Claiming His Nine-Month Consequence

With an intake of breath, Ruby looked away. She was still shivering from his kiss. If he’d asked for permission, she would have refused. But he hadn’t asked. He’d only taken.

And now she couldn’t stop trembling. Her lips felt bruised, her nipples hard beneath her red dress. She wanted more. That was the worst part. She wanted more…

She was careful to keep her distance from him as they flew by Central Park. Luckily, there was a good deal of space between the luxurious white leather seats. She was careful not to meet his eyes as they flew over Harlem and the Bronx, and he pointed out Yankee Stadium. “We can only fly over it because there’s no game today.” Finally the helicopter circled around, returning them back to the heliport.

“Well, what did you think?” he asked, smiling as he helped her out of the helicopter. “The entire city in less than an hour. New York for the tourist in a hurry.”

Ruby staggered a little on her feet. Because of the helicopter ride, she told herself firmly. Not the kiss. She put a steadying hand on her head. “Why am I in a hurry? Don’t I have months to explore the city?”

The smile slid from Ares’s face. His jaw tightened. She tried not to shiver as he placed his hand gently on the small of her back. “We have a lot to do today.”

Horace was waiting to drive them. They took the elevator to the top of the Empire State Building, like in Sleepless in Seattle. They walked through Times Square and saw the chaotic frenzy of tourists mingling with people in strange costumes aggressively trying to earn a living by taking pictures for tips in the pedestrians-only square.

The August day was sticky hot, as promised. By noon, Ruby could feel a sheen of sweat on her skin. But it wasn’t only because of the summer sun.

It was Ares. The intensity of his gaze caressing her. The feel of his hand over hers. The memory of his kiss, tingling her lips, and the continual burn like a furnace of knowing his baby was growing inside her.

Ruby had never known heat like this before.

The two of them ate their way across the city, starting with hot dogs on the street—to Ruby’s disappointment, they just tasted like regular hot dogs—cannoli in Little Italy—which turned out to be a thin fried pancake wrapped around a sweet cream center—and dim sum in Chinatown—a whole bunch of tasty things served off a cart, with tea.

As he talked with her, listened to her, laughed with her, Ruby should have slowly relaxed. But she didn’t. She only got more tense.

Ares couldn’t be charming like this. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair. Because she knew this funny, charming, romantic man was an illusion.

But he made her want to believe it was real. All of it.

When he acted like this, he made her dream against her will. To wonder what it would be like to love him. To have him love her back. To actually be a real family, the two of them with their daughter.

As the afternoon waned, he said, “It’s time to get ready for the gala. I’m not sure we have time to stop at your museum.”

“Oh, please,” she wheedled. “It won’t take me long to get ready later. We still have time.”

“In my experience, women demand two hours.”

“Two hours!” Ruby exclaimed. “Good heavens. I can get ready in ten minutes.” At his skeptical look, she amended, “All right. Since it’s a special occasion and I’ll want a shower, twenty minutes. Thirty, tops.”

“You’re quite a woman,” he observed in a low voice, stretching his arm along the seat behind her. She could feel the warmth of him, the strength and power, against her shoulders. A sudden shiver went through her as she weighed the possibility of him pulling her into his arms and kissing her senseless in the back seat. She jumped when he told Horace, “The natural history museum for Ruby.”

“Yes, sir,” he said with a grin.

The two of them went in through a private entrance, holding hands, bypassing the crowds and lines, since—of course—Ares was a donor and had connections. They did a speed tour, led by a kindly docent. But as Ruby oohed and aahed over the dinosaur bones, she was conscious all the while of Ares watching her.

As they left, she impulsively asked if she could buy a stuffed toy bear in the gift shop. He looked delighted. “Of course,” he growled. “Buy the whole damn shop if you want.”