Marriage for Her Baby

She bundled her baby in the blanket and carried her out onto the deck. A few other passengers were scattered along the railing, watching the icy blue-green water wash by. Lifting her face to the sun, she took a deep breath of fresh air. She was glad they were turning back. She needed to be with her sister. Together, they would think of something. She was sure of it.

She felt the large, hard hand take hold of her upper arm and she didn’t have to look to see who it was. But she did anyway, whipping her head around and gasping. Jake seemed taller, his shoulders seemed even wider, his face harder. His hand had clamped down on her flesh like a vise and she knew there was no way she could get away from him.

CHAPTER THREE

“HI SARA,” JAKE said, looking down at the bundle she carried.

She glared at him and clutched her baby up against her chest.

“So this is my little girl, is it?” he asked softly.

She quickly suppressed her original reaction. There was, after all, no place to run to while they were on the ferry.

“Hello, Jake,” she said. She couldn’t pretend to be pleased to see him, but she didn’t think screaming would do her any good. “Fancy meeting you in a place like this.”

He raised an eyebrow. “I’m sure you expected to see me again,” he said, his voice low and not particularly friendly. “You didn’t think you were going to get away that easily, did you?”

She gave him a look of round-eyed innocence. “Get away from what, pray tell?”

“You know exactly what I’m talking about. I’m sure you’ve talked to the agency by now.” He shook his head, bemused. “I knew you were a runner from the start.”

“A runner?” She held her temper with a lot of effort. “Why would I run from you, Jake? Is there something I should know?” Her gaze narrowed. “In what way are you trying to threaten me?”

His mouth twisted. “I’m sure you’ve figured it out by now. I’m that little girl’s biological father.”

She knew he thought that, but still, hearing him say the words made her cringe. For just a few seconds, she was breathless, but she pulled herself together quickly.

“No kidding? Where’s your proof?”

He released her arm as though he’d decided she wasn’t going to run just yet. “All in good time,” he said softly.

She shook her head. If he thought he was going to bully her, he could think again. “Not good enough, Jake. You see, I’ve had this baby with me for six months now. I’ve mothered her. I’ve cared for her. I’ve loved her. I’ve done all the paperwork, paid all the fees. I’ve been inspected, injected and detected, as the old song might say. I’ve been found to be qualified.” Her eyes flashed. “What have you been found to be?”

He blinked at her and she could tell she’d actually made him think for just a moment.

“It’s coming,” he said at last, sounding a bit more defensive. “It’ll be proven soon.”

That gave her a small surge of hope.

“In other words, you’ve got nothing. Meanwhile, I’ve got all the official seals of approval I could possibly get. This baby and I have bonded, big time.” She had to stop to keep her voice from breaking. Taking a deep breath, she went on. “In order to even think about breaking that bond, you’re going to have to come up with some heavy-duty evidence. I’m not giving up easy.”

She glared at him. He glared right back. She could almost see sparks flying between them. This was no good and she knew it. But she couldn’t stop. She had to let him know how much this meant to her. He couldn’t be allowed to treat this as a lark of some kind. He had to know the consequences were serious.

He shrugged. “I may not have signed as many official forms as you have, but I’ve been tested. The DNA results will trump all your seals and certificates and …” He paused for a moment as though he regretted having to say it. “And all your emotional appeal, Sara. I’m sorry, but that’s reality.”

She knew he was right and it made her want to sob, but she couldn’t let him see weakness. “We’ll see about that,” she said.

Funny, but she’d been so scared when she was running from him. Now that he’d caught her, the fear was gone. There was a dark, burning anger deep inside her, and a determination that was growing stronger every minute. She knew only one thing for sure—she would not give up her baby. She would find a way.

He gestured in her direction and she flinched. It was an obvious move. His gaze met hers.

“Why would I hurt you?” he asked her, seemingly irritated by her reaction.

“I didn’t think you were going to hurt me,” she said coolly. “I just don’t want you to touch her.”

A series of emotions crossed his face but she wasn’t sure what it all meant. The only thought that came to her was, So this is what it’s like to have an enemy. Scary.

He looked out toward Seattle and seemed to settle his anger down. When he turned back toward her, his eyes were cold but his face was smooth. No emotions showing at all.

“Could I hold her?” he asked quietly.

She pressed Savannah closer, holding her tightly. This was painful. She just couldn’t do it. “She’s sleeping,” she said.

