Surrogate For The Billionaire: A BWWM Pregnancy Romance (11 page)

“So, are we feeling better?” The doctor asked.

“Yes
we
are,” Lateisha answered with sarcasm in
her voice.

Bryce jabbed her in the leg with his elbow and she smirked. The damn
perkiness was getting on her nerves.

The doctor, seeming to not have heard or ignoring her, reached for
the portable ultrasound machine and wheeled it towards where Lateisha
lay on the exam table. A few minutes passed as they adjusted the wand
and on the black and white screen appeared a little blob that
resembled a gummy bear.

“Is that the baby?” Lateisha asked, surprise and
something else taking over her.

“That’s it,” she said, adjusting the machine.

Suddenly a rhythmic thumping filled the room and despite all of her
control Lateisha gasped, bringing a hand to cover her mouth, and a
tear slipped from her eye.

“And that’s the heartbeat,” the doctor pressed a
button, which Lateisha assumed was record and minutes later a few
photos printed out.

Bryce took her hand and she looked at him; a strange emotion passing
between the two of them. That was when Lateisha knew she was in
trouble. She was falling for him
and
this baby.

*****

Bryce watched Lateisha’s face as the sound of the baby’s
heart beat filled the room. A feeling he didn’t want to
identify so soon filled his chest. Without thinking he grabbed her
hand, squeezing it tightly. The look she gave him melted his heart
but Bryce maintained his composure. The sound of his child’s
heartbeat was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard and Bryce
wanted to shout from the rooftops that he was having a baby, with the
most beautiful woman alive. Shaking his head to clear the crazy
thoughts, but not abandoning them altogether, Bryce slipped his hand
from Lateisha’s just as the nurse handed them both an
ultrasound picture.

“No, no. I don’t, I mean…” Lateisha glanced
at him, pain and confusion on her face.

“It’s alright,” he said nodding towards the
picture.

“Are you sure? It won’t be too weird?” Lateisha
took the picture and pressed it to her chest, snatching it away
quickly when she realized what she was doing.

Bryce watched her; never surer of what he had to do. “No, it
won’t be weird.”

*****

Lateisha’s emotions were all over the place and she could only
attribute it to rapidly changing hormones. It couldn’t possibly
be that she changed her mind about having children, or that she
wanted to be with Bryce. She was just hormonal. Pregnancy did that.
Right?

Rubbing her face with her hands, Lateisha settled into the limo,
turning away from Bryce and looking out the window. It wasn’t
that she didn’t want to look at him, but she was afraid to.
What if he saw the way she was beginning to feel about him? Not that
she was even ready to admit to herself how she felt about him. Who
knew being a surrogate would be so emotional, but of course not all
women fell in love with the man whose baby they were carrying.
Lateisha gasped and Bryce turned and looked at her. No, it wasn’t
possible that she was in love with him. Sighing, she settled back
against the seats, rubbing her temples, the beginnings of a headache
pounding against her forehead.

“Are you alright?” Bryce asked her for what seemed like
the fifth time that day.

Lateisha nodded, unwilling to talk, too afraid she would say
something stupid.

“Talk to me, Lateisha. I think we really need to talk, about a
lot of things.” Bryce scooted closer, turning her shoulders
toward him.

She shook her head. “I can’t. Not right now, Bryce. I
need,” she rubbed her face again; “I need time.”

Bryce nodded. “Take all the time you need. I just want you to
know that I’ll wait. And I don’t expect you to sign that
paper just yet.”

Lateisha looked at him, his words sinking in. What did he mean?
Exiting the limo, Lateisha climbed out, declining Gerry’s hand
for help. She walked into the building slowly and noticed Bryce
didn’t try to catch up.

Why didn’t he want her to sign? Too exhausted to dwell on his
words, Lateisha changed from her jeans and shirt, leaving them to
fall where they did. All of this was too much for her and she needed
time to let it all sink in. Getting ready for bed her mind was
whirling and she almost forgot to brush her teeth. After lying down
she slipped the ultrasound photo from her pocket and stared at it.
That was her baby. Shock registered when she realized that was the
first time she called the baby hers.

