SECRET BABY DADDY

  NOELLE LOVE

  Text copyright 2022 Noelle Love

  All rights reserved. This book or parts thereof may not be reproduced in any form, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means- electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise- without prior written permission of the publisher.

  1

  Sarah’s POV

  “Isn't that the most handsome man on earth?” Josephine Sutton, my seventeen-year-old brunette babysitter crooned as I placed the small box of cartoon books on top of the car trunk.

  I groaned. Typical teenager! I had no interest in my new neighbor or his supposed hot looks.

  “Come on, Jo. Stop staring. It's going to be awkward.” It was a lovely Friday in September, and I had an important meeting to attend.

  “Sarah, he's really good-looking. Curly black hair and the coolest, piercing blue eyes ever. Plus, he's got big strong abs. You’ll like him.”

  “No, I won't like my next-door neighbor or anyone else you’re itching to play matchmaker with.”

  Josephine was the sweetest teenager in St. Augustine when she wasn't trying to get me married off to every guy we met. She pushed me to set up a tinder profile last summer—a decision I regretted to this very day. St. Augustine was a small, quaint town, which is exactly why I picked it almost four years ago.

  I turned around to take a peek—not that I was interested. The man was bent over his car and wore a black pair of jeans that molded deliciously against his skin.

  His new car suited him well. A black gleaming mustang that looked out of place in the apartment garage. My new neighbor was obviously super rich.

  He moved at just the perfect angle, and I was drawn to his broad shoulders and strong stature. I turned around sharply. My heart raced because I actually found a man interesting. It was rare!

  “You like him, don't you?” Josephine smiled at my blushing face. Nothing seemed to get past her mischievous green eyes.

  “No. I was only trying to humor you. Are you going to be okay when I leave?”

  “Of course.” She gave me her megawatt smile, and I grinned back. “Rose and I will do just fine.”

  I looked down at my sleeping daughter as she rested in the stroller. She had my coloring and hair, but the rest of her belonged to him, her father. The man I never wanted to think about.

  “Thank you, Jo. You’re saving my ass again this week. I owe you.”

  Jo snorted and waved my effusive thanks away. “You are the kindest person I know, Sarah.”

  I was going to say something when I saw her eyes widen. “Shit, Sarah. Don't breathe.”

  I flipped back an errant strand of hair off my face and wondered why she was freaking out. “What's wrong, Jo?”

  “He's coming over here.”

  My jaw dropped. I didn't need to ask who. I was going to meet my sexy next-door neighbor whether I wanted to or not.

  “Hi, Can I borrow your cell phone, please? My battery’s dead, and I've got an appointment.”

  That voice! I stiffened as the low baritone caressed my ears. I had my back to him, but I could smell his musky aftershave. Like cinnamon, spice, and flowers. A seductive combination that made my pulse race.

  “Sure, you can use Sarah’s,” Jo answered in a mischievous tone.

  I turned to protest, but the words failed to come from my lips as soon as I saw him.

  Ryan Griffon, no way!

  “Sarah?” His ocean-blue eyes twinkled with something I couldn't determine.

  “Do you know her?” Jo was smiling brightly now.

  “Sarah Washington.” His eyes skimmed down my body, and it made me shiver involuntarily.

  Damn. He still had that effect on me after all these years. “Yes. Do I know you?” My words were chipped and cold—just like my heart.

  “Sarah, it's me. Ryan.”

  “I'm afraid I don't know you. You must have me mixed up with somebody else.”

  I turned to face Josephine’s questioning look, but I wasn't in the mood to talk. I kissed Rose’s forehead and sniffed in the scented lotion I applied earlier. Honey lavender with a touch of mint. My daughter was the brightest spot in my life. “Jo, go on inside with Rose. I'm going to call you if anything comes up. Please check Rose’s temperature often, okay?”

  “Okay, Sarah.” She nodded to Ryan and moved back into the apartment with my child in the stroller. I took a deep breath and then turned to face the man I loathed the most in the world.

