Pregnant at the Wedding / Baby Business: Pregnant at the Wedding

“That’s not for you to decide, and we’re not getting anywhere arguing about it,” she said, impatient with his high-handed determination to get his way.

“No, we’re not, so I intend to do something, since I feel marriage is best for all concerned.”

Her heart pumped faster while she wondered what he planned, terrified he was going to tell her that he would try to take the baby from her. “Don’t do something you’ll regret later,” she warned.

“I won’t,” he stated, with so much confidence she braced herself for what was coming. “You marry me, and I’ll pay off your family’s mortgage, the debts your father has and take care of his insurance. You can’t turn down my offer and hurt your family.”

Four

Filled with disbelief, she came to her feet. “Ryan Warner, you’ll force me into marriage when you know I don’t want to marry you. That’s despicable!” she exclaimed, glaring at him in fury. Her fists clenched and white-hot anger shot through her.

“Calm down,” he ordered quietly, but with a firmness in his voice and a commanding look in his eye that made her take a deep breath and sit down again. “I’m doing exactly that,” he assured her. “You have to accept my offer for your family’s sake.”

Knowing he was right, she stared at Ryan while the implications of his offer both dazzled and angered her.

“I can afford to pay off the mortgage on the farm completely, as well as repair all the damage from the flood. Frankly, your father might want to buy a new place where he won’t have to worry about floods, which I’m willing to finance. I can hire some hands to help him, and I can afford to pay for your brother’s college education if he wants to go.”

“This is blackmail of sorts!” she snapped, taking deep breaths to calm herself.

“I can also see to it that your father has health-insurance coverage. I’ve got good lawyers who can look into the matter,” Ryan continued, speaking as calmly as if he were discussing the weather.

“My family and I don’t want charity!” she said tightly.

“It won’t be charity,” he said patiently, “if we marry. I’ll be taking care of things because, if we’re married, your family is part of mine and vice versa. I take care of my father, and I’ll take care of yours.”

“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” she whispered. She shook her head and tears threatened, because she knew she had no choice in the matter.

“You have to accept my proposal and you know it,” he said.

Dismayed again, she stared at him. “You want to go into this forced marriage?”

He nodded. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do. You can save a lot of pain and heartache for you and your family. It should prolong your father’s life and give your brother opportunities he would never have otherwise.”

Shaking, she gasped for breath. “Damn you and your high-handed ways, Ryan Warner!”

He looked up at her calmly. “Marry me, Ashley, and solve your problems.”

“Under conditions like that, what kind of marriage would it be?”

“A damn good one when you get over your anger.” He stood to face her, and for the first time, fire flashed in the depths of his green eyes. “This is what’s best for you, our baby and your whole family, and you know it.”

“If you think I’m going to be filled with gratitude, you’re wrong. I’ll never forgive you.”

“Yes, you will,” he replied with that damnable arrogance that increased her fury. He reached down to grasp her shoulders. As she watched him, her heart pounded. The determined gleam in his eyes added to the sparks flying between them. He wrapped his arms around her and lowered his head.

“No!” she exclaimed, her anger growing over his despicable tactics. But his arms tightened, his mouth covered hers, and he kissed her hard.

Standing stiffly in his embrace, she resisted for seconds, but then it was impossible. Demanding and fiery, his kiss conveyed such obvious passion for her that she was shaken. His need stunned her, and the volatile chemistry between them flared.

Overpowered by his kiss, she momentarily forgot her thoughts and arguments. With her heart racing, she wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly, kissing him in return. Never before in her life had she felt that a man wanted her as badly as Ryan did now.

Abruptly, he released her, his arms still wrapped around her waist while he looked down at her. “There! You know what we have is spectacular, and now there’s a baby to consider.”

With a racing pulse, she struggled to gather her wits. When she did, her anger seethed once again. “Sex is sensational, you mean. And for your information, I am considering my baby. You’re a dirty fighter,” she declared.

“I just intend to win,” he answered coolly. “I’ve made a damn good offer.”

She wiggled away and paced across the room to put distance between them. When she turned, he stood with his hands on his hips, his coat pushed open. His whole being conveyed a stubborn determination to get his way. Only the muscle working in his jaw indicated his frayed emotions.

While her fury burned, she felt boxed in, unable to battle him. “I’ll think about it.”

He shook his head. “No, you decide now. This is something you don’t have to think a long time about.”

“That’s even worse!” she snapped, her rage mushrooming. “It’s a monumental, life-changing proposal and you’re demanding that I decide right now?”

“We’ve hashed it over already. We could argue over it for the rest of the year, but we’re not going to,” he said with absolute certainty.

“You’re being ruthless about this!” she protested.

“No, I’m not,” he replied with a maddening calm. “I’m being generous and considerate and practical.”

“You’re no such things! You want this baby and this is your way to get it.”

His eyes darkened and a muscle worked in his jaw. “I want what’s best for all concerned, and you’re not thinking clearly about the matter, so I have to for all three of us.”

They faced each other as the silence intensified. She knew he was waiting. Marriage to Ryan… Yet it would save her family… She hadn’t allowed herself to consider his offer, which was truly fabulous. Her brother could go to college.

Would her family accept Ryan’s charity? She knew they would if he was married into the family. And she knew Ryan could easily afford what he offered.

Rubbing her forehead, she saw there really was no choice. As Ryan stood quietly waiting, she glared at him. “I don’t know what kind of marriage you think this will be, when your bride is furious with you!”

He arched one dark eyebrow and continued looking at her, steely eyed.

“All right, Ryan, I’ll marry you. But it’s not what I want.”

“Good,” he replied quietly. He crossed the room to her and grasped her upper arms firmly. Her heart pounded and she stared at him. Locks of black hair fell over his forehead and his gaze pierced her. “Ashley, when you get rid of your anger, you’ll change. I promise, I’ll do everything I can to make you happy.”

“Like you have tonight?” she cried bitterly, thinking he was making a meaningless gesture. “You’re a bully, Ryan.”

“I’ll remind you as many times as I have to. I think that I’m doing what’s best for all of us,” he stated in a tone that was so self-assured she wanted to gnash her teeth. “This is going to help your family tremendously.”

Her pulse jumped at the thought. “I’ll have to admit that your offer, as far as my family is concerned, is overwhelmingly generous and thrills me. That part will be absolutely wonderful.”

“Good,” Ryan replied with obvious satisfaction. His hands slid to her shoulders. “Look on the bright side of things.”

She shook her head. “Ryan, we’ll have an impossible marriage.”

He pursed his lips. “If I thought that, I wouldn’t persist. I think our marriage is going to be fabulous as soon as you calm down and adjust. And you will.”