His Pretend Baby Read online

  Maybe I should write down a little plan for tomorrow before I go to sleep, I think. Organize my thoughts and day, so even if I wake up too tired to function, I’ll know exactly what needs to happen and when—

  I break off from that thought with a wry grin as I walk into my bedroom, wondering what Go would say if he could see me now. Making a real plan!

  Then I scream when I find a man in my bedroom, wearing nothing but a pair of boxer briefs and an extremely forced, dimpled smile.

  “Sshhh, you’ll wake Marcella up,” he chastises me, pulling me tight against him.

  “What the hell, Go!” I ask, slapping one of his tattooed arms. “What are you doing here, smiling like an idiot? You scared me half to death!”

  “The last Ruth House opens tomorrow. I wanted to be here for it. My plan was to surprise you with a smile. I’ve been working on it, per your request.”

  “I didn’t request it, I just said I like when you do it,” I told him with a smile of my own.

  Go decided to shave his beard before he left for Tokyo to set up a new division of GoBotics, and I’d been shocked to find an even cuter guy than Marco under all that hair. With two gorgeous dimples to boot. I eye the insanely handsome man now holding me and can still barely believe he’s mine.

  Even after two years, a ton of blog posts, and one New York Times non-fiction bestselling book about our unusual path to becoming one of America’s most infamous billionaire couples, I find it hard to believe.

  It’s taken this long for the scandal that began with Sophia’s planted article, and ended with Go in the hospital, nearly fatally wounded by her gunshot, to die down. And I’ve been looking forward to moving to Japan with him next month, if only to get away from all the local media.

  “Thank you for coming home,” I say, hugging him tight. “I’ve been so lonely here without you.”

  “You’ve been having the nightmare again?” he asks, rocking me in his arms.

  “It’s worse when you’re not here,” I answer, clinging to him. “It always feels so real when I wake up and you’re gone. Like she really did kill you.”

  “But she didn’t.”

  He places my hand on the circuitry tattoo now covering the gunshot wound and surgery scars. “I didn’t die. I’m still here. We’re still here, together.”

  Then he smirks, the two dimples I didn’t know he had until recently, creasing his cheeks. “Just like I planned.”

  He’s so arrogant, my husband. Still. I immediately go from feeling grateful to plotting revenge.

  “So what was your plan for tonight?” I ask him, voice husky as I move my hand from his tattoo to grip him through his briefs. Hard.

  Go responds with a sharp intake of breath that warms my body.

  “Did it involve getting inside me?” I ask, tone teasing.

  Go’s eyes dart to the side, and I can see him processing his way through several different answers before finally deciding to shake his head.

  He’s come around to his brother’s ex-girlfriend’s way of thinking about lying after having his lung collapsed by the bullet of his brother’s other ex-girlfriend. But we’ve been married for over two years now, and he’s been long-planning me even before that. He knows how to answer my questions about his plans in a way that will absolutely get him what he wants.

  “Good…” I answer, forgetting all about my own impromptu plan to plan out my morning as I kiss him hard.

  I don’t take my revenge too far, though. We’ve been apart for nearly a month while he’s been setting up the new division in Asia, and I think we both know I’ve missed him too much to truly want to control the sex.

  He strips me, and after pressing hard kisses to all the little scars left behind by the glass I endured to stay alive, he covers me in that way of his. Holding me tight, he pumps slow, then faster. His pace carefully controlled, as if he’s remembering exactly how to do this with me. As if he’s remembering us.

  I’m reminded of how long it took him to heal after the surgery. How when we finally got the all-clear from the doctor, he’d taken me slow and careful, just like this.

  I look up at him, telling him how much I love him, how glad I am he made it, with my eyes.

  And that totally kills our tender moment.

  He cusses in Spanish, words I’ve come to know well. I allow myself an inner smirk as he tells me for the umpteenth time what it does to him when I look at him. As he calls me Lil’ Dis. As he asks me to shut my eyes.

