Baby for the Billionaire(141)

He spread his hands out wide. “Her mistake was understandable and it’s going to happen more and more, particularly if we’re living together.”

Victoria couldn’t believe she hadn’t blurted out no to his proposal straight away. Until a few days ago there’d always been hostile tension between them. They’d never gotten along, and she’d spent two years actively avoiding him while Suzy and Michael were alive.

So why hadn’t she simply said no?

One word.

No … no … no!

Easy.

But she didn’t say it.

Because of Dylan.

She tilted her head back and studied Connor critically. He was tall. Strong. Deep in her belly, heat stirred. She suppressed it ruthlessly. She knew he was good at sport. He’d be able to pass those skills on to Dylan.

Dylan was the only reason she could ever marry Connor.…

A glance down at the baby revealed his smooth, round face, untroubled by the demons chasing her. If she married Connor then Dylan would have a family again. A mother and a father. A world away from merely living with his guardians.

How could she deprive him of that?

A real family.

But Victoria couldn’t lie to herself. There was another, much more selfish reason to marry Connor. If she did her place in Dylan’s life would be secure.

She would be able to relax, to stop worrying that he’d get rid of her as soon as Dylan settled down. As his wife, it would be a lot harder for Connor to evict her from Dylan’s life.

Uncannily, Connor echoed her thoughts: “If we were married we could provide a stable home for Dylan.”

A shivery awareness filled her. How far did he intend to take this idea of giving Dylan a stable home? She thought about the frank woman at the zoo. Don’t do what I did. Make sure you have another kid to keep yours company. Would Connor want to provide Dylan with siblings? Would he expect her to make love with him? Past experience had proved that he only had to touch her for desire to ignite into burning heat.

She turned her attention away from the baby and back to the man who’d taken over her thoughts, her life. “Connor—”

He held up a hand. “Wait. Before you reject the idea, you need to know that I’m committed to this. I won’t pull out in a year or two and want a divorce.”

She tried to read the expression in his eyes, but the night-light was too dim.

To put a little distance between them she rose to her feet and gently deposited the snoozing Dylan in his cot. Tugging at the cord that hung near the baby’s cot, she flooded the room with soft light and turned to face the man who had put her world into uproar.

“How can you possibly be so sure? You might fall in love and want a real marriage.” Would she be any good at marriage? Her parents had married because she was already on the way. Would marrying for Dylan’s sake be any different?

“I’m not looking for love.” He gave her a crooked smile. “Let’s just say that Dana forever killed any desire I had for a ‘real’ marriage.”

Sadness unexpectedly seeped through Victoria. No woman would be able to steal that cold, shriveled heart. He’d shut himself up behind high, impenetrable walls.

Deeply disappointed for some reason she couldn’t fathom, she found herself shaking her head. “I can’t marry you.”

He seemed to take root and a stillness overtook his large frame. “You don’t think it would be a good idea for Dylan?”

What was she supposed to say to that? Tell him about her own parents’ failures? And let him realize how poor a mother she might be? Definitely not! “Of course, Dylan would benefit.”

“So why not marry me?”

She shifted restlessly. She thought of her father … ever drifting, never home. Of her mother’s unhappiness. “There’s more to marriage than Dylan.”

His eyes gleamed. “Are you referring to sex?”

Her skin went all tight.

“You don’t want to have sex with me? Is that it?”

Oh, dear God. He’d misunderstood. But sex …

She couldn’t stop staring at him. At the depth of his chest. The large, capable hands. The hard mouth that could smile so gorgeously. Her skin grew tighter. “No … no, I don’t.”

He smiled. It wasn’t a very nice smile. “May I ask why not?”

Damn him.

She wriggled like a bug on a stick. “Because I don’t make love with every conceited, arrogant jerk who comes along.” He shook his head and laughed. “That puts me in my place.”