Ryan raises a brow and drops his ass onto his desk, crossing his arms with a grin on his face. "I think you have some explaining to do, Jaxon Ruben McKenzie."
Narrowing my eyes, I glare in return. "Get out, Ryan, and let me talk to Poppy."
“It’s my office.”
“You’re seriously going to be an asshole about this?” I question, desperate to have Poppy to myself.
"Okay." He moves to the door. "But I want a proper introduction afterward." He opens the door and just as I'm about to breathe a sigh of relief, he steps back inside. "Please don't have sex in my office."
“Get out.” I shove him out and lock the door.
Leaning against it, I hold Poppy’s gaze. “You left me.”
The moment those words leave my lips, Poppy’s lips wobble, and tears hover on her long eyelashes. Cursing myself, I stride forward, cup the back of her head, and cover her trembling mouth with mine. Her gasp of surprise and the hunger I feel in her as she returns my kiss, sends all my blood south—every drop. My cock throbs behind the zipper while I slowly gentle the kiss. I can’t quite pull away from the beautiful woman yet and trail my lips over her cheekbones, her eyes, and before I pull away, I kiss the corners of her mouth in a feather-like caress.
With a soft touch, I run my hands over her dark brown hair before I cradle her face between my palms. “I’m sorry, Poppy,” I whisper. “I’m an idiot.” Wincing, at my choice of words, I hesitate and remove my hands. If I’m not mistaken, she looks disappointed that I’m no longer touching her.
Forcing myself to take the seat next to her, I admit, "I shouldn’t have said that."
“Why? It’s true,” she whispers.
“I wanted to wake up with you, but I found your note instead.”
“One night, Jaxon.”
I glance at her swollen belly and find I'm unable to move my eyes elsewhere. "That's all it took, huh? The best night of my life, and I'm going to be a Dad."
Tears fall from Poppy’s eyes. “You’re engaged?”
“What?” I shoot the question out so fast in shock. “There’s been no one since you. Why would you think I’m engaged?”
Where the hell, did she get that idea from?
“The girl.” Poppy indicates with her head, her hands trembling. “She also said you weren’t in work for two weeks when I enquired after you at the McKenzie building.”
Sian!
"That girl is a shark. She lied to you. Both times. I have zero interest in Sian. I'm only here tonight because I thought I saw you leave the company in a cab. I needed answers, and Sian would only tell me if I came for a drink with her." I sigh. "I should have viewed the security feed." I offer her an encouraging smile. "I'm going to be a Dad, Poppy?"
Chewing on her bottom lip, she replies softly, “Yes.” Dabbing at her eyes, she adds, “That’s why I’m here.”
Disappointment hits right in my chest. “The only reason?”
Holding my gaze, she asks, “What else could there be?”
I swallow around the lump in my throat and moving to crouch in front of her, I admit, "I was never after only one night, Poppy.” I take her hands into mine. “I know it’s easy for me to say that now, however, it’s the truth. I was disappointed you left before I woke up.”
“I had a flight to catch,” she whispers. “I wasn’t planning on coming back.”
I frown and pull away, pacing in the small space Ryan calls an office. "If it weren't for me getting you pregnant, you wouldn't be here, right?"
She drops her gaze into her lap and nods. “My brother didn
’t want me to find you. I couldn’t do it without giving you a chance to be part of this.”
Brother?
I get a sinking feeling in the pit of my belly at hearing she has a brother. “Do you live with him?”