Carrying the Lost Heir's Child (7 page)

BOOK: Carrying the Lost Heir's Child
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He didn’t have to do all of that, yet he did, never once asking for anything in return.

Added to that, he’d just hinted at his deeper emotions and she had a feeling he had shocked himself with his declaration, if his quick retreat was any indication.

Lily wanted to uncover so much more because she honestly didn’t know a whole lot about the man who would be in her life forever—one way or another.

As he maneuvered the truck toward his home, Lily adjusted the air vents. Summer was in full force and the sun beat right in through the windshield, making her even hotter.

As much as her body ached for his, she needed backstory, needed to know what made this impossible-to-resist man so captivating. While they were driving, this was the perfect opportunity to dig in to his life a bit more.

“Where did you grow up?” she asked, breaking the silence.

His hand tightened on the steering wheel. “Not too far from here.”

“Have you always worked with horses?”

“Yes.”

He wasn’t as talkative as she’d hoped, but most men weren’t. Still, he never seemed to open up about his past...which made her want to uncover all he held back.

“So you had horses growing up?”

His eyes darted toward her, then back to the road. “We couldn’t afford them.”

Lily laced her fingers together in her lap and turned to stare out the window as he turned onto his road. “Sorry if I’m prying. I just want to learn more about you.”

“Nothing to be sorry about,” he told her. “My mom worked for a farm so I was always around horses. We just didn’t own any. I always swore I’d have a farm of my own one day.”

He had a vision, dreams. He worked hard and didn’t sit back and feel sorry for himself about what was missing from his life.

How could she not be intrigued by this man who was so opposite from any other man who’d captured her attention? Everything about Nash was different. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind that he held on to his past because he was embarrassed. He was a groom, she was a movie star, but couldn’t he see that she saw them as equals?

She’d had very humble beginnings and she’d tried to express how money meant nothing to her. All she wanted was a man she could trust and rely on. The fact Nash turned her inside out with his seduction was just icing on the proverbial cake.

When Nash pulled to a stop in front of his house, Lily hopped out and grabbed some bags while Nash took the others and headed up the porch to unlock the door. Once they were settled inside and the bags were dropped onto the floor inside the foyer, Lily turned to Nash.

“Do you mind if we talk?”

Tossing his keys onto the small table, he turned back to meet her gaze. “I’d hoped we’d be doing other activities. What do you want to talk about?”

Lily stepped forward and reached up to wrap her arms around his neck. Instantly his strong arms enveloped her, always making her feel safe, protected...loved. Could he love her? Was he even thinking along those lines?

“Anything,” she said. “I just feel like all we do is get naked and I think we really have so much to discuss. The future, what we’re doing, the baby. I still don’t know much about you.”

Nash pulled back, literally and figuratively, as he stepped around her and let out a sigh. “You know all you need to right now.”

Lily turned and followed him into the living room, refusing to accept his evasive tactics. “I know you grew up around horses and that you are close with your mother. That’s all.”

Across the room, Nash rested his hands on the mantel, his head dropped as tension crackled in the silence between them. Something weighed heavily on those wide shoulders of his, something he didn’t want her to know.

Was he worried she’d think less of him? Did he wonder how much he should share just because they had different pasts?

Dread settled deep in the pit of her stomach. Was he hiding something worse? Endless possibilities flooded her mind.

“Nash, I know you’re keeping something from me.” She eased farther into the room, skirting around the sofa and coming to stand just behind him. “You’re scaring me with the silence. It can’t be that bad, can it?”

She hoped not. Had her judgment been so off again?
Please, no. Please let it be something that is in actuality very, very minor.

“You deserve the truth,” he muttered, still gripping onto the mantel so tightly his knuckles were white. “This is harder than I thought.”

Lily slid a hand over her stomach. What had she done? She stepped back until her hip hit the edge of the sofa arm. She gripped the back of the cushion for support.

What bomb was he about to drop and how would this affect the life of her and her child?

Nash turned, his eyes full of vulnerability and fear. Raking a hand through his hair, he met her gaze across the room.

“Damon Barrington is my father.”

Seven

S
he’d been played for a fool...again.

Her shaky legs threatened to give out. How could she be so foolish? Was she so blinded by men with pretty words and charming attitudes that she couldn’t pick out the liars?

Damon Barrington, billionaire horse racing icon, was Nash’s father?
Her eyes sought his across the room. He hadn’t moved, had hardly blinked as he watched her to gauge her reaction. So many thoughts swirled around in her mind she didn’t know how she was supposed to react.

“You lied to me.”

That was the bottom line.

Oh, no. Nash’s father was a wealthy mogul and famous in his own right in the horse racing industry. How would the media spin this story once word got out who her baby’s father was?

The muscle in his jaw ticked as he crossed those muscular arms over his chest. “Yes, I lied.”

No defense? Was he just going to reveal that jaw-dropping fact and not elaborate?

