The Baby Contract (The Billionaire Bachelor Series) Read Online Free Page B

away from his assistant to stare out the windows. Dwarfed buildings stood below, while beyond, hints of green and dusty brown of the natural landscape appeared. The ribbon of Lady Bird Lake glittered, a dark watered-down stain nestled between the vibrant green of its trees.
    In a few hours over a million bats would swarm from beneath the Congress Avenue Bridge. A nightly spectacle that fascinated many who lined up on the bridge to watch it in the warmer months when the bats lived in the city. People could slap down asphalt and steel, and call the ground their own, but they’d never completely dominate Texas. That was part of the reason he loved the state.
    “I’m surprised you haven’t heard about the whole mess from Spencer,” he stated, returning to the topic at hand.
    “He did seem anxious after the will reading, but hasn’t commented on what happened. At least to me, but he knows where my loyalty lies.”
    She was the one friend he had in the entire city, he thought as he studied the clear sky. Friendship had never come easily for him, his patience lacking in the effort it required. Liam blew out a breath then explained his situation, including approaching Miss Haden with his deal. Charity remained quiet, and when he turned back to her, he found her sporting a look of disbelief.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, her face a mask of empathy. “You really are in a tight spot.”
    He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger, a headache throbbing behind them. He pulled open a desk drawer and grabbed a bottle of ibuprofen. He popped a couple in his mouth, swallowing them dry. “If Miss Haden doesn’t take my offer, I’m shit out of luck.”
    “Give her time, don’t count her out yet. I imagine you’ve completely shocked her.”
    “What would you say?” he asked, curious to her opinion.
    She pursed her lips. “If I were her, I’d consider what five hundred thousand dollars could do for me. I met her once when you had me drop off paperwork to your mother, and she looks like the maternal type. I think she’ll seriously consider your deal.”
    He leaned his elbows atop his desk and grinned. “What about you, would you consider my offer?”
    She returned his smile. “I don’t object to rug rats running around underfoot, but they aren’t coming from this body. I’ve worked too hard for it.” She winked.
    He hadn’t been serious with his question. While Charity was a loyal employee, she also had a wild streak which couldn’t make room for a pregnancy. A wild streak the tabloids hadn’t even touched on—an everlasting puzzle for him. Then again, pairing him and Charity up seemed to sell for them.
    “Come out to my place this Saturday, Liam. Summer’s almost gone and you haven’t been to visit once. I’m throwing a pool party.”
    “I have to work,” he said.
    She shook her head. “That’s not an acceptable answer. Come out, or I’ll show up butt naked on your stoop and make a scene.”
    He chuckled. “A naked woman isn’t much of a threat.”
    “Well, I don’t think the neighbors will appreciate it. And you’re desperate for some relaxation, and don’t say you aren’t. Not to mention you’ll have a chance to hang out with several attractive women in tiny bikinis. Maybe you’ll hit it off with one of them, and she’ll help you forget your woes.”
    He took a moment to consider the offer. Bikinis didn’t appeal to him with the amount of stress he was under, but an opportunity to walk away from it for a few hours did. Charity threw raucous parties. He’d find a way to stay in the background and let the chaos be a distraction.
    “What the hell, I’ll be at your place around noon Saturday.”
    “Perfect.”
    The day trudged on at a marcher’s pace and very little went right. A company called Harbor Incorporated had backed out of a deal, deciding against a leveraged buyout. Liam recognized the tactic of trying to secure a better bottom line for themselves and normally he handled it with