I’d be fired.”
“Not unless Williams can prove you divulged client secrets.”
“You’re a defense firm’s sworn enemy.”
Hunter grimaced as he dug a burger from the sack and put it on the paper plate she handed him. “Enemy, huh?” If only he could see her as his enemy. Maybe then he would stop noticing things about her, things like the way her whiskey-colored eyes reflected her every thought, her every emotion. Somehow the idea of spending time with her didn’t seem all that wrong to him.
She bit into a fry, closed her eyes and moaned, then licked the salt from her lips. “I didn’t realize I was this hungry.”
Tearing his gaze from her mouth, Hunter’s thoughts scattered as he stared at the contours of one shapely leg revealed below the hem of her navy blue skirt. “You can’t worry about what other people think,” he said. “Once word gets out you’re having my baby, everyone will assume…”
“Assume?” she asked, watching him intently.
“That we’ve been lovers,” he said, wondering why he found the thought of them making love so intriguing.
She stopped in midchew. “That’s absurd.”
He did smile then. It was her panicked expression. “Is it? How do you intend to convince the entire town that we didn’t—That we haven’t—”
“No one is going to know who fathered my baby.” She settled her plate on the coffee table and turned to face him. “I called the clinic after your visit today. They refused to identify the sperm donor. So, you can see how futile it would be to continue to claim that you’re the father.”
Hunter withdrew the lone page from his inside jacket pocket and handed it to her. “The clinic manager called me after discovering how the mix-up occurred. It seems the initial collection container is labeled with a computer-generated number. But afterward, when the sperm goes to the lab techs for storage, they are responsible for transferring the identifying numbers onto the individual vials. One of their lab techs transposed two numbers. Since they must sign off on every step of the entire process, they were able to identify which worker did it. I’ve been assured that he has been fired.”
“I don’t understand why they didn’t tell me all this.”
“Initially, I imagine they were scrambling to discover how this all happened. When the clinic manager called me to explain what they’d found, I told her I was on my way to see you and would tell you myself. She may call you anyway to cover the clinic in case you decide to bring charges.”
“Are you going to sue?”
He had intended to, but now he wasn’t sure about a lot of things, including why he suddenly felt suing for custody wasn’t best. “I haven’t decided. The clinic has implemented a new system where they will print additional labels to remain with the initial collection and be used on the storage vials.”
“I’m glad they took steps to keep it from happening again.” Ashley unfolded the paper and read, pausing once to glance at him. “Where did you get this?”
He heard the tremor in her voice and knew how difficult this had to be for her. Still, this was his child, too. “I took it from your chart yesterday. I figured you would demand proof.”
She looked once more from him to the single sheet and back again, visibly shaken. “Then it’s true.” She swallowed hard. “You really are my baby’s…my baby’s…”
“Father,” he said, wishing she would say the word.
Dropping the paper, Ashley rose and crossed to a set of double doors opening onto a balcony.
Hunter retrieved the sheet and tucked it inside his pocket before following her outside into the crisp March night. She stood at the railing, rubbing her arms. The rain had finally stopped. The air smelled fresh and clean as it cloaked them in a bone-chilling dampness, and Hunter found himself wanting to hold her. “Should you be outside in the cold?”
When she didn’t respond, he took her hand and turned her. “I’m sure what you’re imagining is horrible. I’m not entirely heartless, despite popular opinion.”
She lifted her eyes to meet his. The heartache and fear he saw there made him long to pull her in his arms and protect her. Which was stupid, because he would be shielding her from himself.
“This morning you mentioned wanting custody.”
He knew he had, but now found himself unable to bear the thought of hurting her. “Yes, but I’ve had a chance to think since then and wondered if we might reach a compromise. I want to help raise this child, Ashley. I would be willing to give you money each month to help out.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” she said, stepping back, away from his touch.
“Hear me out,” he said, holding up a hand.
He tried to gauge her reaction to what he had said so far. She didn’t say anything more, but didn’t move either, so he took that as a good sign. “Joint custody.”
Ashley crossed her arms over her midsection in a defensive gesture, the same way she had done earlier. “No.”
He doubted her spine could get any more rigid and hated upsetting her like this. Still, he couldn’t back down. “The baby would live with you for six months and with me six.”
“No.” Her eyes bore into him. “I won’t give up my child.”
The tremor in Ashley’s voice revealed her slipping control, and he hated himself for what he was doing, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the child he had lost. “I’m not asking you to give up the child exactly. I want to spend time with my baby. I want a chance to be a father.”
She lifted her chin in a defiant gesture. “I’ll tell the baby about you when it’s older.”
“When would that be?”
“I don’t know. Later.” She watched Hunter as if trying to read him, but he schooled his features, unwilling to let her see how much she affected him.
Before she had miscarried, the mother of his first child had been coerced by their parents into deciding it would be best to give the baby up for adoption. Yet Ashley stood firm, ready to fight to protect her child. Their child.
“Can’t you understand? This baby means more to me than anything. I’m sorry, Hunter, but I can’t do what you’re asking.”
“Can’t or won’t?” He didn’t understand the sudden heaviness in his chest or his need to touch her, comfort her. When he saw her shiver, he moved closer to encourage Ashley back through the double doors. With his hand at her spine, he steered her to the sofa. What he really wanted was to pull her into his arms and hold her, and that didn’t make any sense. “I didn’t come here to argue or upset you. Being a single woman, I’m sure you realize having a child will be financially draining. I want to make it easier on you. I’m offering to help.”
“I’m not stupid, Hunter. You and I both know you’re not thinking of me. You want to buy this child, but you can’t,” she said, lowering herself
