The Baby Bump Read online

  The Baby Bump

  Tara Wylde

  Contents

  I. The Baby Bump

  1. Ronan

  2. Ronan

  3. Cassie

  4. Cassie

  5. Cassie

  6. Ronan

  7. Cassie

  8. Cassie

  9. Cassie

  10. Cassie

  11. Cassie

  12. Ronan

  13. Ronan

  14. Cassie

  15. Cassie

  16. Ronan

  17. Cassie

  18. Cassie

  19. Ronan

  20. Cassie

  21. Cassie

  22. Cassie

  23. Ronan

  24. Ronan

  25. Ronan

  26. Cassie

  27. Ronan

  28. Ronan

  29. Cassie

  30. Ronan

  31. Cassie

  32. Ronan

  33. Ronan

  34. Ronan

  35. Ronan

  36. Cassie

  37. Cassie

  38. Cassie

  39. Cassie

  40. Ronan

  41. Cassie

  42. Cassie

  43. Cassie

  44. Ronan

  45. Cassie

  46. Cassie

  47. Cassie

  48. Cassie

  49. Ronan

  50. Cassie

  51. Ronan

  Epilogue

  II. The O Coach

  Prologue

  Chapter 52

  Chapter 53

  Chapter 54

  Chapter 55

  Chapter 56

  Chapter 57

  Chapter 58

  Chapter 59

  Chapter 60

  Chapter 61

  Chapter 62

  Chapter 63

  Chapter 64

  Chapter 65

  Chapter 66

  Chapter 67

  Chapter 68

  Chapter 69

  Chapter 70

  Chapter 71

  Chapter 72

  Chapter 73

  Chapter 74

  Chapter 75

  Chapter 76

  Chapter 77

  Chapter 78

  Chapter 79

  Chapter 80

  Chapter 81

  Chapter 82

  Chapter 83

  Chapter 84

  Chapter 85

  Chapter 86

  Chapter 87

  Chapter 88

  Chapter 89

  Chapter 90

  Chapter 91

  Chapter 92

  Chapter 93

  Chapter 94

  Chapter 95

  Chapter 96

  Chapter 97

  Epilogue

  III. Wedding Crasher

  98. Lucy

  99. Ryan

  100. Lucy

  101. Ryan

  102. Lucy

  103. Ryan

  104. Ryan

  105. Ryan

  106. Ryan

  107. Lucy

  108. Lucy

  109. Lucy

  110. Lucy

  111. Ryan

  112. Ryan

  113. Lucy

  114. Lucy

  115. Ryan

  116. Ryan

  117. Lucy

  118. Lucy

  119. Lucy

  120. Ryan

  121. Lucy

  122. Lucy

  123. Lucy

  124. Lucy

  125. Ryan

  126. Ryan

  127. Lucy

  128. Ryan

  129. Ryan

  130. Ryan

  131. Ryan

  132. Ryan

  133. Ryan

  134. Lucy

  135. Ryan

  136. Ryan

  137. Lucy

  138. Lucy

  139. Ryan

  140. Ryan

  Epilogue

  Part I

  The Baby Bump

  She gave me her body, all I gave her was a lie.

  My secrets are hurting us, and I have to tell.

  I don't care if I'm her boss.

  I'm making her employee of the month.

  My billions buy whatever I want.

  And right now I want Cassie.

  If she finds out I'm her undercover boss, I could lose my company.

  But maybe she's worth it.

  An airline pilot and a single mom,

  Her hot curves and sassy mouth drive me crazy.

  We got bumped on our flight back and spent a hot night together.

  Touching... tasting... submitting.

  Now she's pregnant with my twins.

  I have to stay away, but everything is pushing me close.

  F*ck the money. I won't let my family go.

  I've already marked Cassie as mine,

  Now I just need to show her who's really boss.

  I'd rather lose my company than lose my family.

  Ronan

  “Well, everything is in order.” Craig Buchanan, Northwest Airline’s director of human, resources, shuffles through the stack of papers on his desk one last time before standing up. He smiles warmly at me and extends a hand over the desk. “Welcome to the team.”

  “Thank you.” I shake his hand and will the nerves dancing in my belly to relax. I never would have guessed that interviewing for a job was so stressful. And it’s not like I even need it. I can’t imagine how much worse things would be if I was depending on the outcome of the interview to keep a roof over my head and food in the fridge.

  “So, before we go our separate ways do you have any last questions for me?”

  “Yeah,” I say. “When do I start?”

