An Unexpected Partnership. Teresa Southwick

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СКАЧАТЬ of them were about him not taking responsibility for his actions.

      It was about the revolving door of females in and out of his life. Well-publicized, short-term affairs with actresses and models. Glorified one-night stands with glamorous women, rich and famous. Even the not so famous made headlines with him. But in all the publicity surrounding his “over in fifteen minutes” relationships, he’d invariably taken the blame for why things hadn’t worked out. Always a version of “she’s a great girl and I’m not good enough for her.”

      As much as she wanted to believe he had no feelings and hurt women from coast to coast when he threw them away, the only one he trashed was himself. One had to conclude he wasn’t mean; he just had a problem with commitment. She wasn’t into it either. That’s what happened when the man you loved cheated repeatedly. He was a cocky college jock and that baggage had affected her opinion of Leo from the moment they were introduced.

      In a way, Tess respected the way he characterized the end of his affairs, even if she didn’t condone “quantity over quality” behavior. So yeah, she was more shocked than angry right now. All the scenarios she’d imagined of how this conversation would go down never included him turning his back and walking away.

      Tears filled her eyes and she didn’t miss the irony. The last time she’d cried in this room, Leo had been there to comfort her and they’d had sex. Now there was a baby and he left her, taking his investment money with him.

      Suddenly the door opened and Leo walked back inside. He stood there, staring at her, eyes narrowed dangerously. “A baby. You’re sure.”

      “Peed on a stick and confirmed by a doctor.” She had questions, too. “Why did you walk out just now?”

      An angry, intense look pulled his mouth tight and made his eyes narrow on her. “I had to think before saying anything.”

      “Okay. So what are you thinking?”

      “Is it mine?”

      She was sorry she’d asked. The question tweaked her temper, implying that she was an underhanded opportunist. He was questioning her integrity, but she grudgingly admitted that he had a right to ask. “Yes.”

      “How do I know it’s mine?”

      “Because I said so and I don’t lie.” She glared at him.

      He finally closed the door. “Right now, for the sake of argument, let’s assume it’s mine—”

      “Stop calling me a liar. Of course this baby is yours. I’ve been pretty busy trying to save this bar, my grandfather’s legacy. When would I have time to date?”

      “You don’t have to date,” he said wryly.

      “That’s where you’re wrong. I would have to date before doing...” As soon as she realized what was going to come out of her mouth, she stopped talking.

      “You and I never went out before we...” He glanced at the booth by the door, where they’d done the deed. Then one corner of his mouth curved up as he looked back at her. “But wait, I forgot. That never happened.”

      “Obviously you don’t intend to let me forget I said that.”

      “Not likely.” He moved closer, stopping on the other side of the bar from her. “You’re going to have it.” It wasn’t a question.

      The part of her that wasn’t super annoyed with him respected that he wasn’t pushing for termination of the pregnancy. Truthfully, that had never entered her mind. “Not that you get to tell me what to do, but yes, I will have this baby.”

      “I need a test.”

      To make sure he was the father. As infuriating as it was to be doubted, she’d actually anticipated this. At her first doctor’s appointment, she’d asked questions about prenatal testing.

      “Before the baby’s born it would require an amniocentesis to determine paternity. It’s an invasive procedure that requires insertion of a needle to take amniotic fluid. This test poses the risk of miscarriage.”

      “Okay.” His frown deepened. “So we have to wait.”

      “No. There’s a blood test that can determine a very high probability that you’re the father. Even though I’m telling you that.”

      “Like I said. I need a test. Let’s do that.”

      “Okay.” She folded her arms over her chest and met his gaze. “I’ll set it up. We can have results in one to two days.”

      “Either you’re a very good bluffer or—”

      “I’m telling the truth,” she finished for him. “Look, Leo, I didn’t plan this.”

      “Okay.”

      “I can tell that’s what you’re thinking. I guess if I was in your shoes, the thought would cross my mind.”

      “Very understanding of you.”

      “I don’t know what to say. I’ve never been in a situation like this,” she defended herself. “It’s not like I did it on purpose.”

      She glanced past him to the booth where it had happened. Heat slid into her cheeks as memories rolled through her mind. Those passionate moments in his arms were all that stood between her and the overwhelming grief of losing her grandfather. She’d never felt so out of control but she couldn’t speak for Leo.

      “You’ve had a lot more experience at that sort of thing than me. Since the responsibility should be shared equally, I won’t ask why you never brought up the subject of protection.”

      He shifted his feet, the only sign that her comment struck a nerve. “That’s fair. If—”

      “I’m telling the truth,” she finished. “I never planned to get pregnant. I was upset. I just buried my grandfather and that was a long, horrible day. I’m sorry I couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. For the record I didn’t ask you to comfort me. In fact I thought I was alone.”

      A hint of sympathy softened his gaze for a moment. “You weren’t. And I assumed you were on birth control.”

      “I wasn’t. And you know what they say about people who assume. Makes an ass out of you and me.”

      That was an understatement. He and his consolation had taken up every square inch of her attention. And now she was paying a really high price for it.

      “I had a lot on my mind that day.” She looked around the room. There were pictures on the walls of The Pub while it was being built. Opening day. The surrounding area before homes and businesses popped up. Her glance settled on the wood floor, the scarred bar between them, every mark with a story that was part of the history. “I grew up here with my grandfather. I live in the apartment upstairs. This is my home, as well as my livelihood. My business. My career. It’s everything. You’ve got no skin in the game. Not really. To you it’s just an investment.”

      “Which you’re against.”

      “But Granddad trusted you. And I think you would understand why I feel that way СКАЧАТЬ