A Baby Affair (Parent Portal 2)
“No!” He turned, anger in his voice. “That’s not it, Amelia. There is no ‘she.’ There’s no one. I told you, everything’s fine. I just need to get home. I have a long day tomorrow. An early appointment.”
Perhaps a difficult diagnosis. Or hard news to impart. She wanted to believe that was all it was.
But he hadn’t given any indication when he’d arrived that evening that anything was amiss. It wasn’t until...
She thought back... She’d been falling asleep—which wouldn’t have upset him, would it? They’d both dozed before for a few minutes when their coupling had been particularly energetic—and satisfying.
There’d been nothing... Isabella had said good night and...
He’d flown out of bed.
She stared at him.
“You felt her kick.”
His nostrils flared, his lips tightening. “I told you, it’s nothing.”
But it clearly was.
* * *
As Amelia stood before him, asking him not to leave, Craig thought to himself that he’d come off a hard day—nothing critical, just a flu going around with a crowded office of people who didn’t feel well and didn’t need to be waiting to get in to see him. A day when his PA had called off at the last minute for similar symptoms.
And he did have a full schedule the next day, starting with an early appointment to accommodate one of the first patients he’d ever had—a young man who was now in college and commuting to LA every day for classes. He needed a sports physical and didn’t want to see anyone but Craig.
“This is hurting you.”
He could continue to deny the truth. To lie to her. And it would serve no purpose. She’d figured it out.
“Life hurts, Amelia. You know that. There’s no avoiding it. So yes, sometimes...maybe more lately...it’s hard sometimes. But being with you, great sex aside, is one of the best parts of my week. I look forward to seeing you. I’m just tired tonight. I need to get home and spend a little time with Talley before bed. Everything will be fine in the morning.”
“No,” she said, her nose only inches from his chin as she lifted her face to look him right in the eye. “We said this was only going to continue as long as it worked. But it’s not really, is it? This isn’t like that little girl in Oregon, with two parents in a happy family. You’re starting to bond with Isabella, aren’t you?”
“No.” He met her gaze full-on. “And that’s what’s hard sometimes. Remembering that she’s not mine to bond with.”
“You want her to be yours.”
He didn’t want to get into it. Not then. “No,” he said again, and glanced over her shoulder, needing a breather. Then looked back at her. “I want her to be yours, Amelia.” Lifting a hand, he smoothed a strand of her long, silky auburn hair back behind her ear. Hair that had been splayed across his naked body less than an hour before. “I care about you,” he told her. “I’m glad that I’m the one giving you your family. That I’m the one who helped make your dreams into reality.” Complete truth. He just wasn’t sure it would be enough.
She shook her head. “No, this has to stop,” she said, backing away from him. “If I’m hurting you, it has to stop.”
“Amelia, don’t do this.”
“I have to.” She had tears in her eyes again. “I can’t knowingly hurt you. Because I care, too, Craig, and it’s not right for me to continue to take my pleasure at your expense.”
She could have just been talking about the sex. He knew she wasn’t.
“I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself.”
“Then do it,” she said.
Then do it. That was coming from a woman who’d given up self to please the one she was with. Three simple words that made everything clear.
Being around her was the highlight of his week. And the lowlight, too. Because he was kidding himself. He wasn’t ready to walk away. He’d never be ready.
She was the woman he loved. And she was carrying his daughter.
She came toward him again, slowly, holding his gaze the whole time. His heart softened, as though for a second it held hope. Lifting up, she kissed him. A kiss unlike any they’d shared.