Baby Makes Five (A Multiple Birth Book 1) (6 page)

“I said we were going to have lunch and talk. I can’t talk in a crowded restaurant. My office is much better for what I have in mind. And I have a meeting in an hour. We’ll order in.”

“What if I don’t want to eat here?” she asked stopping.

“What’s wrong with here? I said we’ll order in,” he said impatiently.

“Have you thought maybe I just don’t want to eat with or look at you?” she asked folding her arms across her chest.

He bit his tongue before he said something he would regret. “Too bad,” he said and steered her to an empty elevator, and they took it to the twelfth floor in silence. He looked at her; she was upset and was fighting. She was nervous. He hoped it was because she was guilty of holding back information from him. She moved to the other side of the elevator giving them enough space for four people. She stared intently at the door as if her life depended on it. He wanted to laugh but settled for a smile.

“I don’t bite your know,” he said as the elevator came to a stop.

“I beg your pardon?” she looked at him confused.

He shook his head and steered her forward. “Mary, this is Miah Price, Miah this is my executive assistant.”

“Hello,” Miah said politely.

“Can you have lunch sent up, please Mary? And make sure to have a chocolate mousse sent as well.”

“Yes, sir.”

He led Miah to a mahogany door that opened to his office.“Have a seat,” he invited her and went into an adjoining room. He changed into the suit he kept at the office. He was still trying to come to term with the morning’s events.

He watched her as she looked around the room wondering what she saw. Was it too masculine and impersonal? He didn’t have any photographs on his desk like most of his employees did. He didn’t have a memory he wanted to look at or relive as he worked each day. It must seem cold to her, but he liked it that way. He had a nice view across the lake where yachts were anchored; it was all the picture he needed. He knew she didn’t hear his return.

She changed since they last met. Not just her hair. She had lost weight, and her delicate face was mar by dark shadows. Her glasses suited her. They made her look much more scholarly. She must have been wearing contacts in the Bahamas. She looked as if she had aged. He wanted to kiss away whatever was the cause of her worry, but he wouldn’t.

“You cut your hair,” he stated. He wished she hadn’t. He loved her long hair.

She jumped; consciously her hand went to her short curls. “Yes.”

He watched as she sat, a myriad of emotions crossing her expressive face. From the looks, he could tell that she was curious as to why they were here. All in good time, he said silently.

“How did you find out who I was?”

He looked at her and smiled. He wasn’t wrong. “I always get what I want, and the fact that I owned the hotel helped.”

“Why did you care? If I recall you didn’t want to have anything to do with me afterward,” she said, pointedly.

“Maybe I had an epiphany and
felt bad for the way I left things.”

Her hollow laugh was her only answer.

“You find it unbelievable, that after my walk, I realized what an ass I had been to you?”

“You said it, not me. It doesn’t matter anyhow,” she said carelessly.

“Sure it does. I spent two days going through guests’ logs looking for people with the first name  Lucy and came up with no one who could have been you. The only Lucy was a fifty-year-old woman called Lucille.”

“Yet you found out my name, should I be flattered?”

“I guess not, but you did ask. One of my staff remembered who you were after I gave a description of you.”

“Lucky, for you.”

“I won’t call it luck. Guess how I felt when I found out that you weren’t twenty-five, but nineteen? You’re just a child. I am lucky you were the age of consent, or I’d be in jail for statutory rape as we speak.”

“Too bad it’s too late to turn back the hands of time. If it makes you feel any better, I’ll be twenty in December,” she murmured.

“It won’t, but the deed is done. You lied to me,” he accused. “I hate when people lie.”

“And you didn’t?” she replied angrily.

“No, I told you my name.”

“Not your full name, and not who you were. A lie, is still a lie, so you can get off your high horse and stop judging me,” she snapped. 

“I didn’t give you my full name true, but can you honestly say you didn’t know who I was that night?” he asked more curious about her answer than he should be.

“If I did, we wouldn’t be here having this conversation, now would we? Do you expect every woman to know who you are when they meet you?”

“Interesting, and yes. Most of the women I meet already know who I am.”

“Aren’t you Mr. Popular?” she sneered childishly.

“Well, you seem to know who I am now. Why is that?” he asked raising an eyebrow, his eyes never leaving hers.

