Bought by a Millionaire

Also as before, Burke sat next to her, waiting to hear what the doctor had to say about her latest exam. She knew he hadn’t been happy about it, but she’d refused to let Burke in the room with her this time while she was all but naked.

A part of her felt guilty about that. This was his child, after all, and she was only the surrogate mother. But she’d grown increasingly uncomfortable around him ever since she’d learned of her pregnancy.

No, that wasn’t entirely true. Her desire to avoid him hadn’t started when she’d found out about the baby, but when she’d realized she was becoming sexually attracted to the baby’s father.

It was a difficult situation to be in, and the thought of having to be in such close contact with him off and on over the next several months already set her nerves on edge.

That, along with the myriad symptoms of her pregnancy, had her body in an uproar. She’d devoured an entire bag of corn chips on the way to the clinic and was still starving. Oh, she suffered morning sickness on a daily basis, but once those bouts of nausea wore off, she turned ravenous.

Headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and even the tenderness in her breasts, she’d expected. But these uncontrollable cravings were driving her crazy.

Right now, a large, deep-dish pizza with all the fixings sounded like heaven. Pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, onions, anchovies, green peppers, extra cheese… She sighed inwardly, knowing she wouldn’t get a lick of studying done tonight until at least half a Chicago-style pie filled her stomach.

To her right, the office door opened and Dr. Cox entered, scribbling on her chart. “Everything looks good,” he told them, taking a seat behind his desk. “As long as you’re feeling well enough, I’m going to suggest you keep doing what you’re doing.”

She nodded, visions of pizza toppings dancing in her head.

“Are you still getting headaches and feeling tired?”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Burke’s brows knit. “Yes, but I’ve been taking naps, and the headaches aren’t that bad.”

“An ibuprofen or two wouldn’t hurt, if you needed them.”

Shannon shook her head. “I’d rather not. I don’t like the idea of taking anything I don’t have to. Not if I can avoid it.”

The doctor nodded, apparently agreeing. He recommended a cool cloth or face mask for the time being and said he’d see them again in a month.

Just like the last time, Burke walked her out of the doctor’s office, toward his car. He looked amazing in a dark suit and long, tan camel-hair coat. No wonder he’d been on the cover of GQ twice already.

They’d hardly spoken since meeting in the waiting room an hour ago, which only added to her current discomfort. He was so sophisticated and worldly, while she struggled to hold down a job and keep up with her college course load. And she was beginning to feel like a frump in her long, earth-colored skirts and oversize sweaters when Burke always looked as though he’d stepped off the cover of…well, GQ.

“I’ll see you home,” he said finally, interrupting her thoughts.

“That’s all right. I came in on the El, I’ll be fine going back.”

She’d used the same excuse before and he’d accepted it, but now his lips thinned into a determined line as he wrapped a hand around her elbow.

“I insist.”

Before she could balk, he’d led her to the open door of the limo and guided her inside. She sat on the softly upholstered seat, feeling stunned, while he settled himself beside her.

“This really isn’t necessary,” she continued to argue. “I don’t mind walking. I was going to stop for pizza on the way home, anyway.”

“I mind,” he said, ignoring her subtle hint about how hungry she was. “This is downtown Chicago, and although you may be safe enough during the day, it’s not a good idea to wander around the city at night.”

“It’s not even five o’clock,” she pointed out. “And I hadn’t planned to ‘wander,’ just make my way home.”

His gaze narrowed, making it obvious her arguments were falling on deaf ears. “I don’t like thinking about you walking everywhere alone. From now on, you’ll have a vehicle at your disposal.”

“You’re buying me a car?” she asked, her jaw dropping.

“Of course not. I’ll assign you a driver.”

She almost laughed at her wildly incorrect assumption. “You don’t have to do that,” she insisted.

“I know I don’t have to,” he told her, “I want to. He’ll be outside your apartment building every morning, at whatever time you like.”

She could just imagine being the only chauffeured student on campus. “I’d rather walk.”

Burke’s eyes drifted closed and she heard him sigh. “The car will be there by eight o’clock each and every day. If you choose to walk, the driver will be instructed to follow, so you might as well make use of my generosity.”

She studied him for a moment, noting the strong line of his jaw and the determined glint in his storm-gray eyes.

“You’re used to getting your own way, aren’t you?”

She hadn’t expected an answer, but she got one anyway—in the form of a tight, confident grin.

“You heard the doctor say walking is good for me,” she tried one last, futile time.

“I’ll buy you a treadmill.”

Yep, futile. Arguing with him was like trying to scale Mount Everest on a tricycle.

“Fine. A car and driver would be lovely, thank you.”

His deep, rumbling chuckle caused a clutch in her belly.

“You’re welcome.”

Stifling a yawn, Shannon leaned her head back against the soft leather seat. “Does your driver know where he’s going?” she asked.

“Of course.”

She was still hungry, but suddenly exhaustion washed over her, competing with her growling stomach.

“I’m just going to rest my eyes for a minute,” she murmured drowsily. “I was up late last night, studying.”

“Go ahead,” he whispered, putting an arm around her shoulders and urging her close to his broad, warm body.

In the back of her mind, a voice warned her that Burke was touching her, that her cheek rested against the softness of his coat and his hand was rubbing comforting circles on her upper arm. That same voice suggested she be alarmed and pull away, but she couldn’t seem to wake up enough to do either. Instead, she inhaled the woodsy, masculine scent of his cologne and fell into the deepest, most comfortable sleep she’d experienced in weeks.

A slight lurch and a chill breeze from the open door of the limo woke her. Shannon didn’t know how long she’d been napping, but a considerable amount of time had obviously passed because she didn’t recognize her surroundings.

Burke was no longer in the car with her, either. She was about to get out to see where they were when a young man wearing a white uniform with a red cap leaned into the car and began stacking thin cardboard cartons on the seat. He disappeared before she could ask him what was going on, and Burke reappeared, situating himself on the other side of the tall stack of boxes.

“Are those what I think they are?” she asked, catching a whiff of something absolutely mouthwatering. Her fingers sneaked toward the corner of the first box.

“You said you wanted pizza,” he answered simply, sliding the top container off the pile and setting it on her lap. “I didn’t know what toppings you like, though, so I had them make up a little of everything.”