The CEO's Unexpected Child

by Andrea Laurence

  He traveled slowly down her body, leaving a trail of kisses across her bare skin. He pushed the straps of her dress off her shoulders and tugged at the neckline until her breasts spilled over the top. His mouth teased and tasted her, sucking hard at her puckered nipples until Claire cried out and buried her fingers in the thick waves of his hair.

  The tiny fire he’d ignited in her had grown to a steady burn. She ached for him, tugging him close even as his touch was so intense that she was tempted to pull away. As the kisses moved across her stomach and he nipped at the quivering muscles of her inner thigh, she felt the need gnawing inside her with no release in sight.

  With nimble fingers, Luca removed her panties. Claire sighed in relief, thinking she would finally have him, but she was wrong. His jeans were still firmly in place as he pressed her thighs apart. Her breath caught in her throat as she realized what he was doing.

  “Luca?” she gasped.

  He paused, looking up at her from between her thighs. “Yes, tesorina?”

  “What are you...you’re not...?” She couldn’t even ask the question. Claire was embarrassed to admit that this was something she’d never experienced before. Jeff had felt it was unhygienic, although he never seemed concerned when he wanted her to satisfy him.

  Luca narrowed his gaze at her just as her cheeks starting flaming with embarrassment. “What’s the matter? Haven’t you been pleasured like this before?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. Claire heard only a low rumble of anger in Luca’s throat.

  “I see your bastard of a husband failed in yet another aspect of your marriage. I intend to rectify that right now.”

  Claire was torn. It seemed like an incredibly intimate thing. She wasn’t certain if she was ready for something like that. “I don’t know, Luca. I’m not sure I—”

  Without warning, Luca’s tongue flicked across her aching flesh and stole her protest. A bolt of pleasure like she’d never experienced before shot through her body. “Luca!” She gasped and arched her back off the plush living-room rug.

  He waited until the muscles in her body relaxed again, then he stroked ever so slowly across her with his tongue. Claire bit at her lip to keep from shouting too loudly and waking up Eva. It was difficult, especially when Luca encircled the outside of her thighs with his arms, pressed his palms against her inner thighs and opened her even wider to him.

  The sensations of the intimate caress made it easier to forget how awkward all this seemed. The touch of his silky tongue on her most sensitive parts brought her close to an intense climax far faster than she ever anticipated. She wiggled and writhed beneath him, feeling it building inside of her, yet being virtually helpless to do anything about it.

  Luca eased up on her for a moment, then he pressed her knees back until they were pushed against her chest. She caught her legs behind each knee to hold them there. At least that gave her something to grasp at when he returned to her, this time with his hands free.

  With renewed fervor, he devoured her. Claire could only chant “yes, yes” as he drove her closer and closer to the edge. At the perfect moment, he slipped a finger inside her and she was done. The most intense orgasm she’d ever experienced exploded. Tiny sparks of pleasure danced through her whole body as her muscles quivered and tightened.

  Luca retreated, but Claire barely had the energy to open her eyes. She managed to do it just in time to see his jeans pile onto the floor and an empty condom wrapper follow it. He’d kept his promise and went to the store, even with his family’s unexpected arrival.

  “Keep your legs right there,” he whispered as he returned to her.

  Her overstimulated nerves lit up as he slowly pressed his length into her. With her legs back, he reached farther, deeper than she ever could’ve imagined possible. When he was finished, her knees were resting on his shoulders. She could barely catch her breath, but she didn’t care. This is what she’d wanted, more than anything. She wanted to be one with him in a way she’d never been with anyone else.

  Luca murmured soft words in Italian against the sensitive skin of her inner knee as he thrust into her again. Each movement was so slow, so deliberate, so tortuous, as though he didn’t want it to end. She didn’t want it to end, either.

  Claire opened her eyes and watched his face as he moved so she would always remember this moment. His brows were drawn together in concentration, as though he were preparing an amazing dish in the kitchen, as if this were the most important task he’d ever completed. He made her feel that way, too—as though she was a priority in his life. She’d never had that before. She didn’t want to let that go. Not at the end of this trip. Not after the judge’s ruling. Not ever.

  Because she was in love with him.

  After what happened with Jeff, she told herself she wouldn’t make the mistake of falling in love again. You couldn’t trust someone enough not to take your heart and soul and crush it. Claire refused to give someone that much power over her again, and yet here she was. It might not be the smart thing to do, and it might bring her nothing but heartache before it was through, but there was no fighting it any longer.

  Claire could feel it down in her bones, down in her core. Even as another release built up inside of her, she knew the sensation couldn’t begin to touch the feeling of love that was warming her heart.

  “Yes!” she gasped over and over as she felt both of them tense with anticipation.

  Yes, she was close to oblivion. Yes, he was doing everything right. Yes, she wanted him to lose himself in her. Yes, this was better than she could’ve ever dreamed. Yes, she wanted to be with him back in New York. Yes, she loved Luca with everything she was and everything she had.

  Yes to it all. He needed only ask the question and she was his forever.

