Her Designer Baby: (Loving Over 40 Book 1)

by Washington, Shawna

  He smiled as he took off in search of refreshments for dear old granny. The moment he was out of hearing, the ‘fragile’ old woman grabbed my hand and jerked me closer as she snarled, “I don’t know what game you’re up to, counselor. But if you think infiltrating my family is going to get you any leeway with me, guess again,” she hissed.

  I met her glare with one of my own as I shot back, “And if you think you can intimidate me at a social function, guess again.”

  “He’s my favorite grandson and I won’t let you hurt him. I don’t want you around him or my family.”

  I gave her a pitying look. “Your jurisdiction doesn’t extend here, Judge.”

  “Don’t be a smartass. You’re before me on Tuesday so you had better keep your claws off my grandson and get out right now.”

  I decided immediately that I wanted to be around Nick now and what’s more, I needed to kiss him. “Well since you asked so nicely, ma’am, I’ll walk right up to him and let him know how much his kisses mean to me.”

  “You wouldn’t dare,” she breathed.

  “Watch me,” I taunted as I flung off her hand and strode straight to where Nick was returning with a glass of wine in his hand. I wrapped my hands around his neck, enjoyed the brief flare of surprise in his eyes, before I set my lips to his.

  Predictably, he deepened the kiss almost reflexively as one of his hands tightened about my middle. His familiar scent assailed my senses and I melted into his arms. When he finally lifted his head, I knew I had been thoroughly kissed.

  My eyes met his dear old grandma’s over his shoulder and I grinned at her. My gaze cut to Nick’s and I slowly withdrew the wineglass from his grip before taking a sip. “I’m thirsty,” I murmured, fluttering my lashes at him.

  He grinned down at me. I could see the faint glow of surprised pleasure in his eyes that I had initiated a kiss in front of his entire family. I realized just then the implications of what I had done and I waited to feel the familiar panic engulf me but all I felt was blinding joy.

  I was falling for Nick Carradigne, I realized. Well it wasn’t exactly a newsflash; I had been falling for him since the first day I met him. The only fly in my ointment as far as Nick was concerned was his connection to a woman who hated my guts for no reason.

  Nick took my arm in his. “Let’s go get some fish.”

  “Mmm, I prefer the sausages and steak. They look good,” I murmured, my mouth already watering in anticipation.

  The rest of Nick’s family proved to be a likable, fun-loving bunch. They played absolutely silly games like sack races, arm wrestling, and mock-wrestling and they cheerfully involved me in their contests, shouting encouragements and laughing hilariously.

  The only thing that gave me pause was when one of the kids raced up to me, her blond curls bouncing behind her as she piped, “Here, Aunty, flower for you.”

  She looked like a fairy tale princess, all gold and pink and as I looked down at her, my heart constricted in my chest. Would I ever have a kid of my own?

  Remembered pain seared through me as I recalled the grim predictions of the doctor that I had a very slim chance of becoming pregnant.

  Resolutely, I focused my attention on the little girl in front of me. She was holding out a single lilac to me.

  “Thank you, honey. What’s your name?”

  “Bridget. Mummy says all women love flowers and these match your dress,” she said, offering me a toothy grin.

  I smiled down at her as I took the flower and tucked it behind my ear; the lilacs did match my sundress with its purple flowers. She was a budding fashion icon, I decided, my heart lifting as I stared down into her big blue eyes.

  I laughed with her, turning my head this way and that as I asked gaily, “What do you think?”

  “Bootiful,” she pronounced in that cute way kids had of mispronouncing ‘big’ words.

  I pulled her into my arms for a hug. “Thank you darling,” I whispered, kissing her chubby cheeks and soaking in the sweet scent of her as her childish arms wrapped trustingly around me.

  My gaze met a familiar pair of green eyes over her head and my heart constricted afresh at the expression in them: naked sympathy, concern, desire and affection blazed back at me from Nick’s eyes.

  He looked away and then he looked back at me; my breath caught in my throat all the love in the world was shining in his eyes.

  * * *

  I was quiet on the drive home, trying to make sense of what I had seen or thought I had seen. The rest of the barbeque had passed without event especially because I had given Grandma Arturo a wide berth. But all through it and even now, I couldn’t forget the expression of naked longing and want and… love? I had seen in Nick’s eyes.

  I stole a glance at him from underneath my lashes; he was focused on the stretch of road ahead of him, oblivious of my regard.

  “Do I have something on my nose?” he asked.

  “No you don’t. Keep driving,” I murmured.

  “Something on your mind?” he asked now.

  I shook my head. There was a lot on my mind but I could hardly ask him about it. Like I wanted to know what he felt about me and I wanted to know what Judge Arturo had said to him when she got him alone some minutes before we left. I wanted to know why.

  “You kissed me,” he said abruptly, interrupting my thoughts.

  “Yeah. So?”

