“What?” Patrick and Jennifer said.
“You’re getting married. There is no way my daughter is having your baby without a ring on her finger,” Edward said.
“That’s not going to happen.” Jennifer folded her arms. “You’re not going to force me to marry someone I don’t know.”
She walked right into that one.
Patrick wasn’t repulsed by the idea of getting married. He was shocked by how unaffected he was. Most of the time when his parents demanded he marry, he ran in the opposite direction. Frowning, he stared at Jennifer. He wanted to marry her.
Shit, he was looking forward to being a father.
“I’m done,” Jennifer said.
Without looking at him, Jennifer walked out of her parents’ home leaving him behind. He stared after her, shocked. She was the first woman he believed carried his child, and she was the first woman to walk away from him.
Jennifer might not know it yet, but she’d just become the most intriguing female he’d ever met.
Chapter Three
Jennifer was scooping another spoonful of chocolate ice cream onto her spoon when the doorbell rang. She was on the sofa with Linda watching a romantic comedy. Her head pounded from being with her family that morning.
“Do you think we can leave it?” she asked, yawning.
“No. Your family are going to be pissed with you, Jen. You better get the door.” Linda lifted her feet out of the way. She dumped the ice-cream carton on her friend’s lap and answered the door. Patrick stood in her doorway looking every bit as sinful as he had that night she’d conceived his child.
He leaned against the doorframe. His arms were folded over his impressive chest, which outlined his thick arm muscles.
“What do you want?” she asked. Her mouth watered remembering the feel of his arms wrapped around her.
“You’re expecting my baby, Jennifer. I think we need to talk.”
She shook her head. “I’m not going to ask you for anything. You don’t need to be here—”
“Your parents were pretty much arranging our up-coming wedding when I left. I think we need to talk about it.”
“What? There is not going to be a wedding,” she said. She slammed her palm against her forehead.
“Let him in, Jen. You need to talk to him.” Linda was kneeling up on the sofa looking over at the door.
“Thanks for being a supportive friend,” she said over her shoulder.
“Anytime.”
Turning back to the gorgeous man at her door, she moved out of the way to let him enter. “Come in.”
“Thank you.”
“We can talk in my room.” Jennifer ignored her friend and walked towards her room. She closed the door behind him. When she looked at him, she knew bringing him to her room was a mistake. He made her room feel small with him inside.
“This is your room?” he asked.
There were pictures of her with Linda and some pieces of art work. Her room was usually spacious, but with him in it, it seemed poky.
“What do you want to talk about?” she asked, getting straight to it.
“You’re really going to ask me that?” He sat down on her bed. She wished she could make him leave.
“I’m pregnant. You’re the father. Really, it’s no big deal.”
He folded his arms over his chest once again. Her gaze drifted down to the muscular shape of his thick arms. How could a man be that strong?
Focus, Jennifer, focus.
“It is a big deal.”
“I’m surprised you’re not demanding paternity tests and denying it all. Isn’t that your MO?” she asked.
Jennifer watched his jaw tighten as he ground down on his teeth. “That was a low blow, Jennifer.”
“I know. I’m sorry. My mind is all over the place. I never expected anything like this to happen. Ever.” She ran her fingers through her hair. That night when they’d slept together felt like a lifetime ago. “Just the other day the news reported that you’d won a case, and it was proven you were not the father of a woman’s baby. How can you not be demanding the same thing from me? Why do you believe me?”
Patrick stood up and moved over to where she was against the door. Her heart sped up at his closeness. The moment he’d touched her that night she hadn’t been able to think straight. She’d have done anything he asked without thinking of the consequences. She had done everything, and now she was pregnant with his child.
“I never slept with that woman. If there was any chance the baby was mine then I’d own up to it. I know that baby is mine.”
“I could be sleeping around. There could be hundreds of potential men who are the father,” she said. Jennifer cringed at her own words.
Great, Jennifer. Make yourself sound like a complete slut in front of the father of your child.
“Don’t do that, Jennifer. That’s beneath you.”
“You didn’t know my name,” she said.
She didn’t know why she was arguing. They’d been good together for the few short hours they’d known each other.
“I knew your name was Jennifer. Did you know who I was?”
“Yes. Everyone knows who you are.”
“Don’t deny me, Jennifer. We made a baby together. We can handle the future together.” He pressed a hand to her stomach. His other hand went over her head to rest on the door behind her. Jennifer gasped at the contact. His hand covered her stomach. She stared down at where he touched her. The electricity coursed through her body from his touch. This was how it had been that night. From the merest of touches she’d felt connected to him in the most primal of ways. “We’ve got this, Jennifer,” he said.
“What? Sex? That is not a very good basis for a relationship,” she said.
“It is more than some couples have for a marriage. We’ve got chemistry. You can’t deny it. You’re dripping wet and begging for my touch.”
He leaned in close. She stared into his eyes, and her gaze dropped down to his lips.
“I’m not marrying you,” she said.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not marrying a man who can’t keep it in his pants for longer than ten seconds or when the next hot woman walks by.” She pushed him away and sat on her bed.
“You’re judging me,” he said.
“No. All my life I’ve been told what to do. I’m not being told who to marry. That is something I refuse to do,” she said. She felt the tears fill her eyes. Brushing them away with the back of her hand, she stared up at Patrick.