Page 22 of Doctor Billionaire's Surprise Baby

My mom took a phone call while Seth and I were tidying up the kitchen.

"Why did you spill the beans like that during dinner? That was so un-cool." I reprimanded Seth. "I wanted to tell Mom in my own way."

"Yeah. Exactly. And that means never." Seth might have had a point there. He knows me way too well.

"Yes, Nicole… yes, I'll see you for lunch next week. Okay, talk to you soon. Bye." Mom walked back into the kitchen. "Look at you two. The kitchen is all cleaned up. Looks like you did learn something after all."

Both Seth and I said nothing, but rolled our eyes at each other.

"Well, I'm going to head out and get back home because I don't like getting home too late. Thank you again for the meal and I'll message you later about what to take to Nonna."

Seth grabbed his keys. "I'll take you to the train station, Mom." They both started to grab their jackets and necessary belongings.

Mom came up to me to give me a big hug. "Oh, honey. I'll miss you. I hope you know what you're doing with this Hugo and Italy stuff, but keep me in the loop, please. I trust I'll get more details from you when you want to reveal them."

“Of course,” I said quickly.

I walked them to the door to say the final goodbyes and felt a weight in the pit of my stomach, remembering my mom's words.

I didn’t even know if I was in the loop myself.

Chapter 8

Hugo

My heart pounding, I stepped onto the plane, feeling an odd mixture of comfort and unease. It had been a busy two weeks at the clinic and it was hard to believe that I was actually sitting here.

The familiar sounds of the first-class cabin floated around me as I adjusted to my surroundings and found my seat. I slid the partition that separated my seat from Simone’s and felt something squeeze in my chest as I looked anxiously at the empty seat. I knew she was just a few minutes behind me, finishing up a phone call with her Nonna to let her know she was coming. She had insisted on me boarding and I was suddenly glad to have a few minutes to try to collect myself. The weight of having to deal with my family, uncertainty about my immigration status, and my relationship with Simone all hung heavy around me, making each step feel labored.

It had been nearly two weeks since we had sex and we had both avoided a conversation about what had happened ever since. It was easier to avoid than expected – my calendar was jammed full of appointments in anticipation of taking a few days off for this trip. I barely had time to breathe, let alone have a full conversation with someone. Good thing Simone knew my calendar and my schedule, so she also knew that I was busy and not just pawning her off.

But now we were going to be on this plane for more than nine hours and there would be plenty of time to talk. Though the first class set up was incredibly spacious by flight standards, it was still a cozy space that offered some amount of privacy.

I practiced taking a few deep breaths, and then I saw her again. Simone looked simply amazing, and even though I’d seen her many times today already, I was still suddenly breathless.

She wore perfectly fitted black leggings with a cropped white shirt and a bright pink sweater that she shrugged out of before she sat down and looked toward me. I was immediately lost in her brown eyes. The scent of her floral shampoo floated toward me as the curls of her brown hair bounced while she shifted in her seat, organized her phone and put away the travel snacks she insisted on packing.

I could feel the anxiety of the trip radiating off of her. She’d met my family a couple of times, but only casually, and I was sure she was nervous about spending real time with them. And she had every reason to be nervous.

But I also felt something else from her. Could it be a trace of simmering desire?

"Simone," I said to her, hoping that my voice sounded steadier than I felt. "In case I haven’t said it yet today, you look stunning."

"Thank you, Hugo," she replied with a slight blush, her eyes darting around the luxurious cabin almost nervously. "This is quite the... experience. I’ve never flown first class before."

I barked out a laugh, trying to set her at ease.

“Just wait until we get on my father’s private jet in Rome.”

Her eyes widened slightly.

“We’re taking a privatejet?” Her voice was more of a hiss than anything else, and I couldn’t help the chuckle that escaped my throat.

I wished we had the jet now. I was suddenly aching to be closer to her, and this stupid space between the seats felt like a canyon.

As the plane began to taxi down the runway, I couldn't help but steal glances at Simone, wondering what was going through her mind. Did she feel the same electric tension between us that seemed to grow with each passing moment?

"Are you okay?" I finally asked, unable to keep the concern out of my voice.

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