The Ceo's Unexpected Child

Claire narrowed her gaze at him. She definitely didn’t like him pushing her. And he was pushing her. Partially because he liked to see the fire in her eyes and the flush of her skin, and partially because it was necessary to get through to her.

Neither of them had asked for this to happen to them, but she needed to learn she wasn’t in charge. They had to cooperate if this awkward situation was going to improve. He’d started off nice, politely requesting to see Eva, and he’d been flatly ignored. As each request was met with silence, he’d escalated the pressure. That’s how they’d ended up here today. If she pushed him any more, he would start playing hardball. He didn’t want to, but he would crush her like his restaurants’ competitors.

“We can work together and play nice, or Edmund here can make things very difficult for you. As he said, it’s your choice.”

“My choice? Hardly.” She sniffed and crossed her arms over her chest.

The movement pressed her abundant bosom up against the neckline of her jacket, giving him a glimpse of rosy cleavage. Her blush traveled lower than he expected. It made him want to know exactly how much lower.

“Mr. Moretti?”

Luca jerked his gaze from Claire’s chest and met her heated stare. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I said, you have my hands tied. You aren’t even listening to me. How can we negotiate when you aren’t listening?”

Luca swallowed his embarrassment, covering it with the confident, unaffected mask he usually wore. It had been a long time since he’d lost his focus during business discussions, much less because of a beautiful woman. Apparently, he had been working too much and needed some companionship so he didn’t lose his edge. “And how are we to negotiate when you refuse to move from your position? You won’t listen to anything that isn’t just the way you want it.”

“That is not—”

“Claire,” her lawyer interrupted in a harsh whisper. “We need to consider what they’re offering.”

“I don’t want to consider it. This whole thing is ridiculous. We’re done here,” she said, pushing up from her seat to stand.

“That’s fine,” Luca said, sitting back in his chair. Time to turn the screws. “I think you’ll look lovely in orange.”

“Orange?” Claire asked, some of her previous fire starting to cool.

“Yes. Prison jumper orange to be exact. If the judge orders visitation and you don’t comply, you could end up in jail. That’s fine with me, really. That means I’ll get full custody of Eva.”

“Sit down, Claire,” Stuart said.

Her brave facade crumbled as she slipped back down into her chair. Finally, he’d gotten through to her. The last thing he wanted to do was to send a young mother to jail, but he would. He was not the kind of man who bluffed, so it was a wise time for her to listen.

Claire sighed and leaned forward, folding her delicate, manicured fingers together on the glass table. “I just don’t think you understand what you’re asking of me. Do you have nieces or nephews, Mr. Moretti?”

Did he? He was from a big Italian family. With five brothers and sisters he had more nieces and nephews than he could count on two hands. The newest, little Nico, was only a few weeks old. “I do.”

“And how would you feel if one of your sisters was in my position? If her husband died and she was blindsided by the news that he wasn’t the father of her child? Then to be forced to hand over your niece to a stranger because of circumstances outside her control?”

That made Luca frown. He ran the family enterprise with his brothers by his side. His whole life revolved around Moretti Enterprises. Family—blood—was everything to him. That’s why Eva was so important. Regardless of circumstances, she was family. The idea of letting Nico go off with someone they didn’t know was unnerving, even if that man had the right. Perhaps he needed to change his tactics with Claire. Bullying would not change her mind any more than it would change his sister’s mind.

“I understand how hard this must be for you. Despite what you might think, Mrs. Douglas, I’m not keen to snatch your baby from your arms. But I do want to get to know my daughter and be a part of her life. I’m not backing down on that. I think you will be more comfortable with the entire situation if you get to know me better. A lot of your concerns about me and how well I’ll care for Eva will be gone if we spend some time together. By that I mean time with all of us together, so you can be there for every moment and be more at ease with my ability to be a good father.”