  It’s been six or seven weeks since I last flew a plane, and that was a short trip to transfer a little Cessna I recently bought from Austin to my private hangar just outside of San Antonio. I’m itching to get back in a cockpit.

  Craig shrugs. “I guess that depends on you. When do you want to start flying for us?”

  It’s my choice? That seems strange. I mean, this is the first time I’ve ever been gainfully employed so I’m not an expert or anything, but I could have sworn that most companies know when they want you to start working.

  “I’m ready to start flying as soon as you need me.”

  My words have me wincing inwardly. The last thing I want is to appear too eager. No one, not Craig, not anyone else connected to Northwest, can know my real identity or the real reason I want this job. As far as they’re concerned, I’m just a normal guy who’s properly licensed to fly international passenger jets.

  Craig laughs. “Ready to go, are you? I like that about you.” He leans down and taps on his computer keyboard. “If you want, we could use a co-pilot for a flight from here to Atlanta next Saturday. From there you’ll switch to a different plane that is going to Italy and will be gone for about two weeks before it comes back to the United States. It’s actually scheduled to come to San Antonio. You up for it?”

  Two weeks of being on someone else’s schedule? Of not being able to do exactly what I want, when I want to do it. For the first time since I applied for the job as a Northwest pilot, the reality of having an honest to goodness job, with bosses, sinks in. For the foreseeable future, a large chunk of my time belongs to them. Scary.

  I’m not about to let Craig know about my sudden onset of cold feet. As far as he’s concerned, I desperately need this job and I’m not about to give him any reason to think differently. “Sure.”

  “Great.” Craig’s eyes scan the information on his computer screen and he chuckles. “You’ll be flying with Cassie Mayers.”

  The way he says the name causes my stomach to twist. “What’s she like?”

 
Craig shrugs. “It’s kind of hard to describe her. I’m told she’s a good pilot but that she has a chip on her shoulder. Seems to hate the world and really can’t stand men.” He pauses a moment, considering his words, probably trying to figure out just how much he should tell me. “I hired her about three years ago and haven’t ever had an issue with her, but I’ve heard some complaints. Most of the guys who have flown with her aren’t big fans. They tell me she’s a real ball buster. If you want to wait a few more days before taking your first Northwest jet up, I can pair you with a different … better liked, pilot.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” I tell Craig. “I want to start as soon as possible and I’m not picky about who I work with. Besides, this Cassie chick sounds like a challenge, and there’s nothing I like better than a good challenge.”

  Ronan

  “You must be my newest co-pilot.”

  The sharp, disdainful words startle me out of my thoughts. Keeping one hand wrapped around the cheap paper cup that’s half full of fowl- tasting coffee, I lean back in my chair and glance up.

  My gaze connects with gorgeous brown eyes. Unable to help myself, my own eyes slide lower, taking in the unpainted, Cupid’s bow lips, long, elegant neck, dark hair scraped back into a severe bun, and some of the most mouthwatering curves I’ve ever seen, each one covered in a navy-blue uniform that fits them just right.

  I lick my lips and swallow the instinctive wolf whistle. Damn! I’ve never been the kind of guy who gets turned on by a woman wearing a uniform, but in this case, I’m willing to make an exception.

  I don’t know who this woman is, but she’s built like a 1940’s pinup girl, not at all like the stick- thin models I’ve spent the better part of my life dating.

  Finally, a woman I could really wrap my hands around without worrying she’s going to break apart. It’s like a one-two punch to my heart. Like my entire world has been turned upside down. It’s both terrifying and exhilarating.

  One of the woman’s dark brows drifts towards her hairline. “Well?” she demands. “Are you?”

  My mind goes blank, probably because all the blood has drained from it and pooled in my cock, which presses painfully against my fly. “Am I what?”

  She sucks in a deep breath. “Are you,” she carefully enunciates each word, “my new co-pilot?” She glances at the smartphone in her hand, reading something off the screen. “Ronan Smith?”

  I swallow and struggle to remember how to form sensible words. “That’s me. And you’re?” Okay, so not the suavest of responses, certainly not up to my normal performance, but it could have been worse. I think.

  “Cassie Mayers,” she snaps.

  “Cassie, can I ask you a question?”

  Cassie slides the phone into her uniform’s breast pocket and studies me with cool eyes. Since she hasn’t actually said the word no, I decide to assume it means she doesn’t mind answering questions.

  “Do you believe in love at first sight?” My insides clench nervously while I wait for her answer.

  For the first time since I’ve laid eyes on her, Cassie’s icy expression melts away, replaced by one of shock. “Excuse me?”

