“I’m pregnant.” Two words that will rock one man’s world forever.

On location for a film about a horse-racing dynasty, Lily Beaumont is drawn into a sizzling affair with sexy stablehand Nash James. Now she has to trust him with the truth about their baby.

Even though the undercover millionaire is on a mission against his hated rival, he won’t walk away from Lily or their unborn child. It will mean coming clean about his true identity—and the decades-old secret that brought him to Kentucky horse country. But will the truth cost him the woman and family he now craves?

“I’m pregnant.”

Pregnant? What the hell?

Nash stared at Lily, knowing full well she wasn’t lying. After all, she looked just as freaked out as he felt, and what would she have to gain by lying to him? She didn’t know his identity, didn’t know who he truly was or how something like this would be perfect blackmail material.

In Lily’s eyes, and the eyes of everyone else on the estate, he was a simple groom who kept to himself and did his job. Little did they know the real reason he’d landed at the Barrington’s doorstep.

And a baby thrown into the mix?

Talk about irony and coming full circle.

* * *

Dear Reader,

If you’ve been following the Barrington family saga, you’re familiar with the mysterious groom, Nash. I’ve never had a character speak to me in such a forceful, bold way before, but Nash really pushed his way from the back of my mind straight to the front…those alpha men. :-)

The irony of having Nash fall in love with beautiful Hollywood starlet Lily Beaumont threw me off track for a bit. As soon as the idea developed, I knew I had to run with it. Their story kept me up nearly every night as scene after scene played through my head faster than I could crank out the words. I’m so glad to end this series with this passionate couple who struggle to keep hold of the important things in life.

Nash and Lily may come from money, they may have any material possession within their reach, but they put family, loyalty and love above all else. Throw in an unexpected pregnancy and Lily and Nash truly have to fight for something they didn’t even know they were searching for.

I hope you enjoy Nash’s growth and Lily’s strength as she encourages Nash in the most difficult time of his life. It takes a strong woman to be with a man like Nash, to put up with all the secrets…secrets that could destroy the family they’re just starting.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the Barrington trilogy as much as I have!

Happy reading,

Jules

Carrying the Lost Heir’s Child

Jules Bennett

www.millsandboon.co.uk

National bestselling author JULES BENNETT’s love of storytelling started when she would get in trouble as a child and would tell her parents her imaginary friends were to blame. Since then, her vivid imagination has taken her down a path she’d only dreamed of. And after twelve years of owning and working in salons, she hung up her shears to write full-time.

Jules doesn’t just write Happily Ever After—she lives it. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jules and her hubby have two little girls who keep them smiling. She loves to hear from readers! Contact her at authorjules@gmail.com, visit her website, www.julesbennett.com, where you can sign up for her newsletter, or send her a letter at PO Box 396, Minford, OH 45653, USA. You can also follow her on Twitter and join her Facebook fan page.

To Gems for Jules—

the best street team an author could ask for!

You all are so amazing and supportive. I love you all!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Fourteen

Fifteen

Sixteen

Seventeen

Eighteen

Nineteen

Epilogue

Extract

Copyright

One

The masculine aroma. The strength of those arms. The hard chest her cheek rested against...she’d know this man anywhere. She’d watched him across the grassy meadows, dreamed of him...made love to him.

Lily Beaumont struggled to wake and realized all too quickly she didn’t have a clue how she’d gotten here.

Or more to the point, where was “here”?

The straw rustled against the concrete floor beneath her. She lay cradled in Nash James’s lap, his strong arms around her midsection. What on earth had happened?

“Relax. You fainted.”

That low, soothing voice washed over her. Lily lifted her lids to see Nash’s bright blue eyes locked on hers. Those mesmerizing eyes surrounded by dark, thick lashes never failed to send a thrill shooting through her. No leading man she shared the screen with had ever been this breathtaking...or mysterious.

But, she’d fainted? She never fainted.

Oh, yeah. She’d been walking to the stables to talk to Nash...

“Oh, no.” Lily grabbed her still-spinning head. Reality slammed back into her mind, making her recall why she was in the stables. “This isn’t happening.”

Rough, callused fingertips slid away strands of hair that had fallen across her forehead. “Just lie still,” he told her. “No rush. Everyone is gone for the day.”

Meaning the cast and crew had all either gone to the hotel or into their on-site trailers. Thank God. The last thing she needed was a big fuss over her fainting spell, because then she’d have some explaining to do.

Just a few short months ago Lily started shooting a film depicting the life of Damon Barrington, dynamic horse owner and a force to be reckoned with. The Barrington estate had become her home away from home and the quiet, intriguing groom whose lap she currently lay in had quickly caught her attention.

Before she knew it, she’d been swept into a secret affair full of sneaking around, ripping off clothes and plucking straw pieces from her hair...which led her to this moment, this life-altering moment when she was about to drop a major bomb in Nash’s life.

All the trouble they’d gone through to keep their escapades a secret were all in vain. No way could this news stay hidden.

“Nash.” She reached up to cup his face, the prickle of his short beard beneath her palm a familiar sensation. “I’m sorry.”

His brows drew together, worry etched across his handsome, tanned face, and he shook his head. “You can’t help that you passed out. But you scared the life out of me.”

Lily swallowed, staring at such an attractive, spellbinding man could make a woman forget everything around her...like the fact that she was carrying this man’s child.

“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, studying her face. “Do you need something to eat?”

Just the thought of food had her gag reflex wanting to kick in again. Weren’t pregnant women supposed to be sick in the mornings? What was this all-day nonsense?

Lily started to sit up, but Nash placed a hand over her shoulder. “Hold on. Let me help you.”

Gently, he eased her into a sitting position as he came to his feet. Then he lifted her, keeping her against his firm, strong body the entire time. Strong arms encircled her waist again and Lily wanted to seek the comfort and support he was offering. This might have been the first tender moment between them, considering anytime she’d come to meet him after dark they hurried to the loft where their passion completely took control.

How on earth would he react to the news? She was still reeling from the shocker herself, but she refused to keep this a secret. He had a right to know. She honestly had no clue what Nash would say, what he would do. A baby didn’t necessarily affect his line of work. Hers, on the other hand...

She’d been burned so badly before and had fought hard to overcome the public scandal that ensued. How would he handle being thrust into the limelight?

Lily groaned. Once the story broke, the press would circle her like vultures—and they would make her private life a top headline. People were starving, homeless, fighting wars and the media opted to nose their way into celebrities’ lives and feed that into homes around the world rather than something that was actually newsworthy.

Lily loved being an actress, loved the various characters she got to tap in to and uncover. But she hated the lack of privacy. A girl couldn’t even buy toilet paper without being spotted. Lily prided herself on being professional, doing her job and doing it well, and staying out of the media’s greedy, sometimes evil, clutches...a nearly impossible feat.

“You okay now?” he asked, his breath tickling the side of her face.

Nodding, Lily stepped away, immediately missing the warmth of his body, but thankful the dizziness had passed. Over the past couple months she’d actually come to crave his touch, miss him when he wasn’t near her. She should’ve known then she was getting in over her head where this virtual stranger was concerned. Their passion had swept her into a world she’d never experienced before. How could any single woman turn away from a man who touched her beneath the surface, who looked so deep within she was certain he could see in to her soul?

