The Baby Bargain

by Jennifer Apodaca

  He lowered his head until their foreheads touched. “Yes, you can. Because I will not allow Cole’s mother to be framed and destroyed.” He brought one hand up, touching her face. “And you’re never going to work two jobs again while our son needs you.”

  She was caught up in his gaze, his scent, the feeling that she wasn’t alone. But it was only temporary and she had to remember that. “I’ll take your help for now.”

  “Then let’s get busy.”

  The moment stretched out. The clinic was silent except for the sound of their breathing. Adam kept his forehead against hers, his hand cupping the curve of her face. “Are you going to move back so we can get started?” she asked.

  He brushed his thumb over her bottom lip.

  Tingles raced through her. “Adam?”

  “It’s never going to change,” he said, his voice growing huskier with each word. “It won’t burn out or die off.” He sucked in a breath.

  “What?”

  “This attraction. Even when I’m mad as hell at you, I still want you.”

  Megan shivered with mounting desire, but she couldn’t go there. “Don’t. I can’t do this. I can’t have sex without a relationship. I need more of you than you can give me.” The pain of Saturday night came flooding back through her. She couldn’t do just sex. Adam was her weakness, the man who had too strong a hold on her heart. He had the power to break her, and she wasn’t going to let that happen. She hadn’t let her father emotionally shatter her, and she wouldn’t let Adam. She was strong enough to set boundaries.

  “We have to have some rules. No sex. I just can’t sleep with you then watch you retreat when things get too emotional. You don’t trust me with your problems or secrets. That’s fine, I get it. But don’t ask me to trust you with my body, because I can’t keep my heart out of it like you do.”

  Shadows darkened his eyes as tension lines dug grooves around his mouth. “It’s the only way I know. The only way I can cope.”

  She fought the urge to touch him, to ask him what haunted him so badly he kept his emotions locked up tight. But that was like smashing her head against a brick wall and complaining it hurt. Adam didn’t want to share his heart with her, just his body. “Then we both know where we stand.”

  He let go of her face and stepped back. “Let’s get this place cleaned up, and I’m going to start investigating everyone connected to your life.”

  She tried to get her emotional balance back. Force her mind to focus on the problem of who was framing her. “I still think it’s Nathan. He’s discrediting me, destroying me, just like he said he would.”

  Adam leaned against the wall next to her. “Maybe, but where did he have Celtic Fire? How did such an easy-to-recognize man manage to sneak the dog into your locked clinic?”

  “Who else would have it in for me like this?”

  “That’s the question, isn’t it? Pissed off any clients or employees? Anyone jealous of you? Jilted boyfriends?”

  She flipped through the people in her life and came up blank. Who, other than Nathan, would hate her so much?

  Chapter Twelve

  Adam sat on his bed with Ellie stretched out beside him. Sienna’s image was on his laptop screen.

  “Okay, got enough info on Megan’s three employees to start background checks. Who else?”

  “Hayden Sullivan.” Adam gave her the info he’d gotten out of Megan’s files.

  “Her mother’s husband?” Sienna frowned at him.

  He ignored that. Hayden lived next door and had a lot of access to Megan’s house. That man was, and would be, around Adam’s son. Before Adam left, he had to make sure Cole and Megan were safe. “Dr. Lawrence Hamilton. He owns the Raven’s Cove Animal Hospital, but I don’t have his social or birth date.” Yet. He would find them.

  “What’s his connection to Megan?”

  He wanted to sleep with her. It pissed Adam off in a gut-burning, slam-his-fist-into-the-guy’s-too-white-teeth kind of way. He didn’t like this feeling. “He was a mentor to Megan, and she worked for him before opening her own practice.”

  “Has he dated Megan?”

  “She says no.”

  “You don’t believe her. Understandable, she’s proved herself to be a liar.”

  Adam glared at the screen. “Don’t. That’s the mother of my son you’re talking about. She’s not a liar.”

  Sienna smiled. “My mistake.” She made some quick notes and picked up her coffee cup.

  Adam knew he’d been played. “How about you do the job I pay you for and stay out of my personal life?”

