Page 38 of Billion-Dollar Baby Shock

Feeling agitated, and her appetite fading fast, Tara stood up and paced away from the table.The moonlight rippled over the calm water of the pool.

‘What are you thinking?’Dion asked.

Tara turned around and admitted, ‘I hadn’t considered this part of it…the fact that you’re…youand that people might be interested in who I am.’She looked at Dion.‘I’m not cut out for any kind of attention.I’ll embarrass you.’

‘Nonsense,’ dismissed Dion.

‘And what happens when…this is over?’

Dion shrugged, unflustered.‘Then we’ll issue another statement saying something about co-parenting amicably.’

After a moment, Dion said, ‘You do have a choice here, Tara.You could go home.’

It took a second for what he’d said to sink in and it caught at her on lots of levels.The main one being that hestilldidn’t really want her around.Or, expect her to stick around, as his little comment had alluded to earlier.She was Niko’s mother,to a point.And, that perhaps, in spite of their passionate moment on the beach earlier, his desire was not as all-encompassing as hers felt.It made her feel hurt and vulnerable.And defensive.

She folded her arms.‘I told you, Dion, I’m not leaving.’

‘You will one day.’He said this with such absolute surety that it almost took her breath away.Confirmation, if she’d needed it, on how little he trusted her.She knew what lay behind it, she could even understand it, but she still wanted to go over and slap that cynical assurance off his face.And she was not remotely violent.

She went over and picked up the baby monitor and said, ‘I’m tired.I’ll sleep in Niko’s room tonight in case he wakes.’

She went to leave but from behind her Dion said, ‘Tomorrow night?’

Tara turned around.‘I will do whatever it takes to be a part of Niko’s life.’She turned and walked away.

* * *

Dion watched Tara leave, every line in her body tense.He could still see the emotions that had crossed her face when he’d told her she could go home.Even though every cell in his body had protested at that notion.

He wasn’t ready to let her go.

She’d looked wounded.

But that only firmed his resolve now, to put some boundaries down.Lines were getting blurred.Today, at the beach, was unprecedented.He’d…lost control.Taken her like a callow teenager on the sand.Without protection.The memory of that made his blood run cold.

He still didn’t know that he could trust Tara Simons.And yet he’d trusted her in that moment.

He’d forged his way to success by maintaining absolute control and never letting his hormones or emotions get the better of him.Even deciding to have a baby had been a decision made with cool logic and a desire to pass his legacy on and give a child a better life than he’d experienced.

Tara had to know that heknewthat she would go.And that that was okay.They’d establish her as Niko’s mother, they would exorcise this chemistry that burned between them and Dion would make sure that Tara knew she could have a very good life—free of all responsibility.

Obviously if she wanted to maintain contact with Niko he would facilitate that but it would be on his terms.She wouldn’t have the power to derail Niko’s life.

Or yours, you mean?asked a little voice.

Dion scowled and stood up and went over to the spot where Tara had been standing, dressed in nothing special, just sweatpants and a vest top, and yet he’d had to focus hard to not get distracted by memories of that afternoon and how hot it had been.

The magnitude of how much Tara had infiltrated his life so comprehensively since that first night was sinking in.He was glad that he’d said something to make her walkaway this evening.He’d almost forgotten that he needed to focus on whatever means necessary to make sure his son was kept from all harm or hurt.

Was that love?

Dion was ashamed to admit he didn’t know what love felt like, but he did know that he would do anything to protect him and make him happy.

* * *

The following late afternoon Tara looked at herself in the mirror.Maria said from behind her, ‘You look very beautiful.’

Tara smiled weakly, feeling the woman was being over-generous.‘Thank you, and thanks for helping me to get ready.’