Baby for the Billionaire(151)

A moment later Connor asked blandly, “Do you want sugar in your tea?”

The incongruity of it all struck her. She’d slept with a man who knew barely anything about her, who didn’t even know how she took her tea. Yet he was her husband—and now he knew exactly what intimacies made her go wild with delight.

As for herself, she suspected she was falling headlong in love with her handsome husband. The thought of being at a man’s mercy was what she’d always dreaded. But it was proving to be the most sensual, most emotional experience of her life. Nothing like what her mother had experienced.

“One spoon, please.”

He stirred it in. Hitching Dylan higher, he picked up the cup and saucer and came around the bed end.

As Connor put the tea down on the bed stand, Dylan grunted in protest and wriggled in his arms, clearly intent on diving into the covers. Laughing, Victoria hoisted the baby into her arms and buried her nose in his soft neck, making snuffling sounds that caused him to wriggle more wildly. Happiness soared through her.

Dylan grabbed at her hair.

“Ow.” Victoria carefully freed his fingers from the silky strands. Connor stooped forward to help. Dylan, finally spying an opening, dived under Connor’s arm in search of the tea cup.

“Hot,” Victoria said. Dylan reared away, already recognizing the warning.

A pile of newspapers landed on the bed beside her. “Why don’t you take it easy. Drink your tea, and take the opportunity to read the paper?”

She laughed. “Opportunity? With Dylan to help?”

“I’d planned to take Dylan to shower with me.”

“Ooh, he’ll love that.” And she gave Connor a glowing smile. “Thank you. I can’t remember when last I relaxed and simply lazed in bed.”

Shadows darkened the eyes that looked down into hers. Her heart contracted. They both knew the last time for either of them to relax without a care had been before that watershed weekend when Michael and Suzy had been killed.

Her throat tightened … her happiness, this dizzy emotional roller coaster, had followed the worst tragedy of her life. The terrible, wrenching loss that had taken Suzy from her had given her Dylan—and brought Connor into her life. He was far from being the total jerk she’d always thought he was—she’d discovered a side of him she liked … loved … that she wanted to get to know better.

It was insane.

Connor bent forward and kissed her forehead. “Take it easy, Tory. Dylan and I will make breakfast after our shower.” He swept the baby off the covers and jiggled Dylan up and down. “Won’t we, big guy?”

At the familiar name, she gave him a misty smile, then settled herself against the pillows and listened to Dylan’s crowing with glee.

“Thanks, Connor. It sounds like heaven.”

He hesitated. “I seem to remember Suzy calling you Tory. Everyone else calls you Victoria?”

“Well, yes, it’s my name, after all.”

“Don’t get smart,” he growled, swotting her bottom.

“I’ve never liked being called Vicki.”

“What about Tory? Do you like that?”

A pang shot through her. “Only Suzy and her parents ever called me that. It made it very special. Now they’re all gone.”

A brief silence fell.

At last Connor said gruffly, “Tory suits you. Makes me think of the toffee-gold in your eyes. It’s much less of a mouthful than Victoria.”

“You can call me Tory if you want,” she offered.

“I think I will.” He looked down at the baby curled against him. “Don’t you think so, Dyl?”

Dylan gooed.

Grinning at her, Connor said, “He agrees I should call you Tory.”

Still smiling, as Connor disappeared with the baby into the en suite, Victoria thought about the unexpected turn her life had taken.

And the Connor she’d discovered last night had blown her mind. Gentle. Passionate. She’d never intended to sleep with him, but it had been so right. She couldn’t bring herself to regret the annihilation of their no-sex pact, even though she suspected last night was going to change everything between them.

For the better.

From the bathroom she could hear the rumble of her lover’s deep voice and Dylan’s squeals.

He’d assured her he wouldn’t leave her high and dry. They had a chance to be the family she’d never dared dream of.