I give her a wicked smile. “I promise not to let you take advantage of me.”
She smacks me in the chest, and I laugh, pulling her closer and kissing her forehead. “We’re having a child, Natalie. I want you close to me. Independence is fine and good, but I also want to take care of my child and the mother of my child.”
“I won’t marry you,” she suddenly says bluntly. “I don’t know if you were gearing up to ask that, but I’m letting you know up front, I’m not going to get married because I’m pregnant.”
I study her, changing strategies. “Well. That’s good to know. Because I wouldn’t want to marry you just because you’re pregnant. I’m not that traditional.”
“Good,” she says decisively.
I squeeze her jaw lightly. “Don’t sound too pleased about it. You’ll hurt my feelings.”
Amused, she bats my hand away. “Stop it.”
The laughter in her eyes makes hope rise within me.
“There is something you should know.” I reach into my jacket’s inner pocket and retrieve an envelope. “This is for you. I was having it made these past few weeks, which is another reason why I didn’t get in touch with you.”
As soon as she sees the envelope, a guarded expression forms on her face. “What is it?”
“Open it,” I advise.
She breaks the seal, bringing out two pieces of paper. Her eyes skim over the content, and I see the blood drain from her face. “What is this?” She waves the paper in my face, her eyes fierce. “What the hell is this? I don’t want anything from you! Why have you transferred all these properties to my name?”
She gets to her feet, throwing the papers on the bench, and backing away from me. “What are you trying to pull here, Ethan?”
I expected some sort of reaction. Not an explosive one, but a confused one, at least.
“You told me you didn’t understand why I was interested in you or why I was pursuing you, that you didn’t trust my intentions.” I pick up the papers and set them aside, watching her steadily. “I’m not the most emotionally expressive man there is. I don’t know how to tell you how I feel or how to convince you. But I could do this. A deal.”
“A deal?” she echoes, her expression flickering. “What deal?”
Even though she’s pregnant, I know her. I know her enough to be aware that a child would not change anything between us. Even when I told her the truth about her brother and explained my own reasoning for what I did, it doesn’t change the fact that I used her and broke her heart. And for some things, forgiveness is hard to earn.
I tell her as much. “You don’t want my money. You don’t want to live with me. And I have a feeling that if you could, youwould have left without telling me about the child. Am I wrong?”
She flinches, and I try not to let her reaction get to me. “I don’t blame you. A year. I’m asking for a year for us to be together. I’m putting all these properties down as collateral.”
“Collateral,” she breathes, and I see the outrage in her eyes. “I’m not some business deal?—”
“No, you’re more than that. I want everything with you, Natalie. I want the twenty children you wanted. I want the home you envisioned. I want it all with you, and this is the only way I know how to get it. Be with me for a year. And if I’m still unable to convince you of my feelings, you can keep all of this and walk away from me. It’s all in the contract, and you can meet my lawyers?—”
She swallows. “I don’t need that. I don’t need these properties. Don’t insult me like that.”
“Making deals is what I’m good at,” I tell her quietly. “If you don’t want it after a year, I’ll transfer these to our child’s name. I’m asking for a chance. I messed up, and I want to fix it.”
She makes a strangled sound. “I’m already having your child. We’re already tied together. What more do you want?”
“I want a second chance with you.”
I get to my feet and approach her, lifting my hand and grazing her cheek with my thumb. Her breath catches.
“I’m sorry for what I did to you. I apologize for treating your heart so carelessly before. The realization came far too late, and I can’t undo the past, Natalie. But I want the opportunity to try again.”
Her eyes waver, and I press on. “I have looked for you in every woman I crossed paths with. None of them were you. None of them smiled like you. None of them looked at me the way you did. No other woman could hold a candle to you. I understand there are some things that are difficult to forgive, and what I did was one of them.”
Natalie sucks in a breath, and for a moment, I think I see a shimmer of tears in her eyes. But she blinks and they’re gone.
“These are some of my highest earning properties. My blood and sweat have gone into these places. The shares I have allotted you will make you a very wealthy woman. Three quarters of my wealth. Billions of dollars. My life’s work. I’m placing it all at your feet. In exchange for a chance. One year, that’s all I’m asking for. And if you decide you don’t want me, I’ll accept your decision.”
