Suddenly a Daddy by Mindy Neff

Author:Mindy Neff
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2011-05-27T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Whitney stretched gingerly beneath the bedcovers. Considering the acute agony she’d been in, she felt pretty good this morning—well, it was almost afternoon, she realized, glancing at the clock. The headache was gone; obviously it hadn’t had the chance to get a really firm hold on her.

And that was thanks to Dylan. His massage had loosened the tension, put her into a healing sleep. And because she hadn’t taken her high-powered prescription medication, she didn’t feel sluggish and drugged out this morning.

Lemon sunlight poured through the windows and the smell of sea air bolstered her, as it always did. Whitney loved the ocean, the sight, the sound, the scents. A gull wheeled overhead, screeching its cry in search of food.

And Whitney realized she could use a little food, too.

Halfway through the living room, she stopped short. She could see the back of Dylan’s head as he slouched in the upholstered writer’s chair, his feet propped on the ottoman, his body facing the unobstructed view of the sand and ocean.

Had he slept there?

And was he still asleep?

She moved up beside him, glanced down. With the barest shift of his head, she realized that he was indeed awake. His brown eyes were intense, a bit troubled, very determined.

“Morning,” she said.

He didn’t speak. Just stared. She grew uncomfortable, shifted from foot to foot. Why did she suddenly feel so shy and awkward around him? This was awful, just the sort of thing she’d been afraid would happen. She didn’t want to feel shy and awkward around Dylan. She wanted things back to the way they used to be.

Before he’d gotten engaged.

Before there was a baby.

Oh, that thought made her feel bad. She loved this baby already, wanted it with a fierceness that surprised her.

“Headache better?”

She nodded. “Thank you. You’ve still got the touch.”

“We need to talk.”

She glanced out the window, stalled and nearly screamed when his hands closed around her waist, pulled her right down on his lap.

“What in the world?”

“I’m not letting you avoid me this time. You sure that headache’s all the way gone?”

“Yes, but—”

“Then talk to me, Slim.” He shifted his hand to her belly, the warmth of his palm searing her, making her heart pound.

Her eyes snapped to his. Now she really felt awkward.

“You’re going to have my baby, aren’t you?”

She drew her lip between her teeth, the admission right there in her throat, aching to be set free, her stomach twisted into knots. It was too soon to say the words. She had it all planned. Wait. Stall. Don’t rock the boat. Don’t ruin his life.

He reached for her hand, hooked his pinky finger with hers, looked into her eyes.

It was her undoing. She couldn’t lie anymore. She had to face this—Oh, she’d planned to face it anyway, it was just that now she’d be doing it a little sooner than she’d wanted.

“Yes.”

“Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you lie?”

“You’re getting married, Dylan.”

His brows lifted. “Are you kidding? This changes everything. I’ll have to call it off because I can’t—”

She scrambled off his lap, cutting him off in mid-sentence.

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