Raising His Baby

by Tressie Lockwood

  “No way he’s coming back after that injury. I’m telling you I’ve seen ACL tears like he had, and it ended the career.”

  The man flared his nostrils, obviously feeling superior to Sonya. “There’s always surgery and therapy.”

  “If it works. I’m saying find yourself a new favorite.”

  The man’s tolerance turned to annoyance. “What do you know? You’re just a—”

  “A what?” She cut a frosty look at him that might have made Romy hesitate should she have aimed it at him. “A woman? Granted, you might be right if we were talking about any other player. Your boy is getting up there in age, and he’s known for being stupid when it comes to injuries. Don’t hold it against me when you find out I’m right.”

  The fact that Sonya didn’t get angry at the man’s condescending attitude and that challenging yet light-hearted look she gave him must have dissipated the man’s anger. He offered her a broad grin and stepped closer.

  “I guess I can forgive you if you have dinner with me.” His heated gaze slipped down over Sonya’s form. “I’ve never met a woman who seems to know sports like you.”

  “Oh, dinner will make you forgive me? That’s funny.” For some reason her teasing tone bothered Romy. He started toward them. Sonya didn’t know he had eavesdropped on her conversation.

  “It’s a start,” the man said. “How about it? You busy?”

  “Yes,” Romy ground out and stopped behind her, knowing he stood way too close. In fact, his desire ignited because all it would take would be to step forward an inch or two and his thigh would brush her rear. “She’s busy taking care of our son. Or hadn’t you noticed the baby?”

  Both Sonya’s and the man’s jaws dropped.

  “Wow, I didn’t know,” the man said, backing up. “Sorry about that.”

  Sonya rounded on him, frowning, but Romy barely moved to signal Frost to move in. Romy brushed a hand over Arron’s head and set a firm hand to Sonya’s back. She began to protest but stopped when Frost moved between her and her admirer.

  “Wait, is he…?” she said.

  “Yes, he’s Arron’s bodyguard. His name is Frost.” Romy explained as they walked away. “If you ever feel threatened, you have only to signal him, and he’ll take care of it.”

  She stopped and placed a hand on her hip. “I wasn’t feeling threatened. I was having a conversation.”

  “Now that I know Arron is mine, you have to be more careful about who you entertain.”

  She blinked at him. “Meaning you think you’re going to control my social life? I didn’t think you were anything like Ezio, but I was wrong.”

  “I’m not trying to control you.” He noticed several of the lab’s employees looking their way. “We can have this conversation in the car.”

  “We don’t need to have a conversation. I’m going to date who I want.”

  “What about me?” He blurted it out without thinking, and it was too late to take it back.

  They continued to the car, and Romy took the baby from Sonya’s arms. She made a habit of ignoring her crutch and limped on her bandaged ankle. He did what he could to keep her burden light the best he could. She was too stubborn to listen to him when he told her to take it easier.

  Once they were on the road, she answered his question. “What do you mean what about you?”

  His face burned, and he tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “Never mind.”

  “No, please tell me what you were going to say because if you think I’m going to run every guy past you before I even have a conversation with him, you’re wrong. I won’t take Arron with me, but I’m going to see whoever I want.”

  “And I said, what about me?” he growled.

  “What about…” She gasped. “You mean you as in seeing you?”

  His hands ached. “Yes.”

  “You can’t be serious.”

  The truth was he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her after that kiss. He wanted her. Maybe he could make a physical arrangement that didn’t have anything to do with marriage. Could he handle that with her living in the mansion and her being Arron’s mamma? He wasn’t sure, but desire drove him to make the suggestion. This time he would be smart. No woman deserved his trust, and since he had Arron, he never needed to get married. This was the perfect situation.

  On impulse, Romy reached across the seats to run his fingers over her cheek. Her skin was incredibly soft. They had agreed to no touching, but he couldn’t help himself. She was so beautiful, and her soft lips had seduced him until he made her the proposal.

  “I’m very serious.”

