Bossman’s Baby Scandal (Kings of the Boardroom #1)(32)
Author: Catherine Mann

Rolling her eyes with a dismissive bravado that didn’t quite play out, she pitched the phone to the end of the sofa. A light dip of the boat sent the cell tumbling to the floor.

Her mother? Good God, it was after midnight here, which meant it was later than three in the morning in New York. What was her mother doing calling Lauren so late? Inconsiderate to her pregnant daughter, who could have already been asleep.

Then it hit him. Jacqueline must have been in one of her manic moods. He didn’t know much about bipolar disease—something he intended to rectify ASAP—but he figured tonight’s call couldn’t have been pleasant.

He couldn’t change the past, but maybe he could lighten her present. “Well, hell, Lauren, you should have thumped from below and I would have come to your rescue.”

A wobbly smile eased over her face. “Thanks, truly, but you can’t yank the phone away from me forever.”

“What did she say?”

“Nothing all that horrible, really. Her timing just sucks, is all.” She leaned a little closer. A promising move. “She’s wigging out over the baby news. The wedding was okay in her eyes—not the baby. Or rather not the whole having-to-get married thing.”

He tugged a lock of her hair gently. “I thought you said you found that kind of view archaic.”

Her mouth went tight. “She told me to make sure I get a good divorce settlement, and after she hung up, she texted me the number of her attorney.”

He stayed silent for three caws of night birds outside to keep from saying exactly what he thought of Jacqueline’s interference. It was all he could do not to pick up the cell phone and toss it into the Bay. “Not exactly a supportive call from Mama, huh?”

Her hands clenched into fists. “I know it sounds silly. It’s not like we’re planning to stay married or anything. I just resented the way she expected me to take you to the cleaners. She made me think of that half-million dollars and it felt so damn wrong.” She thumped the cushions with a fist. “I should have stood strong, let the company go under if that’s the way things had to be. I screwed up.”

“Whoa, whoa, slow down a second.” He cupped her shoulders and turned her to face him fully. He might have some issues of his own he would like to press with her, but no way in hell was he going to let Lauren doubt herself this way. Damn Jacqueline for cutting such a wide swath through this amazing woman’s confidence. “Let’s unpack these thoughts one at a time. First, the creep stole from you. That happens to the most competent, smart people in the business world all the time. Hell, even entire cities get ripped off. Second, we are attached through this baby, which means we have to work together and help each other. If my ass lands in the fire, I damn well expect you to come help me. Got it?” He tapped her chin. “Do you hear me?”

She nodded, her smile a little steadier this time. “I do hear you, and I have to admit I like what you’re saying.”

“And lastly—” this one was for his own satisfaction, as much as hers “—quit giving a crap what your mother thinks. I don’t want her upsetting the mother of my kid.”

Her hands cupped either side of his neck as she cocked her head. “That point’s not quite as reasonable as the first two, you know.”

Yeah, and he felt a bit like a hypocrite since he’d let his father’s opinion matter for most of his life. “Maybe when it comes to you I’m not as reasonable as I would like to be.” Wasn’t that the understatement of the year? “Now come to bed.”

Her smile was slow, sensuous and full out this time. “Are you seducing me?”

“God, woman—” he slid an arm around her shoulders, his knuckles skimming the side of her breast “—you have a one-track mind.”

She nibbled along his jaw. “Are you inviting me to make out again?”

Was he? Truth be told, he wanted something more from her right now. “I’m asking you to sleep with me.”

“Sure, sounds great.” She yawned her agreement, her voice offhand, totally missing the significance of what he was trying to say.

She wasn’t even looking at him. She was already walking toward the cabin, her head tucked under his chin.

He tried to tell himself it was his impatience kicking into overdrive. This was no big deal. Yet even as they slid under the covers and she tucked close against his chest, Jason could sense she was holding a part of herself back. Playing out fantasies was fine for her.

But after the way she’d been burned in the past, he was beginning to see that Lauren ran like hell from the messiness of real life.

Long after Jason drifted off to sleep, Lauren stared at the moon and stars playing around in the sky just beyond the portal. The gentle rocking of the boat would have lulled her to sleep on any other night, but now? Too much turmoil churned inside her.Tugging the comforter more securely over them, she tucked her leg between his, tangled up in the sheets, and savored the warm, bristly weight against her. If only they could stay on this boat, maybe move a little farther out to sea where her cell phone wouldn’t pick up a signal.

She didn’t cry. She wouldn’t let herself. These middle-of-the-night calls from her mother weren’t anything new, and she should have expected it. After all, there had to be fall-out for not telling Jacqueline about the baby. She’d just hoped this time…

Squeezing her eyes shut, she mentally kicked herself for expecting too much from her mother. She should know better after all these years of ups and downs. How damn stupid to get emotionally wrecked because she wanted to pick out nursery decorations with her mom. To talk about baby names, even. Instead, she’d been given the name of a divorce lawyer.

She was fairly damn certain she wasn’t going to name her kid Horace—after her mom’s current favorite attorney.

Lauren tucked herself closer to Jason and his arm slid around her waist in his sleep. Sighing, she snuggled even nearer, taking some of the comfort she hadn’t been able to let her guard down enough to accept earlier.

Keeping things light was much better in the long run—it meant her heart wouldn’t be as broken when they had to say goodbye.

“Damn it, Jason, a subject is supposed to be still. You’re making this so much more difficult than it has to be.”A valid point. But he didn’t think he was cut out to be a nude model. Of course, given he was the subject and the canvas, staying motionless was a little tougher than normal.