should have thought about that before you used me to get pregnant.’
‘I did not use you.’
‘Sure you didn’t.’
‘I never thought I could get pregnant.’ She hurried to the table in the open-plan living area, looking panicky—as she should. ‘Look, I went to my lawyer this morning. Talked about options. He drew this up for me. If you sign it there’ll be no obligations on you. I have money, you know I’m not going to chase you for that. I do want to put your name on the birth certificate, but that’s it. You don’t have to have anything to do with us.’
Her voice faltered as she looked up from the document and saw the look on his face. If it reflected even half the thoughts he was having she was right to look nervous. He was feeling as close to murderous as he’d ever got in his life. He held out his hand for the papers.
It was a moment before she handed them over, sudden reluctance slowing her down as, wide-eyed, she stared at him.
He looked at the pages of type, flicked through a few while his brain processed and the rage part grew inside.
‘Did you honestly think I’d sign this?’ He tore it straight down the middle and threw it. The pages frustratingly fluttered soundlessly to the floor so he pounded his fists on the table. He swore viciously at her expression. She had thought he’d sign it.
‘What kind of an idiot do you take me for? How can you expect me to believe you didn’t plan this when you have some twenty page document from your lawyer conveniently stripping me of all my rights?’
Her mouth opened. Shut again.
‘We are getting married as soon as it can be arranged.’
‘I am not marrying you,’ she repeated, clearly alarmed but fighting him still—showing her inner strength. But he didn’t have room in him for admiration right now.
‘Yes, you are.’ He didn’t know how he was going to swing it, but no way in hell was he being shut out on this. Not again.
She looked stunned and visibly tried to pull herself together with deep breaths that, annoyingly, drew his attention to her full breasts. His already hard-wound body tightened a notch. Damn if he didn’t find her utterly desirable. Even now. Even when he knew how devious she really was.
‘We don’t need to do anything yet.’ She was trying to sound calm. Failing. ‘It’s so early on.’
‘We move on this right away.’
‘I don’t want people knowing about the baby.’ Vehemence flashed in her face.
‘Too late.’ He took malicious pleasure in informing her. ‘It’s obvious, Cally. How do you think I knew?’
She looked aghast. ‘You knew?’ Anger shrilled her voice. ‘You were tricking me with all the wine and the cheese and the damn mussels?’
‘Yeah. I admit it. It was a test.’ He stepped closer and put it plain. ‘Do you want this baby, Cally? What kind of mother will you be? Can you put someone else’s needs before your own or is your life only about you and what you want and when you want it?’
Her hand lifted, palm open, fast as a snake, and she very, very nearly hit him.
But his hand caught her wrist. Held it hard. Satisfaction ran through him. He’d finally succeeded in stopping her from carrying out one of her ill-conceived urges. He hadn’t had much luck up till now—she’d got everything she wanted from him. Well, now she was going to get a little bonus she hadn’t planned for.
‘What happened to your manners, Cally?’ he drawled, masking the molten mess of emotion inside.
‘Leave,’ she muttered.
‘No. You’re stuck with me now.’ His jaw clamped. ‘And I mean well and truly shackled.’ He felt her body tense to break point. Right now he wanted to break her. Docile and compliant—that would do.
‘You don’t trust me, do you?’ She changed tack.
‘Not a jot. And wasn’t I right not to? I’ve never met anyone so calculating in my life.’
‘You won’t believe that I didn’t plan this?’
‘Nope.’
Cally let the tension go out of her body, slackening her arm. He let it go immediately. Maybe she could pacify him. ‘I’m sorry, Blake.’
‘Sure.’ Granite incarnate.
‘Look, I’m grateful to you for wanting to be here for me. I am. But I don’t want or need anything from you.’
‘I’m not here for you, Cally. I’m here for my baby.’
She swallowed feeling stupidly hurt by the bald statement. ‘You were the one who said it was all a bit of fun. We weren’t talking marriage or babies, remember?’
‘We are now.’
She stared at him. Saw the hardness in his eyes. The same hardness that had been there when he’d said it that first night. A definite no-go area. There was definitely history behind him, some reason why he’d never intended to marry. Probably a past hurt. Although she couldn’t imagine him letting anyone get close enough to hurt him. He was all about surface fun and frivolity—naughty weekends that led to nothing.
But there wasn’t nothing now. He was all steel and determination and she had to fight.
‘You don’t want me, Blake. You don’t even want this baby. This is about you wanting control of this situation. You’re never out of control, are you?’
‘Stop and use your brain for just a moment, Cally,’ he answered softly. ‘I think you’ll find you already know the answer to that question.’
Their eyes met and she saw the dark desire, heard the echo of his hoarse cry as he climaxed inside her, the feel of the flood of his life force in her. She closed her eyes as a ripple of remembered ecstasy flowed from her belly out, making her want to … making her want him to …
Stop.
She didn’t want him taking over like this—didn’t want him taking advantage of her sexual attraction to him.
‘This is my baby,’ she whispered.
‘It’s my baby too. That’s my flesh and blood you’re carrying.’ He wasn’t going to give an inch.
‘OK.’ She’d still try compromise. ‘We can work out visitation rights. You can see the baby any time you like.’ She could do that. Surely he’d lose interest after a while?
‘No child of mine is growing up thinking he wasn’t wanted by his father. I am this child’s father and I will be there for her or him every step of the way. So get used to me being around, Cally, because I am going to be right beside you every minute of this pregnancy and beyond.’
Cally bit hard on the flesh of her inner cheek as she registered the passion,