  “I'm afraid I can't give you my cell phone…Mr. Griffon.”

  His eyes darkened instantly, and he raised an eyebrow. He drew himself up to his full height and gave me a crooked smile. “You should win an Oscar for this stunt, Sarah.”

  “I don't know what you’re talking about?” Maybe he’d back off if I played stranger. Guess I was wrong.

  “Are you really playing this game with me?”

  “Listen, I’ve got an appointment, and I’m late already.” I grabbed the box of books I planned to drop off at the city library. “What are you doing here?” I seethed.

  “Definitely not following you. I moved here last month. Funny how we never ran into each other all this time.”

  I thought about that too, and a hint of morose emotions swept through my heart. How could fate be so cruel? “What are you doing here, Ryan? Bored with the billionaire lifestyle?”

  “It's good to see you too, Sarah. You look beautiful. Do you ever age?”

  My cheeks burned red and a tinge of pleasure rushed through my body at his words. I was glad I had listened to my stylist and cut my blonde hair short. It framed my face perfectly and complimented my green eyes. I opted for a black business suit and red pumps by Jimmy Choo. It made me feel powerful before the six-foot hulk standing before me. “Thanks, Ryan, but flattery won't get you anywhere this time.”

  “Flattery?” he cocked his head to the side, the gesture careless yet sexy. His blue eyes pinned mine. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known, Sarah, and you know it.”

  Did I though? I wondered inwardly. “I gotta go now. See you around.” I said in my strongest voice, completely betraying the fluttering of my heart. He wasn’t getting to me this time.

  “So what do I call you now? Mrs. Who?”

  I stopped in my tracks. Shit… He thinks I'm married. My stomach twisted in knots as I turned to face the man whose eyes mirrored my daughter’s. “Excuse me?”

  He nodded towards the direction Josephine had disappeared. “That's your babysitter, isn't it? I’ve seen her a couple of times with the kid.”

  The kid! I almost threw up my toast. Why did I have to be reminded of the memories I deliberately buried? “Yeah. That's Jo. She's a good kid.”

  His eyes darkened again, but he smiled and slid his hands into his pockets effortlessly. “So where is the husband? Some hotshot investment banker perhaps?”

  I almost blurted out the truth. “That’s none of your business, Ryan.”

  “Ouch! You really aren’t going to make this easy for me, are you?”

  I took a glance down his fingers. They were just like I remembered; big, soft, and manicured. I sighed in relief when I saw he also wore no wedding band. I didn’t know why, but I hated the idea of Ryan and a pretty blonde beauty wrapped around him in bed.

  I dragged my thoughts back to the present. I wasn’t going to let my memories wander now.

  “I don’t have a husband.”

  He blinked repeatedly as though surprised. “You’re divorced?”

  I wanted to slap his face extremely hard. “I’m not divorced, either.”

  His jaw dropped in shock, and I could see his brain working. He cast a soft look on my face and leaned against my car casually like we were old-time friends.

  In a way, we were.

  “I’m a single mom. It’s just Rose and I.”

  His face was hard to read at this point. He straightened. “Wow. I never thought…” His voice trailed off, and he looked away.

  “You never thought someone was going to find me attractive and sleep with me? Is that it?”

  “God Sarah. What’s wrong with you? I’m...uh...happy for you.”

  I struggled to calm my rioting mind. I had vowed to raise Rose by myself, and I was doing a damn good job. “Thanks! See you around.” I turned and walked away, intentionally swinging my hips as I moved.

  “Wait!” he called and hurried to catch up with me.

  “I need to borrow your phone, please. It’s important.”

  I wanted to turn him down and start my one-hour drive, but my mom hadn’t raised me to be rude, even if he deserved it. I fumbled with my handbag for my cell phone and handed it over to him with a frown. “Make it quick.”

  “Yeah. Thanks.”

  I watched him move to his car and speak briefly into the phone. Was it a woman at the other end of the line? I didn’t like the spasm of pain that shot in my chest at the thought, but it was gone in seconds. He walked back towards me smiling as he extended my phone towards me. “Thanks, I got my meeting canceled.”

