It didn’t take a genius to know what those were for. Was Jade pregnant? With another man’s baby? A slow burn started in my belly and I felt fury building. But another part of me knew it was more likely the baby was mine. Was it? No, we’d worn condoms. Every—oh fuck. I’d gotten carried away and fucked her bare in the shower.
The room stopped spinning, in fact, the world stopped rotating, time halted, and I’m pretty sure even the angels in heaven stopped singing. I’ve never experienced such utter stillness and quiet. All the better to hear the screaming in my head. One part howling with anger and one part a caveman beating on his chest in triumph.
I was torn, still struggling with my belief that she was using me for my money and position as owner of the gallery. Yet, the signs indicating I’d been wrong were piling up. Why hadn’t she asked about the gallery showing?
My mind played over her reactions at the lawyer’s office, once again. Could her shock have been genuine? Then she’d bought groceries and made us dinner, without being asked, or demanding reimbursement. Of course, it’s not like she needs the money anymore, right? She’s gotten exactly what she wanted. I think. I sighed and scratched my head, the whole situation was like a rollercoaster and I couldn’t figure out which way was up.
I emptied her other bag to find books about pregnancy, but looking at them was making me nauseous. I’m aware of the irony. Putting everything back in the bags, I clutched them tight, not ready to let them go, as though if I did, it would cease to be real. Moving my pacing to the front hall, I anxiously waited for the doctor to arrive.
An hour later, I’d worn a hole in the damn floor waiting for Dr. Morgan. I asked him to wait in the informal family room located through another arched doorway near the stairwell, while I checked on Jade. Realizing I was still holding the books and medicine, I dropped the items on a table in the entryway and jogged up the stairs to her room. I knocked softly and listened for any sound indicating she was awake.
I heard shuffling and the door opened revealing a deliciously mussed Jade. Damn, she looked adorable and so fuckable at the same time. She looked a little green and had a hand over her flat stomach. A vision of Jade with her hand resting on a swollen belly flashed before my eyes. She looked beautiful.
“Have you seen the, um, bags I brought home with me?” she asked, breaking me out of my daydream. Her voice was hesitant, but her green eyes were flared with worry. Was she ever intending to tell me? I was becoming rather confused. Why wouldn’t she have announced it right away and demanded I marry her? I couldn’t let her take all of the blame for her condition, but I was shocked she wasn’t trying to use it as leverage to trap me.
It suddenly occurred to me, was it because I was technically her step-brother? Tension wrapped itself around my heart as I considered the possibility she might fight for me to not be a part of my child’s life. No. That wasn’t going to happen. As soon as I could get control away from the current board at work, I’d be marrying her ass if I had to drag her to the courthouse, kicking and screaming. Until then, we’d have to keep it a secret and stay under the radar.
“I left them on the table in the foyer.” I held my hand out to her, “Come, my family doctor, Dr. Morgan, is waiting for you downstairs. I want him to have a look at you.”
Her green eyes grew impossibly wide, “What?” she shrieked. “Bu—but, I already saw a doctor!”
I huffed in annoyance, “Your doctor obviously didn’t know what the fuck they were doing. They sent you home and you fainted. Not to mention, you look as though you’re about to lose your stomach again.”
I took her hand instead of waiting for her to reach for mine and started towing her behind me, intent on getting her to Dr. Morgan.
She tugged weakly, trying to get me to release her, but I disregarded her efforts.
“My doctor is fine. She sent me home with medicine, I just need my pills, not to see another physician.”
We reached the stairs and I immediately started to worry about her fainting again and taking a spill, possibly hurting herself or the baby. I swung her up into my arms, ignoring her when she protested.
“Jade,” I said, my voice a little patronizing. “The sooner you stop arguing and let Dr. Morgan look you over, the sooner I’ll stop harassing you about it.”
Her eyes narrowed and she gave me a glacial stare, until it once again caved under the weight of my stubbornness.