A physical connection was something she could handle. But all of those nights of sneaking around, of giving in to their desires had caught up with them. Now they would have to pivot away from the sex-only relationship and actually talk about the future...a future she’d never expected to have with this man.

With her back to him, Lily tried to conjure up the right words, the words that would soften the blow, but really was there a proper way to tell someone they were going to be a father? No matter how gentle the words were, the impact and end result would still be the same.

“Nash—”

Before she could finish her sentence, Nash took hold of her shoulder, eased her around and framed her face with his firm hands. Hypnotized by those vibrant blue eyes, she said nothing else as his mouth claimed hers.

And that right there was the crux of their relationship. Passion. Desire. Instant clothes falling to the floor.

Some might have said having a secret affair in the stables on a film set was not the classiest of moves, but Lily didn’t care. She’d been classy her whole life...now she wanted to be naughty. The secret they shared made their covert encounters all the more thrilling.

Who knew Hollywood’s “girl next door,” as they’d dubbed her, had a wild side? Well, they’d caught a glimpse of it with the scandal, but she had since reclaimed her good girl status. She certainly had never been this passionate with or for a man. Definitely not the jerk who had used her and exploited her early in her career.

Before she’d become a recognized name, she’d fallen for another rookie actor. He’d completely blind-sided her by filming her without her knowledge. Their most intimate moments had been staged; everything about their relationship had been a lie. After that scandal, Lily had to fight to get to where she was now.

Nash’s arms enveloped her and Lily was rendered defenseless as his mouth continued its assault on hers. Her arms slid up the front of his shirt, taut muscles firm beneath her palms.

He eased back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. “You sure you’re feeling okay? Not dizzy anymore?”

“I’m okay,” she assured him, clutching his T-shirt.

Nash’s lips nipped at hers. “I missed you today. I kept seeing you and Max together. It was all I could do to ignore the way his arms were around you. His lips where mine should be.”

Chills spread over her body. Tingles started low in her belly and coursed throughout. That hint of jealousy pouring from Nash’s lips thrilled her more than it should...considering this was supposed to be a fling.

“We were acting,” she murmured against his mouth. “You know we’re playing a young couple in love.”

Lily had wanted to play the role of the late Rose Barrington since news of the project had first spread, and having Max Ford as the leading man was perfect. She and Max had been friends for years...so much so that he was like a brother to her.

Nash’s hands slid between them, started peeling down the top of her strapless sundress.

“If Max weren’t married with a baby, I’d think he was trying to steal my time with you.”

Baby. Just the word threw a dose of reality right smack-dab in the middle of their minor make-out session.

Lily covered Nash’s hands with her own and eased back. “We need to talk.”

Vibrant eyes stared back at her beneath heavy lids. “Sounds like you’re breaking things off. I know we never discussed being exclusive.” Nash attempted a smile. “Don’t take my Max joke so seriously.”

Shaking her head, Lily took a deep breath and pushed through her fear and doubts. “I didn’t take you for the jealous type. Besides, I know what this is between us.”

Or, what it had started out being.

“Oh, baby, I’m jealous.” He jerked her against his body. “Now that I’ve had you, I don’t like seeing another man’s hands on you, but I know this is your job and I love watching you work.”

“I can’t think when your hands are on me,” she told him, stepping back once again to try to put some distance between temptation and the truth.

A corner of Nash’s devilish mouth kicked up. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Because I’m thinking plenty when my hands are on you.”

Smoothing a hand through her hair, Lily tried to form the right words. Since seeing the two blue lines on the stick this morning and confirming what she’d already assumed, she’d been playing conversations on how to break the news over and over in her mind. But now it was literally show time and she had nothing but fear and bundles of nerves consuming her.

“Nash...”

Abandoning his joking, Nash’s brows drew together as he reached for her once again. “What is it? If you’re worried about when you leave, I don’t expect anything from you.”

“If only it were that easy,” she whispered, looking down at his scuffed boots, inches from her pink polished toes.

Nash was a hard worker, so unlike the Hollywood playboys who always tried to capture her attention. Money and fame meant nothing to her—she had plenty of both. She preferred a man who worked hard, played hard and truly cared for other people...a man like Nash.

This wasn’t supposed to happen. None of it. Not the deeper feelings, not the lingering looks that teetered on falling beyond lust and certainly not a baby that would bind them forever.

“Lily, just say it. It can’t be that bad.”

She met and held his questioning stare. “I’m pregnant.”

* * *

Okay, maybe it could be that bad.

Pregnant? What the hell? Suddenly he felt like passing out himself.

Nash stared at Lily, knowing full well she wasn’t lying. After all, she looked just as freaked out as he felt and what would she have to gain by lying to him? She didn’t know his true identity, or how something like this would be perfect blackmail material.

In Lily’s eyes, and the eyes of everyone else on the estate, he was a simple groom who kept to himself and did his job. Little did they know the real reason he’d landed at the Barringtons’ doorstep.

And a baby thrown into the mix?

Talk about irony and coming full circle.

“You’re positive?” he asked, knowing she wouldn’t have told him had she not been sure.

Lily nodded, wrapping her arms around her middle and worrying her bottom lip. “I’ve had a suspicion for several days, but I confirmed this morning.”

Well, this certainly put a speed bump in all the plans he had for his immediate future here at Stony Ridge Acres. Not to mention life in general. A baby wasn’t something he was opposed to, just something he’d planned later down the road... after a wife came into the picture.

“I have no idea what to say,” he told her, raking a hand through his hair that was way longer than he’d ever had. “I...damn, I wasn’t expecting this.”

Lily kept looking at him as if she was waiting for him to explode or deny the fact the baby was his. Of course, she could’ve slept with someone else, but considering that they’d been together almost every night for nearly the past two months, he highly doubted it.

Besides, Lily wasn’t like that. He many not know much about her on a personal level, but he knew enough to know she wasn’t a woman who slept around. Despite that whole sex scandal she’d endured years ago, Nash wasn’t convinced she was some crazed nympho.

But he also wasn’t naive and he wasn’t just an average groom, so he needed to play this safe and protect himself from all angles.

“The baby is yours,” she stated, as if she could sense where his thoughts were going. “I haven’t been with anybody since months before I even came here.”

“I thought you said you were on birth control.”

“I am,” she countered. “Nothing is foolproof, though. I’m assuming it happened that one time we...”

“Didn’t use a condom.”

One time in all those secret rendezvous he had thought he’d put one in his wallet, but they’d used it already. They’d quickly discussed how they were both clean, amidst clothes flying all over the loft floor, and they’d come to the mutual decision to go ahead... Thus the reason for this milestone, life-altering talk they were having now.

Emotions, scenarios, endless questions all swirled through his mind. What on earth did he know about babies or parenting? All he knew was how hard his mother worked to keep them in a meager apartment. She’d never once complained, never once acted worried. She was the most courageous, determined woman he’d ever known. Traits she’d passed down to him, which gave him the strength to carry on with his original plans, even with the shocking news of the baby. He would not let his child down, but he had to follow through and take what he had come for.

“I don’t expect anything from you, Nash,” Lily went on as if she couldn’t handle the silence. “But I wasn’t going to keep this a secret, either. Secrets always become exposed at the wrong time and I felt you deserved to know. It’s up to you whether you want to be part of this baby’s life.”

