Her One Night Consequence, page 10
Asia found him when she and Yvette returned to the front of the store.
“Blake!” He could see Asia was genuinely surprised to see him. “What are you doing here?”
Blake’s mind went blank and his gaze was riveted to Asia. She was elegantly dressed in high-waisted black trousers and a fuchsia silk button-down top. A narrow black belt was around her still-slender waist, and black patent stilettos were on her petite feet.
“Blake?” Asia’s questioning look made Blake snap out of his trance.
“Sorry. I came to see if you would agree to lunch.”
Her eyes narrowed. “I thought you were going to give me some space.”
“I never agreed to any such thing,” Blake responded. “Besides, you and I need to talk—” he glanced down at her stomach “—now more than ever.”
Her boss walked into the room again and greeted him. “Good morning. A bit early to be calling, yes?”
Blake couldn’t help but smile at Yvette’s old-school phrase. “Yes, ma’am. Asia was just agreeing to lunch.”
“I did no such thing,” Asia whispered.
“I’ll be here at eleven forty-five.” He ignored Asia’s angry glare, inclined his head at Yvette and then headed out. Blake didn’t bother looking behind him. He could feel Asia’s eyes boring into the back of his skull.
She was angry at his heavy-handedness, but he had no choice. He would use every weapon in his arsenal to convince Asia to marry him. He knew what it was like to grow up without a parent after losing his own in the car crash. He refused to allow his child to be raised without him not when he was ready and willing to be a parent. Soon, she would know that, too, but it wasn’t going to be easy. Asia liked her independence and would fight Blake at every turn. As he settled into his car, Blake rubbed his hands in glee. He was ready for the challenge.
* * *
Asia was furious!
She supposed Yvette liked that Blake was wooing her, but it was still her place of business. He couldn’t come strolling into the store—er, soon to be her store—and boss her around. With Yvette standing beside her, he’d known exactly what he was doing. She’d gone along with it, but she would like to wipe that smug smile off his face—a face dominated by attractive features and dark, smoldering brown eyes.
“That young man is quite taken with you,” Yvette said from her side. “I wouldn’t be too quick to play hard to get. Men like him don’t come around every day.”
Didn’t she know it. Asia had never met anyone like Blake. Her mind wandered to their first kiss in the study. His kiss hadn’t been like that of any other man she’d been with. He’d claimed her mouth with total mastery and she’d been unable to resist his fiery passion as he’d boldly swept his tongue between her lips. Ever since then, Asia had been acting uncharacteristically unlike herself.
She wanted to be the exact opposite of Ava, who always needed a man. Until recently, Asia could take them or leave them, but Blake? Ever since she’d met him, all she wanted to do was take, take, take.
Fortunately, a customer walked in, jolting Asia back to the present and stopping her from obsessing over Blake. It would be short-lived because, in a few hours, she had a date with her destiny.
* * *
“You know, you didn’t have to pick me up,” Asia said once she and Blake were seated in an upscale eatery for lunch that specialized in salads, bowls and soups.
“I know I didn’t have to,” Blake said, “I wanted to.”
He sat back and watched Asia’s breasts rise and fall with her steady breathing. He liked that she’d kept her hair down lately in soft waves to her shoulders. Her cheeks were lightly brushed with pink, and she wore a hint of gloss on her lips. She looked hot. Blake felt desire tightening low in his belly and swallowed hard.
“Fine,” she said, putting down the menu. “We’re here. What did you want to talk about?”
“All in due time,” Blake replied. He had to ease her into this. He couldn’t come out like a bull in a china shop. Otherwise, Asia would run for the door as soon as she could. “Please.” He inclined his head to the menu. “Make a selection for lunch. You need to eat. You are eating for two.”
Her eyes flashed fire across the table. “I know that, but you don’t have to worry about morning sickness. What all the books don’t tell you is that it’s anytime sickness and can affect you throughout the day.”
Blake frowned. “Have you talked to your doctor about this?”
“I will.”
“There’s no time like the present.”
“Do you have to be so pushy?” she asked.
He sighed. “Every conversation doesn’t have to be a battle between us either. Can’t we find some common ground?”
She lifted her chin and glared at him, but said, “I suppose you’re right.”
He was thankful for small blessings. The waitress came to take their order. A salmon salad for Asia and steakhouse salad for Blake. He surprised Asia and the waitress when he asked for them to bring her a large glass of low-fat milk.
“I don’t really like milk,” Asia said.
“Are you allergic or is it a preference?”
“The latter.”
Blake turned to the waitress. “She’ll have the milk.”
“I don’t need you to order for me,” Asia replied. “I can take care of myself. I’ve been doing it long before you entered the picture and I’ll be doing it long after you’re gone.”
Blake studied her. Asia was a mass of contradictions. On one hand, she was fiercely independent—or at least that’s what she showed the world. On the other hand, there was a vulnerability he saw but that she hid from most people. “I’m not going anywhere, Asia.”