“Fine, but no blood tests or anything invasive. Just a standard checkup,” she finished as I crossed the threshold into the room where Dr. Morgan had set out his instruments.
“She needs a blood test,” I informed Dr. Morgan as I set her down on the overstuffed couch. I threw her a black look when she started to comment and it shut her up.
“And who have we here?” Dr. Morgan smiled at Jade, “Does this beautiful woman belong to you, Lucas?”
“No,” Jade answered before I could even open my mouth. She returned my angry expression with a somewhat sly smile. “I’m his step-sister, Jade.”
I had no clue how to respond. Did I tell the doctor about our history and trust him to keep it a secret? Or did I pretend the baby wasn’t mine and we were simply cohabitating step-siblings? I wanted to shout and punch something. This whole situation was so fucked up.
“Really? I didn’t realize Jonathan’s new wife had a daughter. It’s lovely to meet you.” He smiled and shook her hand. If he weren’t here to examine her, I might have ripped off his appendage for touching her. No one else will ever be caressing her silky skin but me ever again.
“We didn’t know about each other until recently,” she admitted.
“Really? Well, how wonderful you two aren’t left without family.”
His comment made me cringe, much too similar to the words of my father’s will, which put me in this ridiculous spot in the first place.
“Now, what seems to be the problem, my dear?” Dr. Morgan asked as he began taking her blood pressure.
“She’s been nauseous, exhausted, and she fainted earlier,” I growled, glowering at Jade as I started to pace again.
“Any chance you’re pregnant, Jade?”
I waited with baited breath to see how she would answer.
She cleared her throat, “Um.” She glanced at me and Dr. Morgan took notice.
“Lucas, perhaps you should wait in another room.”
Jade smiled triumphantly.
“I need to be here. With our parents gone, I’m her legal guardian. Our parents wanted someone to take care of her.” I grinned back at Jade.
“Puh-lease. I’m twenty-two years old. And even if I wasn’t, nobody would pick you to guard their dog, much less another human being.” Her cheeks brightened with color as we bantered back and forth.
“Now, now, Jade, you mustn’t compare yourself to a puppy, at least you’re house trained.”
She huffed and Dr. Morgan chuckled. “Squabbling like siblings already.”
Our matching gasps of disgust seemed to shock the doctor and his gaze bounced between us like a pinball machine. After a tense moment, he focused back on Jade as he got her arm ready for a blood draw.
“Ugh. Another needle, I think I’m going to be sick again.”
“You know,” I drawled, “You didn’t answer the doctor’s question.”
Jade’s eyes flew to me and I smiled sinisterly. “Any chance you could be pregnant Jade?”
“Yes,” she snapped. “I had a fling with a macho, egotistical, shallow, pompous ass who apparently didn’t know how to use a fucking condom and knocked me up. That’s why the blood test isn’t necessary because my doctor already confirmed it this morning.”
I didn’t know why but hearing her admit it out loud made the whole thing much more real. Holy fuck. I’d gotten Jade pregnant. Mentally banging my head against a wall, I amended the thought. I’d gotten my step-sister pregnant. The board was going to ruin me and send me off to live in Louisiana with all of the other people whose lives sing like a fucking country song.
Chapter 7
Jade
Had I really said what I thought I did? Someone please tell me I hadn’t. I slowly opened my eyes, which I’d squeezed shut in mortification as soon as the words popped out of my mouth. Yup, I’d totally said exactly what I thought I had. The twin looks of shock on Lucas and the doctor’s faces confirmed it.
“I guess we won’t need a blood test after all,” the doctor drawled, placing the needle down right before jabbing me with it. It was the only upside to my untimely announcement. He got over his surprise more quickly than Lucas, who stood there staring at me with his jaw open and his eyes wide. Dr. Morgan’s attention shifted between the two of us before focusing on Lucas. “While I appreciate your concern for your step-sister, I think it would be better if you gave us some privacy to discuss such a delicate matter.”