  Ten

  It felt strange to be back in New York. Despite Luca’s assurances that he wanted their relationship to continue beyond their time at the beach, Claire was anxious stepping back onto the concrete of her home turf. Her stomach was constantly fluttering like butterflies had invaded. If she thought about it too long, she hovered on the verge of nausea. She wasn’t quite sure what she was afraid of.

  That was a lie. She knew exactly what she was afraid of—losing Luca. It was the risk she’d taken when she gave in to her feelings for him. Manhattan didn’t have the cozy charm of the island. Would they really be able to hold this relationship together among the honking cabs, demanding jobs and hectic schedules of real life?

  Tonight, she would find out. They’d been home a few days. Today had been her first day back at the museum. Luca had asked her to dinner tonight so they could put together their final custody agreement for Edmund and Stuart to submit to the judge. She was supposed to meet him at his apartment, then they’d go somewhere for dinner when they were through. Daisy was staying late to watch Eva.

  Luca’s apartment was just a few blocks from the museum. She walked down the massive steps to head in that direction. It was a nice evening and she wanted to make the most of the pleasant weather. She was actually feeling pretty good tonight.

  At least until she caught a whiff of the nearby hot-dog cart. Normally the smell didn’t bother her—sometimes it was even enticing—but tonight it was anything but. She frantically sought out a nearby trash can and emptied the contents of her stomach into it.

  When she was through, she straightened and clamped her hand over her nose and mouth. Had she really just done that? She looked around to see if anyone noticed. They had. She was getting more than a few disgusted looks from tourists and locals alike.

  A nearby woman reached into her purse and handed Claire a tissue. “I don’t know why they call it morning sickness,” she said. “More like all the damn time sickness. Those hot-dog carts always got me, too. Don’t let those people bother you. When you’re bringing a child into the world, you have the rig
ht to puke wherever you need to.”

  Claire tried not to frown at the well-meaning woman. There was no sense in dumping her life story on her by arguing that she couldn’t get pregnant. She just accepted the tissue and was thankful that at least one person wasn’t judging her. “Thank you.”

  She dashed across the street when the light changed and tried to put as much distance between her and the mess as she could. It wasn’t until she reached the light at the next block that she hesitated and let the woman’s words sink into her head.

  Pregnant? She couldn’t possibly be pregnant.

  Admittedly, this did feel like morning sickness. When she was pregnant the first time, there had been days when she couldn’t even get out of bed. She lost weight instead of gaining it. She went through a sleeve of saltine crackers a day. The misery of her first trimester was something she’d quickly put out of her mind as the price she paid for Eva, but in the moment it came rushing back with crystal clarity.

  She pulled out her phone and looked at her calendar. Doing a little math, she realized that she’d been at the beach over a month and her period was well overdue. But that just had to be a fluke. Yes, as if her public vomiting was a fluke.

  Claire crossed the street with the crowd again, feeling more and more anxious with every step. She didn’t know why. It was likely the questionable chicken-salad sandwich she’d had at the museum cafeteria today. There was no way she was pregnant. Even if she could conceive normally and Luca hadn’t had cancer, the condom had only broken once.

  Once was all it took. The ominous words of her high-school sex-ed teacher haunted her.

  There was no way she could march into Luca’s apartment and act like nothing was wrong while this weighed on her mind. She also didn’t want to bring up the possibility and raise both their hopes only to find out she was just perimenopausal with food poisoning. This was easily dealt with. She needed to buy a pregnancy test, take it and move on with her day without this uncertainty. It was a waste of ten dollars, but it was a small price to pay for peace of mind.

  In the drugstore, she sought out the aisle she’d haunted while undergoing all those fertility treatments. She picked up her favorite brand and carried it to the counter. How many of these had she taken over the years? Dozens. Only one had ever come back positive. Tonight was probably not the night for a repeat.

  After paying for it, she continued down the block to a Starbucks. It may not be her first choice for where to take a pregnancy test, but she had to know now, before she got to Luca’s. She took it into the women’s restroom, then nervously awaited the results. When the alarm on her phone went off, she finally let herself check the tiny window.

  Pregnant.

  Claire’s jaw dropped open in surprise and shock. That was impossible. How could she...? It had only... She could barely complete a thought, much less a sentence. Putting the cap on, she slipped the test back into her purse and headed back to the drugstore to buy another one from a different brand, then repeated the test. The screen varied, but the results were the same—two lines instead of one.

  Confused, she packed up her things and left. It took another block before the news really started to sink in. She was pregnant. After the years of trying, the tests, the shots, the invasive procedures to conceive Eva...she’d managed to get pregnant accidentally. She had prayed for another baby. Dreamed of it, knowing that the odds of it happening were almost astronomical. And now, if all went well, she was going to have one. Eva would have a brother or sister, and she and Luca would have a second child together. It was a miracle.

  The excitement was nearly bubbling out of her as she entered his building and signed in at the desk. When she got off the elevator, she had a huge grin on her face. She couldn’t suppress it as much as she wanted to surprise him with the news.

  Luca opened the door. A curious expression came across his face as he looked at her. “Hi. What are you so happy about?” He stepped back to let Claire inside and took her jacket.