“Oh yes, you are. Men always leave when the going gets tough. I’d rather you start now.”
Blake laughed. Her comment told him that Asia had had a lot of heartbreak in her life when it came to the opposite sex. He refused to be like those other men. “Well, I’m here to stay.”
She rolled her eyes.
“You don’t believe me?”
The waitress returned with Asia’s milk and a bottle of sparking water. After she poured him a glass, she left them alone.
“What do you want, Blake?” Asia surprised him when she picked up the milk and guzzled it. “There. Are you happy?” she asked, placing the empty glass on the table and glaring at him.
“I want you to let me in.”
She snorted. “I did that and look where it got me. Knocked up.”
Asia was not going to make this easy, but then again, he liked that she wasn’t going down without a fight. But he had an ace in the hole. “Asia, we could be a good team together, you and I, if you’re willing to give it a chance.”
“I don’t need to do anything,” she said defiantly.
“Are you really prepared to raise our child on your own, with no support system?”
“I have my friends.”
“All of whom live in other cities,” Blake responded. He’d done some research of his own in the past couple of days. He’d read up on Wynter Barrington and her soon-to-be husband, high-profile divorce attorney Riley Davis, along with yoga studio owner Shay Davis, all of whom lived in San Antonio. Then there was restaurateur Egypt Cox in Raleigh, Lyric Taylor in Memphis and Teagan Williams in Phoenix. Although each of these women were near and dear to Asia, they weren’t local and wouldn’t be able to help Asia day-to-day. He could.
“Don’t presume to think you know everything about me, Blake Coleman.”
“I wouldn’t dare,” Blake said, touching his chest in mock surrender. “I’m merely stating the facts and that I want to be a full-time father to our child. Surely having two parents is better than one?” Blake took her silence as acquiescence and continued. “I’d like to offer you another incentive, one that might be extremely beneficial to you.”
Asia raised one eyebrow. “And what might that be?”
“I understand you’re in need of assistance to help buy out Yvette so you can have the store for yourself.”
Her eyes narrowed. “How do you know that? Were you eavesdropping?”
Blake ignored her question and got right to the point. “Marry me. In exchange, I’ll give you the money you need to buy the store.”
Twelve
“Marry you?” Asia had to have heard Blake wrong. He hadn’t actually proposed. Had he?
“Listen to me, Asia. I think it’s a win-win for both of us. First and foremost, our baby gets two parents. A mother and a father. You yourself grew up with a single mother and know the struggles she faced. Second, you get the capital you need to make your lifelong dream into a reality, allowing your boss to retire and ride off into the sunset. And third...”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “There’s a third?”
“The incredible chemistry between us,” Blake stated, his eyes never leaving her face. “You and I both know that this thing, whatever it is between us, is far from over.”
“That’s not reason enough to hitch our lives together.”
“Isn’t our baby enough?”
He had a point. Asia knew what it was like to be raised by a single mother. There were good times, but there were plenty more hard times. Blake was offering her a chance to give her child the two things she’d never had growing up. Stability. Consistency. But was that enough for marriage? She knew what true love looked like because she saw it in Wynter’s eyes when she spoke about Riley and the way he looked at her. If she married Blake, Asia would be giving up her chance at finding that kind of love.
“What do you say, Asia?”
She shook her head. “No, I can’t do this.”
“What about your boss?” Blake pressed. “Didn’t she say you need to give her an update in a couple of weeks? Do you really think it’s going to be that easy to raise a quarter of a million dollars? I can give you the money, right now, right here, and your worries would be over.” He reached across the table and grasped Asia’s small hand in his large one. A zing of electricity shot through Asia at his touch. And by the way his eyes sparkled, he’d noticed.
Damn him for making her feel this way.
“You felt it, too, just now, when we touched,” Blake said, his voice soft. “You can’t deny it, Asia. There’s a connection between us. A physical one and now an emotional one. We created a life from our one night together. And our child deserves the very best chance of a happy life we can give him or her.”
“I-I...” Asia stuttered. She didn’t know what to say to that. Blake wasn’t giving her a chance to think. All of this was happening too fast. So much was out of her control, just like when she was younger and her mom would make bad decisions that ultimately affected her.
But could this marriage be a good thing?
Her baby would always be cared for, financially, by Blake and emotionally, by Asia. Even though she had only known about the baby a couple of weeks, she already loved the new life inside her.
“Say yes, Asia,” Blake said. “We could be a family. You, me and the little one on the way.”
Asia glanced up into Blake’s dark brown eyes. “This is crazy. We hardly know each other.”
“True, but we can get to know each other and bond during your pregnancy. Think about the great life you could have. You could have your own store and all the resources you need to make it a success. A helpmate and father for the baby. And of course—” he lowered his voice “—an incredible lover in the bedroom. It’s all yours for the taking, Asia. All you have to do is accept.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Blake.”
He leaned back in his chair and stared back at her. “I do when I really want something.”