  “You did it in front of everyone. So what was that? Your way of saying we’re an item now?” he asked, shooting me a quick glance.

  My gaze slid away. “You got a problem with that?”

  “Anytime you want to grab me and plant one on me, please feel free,” he said with a wicked grin.

  My throat went predictably dry, my nipples beaded into hard points of arousal beneath my dress and my eyes clung to his.

  “What do you have against Grandmama?” he asked.

  The non sequitur didn’t even give me pause; somehow I had seen it coming. I reflected wryly that this was a woman who the legal community held in awe whereas someone somewhere in the world referred to her as ‘Grandmama’.

  “Nothing. It’s just weird hearing you calling Judge Arturo, Grandmama.”

  He reflected on it briefly and then said, his eyes crinkling at the corners in amusement, “And it’s doubly weird hearing you calling her Judge Arturo. The woman used to bake muffins for me since I was five!”

  “You have different last names,” I observed.

  “Yes. She’s from my maternal side.”

  “I see.”

  “I saw you with Bridget. You still want kids don’t you?” he asked gently.

  I looked away, hiding the faint sheen of tears in my eyes. I wanted kids alright but I didn’t think I was in a position to state much of what I wanted right now, was I? While I was busy chasing a career while trying to decide whether I wanted kids or not, nature had done the deciding for me.

  “It doesn’t matter what I want, I can’t have kids,” I stated matter-of-factly.

  His reaction was not what I had expected: he laughed. “Says who? You have the necessary apparatus right? I’ve seen women have kids even without a womb.”

  That simply incredible statement brought my head whipping around to his direction as I pinned him with a glare.

  “Is that supposed to be a joke?”

  Nick gave me a wounded look. “It would be in exceedingly bad taste for me to joke about something like this,” he stated quietly.

  “But…how?” I wondered aloud.

  He shrugged, as if to say, ‘Beats me’.

  Silence reigned for a beat as I thought about what he had said, almost afraid to believe. As though he could hear my thoughts, he said quietly, “I am a medical doctor, Oksana, which is exactly why I have to believe in miracles. Medicine can only go so far and in my years of practice, I have seen things that science cannot explain.”

  I digested this in silence, feeling an indescribable well of joy and hope begin to grow within me. Perhaps, just perhaps, I could
have kids of my own someday? In all honesty, I didn’t necessarily want several kids, just one was perfect.

  But how? That doctor had said my chances were slim.

  Yes, but he didn’t say they were impossible, my subconscious came back.

  “I want kids myself, Oksana, and I’m going to have them,” he said, his eyes blazing into mine as though he was sending me a silent message.

  A slow shiver of excitement went through me. Was he trying to tell me he wanted a child with me?

  “I know in my heart you will have kids, Oksana, just relax and let it come naturally. No pressure,” he told me, offering me his free hand. “It doesn’t matter what the doctor says, darling. What matters is what you decide; the universe will conspire to make it happen.”

  I nodded, my hand tangling gratefully with his.

  As he held me the rest of the way home, I couldn’t ignore the feeling of hope that welled up inside of me.

  “Are you saying you want us to try again? Naturally now, and not through IVF?” I asked as Nick pulled up to my doorstep.

  “I am saying I want to have a normal, healthy relationship with you, Oksana. If pregnancy happens, we’ll face it together; if it doesn’t, we’ll go on together too. I want kids, Oksana but I want you more,” he said quietly.

  Oh boy. It didn’t get better than this, I thought as I looked at him, feeling the slow burn of desire unfurl inside of me like a flower soaking in the first rays of sunlight.

  Oksana Davies

  I was glowing. I knew I was glowing and every single day when I walked into the office, the stares from my coworkers confirmed that happy fact. Several people wanted to know if I had gone on a new diet or changed my cosmetics. I hadn’t; I was just happy, lip-smacking happy and I had Nick to thank for that. My eyes sparkled with vibrant life and mysterious joy as though I knew a secret no one else did, my lips were always curved in a happy smile, and my skin looked clear and healthy.

  In the three weeks since his family’s barbeque, Nick had proved to be the most thoughtful, most generous, most amazing of men. He was generous in bed and out of it, lingering over me night after night until I had reached a shuddering, helpless ecstasy in his arms, and surprising me with numerous gifts, just because. He found time to send me thoughtful messages during the workday even though his vacation had ended and he was always busy at work; he dropped in sometimes to take me to lunch and the last time I had gotten my period, he had held me while I soaked his shirt with my tears.

  Amazingly, because of that inner glow I owed to Nick, I was frequently approached with offers from new men who frankly seemed very nice. None of them interested me though, all I could see was Nick; he filled every waking thought. By mutual consent, we had practically started living together because every night after work, he ended up at my place.

  Nick was… perfect for me, I shakily admitted to myself as I busied myself preparing dinner for two, and the truth was that I had fallen for him. There, I said it. I loved him!