Secrets, hidden babies. Wow. The irony kept getting harsher and harsher as if fate was laughing at him. This hurdle she’d placed in front of him really had him at a crossroads. What started out as a fling had now escalated into something personal, intimate...anchoring him in for the long term. Because now he couldn’t keep pretending to be someone he wasn’t, unfortunately he couldn’t come clean with his identity, either.

He wanted to give his child, and Lily, the absolute best of everything. Even though Lily wasn’t financially strained, Nash would be front and center in his child’s life in every single way. How the hell could he do that without her discovering his identity?

Damn it. He’d never, ever intended for her to be hurt, but he’d passed the point of no return and now the inevitable heartbreak lay in the very near future.

She was never supposed to know who he really was. She was supposed to be gone well before he revealed himself. But now she would be part of his life forever and there was no escaping that hard fact.

“I would never leave you alone in this, Lily.” He stepped forward, sliding his hands up over her smooth, bare shoulders. His thumbs caressed the edge of her jaw as an ache settled deep within him, knowing he would cause her even more pain. “How are you feeling? I assume the pregnancy is why you passed out?”

“I’m feeling okay. I’ve been very nauseous for several days, but this is the first time I’ve fainted.” Her eyes sought his as a smile tugged at her unpainted lips. “I’m glad you were there to catch me.”

“Me, too.”

He still craved her, ached for her, even with the stunning news. Nash slid his mouth across hers, needing the contact and comfort that only she could provide. When he’d go back to his small rental cottage at night, he’d long for her even though he’d just been intimate with her. Nash had never been swept into such a fast, intense affair before.

And his attraction had nothing to do with her celebrity or her status as one of Hollywood’s most beautiful leading ladies. Lily was genuine, not high maintenance or stuffy. Nash honestly admired her. The fact that she was sexy as hell and the best lover he’d ever had was just a bonus.

Her lips moved beneath his, her arms wrapped around his neck as her fingertips toyed with the ends of his hair. Even though they’d been secretly seeing each other for a couple of months, their passion had never once lessened. This woman was so responsive, so perfectly matched for him that he simply couldn’t get enough.

Right now they had more pressing issues to deal with...not to mention the ones he had to face on his own.

Damn it. He’d wanted to keep her out of his own sordid affairs and keep things strictly physical. But now Lily discovering the truth about him was unavoidable. There was no way he could avoid the crushing blow that would eventually come down. He could delay the bombshell, weigh his options, because he didn’t just have Lily and a baby to think about...he had another family to consider.

Stepping back, Nash studied her, processing just how vulnerable she was right at this moment and knew the end result of his lies would be the same. Once she figured out who he was, she would want nothing to do with him. There was no way in hell he’d be absent from his child’s life, though, which meant Lily couldn’t be rid of him no matter how much she would come to hate him.

“I’ll walk you to your trailer so you can pack your things.”

Lily jerked back. “Pack my things?”

“You’re coming to stay with me.”

Lily completely removed herself from his touch and crossed her arms over her chest. “Stay with you? Why on earth would I do that?”

“So I can take care of you.”

Laughing, Lily shook her head. “I’m not dying, Nash. I’m having a baby.”

“My baby,” he corrected. “I want you with me, Lily.”

“How am I going to explain why I’m living with you and not in my trailer? Nobody knows about our affair.”

Nash shrugged. “I don’t care what they think. I care about your health and our baby.”

“Well I care,” she all but shouted, throwing her hands to the side. “The media is just waiting to publish something juicy on me. Don’t you understand that I have a career, a life, and I can’t throw it away because you want to take charge? I’ve worked too hard to overcome the reputation Hollywood first gave me. I’m no longer the wild child of the industry. I’m respected and I’d like to keep it that way.”

Fine, so he was thinking selfishly, but still, he refused to let her go through this alone. Just the thought of his mother being in this position once upon a time had his stomach tightening. Besides, this was Lily. She was a drug in his system and having her close by at all times would only feed their sexual appetite even further.

Maybe he needed to rein in the testosterone. But only for now and only because he refused to back down. He would still find a way to keep her close whether she liked it or not. Yes, he wanted the sex, but now that there was a child involved...he wanted to be right there every step of the way for his son or daughter.

“Fine. I’ll come stay with you.”

Lily raised a brow and tilted her head. “Seriously, Nash. I’m fine. I’m not going to do anything but sleep and work.”

“That’s what concerns me,” he retorted. “You’re getting tired and you’re pushing yourself because the film is almost finished. You passed out, for crying out loud.”

“I can’t stop working.”

Moments ago he’d been ready to take her up to the loft. Now he was struggling with how many more lies he would have to tell before this was all over.

Horses shifted in their stalls behind him, the sunset cast a bright orange glow straight through the wide-open stable doors. The setting epitomized calm and serenity...too bad the storm inside him was anything but.

“What about after you’re done filming? What will we do about the baby?”

And there it was. The ultimate question that wedged heavily between them, but he had to throw it out there. He had to know what her plans were. He wasn’t ready for a family by any means, but considering he and Lily lived on opposite sides of the country, they needed to figure out how they could both be in this child’s life.

Lily smoothed her hair away from her face, turned away from him and sighed. “I don’t know, Nash. I truly don’t know.”

They had time to consider how to deal with the baby. For now, Nash needed to stick with his original agenda and nothing could get in his way. He’d done enough spying, enough eavesdropping to calculate his next move.

He’d had many reasons—professional and personal—for taking on a new identity. But the main reason was the horses he needed from Damon. Those horses were the final pieces in the stable he’d spent years creating. He would move heaven and earth to get them.

As he watched Lily, her worried expression, her still-flat belly, Nash came to the realization that the truth he’d come here to disclose had nothing to do with Lily. Yet, because of a decades-old secret, Lily and his baby might pay the price.

All he had to do was figure out a way to get Damon to sell him the horses, go back to his own estate and keep his child in his life.

One monumental obstacle at a time.

Two

Well, she’d lost only part of the battle. She wasn’t going back to Nash’s place, but he was escorting her to her trailer. And she was almost positive he intended to spend the night.

A thrill shot through her, but would their cover be blown? He’d promised to be up and in the stables working before sunrise so he shouldn’t be spotted. She didn’t want him to think she was ashamed, far from it. Unfortunately, her reputation was always at stake and after the scandal from years ago, the press would love to see her “backslide” into bad girl mode. She refused to give them any fodder.

Nash knew of the sex video that had been leaked and he knew how sensitive she was about her privacy. Being a very private, secretive person himself only made their hidden affair the perfect setup. They’d been able to sneak around on the private grounds for months now.

Thankfully, the press wasn’t on-site because of the security who kept them outside the gates. Still, she worried. What if a member of the crew spotted them together? What if they leaked a story? She couldn’t endure another scandal, she just didn’t have the energy to fight it, and she wouldn’t put her mother through that again.

“Relax.” Nash squeezed her hand. “Nobody can see us. It’s dark.”

He was right. Nobody was around, but she was used to being in the loft of the stables where she was sure no one would see or hear them. Right now, walking across the Barringtons’ vast estate to head toward her on-site trailer, Lily just felt so exposed. Their footsteps were light and all was quiet except for an occasional frog croaking, a few crickets chirping and a horse neighing every now and then. They were utterly alone.

