A Stranger's Baby

BRAD

Brad placed the food on the kitchen table, then grabbed his wine and sat down across from Cassie.

He had ordered steak and salad for Cassie and himself and nuggets for Jessie, and he chuckled as the girl squeezed a huge amount of ketchup on her plate.

He looked at Cassie and noticed the dark circles under her eyes and how pale she was. “You look exhausted,” he said to her.

He thought she was going to snap at him again, but instead, she sighed deeply and nodded. “I am tired,” she answered.

“Who watches Jessie when you’re at work?” He was curious.

“I only work nights. My neighbor next door comes in and watches her until I get home.”

A flicker of anger stirred deep inside him. So the little girl was unsupervised most of the time?

He questioned her further. “Who watches her when you’re asleep?” He couldn’t keep the accusation out of his voice.

Cassie became defensive. “Are you accusing me of leaving her unattended while I sleep?” she snapped back at him.

His eyes narrowed, turning dark and threatening. “Well, you have to sleep sometime.”

He noticed Jessie listening to them argue. “Hey, munchkin, take your dinner into the other room and watch TV.”

Jessie’s eyes were as wide as saucers, and she looked at her mom. Cassie smiled and nodded that it was okay. Brad knew she didn’t want the child to hear them arguing either.

As soon as Jessie was gone, Cassie turned on Brad. “I try to sleep for a couple of hours when she goes to bed, then when I get home from work, I sleep till she wakes up. So no, you jerk, she is never left on her own.”

She stood up and went to storm off, but he grabbed her arm, preventing her from leaving. “I’m sorry, but you can’t blame me for being worried. I’m her father, after all.”

She scoffed. “Only for a matter of a few hours. Now you think you’re the father of the year.”

He stood up and pulled her close to him, glaring down at her. “You should have told me. I had a right to know I had a daughter.”

Clenching her teeth, Cassie hissed, “If I had my way, you still wouldn’t know.”

“Why you little—” He stopped when Jessie walked into the room, and he released Cassie.

“I’m thirsty,” Jessie announced.

His heart melted when he looked at the little girl who resembled him to a tee. “What would you like to drink, munchkin?”

“Soda, please,” she replied.

“Oh no you won’t, young lady,” Cassie said.

“Why can’t she have a glass of soda?” Brad asked.

She shook her head. “Have you never been around kids before, Brad? If you give them sugar this late, they’ll be up all night, climbing the walls.” She turned back to Jessie. “You can have milk, sweetie.”

“Yes, Mommy,” Jessie said, her bottom lip sticking out in a pout.

They finished dinner in silence.

After they were done eating, Cassie gave Jessie a bath and got her ready for bed. Jessie ran right to Brad, giving him a hug good night, then jumped into bed and snuggled under the covers for her bedtime story.

He watched from the doorway as Cassie read to the girl, and chuckled to himself. The minute Cassie had finished the story, Jessie had fallen asleep.

He and Cassie walked back to the living room, and he poured himself another drink. Sitting down, he started talking. “Jessie takes after me. I also fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.”

“I don’t recall that,” she blurted out without thinking, then blushed. “I… That didn’t sound right.”

He smiled, changing the subject. “You’ve done a good job with her. She’s bright, very outgoing, and polite.”

“Thank you. Jessie is my life. She means the world to me. You can’t take her away from me.” Fear showed in her eyes when she looked at him.

“Then let me help you. I’ll buy you a house to live in and give you a generous allowance to take care of all your and Jessie’s needs.”

“And what do you want in return? Is it sex? Am I to be your paid whore?”

Brad laughed. “As much as that thought pleases me, no. I just want time with my daughter, to get to know her. She can spend time with me at my ranch in Texas.”

Cassie jumped to her feet, and he did too, unsure what she was going to do.

“No, no, you can’t! You plan on taking her away from me, don’t you? You think I’m an unfit mother.” Crying, she started pounding him on the chest with her fists.

He grabbed hold of her hands, stopping her from hitting him. “Cassie, stop it. I assure you that’s not what I’m doing. I just want equal time with her.”

He gave her a moment to calm down, then released her.