Lateisha avoided Bryce all weekend, even spending the night at
Becky’s apartment for a ‘girl’s night’. She
couldn’t face him yet until she knew what to do about her
situation. As far as she could tell she had two choices; pretend like
Bryce and the baby meant nothing to her, give birth and cut ties and
never see them again or tell Bryce how she felt and risk rejection or
a court battle for custody of their child. Both seemed like painful
choices, but the idea of the first one hurt her deeply. Before today,
she was afraid to admit the way she felt about having a child. Now
the idea of being without the child caused her great pain. Looking
down at her nonexistent bump, Lateisha placed a hand over her
stomach. Number one was not an option and after great thought she
came to one conclusion; she would fight for her child.

Nerves ate at her stomach as she rode the elevator to the fifteenth
floor for her first day as John’s assistant. How would Lateisha
tell Bryce that she refused to sign the relinquishment of parental
rights paper? He wouldn’t take it well. He would be angry. But
he would live. There was no doubt in Lateisha’s head that he
wouldn’t want a relationship. They were from different worlds
and wanted different things. While she realized she loved him, she
also knew that she could never be with him. She wasn’t good
enough for him and they both knew it. Sighing with frustration,
Lateisha exited the elevator, smoothing her knew skirt suit
nervously. Becky made her buy the suit and it was way too expensive
but she was right. Having a new outfit to wear for the first day of a
new job did make her feel better.

“Can I help you?” What the hell was the blond bitch from
Bryce’s floor doing here?

“Uh, yes. I’m here to see Mr. Wilson. I’m his new
assistant.” Lateisha said, making sure not to sneer at the
bitch.

“Oh,” she said with disdain. “He’s back in
his office. At least now I can get back to Bryce.” The bitch
winked at her and Lateisha wanted to slap her.

What the hell did that mean?

Lateisha brushed it off and walked down the hall, which was eerily
similar to the one upstairs. She knocked softly on the door.

“Come in,” a gruff voice said loudly.

Lateisha entered the office, the butterflies fluttering hard in her
belly.

“Hello, Mr. Wilson. I’m Lateisha Aaron, your new
assistant.” She walked to his desk pushed out her hand to shake
his.

John reluctantly offered his hand and Lateisha frowned. Why were all
of the employees in this office so rude?

“Have a seat and we will discuss your duties,” he barked
and Lateisha sat.

John droned on for over twenty minutes about what Lateisha’s
position included. It was mainly answering phones; taking messages
and running inner office errands so why he had to give her a huge
spiel was unknown to her. Finally he stopped and stood, motioned to
the desk that the bitch had just vacated and gave her a dismissive
wave. What Lateisha really wanted to know; when was her break, where
was the kitchen, how did she use the phone system, never came up in
his lecture. Unfortunately that meant she would have to call Bryce.
Afraid of the unknown phone system and wanting to avoid the blonde
bitch, Lateisha pulled out her cell phone and dialed Bryce’s
number from memory.

“Hello?” He answered on the first ring.

“Bryce, it’s me,” she said, hoping he knew her
voice.

“Lateisha? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, don’t worry. I mean, I just got into the
office and I met John, er, Mr. Wilson and he talked to me about my
position a bit. He did leave out a few things though. Where do I put
my lunch? I didn’t see a kitchen when I was walking in. Also,
what time do I take lunch? And how the hell do I use these phones?”
Lateisha stood and looked down the hall to make sure John couldn’t
hear her. He was on the phone in his office, the door pulled closed,
with his back to the door. Glass walls were a gift and a curse.

Bryce chuckled. “Slow down and take a deep breath. You get
lunch opposite of Rachel, my assistant, just in case any important
calls come through during that time. She usually goes around noon, so
you would have the one o’clock slot. We only have one kitchen
and it’s on my floor. Feel free to come and go as you please.
If you want to come eat lunch with me today I’ll show you how
the phones work. Otherwise, Rachel can show you.”

Lateisha snorted at his last comment and Bryce laughed. “I’ll
come to your office for lunch.”

“Great!” Bryce exclaimed. “I mean that will be
nice,” he added with slightly less enthusiasm.