  “Love at first sight,” I repeat. “Do you think it’s a real thing? Or just something that happens in fairytales?”

  “Are you insane?”

  “Not at all.” I shake my head and grin up at her. It’s the same grin that has caused at least a thousand different women to swoon at my feet, but Cassie doesn’t react.

  I’ve heard of ice princesses before, but this is the first one I’ve met. A challenge. Another one. I’m liking her more and more by the second. Which is strange. I’ve always hooked up with women who say yes to every little suggestion I make, which was great back when I was in high school and only interested in sex, but lately, I’ve wanted something, I don’t know, different. And Cassie fits that bill. She has my engine revving faster and harder than any of the supermodels, celebrities, and spoiled heiresses I’ve encountered throughout my life.

  I slap a hand over my heart and keep my gaze locked with hers. “’Truthfully, I’ve always thought the whole love at first sight thing was a myth, something only found in fairytales and bad chick flicks.” My grin widens. “But now that I’m looking at you, I’m beginning to think that it’s a real thing.”

  “Listen, buddy.” Cassie leans forward and slaps both her hands flat on the table. Her deep dark brown eyes bore straight into mine. It’s like looking at a basilisk. I can’t break eye contact, I can’t even move. My heart slams into my sternum and my palms sweat. One way or another, I’ve got to have this woman. “If you think you can come in here and be all flirty and good looking and that I’ll just lap it up, you can think again. I’m fed up with cocky pilots who seem to think that every single woman who flies a plane is desperate to be laid. The only thing I’m interested in is flying. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes.” No one has ever spoken to me like that. It’s hot. I wait a beat before continuing. “You think I’m good looking?”

  I wouldn’t have thought it possible, but Cassie’s expression becomes even more pinched and withdrawn. “Please tell me you know something about flying? That you’re familiar with passenger jets?”

  This catches me off guard. “I’m fully qualified to fly anything with wings.” Maybe, there are a few military aircrafts my pilot’s license doesn’t cover, but there’s no need to tell this woman that. Flying has been my passion, my one true love so to speak, for as long as I can remember. There’s not a single aspect of airplanes, from flying them to repairing them, I’m not capable of handling. “If I wasn’t, Northwest wouldn’t have hired me.”

  Of course, the company thinks they hired just an average, run-of-the-mill pilot in need of a job. They don’t have the faintest idea who I really am.

  Cassie rolls her eyes. “This company would happily hire an untrained chimp if the opportunity presented itself.” She turns away. “C’mon. I’ll show you the plane.”

  Because I’ve always been a glutton for punishment, particularly when it’s being doled out by a beautiful woman with a sultry voice, I follow, even though I have the distinct impression that what she really meant to say was that she’d stuff me into the nearest suitcase before throwing it over the nearest cliff.

  Cassie

  Raindrops stick to the passenger jet’s giant windshield, catching the night lights illuminating the airport so that each raindrop looks like a delicate and rare jewel.

  I guide the plane into the terminal and smoothly park it. I unwrap my hands from around the controls and release the breath I always seem to hold whenever I have to land one of the jumbo jets. As much as I love flying, I’ve never been able to completely quell the nervous tension that settles over me whenever it comes to the landing. Too many painful and scary memories.

  I lean back against my seat and close my eyes, focusing on my breathing while the head flight attendant’s calm voice outlines the rules for exiting the plane.

  “You look tired,” Ronan says in a wickedly smooth voice.

  My shoulder muscles bunch beneath my severe Northwest captain’s uniform. I had a bad feeling about Ronan since the minute I was informed I was getting a new co-pilot for the Atlanta to Italy leg of my two-week run, and meeting him didn’t change anything. He’s cocky, arrogant, and flat-out pisses me off.

  The fact that he started our association together off by asking about love didn’t earn him any points in my book.

  I actually spent the entire flight hoping he’d make a mistake, that he’d do something that wouldn’t jeopardize the flight, but that would result in him being fired, or at the very least transferred to another plane, but he didn’t. In fact, he was a remarkably calm and efficient pilot.

  And, even though I anticipated him spending the entire flight making one cheap pass after another at me, he’d actually kept his mouth shut and his thoughts to himself.

  “Should I handle the captain’s farewell, Captain?” Ronan askes, pulling me from my
thoughts.

  I should let him. Far as I know, Northwest doesn’t have any rules about the co-pilot addressing the passengers, and even if they did, Northwest’s execs won’t care if I break that rule. It’s not like they ever take an interest in anything related to the company.