“I know. In all honesty, when I bought Paulson Place two years ago, I was envisioning getting married and starting a family.”
LaKeeta frowned. I wonder if that’s where that other woman that the tabloids claimed was pregnant with his child comes into play? One of the seedier papers had tried to imply that Anthony had somehow poisoned the woman, causing her to lose her baby. She turned to him. Her eyes met his. “So were you engaged or something?”
He sighed. He figured that now was as good a time as any to tell LaKeeta about his past. He didn’t want her to find out by someone else telling her about Heather Thompson, the one-night-stand who’d stolen his sperm and impregnated herself.
He frowned. “Do you think we can talk for awhile?”
She nodded her head. “Sure.”
He led her into a very tastefully decorated living room. LaKeeta could tell that the house had probably been furnished by a professional interior decorator. It had that special look to it.
“ Can I get you anything? Some tea maybe? Flavored water?”
LaKeeta gave him a tiny smile, then shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
Minutes later, She listened intently as he bared his soul to her, sharing his pain from the situation with his one-night-stand.
“ I don’t understand, Anthony. She stole your sperm from out of the trash and impregnated herself. Why would you offer to marry her?”
He shook his head as a faraway look came into his eyes. “I didn’t have a father growing up, LaKeeta. My Dad basically left my mom alone to fend for me, my brother, and my sister. I swore from an early age that I would never let my kid grow up without his or her Dad….not if I could do anything to help it.”
She nodded her head and took his hand into hers. She gave it a tiny squeeze of empathy. She understood exactly where he was coming from.
After several seconds of just sitting there in silence, she said, “You’re not married now, Anthony….the baby?”
He closed his eyes, then swallowed. “He died….he was a preemie.” He sighed. “I don’t tell too many people this, LaKeeta, but I’m a wealthy man. I own Body Work Zone.”
His voice took on a bitter note as he continued speaking. “None of the money that I threw at the doctors could save my son.”
She felt so bad for him. She pulled him into her arms and laid his head against her breast. Anthony was a strong man, possibly even an alpha-male type, but she knew the slight wetness against her skin was his tears from the pain of losing his child.
“ I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she whispered to him over and over again as she stroked his strong, muscular back.
Anthony closed his eyes. He laid there in her lap for several minutes, absorbing every positive, loving vibe that she was sending him. He’d never shared the story of what had happened to his son with anyone. He’d been hurting silently inside over it. However, he instinctively knew that he could share his private pain with LaKeeta.
She dipped her head and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. She'd never lost a child before, but she could imagine that it would hurt like hell.
It was several minutes later that Anthony finally sat back up. He stood, then reached down to take LaKeeta's hand into his. He knew at that moment that he really did love her with all his heart. He didn't care how short of a time he had known her.
He gave her a tiny smile. “Ready to go learn how to ride, sweetheart?”
She nodded her head and allowed him to assist her up to a standing position. “Yeah. I'm ready.”
* * * * * * * * * *
By the time the sun was painting the western sky with streaks of vibrant purple and deep red, they had made their way back to the modern, prairie-style barn.
LaKeeta allowed Anthony to show her how to inspect the horses and get them ready for the night.
They’d had such a wonderful time with each other that day that LaKeeta didn’t want their time together to ever end. Plus, the act of him sharing his pain with her
LaKeeta frowned. I wonder if that’s where that other woman that the tabloids claimed was pregnant with his child comes into play? One of the seedier papers had tried to imply that Anthony had somehow poisoned the woman, causing her to lose her baby. She turned to him. Her eyes met his. “So were you engaged or something?”
He sighed. He figured that now was as good a time as any to tell LaKeeta about his past. He didn’t want her to find out by someone else telling her about Heather Thompson, the one-night-stand who’d stolen his sperm and impregnated herself.
He frowned. “Do you think we can talk for awhile?”
She nodded her head. “Sure.”
He led her into a very tastefully decorated living room. LaKeeta could tell that the house had probably been furnished by a professional interior decorator. It had that special look to it.
“ Can I get you anything? Some tea maybe? Flavored water?”
LaKeeta gave him a tiny smile, then shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”
Minutes later, She listened intently as he bared his soul to her, sharing his pain from the situation with his one-night-stand.
“ I don’t understand, Anthony. She stole your sperm from out of the trash and impregnated herself. Why would you offer to marry her?”
He shook his head as a faraway look came into his eyes. “I didn’t have a father growing up, LaKeeta. My Dad basically left my mom alone to fend for me, my brother, and my sister. I swore from an early age that I would never let my kid grow up without his or her Dad….not if I could do anything to help it.”
She nodded her head and took his hand into hers. She gave it a tiny squeeze of empathy. She understood exactly where he was coming from.
After several seconds of just sitting there in silence, she said, “You’re not married now, Anthony….the baby?”
He closed his eyes, then swallowed. “He died….he was a preemie.” He sighed. “I don’t tell too many people this, LaKeeta, but I’m a wealthy man. I own Body Work Zone.”
His voice took on a bitter note as he continued speaking. “None of the money that I threw at the doctors could save my son.”
She felt so bad for him. She pulled him into her arms and laid his head against her breast. Anthony was a strong man, possibly even an alpha-male type, but she knew the slight wetness against her skin was his tears from the pain of losing his child.
“ I’m sorry, sweetheart,” she whispered to him over and over again as she stroked his strong, muscular back.
Anthony closed his eyes. He laid there in her lap for several minutes, absorbing every positive, loving vibe that she was sending him. He’d never shared the story of what had happened to his son with anyone. He’d been hurting silently inside over it. However, he instinctively knew that he could share his private pain with LaKeeta.
She dipped her head and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. She'd never lost a child before, but she could imagine that it would hurt like hell.
It was several minutes later that Anthony finally sat back up. He stood, then reached down to take LaKeeta's hand into his. He knew at that moment that he really did love her with all his heart. He didn't care how short of a time he had known her.
He gave her a tiny smile. “Ready to go learn how to ride, sweetheart?”
She nodded her head and allowed him to assist her up to a standing position. “Yeah. I'm ready.”
* * * * * * * * * *
By the time the sun was painting the western sky with streaks of vibrant purple and deep red, they had made their way back to the modern, prairie-style barn.
LaKeeta allowed Anthony to show her how to inspect the horses and get them ready for the night.
They’d had such a wonderful time with each other that day that LaKeeta didn’t want their time together to ever end. Plus, the act of him sharing his pain with her
Similar Books
