LITMIR.BIZ

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a parking spot on the street and tried not to run to the door, but a brisk walk was absolutely necessary. After entering the cool, air-conditioned building, Mia took the elevator to the third floor where her doctor’s office was located, and thankfully had weekend hours.

      She entered the carpeted waiting room and signed in on the walk-in tablet. In no time a nurse called her name and Mia started feeling queasy all over again. She could do this. She had to know.

      Thirty minutes later when Mia stumbled out of the office, she rested against the wall in the empty hallway, trying to fathom what her life would be like now.

      Because in thirty-four weeks, she and Bronson were going to have a baby.

      Scandal with a Hollywood Hotshot: Take Two.

       Five

      Mia wanted nothing more than to forget the date with Bronson and hide in her house for the duration of her pregnancy.

      Her pregnancy. She never thought those words would come to her mind when she wasn’t in love, wasn’t married and wasn’t planning for a baby. But there was nothing she could do now except move forward and be upfront and honest with Bronson. And she would have to tell him … sooner rather than later.

      But no matter how Bronson reacted, she wouldn’t think of this baby as a mistake or a burden. The baby didn’t ask to be conceived by two people who couldn’t control their emotions.

      Talk about a mood spoiler. Mia didn’t put on her ugliest, lounge-around-the-house bra and panties, but her plans for her best lingerie were swiftly abandoned. After she dropped this bombshell tonight, she seriously doubted Bronson would want to see how she filled out her newest Victoria’s Secret purchase. And why was she even having those thoughts? That’s the same path of destruction that had gotten her in this situation.

      Dammit, they’d used a condom.

      If she thought she’d been nervous before she found out the results, that anxiety was nothing compared to the thought of telling Bronson that he was going to be a father. She recalled that he’d been engaged before and they’d been expecting a baby, but his ex-fiancée had miscarried. What would he feel now? How would he react to another baby?

      She’d rehearsed in her head over and over just the right way to say it, but was there really a right way to upend someone’s life? She certainly wasn’t his fiancée, was barely his lover. So how were they going to handle this arrangement?

      Not only that, this scandal would send the media into another feeding frenzy. First she’s accused of sleeping with Anthony and breaking up his marriage, and now she’s carrying Bronson’s child.

      Just wait until the media circus discovered the two men were brothers. Wouldn’t that just burn up the phone lines from reporter to reporter? She didn’t want to even think about the headlines surrounding her when that time came.

      Mia nearly laughed at the irony. Now she knew two secrets that would surely have Bronson reevaluating life and the hand it dealt him.

      When her doorbell rang, she jumped. With a calming breath and a quick prayer, Mia left the comfort of her bedroom, smoothed a hand down her blue halter dress and went to answer the door.

      She greeted Bronson with a smile, but just seeing him caused an ache she hadn’t expected. She truly cared what he would do and say, but she was especially interested to see how he would handle this news emotionally, because soon another bomb would drop in his life that was just as big as him being a father.

      His eyes raked over her. “You have no idea how glad I am we aren’t going out. You look amazing.”

      Mia swallowed the lump of guilt and tamped down the arousal from his words. “Thank you.”

      She closed the door behind her and accepted his hand as he led her to his black luxury SUV. Just as she grabbed for the handle, he reached around her and opened the door. But before she could climb in, he took her shoulders and turned her back against the side of the car.

      “I can’t wait any longer for a sample.”

      Bronson’s lips came down on hers and Mia had no choice but to melt into him. His hands settled on her waist as he pulled her lower body against his. With a grip on his muscular biceps, Mia returned the kiss with all the passion she had because—baby or no baby—she still craved this man like no other.

      Obviously, their time apart hadn’t banished her from his mind. In a sense she was thrilled that the ever-present attraction wasn’t one-sided, but his feelings were likely going to change when he learned about the baby.

      Bronson stepped back. “We may have to have the main course first.”

      Mia didn’t even have to ask—she knew the main course was not something his chef had whipped up in the kitchen.

      She climbed up into the SUV, sighing when he closed her door. She could do this. Millions of women broke the news of pregnancy all the time. Once the secret was out in the open, they’d be able to move on and deal with the consequences of their night together.

      Bronson climbed in and brought the engine to life. When they were on the freeway headed to his Beverly Hills mansion, he took hold of her hand. “Everything okay? You seem awfully quiet.”

      “Everything’s fine,” she told him, nerves growing stronger with each passing second. “Just ready to relax.”

      Yeah, as if that were possible.

      “You’re not still feeling sick are you? Did that pass?”

      Mia suppressed the groan. “It passed.” But it’ll be back in the morning.

      “Great, because my cook made the most amazing Alfredo lasagna with a freshly tossed salad and vinaigrette dressing. I also have Italian bread and tiramisu for dessert.”

      Impressed, Mia smiled. “Wow. You know I’m Italian, right? I’m a harsh critic.”

      He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and laughed. “I always aim to please, Mia, and I know you’ll enjoy everything I have in store for this evening.”

      The Mia who’d initially agreed to come have dinner with him would no doubt enjoy everything he had to offer. The pregnant, shocked, petrified Mia … not as eager. She had a feeling a lot of harsh words might be spoken and feelings would be hurt before the end of the night.

      But when did she announce the news? Before dinner when they’d barely had a chance to talk? Or after when he’d no doubt put those seductive moves on her?

      Definitely between the dinner and before the moves, because Mia knew once he started roaming those talented hands over her body, she’d be done. And it would be very, very wrong to take advantage of the situation when she had information that would almost certainly change the mood.

      But would he be excited about the baby, about another Dane entering the dynasty? Mia hadn’t paid that much attention to the press when he’d been engaged and lost a baby before, since she’d worked for Anthony at that time. But she knew a little bit about Bronson. He was a family man, and that loss of a child had to have nearly destroyed him. How would he accept another baby? And Mia couldn’t help but selfishly wonder where she factored into this equation.

      As they pulled into his gated drive, Bronson punched in a code and the lacey gates, complete with wrought-iron initials, parted and slid to either side of the drive.

      She didn’t know what to expect of Bronson’s house, maybe a version of his mother’s in that sleek white, Mediterranean style. But Bronson’s three-story home exuded masculinity with the dark brick and large windows on each floor. Tall palms surrounded the curved home with a circle drive. No frilly flowers for him. Everything was green, lush and thriving.

      “Your home is beautiful, Bronson.”

      He pulled into the attached four-car garage, closing the door behind them, sending them into darkness.

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