  I don’t do it. Of course I don’t.

  But when he asks me to come right now, I am more than happy to oblige. I come so hard and so long, I’m left wondering if I’m part robot myself. A cyber human Go programmed to come on demand.

  If so, I’m totally okay with that.

  “We’re going to have to start seriously working on the Two-Year Phase of our plan when we move to Japan next month,” he tells me a little while later when we’re downstairs eating ice cream in what Go insists on calling, “The Simple Kitchen” because none of the appliances can be programmed or controlled remotely.

  I grimace then, remembering the one thing I’d been meaning to tell him before we started jumping each other bones.

  “Yeah, about that…”

  “Dis,” he says so emphatically, I’m pretty sure I know exactly how Lucy must have felt while getting chastised by Ricky in all those old I Love Lucy episodes. Go’s still eating his ice cream, but a scowl takes over his face as he reminds me, “That point is non-negotiable. Remember, when we made the Japan Plan together, that was my number one condition.”

  “Yeah, and um…I guess you could kind of say we’ve already met that condition. Like really, really met it. Probably the night before you left for Japan. We had a lot of sex then, remember? I mean a lot of sex.”

  He pauses, the spoonful of ice cream halfway to his mouth. “Dis, what are you saying…?”

  “I know you love Marcella, but you’re going to have to make more room in your heart because I’m pregnant again.”

  His mouth drops open. He shakes his head. Blinks. Then shakes his head again. “Okay, we’ve got another baby on the way and we’re about to make the hugest move of both our lives to Japan.”

  “You okay?” I ask, reaching out across the counter to clasp his hand tightly. “I know this wasn’t in the original plan…”

  “Yes, yes,” he says, looking off to the side, processing then deciding, “Yes, I’m fine. A baby. This is good. I can handle this. We’re still totally on track for Japan, we’ll just have to make a few adjustments.”

  “Great,” I say with an overly bright smile. “Cool. I’m so glad you see it that way, because…surprise! We’re having twins. Maybe don’t think of this as a plan disruption. It’s more like a doubling down. Anyway…yay?”

  If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to see a billionaire fall off his stool, I’m here to tell you it’s pretty funny.

  “Go? Go? Are you alright?” I ask, rushing around the counter. By the time I get to him, he’s made it back into his seat, but it looks like he’s damn near hyperventilating.

  “Big Dis,” he wheezes. “That’s what I’m going to call you from now on.”

  I laugh helplessly. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  He blinks at me, dazed. “You always find a way to ruin my plans.”

  “Yeah, I do,” I say, feeling hugely guilty about this, even though it takes two to tango. “I’m sorry. Even I didn’t intend to mess the plan up this bad.”

  “No, don’t apologize…” He pulls me into his arms for a tight hug. “This is the best disruption you’ve come up with yet.”

  My heart melts as I look up at him. “Really?”

  “Yes, really.” He locks his gaze with mine. “Thank God I found you, Nyla. I thank Him every day for sending you to disrupt my life. And you know what?” he asks.

  “What?” I ask back, my heart beating faster at just the thought of him. Of the life we’re going to build together in Japan.

  He give
s me the most beautiful smile, his cheeks dimpling all the way up with true happiness, “I can’t wait to see what you come up with next.”

  * * *

  Keep scrolling for a very special thank you and THREE bonus books after the page break!

  Part I

  Dearest You….

  Oh my gosh, this couple and their unique tale is so very close to my heart! Go appeared out of nowhere a few months ago, and made it clear to me that I just had to tell his and Nyla’s story—even though they weren’t technically on the slate. I’m still a little surprised by this couple, but I’m thrilled to be able to share their unusual and passionate love story with you!

  I hope you enjoyed reading about Nyla and Go as much as I enjoyed writing about them. If so, please give the gift of a review on Amazon so others might more easily find this very special love story.

