Baby for the Billionaire(137)

“And amazingly resilient.”

“And we’re responsible for him.”

“I still find it tough to believe that we’re now standing in loco parentis.” Connor gazed down at the baby with an expression Victoria could not decipher.

In the place of his parents.

It brought home the reality of the responsibility facing them. And how permanent the arrangement was. It was vital for her and Connor to work together. For all intents and purposes they were now Dylan’s parents. The only difference between them was that she really was Dylan’s mother.

Her baby lay so still in the crib that she leant forward to touch him.

“He’s sleeping—I checked, too.” Connor gave her a slight smile. Then his gaze dropped and grew warm.

Victoria glanced down, to find that her dressing gown tie had come undone and fallen open to reveal the white lace, diaphanous nightgowns that she favored.

She flushed. “I think I’ll call it a night.”

And when Connor responded, “That’s a very good idea.” She had no idea what to make of his reply.





Eight




“Truce?” Connor offered at breakfast on Saturday.

After a moment Victoria took the hand he held out. This was the closest Connor would come to an apology for employing Anne without her input. “Truce,” she agreed.

For Dylan’s sake.

And for her own. She had to learn to get on with Connor better. But it wasn’t easy—he could be so dominating.

“Anne’s very good with Dylan,” she conceded. She felt the day brighten when Connor grinned at her.

“Let’s take Dylan out today to celebrate his recovery,” he suggested as he reached for a slice of toast.

“Today?”

Dismayed, Victoria stared at him. She’d intended to wash her hair while Dylan had his morning nap. The week had sped past, and between work and Dylan she’d hardly had a moment to call her own. She hadn’t even had an opportunity to try out the large bath with jets in the guest en suite bathroom.

Connor’s face hardened. “I’ll take him to the zoo alone—and you can go to work.”

Annoyance ignited within her. This was his idea of a truce? “I had no intention of working this weekend. And the zoo sounds fantastic. I just wanted an hour to—” washing her hair sounded so self-indulgent and would no doubt unleash more contempt “—to take a shower.”

“How about I feed Dylan and keep him out of your hair for an hour and we leave a little later?”

“That would be wonderful.” She beamed at Connor, her heart lighter than it had been for weeks. “Thank you.”

Two lionesses lolled about on their backs like giant kittens on a grassy hillock, revealing creamy tummies to the delighted crowd that had taken advantage of the sunny day to visit the zoo.

Dylan gurgled in his pushchair and several children shrieked as one of the lionesses rolled over lithely and rose to her feet, before padding to the edge of the moat that divided the big cats from the spectators.

After the giant feline had finished drinking and had flopped down on a sunny rock, Connor and Victoria meandered farther along the path, Connor pushing the baby’s loaded buggy, to where two elephants picked at a hay net with their trunks.

Connor glanced over at Victoria. Since they’d gotten to the zoo she’d attracted a fair amount of second looks. With her hair as sleek and shiny in the sunlight as polished mahogany and her hazel eyes alight with excitement, she looked happier than he’d ever seen her.

And, dammit, she was downright gorgeous.

To get his attention off the way her white denim skirt clung to her posterior, Connor swept Dylan out of his pushchair and held him high.

“See the elephants, Dylan?” Victoria pointed and her buttoned yellow cardigan pulled taut across her breasts.

Connor stifled a groan and his hands involuntarily tightened on the baby, who muttered a protest and wriggled in Connor’s arms.

“Sorry, mate.”

But Dylan had already stilled at the sight of the huge pachyderms as the nearest elephant flapped its ears. A chortle escaped—the sound of baby delight.

Connor laughed aloud and his eyes caught Victoria’s over Dylan’s head. For a second they shared a pure joy. Then Dylan began to bump up and down in Connor’s arms in excitement.

“Whoa, that’s an elephant, Dyl. He’s too big to pick a fight with.”