The Billionaire’s Risky Pregnancy

“That’s a strange question,” she said as she crawled closer and cradled her chin. “I’m not about to open up a school if that’s what you mean.”

“Now that’s an idea,” he said with a dull chuckle. “But I mean… do you want one of your own someday?”

“Are you talking about a child?”

Their eyes locked, and she saw his stare full of what looked like fear. Like most men, he appeared queasy at the thought. But if the stars aligned, what could go wrong?

“Don’t be like that,” she started. “Wouldn’t you love to see a little boy or girl with your eyes?” She expected him to smile at the sound of that, but he inched closer to the edge of the bed.

“Not in the cards for me,” he said. “Sort of think that it’s more trouble than it’s worth.” Tasha’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach. Not that she was looking to get a jumpstart on a baby before the day was out. But it was in the cards for her. And he dismissed the idea without so much as a second thought.

“Are you still with me?” he asked. Smith reached back for her hand, and she gave his palm a soft squeeze but stopped short of kissing his neck.

“Still here,” she answered, hearing the flat tone of her voice when he finally shifted to his side to face her. Smith fondled her cheeks and kissed the soft space between her eyebrows.

“Bet I can find other ways to make you happy,” he said. “You want to give me a try?”

Tasha said yes. He made good on his promise with a bubble bath in a whirlpool tub, and she sat close to him as they flipped through more channels than she could ever hope to have on his massive screen.

“Are you okay?” he finally asked as he settled on a baseball game that she had little to no interest in.

“Sure,” she said. “I mean we’re just having some fun here. Right?” His hold tightened around her shoulders, and she glanced up to see his chin jut out as he lowered the volume.

“Right,” he echoed. “Just a lazy weekend.” They stayed silent and when the day started to turn dark and the final strike or whatever was called, she left the sofa and walked back to his office in search of her clothes.

“You want dinner?” he called after her. “We could mix it up and do the Vietnamese thing.” Tasha did not answer as she dressed. Once she was back in the great room, he frowned and made for his keys.

“So we’re done for now?” he said.

“I have to get ready for tomorrow,” Tasha started. “Bet you have some work, too.” Smith said nothing and offered to drive her home when a horn blared from just outside his door.

“Uber?” he said.

“I never leave home without it,” she said. “My number’s in there too if you need it.”

“Thank you. This was…it was…” She felt like one of her students searching for the right word, and she started to leave him when he touched her shoulder and sighed into her neck.

“I’ll see you soon,” he said. “Find other ways to make you smile.” She kissed him again as she left his house and held her breath until she was back in her apartment. Failing to shower, wanting his touch to linger, Tasha fell into her bed and rubbed her hands over her eyes. One magical weekend. It could have been so much more. But she was past thirty, inching closer to forty with every passing second. There was no time to just play. It was a struggle to fall asleep without him, but she nabbed two hours before it was time to do another week and see what would go down.

*****

“Have you seen this, Tasha?”

She almost passed him by when George waved another flyer in her face.

“What the hell happened to email?” Tasha asked. “Doesn’t he realize how many trees he’s killing?”

Along with her hopes and dreams.

“I’ll ask you to clarify later,” George said. “Just read the memo, Tasha.” And there it was in black and white.

“Seriously?” she murmured. “They’re… he’s going to build on the other side of town?”

“Did you have something to do with this?” he asked. The buzz from her phone seemed to answer the question. But as soon as she saw his number, Tasha turned the sound to silent and shook her head.

“I’m late, George. I have to get to—”

“You can wait for one minute,” he said. “How the hell did this happen? Last I saw you two were not friends.”

And maybe they weren’t even that now. But Tasha still traced the letters on the page and tried to comprehend all that they meant.

“He’s changing the game,” she said. “Trying to make nice.”

“Exactly!” George said. “What did you say to him?”

Too many things. And she had heard just as much. In another life this might have made her smile. But how hard could it really have been? He said one word and his minions were fast to follow.

Aren’t you happy about this?” he asked. “Answered prayers.”

“Yeah. For everyone else.”

“Tasha?”

George held her face and searched her eyes.

“Penny for your thoughts?” he asked as he kissed the tip of her nose. She longed to bare her soul. But then the questions? What had really gone down on the date? Why wasn’t she smiling?

Would she see him again?

“Please, George,” she begged. “I can’t do this with you right now.”

Somehow she made her way through the day. But she kept looking at the clock until the last bell. Wanting to get home and finally shower, the water was almost warm enough to make her forget when she heard a knock. Knowing what had to be on the other side, Tasha slipped into a robe and sighed as she moved to answer the call.

“What’s up?” he asked as soon as she opened the door. “I’ve been trying to call you all day.”

“I know,” she said. “I saw the number.”

“And you what?” he demanded. “Forgot that it was mine? Or are you trying to put me off?” Wanting to fall into his arms and forget her doubts, Tasha just clenched her teeth and waved for him to follow her inside.

“Guess it’s something,” he said as he stomped up the steps after her. Tasha knew that her living room was a mess, the discarded dress from earlier in the day resting on the carpet along with her black pumps and her shoulder bag.

“Are you sick or something?” he asked as he tried to touch her again.