The Deal

She knew as soon as she walked into her office the next morning that Rachel would be in shortly, wanting to know how it went with Austin. No sooner did she have her coat off when she showed up, tea in hand. "What took you so long?" she asked, smirking and sitting down behind her desk.

"Ha, ha, very funny. I brought you tea instead of your usual coffee," she said, handing it to her. "So how did it go with Austin?"

"It went pretty much the way I figured it would, he was happy about the baby. The problem was he got it into his head that we would get back together. I had to assure him that wasn't the case and I only told him because he had a right to know he was going to be a father."

"You sure you don't want to give him another chance? I know you, you are missing that man like crazy. He's so hot girl and if you wait too long some other bitch is going to come along and try to get her hooks into him."

"Since when are you on his side?" Blair asked grumpily.

"It's not that I'm on his side but when he gave you all the shares back I started seeing him differently. He could have kept them, it only shows how much he loves you."

"He did point that out yesterday when he drove me home."

"Wait a minute, he took you home?"

"It was no big deal. I got dizzy from lack of food and sleep. He insisted on driving me home. He made me get into bed and he stayed and made me something to eat. And later, while I was asleep he went out and bought groceries and made dinner. It was really thoughtful of him."

"I forgot to tell you, Patrick called and left a message for you to give him a call. What is it with that guy?"

Blair then told her about the night he somehow got into the building and scared the shit out of her. "That reminds me, see about upping our security around here so that it doesn't happen again."

"I'm on it Blair," she said, getting up left the office.

Four days later Austin showed up at her office with some lunch for her. His heart melted when he saw her, she had that special glow about her.

She looked up when he entered. "Austin, you're here."

"I told you I would be checking up on you to see how you're doing. You look much better than the last time I saw you and I also brought you something to eat. I know how much you like cheeseburgers. Wait, are you able to eat them, what with you being pregnant?"

She had to laugh. "Yes, it's alright. Thank you but you didn't have to do that but I am getting hungry," she said, reaching for the bag. Inside were two burger and two orders of onion rings along with a milkshake. "You expect me to eat all of this myself?"

"No, I was hoping we could both share them."

"Austin, don't do this."

"Do what?"

"You know, thinking we'll be spending time together by bringing lunch."

"Hey, we both have to eat, now hand mine over," he said, reaching for his. "We're going to be parents together so there's no reason we can't get together once in a while."

"I still want a divorce."

"I know you do but I've not gone through the papers yet. I see you no longer wear the necklace I bought you. I thought you loved it."

"I did, I mean I still do but, never mind."

"It reminds you of me and it makes you sad. That just shows you that you're still in love with me. Let's stop this nonsense and come home with me, it's where you belong."

Tossing the empty bag into the wastebasket she wipes her mouth. "Thank you for lunch but I have a meeting to get to in ten minutes." She gets up and goes around her desk, walking him to the door.

Her back was against the wall, waiting for him to leave when he leaned in and placed his lips on hers. It was just a brush of his lips, barely a kiss but it left her breathless. Oh, he was smart, not really kissing her but giving her a taste of what could be. His scent along with the cologne he wore was intoxicating and she used every bit of strength she had not to throw her arms around him and kiss him back.

"Bye Blair, I'll see you soon." As he was walking out he heard her telling him to sign the papers, which he had no intentions of doing.

Over the next two weeks, he had sent her flowers, came by to see how she was doing and to make sure she wasn't overdoing it. Telling her he was just thinking of the baby, wanting to make sure they were both alright.

Rachel gave her a skeptical look when one day she saw Austin leaving her office. "I see you are no longer throwing away his flowers. Could there be a future for you two after all.?"

"No, there's no future for us as a couple. We have to learn to get along for the sake of the baby, that's all there is to it."

Rachel had a glint in her eyes, her head bobbed slowly up and down. "If you say so but I still see the sparks between the two of you. Why I bet right now your panties are wet just from us talking about him."

"If I weren't your friend as well as your boss I'd fire you for that remark," she said, crumpling up a piece of paper she threw it at her.

The day of her doctors appointment Austin showed up, she was not pleased. "What are you doing here? It's just a checkup."

"I told you I was coming to some of the appointments."

She glared at him. "I told you that I would let you come when we do the scan. I really don't understand why you can't stay away from me."

"Don't argue with me, oh, we're up," he said and standing up he follows her into the office. He sat there while the doctor took her blood pressure and had her lay down so he could check her stomach.

"OK, I have good news and bad news."

