Pregnant by the Rival CEO

by Karen Booth

  “Anna, I never stopped loving you.”

  “Never? Not even for a minute? What about the day I barged into your office?”

  He shook his head. “I still loved you that day. It simply hurt more then. That’s all.”

  She thought of the awful things that had come out of her mouth that day—yes, he had done the unimaginable, but she shouldn’t have been so determined to end things, no matter what. “I should have listened to you that day. I was hurt, but you were right about a few things. What you had done didn’t change what was between us.” She smiled when she noticed the way he was hanging on her every word. “In some ways, it was better that we fell in love in a vacuum, hiding our relationship from my family and the rest of the world. It was really the only way it could happen and be real. There was no outside influence.”

  “Just you and me, Anna. That’s the way it should be. Just you and me.” The smile that rolled across his face was so pure and unguarded, it took her breath away. “I love you more than you’ll ever know. Forever.” He leaned closer and brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “I started to fall in love with you from that very first kiss, and my feelings have only gotten stronger.”

  His words floated around in her head—so beautiful, so lovely. She couldn’t help but be swept up in the moment. “I’m sorry that being with me has been such a test.”

  He shrugged. “We tested each other. All couples do. We just got a lot of testing out of the way during those early days.”

  “In some ways, it’s good. If we can survive all of that, we can definitely handle sleepless nights and diapers, the terrible twos and kindergarten.”

  “You make it sound so glamorous.” He reached out and pressed his finger to the end of her nose.

  “You know what I mean.”

  “But that’s the baby, Anna. There’s more than that ahead of us. If you want it. Do you want more?”

  She suddenly found it difficult to breathe. Even if he was merely asking for them to spend more time together, the answer was yes, although she hoped for more. Much, much more. Even these few moments in bed together were enough to remind her that she didn’t want anything other than him, at her side. “I do.”

  “Good, because I can’t lose you again. You know that I’m a pragmatist. I deal with numbers all day long. I deal with absolutes. But the truth is that my love for you is an absolute.”

  The tears came. There was no stopping them. They rolled right down her cheeks. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.”

  “It’s true. All true.” Before she knew what was happening, he climbed out of bed and walked over to the dresser. When he turned, he held a blue Tiffany box in his hand.

  Anna gasped. It was the most horrifically girly thing to do, but she couldn’t help it. “Jacob. Are you?” She sat up in bed, wiping the tears from her face.

  His eyes grew very serious. “Shhh. I only get one chance to get this right.”

  “I know. But I just want to make sure you’re thinking about what’s happening here. I might lose the baby. Will you still feel like this is the right thing to do if that happens?”

  He perched on the edge of the bed. “Anna Langford, I love you with all of my heart and soul. If we lose the baby, that doesn’t change my love for you. We will get through it together and we’ll find a way to be stronger on the other side. In the end, all I want is you.” He presented the box, which was dwarfed by the size of his hand. “If you’ll do me the honor of becoming my wife, I promise to love you and put up with your family until my very last breath.”

  She smiled, staring down at everything he held in his hand—their future, happiness. This wasn’t at all the way she’d ever dreamed this moment would transpire, but she wouldn’t have traded it for anything. “I love you so much. I want nothing more than to have you as my husband.”

  He opened the box and plucked a gorgeous round solitaire in a platinum setting from the box. He slipped it onto her finger. It was a little big—in both band size and heft—but it was perfect.

  She clasped her other hand over her mouth as she admired the ring and the way it sparkled. “It’s absolutely beautiful. I couldn’t ask for anything more. Literally. I’m not sure I could carry around a bigger diamond without some help.”

  He laughed quietly. “I swear it didn’t look that big in the store.”

  “Of course it didn’t. Your hands are huge.”

  “All I care about is seeing it on your hand. It couldn’t make me any happier.”

  He leaned forward and kissed her, softly. It was the first time their lips had touched since the breakup, and it was as if she was being reborn. That gentle brush of a kiss told her just how much they were made for each other. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t have found a way. This was where she belonged, with him, on the other side of their troubles. Or at least a few of them.

  “This would be the part where we tear off each other’s clothes and make love all night. Sorry about that,” she said sheepishly.

  “Don’t worry. I can hold off for a few nights until the spotting stops. Then I’ll make you mine.” He cozied up next to her, wrapping his arm around her, making her feel as protected as she could’ve imagined. “In the meantime, we wait for what comes, and we go through it together.”

  She took a deep breath, fighting the tears that fought to take over again. She wouldn’t cry—there had been too many tears in the last year, and now was a time to be happy. She would focus on Jacob, the ring. She would focus on the baby, on her hope that everything would turn out okay for once. “It’s raining,” she said, looking out the bedroom windows, with the glorious view of the city.

  “Just like that night upstate.”

  “I guess it did rain that night, didn’t it? I remember the puddles the next morning.”

  “It rained like crazy and you slept right through it.”

  “I take it you didn’t?”

  “Not a wink. I was too busy wondering how I was going to get past your brother to get to you.”

  “Well, you did it. Big props for that.”