“No, she’s not. I can see her eyes. They’re wide-open. Just let me hold her for a minute.”

“No,” she said, feeling fierce. “Not here. Not yet.”

He stared down at her, not saying a word, but warning her that he could do whatever he wanted to do if he felt like it. At least, that was the message she took from the look in his eyes.

“There’s a security guard on this ferry,” she said quickly. “I could yell for help.”

His wide mouth twisted in half a grin. “You could. But you won’t.”

She looked away and rocked Savannah softly. “What makes you think you know so much about how I tick?”

“I’m a student of everyday psychology. I knew from the way you ran at the café that you would try to get away with your …” He stopped, realizing that was the wrong thing for him to admit. “With the baby. You knew from the first that I have an unshakable claim.”

“I don’t know anything of the sort.” She shifted Savannah to her other shoulder. “We have a long way to go before we can tell for sure just who you are.”

He turned away and looked out over the rushing water as though working hard on controlling his temper. It took him some time to get to the point where he could turn back and she wondered if he was counting to a lot more than ten. When he finally turned back, his face was calm but his eyes were flashing.

“When the DNA results arrive in my favor—which they will—you’ll have to give way. How long did you say you’ve had her?”

“Six months.”

“Six months.” He shrugged. “Yeah, that’s a good long time. But facts are facts. She’s my baby and it’s my responsibility to take care of her.”

Sara pressed her lips together. She had plenty she could say but she wasn’t going to muddy the waters right now. There would be time to make her case. Right now he had her in a corner. It looked like everything was going his way. But she was beginning to realize that she had many cards of her own that she could play. This thing wasn’t a done deal yet.

“Look, Sara,” he said impatiently. “I know you’ve checked this out with the agency. You know who I am. Let me hold her.”

She shook her head.

He raked fingers through his thick, auburn hair. His frustration was clear, but she held her ground, realizing that she’d better put it into words so he could deal with it.

“Jake, you’re a stranger right now. I don’t know if you’re who you say you are. We’re standing on a boat, right over the ocean. Anything could happen. I can’t risk it.”

He frowned and actually looked hurt. “I wouldn’t do anything that could possibly harm her.”

Sara held her ground. “I’m not letting you hold her.”

For just a moment, anger flared in his eyes. She saw it and the sense of its intensity stopped her heart for a beat. He was scary in a way she’d never known with a man before.

“All right,” he said at last, his voice raw. “I guess I can understand that.” A muscle worked at his jawline, but he smiled. “I can even commend you for taking good care of my baby.” He took a deep breath. “But we need to talk somewhere. Somewhere safe.”

She didn’t want to talk to him. What was the point? She knew what he wanted. He knew what she demanded. Neither one of them was going to budge an inch.

Mentally she shook herself. She was going to have to talk to him. That was the only way she could get him to see how crazy this was. There were so many angles to fight this from. Right now, she thought she had the strongest—he wasn’t father material.

It was true. He didn’t know the first thing about babies. She remembered how he’d been with a kitchen and she almost smiled. He wasn’t domesticated in any way at all. He was hopeless. He had to learn that somehow. And who else was going to make him face it if she didn’t?

“All right.” She sighed, letting him hear her exasperation. “Come back to my sister’s house with me. My brother-in-law should be home by now. I’d be more comfortable if he and my sister were there, too.”

“Okay. You’ve got a deal.” He seemed relieved, glancing at the rapidly approaching coastline and noting that they were almost at the end of this part of their ferry journey.

She hated that he went to the car with them for the ride back, but she knew it would be petty to insist he stay out on the deck. They got into the car and he looked around, his mouth twisted.

“What the hell did you think you were doing?” he asked her.

She lifted her chin and shrugged. “I’m taking my baby for a drive. I don’t think there are any laws against that.”

“That’s not your baby,” he growled. “That’s my baby.”

She blinked quickly and kept her composure. “We don’t know that yet, do we?”

“I know it.”

They didn’t speak again for a long time. She drove the car off the ferry and then back on again. Savannah played with her fingers, made some noises that sounded like she was trying to sing, then dozed off. Jake sat twisted in his seat, watching her every minute.

Sara turned on the radio and soft music played, hiding the awkwardness of the silence. When they were about halfway back across the bay, she couldn’t resist asking him a few questions.

“So how did you get on the ferry without me seeing you?”

He shrugged. “I was already on board. I’ve been waiting since you left the café.”

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