Page 16 of Baby Mine

“And if I still want you as my wife?”

“Why in the world would you?” She balled up the ends of the tablecloth in her lap. “We’re from two different worlds. I mean we have great sex. I’ll admit that, but it doesn’t make a relationship.”

He leaned forward, capturing her gaze as if he touched her. Something fluttered in her chest, and she tried to calm her nerves.

“Tell me you don’t love me, cara mia.”

“L-love?” she croaked. He put her on the spot, as if she were the one who brought him here to make a declaration. She didn’t know how he felt. For all she knew he might have picked up on her love for him and decided he could use it to his advantage to gain control of both her and the baby. That kind of thing from powerful men wasn’t unheard of, but she wasn’t the one. She released the tablecloth and clenched her hand into a fist. “What’s love got to do with us? We had sex. It was good, but we weren’t careful, and now we have a situation. We can deal with it like two civilized adults.”

When his eyebrows rose, she knew she had surprised him with her reaction. She liked that. Watching the lawyers in her office, she’d learned a thing or two about keeping others guessing.

She took another swig from her glass and set it down with as much calm as she could muster. “You expected me to fall into your arms because you offered me your name. Well, sorry, pal, I’m not that kind of woman.”

Okay, that part’s weird. It’s not like he asked me to become his mistress.

A slow smile spread over Renzo’s features. “Everything you say and everything you do—your reactions to the world around you—confirm that you are the one for me, Jada. I will slow down. However, you will be mine on a permanent basis.”

He pulled out the small black box, proving he hadn’t been lying, and opened it. The gigantic diamond ring inside blew her mind. That thing would need its own personal bodyguard, she mused, and couldn’t imagine how much it cost. Whatever the expense, it was probably pocket change for him.

Renzo put the ring away and picked up his menu, the smile still in place. “Shall we order?”

She watched him a few moments longer and then followed suit. They made their selections, chatted, and then ate some of the most delicious food she’d ever tasted. All the while, Renzo kept her entertained, making her laugh and regaling her with stories of the places he’d traveled and the people he’d met. At the end of the night, he returned her to his house, and she found an excuse for him not to join her in bed. To Jada’s surprise, he didn’t push the issue. Longing and hurt vied within her as she fell asleep.

Chapter Seven

Jada flew home a couple days later, scarcely containing a sob at leaving Renzo. He had given her a ride to the airport with her trying to pretend she was happy. The whole problem was that he appeared upbeat as well. The man practically radiated it, and although she didn’t expect it, she’d almost hoped he would beg her not to go and declare his undying love. He’d done neither. He’d tilted her chin up and kissed her until she felt faint. Then he let her go.

Jada walked into her office the next morning, praying the old adage was true, that absence and time would heal her heart. She headed toward her cubicle wishing for higher walls so she could let go of the forced smile as if nothing were wrong. After all, this was the life she had chosen, wasn’t it? No maid, no bodyguards, no unlimited funds—and no family.

But I will have my baby. That’s the important thing.

“Jada! You’re back,” her coworker Leena exclaimed. “How was California?”

“The weather was nice.” She didn’t elaborate but kept walking.

Leena chuckled and linked arms with Jada. “I think more than the weather was nice.”

Jada frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?” She had shared with Leena the reason for going to California but didn’t admit her feelings for Renzo.

“You’ll see,” Leena quipped.

When Jada turned the corner leading to her area, she just saw into her cubicle ahead, and the sight took her breath. Every available spot on the U shaped desk had been taken up with flowers of all kinds. “What the hell?”

She stopped in the entry to her area, staring at the various sizes of vases. Cards were attached to each bouquet, but Jada couldn’t make herself reach out to read one. Leena had no such qualms. She plucked a tiny square envelope from a red rose arrangement and opened it. “Voglio amare per sempre,” Leena read. “What’s that?”

“Italian.”

“What does it mean?”

“No idea.” Jada swallowed and read a few more notes. Some were in English, some Italian. All, she guessed, were expressions of affection. All were from Renzo, but she hadn’t needed the signature to know who sent the flowers. The man must have bought out an entire shop to send so many.

She spent the next hour removing notes and handing out bouquets to anyone who would accept them for their office. The prettiest, especially the roses, she kept for herself. Flowers perfumed the air of the entire floor where she worked, yet none of the lawyers or her direct supervisor complained. They didn’t question her either, which was unusual. She guessed that was another way Renzo showed his influence. After having a good cry in the bathroom alone, she texted him a simple, “Thank you,” and then forced the man from her thoughts so she could get down to work. Over the next month, amid biweekly gifts sent from her former lover, Jada went on with her life the best she could.

At three and a half months pregnant, she began to show, and she spent each morning standing naked before the bedroom mirror staring at her body. She wondered if Renzo would still find her attractive, and then tamped down those thoughts so she could hold to her calm state of mind. She wasn’t exactly happy, but the nightly crying had eased up. Besides, she’d blamed all of that on wacky preggo hormones so she could convince herself that her love for Renzo faded.

Today she pulled open her closet door and surveyed the hanging dresses. A couple weeks after she returned home, a delivery had arrived at her door, and she’d been shocked to find an entire wardrobe of maternity clothes. At the time, Leena had been visiting. “Whoa, I know you’re going to keep these,” her friend had said.

“Damn right,” Jada agreed. “I’m not too good to take a useful gift. Now the jewelry, yeah, I sent it back. We’re not together, but these clothes I consider all a part of taking care of his baby. My clothes were getting tighter.”

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