Lily rubbed her forehead, hoping to chase away the impending headache. She wouldn’t beg him to let her in. He either wanted to tell her or he didn’t, but he better have a damn good reason for lying to her face.

“I honestly didn’t want to lie to you,” he defended, as if her silence had triggered him to speak up for himself.

A laugh escaped her. “And yet you did it anyway.”

“Damon doesn’t know who I am.” In two long strides, Nash closed the gap to stand directly in front of her. Those bright blue eyes held hers as if pleading for her to hear him out. “To my knowledge he never even knew my mother was pregnant. I only found out he was my birth father several months ago and that’s when I came to work for him. I needed to see what kind of man he was, needed to know if I even wanted to pursue a relationship with him.”

A bit of her heart melted, but he’d still withheld information from her, pretending to be someone he wasn’t.

“You’re the son of the most prominent man in this industry and you didn’t even think to tell me?”

Nash reached for her hands, held them tight against his chest as he took another step toward her. “When we first started our connection was just physical. You know that. But then I started getting more involved with you and I worried about disclosing the truth, but I also knew you’d be leaving at the end of the shoot. I wasn’t going to say anything to Damon until you were gone and it never would’ve affected you. But now...”

Realization dawned on her. He’d had to tell her. But the fact of the matter was he only did so when forced to, and that hurt her more than she cared to admit.

“The baby.”

Nash nodded, squeezing her hands as if he was afraid she would turn and run. “I truly never wanted you involved in my mess, in this lie, but things were out of my control.”

Lily raised her brows. “Out of your control?”

“Fine.” The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, showcasing that devastating smile. “I couldn’t control myself around you, but I could control how much of my life I let you in on. I wasn’t able to tell you before.”

“Why now?” she asked, searching his face, finding only vulnerability masked by a handsome, rugged exterior. “You could’ve kept this to yourself until you talked to Damon.”

He held her hands against his heart with one palm and slid his other hand up along her cheek, his fingers threading through her hair.

“No, I couldn’t. You’ve come to mean more, we mean more, than I thought possible. I wasn’t ready for you, Lily. I’ve had this secret living in me, I couldn’t just let anyone in.”

His heart beat heavily against her hand and Lily knew that him baring his soul was courageous and brave. He could’ve kept lying to her, he could’ve gone to Damon first with this bombshell, but he’d opened himself up.

“Besides,” he went on, drawing her closer. “I need you. More than I want to admit, and on a level that terrifies me. No matter what’s going on around me, in spite of all my issues, I need the passion we possess. I need you, Lily.”

Mercy, when he said things like that her entire body shivered, her stomach flopped as nerves settled deep inside her. He wasn’t lying now. No man had ever looked at her the way he did. She saw the raw truth in his eyes. Saw how hard it was to expose himself.

“I need you with me right now,” he told her, nipping at her lips. “I need to draw from your strength.”

The man was twice her size, with his broad, muscular shoulders, his towering height, yet he wanted her strength? He humbled her with his direct, bold declaration.

“Are you going to tell him soon?” she asked, gripping his shirt.

“I really don’t know. Part of me wants to, especially now that the film is done, the racing season is over and the girls aren’t under as much pressure.”

Lily smiled, warming to the idea of Nash being part of such an amazing family. “You have sisters. Nash, this is such a big deal. You have to go to them. They deserve to know. If you want me to go with you, I will. I’ll stay back, too. Whatever you want.”

Encircling her waist with both arms, Nash pulled her close where her hands were trapped between them. “I’ll go soon. But right now, I want to embrace the fact the mother of my child is in my house where there are no interruptions, no schedules to keep. You’re supposed to be relaxing and I have the perfect spot.”

She eased back, looking him in the eyes. “Don’t keep the truth from me again. We’re in this together and I can’t be with someone I don’t trust.”

Those bright eyes held hers, the muscle in his jaw clenched and for a second she thought he was about to say something, but he simply nodded.

“Was that our first fight?” she asked.

Nash nuzzled his lips against her neck, his beard tickling her sensitive skin. “I guess so. We better go kiss and make up.”

He walked her backward and Lily couldn’t help but laugh as she found herself being drawn more and more into his world. Yes, he’d kept something monumental from her, but in his defense he was still working through the new information himself. She couldn’t imagine finding your father at this stage in life and she couldn’t blame Nash for being confused on how to respond and what steps to take. This was all new territory and they had to wade through it together.

They headed down the hall, his hands cupping her bottom as he led her into the bedroom.

“This is where you’ll stay while you’re here,” he told her as he trailed his lips across her jawline and to her ear. “Clothing is optional.”

A thrill shot through her. Being claimed shouldn’t be so arousing, yet she found herself wanting Nash more and more each time he threw down that dominance gauntlet.

With a kick of his foot, the bedroom door slammed shut.

* * *

Nash jerked another bale of hay from the stack and moved it into the stable. Frustration and guilt fueled each aggressive movement. He’d lied to Lily, was still lying to her and had worked his way back into a corner he may never find the way out of.