  “I have some news,” she said. “Let’s sit down first.”

  Luca followed her over to the couch where they sat together. She scooped up his hands in hers. “I know that you and I have only been together a short while, and for anyone else, this might be an unwelcome development, but I haven’t been feeling well since we got back. I hadn’t thought much about it, but a lady outside the museum said something today that got me to thinking. On the way over here, I took a pregnancy test...”

  Luca stiffened. Those were the last words he expected to come out of her mouth. Sitting up straight, he pulled his hands away from hers. “And?” he forced himself to ask, already knowing the answer. If it was negative she wouldn’t have bothered mentioning it.

  She reached into her purse and pulled out two pregnancy tests. “And it came out positive. Both of them. I’m pregnant. I could hardly believe it myself. It must’ve happened when the condom broke that first time.”

  Luca took one of the tests from her hand, studying the tiny screen and hoping for the information to change. It was happening again. The dull ache in his gut told him that much. What he didn’t understand was why she would try this. She knew he couldn’t have children. He’d told her that only a few short days ago. “It’s not possible,” he said.

  “I know. That’s what I thought. I mean, I would have thought it was impossible, which is why I ignored all the signs. I need to go to the doctor to confirm the results and check on everything, but—”

  “No,” he said, interrupting her stream of words. He couldn’t stand to just sit there and listen to her prattle on when he knew in his heart it was all lies. The surprise, the excitement...it all had to be carefully crafted so he’d believe the child was his and not question it.

  “What do you mean, no? You told me you wanted a family. Why are you so upset? I’m pregnant, Luca.”

  “I’m sure you are.” He got up from his seat and walked out of the living room and into the kitchen. He needed a little space. He could feel the muscles in his neck and jaw tightening. Before too long, he’d have a raging headache.

  Claire didn’t take the hint. She followed him through his apartment, a confused frown wrinkling her forehead. “I thought you’d be happy.”

  Luca chuckled bitterly and looked down at the pregnancy test in his hand. He’d made that mistake once; he wouldn’t fall for it again. It was a false hope. Instead, he tossed the test into the trash can. “If I was the father, I would be happy. But like I said, that’s impossible.”

  Claire froze in place, not quite sure she could believe the words he’d just said. “Luca, you are the father. Who else would it be?”

  To be honest, he didn’t really want to consider the possibilities. He was already fighting through this storm of emotions swirling inside him. He didn’t need to add furious jealousy to the list. Luca narrowed his gaze at her. “I have no idea, but I’m pretty sure it’s not the sterile guy in the room.”

  “Look, I’m as surprised as you are. Between the two of us and our issues, it never crossed my mind that it could happen, but it did. You are the baby’s father. I’ve spent every day and night of the last month with you. The last man I was with before you died a year ago.”

  Luca wanted to believe her. God, he wanted to. Claire had never given him any reason not to believe what she said before. But this story was just too far-fetched. She did a good job seeming sincere, though. “That all sounds good, Claire. You must’ve practiced before you came over.”

  She flinched as though his sharp words were a slap across the face. “Practiced? Do you really think I’m making all this up?”

  He wanted to say no, that he believed her and was happy, but he couldn’t let himself do it. The anger he’d suppressed over the past decade bubbled inside him. There was no one he could blame for the cancer or the treatments. He couldn’t direct that emotion at anyone. Jessica disappeared when the
paternity results came back negative, so he never got to say what he wanted to say to her, either. But in that moment, Claire was a convenient target for the disappointments of his life.

  “No,” he replied coolly. “Just the part where I’m the father. What I can’t seem to figure out was where you got the time to sleep with someone else.”

  Luca watched Claire’s face turn red and the vein in her forehead start to pulse. “I didn’t need any time!” she shouted. “I didn’t sleep with anyone but you. How could you accuse me of something like that after what happened with Jeff? I would never ever...” Claire’s voice drifted off as though she couldn’t even finish the sentence.

  Luca knew that accusing her of having an affair was the lowest of low blows, but what other option was there? This wasn’t a star in the east.

  “You know, I’m not Jessica. I understand all that must’ve been awful for you, but don’t take what she did out on me. This is totally different.”

  “Is it?” Luca asked. He wanted it to be different, but he wouldn’t allow himself to entertain such a wild fantasy. He and Claire were through. It pained him, but there was no going back now. He needed to make a clean break and send her on her way before things got even uglier than they already were.

  “Maybe you’re right,” he agreed with bitterness leeching into his voice. “Jessica was happy with just having one of my children. You’re pushing for two. Wasn’t having one of my kids enough? You had to get more out of me?”

  Claire tried not to physically react to his insult. Now she wasn’t just a slut, she was a greedy one? Where had this dark side of Luca hidden over the past few weeks? She thought he was holding back, but she never dreamed that this was what he’d kept from her. “More what? Money? I don’t need your money, Luca.”

  His jaw tightened as he looked her over. “Then what’s behind it? Afraid I might leave you once we got home? Did you think having a second miracle child would convince me to marry you so we could have a happily-ever-after?” He crossed his arms over his chest, challenging her to say otherwise.