“I know because the doctor called you Mr. King. She was trying to pacify me into not worrying about you suing me. The name clicked on my way out.”

“Yes, when you fled you mean? Running from something perhaps?”

“I did not run,” she said defensively. “I had to leave because I have to work in a few hours. I have things I need to get done before then. The world doesn’t revolve around you, you know.”

“It doesn’t? Too bad” he said, placing a hand over his heart as if her words wounded him.

“You seem to have everyone around you fooled.”

“Do I now?” he asked, tapping manicured fingers on the desk.

“The doctor, the nurses, they all think you are a great guy.”

“But not you?”

“Hardly, you’re as good as the devil,” she said, green eyes flashing
daggers at
him.

She had a temper. He should have known, even if his previous encounter with her it didn’t show. She was a redhead, and in his experience, they were famous for their fiery tempers. Hers, also extended to love making as well.

“Yet you slept with me.”

She blushed scarlet. “We didn’t sleep. We had sex.  I was a fool. I thought you were someone decent when we met. If I had known the real you, I wouldn’t have given you the time of day. Talk about the devil in disguise.”

There was a knock on the door, and Mary came in with bags of food he heard Miah’s stomach growled. She blushed and looked away from him.

“Thank you, Mary.”

“You’re welcome, Sir.”

“Dig in don’t be shy,” he said, taking containers of food out and placing them on his desk. He remembered how much she liked food. She wasn’t one of those women who nibbled and picked at their lettuce. He liked that about her.  He also made sure to have his assistant order a chocolate mousse cake for her sweet tooth. He wanted her to be full and satisfied before he made his attack. At least, he knew one of her weaknesses. He wanted to know all of them.

They ate in silence. His eyes kept straying to her, as he watched her eat with pleasure. She made eating seem erotic. He watched as she took the last bite of her food and closed her eyes. He wished her lips here clamped around him instead of the spoon. He shifted in his chair, groaning the silence.

“I doubt you know the real me,” he said, putting down his fork,

“I guess you’re right. Thank you for the food, but I really must go.”

“Eat your cake. We need to pick up what was not left unsaid when Mary interrupted.”

“There wasn’t anything left unsaid,” she said, her defenses back up.

He wished that was true. He wanted to confront her when he saw her at the bus stop. However, he contained his anger. He brought her here thinking she would tell him the truth over lunch. All she seemed to want to do is fight or get away from him. He was beginning to feel insulted.

He wasn’t accustomed to people talking to him like this or treating him as if he was nothing but a nuisance. Most of the women he knew would kill to be sitting where she was. He waited until she had eaten the last piece of her cake, before getting up from behind his desk to sit in front of her.

She sat back deeper into the chair as if willing herself to disappear. He was amused. She was clearly trying to fight the attraction that was brewing between them and losing. He didn’t blame her. He would use it if he had to, to get what he wanted.

He invaded her space, placing both hands on either side of her chair. “So you think I am the devil? And you harbor no feelings for me whatsoever. So, if I kiss you, you won’t kiss me back correct?”

“Exactly,” she said, clearing her throat and staring at him with defiance.

“Want to put it to the test,” he challenged, close to her mouth.

“You can’t be serious,” she stammered. “This isn’t a game. I am not your toy.”

He eased back again giving her some space but not enough to make her too comfortable. “No, it’s not, but I thrive on challenges. Remember that for next time,” he warned, “as for your not being my toy, I don’t remember asking you to be. I am sure you would say yes if I did.”

“I didn’t…you….I won’t play whatever game you’re playing. You’re a sadistic bastard.”

“Hmm, unfortunately, my parents were married when they had me,” he said continuing to stare at her. She squirmed under his intense gaze.

“This is a waste of my time and yours. I’m leaving.”

“We haven’t discussed why you’re here.”

“If you wanted to talk, you should have done that the moment we arrived. I keep telling you we have nothing to talk about. What happened in the Bahamas is in the past, all forgotten. I have moved on. You should too.”

“I beg to differ. We have plenty to talk about starting with—"

There was a knock at the door.

“Come in,” he calls impatiently never once taking his eyes off her.

“Sorry to interrupt, but you are needed in the conference room, sir,” Mary said looking at Miah.

