“How long now, Mom? How much time?" At Roman's insistent question, she huffed as she fought the pain to answer.“What your mother is trying to say is that she doesn't know, but she hopes it's soon,” Alexander told the boy, who was looking at Gwen gasping in pain in the hospital bed.“Little boy, you really shouldn't be here,” the nurse scolded and Roman pouted.“But I want to see my new little brother.”“Soon, young man, your mother is almost done,” the nurse said, smiling.“When, Mom?” he asked once more.Gwen suddenly gasped, startling Roman, who started to cry. Picking him up, Alyssa bent them over the hospital bed and gave her sister a kiss.“Wish Mom luck, Roman. We'll be in the children's room waiting,” he told them before quickly pulling the child out of the room.After they left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and patted her head. When another contraction came, she squeezed his arm, making him shiver.After she left, Alexander sat next to Gwen and stroked her head. When another co
As an elementary school principal, Gwen Stanton was used to having few surprises in her everyday life. She couldn't even dream that, on that fateful morning, she would come face to face with a young billionaire, a vision from her past. And bound forever, however unwittingly, to the most important part of her life.Gwen was twenty-seven, the mother of one, and the youngest director in the state. Though she had made an enviable career, she wasn't exactly known for playing by the rules. Thanks to the recent loss of funding for the interactive whiteboards, simply because she had disagreed with the donor's political views, she was now in a bind. So, she couldn't turn her nose up at the recent donation opportunity she had just heard about.And she would meet with the interested party that very day. Gwen looked at the secretary in disbelief when she received the unexpected news."Sorry," said Amy, her normally efficient secretary. "I thought you knew. I left the report on your desk last week
Trent was really looking forward to meeting an elementary school principal. He, the kind of man who wouldn't wait for the President if he had to, somehow found himself anticipating the appearance of someone named G. Stanton.His public relations consultants had come up with the opportunity to partner with the school in an attempt to promote Trent's personal image. He had viewed the entire concept with skepticism, and yet here he was having a strange premonition.Could it be the fact that the principal's initials looked very similar to those of his high school sweetheart?And to think that just a few minutes ago, in the car, he'd been thinking about her and wondering what could have happened. After having disappeared without a trace for so many years, he hadn't heard or seen anything from her. Over the years, she would play in his mind and he would smile at the fond memory. In fact, those were his happiest moments.It altered his mood for the meeting, and now he was filled with anticip
It looked perfect. You just don't forget that kind of feeling. It was like a thousand tons of cotton candy in all the colors of the rainbow that dampened you, making your heart flutter like the most fragile butterfly wings…that was the innocence of teenage love.Gwen always remembered... although it had been a while since she'd allowed her mind to wander back to the past. Becoming a mother as a teenager had given her more purpose and determination than usual. She could have given up on life, crawled under the bed or locked herself forever in a closet in shame, but somehow she had rebuilt the self-confidence she always had, even as a child.It reminded her that her future was worth fighting for.It was a slow climb, but she had come out of the ashes and found the conviction that the only person who could stop her was herself. She had her baby and took the necessary steps that gradually brought her to the current stage in her life where she felt as if she had achieved a lot as a mother
Gwen woke up believing that she must have been dreaming all these last weeks about Trent, with all the confrontation the night before, with his kiss.Oh no. Gwen pressed her fingertips to her mouth, and somehow they still looked bruised and swollen. Everything he imagined had actually happened. All of that, Gwen realized. The next moment she was crawling under the covers again with a groan.She couldn't believe she'd let Trent get away with it after nearly seducing her and pinning her against the wall. Where the hell was the self-control she'd exercised all those years?When Trent acted, Gwen was unable to lie to him or even to herself. She felt with him all the burning, stirring need between a man and a woman. Its effect on both seemed almost critical. Trent moaned as he pressed his hot lips over hers. Her moan as she melted against the wall and let him take her open, willing mouth...It had been wild and there was no stopping it, that physical connection she had even forgotten her n
"You could have just looked for me," she said. She glanced at him, and Trent didn't take his eyes off her. He kept his gaze unwavering."You're right. I should have. Life moved on... I got married and tried to start a family. It didn't quite work out the way I planned." He seemed to shudder and lifted his glass for a long gulp of wine.Gwen bit her lip. "I heard about your wife.I'm so sorry for her loss.""Thanks. It means a lot coming from you."Her eyes met openly and understandingly. From that moment on, it seemed more natural to talk, talk about work and how they built their careers. It was as if now that the fog of the initial burning desire had lifted, they could both face the reality of the situation. And they realized that the facts were what they were, and that they needed to get over that high school situation.Over the course of dinner, they agreed to work and keep things professional. Gwen felt ready to do just that."Do you think we can make things work?" Trent asked as
Gwen pulled away, her senses filled with the intoxicating, woodsy fragrance of him. That pounding that echoed in her eardrums had to be her own heart, she realized. Her hands rested on the front of Trent's white shirt before moving under the lapels of his navy blue jacket to cup those muscular shoulders. The heat of the kiss washed over her, already flooded with the sensation of his broad chest and muscular arms that made her melt completely.Closing her eyes tighter, her body began to shake with the intensity of desire. My God, she couldn't do this. Gwen began to dig her greedy hands out from under her jacket. In the next instant, Trent grabbed a wrist and rested her hand against his own chest. Then he pulled her down onto her stomach, moving his palm over her firm, defined abdomen. God, what was all that? Gwen moaned, pressing one leg against the other, as a reflex to ease the pulse that rose inside her.What she didn't expect was for his hand to guide hers to her groin. Gwen was st
Someone knocked on her knees. Trent looked down to see what a small shape had curled around his legs. The boy's eyes, so similar to Trent's, twinkled at him accompanied by a smile. There was such adoration and admiration in that pretty little face that it reminded him so much of Gwen. Trent almost stumbled, even though the boy's weight was nothing compared to his own. It was just the unexpected thrill of having his son looking at him with all the innocent wonder of an eight year old, his gaze filled with as much longing as Trent's.Slowly, a smile split Trent's lips and his heart swelled, making him so happy in that moment.like he hadn't felt since… Damn, he couldn't even remember the last time he'd felt like this.Without further ado, Trent's arms went around the boy's narrow shoulders and hugged him. My son. I missed you — even before I met you.It took a few moments for Trent to open his eyes and realize that it had all been a dream. But that feeling of gratitude he felt when he h