“Why me? Why this marriage? You don’t have to marry me to be a father to this baby.” Her hand went to her stomach. That’s what she couldn’t wrap her head around. Blake Coleman could have any woman he wanted. Asia had seen the supermodels he usually dated. She was nothing like them. Who’s to say he wouldn’t get bored five minutes after the ink was dry on their marriage license?
* * *
Blake couldn’t believe how hard he had to work to convince Asia marriage was the right fit. He assumed she’d fall in line, because so many women wanted to be Mrs. Blake Coleman, but Asia was nothing like that. She wasn’t rushing to say yes to his marriage proposal, and if he was being honest, it kind of stung.
“No, I don’t,” Blake said, finally responding to her question. “But when I commit and give something or, rather, someone, my word—” he directed his dark gaze at her “—I give them my all.”
“So, this marriage would be...” Her voice trailed off, but Blake understood what she wasn’t saying.
“Wouldn’t be in name only,” he finished. “I’d expect—” her eyes flashed that spark he liked about Asia, so he changed his wording “—I’d hope our marriage could be a real one. When I commit to you, I do it wholeheartedly, so I would not dishonor our vows by looking at another woman, if that’s what you’re asking.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath and finally felt as if he had her on the ropes. There was nowhere for her to run. No reason for her to say no. Not when everything was laid out so perfectly. So he went in for the kill, pulling at her heartstrings. He knew it was unfair, but he had to secure a “yes” from Asia and ensure that his baby was born a Coleman.
“As you know, I lost both my parents many years ago,” Blake began. “Other than my aunt, this baby boy or girl is one of the few family members I have left.”
He saw tears well in Asia’s eyes, and when one fell, he reached across the space between them and kissed it away.
She was nodding her head, but he needed to hear the words. “Asia, will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
Blake had never realized how happy he would be to hear that one word escape Asia’s lush pink-tinted lips. He leaned across the table, and in front of the entire crowd, pressed his lips against hers in a soft and tender kiss. When he sat back down, her eyes popped open and she looked dazed, so he reached for her hand again. “You won’t regret this, Asia. You can even design your own ring. Whatever stone or stones you want. Money is no object. I just want you to be happy.”
“Design my own ring?” she asked, somewhat speechless.
“Absolutely. And who knows,” he said, shrugging. “It could be the start of something.”
“I can’t believe we’re doing this,” Asia said.
“I can,” Blake replied with a grin. “And I can’t wait to tell Aunt Sadie. She told me I was a fool for letting you get away the first time.”
“She said that?”
“Absolutely, which is why I never make the same mistake twice.”
When the waitress returned, he said, “We’d like a bottle of sparkling cider, please. We’re celebrating our engagement.”
* * *
The waitress brought the cider and Blake eagerly began to pour them both a glass, but something still didn’t feel right to Asia. Yes, they were marrying for the baby and the marriage would have its benefits, namely Blake as her husband and lover. Asia could live with that. What she couldn’t live with was being seen as a gold digger.
The tabloids would assume that a woman like her was after Blake’s money, which wasn’t true. She might not have much, but she worked hard creating beautiful, well-crafted pieces that anyone would be proud to wear. And she needed to know she’d gotten there on her own terms, even if Blake was offering his assistance.
“I have one stipulation,” Asia added quickly before she lost her nerve.
Blake frowned. He’d probably thought the matter was settled. “And what’s that?”
“The money for my store will be a loan. I want it in writing that I will pay you back every cent you loan me to buy out Yvette. So eventually, the store is in my name only. And you also agree to be a silent partner. I make all the decisions when it comes to the store’s creative direction and vision.”
“Agreed. Is that all?”
Asia was surprised. She’d expected him to put up more of a fuss. Was it really just a drop in the bucket to him? For Asia, having the funds she needed to buy out Yvette was everything. It meant making all her dreams come true.
Something else was bothering her, and her expression must have given it away, because at that moment, Blake’s brow furrowed. “Whatever it is, just tell me. We can work through any reservations you might have.”
Asia sighed. “All right. It’s just that we don’t know each other very well.”
“That will be rectified once we’re married,” Blake replied. “Speaking of, I’d rather have the wedding sooner than later, before you start showing.”
“Wait just a minute, Blake Coleman,” Asia responded, holding up her hand, “Don’t try to steamroll me. I agreed to marry you and I agreed it won’t be a marriage of convenience. However, I think it’s best if we postpone the wedding at least for a couple of months, until we get to know each other, and while doing so refrain from having sex.”
Blake was bringing his flute to his mouth, but stopped midstream. “What?”
“You heard me. I think it’s best if we leave sex off the table and get to know each other organically.”
Asia could see the wheels of Blake’s mind turning, as he tried to come up with something to dissuade her, but Asia was resolute in this. Yes, she would be a fool to say she didn’t desire him. Whenever he was around, she felt hot and shivery at the same time. No other man excited her the way Blake did and she would like nothing better than to press herself against his whipcord body and burn in the fire they would create together, but she had to be strong. If the marriage was going to work, they had to get to know each other outside the bedroom.