  “Now we just need to hope he can take care of your other brother.”

  She turned to shush him. “Let’s not talk about the bad. Let’s just think about the good.”

  He smiled and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head and raking his hands through her hair. “I have all the good I’ll ever need right here in my arms.”

  With morning came the sun. After the steady deluge of rain all night, Jacob could only hope this was a good sign. He hadn’t slept at all—consumed with a mix of gratitude for Anna’s answer to his proposal and hope that today would bring good things.

  Anna was asleep on her side, his arm draped over her. He loved having her back against his chest where he could feel her breaths—that steady, measured reminder that she was here again and wasn’t leaving any time soon. They hadn’t slept in the same bed in weeks. He’d remembered it as being wonderful, but it was even better with the promise that they would be together. Forever.

  Anna stirred. As happy as he was to be able to talk to her, that feeling faded as he realized that she would soon get up and go to the bathroom and they would have news—good or bad.

  “You’re up,” he said, pushing his hair from his face.

  “I am,” she answered, sleepily, shifting her weight and swinging her legs out from under the covers.

  “Are you?” He nodded toward the bathroom.

  “I am. Fingers crossed.”

  He sat up in bed. “Do you need me to come with you?”

  She sighed and managed half of a smile. “I’m okay. I’ll let you know what happens.”

  “Whatever happens, Anna. I’m here. Good or bad.”

  Anna tiptoed off to the bathroom. Jacob climbed out of bed, wondering when it would be okay to
ask how things were going. Luckily, the flush of the toilet gave him his cue. “Well?” he called from the other room, his heart threatening to pound its way out of his body.

  “Nothing,” she called back with an elated squeak. “No more spotting.”

  Jacob had never moved so fast, arriving at the bathroom door in a flash. “Really? Nothing?”

  She nodded, going to the sink to wash her hands.

  Thank God. He came up behind her, wrapped his arms around her waist. She was so stunning in the morning—fresh-faced, simply beautiful. The fact that she was carrying his child and had his ring on her finger made her that much more irresistible. He was the luckiest man in creation. “I am so glad.”

  “I know. Me, too.” She looked down and pressed the palm of her hand to her belly. “Me, too.”

  “You know, you and I are going to make really cute babies,” he said, kissing the top of her head. It was the truth—their children would be absolutely gorgeous.

  Turning in his arms, she looked up at him. “Babies? Plural?”

  “Of course. I want a whole pack of little Lins running all over the penthouse.”

  She coughed so loud she practically sputtered. “A pack of Lins?”

  “Yes, Anna. I had to swallow my pride with your brother. I have to beat him at something. Surely you’ll grant me that much.”

  “Sorry. I don’t get your point. Beat him at what, exactly?”

  “How ever many kids he and Melanie have, we’ll just have one more.”

  “So this is about being competitive with my brother. That’s going to get expensive, you know. What with college and keeping them all outfitted in tiny baby motorcycle jackets.”

  He laughed. Never had he imagined he could ever be so happy. “Anna, darling. You just leave that to me.”

  Epilogue

  After everything over the last year, Anna had very much looked forward to dancing with her brother Adam at his wedding. She’d imagined the grand hotel ballroom, the legion of happy guests, stunning centerpieces of purple tulips and white irises picked out by Melanie, and the enormous wedding cake that likely took more than a week to create. She’d just never imagined that she’d be watching her other brother, Aiden, dancing with their mother at the same time.

  “Aiden seems so happy to be back in the family fold,” she said to Adam as he twirled her around the dance floor. He’d just finished his own dance with their mother, during which Evelyn Langford had cried her eyes out. Between having all three of her children in the same place for the first time in years and having her first grandchild on the way, Evelyn had made a point of telling them all how happy she was. There was much to be thankful for on this chilly January day, even the tears that flowed because of it.

  “Aiden does seem happy, doesn’t he?” Adam countered. “I still can’t believe what a number Dad did on him, but I’m glad he was able to see past it. I know for a fact that it hasn’t been easy for him.”

  Anna didn’t even want to think about the things that had come to light about their father and his volatile relationship with Aiden—years of misunderstandings, Aiden being passed over in favor of Adam. She only wanted to focus on the good, especially today. “I think it helped a lot that you two talked everything out. He needed to feel like you weren’t just toeing the family line because of your loyalty to Dad.”

  “I loved Dad as much as anyone, but we both know that he could be stubborn and narrow-minded. It doesn’t mean he wasn’t a good man. It just means that he made mistakes. We’ve all made mistakes. I’ve made a lifetime of them and I’m not even thirty-five.”

  Anna smiled. She wasn’t about to rub it in, even though she very easily could have as pertained to Jacob. Adam and Jacob’s friendship had rebounded nicely in the weeks since Jacob had dared to demand a truce. They weren’t best friends, but they’d come to enjoy time together, and that was as much as she could’ve ever hoped for. “We all goof up, Adam. It takes happy days like today to remind us that sometimes we have to let those things go.” That lesson had been no more important for her than when it had come to Jacob. The minute she put the past behind them, the future had opened up beautifully.

