Was he really contemplating turning one of the rooms in his penthouse into a nursery? Was he really picturing Diana in his bed, curling up beside him as they slept? Was he really considering turning his penthouse into a…home for his family?
His family…
Shaken to his core, he squeezed his hands into fists to keep them from trembling.
His penthouse? The one he’d bought with the express purpose of never letting anyone invade his space again? Babies would be worse than invaders, they’d be interlopers, squatters, turning every surface of his designer home into a nightmare.
Piles of dirty nappies. Used bottles. Crusty baby blankets. Dozens of toys underfoot. Crying, squalling, burping, sneezing…giggling, smiling, laughing, cooing, babbling… Diana’s beautiful face peering up at him as he stood over her as she nursed one of his babies at her breast.
One of his babies. Diana had given him twins.
His heart wrenched, images of two green-eyed, black-haired angels smiling up at him, reaching out to him, snuggling into his embrace. It was a vision of what was possible, of what could very well be his future. His children. Children he didn’t believe he could have even after speaking with Dr. Branchard. Even after the tests showed he was producing sperm regularly. Even after he saw Diana’s beautifully rounded belly that afternoon when she’d lain back on the exam table and exposed herself to him. It wasn’t until that rapid yet steady whooshing sound tumbled from the speakers…and right into his soul.
And then…to have seen them…his children, with his own eyes. Two glowing treasures surrounded by night, cradled in the safety and security of their mother’s womb.
Diana.
His heart slamming against his ribs, he leaned heavily against the door jamb, his legs barely holding him upright.
Dragging air into his lungs, he squeezed his eyes shut, panting into the silence of his large, lonely penthouse.
“Thank you, Miss Bluth. Enjoy your stay at the Serata Incantata,” the bushy eye-browed man crooned as she passed him a ten-dollar bill and offered him the crack of a smile.
This was it. She was actually doing what she said she wouldn’t do ever again; giving in to the asshole of the century, David Brenner. After two days of back and forth with her mother, and two nights of crying into her pillow while watching A Baby Story, Diana had realized something she hadn’t dared to expect.
She was falling for her baby’s daddy, a man wholly unsuited to own something as precious as her heart. Over the last two months, she had seen so many sides of him: the arrogant ass, the charming playboy, the generous lover, the persistent billionaire, and the vulnerable father.
No matter how many times she recalled his words after the OB appointment, she couldn’t shake the memory of his face when he’d seen the silhouettes and heard the heartbeats of his babies for the first time. He’d seemed haunted, overwhelmed…terrified. But not once had he looked angry. Or dismissive.
It had given her much to consider besides herself and her babies. The father had his own fears, his own uncertainties to overcome. He was as new to this as she was, and since he was the one who truly believed he’d been sterile, he was dealing with an even deeper sense of disbelief. Of shock. Emotionally speaking, David was more fucked up than she was.
The staff at the Incantata were all smiles, cordiality, and helpfulness. Not one of them looked at her like she was a gold-digging parasite on the ass of society. Though, that didn’t stop her from thinking of herself as one, as erroneous as it was. She couldn’t help it. She knew what it looked like; the chubby chick with the messy bun and the ratty luggage was moving in to the penthouse suite, a beautiful and expensive and exclusive room, paid for by a billionaire who had made headlines over the last several months. She probably looked like the dirty secret he was trying to hide.
And she was, wasn’t she? He wanted to hide her away in luxury while he plotted what to do next, how to handle her pregnancy and his siring of said pregnancy. Diana understood that it was a lot for him to deal with, especially fresh off that shit with Rinna, but Diana was dealing with all that shit, too. She might not have been part of the issue between David and Rinna, but she was now dealing with the fallout. David was unwilling to let down his guard, to let Diana in, and Diana blamed Rinna for that. Okay, she blamed David, too. He didn’t have to treat her the way he had, forcing her to take the room at the hotel and make herself available for his investment inspection.
She sneered, her goodwill toward the man slipping.
Once the door to the suite shut behind the departing bellhop, Diana stood in the large foyer, her gaze taking in everything. She’d been in the room before, but it she’d been too busy being seduced and then fucked by David that she hadn’t taken the time to enjoy the view.
The room was gorgeous. In the light of day, with the large windows overlooking the city, she could see everything she’d missed at first pass, not that she had expected a second pass.
She bent down and removed her slip-ons, the cold of the marble floors against the soles of her feet was bracing. Letting loose a heavy sigh, she left her bags on the floor where the bellhop had placed them, and padded barefoot into the humongous living space. A sitting room on one side was separated from the TV area on the other side by a large L-shaped dark leather couch. The suite consisted of a main area then two wings on either side. On one side was the kitchen, dining room, guest bathroom, and office. On the other side were two bedrooms—one a master suite. The master suite where she’d spent
