Baby Mine - Tressie Lockwood Page 0,23
either, which was unusual. She guessed that was another way Renzo showed his influence. After having a good cry in the bathroom alone, she texted him a simple, “Thank you,” and then forced the man from her thoughts so she could get down to work. Over the next month, amid biweekly gifts sent from her former lover, Jada went on with her life the best she could.
At three and a half months pregnant, she began to show, and she spent each morning standing naked before the bedroom mirror staring at her body. She wondered if Renzo would still find her attractive, and then tamped down those thoughts so she could hold to her calm state of mind. She wasn’t exactly happy, but the nightly crying had eased up. Besides, she’d blamed all of that on wacky preggo hormones so she could convince herself that her love for Renzo faded.
Today she pulled open her closet door and surveyed the hanging dresses. A couple weeks after she returned home, a delivery had arrived at her door, and she’d been shocked to find an entire wardrobe of maternity clothes. At the time, Leena had been visiting. “Whoa, I know you’re going to keep these,” her friend had said.
“Damn right,” Jada agreed. “I’m not too good to take a useful gift. Now the jewelry, yeah, I sent it back. We’re not together, but these clothes I consider all a part of taking care of his baby. My clothes were getting tighter.”
She had sent another text to Renzo and informed him that in no uncertain terms did it mean anything that she would accept this gift. She expected him to call and argue or at least try to push his claim, but he never did.
Preparing for her doctor appointment, she selected a powder blue sundress that reached mid-thigh. Somehow the dress was both comfortable, with its flair allowing her stomach room to expand, and sexy, showing off her still shapely legs. Charlotte had grown warmer, so she was glad for the outfit.
Dressed, she ate a light breakfast of scrambled eggs and fruit, drank some juice, and then left her apartment. On the street, the expensive black car parked next to hers was her first clue that Renzo had given up keeping his distance. When he unfolded his tall form from the rental, her heartbeat raced.
“Good morning,” he said in his deep, panty-wetting tone. “Sleep well last night?”
“Renzo, what are you doing here?”
He put his hand out, and she couldn’t resist touching his palm with her fingertips. When she did, his fingers closed over hers, and he guided her to the passenger side of his car. “You have a doctor’s appointment, don’t you?”
“How do you…?” She didn’t bother to complete the question. “Surely, you don’t intend to fly over here every time I go to the doctor. That’s insane—and expensive.”
He raised an eyebrow at her, and she flushed.
“Well, it’s still crazy. I mean when I’m further along, the appointments will become more frequent.”
“I travel quite often for business. There’s no reason I can’t be here.”
“It’s not sensible.”
“Being an absentee father makes no sense.”
Goose bumps rose on her arms, and she ran her hands along them as she sat in his car. The baby hadn’t been born yet, and he already began to prove he could and would spend time with him or her, but how long would it last? And what would happen when they couldn’t agree on some aspect of raising the baby? Looking across at him as he handled the vehicle with practiced ease, she admitted she still loved him, and because of it, she’d never felt more vulnerable.
Renzo caught her looking and reached across to stroke her cheek before smoothing her hair from her face. Rather than put it up in a tight chignon as she usually did, she had let it hang down around her shoulders. Over the last couple of months, it had grown at least three inches and now hung just past her shoulders. This aspect of pregnancy agreed with her.
“You are more beautiful than the last time I saw you, cara.”
She turned away from his touch. “Don’t flatter me. I’m beginning to swell in places that make me want to cry. I remind myself it’s temporary and all for the baby.”
“Are you showing yet?”
She clenched her jaw. “A little.”
His gaze brightened and dropped to her breasts and then to her belly. Although he turned back to the road, she knew he imagined her naked, and the knowledge both horrified