She walked over to the window and looked out, scrubbing tears from her face. “But a ranch… That could be so dangerous.”

“Why don’t you both come to the ranch for a few days? You can see for yourself what it’s like and meet the people she’ll be around.”

“Look, I don’t need you to buy me a house, and I sure don’t want your money. As far as going to Texas with you, the answer is no.” She turned to him, and her face was hard.

Brad was quickly losing his temper. “You will live in the house I buy for you and accept the money. No child of mine will go without.”

Seeing the fear that flashed across her face caused him to back off and choose his words carefully. “Most women would sue me for half my fortune.”

“I’m not most women. I can make my own living and take care of Jessie.”

“Cassie, please let me support my child in the style and comfort she deserves. That’s all I’m asking. Don’t you want the best for her?”

“Of course, I do,” she said with tears in her eyes. “But how do you expect me to let her go?”

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked down at her. “It’s only for visits. I’m not going to keep her from you. Now, will you come to Texas?”

She lowered her head and answered quietly, “All right, we’ll go. But only for a few days.”

Realizing he was still touching her, Brad let go. “Good. And tomorrow we’ll tell Jessie I’m her father, okay?”

She nodded. “Okay. But I’m tired, so I’m going to bed.”

“Good night, Cassie.”

He watched as she walked away. God, she’s so beautiful, he thought.

Again, he found himself thinking back to that night.

At the time he hadn’t known she was only twenty-one. She had looked older in the little black dress she had worn to dinner, and she was so well-spoken that he had been surprised when she told him her age.

He also hadn’t known that she was a virgin.

He had enjoyed her energy, her laugh. They had talked about what they wanted out of life. He told her things he had never told another living soul.

He sighed deeply and ran his hand through his hair, shaking his head.

It had been meant to be a night of sex with a stranger, no strings, no ties. But Cassie was different; she was not the kind of girl who only wanted sex. He had realized that when she had whispered “I love you.”

It had freaked him out, so after she had fallen asleep, he had left.

The biggest mistake of his life, he had soon realized. But maybe now he’d finally get the chance to fix it.

On his way to bed, he stopped by her room to check on them. Peeking in, he saw Jessie sleeping on her side, sucking her thumb, just like he had at that age.

Cassie was lying on her back. He watched as her breasts moved up and down with every breath she took. He remembered how they had felt when he caressed them, how they’d tasted.

His body came alive with desire. Just watching Cassie was getting him hard. He wanted her, even more than he had four years ago.

He turned and walked away; a cold shower was in order.

CASSIE

Cassie woke in the morning to find Jessie gone. Alarmed, she threw on a robe and rushed out in search of her daughter.

She found her in the kitchen with Brad, coloring and humming to herself while he fried eggs.

He wasn’t wearing a shirt, and his toned muscles were on full display.

Cassie’s heart started racing, and her inner core began to burn and throb.

Despite herself, she found her thoughts drifting back to the night they had shared their bodies with each another.

She could still remember how she had touched his chest as he hovered over her, making her squirm beneath him, and how it had felt when he moved inside her.

“Hungry?” Brad said, interrupting her thoughts.

Tearing her gaze away from his body, she walked over and sat next to Jessie, giving her a hug. “Yes, please.”

They sat eating and drinking, coffee for them, milk for Jessie.

“So, munchkin. Should I order some fruit from room service? What do you like? Bananas, grapes, strawberries?” Brad asked.

Jessie smiled at him. “I love bananas and apples. But not strawberries, I’m allergic to them.”

“You are? So am I,” he told her.

“Honey, Brad and I have a couple of things to talk to you about.”

“What, Mommy?”

Cassie looked at Brad, then back at Jessie. “Well, baby, Brad is your daddy.”

Jessie’s big green eyes stared into his. “You’re my daddy?” she asked him.

“Yes, munchkin, I am.”

“Can I call you Daddy?”

He looked like his heart was going to burst with joy. Tears shone in his eyes, and his voice was hoarse as he answered, “I would like that very much.”

Jessie went over to Brad, putting her tiny arms around him in a hug. He scooped her up, hugging her back, and a single tear ran down his face.

Pulling away, she asked, “What’s the other thing you wanted to tell me?”