He looked at his watch. He still had fifteen minutes before his meeting.

“Can’t it wait?” he asked annoyed.

“No Sir,” she said, looking uncomfortable. “The Jones brothers are here.”

He blew out a frustrated sigh, “Alright. I’ll be there in a few minutes.

She nodded and closed the door, happy to be anywhere but in there.

“You are needed elsewhere. You are a busy man, and as I was about to leave that makes it perfect timing,” she said, getting up and heading towards the door.

“I am a busy man, but I make time for the things I want.”

Before she could open the door, large hands closed over hers. He heard her hold her breath.

“What are you doing?” she exhaled shakily whispering through parched lips not bothering to turn around.

“What you have wanted since we ran into each other,” he whispered at the nape of her neck.

“I don’t…” she stopped as his lips touched her hot flesh. She rested her forehead on the door and exhaled, and he watched her shoulders sag in defeat.

He cupped her breasts and caressed the nipples gently. She whimpered.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked close to her right ear.

“No,” she groaned.

He ran his right hand down her hip and pulled her back against him, so she feel the evidence of his erection.  He continued down her stomach, to the front of her jeans stopping at the button.

“Please,” she begged.

“Please what, Miah?”

“Please touch me. Kiss me. Make love to me.”

He turned her around to face him. His gaze met her heated one.

She was ready for him. He put her hand on his erection.

“Is this what you want?” he asked, staring at her intently.

She nodded.

“Say it,” he demanded, moving so there was little space between them.

“I want you.”

He nibbled her ear and teased his lips along her jaw line to her mouth. His thumb caressed her lush bottom lip, just like she did in his dream. He did it without touching any other part of her body.

He could hear her quickened breath; feel the way she was leaning into him, willing their lips to meet.  She burned for him, just like he burned for her. His lips hover over her mouth, and her eyes closed, waiting for him to satisfy her needs. He leaned in closer until their lips were a mere hair’s breadth away. Her body trembled in anticipation.

“When were you going to tell me you were pregnant?”

She was pregnant. He still can’t believe it. He hadn’t planned on becoming a father for another two years when he was thirty-six. He wanted to laugh at the irony. He had his vasectomy, so he didn’t have to worry one of his lovers claiming she was pregnant with his child. However, here he was about to become a father and the mother of his unborn children refused to tell him. Most women would have jumped at the chance to tell him. It would be like winning the lottery for her, but Miah wasn’t like most women.

He had known that when they had met, had admired her for it at the time. Now he wished she was like his ex-lovers, predictable who used their feminine wiles to get their way. At least that he can deal with. Her wanting nothing from him was hard for him to comprehend.  He knew she had nothing other than five thousand in her bank account and the part-time job at the restaurant.  How was she supposed to support herself and two babies? She was proud yes but still---

“Ash, are you okay?” Dan Wilson his Vice President asked.

“Yes carry on,” he said even though his mind was not on the meeting at hand. He still can’t get her face out of his head. The image of shock in her eyes said it all along with the pain he knew he had caused. At the hospital, he thought she didn’t look anywhere near pregnant when Donna confirmed what the sonogram was.  He now attributes that to her weight loss. His children were real and lay inside her womb.

“Ash, do you want to go through with the sale? We need to check some numbers, but I don’t foresee a problem,” Dan said looking at him puzzled.

He nodded “yes get back to me when you get the final numbers. That’s all for now, thank you for coming.”

Everyone but Dan left the conference room.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on? You are here, but you seem to be miles away during the meeting this is not like you. I thought you wanted the sale of the Jones factory.”

“I do, but I have something more important than the sale to deal with,” he said distractedly.

He had been pushing for this sale for the past six months and already gone through several renegotiations. He knew it must look like he was backing out of the deal, but if he were honest, he should have canceled the meeting. His head wasn’t where it should be.

“Whatever it is it must be really important,” Dan said.

“More than you’ll ever know. Get the figures, I’ll have a look at them.”

“No problem.”

He walked back to his office knowing that he wouldn’t meet her there. He sat at his desk but knew the only person he was fooling was himself. He wouldn’t get any work done. He grabbed his jacket and called for his driver. He needed to get away from the city.