  She looked doubtful. “Are you asking me because of Arron? We don’t have to be together just because we’re both raising him.”

  Nervousness came over him, and he searched for smooth words that would convince her. All he could think about was kissing her again, and he couldn’t do it while driving. To keep himself from stuffing his foot into his mouth, he pulled to the side of the road and parked the car.

  After fumbling with her seatbelt, he got it unlocked and tugged her onto his lap. She protested, but she didn’t fight him very hard. Romy ran his hands over her sides and reached around to draw her tight to his chest. He dipped his head toward her neck and let his lips touch her warm skin. A tremor ran through her, and he tightened his embrace.

  “Men flock to you,” he said softly.

  She smirked. “Is that why you’re offering? I’m like one of the guys when we get to talking, and I’ve never been able to make friends easily with women. I think it’s the extreme sports thing.”

  Romy slipped his hand higher on her belly until his thumb brushed the middle of her bra. Desire overwhelmed him. He could think of nothing other than taking her. “You are not like one of the guys.”

  She shivered again. “Thanks.

  “Tell me yes.”

  “I’m not sure.”

  “I’m not asking you to marry me.”

  She stiffened. He searched his mind for a gentler way to present his case. Why couldn’t he be smoother with women like Cason? Thoughts of his younger brother entered his mind and along with them anger. He’d strangle Cason if he seduced her. Romy figured she would give in, but he didn’t want Cason to even try.

  “How about tonight?” she said, and he heard her hesitation. This time he realized her tremors weren’t just from desire.

  Romy grasped her chin and made her look at him. “Are you afraid of me?”

  “Psshh, boy, please. No.”

  He heard the lie and was confused by it. “I don’t understand. Why are you afraid? It’s obvious you’re experienced.”

  “I beg your pardon. I don’t appreciate you making it sound like I’m some kind of ho.”

  He flushed. “I apologize. That wasn’t my intention.”

  She chuckled. “I know. I’m beginning to see some things in you.”

  His embarrassment increased “Like?”

  “Never mind.” Her smile grew. “Tonight good? I’ll come to your room after I put Arron down for bed.”

  He nodded. “You’ll see that I treat my lovers very well. If you ever want anything, just ask.”

  She pushed his hand away and climbed back into her own seat. “I said tonight. That’s all I’m sure about.”

  Romy had no choice to but accept what she said. He had never met a woman like her before. He needed to be careful. Before long, Sonya might have him making foolish declarations that he would regret later. He would enjoy tonight and see what tomorrow brought after that.

  Chapter 8

  Sonya closed her bedroom door and swallowed, trying to dampen her dry throat. Her heart worked overtime, and her palms were clammy. She tried every mental exercise on the internet to calm down but failed.

  At the end of the hall, the lights were off, and a shadow shifted positions. She adjusted to the dim lighting and recognized Romy.

  He approached her and stopped inches away. She breathed in slowly to keep from rasping. “You’re a
ctually out here waiting for me?”

  “I want to talk to you.”

  She looked away. “What about? Did you change your mind?”

  His fingers slipped between hers as if they had been holding hands for years. She followed him as he led her back down the hall to his room. When he opened the door, she wasn’t surprised by the size of the room or the décor. Romy was one of the charmed sons. Of course his room dwarfed hers, and his masculine style shined through in the furnishings.

  She crossed the threshold, and Romy crowded her until she bumped the door closed with her butt. The lock clicked into place, and she panted.

  “I was right,” he said, frowning down at her. “You’re afraid of me. I don’t understand. You’re small, but you seem very assertive.”

  She raised her chin. “I am most of the time.”

  “But?”

  She couldn’t make herself admit her thoughts.

  His palm cupped her cheek. Her knees grew weak.

  “Talk to me, Sonya.”

  Wow, she liked how he said her name, with that sexy lilt. An impulse came over her to hear him speak to her in Italian while they lay in each other’s arms. The panting grew worse.

  “Sonya.”