Before discovering the baby, Lily had wanted to talk to Nash about her feelings...feelings that had grown deeper than she’d expected. They’d both agreed that everything they shared was temporary and physical, but somewhere along the way her heart had gotten involved. She didn’t want to open up now or he’d probably think she was just trying to get a husband to go along with the baby to keep the gossip at bay.

With Nash’s rough fingers laced through hers, Lily had to admit she loved the Neanderthal routine when he’d gone all super protective of her. She’d known from the moment she met Nash that he was a man of power, of authority.

Her stepfather had been a man of power, too, waving his money around to get what he wanted. Nash was different, though. He was type A, without all the material possessions. He appealed to her on so many levels; she just wished they weren’t facing this life-altering commitment together when they barely knew each other.

Yes, they were compatible in bed—rather, in haylofts—but that didn’t mean in her realistic, chaotic world they would mesh well. Added to that, she didn’t know if she could handle having her passionate nature back in the public eye. Any serious relationship she took out in the open was subject to being exploited.

When they stepped into her trailer, Nash locked the door behind him. The cool air-conditioning greeted them. A small light from the tiny kitchenette had been left on, sending a soft glow throughout the narrow space.

Nash’s heavy-lidded eyes met hers. She knew that look, had seen it nearly every night in person, then again in her dreams later. He could make a woman forget all about reality, all about responsibility.

This was the first time he’d been in her trailer and she realized just how broad and dominating his presence truly was. A shiver of arousal slid through her.

“We really should talk about this,” she started, knowing she had lost control of this situation the moment she’d agreed to let him come back to her trailer. “I want you to know I didn’t trap you.”

“I know.” He closed the gap between them, barely brushing his chest against hers. “I also know that I want you. I wanted you before you broke the news and I still do. A baby doesn’t change the desire I have for you, Lily.”

Oh, mercy. When he said things like that, when he looked at her like that...how could a girl think straight? Just one look from beneath those heavy lids framed by dark lashes had her body reacting before he could even touch her. This was why they had to sneak around. No way could she be in public with this man when he looked at her like he was ready to eat her up, and she knew she had that same passionate gaze when she looked at him.

He smelled all masculine and rugged, and pure hardworking man. A man who was gentle with animals and demanding as a lover was pretty much her greatest fantasy come to life. A fantasy she hadn’t even known lived within her until she’d met Nash.

“Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this,” she stated as his fingertips slid up over her chest and started peeling away the elastic top of her dress. “I mean, we have a lot to talk about, right?”

Nash nodded, keeping his focus on his task. “We do, but right now you’re responding to my touch. I can’t ignore that. Can you?”

His gaze met and trapped hers. “Unless you’re ashamed to have the groom in your trailer.”

Lily reached up, squeezing both of his hands. “I’ve never, ever hinted that I’m ashamed of you, Nash. I’m just not normally a fling girl and whatever we have going on is nobody else’s business. That’s all. I’m not hiding anything else.”

A brief shadow crossed over his face and Lily wondered if she’d imagined it for a moment because just as fast as it came, it was gone.

“I can’t deny you,” she whispered. “How can this pull still be so strong?”

Nash dipped down, gliding his mouth over the curve of her neck, causing her head to fall back. The rasp of his beard against her bare skin always had tingles shooting all over her body. On occasion he’d trimmed his beard back, but thankfully he’d never fully shaved, because Lily figured she was ruined for smooth faces forever after being with Nash.

“Because passion is such a strong emotion,” he murmured as his lips trailed up her neck. “And what we have is too fierce to sum up in one word.”

In no time he’d yanked her dress down to pool at her feet. Lily kicked it aside as he quickly worked her free of her strapless bra and panties.

He reached behind his back and jerked his T-shirt up and over his head, tossing it to the side. Those chiseled muscles beneath a sprinkling of dark hair on his chest didn’t come from working out in some air-conditioned gym. Nash’s taut ripples came the old-fashioned way: from hours of manual labor.

“I love how you look at me,” he muttered as he lifted her from the waist and crossed to the end of the trailer with the bed.

He lay her down and stood over her, whipping his belt through the loops of his jeans. Lily didn’t know what on earth they were doing. Okay, she knew what they were doing, but wasn’t this a mistake? Shouldn’t they be discussing the baby? What their plans were for the future?

But when his weight settled over her, pushing her deeper into the thick comforter, Lily relished in the feel of his hard body molding perfectly with hers. Right here, this was the feeling she’d come to crave—the heaviness of him pressing into her in a protective, all-consuming manner.

Nash was right. Passion was such a simple word for the intensity of what they shared. But what label did it have? The impulse with which they’d jumped into an affair had overwhelmed them both. They’d never given anything beyond sex another thought.

The truth was, she had feelings for Nash, feelings she didn’t think she’d have again for another man. Could she trust her feelings to stand up to public scrutiny? Could she rely on anything she felt that stemmed from a hidden affair?

Giving up her mental volley of trying to have this all make sense, Lily raked her fingers up his back and over his shoulders as he settled between her thighs. Nash had a way to make her forget everything around her, make her want to lock away the moments in time she shared with him. As he entered her, his mouth claimed hers and Lily had no choice but to surrender. Why did every moment with this man make her feel things she’d never felt before?

Nash’s hands slid up her sides and over her breasts as her body arched into his. In no time her core responded, tightening as Nash continued to move with her.

After he followed her lead and their bodies stopped trembling, he lifted her in his arms, tucked her beneath the covers and climbed in beside her.

“Rest, Lily.” He reached over and shut off the light. “Tomorrow we’ll work this out.”

Did he mean he’d still try to get her to move into his house? Although his dominance was a turn-on, she wouldn’t let him just start taking charge simply because of the baby. She was still in charge of her own life. Besides, being intimate with a man and living with him were two very different things.

As much as Nash was coming to mean to her, she still had to face reality. She was going to be done filming in about a week and she had a life in LA to get back to.

So where did that leave them?

* * *

Well, what a surprise. They’d ended up with their clothes off again and nothing was discussed or planned.

On the upside, she wasn’t nauseous this morning...yet.

As she headed toward the makeup trailer, her new agent Ian Schaffer stepped out of one of the cottages on the Barrington estate. Ian had initially come out to the movie set in hopes of getting Lily to sign with his agency, and she did, but then he had gone and fallen in love with one of the beautiful Barrington sisters.

Sweet Cassie, the gentle trainer, and her precious girl, Emily, were both part of Ian’s life now and family had never looked so adorable. Ian caught her eye and waved as he headed her way. At some point she’d have to discuss her own family situation with Ian and what this meant for upcoming films...especially since he was already getting several scripts for her to look over.

Too bad none of those movies called for a pukey pregnant heroine. She’d so nail that audition with her pasty complexion and random bouts of profuse sweating.

“You have a second?” he asked.

“Sure.” Lily shifted so Ian’s height blocked the morning sun. “We’re heading into town today to shoot a scene near the flower shop, but I’m not due in wardrobe for a few more minutes. What’s up?”

“I have a really good script that came through yesterday I’d like you to look at it.” Ian rested his hands on his hips and smiled. “I know we’ve only worked together for a few weeks, but you had indicated that you’d like to try something different, maybe break away from the softer, family-style roles and into something more edgy. Are you still up for that?”

Lily tilted her head and shrugged. “Depends on the role and the producer. What do you have for me?”

“How would you feel about playing a showgirl who is a struggling single mother?”

