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‘No.’
‘An oyster, then?’He skewered one and waved it in her direction.
‘No.’
Something settled in Blake’s face.He put the fork down placed his hands on the bench and leaned across it towards her.She stood still and tried to ignore how damned attractive he was, fighting the magnetism dragging her towards him and the sweet craving for intimacy.
Looking her square in the eye, he spoke softly so she listened hard.‘I’m nothing if not honest with you, Cally.Can you say the same to me?’
She was hypnotised by his eyes, burning inside, and her newly discovered but most treasured secret tumbled out.
‘I’m pregnant,’ she whispered and her heart thundered.He was the first person she’d told.She supposed it was right that it be him.She had been going to tell him anyway—some time.
‘Congratulations.’He said it coolly but then picked up his glass of wine and emptied it in one gulp.‘How far along are you?’
‘Only a little.I only just found out.’
‘Only a little?You’re either pregnant or you’re not, Cally.’
‘I am.I’m pregnant.’Even as she said it—to a guy who was looking less than thrilled about the idea—she couldn’t stop the thrill running inside.Unutterable delight.She’d never expected to be able to say that, had refused to dream it could or would ever happen.But it had.
He refilled his glass.Took another sip—this time not quite draining the glass but, still, it was no way to drink a bottle of wine that expensive.‘I thought you said you were never having children.’He was looking frostier by the second.She’d known this would probably be his reaction but disappointment jolted her all the same.
‘I shouldn’t have.The chances of my conceiving a baby are—’
‘What, one in six?’
He definitely was not pleased.She knew then to kiss goodbye any fantasy of baby makes three and happy ever after.Blake didn’t need to worry; she wanted nothing from him.Well, that wasn’t strictly true.She’d thought these last three weeks had got her over that attraction.But one second of seeing him through that door and the all-encompassing desire was back.
But there was a lot more at stake now and she was better off ridding him from her life.She’d swallow the lust and focus on her future—hers and her baby’s.
He strolled, with an unmistakable air of menace, around the island separating them, coming to tower over her.
‘So what exactly were you bidding for at that auction, Cally?Sperm donor?’
She gaped.‘No.’
‘You must take me for such a fool.But know what?You picked on the wrong himbo.’His eyes lasered into her—green-grey chips that burned with their coldness.
He thought she’d done this deliberately?
‘You’re wrong.’Hell, he was the most astute man she’d ever encountered, but he wasn’t getting the truth of this at all.‘When I said I was never having children I meant because I can’t.I’m not fertile.At least, I didn’t think I was.’
The specialist had said her chances of conceiving naturally were basically nil.She’d have to have treatment first.And she’d never thought she’d bother with that—what was the point?She’d never let someone get that close, not after the humiliation and hurt from Luc.Love and babies and happy-ever-after wasn’t going to happen for Cally.She was alone—she had been since she was twelve and she’d thought she would be for ever.But now, incredibly and against all odds, she had a child—to love and to protect.
‘You expect me to believe that?’
She blinked.She’d never told anyone about her fertility issues.Not even her mother.She’d gone to the doctor in her late teens with appalling period pain and Alicia had thought it had all been fixed with drugs.Not so.In her early twenties she’d had it investigated.Surgery was an option but by then Cally had been crushed by Luc and had remembered too much of her father’s pain.So she’d decided to put her job and her charity work and her business ahead of any dreams of a family.She knew how much the fantasy of ‘family’ could hurt.It was the raw wound she kept well protected most of the time.Cool anger began to bubble under the surface.
‘I thought I’d have to have surgery before I could get pregnant.’
He didn’t seem to be listening, too busy looking mad.If he’d just give her a second, she’d be able to reassure him he was free of all obligation.
Blake tried to marshal his thoughts.Focus.One thing at a time.‘Tell me this.Is it mine?’After Paola’s threats and deceit, he had to be certain.
There was a silence.He met her gaze.Hot, hard, angry.Her mouth opened.And then he saw her hesitate, could see the workings of her brain as she deliberated, contemplating the lie.
His eyes narrowed.You dare.The flare of his anger must have been apparent because he saw the second she discarded the idea—the second she looked closely back at him.She gave a jerky nod.