  As always, thank you for reading this book and for your ongoing support. I can’t wait to visit with Nyla and Go again in Japan later this year, when Suro Nakamura’s brothers share their stories with me. Until then, please enjoy this back-of-book exclusive, PLAYERS IN LOVE, all three stories that led up to this Portland Super Couple!

  So Much Love,

  Theodora Taylor

  HIS ONE AND ONLY

  Prologue

  “I can’t believe you got caught kissing Beau Prescott’s girlfriend under the stairs!”

  Josie Witherspoon and her best friend, Colin Fairgood, were walking home from school. The large mansions, which lined both sides of the street, bore stately and placid witness to their conversation.

  “Everybody on the bus was talking about it!”

  Colin shrugged his skinny shoulders, like string-bean violinists stole the hearts of popular cheerleaders every day. “I can’t believe you can’t believe a girl like Mindy wouldn’t rather go out with me than that dumb-ass quarterback you live with.”

  “I don’t live with him,” she said, exasperated. “I live in his parent’s house with my mom. Big difference. We barely talk.”

  “Whatever. Just because you can’t see what a catch I am doesn’t mean Mindy don’t.”

  Josie pushed her cat-eye glasses up on her nose, and looked at Colin sideways. She could never tell if he was joking or serious when he insinuated that she was missing out by not having him as a boyfriend.

  They’d been friends since elementary school. Really, it had been a friendship made out of desperation more than anything else. Josie was one of the few black kids in the Forest Brook school system, and definitely the only black nerd, while tall and skinny Colin had been the only kid playing concert-level violin. Plus, despite the fact that she was black and he was white, both of their mothers happened to be live-in help for affluent families with homes on the same street, so technically they had more in common with each other than with other kids who were their own race.

  Back when they’d first met, they’d been a pair of misfits with the misfortune of going to an elite school that valued its wealthy student body and athletics over diversity and musical prowess. Why not hang out with each other, who else would want to hang out with them?

  But lately Colin had been making jokes suggesting he wanted more than friendship from Josie, and she didn’t know how she felt about that.

  “It’s not that I don’t think you’re a great catch,” she said. “It’s more like I’m surprised Mindy was smart enough to realize it.”

  Really surprised. On the few occasions she’d talked to Mindy, when she’d come by the house looking for Beau, Josie didn’t think there was much more than cotton candy and cheerleader chants going on between her pretty ears.

  “Jealous?” Colin asked with an impish grin.

  “More like scared,” Josie answered. “I’m just hoping Beau don’t come after you. You know how he gets.”

  Then, as if she had summoned him out of thin air just by saying his name, Beau’s over-large, shiny blue pick-up truck screeched to a halt on the other side of the road. And Beau himself came barreling out with Mike Lacer, their school’s starting wide receiver and the son of the family Colin’s mother worked for, right behind him.

  Most girls, including her—though she’d never admit it out loud—found Beau mesmerizing. With his thick black hair, contrasting silver eyes, chiseled body, aquiline nose, and All-American good looks, he was like the living embodiment of a Ralph Lauren ad. But right now, he looked a lot less preppy and a whole lot more intimidating as he came straight at Colin, his muscle-bound body tight with anger.

  “Fairgood,” he said, pointing at the ground halfway between them. “You and me. Right now.”

  “Aw man,” Colin said under his breath. But nonetheless, he put his violin case down and removed his backpack.

  “Are you kidding me?” Josie hissed. “You can’t fight them. They’re, like, twice your size!”

  Colin eyed Beau and Mike warily. “I don’t think I have much of a choice.”

  “Run, fool!” she said, stating what, she felt, was the obvious sol

  “I’m not running,” he answered, clenching his fists at his sides. “I might be skinny. But I’m not a coward.”

  “How about your hands? You can’t be getting in fights. You’ve got the Youth Symphony concert at the ASC this weekend.”

  She could tell that thought gave him pause. He’d been playing violin since the age of four, and he’d been taught to protect his hands above all things for most of his life. But still, he set his jaw and said it again: “I’m not running.”

