Forged in Steele (KGI #7)(36)

He’d provide financial support, but she didn’t need that from him. She had an inheritance from her grandparents that she’d split with her brother, and her own parents provided generously whether it was medical equipment and supplies she needed or basic requirements like food and clothing.

She could always move back to the United States and open a private practice, but the thought of that depressed her. She wasn’t cut out for it. With her upbringing, there had never been a question of her having a cushy office, making rounds at a hospital and scheduling time off for vacations. She’d known from the start that she wanted to be a doctor, and she wanted to follow in her parents’ footsteps by traveling the world and offering her services to those who wouldn’t otherwise have quality healthcare.

But she was also practical, and she knew that with the news of her pregnancy came the knowledge that at least for the short term, her plans would have to change. She’d do nothing that put her child at risk.

Her priorities had changed in the blink of an eye. One night of burning-up-the-sheets hot sex had irrevocably altered the course of her life. And maybe Steele’s as well.

She just hoped like hell he didn’t hate her for it. While she shared responsibility for her pregnancy, it certainly wasn’t entirely her fault. Whatever damn condoms he’d used were faulty!

Or maybe he was such a badass that a condom couldn’t hold his little swimmers back.

She laughed at that thought and wiped a hand over her face to relieve some of the tightness. Then she stared back down at the lab report and sighed.

She was done for the day. Patients were long gone. And she still sat in her office as dusk descended, staring at a piece of paper that had upended her entire existence. What she needed was to go back to her cottage, fix herself a nice cup of hot tea and put her feet up.

And then she had to hope that Steele wasn’t gone for weeks on whatever mission he’d been called up on. Now that the initial shock had worn off, her anxiety was through the roof. Steele needed to know so he could process whatever surprise he felt, and then they could work together to find the best solution for their child.

Their child.

She rubbed her belly again as awe set in. She was going to have a baby.

No, it certainly wasn’t the way she’d planned it. Granted, she wasn’t getting any younger, but she’d always figured she’d find a nice guy, maybe even a doctor who shared her goals, settle down, get married and then have children. Much as her own parents had done. Then she and her husband could travel the world with their kids, showing them all the things she’d been shown as a child.

Unfortunately none of that was going to happen now. She was doing it all backward.

Still, the thought of a baby wasn’t an unwelcome one. It would definitely take time to process everything and come to terms with all the many ways her life would change. She smiled, already picturing a little boy or girl with blond hair and blue eyes.

She rose from her seat and collected her bag. On her way through the clinic to the front entrance, she turned off the lights. She mentally rehearsed how she’d tell Steele of her pregnancy.

He’d come back expecting to pick up where they left off, and maybe they even would have worked out some sort of an arrangement where they’d see each other as often as possible. Or perhaps theirs was only a temporary relationship, and after the initial passion and furor, things would die down and they’d gradually stop seeing each other at all.

But none of that was going to happen now. Whatever might have happened over a period of time was no longer a consideration. Their futures were now inexorably linked. They would always share a child and they would always share parental duties and responsibilities.

She pushed open the door and let herself out, turning the key in the lock before pocketing it again. When she turned to take the path to her cottage she nearly ran right into a huge, shadowy form.

“Damn it!” she exclaimed as she hastily stepped back. “Enough already! That’s the second time you’ve scared the wits out of me. What’s with hanging around the door of the clinic waiting for me to come out? Haven’t you ever heard of knocking? Or announcing your presence?”

Mendoza’s errand hulk didn’t seem bothered by her outburst. He stood solemnly, not giving an inch, staring back at her expectantly. What the hell did he expect?

It had been weeks since her last encounter with him and she’d written the entire thing off, thinking Mendoza had forgotten about her. Stupid, but it was what she’d assumed.

“It wasn’t my intention to alarm you, señorita.”

“Yeah? Well, you could have fooled me.”

Fear made her words sharper than she intended. His eyes narrowed and he took a step forward. She immediately backed up, putting as much distance between them as possible.

“Señor Mendoza regrets that you were unable to accept his last dinner invitation and wishes to extend another invitation for this evening. I will of course escort you myself.”

She took a deep breath, weighing her options. Even if she made it to her cottage, it would prove no barrier to this man if he really wanted entrance. She needed to keep her calm and make it clear she had no interest in Javier Mendoza. Politely, of course.

“Please extend my apologies to Señor Mendoza. With my schedule I don’t have time for social calls. Now if you’ll excuse me, it’s been a very long, very tiring day, and all I’d like to do is return to my home so I can rest.”