Privacy sounded fantastic to me, but I couldn’t bear the tormented look on Lucas’s face at the doctor’s request. I’d pulled the rug out from under him with my announcement, and it wouldn’t be fair of me to make him wait in another room so soon afterward.
“It’s okay,” I sighed. “He can stay.”
“If you’re sure?” Dr. Morgan’s tone was doubtful, but I appreciated him giving me another out if I wanted to take it. Lucas didn’t welcome it, though.
“You heard Jade,” he growled, prowling over to me, taking my hand in his and squeezing tightly.
Lucas turned towards me as soon as we heard the sound of the front door closing. “The baby’s mine?”
I wanted to scream and cry at the very thought of him suspecting it was someone else’s, but I couldn’t blame him for the question. It wasn’t even an accusation, he was merely asking for confirmation of what I had hinted to when the doctor was present. “Yes.”
His gaze dropped to my stomach and I swore I saw triumph in his eyes, which made no sense at all considering his opinion of me. “Okay, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. In a way, you being pregnant simplifies things,” he mumbled to himself, pacing the length of the room.
“How is my pregnancy simple?”
Instead of answering, he shocked me speechless by striding over to me and lifting me up in his arms. He swiftly made his way through the house, up the stairs and into his bedroom, placing me gently on the mattress. Then he quickly stripped out of his clothes, only leaving his boxers, and climbed in next to me.
I was about to object, my lips ready to form the words, when he stopped to place a soft kiss on my belly. The gesture was so darn sweet, I all but melted into the mattress. By the time he settled himself on the pillows with me in his arms, I was a strange combination of an emotional mess and a beyond horny as heck woman.
“Your pregnancy means I don’t need to fight this thing between us anymore.”
I couldn’t help but laugh, considering we’d spent a grand total of five days together over the last six weeks and had slept together all but one of those days—today. Based on the fact that I was lying on his bed next to him in only his boxers, it was pretty safe to assume we were about to keep the streak alive. “I think your definition of fighting our chemistry and mine are very different. And I don’t understand why you’ve felt the need in the first place.”
His arms tightened around me. “The circumstances surrounding our first meeting were suspicious.”
“An artist meeting a gallery owner in their place of business is not suspicious.”
“It is if she looks like you and agrees to spend the weekend in a hotel with me without so much as a single word in protest.”
“You’re the one who suggested it,” I grumbled. “What did you want me to do? Say no?”
His eyes lit with humor. “I’m not sure it would have mattered if you’d said no. I would have just found a way to get you to say yes at some point.”
“So you don’t still think I tried to sleep my way into a show at your gallery?” I asked, placing a finger over his lips while I hurried to finish what I wanted to say. “A show I didn’t need any help in getting all by myself at another well-respected gallery, mind you. My art stands on its own, and even if it didn’t, I’m not about to prostitute myself to anyone for anything.”
He jolted, his eyes lighting with a possessive gleam, as though I’d just issued a challenge. “Damn straight you’re not. Nobody gets to touch you but me.”
“Am I to presume this means you won’t go around assuming I’m giving some poor, unsuspecting guy a blow job if I need to puke and his trash can is the conveniently nearby?”
He ducked his head and I swore I saw a sweep of red tinting his cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.
“Could you repeat that? I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear you right,” I teased.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated more firmly this time, his head jerking up so he stared directly into my eyes. “I should have let you explain before storming out of the hotel room six weeks ago, and I shouldn’t have accused you of what I did in the lawyer’s office.”
Holy heck, he’d apologized. But that didn’t mean I couldn’t jerk his chain a little more. “How do I know you don’t think I’m just a call-girl for your exclusive use?”
“Because the only payment you’ve taken is all the orgasms I’ve given you.” His hand drifted down to my belly. “And my baby.” Then he went about showing me exactly how he’d give me those orgasms, stripping my clothes from my body and taking the time to cup each of my breasts, rolling the nipples between his fingertips. He trailed kisses down my chest until he reached my breasts. His tongue flicked against one of my nipples before he sucked it into his mouth. Releasing it with a loud pop, he switched his attention to the other side.