Lily froze. “Um...yeah, that’s quite the opposite of anything I’ve done before.”

Oh the irony. Showgirl? By the time the movie started filming Lily figured her waistline would be nonexistent. As far as the single mom aspect? She honestly had no clue. Nash claimed he wouldn’t leave her, but he’d only been aware of the baby for less than twenty-four hours. Once reality set in would he still feel the same?

“Lily?” Ian eased his head down until his gaze caught hers. “You all right? You don’t have to look at the script if that’s too far outside your comfort level, but I will say the producers are amazing and the script is actually very well plotted. Aiden O’Neil was just cast as the opposite lead.”

Aiden was a great guy, an awesome actor and would be a joy to work with again. But how could she accept this role knowing she couldn’t commit to the grueling hours of exercise and perfecting her body that, no doubt, Hollywood would require in order to portray a showgirl?

Lily’s eyes drifted over Ian’s shoulder and landed on Nash. Now that was a leading man...and he’d sneaked out of her trailer without her noticing. He’d promised to be gone by morning, and he was, but still she’d been a little disappointed not to be able to wake up next to him. Yes, she was quickly losing control over her feelings for Nash and she feared she’d have a hard time keeping them tucked against her heart.

Ian swiveled, glanced across the estate and turned back to Lily. “I’m not sure why you keep hiding what you two have going on.”

Lily jerked her attention back to Ian. “Excuse me?”

Shrugging, Ian smiled. “I won’t say anything, and honestly I doubt anyone else has picked up on the vibes you two are sending out.”

Lily wasn’t sure if she was relieved or afraid that someone else knew about her and Nash. Old images of a video she’d thought private played through her mind. That was another time, another man. Nash was trustworthy...wasn’t he?

“What is it you think you know?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I caught you two in a rather...comfortable embrace about a month ago. I was looking for Cassie and you and Nash were in the stables. I didn’t say anything because I know you value your privacy and it was nobody’s business what you two do in your downtime.”

Lily had thought for sure no one would’ve spotted them at night and after hours. Thankfully it was only Ian who most definitely had her best interest at heart. As her agent, he didn’t want any bad press surrounding her, either. The limelight would stay directed elsewhere, for now.

Blowing out a sigh, Lily nodded. “I don’t know what is going on between Nash and me, to be honest. But just keep this between us, okay?”

Ian smiled. “You’re my client, and I’d like to think, friend. We all have secrets, Lily. I won’t say a word.”

Speaking of secrets, she had a doozy. But for now, she would keep the pregnancy to herself. This was definitely something she and Nash needed to work through before sharing the announcement with any outsiders. They were still riding the sexual high, the excitement of being so physically attracted to each other, she had no clue how to discuss something so permanent with him. They were facing a relationship she didn’t think either of them was ready for.

“You sure you’re okay?” Ian asked.

Pulling out her most convincing smile, Lily nodded and turned to head toward the wardrobe trailer. “Fine. Just ready to relax after this shoot is over.”

“Well, when you get a chance, come find me. I’ll let you look over those scripts.” He fell into step with her. “I believe the single mom part would be perfect for you, but that’s going to depend on how comfortable you are with playing a showgirl. I also have a part that is set in a mythical world, and that also involves bearing a great deal of skin because from what I can see, the women all wear bikini tops and short skirts.”

Lily refrained from groaning because here she was, just discovering her pregnancy and already having to choose between her career and her personal life.

How would she juggle this all when the baby came? Eventually the world would know she was pregnant, then she couldn’t keep Nash a secret any longer—couldn’t keep her feelings for him a secret. Sooner rather than later, their relationship—whatever it became—would be out front and center.

How would he cope? How would they get through this? As a couple? As two people just sharing a child? With the depth of her feelings only growing stronger, Lily worried she was in for a long road of heartache.

Three

It was after midnight and Lily hadn’t come to him. He’d spent the night in her trailer, in her arms. So why wasn’t she here?

Turning off the lights in the stables, Nash kept to the shadows of the property and headed toward the back of the estate where Lily’s trailer sat. He told himself he just wanted to check on her to make sure she was feeling okay. Nash refused to believe he was developing deeper feelings for her. He couldn’t afford to be sidetracked right now, not until his plan was fully executed.

He climbed the two steps and glanced over his shoulder to double-check he was alone before giving her door a couple taps with his knuckles. When she didn’t answer, he tried the handle, surprised it turned easily beneath his palm. Even with security, keeping the door unlocked wasn’t smart. You never knew what length the crazies would go to in order to snap a picture of a celebrity. Money held more power than people gave it credit for.

“You need to keep this locked,” he told her as he entered. “Anybody could walk right in.”

Lily sat hunched over the small dinette table, papers spread all around her. When she glanced up at him, tear tracks marred her creamy cheeks.

Fear gripped him as he crossed the small space. “Lily, what happened? Is it the baby?”

Raking her hands through her long, dark hair, she shook her head. “No, no. The baby is fine.”

A slight sense of relief swept through him, but still, something was wrong. He’d never seen such fierce emotions from the woman who always appeared so flawless, so in control...except when she surrendered herself to him and she unleashed all of that pent-up passion.

“Then what is it?” he asked, sliding in beside her on the narrow booth.

Her hand waved across the table. “All of this. I’m looking at the future of my career, yet I have no clue what way to go. I’m at a crossroads, Nash, and I’m scared. There’s no good answer.”

Nash wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side. He’d grown used to the perfect feel of her petite body nestled next against his. What he wasn’t used to was consoling a woman, delving into feelings beyond the superficial. This was definitely out of his comfort zone and he absolutely hated it. Hated how he’d allowed himself to get in this position of being vulnerable with the threat of being exposed before he was ready.

More than anything else, he hated lying to Lily. She didn’t deserve to be pulled into his web of deceit and lies, but now that she was pregnant, there was no other option. He’d already put his plan in motion and he wasn’t leaving until Damon Barrington gave up the horses and Nash disclosed his real identity to the man. Nash couldn’t wait to see Damon’s face when the truth was revealed.

But now he had Lily and a baby to worry about. He sure as hell didn’t want innocents caught in the mix. Things had been so simple before, when Lily planned to wrap up filming and go on her way. Everything in her life from this moment on would revolve around their child and he had to figure out a way to make this right...he just had no clue how.

Angst rolled through him at the thought of his own mother feeling even an inkling of what Lily was going through. And his mother had been all on her own. No way would he ever let Lily feel as if she didn’t have him to lean on. He wasn’t looking for that traditional family, but he wouldn’t abandon what was his.

For so long it had been just Nash and his mother. She’d always put his needs first, rarely dating, never bringing a man to the house until Nash was in his late teens when she got engaged and eventually married. She’d always made sure her two jobs covered their bills and a few extras.

In short, she worked her ass off, purposely setting her own needs aside until Nash was old enough to understand and care for himself.

He didn’t want to see Lily struggling as a single mother, juggling a career and a child.

Added to that, she was pregnant with his child. It would take death to tear him away from what belonged to him. Did he love her? No. Love wasn’t in the cards for him, wasn’t something he believed in. That didn’t mean he didn’t already love this child they’d created. Now Nash had to make sure once she discovered the truth, she wouldn’t shut him out.

He knew how she loathed liars, how she’d been betrayed by a man in her past. Surely she would see this situation was completely different.