Claire’s frown started to fade the more he spoke. “Do you mean like playdates? I appreciate what you’re trying to do, but it’s going to take a long time for me to be comfortable if we’re just spending an hour or two together every Saturday afternoon. How much can I learn about you during the occasional walk through the park?”

Luca shook his head. “Actually, no, that’s not what I mean. You’re right. It’s going to take more time than that.”

“What are you suggesting, Mr. Moretti?” her lawyer asked.

“I’m suggesting we both take a little time away from our jobs and spend it together.”

“Tiptoeing around your penthouse apartment?” Claire asked.

He shrugged. He hadn’t given much thought to where or how. “Why not?”

“I would prefer more neutral territory, Mr. Moretti. I won’t be comfortable in your home, and I doubt you’ll enjoy the mess a baby and all her things can make in your fancy apartment. You’re not going to be happy coming to Brooklyn, either.”

“Okay. What do you think about us taking a vacation together? Renting a beach house or something?”

“Luca, I’m not sure that’s such a good—”

“I’m listening,” she said, interrupting Edmund’s complaint. Claire’s delicate brows then drew together in confusion. “It sounds nice, but how long of a vacation are we talking about, here?”

If they were going to do this, and make it work, they couldn’t skimp. She was right; a few hours here and there wouldn’t get them anywhere. He needed to get to know the mother of his child, to bond with his daughter and to make Claire at ease with him and his ability to care for Eva. That would take time.

“I think a month ought to do it.”

Two (#ulink_89eb85cc-4334-52c3-923c-ffc4bab469ca)

“A month?” Claire was stunned. “Mr. Moretti—”

“Please, call me Luca,” he said with a smile that made her pulse quicken in her throat.

That was a dangerous smile. It was charming. Disarming. Combined with his movie star good looks, it was enough to make her forget that he was the enemy, not a potential paramour. She almost preferred that he return to his cold, businessman expression.

“Luca, I have a job. I’m a curator at the Museum of European Arts. I can’t just leave for a month, especially on short notice.”

“Do you think it will be easy for me to simply turn over the reins of my family company for a month? It will be a hardship for both of us, but it has become very clear that it is a necessity to make this work. We need time away, just the three of us, to get comfortable with one another. Don’t you think Eva’s welfare is worth the sacrifice?”

Nice. Now Luca was the good guy and Claire was the one being unreasonable because she wouldn’t do whatever it took for her daughter. “Of course she’s worth the sacrifice. My daughter is my whole life.”

“Then what’s the problem? The way I see it, our court date with the judge is in six weeks. After spending four of those weeks together, perhaps we can come up with an arrangement that makes both of us happy and can present that to the judge.”

Claire felt Stuart squeeze her knee beneath the table. She didn’t have to look at her lawyer to know that he liked this idea. No one wanted to go up against Edmund Harding in court if they could avoid it. Going to see the judge with both parties on the same page would make things easier on everyone. Including Eva.

That was the thought that won her over. Her boss wouldn’t be happy, but he would understand. He knew what she had been going through the past two years. He’d be the first to tell her she deserved a vacation. Maternity leave was hardly a break. That was just a six-week introduction to the hard life of a single mother.

“Okay. If you agree to take the emergency visitation filing off the table, I’ll agree to your proposal.”

Luca nodded slowly and gestured to his lawyer. “Okay. I’ll make the arrangements for a location.”

“I’d prefer it not be too far away,” Claire said. “Long trips with a baby are difficult, and I’m not sure I’m ready to take her on a plane.”

“I have an old friend from college who has a place on Martha’s Vineyard. Would that suit you?”

Claire tried not to react. Martha’s Vineyard was the summer playground of the rich. Until recently, she’d been solidly middle class, and a vacation locale like that had always seemed out of her reach. The sudden increase in her checking account balance hadn’t changed her mind-set along with her tax bracket. “That would be suitable,” she said, coolly.

“Very well. I’ll speak to Gavin and make sure it’s available. How long will you need to prepare for the trip and arrange the time off?”