Boss Meets Baby(138)

Georgia pulled herself up short. But Keir didn’t love her. That was the whole point. If he had cared for her in the slightest then he wouldn’t have behaved like some aloof, distant stranger towards her when she’d told him she was carrying his baby. He would at least have reassured her that he would stand by her, come— what may…wouldn’t he?

She had no indication of who was behind her until the golden Labrador flew past her in a flurry of sand and wet fur. He stopped just ahead of where she stood, panting hard, his long tail wagging, his black eyes as bright and liquid as a seal’s as he gazed happily up at her.

‘Hamish!’

Immediately bending low to pet him, Georgia felt her heart lift at the sight of the animal, despite her sorrow. Turning her head, she looked up the beach, expecting— to see Lucy or perhaps Euan jogging towards her. Both young people had taken quite a shine to the Labrador, and occasionally walked him for Georgia. But the tall, dark figure walking towards them wasn’t either of Glenteign’s younger staff members.

Georgia froze, convinced for a moment that her eyes must be deceiving her. Why was Keir walking Hamish? He’d never done it before. She didn’t even know if he liked dogs!

She remembered when she’d first arrived his definite withdrawal when she’d suggested that the dog had sensed he was friendly.

Drawing near, he dropped his hands to his hips and blew out a breath. A gust of wind tousled the thick silky strands of his strong black hair and blew them across his indomitable brow. Georgia straightened and pushed her own windblown hair away from her face.

‘When I was nine years old I had a Labrador very much like Hamish,’ he started to tell her.

Transfixed, Georgia hardly dared breathe.

‘I did something to displease my father…I can’t even remember what it was now. Probably I just looked at him the wrong way. It didn’t take much.’

He shrugged and glanced away from her for a moment, his blue eyes glittering.

‘To punish me, he had the dog taken away. I never knew where he had gone and he wouldn’t tell me. I loved that animal more than I cared for either of my parents…but, frankly, that wasn’t hard to do. I think I’ve indicated already that they weren’t the most affectionate— people you could meet. Anyway, I vowed from that day on not to get too close to either another human being or an animal again. I’m afraid I even included poor Robbie in that vow…something that I’ve come to deeply regret. But then you came along, Georgia, and there was something about you that got to me straight away.’

For a moment his lips looked as though they duelled with a smile.

‘You fascinated me right from the start. In fact I’d never reacted so strongly to a woman in all my life! It didn’t take long for my feelings towards you to deepen into something even more compelling. How could they not when I learned of the sacrifices you had made for your brother? I was in total admiration. I’d never known anyone who’d acted so selflessly before…certainly I’d never known anyone who was capable of loving someone as much as you appeared to love Noah. When we first made love I was overwhelmed— by the discovery that you were a virgin. And if I’m honest I wanted you to be mine right from that moment. I’m asking you now Georgia…will you be mine for ever?’

Her mind hungrily trying to absorb everything he’d told her, hardly daring to believe what he was asking her, Georgia trembled so hard she felt giddy. ‘But what about the baby, Keir? You seemed so upset when I told you I was pregnant.’

‘I admit I felt that I’d been hit by a hurricane at the news.’ With a wry grin, he pushed his hands into his jeans pockets. ‘But first of all I was cursing myself for not taking better care to protect you…and secondly I was totally overwhelmed at the idea of being a father. Having not had the best example of fatherhood myself, I naturally wondered if I was capable of being the kind of father I would want for our baby…can you understand that?’

Seeing her expression soften, Keir knew immediately— that she did. Perhaps it was selfish and even arrogant of him to believe that she would forgive him for not immediately welcoming the news when she told him, but even so he didn’t take Georgia’s forgiveness— for granted. She meant far too much to him ever to commit such a folly. Everything he had just confessed was true. She had turned his life around with the love she radiated so unselfishly, and Keir knew he would never be the same brooding, solitary, emotionally— repressed individual again. She had even helped him to see Glenteign with new, far less jaundiced eyes. And now, with the advent of their baby, hopefully— a whole new more joyful chapter would begin for the grand old house and its occupants…

‘I do understand, Keir, and I already know that you’ll be an incredible father. You’ve nothing to fear in that regard.’ Tucking her windblown hair behind her ear, Georgia ventured a smile. ‘But first I need to know that you really do want this baby, and that you won’t feel that I’ve trapped you somehow.’

‘Trapped me?’ Taking a step towards her, Keir impelled her urgently into his arms and his gaze hungrily roved her upturned face. ‘Sweetheart, you trapped me practically the moment I set eyes on you! I love you—and I only want the best for you. I want you to live life on your own terms, Georgia. I don’t want you to put your own needs last on the list ever again—do you hear me?’