His Hotcakes Baby by Sabel Simmons

drivel they write in
the tabloids.  I might have my pick, but I am also very selective and have not
had as many as the tabloids claim.”
    “Will you please get off me?”
    “No.”
    “What do you want from me, Chase?  You
now know it is your baby.  I won’t deny you access if that is what you’re
after.”
    “Yeah … it is quite clear you don’t
know what I want.  I don’t want access to my child, Mackenzie.  I want my
child.  I want to be a father to my child.  To be there for him or her from the
day he or she is born.  To watch them grow from a baby to a toddler to a
teenager … every step of the way.  I will not be a weekend father … ever!”
    “Chase … please let me up!”
    She struggled and tried to throw him off. 
She could not breathe.  He was threatening to take her baby away.  The one
thing she has desired for years and started to believe she’d never have.
    “Do you understand what I am saying,
Mackenzie?”
    Her eyes met his.  He read the fear
and pain in hers, but he refused to budge. They filled with tears and he
clenched his teeth.
    “You … you can’t do that.  You can’t
take my baby away!”
    “But that is just it, Mackenzie.  It
is not just yours.  It is mine too.  I will not give this baby up Madison.”
    He withdrew from her and disappeared
into the bathroom.  She jumped up and ran to one of the other bathrooms and
sank down against the closed door.
    “Mackenzie!  Where the hell are you?”
    She swallowed the tears back.
    “I’ll be … right out.”
    He probably could not hear unless he
stood in front of the door, but she could not raise the volume of her voice if
she tried.  She cleaned and dried herself and wrapped a towel around her body. 
She walked into the passage just as he came charging around the corner slamming
doors open as he went.  He stopped in his tracks when he saw her. She drew a
deep, slow breath.  He was still gloriously naked.
    She kept walking and went back to her
room to find fresh clothes to wear.  Chase followed and got dressed with quick
economic movements.  He followed her into the bathroom and watched her getting
dressed.  She pressed her lips together but refused to say anything. 
    He turned away and pulled her suitcase
and duffel bags from the cupboard and was already packing her clothes when she
walked in.
    “What are you doing?”
    “We are leaving.”
    “You can’t just come in here and start
making decisions about my life!”
    “Can’t I?”
    “Chase …”
    “This is not up for debate,
Mackenzie.  You are carrying my child and you are coming home with me.  Phone
whoever you need to, but we are leaving in thirty minutes.”
    “I can’t leave now, Chase!  I am
heading up a project here at Lake Michigan.”
    “One of those phone calls better be to
the Director of the FIO handing in your resignation.”
    “You are crazy!  I can’t resign!  I
have a brother to support and bills to pay!”
    “You are not going to dive and run
around a boat on the sea all day.  Not until our child is born.  Then and only
then will we decide if you go back to work.”
    “Chase be reasonable!  I can’t just …”
    “You are my responsibility for now,
Mackenzie.”
    “No!  I will not be depende …”
    “Fifteen minutes, Mackenzie.  Make
those calls.”
    She made the calls.
     
         

Chapter Six
    Chase
stood back to observe the greeting between Mackenzie and her brother.  He was
abrupt and rude.  He did not return the hug and plonked back into the chair
ignoring her.
    Mackenzie’s shoulder slumped, but she
had an irritated look on her face.  She greeted Billy with a smile and Chase became
irritated.  She had a smile for everyone except him!
    He walked closer and placed his arm
around her waist and pulled her against him.  She stiffened and he scowled at
her.
    “You might as well get used to me,
hotcakes.  I don’t want to have to fight every time I touch you,” he whispered
in her ear.
    “Just because