  “Yeah, that’s so not going to happen. You not only hired a crack assistant, but you got the bonus of a friend. You’ll have to find a way to live with that.”

  He looked up at the ceiling. “Why me?”

  Sienna yanked off her glasses and stared at him. “Because you pulled my ass out of a bottle, cleaned me up, and gave me a reason to live again after Trace’s death. All you guys, I care about you. And you, Adam, you deserve happiness, a chance to heal, damn it, and find love.”

  He blinked. Shocked. Sienna hadn’t been a drunk, she’d been grieving. She drank to numb the pain. “What you and Trace had, that’s rare, Sienna. I’m not Trace.” Not even close. “Work makes me happy. So let’s stick to that.”

  She put her glasses on. “I’ll see what I can find on Dr. Lawrence, the mentor.” She sipped some coffee. “Nathan McCray has been involved in a sexual harassment lawsuit that was settled, and two divorces. Nothing else has popped out on him.”

  “Same as I found in the original background we ran before I took the job.” Adam still didn’t believe it was him. He was capable of it, sure, but he believed he’d done the simpler thing to combat his ex-wife and Megan—getting Megan’s mentor to give a deposition in his favor. That was going to carry serious weight. “That’s good enough for now. Back to the golf—”

  His bedroom door burst open.

  Ellie yelped in surprise and tried to crawl into his lap.

  Megan stormed into his room. “Have you seen this?” she demanded, waving something in her hand.

  He put his hand on Ellie’s neck, but his gaze was locked on Megan. Her skin was flushed, her eyes bright, and she looked so damned beautiful.

  She paused when she saw Ellie cowering and dropped to her knees by the bed. “Ellie, poor baby. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

  The dog stretched out her nose, nuzzling her hand.

  “Good girl,” Megan told her, gently rubbing the dog’s ears. In seconds, Ellie inched closer, her body relaxing.

  Lucky dog. He’d love to have Megan’s hands on him. But she’d set the rules. He reached out and took the newspaper she’d been waving around. Raven’s Cove Press, the local paper. He was surprised they still even published it. Unfolding it, he winced at the front page.

  A full-color shot of Megan in handcuffs being led to a patrol car. The headline read, “Local Veterinarian Arrested!” In a bold-faced caption, it said, “Accused of stealing show dog embroiled in a custody dispute.”

  Adam scanned the story. It did say that no charges were filed yet, but stated the dog was found in her office. He looked up at Megan.

  “My mom brought the paper over to show me. It’s on the paper’s website, too.” Standing up, she said, “How are my clients going to trust me with their animals?”

  Adam turned back to the computer. “Sienna, I’ve got to go.”

  “Later, boss.”

  He cut the connection and set his laptop aside. Ellie jumped off the bed and he stood up. “I think I need to have a chat with this reporter.” He glanced down at the byline. “Derek Hahn.”

  Megan rose too. “Why?”

  “How did the reporter know to be there? The police didn’t tip him off. Who did?”

  “I hadn’t thought of that. What about the police scanner?”

  Adam looked her over. She was wearing jeans today, with a button-down, copper-colored top cinched in at her waist. Her scent, pears and sun
shine, enticed him. “They don’t announce they’re serving a search warrant. And whoever tipped him off is likely the same person who called in the anonymous tip suggesting you take bribes in exchange for expert testimony.”

  “Right.” She hadn’t thought of that, either, but she was a veterinarian, not an investigator. Maybe it was a lead that could help them solve this once and for all. “Well…” She looked around, a new flush sliding up her neck. “I should have knocked before just storming in here. Sorry. But come eat some breakfast. Mom’s pissed, so she’s cooking.”

  Adam wasn’t going to turn that down. He followed Megan out to the kitchen where a slew of new scents made his mouth water. “Morning, Catherine.” He walked over to the stove, where she was dishing up pancakes and sausage. “That smells delicious.”

  “Blueberry pancakes. Megan wouldn’t let me make them with chocolate chips.”

  “Mom. It’s bad enough having all this for breakfast on a weekday.” She turned to Adam. “Can you round up Cole and Hayden? They’re in the back with Max. I’ll feed Ellie.”

