by Cole, Fiona
“He was a good man.” There was a moment of silence for the other half of our company before Dad spoke again. “This is his son, Jake. He’s been filling in perfectly the past few years.”
Jake stood and shook Ian’s hand, and it was a bit surreal to see the man I was supposed to marry right next to the man whose baby I was having.
“Are you here to talk to Carina about the London project? She usually meets you there, right?” Jake asked.
And all at once it hit me.
I hadn’t told my father or Jake that Ian was the father. I’d been so busy with work I honestly hadn’t even thought about it. My skin prickled with panic at the scenario about to unfold. Like a train wreck, I could only stand by and watch.
Ian’s gray eyes lifted to mine, and I knew it was coming. My pulse thundered in my ears, and I couldn’t hear anything but saw his lips move. Saw their heads jerk my way.
“When the mother of your child wants a cheeseburger, you bring her a cheeseburger.”
“The what?” Jake and my dad said in unison.
I think I started laughing, but it was dangerously close to a cry. “Yeah, didn’t I tell you?”
“You sure didn’t,” my father growled.
Ian’s brows dropped low, and something like hurt flashed behind them. The baby chose that moment to kick hard up into my ribs. I gasped and placed a hand on my stomach, bringing Ian to my side. “You okay?”
“Yeah, yeah.” The heat from his hand on my back wasn’t helping the light-headed feeling. “Just a kick to the ribs.”
Ian’s hand dropped to my stomach, and he leaned low. “We talked about this, Peanut. Only kick out and avoid all vital organs.”
Forgetting everyone in the room, I smiled at the dark head hovering over my belly. I think I swooned a little when said head shifted and the beautiful lips I’d been thinking of too much lately, smiled up at me.
“Carina.” Dad barked my name, bringing me out of the trance. “What the hell is going on?”
I quickly recapped the story of how Ian and I ran into each other, and by the end, Jake looked a mixture of contemplative and concerned, while my dad’s chest puffed up more and more.
“You going to make an honest woman of her?”
“Dad,” I gasped.
Ian laughed softly. “She won’t let me, sir.”
My father’s shoulders dropped, and he laughed too, shaking his head. “Sounds about right from my daughter.”
I felt like I was in an alternate dimension when my father stretched out his hand, and Ian grabbed it.
“Don’t let her walk all over you. I raised a real ball-buster over there.” He winked my way, and it might have been one of the best compliments he ever gave me. “I’m glad to hear the business is doing well. I guess I’ll be seeing you around.”
“It helps that we had a solid foundation to build on, thanks to your work.”
My father stuffed his hands in his pockets. “Don’t be a kiss-ass.”
“Dad,” I gasped again. Jake laughed beside me, and I slapped his arm. “It’s kind of funny,” he defended.
“Traitor,” I muttered.
“Well, I won’t stand between my daughter and her cheeseburgers. We made it through with barely any cravings, and this one came at us hard. Thankfully, we’re all here to support her addiction.”
“Oh, my god. Just go,” I pleaded.
Jake pulled me in for a hug and kissed the top of my head. “Let me know if you need anything.”
When they stepped out, Ian closed the door behind them.
“Who was that?” he asked far too lightly.
“What do you mean? My dad and Jake?”
“Who's Jake to you?” he asked, his eyes sharp like a knife.
I thought about playing dumb, but it wasn’t like I had any reason to lie other than to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.
“My ex-fiancé.”
“The guy who left you upset at a bar doing shots that night?”
Sometimes I forgot how I’d met Ian initially. I forgot that he’d seen me at one of my lowest points. “The one and only.”
“Dick,” he muttered.
I huffed a laugh. “He’s really not. It’d probably be easier if he were.” Ian hummed and looked at me, but I was over this conversation. “Now bring me my burger.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Silence descended in the office other than my hums of happiness with each bite.
“Oh, my god. This shake is giving me life.”
Ian laughed, polishing off the last of the fries before tossing the box in the trash. “Yeah? You want to share so I can know how good it is.”
I scowled, holding the cup close to my chest. “No.”
He held up his hands in surrender. “All right then.”
I took another long drink and looked him over. He made the loveseat in my office look minuscule under his big body. A body I could remember every inch of. A body I wanted to be under again.
Suddenly, I was hot, and having a hard time prying my eyes from his crotch. The way he lounged back with his legs spread invited my eyes there perfectly. God, he’d been big. Like a tripod. And he’d known how to use it.
I missed sex. I missed sex with Ian. Once wasn’t enough.
“Carina?” His soft voice called my name like a siren, but also snapped me back to attention. Needing to form words before I asked him to try and have sex with me, I said the first thing I could think of.
“I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow.” The words were aggressive like I’d shot them out of a gun. His brows rose high, and I rushed to follow it up in a softer, I’m-not-imagining-your-big-dick, way. “If you wanted to come.”
He smirked like he knew what I’d been thinking, but thankfully he let me off the hook. “I’m there.”
“We won’t get to see the baby,” I warned.
“Carina,” he sat up, resting his elbows on his knees, focusing his laser attention on me. “I’ll be there, no matter what.”
“Okay.”
