kind of woman he wanted to live with for the rest of his life.

Except his libido refused to agree.

After putting the baby into his night suit on Sunday night, Victoria settled down to feed him his bottle in the spacious rocking chair that had been delivered to the nursery yesterday while they’d been out at the zoo.

Yesterday.

She glanced across to Connor where he sat perched on the love seat opposite her, riffling through a pile of picture books on the floor in front of him.

Yesterday she’d discovered a side to Connor that she’d never known existed. A warm, fun, funny side. But as soon as they’d gotten home Connor had disappeared, and today she’d barely seen him. She was starting to think he must be avoiding her.

Yet here he was acting as though everything was normal.

Victoria decided she’d never fathom the man out.

He seemed impervious to her disquiet as he picked up a picture book and held it up, saying, “This one, don’t you think, big guy?”

Dylan sucked more fiercely on the bottle.

“Good taste, son.”

Connor flipped open the first page. Despite his deep voice, he read with a soft, easy rhythm that was curiously soothing. By the time he’d reached the end of the board book, Dylan’s eyelids had fallen and Victoria was feeling easier…almost sleepy.

Setting the book on the pile beside the love seat, Connor stretched his arms above his head. “I’ve been thinking.”

The warm, fuzzy feeling receded. Victoria opened her eyes in time to see him rise to his feet. She regarded him warily as tension zapped through her. “About?”

He looked remote, powerful and somewhat alien, standing across from her with his hands on his hips. Was he about to tell her that he’d reconsidered their unconventional custody arrangement—that she should go home? Or was he going to demand she give up work to stay home with Dylan? She’d been dreading that.

She told herself Connor couldn’t force her to do anything she didn’t want to do.

But imperceptibly her muscles grew taut.

He hesitated only for an instant. “I think we should get married.”

“What?”

Dylan stirred in her arms and she rocked him hurriedly. “Where did that come from?” she whispered fiercely to Connor.

“It will make it much easier for Dylan,” he said in a low voice, crossing the space between them and staring down at the baby who slept so peacefully in the crook of her arm. “And do away with the constant need for explanations.”

“This is because of the woman at the zoo yesterday?”

He spread his hands out wide. “Her mistake was understandable and it’s going to happen more and more, particularly if we’re living together.”

Victoria couldn’t believe she hadn’t blurted out no to his proposal straight away. Until a few days ago there’d always been hostile tension between them. They’d never gotten along, and she’d spent two years actively avoiding him while Suzy and Michael were alive.

So why hadn’t she simply said no?

One word.

No…no…no!

Easy.

But she didn’t say it.

Because of Dylan.

She tilted her head back and studied Connor critically. He was tall. Strong. Deep in her belly, heat stirred. She suppressed it ruthlessly. She knew he was good at sport. He’d be able to pass those skills on to Dylan.

Dylan was the only reason she could ever marry Connor….

A glance down at the baby revealed his smooth, round face, untroubled by the demons chasing her. If she married Connor then Dylan would have a family again. A mother and a father. A world away from merely living with his guardians.

How could she deprive him of that?

A real family.

But Victoria couldn’t lie to herself. There was another, much more selfish reason to marry Connor. If she did her place in Dylan’s life would be secure.

She would be able to relax, to stop worrying that he’d get rid of her as soon as Dylan settled down. As his wife, it would be a lot harder for Connor to evict her from Dylan’s life.

Uncannily, Connor echoed her thoughts: “If we were married we could provide a stable home for Dylan.”

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