Chapter 12
CHAPTER 12
M elanie straightened her seat belt in the private plane as they prepared to land. Four rows of plush leather seats, each with a table in front, lined the cabin. Colton sat across the table from her. After a long morning of mending fences on both ranches, they’d swung by his cabin for clothes, and then they’d headed for the plane.
Where Colton furiously plunked away on his laptop.
They hadn’t talked, and she didn’t know what to say, anyway. He appeared obsessed with his meeting, and she studied him as he continued to pound away on the laptop, even though the plane descended to land.
She’d never seen the business side of him—not really.
He’d made several phone calls during the short flight, and the financial numbers he’d rattled off had been impressive. For once, the charming cowboy had been replaced with a genius shark now wearing a suit.
A black suit that emphasized his size and strength in a way that dampened her thighs. She glanced down to make sure her bra still functioned properly. Yep. Any evidence of her arousal remained safely hidden. Thank goodness.
He clicked the laptop closed, and she jumped.
One eyebrow rose. His mask of charm had disappeared and left a man staring at her with an intensity that sped up her breath. In the darkened plane, the blue of his eyes took on a midnight hue. “We should talk about last night.”
“No.” The word emerged—an instant defense against anything he could say. She settled her hands on her flowered skirt. “Thank you, though.”
His unwavering gaze remained on her. “Yes. We’re involved, and now you’re heading to a sperm bank. I used a condom last night?—”
“Of-course-you-used-a-condom.” She breathed the words out as quick as she could. “Colton. I’m not asking you to get me pregnant.”
He wet his lips. “I know. But things have changed, and I, ah…”
Things had certainly become complicated. Melanie cursed her body for putting her in this position. Her heart ached. “Are you saying if I have somebody else’s baby you don’t want to see me? I mean, we’re not really seeing each other. One night…that wasn’t even a night. I mean, it was one orgasm. Okay, two for me and one for you. But?—”
“Jesus, Mel. Take a breath.” He leaned back. “I care for you, I?—”
“Stop.” The last thing she needed involved him letting her off easy. Hurt flowed through her, and she shoved the pain away. “Last night was just sex, Colt. One time, and it’s over. There’s no need to feel obligated, nor is there a reason to ruin our friendship. Let’s forget it.”
He finally blinked. “I don’t want to forget it.”
Her head jerked up, and her lungs heated. Unwelcome and warm, hope coiled through her chest. “Huh?”
“I just want some time. To ease into this and figure out what it is. I mean, it’s us, ” he said.
She forced her shoulders to relax. Logic didn’t apply to the situation. “I know.”
“So let’s explore the new us.” He straightened his understated tie. “I’ve dated a lot of women?—”
“I know that, too,” she said dryly.
He shot her a look. “None of them have meant an iota of what you mean to me.”
Her heart thumped. Hard. “The problem is I don’t have time. Not really.” If she ever wanted to have a baby, now was the time. Even so, chances weren’t good. At the thought, she finally accepted this path. She’d do everything she could to have a baby.
He shoved his hand through his hair. “I know. But?—”
The wheels set down with a minor thump, and they rolled as the pilot applied the brakes. Colton sighed and unbuckled his belt, waiting until the plane taxied to the private hangar before standing and swiftly opening the door. He held out a hand. “I have a car waiting.”
She halted in standing and then took his hand. He wouldn’t have a limo, would he? No way could she go to a sperm bank in a limo. No way. “My life is becoming a bad sitcom.” She followed him down the steps.
“What?” Colton asked, turning around.
“Nothing.” Relief filled her at spotting the black Camaro waiting by the plane with its top already down. Seattle had been experiencing a very nice March with an ever-present sun, unlike Montana. “Nice car.”
He grinned. “I thought you’d like it.” Accepting their overnight bags from one of the pilots, he tossed them in the trunk.
Melanie slipped into the passenger seat, taking a moment to appreciate the smooth leather. “I still don’t understand why we needed to bring overnight bags. We’re heading home today, right?” In addition, she might leave town knocked up. She blinked. No matter what Colton said, her becoming pregnant would put a damper on whatever they’d just started. If they had started something. Chances were?—
“Stop thinking so hard.” Colton unfolded his length into the driver’s seat. “My meetings may go late, and we might have to stay the night. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.” The deep timbre of his voice slid right under her skin to spring nerves to life.
“Stop flirting with me.” She buckled her seat belt.
“I’m not.”
Goodness help her if he started. She sighed. “Now isn’t a good time for us to start something.”
“Yet we did.” He ignited the engine and smoothly drove the powerful car through the quiet private airport to the main road. “It’s not like you’re getting inseminated today, anyway. This is a preliminary consultation, right?”
