The Baby the Billionaire Demands

Their divorce would be simple, at least. All the details had been arranged in the prenup. Any day now, she expected to get the paperwork from Rodrigo’s lawyers. Lola looked out at Times Square gleaming around her. She was lucky, she thought dully. It all would be easy. Happy New Year.

Enough, she told herself savagely. Go back to the party. Pretend you’re having a good time, for your friends’ sake, if not your own.

Wiping her eyes one last time, she forced her face into a smile and turned around. Then she stopped with an intake of breath.

There, standing in front of her, was Rodrigo.

Lola’s legs went weak.

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, wondering if he was a dream wrought by her feverish heart.

Rodrigo’s chiseled face was darkly handsome beneath the bright lights of Times Square as he came toward Lola on the rooftop terrace. He was dressed in a black shirt and trousers beneath a black overcoat. His jawline was dark with a five o’clock shadow. His voice was low and deep. “I came for you.”

He was real. He had to be. She could see the white cloud of his breath in the cold air. And she’d never seen anything so beautiful in her life.

Shaking, Lola took a step forward. Reaching up, she put her hand against his rough cheek. She felt him tremble beneath her touch. Just like she was trembling.

There were shadows beneath his eyes. As if he hadn’t slept all week, any more than she had. “For me?”

Rodrigo put his hand over her own. “I came to tell you that you were right.”

Lola’s hopes, which had been rising as high as the Empire State Building, crashed to the ground.

“You mean about Marnie. I was right about her.”

“Not just her.” His dark eyes searched hers. “About everything.”

“What are you saying?” she asked breathlessly.

Slowly, Rodrigo pulled her into his arms. His body felt so powerful. So solid. So strong. And so were his black eyes as he looked down at her.

“I’m in love with you, Lola.”

Her heart stopped in her chest. “What?”

“I’ve always loved you.” Gently, he moved his hands down her hair, against the bare skin of her shoulders above her party dress. “I loved you so much, it scared the hell out of me. Because I knew I’d someday lose you, just like I lost the others.” He paused. “But now...”

“Now?” she choked out, searching his gaze.

“I’m not scared anymore.” Rodrigo looked down at her, giving her a smile that seemed lit up from within. “After you left, everything fell apart. And I realized nothing else matters. You’re all I want. All I need. You’re everything. Because I love you.”

As she stared at him, her heart twisted in her chest.

“And I was a fool.” Rodrigo searched her gaze fiercely. “Marnie might have sabotaged those other relationships, but so did I.”

“You?”

“The moment they agreed to marry me, I became restless, wanting to be away from them. But with you, it was different. With you... I admire you. Respect you. You’re not just my lover. You’re my friend. My partner.”

As if from a million miles away, she heard noise from the party, as someone shouted, “The countdown has begun!”

“All I want is to be with you,” he whispered. “Forever and always.” His hand tightened against her shoulder. “You’re my soul mate.”

“Twenty...”

“And I know I ruined everything,” Rodrigo said. “Leaving you like that, kicking you out of my car just for telling me the truth...” He shuddered. “You don’t know how much I wish I could go back. But all I can do is go forward. And hope you’ll forgive me. Tell me,” he whispered, running his hands through her hair. “How I can win you back...”

“Ten...”