  “Oh!” I colored as I reached for my phone. Our fingers touched briefly, and a hot flame shot up my arm. It must have hit him too. He looked deeply into my eyes, and I nearly swooned. It took me back to about four and a half years ago, in the cozy bedroom of his multimillion-dollar ranch house. We had fallen quickly in love and couldn’t get enough of each other.

  “You’ve got the most beautiful eyes I’ve ever seen.” He’d been lying on his side, his fing ers trailing a line down my naked body. We’d spent hours making love and laid sated on the king-sized bed. A gentle breeze rustled the curtains and caressed our skin. I shivered and drew closer to him.

  “I’m the lucky one, you know.” I kissed his lips softly.

  “Let’s get married,” he said in a serious tone.

  I laughed nervously as my ears buzzed. Was he proposing right now?

  “Stop joking, Ryan.”

  He sat up slowly from the bed and turned to face me. “Yeah, I know it’s a shitty proposal, but I’m going to get you a ring soon. I want our child to have your eyes.”

  “Our daughter has your eyes, Ryan,” I whispered to myself as I snapped back to the present.

  He stared at me intently. “What?”

  “What?” I mirrored back.

  “Why did you leave, Sarah?”

  I tried to speak, but my throat tightened. A heavy lump sat on my chest, threatening to explode. I hated him for putting me on the spot. The pain that had receded earlier surged up again. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  I hated to remember that night. It was the most horrible memory of my life.

  “Sarah, I searched everywhere for you.”

  He never got to finish his statement as my cell phone buzzed. I nodded to him as I picked up. “Hey, Jo, what’s up?”

  “You need to come now, Sarah.” Jo’s usually animated voice wobbled over the line.

  I felt a strange cold wrap around my chest. My daughter.

  Ryan noticed and narrowed his eyes at me. “Are you okay, Sarah?”

  I gave a small cry and broke into a run back to my apartment, hating myself a little. I could hear Ryan’s heavy steps behind me. I didn't care at the moment.

  Josephine ran out into the living room the moment we walked in, eyes bright with fear. I groaned in pain. Something was wrong. Her raven long hair was up in a messy bun, and her sneaker laces were undone. I rushed to hold her.

  “Jo, what’s wrong? You can tell me.” Visions of Rose lying cold on the tile floor flashed before my eyes, and my heart nearly stopped.

  She blinked away the tears that almost ran like a river, and fear gripped my chest.

  Rose! Something was wrong.

  Ryan was beside me in a heartbeat. He slipped an arm around my waist, and I trembled violently. I leaned into his reassuring frame, willing my legs to support me. Then I shoved his protective grip off. I didn’t want to faint and give him the pleasure of scooping me up into his arms. What a day!

  “Sarah...Rose…something is wrong.”

  My legs buckled, and I almost fell down in fear. “What happened to my daughter?” I grabbed her arms. "What happened to Rose, Jo?" I started moving to her bedroom, frantic with worry.

  Josephine shrank back in fear and a single tear dropped from her eyes. Just when I thought I was going to die of worry, Ryan placed a reassuring arm on Jo’s shoulder and spoke softly yet firmly. “What is wrong with the child? Calm down and talk to me, okay.”

  Jo nodded. “She’s burning up, and her temperature is very high.”

  ”The meeting is off. I’m calling Anna.” Anna sawyer was my best friend and a pediatrician at the local hospital.

  “What about your meeting?” Jo cried.

  “I don't care about the damn meeting,” I shouted. “Let’s get Rose to the hospital ASAP.”

  “Let me go,” Ryan said.

  “Huh?”

  “Let me go to the meeting in your place. You could use an assistant right now.”

  I turned to Ryan and my jaw dropped in shock.

  He was going to stand in for me at the meeting. Hell no!

  2

  Ryan's POV

  The shock in her eyes was priceless. Sarah Washington was the most beautiful woman I knew, and her teary eyes and red face didn’t diminish her beauty. I’d been gobsmacked to see her here. I’d left New York City for some quiet, but I guess I wasn’t going to get any of that here.