“Lucas,” I whimpered. My breasts had always been sensitive, but they were even more so now. I felt the pull of his mouth on my nipple all the way down in my pussy.
“What, sweetheart?” he purred.
“I need to come.”
“I’m going to make you come, Jade. Have patience and know I’ll get you there,” he promised before moving lower and nipping lightly at the skin on my belly. My hips jerked in response, my pussy bumped against his hard length. I felt the heat of his skin through the fabric of his boxers and moaned in need.
Lucas gripped my thighs, holding them open as he bent over my pussy. His breath was hot against my core, his tongue flicking against my clit and dipping lower to slide inside.
“Tastes so damn good,” he murmured against my damp flesh before he started to fuck me with his tongue. One of his hands slid up my thigh and across my belly, moving down again to play with my clit. After a few flicks of his finger, he pinched it and I went off like a rocket. I shuddered beneath him while he licked me through my orgasm.
“Holy crap,” I whispered when I managed to stop panting and was able to speak.
I watched, entranced by the sight of his muscles bunching when Lucas levered up to shove his boxers down. His cock sprang free, long and hard, before he settled himself between my legs.
“I need you, sweetheart, but I’ll try to be as gentle as I can.”
I reached up to rest my palm on his cheek. “Take me however you want, Lucas. You’re not going to hurt the baby.”
My permission seemed to snap the last of his control. He slammed his cock into me with a hard thrust. I was swollen from my climax and my pussy clenched around him as he pulled back out to dive in again.
“Always so damn good,” he groaned.
“The best,” I agreed.
His eyes heated at my words and he pounded into me harder and faster. “Come for me again, Jade. I don’t think I can hold on much longer. Your pussy feels too perfect wrapped around my cock.”
I circled my legs around his waist as he continued to hammer into me. It only took a couple more thrusts before I went over the edge again, taking him with me.
“Damn, Jade,” he muttered. “That was fucking amazing. I don’t know how the hell we’re going to hide what’s between us when all I want to do is take you like this every time I’m near you.�
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“Hide?” I repeated, hoping I misunderstood what he’d said because my heart was still pounding loudly.
“We can’t tell anyone,” he replied, his tone matter-of-fact, as though what he was saying was obvious to anyone with a brain.
Say what now? “What do you mean, we can’t tell anyone? Who the heck do you think I’m going to tell? The newspapers? Because I’m not! The only person I want to talk to right now is my best friend, and she sure as heck isn’t going to go blabbing to anyone about my pregnancy.”
“I’m not accusing you of anything, sweetheart.”
“Not yet, anyway,” I muttered, thinking about how quickly he’d turned on me back at the hotel when he assumed I’d been using him to move up in the art world.
“It’s complicated, Jade,” he sighed. “There’s the company to consider. I need time to finagle some things before anyone can know about us. The board is quite conservative. I’m confident they wouldn’t appreciate the possible scandal associated with their new CEO getting his step-sister pregnant.”
I nodded my head like I understood and offered him a little tilt of my lips which I hoped resembled a smile. Then I yawned widely and rolled away from him, waiting until he couldn’t see my face to allow my tears to stream down my cheeks and onto the pillow. Pregnant and unmarried I could handle. The baby and I being his dirty little secret? Not so much.
Chapter 8
Lucas
I’d fucked Jade hard after she’d already been sick and exhausted all day, so when she turned over, I let her get some sleep. I smoothed a hand down over her silky blonde hair and traced circles on her naked back as I ran scenarios in my head. I needed to move up the timetable and get a new board in place as quickly as possible. I intended to marry Jade in the next couple of weeks, but we’d have to keep it quiet. Something I wasn’t at all happy about, but it was necessary for the moment. However, when my baby was born, both he or she and their mother were going to have my name. And, hiding it from the paparazzi would be near impossible with both Jade’s and my name on the birth certificate.
Baby Steps (Yeah, Baby Book 2) Page 4