The silence stretched as I considered how serious he was. Ian was a smooth talker, and I was a little off my game right now, with my hormones hijacking my body, so I was easily misled. But he didn’t give the slightest indication that he wasn’t in this all the way.
“I have a favor to ask you,” he began, breaking the silence.
My eyes narrowed. “Okay.”
“I’d like you to meet my parents.”
“Oh…” That wasn’t what I expected. “Umm…okay.”
“Are you sure?”
Was I sure I wanted to meet my baby-daddy’s parents? No. “Yeah,” I answered instead. “I guess I’ll meet them soon anyway. When were you thinking?”
“Tonight?”
“Umm…okay.”
“Good, because I told them we’d be there.”
“What if I was busy?” I asked, pursing my lips.
He gave an arrogant smile just to get a rise out of me. “You’d make it work for me.”
I rolled my eyes—a typical move around him. “You’re so presumptive.”
“I like to get my way.” He shrugged unapologetically.
“Good luck with that.”
“I don’t need luck. I’m getting skilled in the ways of Carina.”
“Please. I could crush you.”
“And I’d like the fight.” The words were low and almost a growl reminding me of all the other things he’d growled in my ear that night.
I tried to lift my chin and give him a regal ice stare, but my body was on fire.
He slapped his hand on the side of the couch, making my heart try to jump out of my chest. “Okay, I have to go. I’ve got a meeting I can’t miss. Erik would throw a fit if I made him meet this client on his own.” He rolled his eyes but smiled. “Can I pick you up?”
“I guess.”
“Good. See you at 6:30.”
Maybe by then, I’d be less of an over-heated, lust-filled mess.
A girl could hope.
11 Ian
“Thanks for doing this.”
Carina turned her head and smiled from the passenger seat, the descending sun shining through the windows, lighting her up. God, she was gorgeous.
“Of course. Family is important to me. So, it’s good for me to know Peanut’s grandparents.”
“They’re excited about the baby. Not so thrilled with the way it’s playing out,” I muttered. “But thrilled nonetheless.”
“What do you mean?”
“I guess…” I took a deep breath, considering my words to explain my parents without the bitterness seeping out. “I guess they’re more traditional about family. Their first question when I told them was when the wedding was.”
I tried not to let Carina’s snort from beside me sting, but something about her complete denial of me as a husband pinched a nerve.
“It wouldn’t be that terrible.”
One eyebrow slowly rose above her doubtful eyes. “Ian. Come on.”
“We’ve been good lately,” I defended.
“When? The few handful of times we’ve been around each other? Of course, our track record is good if we don’t actually see each other to bicker.”
I gave her my best charming smile. “I’ll just keep plying you with cheeseburgers, and it will all be fine.”
The small giggle she let free at my joke sank deep in my bones and settled, filling me until I thought I’d float away. All from a single laugh.
I’d felt heat and desire and passion. I’d felt need. Need to fuck, to touch, to taste. But this warmth building in my chest was new, and it scared me enough to change the subject.
“So, I’ve met your dad. What about your mom? Is she a mogul of another company somewhere?”
The smile died from her face before she looked out the window, hiding her reaction. “I don’t know. She left shortly after having me.” Another laugh, but this one was full of resentment that mirrored my own. “She tried for a while. But you could say my dad’s traditional views were a lot for her free spirit.”
“I’m sorry, Carina.”
She shrugged. “Meh. It happened a long time ago. Plus, my dad has four older sisters. Peanut will have plenty of female love.”
“That is a lot of women.” I shook my head, trying to imagine four sisters. Hell, one was hard to imagine. “Will I get to meet them then?”
“Oh yeah, and they will eat you up.”
I pulled to a stop and turned off the car before facing her. “Then it’s a good thing I’m delicious.”
I left her laughing in the car and ran around to open her door, enjoying the electricity that shot up my arm when she placed her hand in mine to get out.
As we walked up the steps to my parents’ ostentatious house, I muttered out the side of my mouth. “Wink three times if you want to get out of here.”
“Will do. Eye twitch it is for escape.”
I mimicked the move, over exaggerating, as I opened the door. She had to rest a hand to her stomach as she laughed, and I wanted to slam the door, pretend we were never there, and take her somewhere to be alone. But it was too late because my mom pulled the door open the rest of the way and tugged me down for a hug.
“Ian,” my father greeted from the other side of the foyer, a glass of scotch in his hand.
“And you must be, Carina.” My mother’s eyes flicked between Carina’s bump and back up to her face. “Look at you. You’re gorgeous.”
“Oh, thank you. You’re too kind.”
“Way too beautiful for my son,” my father said, stepping up to shake Carina’s hand. I fought not to roll my eyes. He delivered it as a joke, but I heard the undertones of truth.
Carina blushed a little but didn’t drop her stare from my father’s, and it was the same bold look she gave Erik and me in meetings. I bet she was a total shark when it came to business. I knew she drove a hard bargain when Bergamo and Brandt hired her.
“I’m Santo, and this is my wife, Mirabella.”
My mother skipped the handshake and pulled Carina down for a hug. My mother was barely above five-foot, and Carina towered over her, especially in her heels, which I had no idea how she was still walking in.