  His tone turned sharper. Something told her she wasn’t getting away with ignoring his question or telling him it was nothing. She let her gaze skitter over his broad shoulders. He was too close to take in all of him, but she had studied his incredible form, hidden behind his clothes. Desire drove her to want to see all of him with no barriers between them. Yet, she was afraid. Her fear had nothing to do with her heart, although that was another concern she had better stay on top of.

  “I-I’ve only ever dated men my size. Not on purpose. It just always seemed to happen that way. Look at me. I hardly come up to your knees.”

  He chuckled. “You’re not that short.”

  “No, but I am small, and you’re huge.”

  His eyebrow rose.

  “I don’t mean—”

  He grew serious. “I know, and I assure you. We’ll go as slowly as you need us to. I’ve never hurt a lover, and I don’t intend to start with you. Trust me to bring us both pleasure.”

  Trust him, he said. But she knew what he meant. His words were comforting, yet they didn’t take away her fear. She’d seen evidence of Romy’s attraction after he kissed her and had a sneaking suspicion he outclassed her former lovers in every way imaginable. That was what scared the crap out of her the most, but she refused to say so.

  “I’ve never backed down from a challenge even if I was nervous about it.” She rested a hand in the center of his chest and felt the rapid beat of his heart. If she looked down, she knew she’d discover just how much he wanted her. She could put on a brave face and act all big and bold, but she was scared. This was ridiculous. There wasn’t anything to be afraid of. She believed him when he said he would be gentle and take things slow.

  His hands cupped her waist, and he leaned over until his forehead touched hers. Automatically, she stretched up on her toes to meet him halfway. A little more tilting of her head and her lips brushed his. Their noses bumped, but it wasn’t a clumsy move, more like the start of their exploration of each other.

  Romy slanted his head and moved his lips to her jawline. He paused, breathing deep. She shut her eyes and enjoyed a few minutes of his touch. When one of his large hands moved from her hip to the center of her back to draw her close, she stiffened.

  “No, don’t tense up,” he ordered.

  “Kind of hard not to.”

  “My size can be a positive thing.”

  She swallowed. “We still talking about your height?”

  A rumble of laughter tickled her cheek. Our of nowhere he whipped her off her feet and held her against his body. She squeaked in alarm, but she refused to fight him. He crushed her body to his, and it was as if she could make out every hard muscle, every ripple of taut flesh that touched hers.

  “The best way might be to take you all at once,” he said.

  She croaked, but couldn’t get words out.

  “That way we sweep your concerns away and show you there’s nothing to be afraid of.”

  “Oh, there’s plenty, believe me.”

  She licked her lips when he let her slide down his length a bit, and she began to feel a lot more. Daring to look into his eyes, she caught the glitter of excitement.

  “I’ll admit you’re driving me nuts,” he said.

  “Did you give in because you’re sure Arron is yours?”

  He shook his head. “We’re not talking about him right now.”

  “This is a bit awkward.”

  “Is it?” He wrapped her legs around his waist and continued to hold her. She was at his mercy and didn’t want to get down. He carried her over to the bed, and she discovered it was one of those high ones a short person like her would need a step stool to climb up on.

  Romy laid her gently on her back and followed her down, bringing his heavy form over her. Her hands came up to his chest, and she tangled her fingers in his shirt. They shook a little, and she tried to hide it.

  Jeez, get a grip, Sonya.

  His hip crushed her into the soft mattress, and she caught her breath. When he placed a knee between her thighs, she almost fainted. He set her on fire, and the smallest of his movements put her at his mercy. The expression on his face spoke confidence. This wasn’t the man who blushed so easily that she had gotten to know better over the last few days.

  “You get off on me being nervous?”

  His thumb brushed her bottom lip. “If I’m scared, who’s going to comfort you? Besides, I like the feeling of protecting you.”

  She breathed harder. “I don’t need protecting.”

