Her Baby His Gift (The Slow Burn Duology Book 1)
Table of Contents
Her Baby His Gift
Dedications & Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
HER BABY HIS GIFT – The Slow Burn 2
THANK YOU
OTHER BOOKS BY LASHAWN VASSER
Her Baby His Gift
By
LaShawn Vasser
Her Baby His Gift © 2021 LaShawn Vasser
All Rights Reserved
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblances to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons living or dead are entirely coincidental.
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*EXPLICIT ADULT CONTENT*
WARNING
This novel is considered romantic fiction with erotic elements or erotica. This book is for mature audiences only. This book contains profane adult language, mild violence, and strong sexual content.
Dedications & Acknowledgments
Thank you for being you. You make me a better me.
Chapter 1
Carter Owens was startled out of his sleep. His heart was racing, and perspiration covered his entire body. He ran a shaky hand over the back of his head while taking several deep breaths.
The raspy, sleep-filled voice of the woman lying next to him whispered into the darkness. “Another bad dream?”
Hearing the sound of Elaina’s southern drawl was a welcomed relief. “Yeah. Something like that.” Slowly, Carter released the air trapped in his lungs. “I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Elaina pulled the sheet with her as she sat up and began to caress the hard planes of his back. “That makes two nights in a row.” She leaned over and placed her chin on his shoulder. “You want to talk about it?”
Talk about it? Hell, no. “It’s nothing,” he said.
“We’ve only been dating a short time, but I hope you know that I’m here for you. You can tell me anything.”
Not this. Carter reached for Elaina’s hand and held it. So much had happened since the day they met. Elaina had become something of a life preserver—even if she wasn’t the woman consuming his every waking thought and now haunting his dreams.
That space was left for Harlem Thomas.
Carter didn’t understand it. Why was she, of all people, making X-rated appearances in his dreams? Harlem was completely off-limits. Never mind that she couldn’t stand him. The truth was that he wasn’t too fond of her either, but they were now forever linked.
Both had been thrust into an impossible situation. One that Carter was not only reeling from but still trying to navigate. Adding a new relationship with Elaina to this clusterfuck—Carter must have really loved hell on earth.
Elaina Robins was a good woman. She was smart, sexy, and had a warm heart. If Carter was the marrying kind, Elaina might even be the one.
There was just one problem—Elaina didn’t emotionally awaken him. It wasn’t her fault. Carter didn’t think any woman could. A good friend opined that it was long past time to give up his bachelor ways, and Elaina was a good choice. If he had a list, she would check all the boxes. Physically, she was just his type. If you could call any woman over five-foot-eight, a flat stomach with a full rack, and a nice ass, a type. The blue eyes and red hair were a bonus. He was lucky that Elaina was more than just a beautiful woman. She was intelligent and could hold a decent conversation. At thirty-four, Carter was ready to give having a real relationship a try. He could only hope that he had it in him to be a relationship kind of man.
He hadn’t been in a monogamous with anyone in years. It was never a serious consideration. Therefore, the idea of falling in love was a remote possibility at best and impossible at worst. Carter had no idea what a healthy romantic relationship looked like. It wasn’t anything he’d ever witnessed. His best friend’s relationship was probably the closest he’d ever seen, and even it was a bit dysfunctional.
Stop going through life numb. Live and thrive. Those words were on constant repeat in Carter’s head. He was doing his best to heed them.
Could love grow between two people? Maybe if Carter genuinely committed to Elaina, it could happen.
He smiled weakly, then leaned over and captured her lips in a kiss. Carter slid underneath the covers, taking Elaina’s naked body with him. He didn’t know what the future held, but for tonight, she was just the distraction he needed.
He rolled over on top of her and settled himself between Elaina’s silky-smooth thighs.
Elaine’s eyes fluttered closed at the feel of his lips on her skin as Carter planted purposeful kisses down the column of her neck. Moaning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, knowing full well what Carter was about to do. The man gave her pleasure unlike any other.