  And then it was too late to run. Beau was standing right in front of them, his meaty right fist covered with his left hand. His silver eyes almost seemed to glitter with anger in the afternoon light. “Time for you to get out of here, Josie.”

  He and Mike reeked of alcohol.

  “Now, Beau, just calm down now. Two football players against the two of us? You and I both know that ain’t a fair fight.”

  “It isn’t two against two,” Beau answered with a smirk. “I’ll fight Fairgood on my own. Mike just came to watch the beat down.”

  “Yeah,” Mike said, obviously feeling no loyalty whatsoever to the son of his family’s housekeeper. “I’m just here to see Fairgood get his ass kicked.”

  Josie rolled her eyes. Mike might as well be a hype man, he was so ridiculously fond of repeating everything Beau said. “Beau, you need to think about getting some real friends as opposed to sycophants who go along with everything you say.”

  “What’d you just call me?” Mike asked, taking a menacing step toward her.

  Josie stood her ground and stared Mike down. “So, what, now you’re going to beat me up, too?”

  “No,” Beau said, raising his hand to still Mike before the wide receiver could answer. “Like I said, this is between me and Fairgood. You go on home now, Josie.”

  He was so sure she was going to follow his command, so sure he had her under his thumb. It was hard to believe she’d ever liked Beau as a human being, much less had a raging crush on him the summer before she started at Forest Brook Senior High, before he’d shown his true colors.

  She drew herself up to her full five-feet-five inches and lifted her chin. “And like I said, that’s not a fair fight. It’d be like Colossus beating up on Yo Yo Ma!”

  Beau’s face screwed up. “Who and who?”

  Colin stepped in front of Josie explain. “She’s referring to a comic book character and the best cellist on the planet. But it doesn’t matter, because if you want to fight I’ll fight. I’m not a coward.”

  Colin tried to push Josie behind him, but she scrambled to get in front of him and spread her arms in a protective stance.

  “No, I’m not going to let this happen,” she said.

  Beau threw Colin an exasperated look. “So you’re going to hide behind a girl? That’s how you want to handle this?”

  “Jo-Jo,” Colin said behind her, “you’re embarrassing me.”

  “I don’t care if I’m embarrassing you,” Josie shot back. “You have more talent
in your index finger than Beau’s got in his entire body. And I’m not going to let you risk your hands because he’s mad over a stupid girl. And when I say stupid, I mean, really, really stupid—bless her little heart, but she ain’t nobody to be fighting over.”

  If Josie had been hoping to make Beau see reason, she got the opposite response. He stepped forward, so close she could feel his beer-tinted breath on her face when he said, “Josie. Go. Home. Now.”

  And before she could protest again, Mike was pulling her out from between them.

  “No!” she yelled. “Don’t touch me!”

  She kicked Mike straight in the balls. And when he fell to his knees, cupping his crotch like a movie villain, Josie used the opportunity to jump on Beau’s back. “Run!” she yelled at Colin.

  “Get off me!” Beau said, swiping at her like a bear.

  It took all of Josie’s strength just to hang on. “Run!” she yelled again.

  “I can’t leave you,” Colin yelled back. His fists were tight at his sides and it looked like his body was primed to do something to help, but his mind didn’t quite know what yet.

  Mike started trying to tug her off of Beau’s back from behind, but Josie tightened her grip around Beau’s neck and waist like a squirrely monkey. “If you want to fight somebody then fight me you stupid bully,” she said to Beau.

  “Josie, you work for me,” Beau said. “Now stop this and get on out of here so Fairgood and me can settle this like men.”

  “I don’t work for you,” she spat back. “My mama does. As long as I’m breathing, I promise you this, Beau Prescott, I will never, ever work for you.”

  “Get off!” he yelled, pawing her.

  Her glasses fell off her face then, followed by a sickening crunch.

  The world beyond Beau went blurry, but she hung on. “I’m not letting go until you promise to leave Colin alone!”