  He headed out the sliding glass door. He stopped on the patio. Hayden, a fit man in his late fifties, was down on one knee in the grass with his arm around Cole. “Just keep looking at the ball. Take a step, then kick.”

  Cole looked up at the man and grinned.

  Hayden ruffled the boy’s hair, got up, and positioned the ball in front of Cole. He backed up. Max sat next to Hayden, watching.

  At this angle, Adam could only see Cole’s back, but the boy followed directions, took a step, and kicked his foot into the ball.

  Hayden beamed. “Cole! Good job!”

  Max barked once and raced around the two of them in a circle. Cole ran right at Hayden.

  The older man caught Cole and swung him up into his arms.

  Adam stood there, his chest growing tight. Another man was teaching his son to kick a ball. The tightness spread to his stomach, making his gut twist. He didn’t like it, not one damned bit. But who was going to teach Cole? a voice in his head asked. He planned to go back to Los Angeles and figure out a way to visit. Or something. He couldn’t teach Cole to play ball with once-in-a-while visits.

  Hayden caught sight of him and strode toward the sliding glass doors.

  Adam knew the man had made a lot of money as a contractor and now was semi-retired. He was glad he had Sienna running a deeper background. He needed to know more about the man who had so much access to his son and Megan.

  Max raced past him and into the house.

  “Adam,” Hayden said.

  “Adam,” Cole repeated.

  Hearing his name from the boy jolted him. Adam didn’t want Cole calling him by his first name. He sucked in a breath. “Hey there, C-Man.” He lifted his gaze. “Hayden. I’m told it’s time for breakfast.”

  Hayden barely nodded at Adam. “Come on, Cole, time to wash up and eat Grandma’s pancakes.”

  Adam stood there, feeling like an outsider as he watched the man walk off carrying his son. He hadn’t missed Hayden’s cold attitude toward him. Didn’t the man realize that Adam hadn’t known about Cole? He didn’t like the mix of feelings broiling in his stomach, followed by the familiar feeling of the walls closing in on him.

  Adam glanced at the front door. He could just leave. He had things to do, both to prepare for the golf tournament and to investigate the mess Megan was in. Stepping away from the door, he paused when he heard Megan say, “It’ll be worse if I’m there. I’m not going.”

  “Megan Lynn, you most certainly are going. The barbecue at the pond tomorrow is about families, and how much I want to do in this town to support family life. You’re my family.”

  Adam walked into the kitchen to see the two women squared off. Megan shook her head. “No. It’ll be more damaging to your campaign. If I’m not there, then people will focus on you, not on my legal drama.”

  Catherine set the towering plate of pancakes down in the center of the table. “Are you going to hide? Is that it? Not go to work, just stay in the house? Did I raise my daughter to hide?”

  Megan rolled her eyes.

  “I saw that,” Catherine said mildly.

  “I’m not hiding. And of course I’m going to work. It’ll be…uncomfortable. Some clients will leave, others will stare or ask questions. That I can handle. But I cannot harm your chances to win this race, Mom. You’ve worked so hard to get this far.” She set the plate of sausages on the table and filled the coffee cups.

  Hayden quietly put Cole in his highchair, then he took the coffee pot from Megan and went back into the kitchen.

  Catherine touched her daughter’s arm. “I’m proud of you, of everything you’ve accomplished. I know you didn’t steal that dog. I will not turn my back on you for anything. You’re going, Megan. Hayden and I will show the entire town that we love and support you.”

  “Your mother’s right,” Hayden said, pausing to kiss the top of her head, then setting a plastic cup with a lid on Cole’s high chair. “Milk to wash down Grandma’s pancakes.”

  “Why do I bother arguing?” Megan asked. “Even in my own house, I lose.”

  Adam was frozen to the spot. That was an argument? In his house, it had either been frigid silences or drunken shouting. He saw Cole wasn’t the least bit bothered. He was busy chewing a pancake and drinking his milk.

  The boy was happy here. He belonged, felt safe.

  It was Adam who didn’t belong.

