Pregnant by the Playboy Heir

otte'

ous. I hung there at the edge of the bed, and Jace started undoing his shirt cuffs like

was norma

The Royal Crest Hotel was all shining surfaces and soft, expensive edges.

oked ov

re ne

obvi

g your fingers for t

flushed.

ugh I didn't move. Neither did

tle either. Just confident enough f

e said, with a low

it made every part of this feel

ep sayi

rce women i

s comf

hould

as much as my house rent. Sharp jaw, trustworthy face. But his eyes

isappointed

arched. "D

li

ised. But then the

trangers too m

ide things

t just attraction anymore-it felt like both of us were right n

ed inside my

cou

him. Jace

tent bo

t my boy

ho is

, sharp and bitter

ered on me. "

hated how humiliating it felt, standing in a billiona

. Seemed i

ing there and we

drink

for whatever

say depressing thi

rsonal question

Somewhere, soft music drifted through the room. It was getting harder

night. One rea

es steady on me. "You ke

planning

d've left

ht, and I

?" I asked

lready

ill haven't

low. Then, finally: "Bec

in a way it

ir. Men like him didn't notice

said, but it was s

rch. You looked at two grand

right away. My

know anythi

"But I know what pr

around me. I fol

ney lets you

. "Money just mak

n my head. W

te, Bruce always needed something, and here I w

does make pe

his time, I d

said

n, lifted my face so

hinking t

u do before ter

t smiled

He'd walk out of here

tly-a gentle touch, which ho

p this whene

keep givin

at me-real

use no one

ounded almost honest. I didn't

Instead, I leaned up

s hand found my waist, and I melted right into him. The kiss got fast, th

ust stopped. My wine glass tumbled

ing to drown himself. I kiss

essed against m

want to

said yes.

ill glowed outside; my heart was try

everything j

he floor. I laughed nervously, but that wa

g at me like he

mes the surface cracked, just a hair. And I couldn't help wa

Thinking stopped.

shirt, and I

and dropped m

otte'

34

Wake

dge at my

ide my face in the sh

rlot

nudge,

ht sliced through the windows. Th

. Twisted s

e stiffened and pulled away

imself off the bed, alread

nightstand-calls, texts, reminders of

r expensive linen, trying to

d up, effici

like you we

t you're wo

o. I'm just goi

in place. The warmth from last nig

...

is watch, sw

mn

u o

alled, what, f

old me enough. Not scared-

ket and finally tu

ade everything real. Last night was starti

et, dropped a thick stack o

than I'd

You said fi

etter than

p. "What's that s

aying

, it should've pissed me off,

e escort you

"You took money

irect. N

gue. Couldn't.

t a hundred

ing flickered-definitely not guilt, but

" He grabbed his phone

"You never told

sidering an answer. Then he just

on't n

elt empty in a way that h

ey forever, feeling richer and

-

e's

here we

e I even made it past the d

antic for the grand opening event. Press

rough the elevator. I ju

ghtened his cufflin

gnored all

m h

not th

, scrutinizin

look

ost l

six business di

ace of the family," he shot ba

-son affectio

a little. "Good mo

stors are early. And your girlfriend call

t-Ma

t an alarm for my life to get worse

arked instantly, "You

ehind me. "Good m

nored m

s b

h wh

the window

that hotel room-fla

lk later,

nd-dramatic. "Unbelieva

t was the rea

elt so draining. For the first time in y

respond, ther

us. "Your father said to remind you y

ed. "He

ady told t

had. I kind

mind kept drifting back to Charlotte. The way she looked at me last night, the w

n that bugged me m