Billionaire Baby Dilemma by Barbara Dunlop

he could see her mind working over that one.
    â€œNothing.” He answered his own question.
    â€œThen why do it?”
    Fair point. “Impulse,” he answered honestly. “I was moved by your commitment to celibacy for the benefit of your sister. I found it sweet and self-sacrificing.” Why didn’t he shut up?
    â€œYou’re not ending my celibacy, Lucas. No way, no how.”
    Lucas felt his jaw drop open. He’d had no intention… He hadn’t even thought about… Okay, he’d thought about it, but that was only last night after their kiss, it had nothing to do with his invitation to the dance. Nothing.
    â€œYour celibacy is safe with me,” he told her, forcing himself to keep eyes front. If he gave in to temptation and let his gaze dip, she’d probably deck him. And she’d be justified.
    She seemed to relax a bit. “Then you might want to stop salivating.”
    â€œDream on.”
    She tilted her head. “You can’t kiss me.”
    â€œI’m not going to kiss you.” Did she mean right now, or at the dance?
    â€œIt’s not a date,” she warned.
    â€œIt’s not a date,” he agreed.
    He could see her hesitating. “How many months since your last one?” he dared to ask.
    Her blue eyes flared. “Don’t rub it in.”
    â€œI’m trying to convince you to get out and have some fun.” He forced himself to remove his hand from her arm and took a step back, giving her some space. “You’re the one who thinks life should be a perpetual party.”
    â€œI didn’t say that.”
    â€œTrust me, the Saturna Club will be way better than faded patio lanterns, wine in a box and burnt hamburger.”
    â€œThe burgers weren’t burnt.”
    He shot her a skeptical look.
    She stuck her nose in the air. “They were well done, that’s all.”
    He couldn’t help but grin.
    And she socked him in the arm. “Fine. I’ll come to your stupid ball.”
    He chuckled. “Aren’t you just the little charm school graduate?”
    She stared to walk away. “I’m doing the dishes now.”
    He gathered up a load and followed her. “I’ll do the dishes for you.”
    She called back over her shoulder, “Do you even know how?”
    He did. Sort of. It had been a while. Probably quite a few years, now that he thought about it.
    â€œYou go sit down,” he told her.
    She looked tired. And he’d been reminded of how tough the last few months must have been for her. He didn’t exactly feel guilty about her troubles, but he was willing to do the dishes for her.
    To his surprise, she was finished fighting. She plopped herself down on the couch, pulled a pattered blanket over her bare legs and let him tackle the cleanup himself.
    By the time he was finished, she’d fallen asleep right there on the worn striped sofa. It was nearly ten o’clock, and it was a long drive back for the three of them. They needed to get going.
    He whispered her name, but she didn’t stir.
    He reached out to shake her, but he didn’t have the heart.
    Instead, he bundled her up with the blanket and carried her into her bedroom. Her feet were bare, and he caught himself gazing at her legs, the curve of her hip and her rounded breasts beneath the white tank top before he could bring himself to pull the quilt over her.
    He could have easily left her there and headed home. He was certain she’d bring Amelia back to his place in the morning. But as he headed back down the hall, he found a small guest room, with a hard narrow bed, a white painted dresser and the ugliest gauzy curtains he’d ever seen. The blankets were scratchy, and the sheets were worn, but for some reason he couldn’t think of anywhere else he wanted to be.

Five
    D evin woke up in her own bed, disoriented because the sun was so high in the sky. Her first panicked thought was that