  …

  Adam couldn’t find him! He dove and dove until his lungs burned viciously and his eyes blurred from the sting of the seawater.

  He had to be here! Blindly, he felt with his hands and arms.

  Panic squeezed his heart. Where was Brady? He had to find him!

  There. He spotted his brother’s dark hair and frantic eyes. But wait, the eyes were wrong. Not brown…they were blue. And he was too little.

  Oh Christ, it was Cole. He was drowning.

  “You’d let your son die too?” Brady screamed at him, his bloated face hanging in shreds.

  “Adam, wake up.” A cool hand was on his shoulder.

  He woke up instantly, but disoriented. Sweat coated his body, and his heart pounded brutally. Sucking in air, he sat up. Then he realized he had hold of Meg’s arm.

  Full awareness slammed into him. It was the middle of the night, and light from the hallway spilled into his room. Megan stood there, wearing just a tank top and panties. He looked down at his white knuckled fingers wrapped around her forearm. He was hurting her! Let go! He wrenched his hand off her arm.

  “You were having a nightmare,” she said softly.

  Her eyes were full of concern, and her hair flowed around her. That tank and panties barely covered her. He desperately wanted to tug her into bed, roll her beneath him, and lose himself in Megan. Her scent, the feel of her skin, her sweet sighs when she came, and the feel of her body spasming around him, wet and tight. Megan would chase out the horrors in his head.

  For a few minutes he’d be free. He’d forget.

  He drew his gaze past her shoulders, seeing her nipples hard against the thin top, down to the blue panties that he knew would grow wet for him if he kissed her, touched her.

  Then he saw the red marks on her arm.

  Marks he put on her.

  Rage exploded inside him. “Get out, Megan.”

  She blanched. “You cried out. I just… I was trying to help.”

  He shook his head, hating himself. Hating that he was so screwed up, he had hurt a woman. And not just any woman, because that would be bad enough. But Megan.

  She had to leave. Get away from him. “You can’t help, not unless you want to strip and get into this bed with me. Only sex helps.”

  She stood there, frozen.

  His dick ached for her. His mind ached for her. Even his chest ached. But he couldn’t give her what she needed. He’d hurt her in his sleep.

  He reached out and caught her wrist, this time being careful. Holding her arm up, he looked at
the marks from his fingers. “Is this what you want? A man who lashes out in his sleep? So fucked up he doesn’t even know he’s hurting you?” He dropped her hand. “Get out, Meg. Go back to bed.”

  He laid down, turning his back on her. Waited.

  A minute ticked by.

  Finally he heard the door close.

  He was alone. Even Ellie had decided to sleep in Cole’s room with Max.

  …

  It was still early, before seven a.m., when Megan checked on Cole and found him sound asleep. Both dogs followed her out to the kitchen.

  Adam’s room was empty.

  Her stomach twisted. Hearing him cry out had torn something inside her. The deep agony in his voice had drawn her to him. But he had refused to talk to her. Refused to let her in.

  The kitchen floor was cool on her bare feet. She’d pulled on her shorts when she got up, but no socks or slippers. She busied herself making coffee, feeding the dogs…

  The front door opened. Her heart shot up into her throat. Her pulsed jumped and raced. She knew who it was.

  Both dogs raced out of the kitchen.

  She put her hands on the granite counter, and stared down at the dark stone as the coffeemaker gurgled. Determination not to chase Adam to his room and beg for what he couldn’t give her kept her rooted to the spot. There were parts of him he would never share with her.

  “Megan.”

  His voice was soft, wrapping around her and compelling her to turn. Whoa!

  Adam wore nothing but shorts and running shoes. He’d taken off his shirt and had it looped around his neck like a towel. His hair was damp and curled slightly like Cole’s did after a bath.

  But Adam was all man. “You’ve been running?” she asked.

  “Yeah. Sometimes it helps.” He walked closer. Stopped. His gaze dropped to her left arm.

  “It’s fine.” Lifting her arm, she added, “No marks, no bruising.”

  He shook his head, his gaze rising to hers. Full of dark torment. “What if it had been Cole who woke me? What if I had hurt our son, Megan?”