  Not anymore. Not when the only woman who ever had me so invested about her true feelings for me lived next door, with her child!

  “I don’t need your help. This is my child and my life.” Her pretty eyes blazed with fury.

  “I will go in your place. If this meeting is important, then you have to let me do this.”

  She started to speak when Josephine interrupted, “You wanted this contract so bad, Sarah. You stayed up working on your slides. You have to let him help you.” Sarah turned to me. “What do you even know about spas? I’m giving a presentation about pet spas.

  I’m hoping to start one of my own.” She ran her hands through her hair. “This meeting means so much to me.”

  I held her gaze. “Sarah, I’ve done so many of these. Let me help you.”

  She struggled with her ego before speaking through gritted teeth. “Fine. I guess it’s the best thing to do.”

  I smiled into her face, hoping to ease some of her anguish. “You go ahead and take care of Rose. I will attend your meeting and act as your . . . partner, maybe.”

  She pushed her keys into my hands. “Take my car and press start on the GPS and it will take you to Palm Valley where the meeting is. Everything you need is in the laptop.”

  I squeezed her palm reassuringly. “I’ll give it my best shot.”

  I started to walk to her car, but her voice stopped me short. “Hey Ryan, thank you.”

  I drove to the hotel where her client waited. Sarah had changed a lot in two years. Her body was as stunning as ever, and she had an edge to her voice. But she was the same woman who had warmed my heart and my bed.

  The 80’s love song that played on the radio tugged at my heart as I took a stroll down memory lane four years ago, where it all began.

  It was my half-brother’s twenty-fifth birthday. My father had gotten an actress pregnant and had to pay her off for the child. That boy had grown up to be Hazel Griffon, my loquacious younger brother and black sheep of the family.

  Hazel had booked a mysterious luxury spa run by an Italian billionaire. We were five years apart, and I didn’t want any of the ridiculous massage and manicure sessions Kimberly, my favorite cousin, arranged. The popular heiress had a sweet way of ruffling my thick skin, and I guess it made me love her more. Hazel was determined to rope me into the plan, so I drove down with him and the boys for a grueling two-hour hangout. It turned out to be the biggest blessing and curse. That’s where I met Sarah.

  A tall, blonde young woman in a swimsuit led me to a large room that smelled like jasmine. The lighting was dim, and the candles on the shelves cast shadows on the wall, making the room mysterious. A few minutes later, the most beautiful woman I had ever seen walked into the room. She wore a pair of yoga pants and a crop top emblazoned with the name of the spa. She had the prettiest pair of green eyes, and when she flashed me a smile, my heart soared.

  “Hi, my name is Sarah. I’m your SMT for the day.”

  “What’s an SMT?” I arched an eyebrow at her, and she giggled like a child. Her laughter pierced through my heart and made me giddy.

  “Yeah. Special massage therapist. Your brother wanted me to take good care of you.”

  I watched her move towards the cabinet at the left side of the room and picked up a bottle of oil. She had long blonde hair that was held up in a ponytail, and a bulge rose in my pants at the sight of her small waist and nice bust.

  I cursed aloud, hating that this strange woman was able to draw such raw emotions from me. I was reputed among the boys to have a weird sense of self-control. I didn’t believe in the crazy notion of love and being with a person forever. My father had been a bad example; he’d broken my mother’s heart when he started having an affair with that young actress. When he finally brought Hazel home, my mother was already a broken woman.

  Love was only going to hurt everyone involved, and I didn’t want that for myself. I wasn’t celibate; women slept at my place most weekends. I was comfortable with lust; there were no strings attached the next morning when I rolled off the bed in search of coffee. Hazel had mentioned I was only acting so cold because I hadn’t found the right woman. I looked at her bent over the massage table, and I grunted. I didn’t know why I was reacting this way to her, but I knew I wanted her in bed with me.

  “Did you say something just now?”

 

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