She swallowed. “Normally, but with my circumstances, they said they’d expedite the process if I want. I made the appointment months ago in case the embryo freezing didn’t work, and they should have my files and medical history by now.”
“Oh.” His hands visibly tightened on the steering wheel. “I’ll cancel my meeting and go with you.”
“No.” Panic tasted like acid. “If I’m going to do this by myself, be a single mom, then I should do it all by myself.” The idea of Colton sitting outside the door while she had her feet in stirrups, changing her entire life, made her head spin. “Thanks, though.”
He cut her a look that shot straight for her panties. What was wrong with her? She couldn’t arrive at a sperm bank turned on.
Life had gotten too weird too quickly.
Would she go through with it? For the first time in weeks, she didn’t know.
Colton ignored the spectacular view of the Seattle skyline outside the conference room window, his mind spinning. He shouldn’t have dropped Melanie off at the sperm bank. But she’d insisted, and he didn’t have a right to accompany her.
Melanie. Pregnant. Not with his kid.
Which one of those statements bothered him the most? He hated to admit it, especially since they’d never even been on a real date, but if there was a kid in there, he wanted it to be his.
What was going on in his head?
Settling down didn’t factor into his plans at this stage of life. Sure, it worked for his brothers, but he had just gotten started with his career. Frankly, he’d liked playing the field. A lot. He had his plan, and the idea of altering it sent chills down his back. Plus, well, it was Melanie. She deserved somebody established in life, somebody ready to take care of her.
He’d be that guy if his plan went along the correct course, but not for a while. Right now, he was just starting out—and he may have already screwed up.
When he thought of forever, when he envisioned something real, Melanie’s face filled his mind. He didn’t want to plan his life with anyone else. To wake up with every morning, and to grow old and cranky with. Only Melanie.
And he’d just dropped her at a sperm bank alone.
“So what do you think?” Mark Manning, the CEO of Greenfield LLC asked, shoving his wire rims up his pointy nose.
Colton frowned at the only other person in the conference room. “About what?”
Mark sat back, his scrawny neck moving. “About our financial shortcomings. Can you invest more money?”
Colton leaned forward and made sure he had Mark’s full attention before replying. “No.”
Mark sighed. “Then I’m not sure what we’ll do.”
Colton flipped open the report in front of him and grabbed his pen. “You’ll reallocate these resources here…and these here.” He proceeded to step-by-step to show Mark how he’d not only climb out of the red but start making money.
Mark finally sat back. “I think you’re right.”
Colton smiled while keeping his eyes hard. “I know. Also, you should be aware that if you ask me for more money again, I’m going to shoot you.”
Mark laughed and quickly sobered, his light brows slanting down. “Are you serious?”
“Yes.” Okay, he wouldn’t shoot Mark, but he might beat the crap out of him. “I told you not to invest in the other natural-oil company, and you didn’t listen. Now I have to go back to my board of directors and tell them times are going to be tight for the next year.” His board was his family, and he hated letting them down. But after the tough year, he’d work his ass off until times would be flush again, hopefully.
A flush time he’d like to spend with Melanie. The woman had never traveled. He’d love to take her somewhere warm for a winter vacation, somewhere they could find a private beach and play nude. Those breasts would probably burn. He loved her breasts.
His head jerked up. He had to stop her. If she needed a baby, he’d give her one.
Standing, he quickly shook Mark’s hand. “I have to go. Send me weekly reports until we’re back on track.” Ignoring Mark’s look of surprise, he hustled out of the office ran toward the car parked on the street.
Would it be too late?
The curse words he hissed as he maneuvered in and out of traffic compiled into a crazy flow of expressions. Where did people learn to drive? Finally, he double parked in front of the skyscraper housing the sperm bank.
Running inside, he scanned the kiosk near the elevators. Fifth floor. She was on the fifth floor.
He skipped the elevator for the stairs, taking them two at a time. He burst into the waiting room, and several people glanced up from filling out forms. Lots of forms.
Long strides propelled him across the room to the receptionist’s granite desk. “I need to see Melanie Jacoby. Now.”
The receptionist, a buxom middle-aged redhead with deep frown lines, shook her head. “I’m sorry, but she’s in a procedure room.”
Oh, hell no. His brain had shut down hours ago, so his body took over. He shoved open the door next to the desk and hurried down a long hallway lined with closed doors. His boots echoed on the fake wooden floors.
“Melanie,” he bellowed, trying doorknobs.
One door opened to reveal a nude fat guy holding a plastic cup, and Colton yelped, slamming the door. “Sorry, dude. Lock the door.” That image burned in his retinas for life.
“Melanie Jacoby,” he yelled louder.
A door opened farther down, and Melanie stepped out, pamphlets in her hands and her eyes wide. “What in the world?”
He took a deep breath. “Don’t do this. Have my baby instead.”