  “No?” He leaned up and flipped the button loose on her shorts then lowered the zipper. She drew in a shuddering breath. He pushed a hand inside her shorts toward her hip and held it there. A gentle squeeze of her hip made her arch toward him. His hot gaze took her in, and she bit her lip, trying to keep it together. “You’re at my mercy,” he said firmly.

  “I’m…” She couldn’t deny it.

  “Do you know where I want to be?” His voice had gone deeper and hoarse.

  “W-Where?”

  He squeezed her hip again and then gave a sharp tug on her shorts. “I want to be where there’s nothing between us, and the longer I lay on top of you like this, the harder it gets for me to wait.”

  “Y-You d-don’t have to…”

  “I wanted to talk to you some more and get you to calm down, but I can’t. Sonya.” His voice had gone ragged. He flattened a hand on her bare belly. “Just this little bit of skin is killing me. Do you understand that?”

  A thought popped into her mind to tease him. It’s what she would have done normally, but she couldn’t make herself do it. Instead, she unbuttoned his shirt and rested her hands on his bare chest. Slowly, she slid her hands around to his sides and marveled at the way his torso expanded and collapsed because he breathed so hard. She knew she unsettled him and turned him on. To know she had such control of this big man excited her beyond belief.

  She leaned up and kissed a spot in the center of his chest. He let out a small sound and reared back. Her eyes widened. For a minute she thought somehow she’d hurt him, but he grabbed her around the waist and tossed her higher on the bed. He followed, ripping his shirt off.

  When he sat on his haunches to undo his jeans, she couldn’t look away. He tore down the zipper, his gaze on her. “I’m not going to be rough, but I’m not holding back. I need you right now. You’re okay?”

  Her throat dried, but she lay against the pillows. “I’m ready for whatever you’ve got.”

  Chapter 9

  Whoever said Romy was the gentler brother and the nicest lied. Sonya stumbled back to her bedroom sometime near dawn. She wobbled because her body was sore in every conceivable location, especially the intimate places. Once he touched her for the first time, his desire had consumed him. So
nya found herself lost in a tidal wave of pleasure and sweet agony she was helpless to stop.

  She reached her door and stopped outside, pressing her ear to the panels to be sure Arron was still sleeping. Maybe she would soak in a bath of Epsom salt and then grab a couple hours sleep before he woke.

  “So it’s begun?”

  She jumped and spun around, a mistake that brought a groan to her lips. Her embarrassed gaze met Ezio’s angry one. “Excuse me?”

  “You’ve proven the baby is his, and now what? Will you try to seduce my brother into marrying you? Believe me, it won’t work. Romy has no intention of getting married. Arron will be cared for. You won’t.”

  She glared at him. “Why don’t you say what you really feel?”

  A chill breeze blew down the hall, and she could imagine it rolled off him. “You don’t have a leg to stand on. Your sister might have left the baby to you, but that doesn’t supersede his father’s rights. Romy has simply to push a little, and he will get full custody of the baby. You know that, so you’re trying to secure your future by jumping into his bed.”

  “Wow, you’re the most hateful person I’ve ever met. I can’t even imagine the two of you are brothers or that you ever found a woman who loves you.” Sonya snapped her fingers. “Right, you’re rich. She must have married you for your money.”

  He didn’t speak right away, and it shocked her. She must have hit the nail on the head. Funny enough, Shakarri acted like she loved Ezio. Maybe it showed how good an actress she was. No one could love this man.

  “I suggest you watch your mouth,” he bit out. “Romy is the oldest but for all intents and purposes, I’m the head of this family. You’re here because I allow you to be. The moment I tell him you can’t stay, you’re gone—without Arron.”

  Her chest constricted. “I don’t respond well to threats, and I think I’ve learned enough about Romy that if he asks me to leave, it will be because he wants it. Not because of his jerk of a younger brother. You don’t watch your mouth. I’m sure not watching mine.”

  She pushed away from her door and walked over to him. He was shorter than Romy, but not by much. Either way, she still had to tilt her head back to look up at him. With her hands on her hips, she faced off against him. The look of surprise almost made her laugh.