Lateisha stifled a laugh. They exchanged goodbyes and then she hung
up, stowing her phone and purse inside of her desk and locking it.
Checking around to be sure that no one needed her, Lateisha headed to
the elevators to ride up to the sixteenth floor. Bryce insisted that
his chef make them each a healthy lunch to bring to work that day so
Lateisha didn’t want it to spoil.

Punching the number sixteen in the elevator, Lateisha looked down at
her new, and really expensive, heels. They weren’t so comfy but
they were beautiful. The elevator opened up and Lateisha stepped out,
looking down the hall. There at her desk, sitting tall and beautiful,
was the Blond Bitch. It was either Lateisha’s imagination or
the woman was sneering at her. Convincing herself it was her
imagination, Lateisha walked towards the glass double door. She
reached out and tugged. They were locked. Sighing, she knocked on the
glass. The bitch looked up and smirked, knowing damn well she saw
Lateisha exit the elevator, and took her time pressing the button to
allow her to enter.

Lateisha sauntered through the door, an evil look on her face.
“Thanks for opening the door,” she said with contempt.

The bitch smiled bitterly. “I didn’t see you there,”
she replied with fake remorse and grabbed her chest.

Lateisha ignored her and walked down the hall towards the kitchen
seething with anger. Who did that bitch think she was and what the
hell was her problem? Stopping in the entrance to the kitchen she
looked around. It was a nice size for an office kitchen. There was a
large French door refrigerator, an area in the corner with a small
round table, a microwave and a sink next to the fridge and the
obligatory coffee maker. There were even two soda machines and a
snack machine. Lateisha eyed up the soda machine to see if it had
ginger ale; Bryce’s one exception for soda since she was
pregnant and nauseated.

“Checking out the new digs?” Bryce said from behind her
and she jumped. The assistant had her on edge.

“Yes I am. But don’t ever say that again.”
Lateisha laughed and deposited her lunch bag in the fridge.

“Why? Isn’t that what all the cool kids say?”
Bryce chuckled, clearly pleased with his joke.

“I don’t think they do.” Lateisha turned to walk
from the kitchen and back down the hall towards the elevators.

“I thought you wanted to learn the new phones?” Bryce
asked, grabbing her arm.

Lateisha closed her eyes. His hand on her arm made her want things
she had no business wanting. How could he do that to her with just
one touch?

“I, uh, thought we were doing that at lunchtime?” She
stuttered.

“Since you’re here, let’s just get it out of the
way.”

Bryce didn’t release her right away and they stood, staring at
each other. The sound of a person clearing their throat made Lateisha
jump back and Bryce drop her arm.

“Bryce, getting cozy with the new assistant?” His
assistant asked, tsking her tongue.

Bryce glared at her and Lateisha wondered what was going on there.
“Just showing her around, Rachel.” Bryce placed his hand
on the small of Lateisha’s back and ushered her from room. Then
he turned back to Rachel. “And I won’t tell you again to
call me Mr. Henderson.”

Rachel feigned injury to her pride, pouting her lip out and dropping
her eyes. Bryce turned from her and rolled his eyes. Lateisha didn’t
say a word just kept walking until they reached Bryce’s office.
It wasn’t any of her business what went on with his assistant.
Was it?

“I’m sorry for that. Have a seat behind my desk and I’ll
show you the phone system. It’s quite easy once you know what
you’re doing.”

Lateisha sat down in Bryce’s plush leather chair, sinking into
the cushion a bit. Bryce walked behind her and leaned forward, his
face close to hers. Lateisha inhaled his scent and her face heated.
He was too close. Despite her efforts to ignore his proximity and
concentration on what he was saying, Lateisha could only think about
the last time they were together and she was in his arms. Her
breathing became labored and her heart began to pound. The sensitive
spot between her legs began to throb with need. It was too much.

“Can you back up a bit?” She asked, trying to hide her
distress.

Bryce looked at her funny and smiled. He knew damn well what he was
doing to her and he was enjoying it.

“What’s wrong, Lateisha?” He asked, his voice
husky.

This was not happening her first day at a new job. Sure, he owned
the company but this had to be frowned upon.

“Bryce, I…”

“What? What do you want?” He asked, leaning in so that
she could see the pulse at his neck jumping. He was just as aroused
as she was.

“I can’t do this!” She said, jumping to her feet
and knocking him back.