The Billionaire's Christmas Baby(8)

Once she’d found out his new name, information about Jackson had been easy. Jackson had started his own software company after graduating college, and he and his partner had turned it into a billion dollar company within ten years. His accomplishments were impressive, especially considering all he’d been through growing up. They shared a few similarities, not that he’d have any way of knowing that. She also knew that for all his success and all his money, he was notoriously private. So, her coming here declaring she knew things about his past must be disconcerting to say the least.

“Why don’t I show you the guest room and find some things for you to wear while the water boils?” he asked, walking back into the room. The impact of his words and the fact that she was going to stay overnight with him caused a ripple of hesitation through her body. She was a confident, independent, successful woman, so why did he make her feel like she was an insecure, self-conscious fifteen-year-old? Because he was nothing like the men she was used to. Not that she dated much, but when she did, they were not the intimidating type. She gravitated towards men that weren’t so tall, so built…so…

Jackson clearing his throat reminded her that he’d asked her something. Right. Wear? Was he going to offer her his clothes? Or did he have a stash from past girlfriends?

She forced a smile, trying to look her best to appear nonchalant, like she did this kind of thing all the time. “Yeah, that would be great.”

He nodded and walked past her, down the hallway adjacent to the kitchen.

“Come with me,” he said, not waiting for her. Hannah gave a quick glance to Emily and then followed him down the hall. There were three doors. Jackson passed the first room without saying anything and she assumed it was his. Hannah resisted the urge to peek her head in. From the looks of things around here, she could bet it was spotless. He stopped at the second door and Hannah pulled back abruptly before she walked into him.

“This is the washroom.” He flicked on the light switch and Hannah looked inside. It was a spacious, square washroom, and looked as though it had been recently renovated, much like the rest of the cabin. Rustic, tumbled marble floors in a creamy, earthy tone were the backdrop to the large, freestanding deep soaker tub. A massive, sparkling glass shower enclosure, with a rain-shower head, looked as good as it had on the bathroom special she’d just watched on TV. A neutral marble counter with matching his and hers sinks sat atop mahogany cabinets.

Hannah’s eyes settled on Jackson’s razor and toothbrush on the counter. Seeing his belongings felt oddly personal, private.

“Does it meet your approval?”

Hannah forced a smile. “It’s beautiful. Really, I’m sorry about how I intruded on you.”

The half smile that had teased his lips fell slightly, and his dark eyes held a note of surprise. Hannah took a step back. She didn’t know how they’d ended up standing so close, close enough that she could see the tiny flecks of cognac in his eyes, and the dark stubble on his face. And smell the fresh, woodsy aftershave he wore…

“And?”

“We honestly never meant to spend the night here.”

“Whatever.” He walked into the washroom and opened a dark drawer, pulled out a toothbrush still in its packaging, along with a square basket wrapped in clear cellophane filled with women’s toiletries. He must have a lot of female guests.

“Help yourself to whatever you need, though I don’t have anything a baby could want.” He flicked off the switch and walked to the room next door without waiting for her to reply. He opened the next door, the one directly across from his, and felt for the light switch.

“This is beautiful.” There was a king-sized mahogany sleigh-bed with a chocolate brown velvet duvet and matching throw pillows that looked so magnificent and comfortable that Hannah fought the urge to run over and sink into it. A stone fireplace was on the outside wall, with two leather armchairs in front of it accompanied by matching side tables and an antique rug.

“Thanks,” Jackson said, walking past her and turning on the bedside lamp.

Hannah tucked her hair behind one ear. “You have good taste.”

He smiled a patronizing, bored smile. “I had an interior designer do it.”

Of course he did, Hannah. As if he would have spent weeks picking out fabrics for curtains and duvet covers. “Oh. Well. She, or whoever did a great job.”

Hannah walked over to the bed and opened her purse. She felt like an idiot for letting her guard down and actually trying to have a conversation with him. Why couldn’t he have been the stereotypical computer geek with pale skin, thick glasses, and scrawny body? Maybe if she started getting settled he’d get the hint and leave her alone for a few minutes, long enough to contact Mrs. Ford and let her know that she was going to be delayed.

“I’ll get you some something to sleep in,” he said, leaving the room.

A minute later, Jackson was beside her holding a folded navy blue T-shirt. “Here, it’ll be a bit big, but it should be okay for one night.”

Hannah took the T-shirt without looking at him and placed it on the bed. It was his. “Thanks.”

“I’ll be in the kitchen whenever you want that hot water.”

“Sure,” she mumbled. This was going to be the longest night of her life. She hoped Emily would sleep well tonight. She could use all the rest she could get.