“What are all these papers that have you so upset?” he asked her.

Lily rested a hand on his thigh, tapping a stack with her finger. “Scripts Ian gave me to look over for the next film. He’s so excited because this will be our first film together, but everything here would be impossible for me to do until after the baby is born and that’s if I get my body back. Hollywood is ruthless when it comes to added pounds.”

He kept his opinion about Hollywood and their warped sense of “beautiful” to himself. Not all women needed to be rails to be stunning and added pounds didn’t take away from a woman’s talents. Lily was a petite woman, but she had curves in all the right places.

“Why don’t you tell Ian that none of these will work for you?”

Lily lazily drew an invisible pattern over his jeans with her fingertips. “I need to tell him about the baby. This has to be my sole focus. My career will have to come second for a while. I only hope I’m not committing career suicide.”

Nash smiled and stroked away a strand of hair from her eyes. “I highly doubt this will kill your career. Ian will understand, I’m sure.”

Lily scrubbed her hands over her face. “This is my life. I don’t know anything else. What do I know about being a mom?”

About as much as he knew about being a dad.

She slid out the other side of the booth and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Nash watched as she twisted off the cap and took a long drink. An overwhelming sense of possession swept through him. This sexy, vibrant woman would soon start showing visible signs of their secret affair.

“You can’t keep pushing yourself right now, Lily. It’s best you relax.”

Her eyes darted to his. “I don’t need you coming in here and telling me how I should be reacting. My life is mine alone, Nash. Yes, you’re the baby’s father, but I need to figure out what to do here. Even if I take some time off, I’m still in the spotlight. I don’t want...”

She bit her lip and glanced away. In the soft light casting a glow in the narrow space, Nash saw another fresh set of tears swimming in her eyes. Damn it.

“You don’t want the media to know,” he murmured.

After a slight hesitation, she nodded, but still didn’t meet his gaze. He climbed out of the seat and came up behind her, cupping her shoulders and easing her back against his chest.

“They’re going to find out, Lily. What you need to do is make sure you always stay in control.” Sliding his arms down, he covered her flat stomach with his hands, still in awe that a life grew inside there. “Don’t let them start the gossip. I’m sure you have TV interviews scheduled. Make a big bombshell announcement then. You’ll take the wind right out of the press’s sails.”

Lily turned in his arms. Her eyes met his as she blinked back tears. “That may be the best plan of action. But, I need to tell my mother first.”

Her mother. They’d never discussed their parents. That topic usually meant a relationship was building. He and Lily hadn’t planned on building on anything. They were enjoying their time together, not thinking of tomorrow.

Tomorrow, however, had caught up with them and smacked them in the face with a good dose of reality.

The fact they were bound forever now sent a bit of uncontrollable fear sliding through him. Whether either of them liked it or not, they were about to delve into personal territory.

Lily could talk about her mother all she wanted. That was most definitely an area in his life he wasn’t ready to reveal.

“Does your mother live in LA, too?”

“No, she lives in Arizona in a small, private community that’s run by an assisted living facility. She has her own home on the grounds and she’s very independent, but if her health gets bad or as she gets older and needs care, she’s already set.”

Lily stepped back and crossed her arms. “I don’t tell people where she is because I want her to have a normal life and not be hassled by the media.”

Nash didn’t want another reason to be drawn to Lily, but damn it she was protective of her mother. How could he not relate to that? Nash would do anything for his mother...which was why he was still harboring his secret instead of bursting through Damon’s front doors and laying it all out on the line.

Part of Nash wished he’d never kept this secret about his life, wished he’d just confronted his past immediately and moved on. But he’d wanted to protect his mother and wanted to move cautiously without making rash decisions. Lily was a different story. He’d seen her, he’d wanted her. Now, here they were, pregnant and discussing parents.

Irony shot at him from so many angles he could hardly keep up. He had been a secret baby, and Lily was expecting a baby that had to remain a secret for now. The best course of action for him would be to complete his original plans and confront Damon.

“Are you going to see your mom as soon as you’re done filming here?” he asked.

He needed her gone. He needed her away so he could have a face-to-face with Damon and not have Lily right there witnessing his confession of every single lie he’d told since meeting her. There was no way he could avoid the outcome, but he could at least soften the blow if she weren’t present for the bomb he would drop.

He wanted so much, from Damon, from himself...from Lily. In the end, he would have it all. He hadn’t gotten this far in his life by sitting idly by and watching opportunities pass. He reached with both hands and took what he wanted.

“I just need to think.” She rubbed her head and sighed. “I need to find a doctor. I have no idea where to go. Obviously I should look in LA, but I won’t be back there for a while.”

“I’ll find you one.” When she quirked a brow, he added, “I know people in the area. You need a checkup and then you can see a doctor when you get home.”

Assuming she went back home after filming wrapped up. Hell, he had no idea what her plans were. Honestly, all they’d managed to work out was how well they fit together intimately. Any discussion beyond that would be a vast change of pace.

“Just get me a name,” she told him. “It’s going to be nearly impossible to get in and out of a doctor’s office here without word getting out about my condition.”

Nash’s mind was working overtime. He couldn’t say too much or she’d know something was off about him and who she believed he was. She had to keep thinking he was just a groom until he could tell her otherwise. The last thing he needed at this point was her, or anyone for that matter, getting suspicious. Still, money talked and he’d use any means necessary to get her the proper care she needed while she was here.

“I bet we could get a doctor to come here, secretly,” he offered. “People can be silenced for a price.”

Lily’s eyes widened. “You’re not paying someone to keep quiet. I know how this works, Nash. We just need to find someone who can be discreet.”

From her tone and the worry filling her eyes, Nash knew she didn’t like the idea of him spending his money on her health care. Little did she know how heavily padded his accounts were. Even if they weren’t, even if he did only make groom’s wages, he’d spend every last cent if that meant proper care for his baby.

“I’ll take care of it,” he assured her. “You won’t have to worry about a thing.”

Lily leaned her shoulder against the narrow kitchenette cabinet and stared at him. “There are so many layers to you,” she muttered. “You’re all casual and laid-back, yet sometimes you’re all business and take-charge. Makes me wonder who the real Nash is.”

She’d barely scratched the surface. All too soon those layers would be peeled back one at a time, revealing things that would change lives forever.

Forcing himself to relax, he hooked his thumbs through his belt loops, intending to keep playing the part of groom. “Which Nash do you think I am?”

With a shrug, Lily continued to stare. “I’m not sure. You just seem more, I don’t know, powerful and composed than I thought you’d be about the baby.”

In one stride he’d closed the space between them, snaked his arms around her waist and leaned over her so her back arched. “You saying I wasn’t powerful when we were in the loft?”

Lily’s hands slid up his chest. “Oh, you were powerful, but you didn’t have that serious tone you just used.”

Nash eyed her mouth, then traveled back up to her eyes. “Trust me, when it comes to someone I care about, I’m very serious.”

Lily’s tremble vibrated his entire body. He couldn’t let her know anything about his real life, but at the same time he had to use his influences to keep her near, keep her and the baby safe. Everything in his life was at stake—things he hadn’t even considered a possibility were now major markers on his journey. He’d started down this path with one vision, now suddenly there were forks in the road. Still, he had to stay on track because no matter which way he went, hearts would be ripped apart. Two life-altering secrets would shatter the trust he’d built with everyone around him over the past couple of months.

