Jack helped Harper into the passenger seat and then pulled down the seat belt for her to clip across her body. ‘Are you comfortable?’ His blue eyes were shadowed with concern.
‘I’m fine.’
He brushed a lazy finger along the curve of her cheek. ‘You probably wouldn’t admit it if you weren’t, would you?’
Harper gave him a self-deprecating glance. ‘I’m not used to having people fuss over me.’
‘Maybe it’s time you had someone do exactly that.’ He closed the door and then came around to the driver’s side, checking Marli in the back seat first. He opened the driver’s door, slid into the seat and, closing the door with a soft snick, sent Harper a probing glance. ‘So, what’s it to be? Your place or mine?’
Harper raised her eyebrows and sent him a pointed look. ‘You’re actually giving me a choice?’
He gave a lopsided smile that made something in her belly swoop. ‘Kidnapping isn’t my modus operandi.’
No, but lethal charm was and she would have to be on her guard to keep herself from falling for it. And falling hard.
They arrived at the flagship Livingstone Hotel a short time later. The uniformed staff at the rear and more private entrance stepped into action. ‘Good morning, Mr Livingstone,’ one of them greeted Jack with a deferential smile.
‘Morning, Ben,’ Jack said. ‘This is my fiancée, Harper Swan, and this is our daughter, Marli. Please ensure that only my private staff attend to their needs in my suite. And keep the press away. We’ll be making a press announcement in a day or two.’
‘Certainly, Mr Livingstone.’
Harper waited until Ben was taking her bag out of the boot of the car to speak to Jack. ‘Press announcement?’
‘I’d like to formally announce Marli’s arrival as well as our engagement,’ Jack said. ‘It’s better to be on the front foot rather than having the press chase us for a scoop. That way we control what’s said about us.’
The thought of paparazzi chasing her for an exclusive on her relationship with Jack was nothing less than terrifying. She didn’t know even know how to describe their relationship. He kept referring to her as his fiancée but she hadn’t accepted his proposal...yet. She was starting to waver on it and it scared her because she had always been so adamant about keeping herself free from emotional entanglements that might get in the way of her career. But she hated the thought of robbing Marli of a close relationship with her father. For now, it was easier to run with Jack’s plan in order to get through these early weeks of their baby’s life. Would the press announce their ‘engagement’? What would everyone make of their relationship? She was hardly his normal model-type. She was used to being behind the camera, not in front of it. Her job was to take photos, not to be the subject of them. And she didn’t want her baby girl to be hounded by the press, either. But how could she protect her baby when Jack Livingstone was her father? Everyone would want to know about the woman who had given birth to his child. It would be front-page news for sure.
How on earth could she protect her privacy?
A short time later, Jack opened the door of his penthouse suite and Harper stepped inside, trying her best not to be too impressed by the luxury surroundings. The entrance was bigger than her kitchen, the sitting room that came off it bigger than her entire flat. The plush carpet threatened to swallow her up to the knees but the furniture was minimalist and masculine in design, reminding her she had entered Jack’s territory. A place where she did not and could not belong.
Marli gave a tiny squawk from the capsule he was carrying and Harper turned to check on her. ‘I think she might need changing.’
‘I’ll do it.’ Jack put the capsule down and unclipped Marli from the fastenings. He took her out and cradled her against his broad chest. ‘Where’s the changing bag I bought?’
‘Here.’ Harper handed the bag to him, torn between wanting to watch him with their daughter and needing to keep her distance. He was taking to fatherhood so smoothly, a little more smoothly than she was taking to motherhood—not that she would admit that to anyone. She just needed more time to get used to having a baby. It was all such a shock, an almost traumatic shock in some ways. There was so much responsibility with having a baby. A child was a lifetime’s commitment. Harper hadn’t even thought about such a commitment, so to suddenly have a baby was profound and emotionally unsettling.
Harper found herself following Jack to his bedroom, where he laid Marli on the king-sized bed. He began to undo the press buttons on her little onesie, softly talking to her in his deep, baritone voice. ‘I’m going to change your nappy, okay?’ He unpeeled the sticky tabs on the nappy and grimaced. ‘Hmm... I think I might need some baby wipes.’
Harper stepped forward and handed them to him. ‘Apparently breastfed babies poop a lot.’
‘Good to know.’ Jack cleaned Marli up and put on a fresh nappy, and then did the onesie back up. He lifted the baby to his chest again, one of his hands stroking her tiny back. His eyes met Harper’s and something in her chest flipped open. ‘How are you doing?’ There was a gentle note of concern in his voice that was as disarming as his steady, deep blue gaze.
Harper gave a shrug and shifted her gaze from his. ‘I’m a bit tired...’ She glanced at the bed and then wished she hadn’t as a rush of heat flowed through her cheeks. ‘Erm, where will I be sleeping?’
‘In my bed.’
Harper met his look with a flash of fire in hers. ‘Do you really think that’s wise?’
His expression was inscrutable. ‘There’s a fold-out sofa in the sitting room. I’ll sleep on that.’
‘Oh...’ Harper wasn’t sure why she should be feeling a pang of disappointment. She didn’t want to sleep with him...did she? She couldn’t sleep with him anyway, not so soon after delivering a baby. It was usual to wait at least four to six weeks before resuming sexual activity. Was there something wrong with her that she desired him even now? That he only had to look at her and her insides would flutter and tighten and coil with lust? That every nerve in her body was acutely, achingly aware of him? That her mouth could still taste the sexy, salty tang of his lips and craved it like a potent drug?
The doorbell of the penthouse suite rang and Harper’s gaze flew to Jack’s. ‘Are you expecting anyone?’
‘My mother wants to meet Marli. She’s dropping off some presents as well as a bespoke bassinet she insisted on buying for her.’
Harper steeled her gaze and her spine. ‘But I don’t feel like meeting anyone now, especially someone who’s already decided I’m a gold-digger.’