The Billionaire's Baby Arrangement Read Free Page A

doctor.”
    When he left the room, she turned to Nick, who had calmed Leah down again. Leave it to Nick to know how to persuade a female. “I’ll take Leah now.”
    Nick walked close to the bed, holding Leah like she was a football tucked close to his body. Her daughter stared at him with wide eyes.
    â€œShe seems to like me,” he said, mystified. “I don’t have a clue about babies. Until last night, I’d never held one in my arms.”
    â€œYou never had children?”
    â€œNo little bambinos for me. I’m leaving that up to my brothers.”
    She glanced at his left hand looking for a wedding ring and when he caught her, she must have turned a shade of bright red judging by the heat creeping up her neck. Nick always had that effect on her. He’d turn her inside out and then leave her blushing, or worse. The one night they had together, he’d humiliated her so badly she thought she’d die from embarrassment. She must have been the locker room joke of the day for all the jocks on the Napa Valley Victors.
    Baseball, girls and partying were Nick Carlino’s claims to fame in high school.
    Brooke had been crazy to think that Nick would have wanted her. The golden boy, the first baseman with a .450 hitting average, born with a silver spoon in his mouth and heading for great things—Brooke found out just how out of her league she’d been with him.
    He’d nearly ruined her seventeen-year-old life. Her self-esteem had hit rock bottom and it had taken her years to recover. All of the negative things she’d believed about herself had been confirmed. And she’d hated him all the more for it.
    Now, she glanced at him as he handed over her five-month-old baby. He was looking handsome and sinfully delicious, and she hated the slight trembles invading her stomach. The sooner she got away from him the better. She wanted no reminder of her past and wished she had crashed into anyone else on earth last night but Nick Carlino.
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    â€œIt’s simple, Brooke. You’ll stay overnight at my house.”
    â€œI can’t do that, Nick.” Brooke put her stubborn face onand refused to budge, ignoring the spinning in her head. While he was gone, she’d gotten up and dressed in the hospital room, made three phone calls to Molly to no avail, then nursed Leah on the same leather rocker Nick had sat watch on last night.
    When Nick said a casual good-bye earlier, she’d known she’d still have to deal with him regarding the damages to his car, but she hadn’t expected him to return to her hospital room two hours later.
    She’d found him leaning against the doorjamb, staring at her while she nursed Leah, his lips pursed together in an odd expression. An intimate moment passed between them before he’d started issuing orders like a drill sergeant.
    â€œI’ll figure something out,” she said quietly, not to disturb Leah. She always had before. She’d supported herself during her pregnancy and managed to deliver a baby without a partner so she could certainly handle this dilemma without a lot of fuss.
    â€œLike what? You’re out of options.” He could be just as stubborn, she thought, watching him fold his arms over his chest and take a wide stance. “You can’t reach your friend and you heard what the doctor said.”
    â€œI’ll deal with it. Thank you. I don’t need your help.”
    Nick sat down on a chair. Bracing both of his forearms on his knees, he leaned toward her. He looked deep into her eyes and his dark penetrating gaze blindsided her. “Wow, it’s been what? Thirteen years, and you’re still holding a grudge.”
    Brooke gasped and Leah stopped nursing. She settled her baby down and waited until she continued sucking, making sure to cover both the baby and her breast with the blanket.
    She wanted to be anywhere but here, having this conversation with Nick. It amazed her