Page 53 of One Unexpected Gift

“She’s a newborn.”

“How old?” His voice grew tense as his face tightened. He didn’t want the games. Even though he knew in his heart this baby was his, he needed to hear Skylar confirm it.

“She’ll be six weeks old tomorrow.”

“She’s mine.”

“She’s mine.” Skylar opened her eyes and unclenched her fists.

“Skylar,” he warned, rubbing his temples. His headache worsened. From the dissection, from the secrets, he wasn’t sure. Either way, he needed to rest, but first he needed to be one hundred percent sure. “You were on the pill.”

At least, that’s what she’d told him. Both times.

“I was. However, I’m not the best at taking it consistently, which was why I asked if you had a condom.”

He’d had one in his office the first time they’d had sex. He didn’t keep them there for office sex but for the times he headed out on a date straight from work. He hadn’t expected to have sex with her the second time, otherwise he’d have replaced the condom sooner.

“I don’t always carry them.”

When she’d practically forced him into the closet and dry humped his leg, there had been no going back. He’d warned her about not having a condom, but she said she was on the pill. He had intended to take care of her needs and then take her back to his house where he had an unopened box, but she wouldn’t let him leave, trapping him with her lips, with her hands, with her legs.

And he didn’t resist one bit. The thought hadn’t even crossed his mind.

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.” She lowered her chin to her chest and sighed. The baby decided to take that moment to let out an ear-shrieking cry. “Shh, baby girl. It’s okay.”

Skylar dropped to her knees in front of the carrier and unbuckled the baby and rocked her in her arms.

Nick straightened, watching mother and child circle the room.

“Once I get her calmed down, we’ll go. This can’t be helping your headache.”

Surprisingly, it didn’t worsen. It didn’t help, but it didn’t give him the stabbing feeling he’d experienced when hearing babies and toddlers shriek at The Zone or when in a restaurant.

“What’s her name?”

The baby—his daughter—quieted in Skylar’s arms.

“Gabriella Marie.”

“I have a second cousin named Gabriella.”

“You do?” Skylar took a seat at the opposite end of the couch and turned Gabriella around so she could see out.

Her eyes blinked as she took in her new surroundings. Nick couldn't help but be mesmerized by the little baby. His little baby.

“It’s a fairly common name in the Latina community.”

“I know.”

“You do?”

“I wasn’t sure, I’m still not sure, how much of her Latina heritage will show in her skin tone so I thought I’d give her a name that was both American and Latina.”

Nick could honestly say he’d never been touched before. Not in this way. That she wanted to make sure Gabriella carried a piece of his side of the family with her forever, well, it would make forgiving Skylar for keeping one helluva secret that much easier.

“Does her middle name have meaning?” He had another cousin named Maria and his sister’s middle name was Marie. He could pretty much guarantee every family in Latin America had one family member with Maria or some variation as a first or middle name.

“Marie was my mother’s name.”

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