Even with the odds drastically stacked against him, with the devil in the corner mocking him, Nash had no intention of failing. He’d have it all: the horses, a family, his baby.

Four

“What do you mean he’s still not accepting our offer?”

Nash glanced behind him, making sure he was still alone. He’d stepped out of the stables and around the side where he was sure to have privacy when his assistant had called.

Damon Barrington may technically be his boss here, but Nash had a surprise in store for him.

“I know what they’re planning,” Nash said in a low tone. “I know exactly what he’s willing to let go of and what he wants to hold on to. What the hell will it take to get him to sell to me?”

“I think that’s the issue,” his assistant replied. “You know how he feels about you. He may sell to someone else.”

Nash raked a hand through his hair. Yeah, he knew how Damon felt about him. They’d been ongoing rivals in the horse industry and for the past two years or so, but they’d pretty much used their assistants to handle all business dealings between them. That gap in time had only aided in Nash’s covert plans. All he’d done was grow a beard, grow his hair longer and put on old, well-worn clothes. Sometimes the easiest way to hide things, or people, was right in plain sight.

Nash had wanted to purchase several of Damon’s prizewinning horses, knowing the mogul was set to retire after this season, but Damon kept refusing. Nash needed those horses, needed the bloodlines on his own estate because he’d not been faring well in the races and losing was not an option.

The most recent offer had been exorbitant and Damon still wasn’t budging. Stubborn man.

Like father, like son.

“Let me think,” Nash said, heading back toward the front of the stables. “I’ll call you back.”

He slid the phone into his pocket and rounded the corner. Stepping from the shade to the vibrant sun had him pulling his cowboy hat down lower. He needed to figure out what it would take to get Damon to sell those horses to him because Nash had never taken no for an answer and he sure as hell wouldn’t start now.

Pulling the pitchfork off the hook on the wall, Nash set out to clean out the stalls at the end of the aisle. Tessa and Cassie had taken two of the coveted horses out for a bit which gave him time to think and work without distractions.

What if someone else called Damon’s assistant and made an offer? Would the tenacious man consider the generous offer then if he knew the horses weren’t going to his rival?

Nash shoved the pitchfork into the hay, scooped out the piles and tossed them into the wheelbarrow. He missed his own estate, missed doing the grunt work with his own horses, in his own lavish stables. But he’d left his groom in charge and knew he could trust the man.

Only Nash’s assistant knew where he was and that he was trying to spy on the Barringtons in an attempt to buy them out. But even his right-hand man wasn’t aware of the other secret that had Nash uncovered here. Nobody knew and until he was ready to disclose his full plan, he had to keep it that way.

If Damon hated him before, how would the elderly man feel once he discovered the real truth?

By the time the first stall was clean, sweat trickled down his back. Nash pulled his hat off, tugged his T-shirt over his head and slapped his hat back on. He didn’t often take his shirt off during workdays, but the day was almost done and the heat was stifling. He’d even gotten used to the itchiness of his beard after endless hours of working in this heat.

After both stalls were ready to go, Nash put all the materials away. Damon kept a clean, neat stable—something they had in common.

Nash didn’t want to admit they had anything in common, but over the past several months since he had been on the Barrington estate, he’d seen Damon many times, seen how he treated his family, the crew filming there. But Nash hadn’t allowed himself to get swept into that personal realm. He was here for a job, both as a groom and as a businessman.

Nash’s last order of business was sweeping the walkway, ridding it of the stray straw and dust. The chore didn’t take long, but had him sweating even more. He pulled the T-shirt from his back pocket and swiped it across his neck and chest.

“Have you ever thought of doing calendars?”

Nash jerked around to see the object of his every desire standing in the stable entryway, the sunlight illuminating her rich hair, her curvy build.

“What are you doing here?”

“Is Cassie around?”

“She’s out riding.” He took a step closer, since no one was around and he couldn’t resist. So, he’d actually found one thing he had absolutely no control over. “You all right?”

With a soft smile, she nodded. “Yeah. I have a short break between scenes and I needed to ask her something.”

Fisting his shirt, Nash crossed his arms over his chest. “Care to elaborate?”

“I’m asking her what doctor she used while she was pregnant, if you must know,” she whispered.

“I already found out and you have an appointment.” He’d had to do some sneaky digging, or rather his assistant did, but he’d been able to find the doctor in town who Cassie had seen for her pregnancy. “I was going to tell you this evening because I wasn’t sure of your schedule today.”

Her eyes raked over his bare chest and he didn’t mind one bit being the recipient of her visual lick. “Keep looking at me like that and people are going to know more about us than we want them to.”

Her eyes snapped up to his. “I can’t even think when you’re working like that,” she muttered, gaze darting back down to his bare chest. “But thank you for arranging the doctor. When is he coming?”

“She will be here on Thursday.”

Lily nodded. “That will be great. We’re supposed to finish filming Thursday, but they may have something else for me to do last minute. I’ll make sure I’m free, though.”

“We’re meeting at my house so there’s no question as to why she’s here.”

“Taking control again?” A corner of Lily’s lips kicked up into a grin. “This once I don’t mind and if we were alone, I’d show you how grateful I am for you taking care of this.”

Damn, his body responded immediately and he couldn’t wait to get back to her trailer. “We’ll be alone later and I’ll let you.”

At first all the sneaking around had been exciting, thrilling. Of course, that part was still arousing, but they basically knew nothing about each other. All he’d wanted was to confront his past, secure his future and now he was dealing with a whole new future.

Lily was an amazing woman, there was no denying that fact. But that didn’t make him ready to settle down and play house, either. Could he see himself with someone like her? Considering they only knew each other in the bedroom, sure. Reality might be a different story.

Why the hell was he thinking like this? They were having a baby, that didn’t mean they had to register for monogrammed towels.

“Hey, Lily.”

Nash turned to see the beautiful Barrington sisters as they led their horses into the stalls.

“Hi, Cassie, Tessa.” Lily walked around him, sending her signature scent of lilac straight through him. “I had a break from filming and thought I’d come see you guys since I rarely get in here.”

Good save.

Nash went on with his duties, trying to ignore the feminine laughter of the three women in his life...only two of them had no clue just how close to him they were.

He’d created a complete and utter mess and he had to gain control and figure out how the hell to keep his plans and deception from blowing up in his face.

As much as he didn’t want to admit it, he’d come to care for this family. Even though he hadn’t let them in beyond work, he knew these sisters, saw the love their father had for them, witnessed bonding moments when they thought no one was around.

They were a family. A tight-knit, perfectly woven-together family. And when Nash ended up besting Damon, Nash had no clue where that would leave him in the family tree.

* * *

Ridding her body of her meager breakfast of dry toast was not a promising start to her day. It was the final day of shooting and Lily just wanted to crawl back into bed and tell the crew to do the scene without her. With her stomach revolting, she didn’t care that she was the female lead, she just wanted to lie in her bed and die, because she was positive that’s what was happening.

She was already fifteen minutes late for hair and makeup. She was never late. Some actors and actresses had a reputation for being divas while filming, often times making the rest of the crew wait on them, but Lily had prided herself on being professional. Her time wasn’t worth any more than any other person’s on set.

