Page 6 of Nothing to Beat

“I want to have your baby, Breck.”She touched his lips, trailing her fingers down his chin to his throat and onto his chest.“It’s selfish of me.”

“It’s smart of you.”He squeezed her hips.“You know I’m not going anywhere.We work together, share values—”

“No thanks to my family.”When she tried to get up, he gripped tighter, holding her in place.“Breck…”

“You can have family.You do have family.You’re a Breckenridge.It’s only right you give birth to the first heir.”

“My child doesn’t want your company.”

“My child will have every right to choose his or her own path.Being the first of their generation doesn’t tie them to anything.Nothing, Sequoia.Anything they want, they’ll have.”

“And you wonder why I say we don’t need your money,” she teased, rocking her hips.“If you had access, you’d spoil him.”Her head went back on a rumbling laugh.“I dread to think how you’d indulge a girl.”

“Not many of those in my family.”

“She’d be the first Breckenridge princess.”

“Is that a role you’d deny her?”

Her smile faded.“Don’t do that.”

“Do what?”

“That thing you do when you switch everything around.”This time, she fought his grip and pulled his hands away to get onto her feet.“I’m educated.I’m responsible.”

He rose to his elbows.“I didn’t say you weren’t.”

“I don’t have a wild lifestyle ordangerous addictions.”

“Other than those Belgian peppermint chocolates.”While her unimpressed eyes narrowed, he laughed.“Hate to think what would happen to the baby if they fought mommy for those.”

“Breck,” she groaned.“Don’t be cute, we’re fighting.”

On an exhale, he sat up, swung his legs off the edge of the bed and lunged out to grab her hand, guiding her between his open thighs.“We’re not fighting, Coy.No matter how we choose to raise this child, together or apart, with family support or without, we never have to fight about their existence.Our child will be loved.”

Hmm, manipulation.“You’re being kind to me, trying to wheedle your way in.”

“Was I ever out?”he asked, his smile growing to a dazzle that caught her in the ribs.She wasn’t the only one with moves.“I love you, Sequoia.”

She snatched her hand back.“Don’t say that to me.”A whining groan itched her throat.“We’re not doing that anymore.”

“This isn’t that.”

And all she could do was breathe out.“Rankin Breckenridge…” Planting a hand on his shoulder, she pushed him down on the bed to climb on top again.“Less of the talking, more of the impregnating.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

FOUR

FIVE WEEKS LATER…

HER LONG DAY only got longer by the second.As Deputy Operations Officer working at Breckenridge HQ, her work was never done.Yeah, okay, so there were four Deputy Operations Officers, it wasn’t all on her.But, huh, how come she was the only one at her desk still working long after office hours?In the low lighting of a floor that bustled all day, she liked the intimate quiet of her warm lamp in the evening, illuminating the papers beneath her pen.

“Is it true Breck’s barred from your office and all meetings you attend?”

Looking up to the male voice, she smiled at Darroch Breckenridge, one of Breck’s younger brothers.

“Not only that,” she said, “he’s required to maintain a minimum twenty-five-foot radius at all times.”