  I waited to feel the usual panic that comes with an admission of that magnitude but all I felt was an undeniable sense of calm and peace within me.

  I smiled with satisfaction as I surveyed the lasagna I had prepared; it had turned out perfectly even if I did say so myself. Nick positively adored lasagna and I just knew he was going to love this one because I had gone all out.

  As though on cue, the doorbell rang and I ran eagerly to the door, my buttocks jiggling in my loose shorts, a smile of welcome stamped onto my features as I threw it wide open. My smile of welcome was replaced with obvious shock as I saw the well-dressed, pretty, slightly overweight woman on the other side: my mother!

  “Mom? What are you doing here?” I asked in confusion.

  “I’m just freezing my ass off on your porch and waiting for my daughter to welcome me properly,” she said.

  I get my love of sarcasm from my mother.

  The gentle rebuke made me grin; that was so like her. I threw my arms around her, hugging her tight as my thoughts bounced around frantically. Last I heard, she had been somewhere on the Eiffel Tower getting romanced by some French guy she’d met. Whatever was she doing here? Was something wrong, I wondered, my heart thudding in my chest.

  I didn’t realize I had spoken aloud, until she said, “There’s nothing wrong, Oksana. Now stop being a worrywart and get my bags. Where’s Daisy?” she demanded as she entered the house.

  Out of the corner of my eye I saw a streak of white and brown as the stupid cat obviously recognized Mom’s voice and raced to greet her. I stifled an irrational feeling of jealousy. Daisy never did that for me.

  Her ‘bags’ turned out to be three years’ worth of luggage; at least that’s the way it looked to me considering everything was contained in about I did a quick count fifteen suitcases. And yes, they all weighed a ton.

  By the time I had wrestled in the third suitcase, I was grumbling aloud.

  “Now don’t make me come there and smack your sassy mouth,” she yelled from the kitchen where she was undoubtedly helping herself to some of the lasagna if the sounds of robust chewing were any indication. I rolled my eyes; sometimes Mom tended to act as though I were five.

  I sank wearily onto the top of one of the suitcases, morosely regarding the remaining twelve and wondering if I would be finished lugging in all these before midnight.

  An amused chuckle made me leap to my feet in surprise. “Don’t tell me you’re moving houses just because I’m late?”

  “Nick!” I shouted at the same time I catapulted myself into his arms peppering his face with kisses of gratitude in advance.

  He laughed as he leaned back and looked down at me. “Wow, you’re really happy to see me. Guess you’re not moving then. What’s all this?” he asked, indicating the luggage.

  “Mom,” I said.

  Just one word. I waited for his eyes to widen in alarm but instead he grinned, looking expectantly into the living room. “She’s here? You must be so happy. Go on in, I’ll get these bags.”

  I gaped at him. Didn’t he understand? I may be an adult and all, but even I wasn’t brazen enough to sleep with my boyfriend overnight while my mother was in the next room knowing what was happening. And it really didn’t matter that I was all of thirty-six years of age.

  In hushed whispers, I told him the problem and he gave me a wounded look. “This may come as a surprise to you, Oksana, but I’m not in this for the sex. If sex was all I wanted, I can get it anywhere.”

  Without another word, he swept courteously past me into the living room, lifting two suitcases as easily as though they weighed little more than a handbag apiece.

  I had offended him, I thought, biting my lip worriedly as I grabbed another suitcase and began to lug it into the house. Nick reappeared on the porch and speared me with a look of such reproach that I almost wept.

  “Leave them, Oksana and go keep your mother company,” was all he said.

  Shame roiled through me as I dropped the bag at his feet and looked at him unhappily. He didn’t spare me another glance as he strode towards the guest bedroom with the remaining bags.

  I walked slowly into the kitchen, my head bowed. Mom was seated at the table, sipping some of the fruit juice I had made for Nick; he never took anything apart from water or fruit juice. Perhaps it was the doctor thing but he was fastidious about his health.

  “I thought I heard voices,” Mom said.

  “Um, yes. My friend Nick.”

  She gave me a knowing look. “Friend or boyfriend?”

  “Boyfriend,” I admitted, feeling an odd need to blush. My mother would do that to you.

  Her eyes cut to a spot behind me and her eyes widened into twin pools of admiration. I didn’t have to turn around to know Nick had appeared; already my nipples were peaking beneath the thin lace of my bra.

  He came up behind me, walking right up until he was pressed against my back. “Introduce me, sweetheart,” he murmured, his voice as sinful and seductive as hot chocolate on a cold rainy da
y.

  Unconsciously, I leaned back against him, soaking his warmth through the thin material of my sweatshirt. “This is my mother, Binta. Mom, this is Nick Carradigne, my boyfriend.”

  He left me and walked towards my mother; my body immediately mourned the loss of his heat against my back.

  “Wow, if this is how lovely Oksana is going to look in twenty years, I can’t wait,” he said as he shook her hand.