Thinking something was wrong with the baby she looked at Austin, then back at the doctor. "Is my baby alright?"

"The baby is fine, but you have high blood pressure. You have to avoid stress and get plenty of rest. I want to see you back here in a week so that I can check your blood pressure. I understand you own your own company and that can be a lot of mental stress as well as physically draining. I highly suggest you cut down on your hours, maybe get more help at work to take some of the pressure off you."

Leaving the doctor's he took her to an early dinner, he didn't give her a choice. Over their meal, he started in on her about working less.

"I have a company to run. But I will slow down and give my employees more of the work to do, will that make you happy?" she said sarcastically.

"It does, and I'll be checking with Rachel to make sure you are. Now would you like some dessert?"

She patted her stomach. "No, I'm full, besides I've been eating so much lately I don't know if this is me getting fat or a small baby bump."

His eyes lit up when he looked down at her stomach. "Do you mind if I touch it?"

"I, I guess so," she said and moved over when he went and sat next to her. She watched his face when he placed his hand over her stomach. His face was so close, almost touching hers. She closed her eyes briefly as she took in his scent, the smell of his hair and the way his hand felt on her stomach.

"Oh, this is definitely a baby bump," he said, his hand still on her he looks into her eyes. "Just think, we made this tiny human being that is growing inside you." He stared into her eyes, then he looked down at her lips and just as he was about to move in for a kiss the waiter came by with the bill.

She knew he was about to kiss her and was relieved when they got interrupted. He then drove her home and walked her to her door. He wanted to come in but she refused him, saying she was tired and wanted to go to bed. She left him there, knowing she was hurting him but she had to think of her own well being. She was sure he would hurt her again if she let him be a part of her life again, that was a pain she wasn't willing to go through.

A week later Austin showed up at her work, saying he wanted to show her something, she hesitated before agreeing to go with him. As they drove she noticed they were headed in the direction of his home. "Are we going to your home?"

"I still think of it as our home and yes. I want you to see what I've been doing for the last couple of weeks in my spare time. I think you'll like it."

She wondered what he was up to but he refused to answer any more of her questions. Once there he took her inside, taking her hand he started walking up the stairs but she stopped him.

"I don't know what you think is going on between us but I'm not going to bed with you."

He let out a chuckle. "If I wanted to take you to bed I'd pick you up and carry you to my bed. It's not that, come on."

When they got upstairs he stopped at the door across from his bedroom and opened the door, he then motioned with his hand for her to go in.

She looked around the room, there was a crib, a change table, drawers among other things needed for a baby's nursery. Then her eyes teared up when she saw the wallpaper, it had dolphins. "This furniture, it's all that I picked out for the nursey at my place."

"I know, I saw the magazine and where you checked off what you were going to buy. I figured since you liked it I would get the same, but I added the dolphins."

Maybe it was her hormones that made her jump to conclusions, or maybe it was the fear of what he was up to. "What the hell are you up to? You think I'm moving back with you or are you planning on taking my baby from me? I won't let you take my baby," she screamed, pushing him out of the way she ran out of the room in tears.

He was taken by complete surprise by her outburst and followed her down the stairs, where he grabbed her arm and swung her around to face him. "Blair, calm down will you, remember your blood pressure. What is this nonsense you're talking about?"

"I'm not stupid, you want to take my baby from me."

"Where did you get an idea like that?"

"Why else would you buy all this baby furniture and decorate up a baby's room if you weren't planning on taking it from me?"

"Oh sweetheart, I would never take a child from its mother. I just thought that once the baby is old enough and you let me have him for overnight visits or for a few days at a time that I should have a room made up. I had no clue what furniture to buy so when I saw what you had checked off I figured I'd get the same stuff." He wiped her tears away with his fingers, he never meant to upset her.

"So you aren't planning on fighting for custody?"

"No, I don't want us going to court and putting our child through anything like that. I know between us we can handle things on our own. I love you and I want you back, there's no way I would do anything to push you further away."

"We aren't getting back together," she said, sniffling.

"You keep saying that, but I'm never going to give up on us. Now would you like something to eat or drink? I think Helen made up some meatloaf."

A wave of relief washed over her when he said he had no plans of taking away their baby, she was also mentally drained. "No, I would like to go home please."

"I'll take you," he said, his heart was breaking, wondering if she would ever forgive him and come home to stay.

That night as she got ready for bed she suddenly felt a pain in her stomach, something didn't feel right so she picked up her phone and called Austin.