Claimed: The Pregnant Heiress Read Online Free PDF Page B

he spent his day putting together million-dollar deals and handling tens of millions worth of investments, he was inordinately pleased with himself over throwing together such a simple breakfast. Now he just needed someone to share it with him.
    â€œEmma?”
    He entered the bedroom, his brows snapping together when he saw that she still occupied the bathroom. No sound ofrunning water. No feminine splashing or fussing. Just a nerve-wracking silence. Hell. She’d been off-color last night. Was she sick? He tapped on the door.
    â€œSweetheart? Are you all right?”
    â€œGo away,” she moaned.
    â€œThe hell I will. Fair warning, I’m coming in.”
    â€œNo, don’t—”
    â€œToo late. I’m in.”
    To his concern, he found Emma curled up on the tile floor, her face buried in the knees she’d drawn to her chest. He’d have found it amusing that she wore his dress shirt from the night before if she didn’t look so utterly wretched. He crouched down beside her and smoothed her damp hair away from her brow. Her complexion was as snowy white as his shirt, with just the merest hint of green for contrast. Not a good color combination on her.
    â€œI’m sorry, Emma,” he said sympathetically. “I didn’t realize you were unwell. What can I do to help?”
    â€œOther than go away?”
    He smiled. “Sorry, sweetheart, I’m not made like that. What’s option number two?”
    â€œHold my head while I get sick again?”
    He winced. “Stomach virus? Food poisoning?”
    â€œThat would be nice,” she replied in a muffled voice.
    Okay, that didn’t make the least bit of sense. “Why would a stomach virus or food poisoning be nice?” he asked cautiously.
    She lifted her head, her eyes dark and bleak. “Think it through, Chase. You’ll get there.”
    Maybe if he’d downed that second cup of coffee it would all make perfect sense to him. After all, his analytical skills were pretty damn impressive. But for some reason they seemed to be on the fritz this morning. He shook his head, indicating his bewilderment. “I’m obviously missing something here. Care to fill me in so we can both be on the same page?”
    She sighed. “Take one woman. Add a tablespoon of gee-she’s-sick. Toss in a cup of second-missed-period.” She made a small stirring motion with her finger. “Mix with hey-it’s-morning. And guess what you get?”
    No. Oh, hell no. “You’re pregnant?” He meant to ask the question calmly, with the same stony cool attitude with which he’d learned to handle all of life’s crises. Unfortunately, somewhere between “you’re” and “pregnant” his voice had risen to a roar.
    She flinched. “I don’t know for certain. But I’d say all the signs are there.”
    â€œYou said…” He shot a hand through his hair, struggling to think straight. What the devil had she said? “You said second missed period. As in January, minus two equals November. We were together in November. We were together, together in November.”
    â€œYou know something, Larson?” she asked, an edge in her voice. “You really are a genius when it comes to numbers and statistical analysis.”
    â€œCan the sarcasm, Worth. I’m not the one on the floor puking my guts out. As I recall we used protection each time we made love that night.” He never, ever made love without precautions, since he’d never risk the possibility of history repeating itself.
    â€œYeah, that bothered me at first, too.” To his horror tears filled her eyes. Huge, gut-wrenching, I-can’t-believe-this-is-happening tears. “It was the shower that did us in.”
    â€œThe shower,” he repeated stupidly.
    â€œExactly. The shower. It came off, remember?”
    He winced. That’s right. It had. “You think the baby’s