He waited two days to give her enough time to contact him. He wanted to give her space and to figure things out on his side. However, when she didn’t call, he contacted his lawyer to find out what his rights were as the father. He knew what people thought of him. They say he was ruthless as a shark, well Sharks were born swimming. You either eat or get eaten; that was a fact in his line of work. It didn’t mean he was a complete jackass.

He was always honest in his dealings and never stole from anyone, even if he could get away with it. He knew she didn’t have any reason to trust him, not after the way he behaved. She was still the mother of his children, so why wasn’t she reaching out to him?

A thought came to him, “no there is no way in hell she was giving my children up for adoption.”

***

It had been two intense full days since Ash had dropped the bombshell about her pregnancy. She had expected him to come after her accusing her of using him or even demanding to know if he was the father. She waited for the other shoe to drop but when it didn’t, she let herself relaxed. Apparently, he didn’t care, or he would’ve contacted her by now.

When the shock wore off, she tried to figure out how he could have possibly found out she was pregnant. She wasn’t showing and doesn’t remember telling Doctor Lee at the hospital. Had they searched her bag while she was unconscious? When she had gotten home, she had immediately dumped the contents of her bag on the kitchen table looking to make sure nothing was missing.  The sonogram and appointment card were missing they must have fallen out in her haste to leave the hospital.  A whimper escaped her lips.

“He has them. That’s how he found out,” she whispered shaky hands wiping the tears that were streaming down her face.

He had known when he picked her up at the bus stop. No wondered he kept saying they had things to talk about.  He used her feelings for him against her. That was unforgivable. She understood he was upset, but he had taken things too far.

When he didn’t contact her, she had assumed he thought the babies weren’t his. Why hasn’t he returned her things? She shuddered at the question he asked before leaving her standing in stunned silence. It wasn’t the question that haunted her and sent chills down her spine. It was how he said it. His voice was like icicles, and her blood had frozen. She had pulled herself together and walked on shaky legs out of his office with as much pride as she can muster and took a cab home. That ride almost depleted her allowance for the month.

***

“Are you done yet? Because I am starving,” Amanda called to her from the dining room.

“Coming,” she said grabbing the mashed potatoes and salad.

“Finally,” her friend said sitting. “I’ve missed your cooking. Everything smells delicious as always,” she said helping herself to the meal.

“How can you miss my cooking when I am the only one who cooks?” she asked amused.

“Well, you barely cooked the last few weeks. You know I live for your culinary experiments.”

“You wouldn’t have this problem if you let me teach you how to cook.”

“True, but why would I upset our arrangement. You cook I clean we are both happy.”

“One day you are going to have to learn if you decide to have a family. It’s never too late to learn.”

“That’s true but by then I’ll be married to a Prince or a millionaire. Is that all you are having?” she asked looking at the small portion of potatoes.

“I am not that hungry. I snacked throughout the day. I am going to have some salad.”

“Will that be enough to fill you?” she asked looking at her friend’s stomach.

“Did you take the time to look at the salad I made?”

“Why would I, when there is real food for me to eat?”

“You need to learn to eat greens, or I am not—"

There was a knock at the door.

“Are you expecting someone?” Amanda asked.

“No, are you?”

“No, maybe if we don’t answer they’ll leave. It could be someone asking for money.”

Miah rolled her eyes “I doubt that.”

The knock was louder this time.

“No, please stay and eat. Let the pregnant woman get the door.”

“Seriously, you’re going to use the pregnant card? Fine,” Amanda said heading towards the door.

Miah went back to the kitchen to grab the salad dressing, everything okay?” she called out.

There wasn’t any answer. That made her curious, normally Amanda would have answered. She came out of the kitchen intending to see who was at the door when she stopped in her tracks.

“Hello Miah, it’s nice to see you.”

She stared at the man in front of her. Just when she let her guard down he finally shows up.

“Sorry if I am intruding, I would have called but I … these are for you,” he said handing her the roses she hadn’t noticed before then.

“Thank you,” she said looking at Amanda, who seems to be in awe of the man.

“I’ll take these for you, why don’t you join us for dinner Mr. King?” she invited.

He smiled at Amanda. “Thank you, please call me Ash. I don’t want to intrude—"

“Nonsense, Miah always cook enough that we have leftovers. Please I insist,” she said looking at her friend pointedly.

