The Baby Contract

Her eyes narrowed and darkened. She stepped away from the door. I pushed it open and followed her in.

She stood across the room, her arms crossing her body.

“You’re not afraid of me, are you? You’re the one who kissed me last night.”

“We don’t need to rehash last night. It happened. It’s done. It won’t happen again.”

I glared at her with my hands on my hips, hating at how much her words were like tiny stabs to my chest.

“That’s fine. From now on, we’ll be professional, which means I want to see you each morning to make sure you and the baby are fine.”

“There is no baby.”

“But there will be. You can eat breakfast in your room, but I want to see you before I leave for work each morning, or during the weekends, before I do whatever I plan for the day.”

Her jaw was tight as she saluted me like I was a general.

“What the fuck, Anne?”

She flinched in surprise.

“I had an enjoyable dinner and even before we fucked, I enjoyed the time in the pool. Then like Jekyll and Hyde, you turn cold and act like I’ve done something wrong, which I haven’t.”

She shifted uncomfortably but didn’t say anything.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d get your attitude under control.” Pissed, I turned to leave her room.

“You’re the one who said I was rude. This is what you’ve bought and paid for.”

I turned. “So, if this is the real you, who was at dinner last night? Who was in the pool with me?”

She turned her head toward the window, a sure sign that she understood her behavior was nutty.

I worked to soften my tone. “What’s going on, Anne?” I moved toward her slowly, not wanting to spook her.

“When I let my guard down, we end up having sex and we can’t do that Bran. We have a deal and I’ll do my part by living here and following all your rules, but we can’t keep having sex.”

I was going to point out that she was the instigator last night, but worried that would be a dickish thing to say.

“Alright. No sex. But it goes both ways, Anne. You can’t kiss the fuck out of me and then tell me no sex.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

“Okay.” I watched her for a moment, using every bit of strength I could muster not to do something crazy like hold her or kiss her. “The personal trainer I hired for you will be here this morning.”

“You’ll be there too, right? I told you I’d do your exercises only if you did them with me.”

“I’ve already been for a run and showered.”

She shrugged. “You gave me your word.”

My lips tugged upward although I couldn’t say why. I suppose it was because she was asking me to do something with her. “Fine. I’ll get changed.”

I left her room feeling better than when I entered, but still unsettled. What was it about me that had her freaking out each time we had sex?

I was a nice guy, wasn’t I? I was being beyond generous to her now, giving her full rein of the house and whatever she wanted, plus the twenty-five million when the baby was born.

The last time I’d felt insecure was when I was nineteen and I walked into my first board meeting after my father died. It hadn’t gone well, and I made a vow that I’d never feel inept or unconfident again. And I hadn’t. Until now. Until Anne.