“Thank you for having me. Dinner smells delicious.”
“Well, I sure didn’t make it. I’m not much of a cook, much to my Italian mother-in-law’s distaste.” She waved us toward the dining room. “Now, come sit. Would you like water, tea? We have just about anything.”
“Water would be great.”
I made sure to pull her chair out and perform all the perfect gentlemanly duties.
It didn’t stop my dad from making little digs here and there, all under the veil of joking. I somehow made it through most of dinner without drinking glass after glass of bourbon. Looking at Carina through the meal helped immensely. She was gorgeous and calm and polite. Not that I expected anything else, but she knocked each conversation topic out of the park.
“So, do you have any family traditions around the holidays?” Carina asked.
“We don’t really do holidays,” I answered before my parents could. “Mom and Dad are usually gone.”
Carina’s smile slipped for the first time the whole meal when she looked to me with concern. Apparently, I hadn’t done a very good job of masking the resentment.
My mother rushed to smooth it over. “I’m sure we can be here for a few holidays for the baby.”
“Of course. For the baby,” I raised my glass, saluting my mom before taking a drink.
My dad hid his scowl behind his own drink, forming a smile by the time he set it back on the table. “So, Carina. Have either of you discussed what you will do next? Marriage,” he suggested like he was asking if she wanted cake after dinner. “Maybe move in together?”
“Oh…umm.” Carina fidgeted with her fork as she thought over her words, looking to me for help. I responded with as many winks as I could muster, bringing forth a sigh of relief.
“Ian, what’s wrong with your eye?” Mom asked.
I rubbed at my eye. “I feel like something is in there.”
Carina hopped in without missing a beat. “That was bothering you before. Maybe you should rest it.”
“Yeah, it’s been slowly getting worse as the day goes on.” I gave the most sympathetic look I could manage to my parents. “Sorry, but I think we should be heading home.”
“Are you sure? We could move to the sitting room for drinks and coffee,” my mom suggested.
“I appreciate the offer, but I also have to work tomorrow. Early meetings.”
“Of course, of course. Let us walk you out.”
We all made our way to the front door and handshakes, hugs, and promises for future gatherings happened before we were finally set free. I made sure to rub at my eye a sufficient amount to keep up the ruse until we got in the car.
By the time we made it to the end of the driveway, we were both laughing.
“Wow, you really went for it,” Carina said.
“Had to make it convincing. And what about you? I almost felt real concern from you for my poor eye.”
“Yeah, right.”
“Come on. Admit it; I even had you going. The poor father of your child would have to wear an eye-patch. Our baby would have to grow up believing I was a pirate.”
“The horrors. We’d probably have to lie and hide you away. We lost him at sea,” she said with an exaggerated frown.
“Don’t let her convince you, Peanut,” I said in the direction of Carina’s belly like if I leaned over a couple inches, the baby would be able to understand me. “Daddy would be the coolest pirate you’ve ever known. I’d make eye-patches a new fad.”
When I parked in front of her building, her head was thrown back, her smooth neck exposed. Her hands resting atop our child as she laughed. She was beautiful.
“Thank you for coming tonight.”
“Any time, Bergamo.”
She got out and was surprised to find me on the sidewalk waiting for her.
“You don’t have to walk me in.”
“Of course, I do. I’m worried for your health in those heels.”
“I should stop wearing them, but they make me feel powerful.”
“Trust me, Carina,” I said, holding the door open for her. “You are more than powerful, heels, or not.”
I rested my hand against her back, walking her to the elevator. She didn’t press the button, instead, turning to me with pinched brows. “So, you and your parents don’t get along so well?”
I looked away, a little embarrassed she picked up on the tension. Did she agree with them? Did she think I was unreliable and wasting my time too? “Yeah, I’m a poor little rich boy,” I said, brushing it off as a joke. “They just weren’t there often, and I missed out on having a family for the family holidays. Mostly it was my nanny and me, or I was with Erik’s family.”
She reached out to hold my hand, bringing my eyes to hers. “I can see why being here for the baby means so much to you.”
Her wide, blue eyes pulled me in like a magnet. Her understanding had me stepping close, brushing her dark hair behind her ear. “Just trying to keep up with Wonder Woman,” I breathed the words, hoping she could feel them on her mouth since we stood so close.
“Ian,” she whispered.
I licked my lips and knew it was all over when she stared down at my mouth and did the same. Closing the small gap between us, I kissed her. We both moaned, and I wondered if she remembered how good it was the last time we kissed. There was no hesitation—we went at each other like it was what we’d been waiting for since we first saw each other again.
Her lips welcomed mine like pillows, so soft and eager. Her hands moved under my arms to my back. I dug one hand into her hair, desperate to hold her to me. Her stomach bumped into me, and I gently held her close as my mouth ravaged hers.
Her nails scoured my back like she wanted to claw through my clothes, and I pressed my tongue between her lips, groaning when hers met mine halfway like she was as eager to remember my taste as I was hers.
Time meant nothing as we stood in the foyer of the apartment building, losing control one second at a time. I needed to get her upstairs. I needed to feel more of her. I just needed her.