  “Speaking of letting things go, why didn’t one of us come up with the idea of running LangTel together as co-CEOs? It’s a brilliant move.”

  She smiled. This had been Jacob’s idea, since they were already doing some restructuring in the company in order to bring Aiden on board as a Senior VP of Marketing. “Jacob made an excellent point. No two people are capable of accomplishing as much as we are when we aren’t fighting.” It wasn’t exactly the arrangement Anna had expected. A few months ago, she would have said absolutely not, that she wanted the sole position for herself. But with her pregnancy progressing well, and with an early June due date, taking over as CEO would not leave her the time to be the kind of mom she wanted to be. Her career was important, but not so much that she wanted their child raised by a nanny. That existence had been so difficult for Jacob. She didn’t care to repeat the pattern and understandably, neither did he.

  “You don’t need to worry about any fighting from me. I promise. The co-CEO thing means I can go back to working on my own projects, as well. It’s really perfect for me.”

  “It’s perfect for both of us,” Anna added.

  The song faded to its end and Jacob came up behind Adam with a wide grin on his face. “Hey, Langford. I don’t want to be a jerk about it, but I’d like to dance with my bride-to-be.”

  Adam kissed Anna on the cheek. “Sounds like somebody is tired of sharing you. I can’t say I blame him.” He clapped Jacob on the back. If anyone had said six months ago that this particular scene would be indicative of the new status quo, Anna never would’ve believed it. “I’ll leave you two lovebirds to it. I have a date with my own bride.” He excused himself and waved at Melanie, who was extricating herself from a dance with her uncle.

  Jacob swept Anna into his arms, twirling her several times, making the eggplant purple bridesmaid’s dress flutter around her. “Finally. I get you to myself.”

  Anna giggled, the swarm of wedding guests around them fading into the recesses as she became solely focused on Jacob. He really was her dream man. He really was perfect for her. And she couldn’t have been any happier.

  “We need to get in our time on the dance floor. Just a little more than a month until we’re in this same spotlight.” They did, in fact, need to clock a few hours of dancing, although their wedding would not be anywhere near as extravagant—fifty guests, at Jacob’s house upstate. Neither one of them cared to deal with anything more elaborate. Jacob had actually said he was hoping for a blizzard so no one would be able to show up and he could keep Anna to himself for an entire week or more. She couldn’t blame him. It sounded like the perfect plan.

  He pulled her closer, his body heat enveloping her, or perhaps it was just his magnetism, the things about him that wouldn’t allow her to stay away. He was especially difficult to resist in a tuxedo. “I can’t believe you’re going to be my wife. Honestly, I can’t believe I’m going to be part of the Langford family. I’m having a hard time imagining what it’s going to be like. Especially after spending six years in exile.”

  She reared her head back, looking deeply into his soulful eyes. “Things happen for a reason. I believe that. Maybe you and Adam will end up having an even stronger friendship one day. I certainly wasn’t ready to run away with you and have a baby six years ago. So maybe this was for the best, as difficult as it was for you to go through.”

  He nodded, a slight smile crossing his face. “I’d go through it all for you. Every last minute of it.”

  She smirked and shook her head. “You’re sweet.”

  “Really I’m just angling to get you out of that bridesmaid’s dress.”

  “You and me both. I can’t wait to change. It’s too tight on my bell
y.” Anna wasn’t showing much yet, but her tummy had pooched out a little. Jacob liked to lie in bed and talk to the tiny baby bump. Then he would get out his Doppler for listening to the heartbeat, which had arrived shortly after the spotting scare. He made quite the doting dad-to-be.

  Jacob pulled her in tightly, moving her in time effortlessly to the music. “Are you happy?” he asked.

  “What kind of question is that?” Anna whispered, leaning into him as she watched Adam and Melanie sway in the tiniest of circles, husband and wife. It wouldn’t be long for Jacob and her. The thought warmed her from head to toe.

  “It’s a perfectly valid thing to ask, especially considering everything we’ve been through. I want to know that you’re happy, Anna. It’s the only thing I care about.”

  She looked up into his eyes, which shone down on her like sunshine on the first day of spring. She could get lost in those eyes for a lifetime and be deliriously giddy. “I don’t think it’s possible for me to be happier. Truly. Being with you is all I’ll ever want.”

  “Good.” He slowed their dance to the most imperceptible of movements, lowering his head and planting the sexiest, hottest kiss she could’ve imagined on her lips. It was slow and seductive, a subtle parting of lips and the most tasteful bit of tongue. It left her ready to pass out.

  “Jacob. My family is watching,” she said when she came up for air, making a mental note that they absolutely would need to continue this when they got home after the reception.

  “I thought we agreed that your family had interfered in enough of our kisses.”

  “True, but it’s still a wedding. We don’t want to be those people, do we?”

  He laughed and spun her around, then stopped and laid another steamy kiss on her, this time dipping her back in his arms. He left her breathless, ready to surrender in a ballroom filled with hundreds of people. “Tell me to stop.”