Page 222 of Lovers' Dance: Vol. 2

Matt reclaimed the space she was attempting to put between them, both his hands cradling her stomach. “Both boys?”

She snorted under her breath before correcting him. “One of each.”

Matt’s grin widened, impossible but true. “Incredible. Have youthought of any names? I don’t want anything too tasteless; good, sturdy names, perhaps-”

“Matt,” She cleared her throat.

“Nothing frilly,” he cautioned, already picturing her naming his children something along the hippy lines of ‘Tulip’ or – Matt raised an eyebrow. “I am allowed to offer suggestions. Right?”

She nodded and patted his hands lightly before stepping backing. He let her walk away without complaint.

“I apologize for not telling you,” she muttered. “I was,”

“Scared,” he finished for her. “I don’t blame you. Of course, I’m upset it took you this long to tell me, but I don’t blame you. I was a,”

“Nob,” she suggested while blinking her thick eyelashes at him. “Wanker. Asshole. Tosser. Jackass.”

Gritting his teeth he nodded. “Yes, but it’s all behind us now. We need to talk about the next steps forward.”

He could immediately sense her unease and the unconscious scratching she was now subjecting upon her little finger confirmed it.

With an attempt of false bravado, she tilted her chin upwards. “I know you want a paternity test, I’m not going to fight you on that. It’s insulting, but I understand why you think you need one.”

Matt waved her words away with dismissive show of hands. “That’s not the most important issue we need to address.”

She took a deep breath and held his gaze. “I’m going to need a lawyer, aren’t I?”

Matt smiled, he liked the way her eyes lingered on his lips. “I don’t believe you will, but I can arrange some representation for you if it will put your mind at ease. I was secretly horrified you agreed to the terms of our divorce papers without a solicitor acting in your interest. Were you that eager to be rid of me?” he tutted, making sure to exaggerate the sound. “To be honest, I’m offended you didn’t try to get a huge divorce settlement, you had all my solicitors wondering what was so wrong with me you’d forego financial remunerations.”

“I can have Collins?” her voice picked up and she ignored his light-hearted attempt to lessen the tension between them as her gaze skittered away from his mouth before returning, unwillingly it seemed.

Matt chuckled and she focused more on his eyes than his lips now. Winking at her, he shook his head. “I feel terrible for what I’ve subjected you to, but notthatterrible. Maybe a senior associate in his firm?”

She huffed and waltzed back to her bed where she resumed sorting her clothes. Matt followed her and began to help once more. She watched him from the corner of her eyes, her guard was still up.

“We’re doing this my way,” she finally said when they finished folding all the clothes she’d previously tossed during her frantic packing. “And they’re keeping my surname. It’s hell to travel with your kids if you don’t have the same surname, saw it on the news a few months ago.”

“Ah, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” he hedged. “What we need to discuss is your healthcare, I fully support the NHS, but your healthcare is going to be private from now on.”

“I have a really nice mid-wife,” she began. “She makes me laugh.”

“And you’re getting back a bodyguard, maybe two this time around.” He expertly balanced a pile of folded clothes on one arm as he headed for the dresser. “I am not trying to take control. I just want you safe. Once it comes out you’re having my babies,” He beamed at her. “Well, I just want to keep the media away from you. Ok?”

“You’re really good at folding clothes.” She bundled up her own pile and stuffed the clothes on a shelf in the opened wardrobe. “I’ve never seen you do that before, not once during our marriage.”

“I have staff, there’s no need for me to do this.” he reminded her. “And I’ve definitely folded your knickers before in the early stages of our relationship.”

Clearly uncomfortable with where the talk was heading, Madi let out a little cough and fidgeted on her feet. “I should probably go check on Dante. We’re kind of fighting right now.”

“Madi,” Matt paused for a second, wanting there to be no misunderstanding between them. “We can make this work. Trust me.”

A shutter came over her face as she flashed him a tight, perfunctory smile. “Co-parenting is all the rage, right? I only want what’s best for them, nothing more.”

Matt nodded in agreement, but he wanted more than that. He wanted a family,his family. Bloody hell, it would take a miracle to win her back. Giving her a winsome smile he silently vowed to earn her trust back, to earn her love back. It was a difficult task, but hewas Matthew Bradley and he always got what he wanted.

CHAPTER 27

“Thank you,” Ishook my new doctor’s hand while adjusting my shoulder bag. “And I’ll see you next week.”

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