Taking Catie (The Temptation Saga 3)

“She has been through a lot. Give her a break,” Dominic said.

“When I want your opinion I’ll ask for it,” Chad said. “This is between my wife and me.”

“But you don’t understand—”

“I understand plenty. I come in here and I see one of you with your hands all over my wife. She’s not yours, and she never will be. She’s mine. Mine and mine alone. Let’s go, Catie.”

“Chad”—Catie broke away—“I’m not going with you.”

“The hell you’re not.”

“You don’t want me.”

“I tracked you all the way across the world! For God’s sake, of course I want you. I thought we had a deal.”

“Chad, we never had any kind of deal. You and I…were not meant to be. You never wanted to be married. I never should have agreed to it. In fact, I’m not sure I did. I was in a haze about the pregnancy, and I just did whatever you told me. It was a mistake. A huge one. We’ll get an annulment. Or worst case scenario, a divorce. I don’t want anything from you.”

The baby. She had to tell him the baby was gone. Then he’d understand. She turned to Christian and Dominic. “Would you guys excuse us? I need to talk to him. Alone.”

“Of course,” Dominic said, “but this is not a big flat.”

“No,” Catie said. “I meant we’ll leave. Come on, Chad. Let’s take a walk.”

Despite the sunshine and the beauty of Paris, Catie’s mood was gray. How could she tell him the baby was gone? He’d be so angry. Worse, he’d leave her.

“Have you ever been here before, Chad?” She stalled. “Is there anything you want to see? The Eiffel Tower? The Louvre?”

“Damn it, Catie, I didn’t come here as a tourist. I came for you. Now tell me what the hell’s going on.”

She sighed. “Yeah. I owe you that much.”

They reached a small café, and Catie took a seat at one of the outside tables. Chad sat next to her.

“Café au lait, s’il vous plait,” she told the waiter, “et deux croissants.”

“What did you say?”

“I ordered coffee and croissants. Did you want something else?”

“Bacon, eggs, and hash browns would be good. Maybe a Denver omelet.”

“This is Paris, Chad, not Colorado. You’d be hard pressed to find that kind of breakfast here.”

“I can’t eat this fancy-schmancy food.”

“That’s okay. My guess is you won’t be here long.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?”

Catie’s pulse quickened. She let out a breath. “It means… Well, I’ll just come right out and say it.” She cleared her throat and stared at her lap. “I lost the baby, Chad.”

“I know.”

Catie whipped her head up. “You know? Then why did you come here? I don’t understand.”

Chad took her hand. “I came here for you, Catie. I love you.”

A tear trickled down Catie’s cheek, warming her. He wanted her? “I don’t understand.”