The Best Man's Baby Read Online Free

Manning.
    “Hi.”
    She paused, still crouched over her peonies, as a shiver ran up her spine when his deep voice called her, instantly evoking the memory of him whispering her name against her cheek that night in the hotel. But tonight it wasn’t that same voice. Claire took a deep breath before slowly rising to face the father of her baby.
    Jake Manning filled up her yard like a giant in a meadow. His masculinity was a blasphemous slap in the face to the utter femininity of the budding pink peonies and fragrant lilacs.
    “Claire.”
    She forced herself to look him in the eye as he approached, tried to ignore how good he looked in his dark jeans, faded along the thighs, highlighting how fit he was. If she didn’t know better she’d think the man had jeans custom-tailored to fit his body.
    She folded her arms across her chest. “Hi.” She was glad she had changed out of her sundress. This was who she really was. She wasn’t the high-maintenance, look-at-me type of girl. And she wasn’t going to pretend to be. She was done trying to impress him.
    Jake ran a hand through his hair roughly. Claire fought the jolt that snuck through her as she remembered running her fingers through his thick hair. She looked away and crossed her arms. He should not look that good with five o’clock shadow, either.
    “That’s one hell of a way to tell a guy he’s going to be a father. Couldn’t you have just called me? Or pulled me aside?”
    He had a point. He sounded logical. It was a fair question. But right now she didn’t feel like being fair. Blame it on the hormones or blame it on the blonde, but she wasn’t going to apologize for her delivery.
    She shrugged. “So sorry I couldn’t have made it more of a joyous moment for you. Do you want to know how I found out?”
    He shifted from one foot to the other and gave a curt nod.
    “It started with me vomiting my morning coffee out my car window at oncoming traffic.” Sick satisfaction almost made her smile at his expression. There was something so exhilarating about watching the epitome of cool look very, very agitated. She wanted to continue, especially when the image of Amanda at the barbecue floated into her mind again. Opportunities such as this only came along once in a lifetime.
    “Then, as I was standing in church, beside my mother, the entire floor tilted—or so I thought. I had to plunk my butt down on the pew and try not to faint.” She was about to recount her peeing on a stick at work when he broke the silence.
    “I’m sorry as hell.”
    The wind ruffled the trees, but the sound did nothing to muffle the regret and anger in Jake’s voice.
    Claire sighed and picked up her basket of peonies, looping the handle under her arm, and stared at him. “Sorry for what?”
    “For everything.” He shoved his hands into the front of his jeans pockets, his legs firmly planted in a wide-legged stance. For everything? What the heck did that mean?
    “I shouldn’t have gone into that hotel room with you.”
    Sorry for sleeping with her? “Screw you, Manning!” Claire threw the basket in his general direction and stomped toward her house.
    A strong hand prevented her from closing the door on his face. She stared at his hand for a moment, startled by the vivid recollection of it on her body. It was an image she’d never forget—his tanned skin against her paler skin, trailing down her body as he explored…
    His voice interrupted her thoughts. “I’m sorry. I get that you’re mad. I deserve it. I shouldn’t have walked out after. I had to go away on business the last few weeks.”
    Claire shivered as his warm breath caressed her neck, his voice low and rough, but she wasn’t going to fold to his sexiness. She’d done that before and look where that got her.
    She whipped around to face him. “You needed to leave at four a.m. on a Sunday morning, the day after your brother’s wedding? Is Manning Construction building condos in a third-world country where there are