“Yes join us,” Miah said she couldn’t take back the invite.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, help yourself,” she said handing him a plate.

“So how do you two know each other?” Amanda asked curiously sitting back at the table.

“We met at the hospital,” Miah said before he can answer.

“Yes the hospital,” he said taking a bite of the fried chicken.

“This is delicious.”

“I know. Miah is going to make a fabulous chef. When she gets her restaurant, I can say I was her first customer.”

“Thank you.”  She picked at her food her stomach too busy doing flip flops to hold anything down. She took some of the salad and added cheese, slices of chicken breast, bacon and slices of boiled eggs to it.

“That’s new,” he said looking at her plate.

She smiled for the first time, “think of it as a BLT type salad. Try it before you pass judgment.”

“I think I’ll take the rest of my food to my room. I’ll be out for dessert. It was nice meeting you, Ash.”

“The pleasure was all mine.”

Miah watched her roommate go and shook her head. He charmed the other girl. Why was she surprised?

“Is everything okay?”

“Yes, I didn’t expect to see you again.”

“Why would you say that? You’re pregnant with my children. What did you expect me to do forget about it?” he asked softly.

“Why would you think they are yours? For a man who is
very
suspicious, you are behaving as if you are a hundred percent sure.”

“Are you telling me they aren’t mine? I have an idea if I bet my life savings, I’ll

win. However, if you want to fight, we can have a DNA test done.”

“No, I am not saying they aren’t. I just assumed that you thought they weren’t yours.”

  “Why would you think that?”

“Maybe because I expected you to storm over here two days ago that’s why.”

“I had things to think through. It was a shock. You had two months to get accustomed to the idea. I had a few hours. I thought you would have called me.”

“Why would you assume that? And if I wanted to, I don’t have your contact information remember?”

“True, but you know where I work. Were you ever going to tell me about the babies?”

“No. I didn’t know who you were and to be honest with the way we left things I didn’t think you deserved to know. And I wasn’t sure if I was going to keep the baby or not.”

“You were going to give my children away?” he asked deceptively.

“I said I wasn’t sure I wanted the baby. I never said anything about giving them away. And it’s called adoption.

“I don’t care what it’s called. You were thinking of giving my children away before even telling me?”

“Perhaps,” She said eyes on her plate.

“Do you mean you were--?"

“What, God no, never. At no time, did an abortion cross my mind. I wasn’t sure I could be a mother or wanted to until I saw them on the ultrasound. This reminds me you have something that belongs to me.”

“I don’t want to fight Miah. It’s not why I came. I came because whether you like it or not we are about to become parents. It’s not the way either of us would have chosen, but it’s a done deal. I know you don’t like me, and I don’t blame you.”

“I never said I didn’t like you.”

“You didn’t have to. It radiates from you.”

She sighed, “look, Ash, I don’t know you well enough to say I don’t like you. What I have seen of you isn’t flattering. Yes, you did deserve to know I was pregnant so you can decide if you wanted to be in their lives or not.”

“Of course, I want to be in their lives. Why won’t I? Give me a chance, get to know me, and maybe you’ll change your mind.”

“Can you honestly tell me had I known who you were, and came to tell you I was pregnant you would have been pleased with it? Are you even happy now?”

He turned in his chair and pulled it closer to hers. “I don’t know how I would have reacted Miah. We used protection—"

“I know. You think I haven’t agonized over how this happened? I know you would blame me that you would say everything you said that night was true. Can you honestly say you aren’t still upset I didn’t tell you I was a virgin?”

“I am not as upset as I was, but you have to realize that some men have a rule where they don’t want the responsibility or consequences of dealing with an inexperienced woman. It had nothing to do with you. How can you think I would blame you for getting pregnant?” he asked aghast.

“Is that a rhetorical question?”

“I guess I deserve that, but I am not the monster you think I am. Was I ready to become a father? Not for another couple of years, but it doesn’t mean I am not happy about the situation.”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“So where do we go from here?” She asked him.

“I’ll like to get to know the mother of my children as a start.”

She nodded, “I can do that.”

“If you don’t mind I’ll also like to meet with your doctor and attend your appointments. I see you have one in a few weeks.”