An Act of Persuasion(23)

She was right. He was looking at his phone, then stopped in his tracks. Glancing around, he spotted her quickly. The yellow sundress helped. She lifted her hand and waved, happier than she would admit at having gotten the better of him.

He jogged across the street in a blatant act of jaywalking.

“I guess I didn’t fool anybody,” he said, frowning.

She knew he hated when he was predictable. She imagined when he’d been working for the government nothing about him had ever been predictable. But being in the states, starting his own business and settling into a normal life, he’d grown completely banal. She thought it suited him. She hadn’t known him in his old life, but she imagined there would have been an intensity about him, a barrier that no one could penetrate. Given he’d never married or never mentioned any other significant relationship he’d had back then, she suspected she was right.

“What are you doing here, Ben?”

“Sharpe and I were getting reacquainted.”

“I’ll bet. Look, I knew you would pull this move. Mark told me enough about your past together for me to know you wouldn’t be happy with me working for him. I get that it sucks for you. But it’s a good job. I like it. And I’m not leaving. So can we get that out of the way and move on.”

“I’m supposed to be okay with the idea that you might be in danger?”

She had to struggle not to roll her eyes. “The only thing I’m in danger of right now is getting carpel tunnel syndrome. Am I stupid?”

“No.”

“Do I look like someone who would take unnecessary risks, especially in my condition?”

“No.”

“No,” she repeated. “For the next six months, and probably well after that, the closest I’m going to get to any of Mark’s cases is via my computer. I’m going to be a single mom. I respect the responsibility of that.”

He ducked his head and she could see she’d made her point. She could also see she’d annoyed him.

“He used to take extreme risks. Unnecessary ones. I worried about you being in that environment.”

“But you’re conceding I can make my own decisions in this.”

It took a moment, but eventually he nodded.

“And you won’t give Mark any more trouble?”

“As long as he stays out of my way...no.”

Since Anna couldn’t imagine a scenario where Mark would need to get in Ben’s way, she figured that provisional agreement had to be good enough.

“Okay. Then that’s settled.” She pushed her bottom against the car, using the momentum to set her in motion. She was stopped by his hand circling her wrist. “So close to a clean getaway.”

“Not really. I tagged your car. I knew you had returned and parked in the building. I was hoping we could talk.”

“Ben.” She sighed.

“Back left bumper. You can remove it, but please give it back. It’s a rather expensive one.”

“Fine. Are we finished?”

“Not even remotely. Come have dinner with me.”

The invitation took her by surprise. It almost sounded like a date request, but she knew it wasn’t. Instead her meal would include a side lecture on the merits of marriage and the benefits a child had being raised in a two-parent home. By now he would no doubt have statistics and hard-core facts at his fingertips.

“I don’t know that we have anything to talk about.”

“Well, how about...our child?” His jaw clenched and she could see she was making him angry again. It was so strange to watch his emotions like this when he’d never shown any emotion at all.

Except that night. That night when everything had changed. When she’d looked into his face and seen—

But she hadn’t. She had only thought she’d seen his affection. Because a man who truly cared about a woman didn’t shut her out of his life after sex. Instead he let her in.

“That’s my point. Is there anything new to discuss now? Biology demands the kid’s living with me for at least the next six months. When it’s out, we can talk again.”

She watched the incredulousness in his expression and wondered if she’d looked the same way when he said they would get married.

“To quote you, oh, hell no.”

Okay, maybe she’d been foolish to think he would cool his heels until after the baby was born. But the truth was she was struggling with seeing him again. Apparently, three months hadn’t been long enough to get him out of her system. If she were honest with herself, three lifetimes probably wouldn’t be enough.