âSo you admit that the baby is mine?â Jacob demanded.
âOf course,â KC said, as if it made perfect sense under the circumstances.
Jacob stalked closer. âWhy would you do this, KC? Was I really so horrible that you refused to let me be a part ofâthis?â
âThat was never the issue, Jacobââ
âThen what was? Because I canât imagine one big enough that you told yourself it was okay to deceive me. To keep my son a secret from me.â
Her arms crossed over her ribs, pushing those delectable breasts higher in the tank top. Something he shouldnât notice right now. At all.
âI was afraid,â she said. âGoing away just seemed the safest thing until I was sure what to do.â
âSafe? How? What the hell would safety have to do with it? I would never hurt you.â
âI know that, Jacob, but it wasnâtââ
âFact is, you deprived me of three months of knowing my son,â he choked out. âNot a note, a card or a call. Hell, not even a text. By the way, Iâm pregnant.â
Heâd made himself available, chased after her like a dog with no sense, and this was what he got for it.
This time, he didnât stop moving until he loomed over her petite frame. âSo now, Iâll have what I want.â
* * *
The Blackstone Heir is part of the No. 1 bestselling series from Mills & Boon>® Desire>â¢, Billionaires and BabiesâPowerful men ⦠wrapped around their babiesâ little fingers.
One
âHello, beautiful.â
KC Gatlin heard the bell of a store door as she walked past on the sidewalk, but it simply registered as background noise. That voice, on the other hand, landed like a grenade on her senses. She could still hear the same words, the same deep sigh as she opened her door to him for the first time. Only this time he sounded not just sexy, but surprised.
Turning slowly, she found herself face-to-face with a man she had hoped not to see for many long, long months. The expectation was unrealistic, she knew, considering she once again lived in the same town as his family. The town he came home to visit often. His appearance now marked the approach of sure disaster, even as it brought into sharp focus how much sheâd craved a glimpse of his tall runnerâs build and the unique blend of blonds in his close-cropped hair.
âJacob Blackstone,â she said, stalling while her brain struggled to come up with the flirty, easy responses for which she was known. They made her great tips as a waitress and bartender. But now, when she needed flippancy the most, it remained scarce. âWhatâre you doing here?â
Stupid. There was a very logical reason why he would be here: to check on his invalid mother, Lily Blackstone, now that his grandfather was dead and his brother Aiden had moved home. KC had just hoped to catch a few monthsâ breather before facing her past.
Facing her mistakes.
âI mean, what are you doing on this end of town?â At least that question made sense. After all, Blackstone Manor was on the other side of Black Hills. But her fears, along with the steady, sober gaze of her former lover, had her brains whisked around like scrambled eggs. She had to get a handle on the panic jangling along her nerves.
He held up a small shopping bag. âBandages. I needed to pick some up on my way home from work.â
âAre you hurtâwait, home from work?â She tilted her head back for a better view of Jacobâs face. Sheâd loved his height when they were together; how it sheltered her, protected her. Too bad that feeling of security had been nothing but an illusion.
âYes, from the mill.â He didnât look away, his gorgeous amber eyes with their unusual swirl of dark chocolate boring into her. She wanted a break from his unrelenting stare...and paradoxically wished she could bask in his attention. While her reactions ricocheted inside her, he went on, âI guess you havenât been home long enough to hear the news?â His voice rose at the end in a question, along with his brow.
âI guess not. I just moved back this week.â Her stomach slowly turned over. Once. Then again. Why had her family not told her before she came home? The answer was obvious: they wanted her here, with them. She might never have returned if sheâd known Jacob was now a permanent resident of Black Hills again.