He’d never forget the look on her face when she’d discovered he was Damon’s son. But she only knew part of the truth. The rest of his secret wouldn’t be so easily defended and the damn last thing he’d ever intended on doing was hurting her.

His plan was to reveal himself to Damon, figure out how the hell to get those horses and get back to his own estate. He was done living these lies, done hurting people he had been around for the past few months.

As much as the guilt ate at him, he still wouldn’t leave without what he came for. Otherwise this whole journey would be in vain.

Sweat poured down his back as he stacked the last bale against the far wall. He’d called and checked on Lily several times today and each time she assured him she was fine and if she needed anything she’d call him. Still, he couldn’t help but worry. Would he be like this the entire pregnancy? Always worrying?

Nash knew it wasn’t just the pregnancy. Everything was closing in on him at once. He needed to confess now that the racing season was over and Cassie and Tessa were focusing on Cassie’s new school. He couldn’t wait for Damon to sell those horses to someone else.

Nash’s assistant should’ve already proposed the next offer, now Nash just had to wait.

Waiting was about the dead last thing he wanted to do, but he hadn’t gotten this far in life by being impulsive. Timing was everything in reaching your goals.

And timing would definitely play a major role in the next steps he took with Lily. It was like walking through a minefield. One wrong move and every plan, every unexpected blessing could all blow up in his face.

He’d spoken with his mother this morning and she was still worried about him exposing the truth, but Nash assured her he wasn’t going to disclose everything, only that Damon was his father. Everything else...hell, he had no clue when to drop that bomb. Would Damon look closer and see the man who had been his rival for so long? They’d not been face-to-face in the business world in years and Nash knew he’d changed. Besides the hair, the beard and the clothes, Nash had done more grunt work on his own land, bulking him up quite a bit and changing his physique.

“You may be the hardest working groom I’ve ever employed.”

Nash jerked around to see Damon striding through the stables. Fate had just presented him with the perfect opportunity...but was he ready to take it?

Damn it, this was harder than he thought. Before him stood the man who was his biological father and had no clue. How would he react? Would putting the fact out in the open change Damon’s life? Would he care? Would he embrace Nash as part of the family?

In the past several months since learning the truth, Nash had played this scenario in his head a million times. Now that the perfect opportunity had presented itself, he didn’t know how to lead into the life-altering conversation.

“Haven’t seen you down here much lately,” Nash finally said as he tugged off his work gloves and shoved them in his back pocket.

“The girls are done training, so that’s freed up my time.” The elderly man rested his hand on one of the gates to a stall, curling his fingers around the wrought-iron bars. “I come down more in the evening now. Been spending some of my days playing with sweet Emily.”

Nash smiled. Emily was Damon’s granddaughter...and Nash’s niece. So many instant family members. Actually, with Ian marrying Cassie, that would make Lily’s agent Nash’s soon-to-be brother-in-law.

His head was spinning. Everything would start unraveling the moment he told Damon the truth, or the part of the truth that Lily knew.

Nash had no clue how Damon would react to having a long lost son, but he knew damn sure how he’d react if he found out the rest of Nash’s identity. Epic anger like nothing Nash had ever seen, of that he was positive.

One step at a time.

“You going to be home later?” Nash asked, resting his hands on his hips.

Horses shuffled in the background, one neighed as if trying to chime into the conversation. Nash was starting to love these stables as much as his own. Damn it, he hadn’t counted on getting emotionally invested in this place, this family...Lily.

What the hell was happening to him?

“Should be.”

“Mind if I come back around seven? I need a private meeting with you.”

Damon’s silver brows drew together. “You’re not quitting on me, are you, son?”

Son.
The word was a generic term yet Damon had no clue just how swiftly he’d hit that nail on the head.

“No, sir.”

“You’ve got me intrigued.” Damon let out a robust laugh and nodded. “Sure. Come on up to the house about seven.”

“Will Cassie and Tessa be around? They may want to be there, too.”

He’d made a split-second decision to include his half-sisters. Honestly, Nash wasn’t sure if Damon would want the girls to know, but Nash needed them to. The more time he’d spent here, the more he’d gotten involved in their lives and wanted a chance for a family.

“I can ask,” Damon informed him. “You’ve certainly piqued my curiosity, so I’m sure they’ll be intrigued, as well.”

Nash swiped his forearm across his sweaty forehead, then rested his hands on his hips. “Great. I’ll be up to the main house around seven.”

If Lily wanted to join him, he wouldn’t turn down her support. He needed her, and that wasn’t weakness talking, either.

Besides, if he shared everything he could with her now, perhaps the blow that would inevitably come later wouldn’t be so harsh. The only other woman he’d let close to him was his mother. Women in his life had come and gone, nobody really fit. Lily fit...as much as she could with all the jagged edges of his life he’d yet to smooth out.

Nash knew he had fallen into a hole so deep, there was no way out and he was starting to wish for things that could never be.

BOOK: Carrying the Lost Heir's Child
4.67Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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