She slapped her sunglasses on, hoping to hide the dark circles until she got to the makeup chair. She’d had enough energy to throw on her strapless maxi dress and flip-flops before heading out. But her mind wasn’t on filming. Besides the baby, Lily was seriously starting to worry about her and Nash.

Her and Nash? Why did they instantly click like a couple inside her mind?

Because that’s the way her mind—and her heart—had started leaning. The man exuded strength, not just in his physical job, but with everything he did. Since he found out about the baby he’d been ready to control every aspect of this pregnancy, to anticipate her every need. And, as much as it pained her to admit it, his dominating presence only deepened her attraction to him.

There was so much to the man and she wanted to discover it all. She completely trusted him with her body, now she wanted to see if she could trust him with more.

What did he want? Did he want more with her? If he did, would he be able to handle the very public life she led? One worry after another cycled through her head.

The overcast clouds were about as cheery and pleasant as she felt at the moment. She really hoped the first trimester passed quickly and she was a textbook case pregnancy because, while she was excited about the little life growing inside her, she was so over feeling carsick, as if she was riding a roller coaster and spinning in circles all at once.

Adding all of that to the uncertainty about Nash and what move they would take next was about to break her.

“I was just coming to check on you.” Ian fell into step beside her. “Everything okay?”

Tears pricked her eyes. Was everything okay? Not really. She was pregnant by a man she knew little about and she was falling in love with him. That chaotic mess had somehow become her life and she had no clue how to sort out all these emotions to make sense of things.

Ian stared at her, waiting on her to answer. Shoving her hair away from her shoulders, Lily blinked back tears, thankful for the sunglasses.

“I wasn’t feeling very well this morning.”

He gripped her elbow and pulled her gently to a stop. “You’re looking a little pale. Are you okay?”

Lily sniffed and shook her head. “No, I’m not, but I will be.”

Ian’s brows drew together as he glanced around, then focused back on her. “You’re crying. That’s not okay. Did something happen with your mom?”

“No, my mom is fine.”

Lily reached beneath her sunglasses and swiped the tips of her fingers at the tears just starting to escape. Why couldn’t she control her emotions? She just wanted to wrap up this day of filming and go back to her trailer where she could think of how to gently let Nash know she was developing stronger feelings for him.

“If you’re sick, maybe I should see about putting your scene off. A few more hours shouldn’t make a difference.”

A few hours? She needed a few weeks, or months, depending on how long this state of feeling like death lingered. Of course by that time she’d resemble a whale which would totally knock her out of playing Rose Barrington.

“A few hours won’t make a difference, but thanks.”

She sniffed again, desperately needing a tissue. Wow, if the paparazzi could only see her now. Sniffling, crying and looking like pure hell. They’d make up something akin to Starlet Hooked on Drugs or The Girl Next Door Reverts Back to Her Wild Days as their top story.

“Does this have to do with Nash?” he whispered. “You seem really upset for just not feeling well. Did he do something?”

Hysterical laughter burst through her as more tears flowed. Yeah, she was officially a disaster and she was totally falling apart in front of her new agent. An agent who had flown all the way out here to convince her to sign with his agency...the poor man was probably reconsidering his decision even though in the short time they’d been official, they had come to think of each other as good friends.

So instead of letting him continue to think she’d gone completely insane, she blurted out, “I’m pregnant.”

Ian’s eyes widened for only a second before he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a friendly hug.

“I assume this is Nash’s?”

Lily nodded against his shoulder and held on to his arms. “Nobody knows. Please keep the news to yourself until I tell you otherwise.”

“Of course.” He gave her shoulder a slight squeeze, then stepped back. “Is this why you haven’t gotten back to me on either of those scripts?”

His smile warmed her and she nodded. “I’m so torn. I have no clue what work you can find for me and I just don’t know how I’ll manage with being pregnant or even what will happen when the baby comes.”

Ian kept his grip on her shoulders and tipped his head down to look her straight in the eye. “Listen, this news is a shock to you now, but you are a strong woman. Actresses have babies all the time. You will do just fine and I’ve no doubt I’ll find work for you. Never worry about that. That’s my job. Okay?”

The strong wind had her hair dancing around her shoulders. Lily shoved the wayward strands behind her ears. “I need to get to hair and makeup. I’m really late now. Thanks for understanding and for keeping my secret.”

Ian dropped his hands. “You go on. I’m going to see Nash because he’s been shooting death glares at me from the stables since we stopped to talk.”

Wrapping her arms around her waist, Lily smiled. “He’s a bit protective.”

“Looks like a man in love to me.”

Love? No. Lust? Yes. They weren’t near the stage for love to enter the equation—well, she was teetering on the brink. Their sexual chemistry was completely off the charts, though.

“Tell him I’ll see him later and that I’m fine,” she told Ian. “He worries like my mother.”

With a soft chuckle, Ian nodded. “Will do.”

Ian walked toward the stables and Lily paused briefly to stare at Nash. Even from across the wide concrete drive and the side yard, she could see the stone-solid look on his face. That wasn’t jealousy. What did he have to be jealous of, anyway? Yes, they were having a baby together, but they’d still made no commitment to each other.

Why shouldn’t they try for more? Why couldn’t she just tell him what she wanted? She wasn’t asking for a ring on her finger. This innocent baby wouldn’t be caught in the middle. Lily wanted her child to have security and the love of both parents whether they were together or not. She had to figure out how Nash felt about her beyond the sexual aspect.

But she had a feeling she knew how his mind worked. A man like Nash wouldn’t let go of anything that belonged to him and since this baby was his, she knew he wouldn’t let go of her, either.

This could be an opportunity to see if she was ready for something long-term with the man who had literally turned her world upside down.

Five

Nash had no idea how nervous he had been about this appointment until he closed the door behind the doctor once the checkup was done. Now he and Lily were alone in his rental house which was only a few miles from the Barrington estate.

The baby was healthy with a good, strong heartbeat. Lily’s blood pressure was a bit on the high side and the doctor warned about too much stress and urged her to rest for the next few weeks until the next appointment. Nash vowed silently to make sure Lily was relaxed, pampered and wanted for nothing as long as she was here. And she would stay here for the next few weeks...if not longer. They hadn’t really discussed her living arrangements, but Nash wasn’t backing down on this matter. His child would stay under his roof for now.

The movie had officially wrapped up yesterday and Lily was free. Which meant he had some decisions to make. This wasn’t just about Nash and Lily anymore. An innocent baby would be coming into this world soon and would depend on his or her parents to provide a stable, loving home.

When he stepped back into the living room, Lily was reclining on the leather chaise in the corner, pointing the remote toward the flat screen hanging above the stone mantel. He may be using this home as a prop for his plan, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t decorate it according to his style and his needs, just on a smaller scale. His designer had done quick work before Nash moved in and everything was perfect for a single groom who splurged only on a few necessities. A large television was a necessity.

When Lily had mentioned how nice his home was, he’d indicated the place came already furnished. A small lie piled atop all the others he’d doled out since he’d put his plan into motion. At this point, what was a white lie about decor in the grand scheme of things?

Lily’s vibrant eyes shot to his, a smile spread across her face as he approached. “I know I should still be scared, or nervous, or whatever, but I’m just so happy the baby is healthy.”

Resting his hip next to her bare legs on the chaise, Nash settled his hand on her calf and rubbed from her ankle to her knee. “There’s no rule book that states you have to feel a certain way.”

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