Holiday Baby Scandal

“I’m not

complaining,” she started when he remained silent. “But what’s going on between us? You keep me in your bed the other day, you buy me the sweetest gift ever and now you kiss me like your next breath depended on it.”

Ryker’s hands slid to her hips where he held her still. “I have no idea,” he stated on a sigh. “I can’t put a label on this. I only know I did want you in my bed all day, I knew you had to have that ornament and just now my next breath did depend on kissing you.”

Laney stared into his dark eyes, eyes that had terrified many enemies. Eyes she’d fallen in love with when she’d been only a teen. She’d seen him come and go many times while she’d been in high school. While her friends were out at the malls or movies with other boys, Laney was home waiting on Ryker to show for a meeting with her father. She’d get a glimpse of him as he’d come into the house. When she was lucky, he’d turn his gaze toward her, meet her with that intense stare for a half second before moving on to the study.

That split second had been worth skipping a night out with her friends.

“Don’t fight whatever is happening,” she told him. “And don’t be afraid of it.”

Ryker grunted. “I’m not afraid of anything, Laney. I think you know that.”

Again, she wasn’t going to argue. They didn’t have the time. But he was so terrified of his feelings, he refused to even acknowledge them. Or perhaps he didn’t even know they existed.

She eased back into her seat, set her water bottle on the cushion next to her and pulled the laptop back into her lap. Ryker grabbed the large ottoman from the accent chair and pushed it in front of her.

“Put your feet up.”

Laney waited a second, but he merely raised a brow and continued to glare. Okay, no point in arguing. Propping her feet up, she started pecking at the keys. Ryker stood.

“It’s going to be a while, maybe even days. Might as well have a seat.”

“We don’t have days.”

Laney prayed she would find something that would lead them in the right direction. “You think I don’t know that, Ryker?” She didn’t even bother to spare him a glance as she worked. Time was of the essence—the only reason she didn’t pursue that kiss. “I’m an O’Shea, a glaring fact my brothers and you often forget. I know what’s at stake.”

Laney ignored the silence as she scrolled through code after code. Let Ryker process her words because it was rather ridiculous how they attempted to keep her sheltered at all times, but expected her to twinkle her nose at the first sign of a computer problem. She wasn’t naive; she knew exactly what her family did, what they stood for. She also knew Braden was doing his best to make sure they kept their reputation impeccable within the auction world while cleaning up their act on the legal side. Well, as much as it could be cleaned up. She knew Ryker had done things at her father’s request...

She shut her eyes, forcing away any mental images. A shudder rippled through her.

“Laney?”

Instantly he was at her side. Sure. Now he chose to take a seat.

“I’m fine,” she assured him. “Just a chill.”

More like a clench to her heart. That was the part of her family’s past she preferred to keep under wraps. She knew there were justifiable reasons for their actions, she even knew there were times it was self-defense. She’d been fifteen years old when she’d overheard a twenty-five-year-old Ryker describing a trip to Sydney to her father. Ryker had been telling Patrick about a guard who’d attacked him with a knife. Laney recalled standing on the landing of the house, curled up on the floor and holding on to the banisters in the dark. At that moment, she’d realized how dangerous Ryker’s job truly was and what he put on the line for her family.

“I don’t know how the hell you comprehend all that,” Ryker muttered.

Laney kept scrolling, slowly, looking for any hint as to how their security had been breached. She knew the threat was on the inside. Which meant if she had to access every employee’s computer, she damn well would.

Her mind kept returning to the timing. The newest stores had been opened a year ago in Miami and Atlanta. The Boston office had been around since the beginning. Where was the mole more likely to be?

Laney didn’t know how long she searched. Losing track of time was an occupational hazard. Her stomach growled, and she waited for Ryker to make some snarky comment, but when he remained silent, she glanced over. The man was out. Head tipped back on the cushion, face totally relaxed. Laney wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him this peaceful, this calm.

When Ryker was in work mode, which was nearly every time she saw him, he was hard, intense, focused. When they were intimate, well...he was exactly the same way.

Laney’s hands went lax on the keyboard as she studied his facial features. His brows weren’t drawn in, his mouth was parted just slightly, as if waiting for a lover’s kiss, black lashes fanned over his cheeks. She could study him forever.

Forever. If she even said that word to him he’d build yet another wall to protect himself.

Without tearing her eyes away from him, Laney slid the computer off her lap and onto the cushion beside her. She tipped her head back on the cushion as well, needing just another minute of this. One more minute of nothing but Laney and Ryker. There was no outside world, there was no issue with work and there was no fear of telling her brothers that she was expecting Ryker’s baby.

Given how fiercely he protected her, Laney knew he would be an amazing father. He doubted himself, but she’d be right there showing him how perfect he was. She wasn’t experienced at being a mother, but she knew love. Between her love and his protection, their child would have everything.

Laney bit her lip to keep from tumbling into that emotional roller coaster that seemed to accompany pregnancy. She shifted her thoughts to what their baby would look like. Dark hair for sure since they both had black hair. But would the eyes be green or coal-like? Would Ryker’s strong jawline get passed down?