Carter was content losing himself and his illicit thoughts inside the warmth of Elaina’s body . . . until the phone rang.
His chin dropped to his chest. “Shit.” Of course. Murphy’s Goddamned Law.
Elaina’s lips hovered near his ear. “Don’t answer it.”
“I have to. It’s almost two-thirty a.m. and might be important.” Irritated, Carter moved away from Elaina and reached for his cell phone on the nightstand. His voice was rough. “What?!”
“Carter?”
“Dr. Kirby?”
“Yes. It’s me, Sky. I can see you’re not a wee-hour-in-the-morning type of person, so I’ll get to the point. Harlem was brought into our emergency room tonight.”
Carter sat straight up. “When?”
“The colleague who called said it was about half an hour ago.”
Carter threw off the covers and shot out of bed. He grabbed a pair of jeans that were sitting on a chair. Balancing the phone between his ear and shoulder while talking to Sky, Carter put on his pants. “I’m on my way.”
“I just want to reassure you that she’s fine. Just shook up.”
“What happened?” Carter found a sweatshirt and pulled it over his head.
“I don’t have all the details, but it sounds like she was involved in a carjacking. The police are there.”
“A carjacking?! That’s not nothing, Sky. What the fuck was she doing out this late?” Carter’s heart was beating a mile a minute.
“Dunno, but she is a grown woman and well over twenty-one.”
Carter didn’t like that answer. “It’ll take me t
wenty minutes to get to the hospital from here.”
“Do the speed limit and call me if you need anything.”
Carter couldn’t promise the former but would do the latter. “Thanks.” He disconnected the call.
Elaina frowned as she raised up on her elbow. “Let me guess, Harlem?”
Oblivious, Carter missed her irritated tone. “Yeah. She’s at the hospital. They say it’s not serious, but I’ve got to go.”
“Do you?”
He stopped in mid-stride. “What?”
“Do you really have to go if it’s not that serious?” Elaina asked. “I’m sure if Harlem needed you, she would call.”
“Did you hear me? She was involved in a carjacking.”
“Yes. But you also said that Harlem is fine.”
Ignoring whatever Elaina’s concerns were, Carter grabbed his wallet from the nightstand. Before rushing out of his bedroom, he turned to her. “I need to see that for myself.” He paused for a long moment. “I hope you understand, considering . . . Harlem is pregnant with my baby.”
Chapter 2
“Ma’am, again, can you think of anything else that might help us recover your car?” The officer paused from writing in his notepad. He and his female partner studied a shaken Harlem Thomas for her reaction.
She had a low-grade headache. Harlem never would have thought a run to the store for some black walnut ice-cream would lead to a trip to the emergency room. She hugged herself as she sat on the edge of the bed. “It all happened so fast. I’ve already told you everything. I can’t remember any other details.”
“Are you sure?” the female cop asked again.
Harlem’s nerves were shot. She understood that the police had a job to do, but they had asked a variation of the same question over the past thirty minutes. Frustrated, she snapped. “If I knew more, I would tell you!”
In Harlem’s mind, it was only a car. Granted, the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren was a really nice car, but still just a piece of metal. Unlike people, it could be replaced. She was exhausted and just wanted to go home.
“Were you able to make out the color—” The cop wasn’t allowed to finish his sentence.
The stern voice of Carter Owens echoed throughout the room as he strode inside. “I think you’re done. Ms. Thomas said she doesn’t remember anything else.”
Dear God. The very last person Harlem wanted to see was standing not five feet away. Briefly, she closed her eyes and made an exaggerated display of rolling her head around her shoulders.
Dr. Baker, who was the attending physician, had followed Carter into the room. He backed Carter up. “I agree. Ms. Thomas has been through enough for tonight.”
Reluctantly, the officer nodded and handed Harlem his card. “If you remember anything else, just give me a call.”
Harlem reached for the little slip of paper. “Will do.” She watched the officers walk out of the room. Once they were gone, Harlem turned to the doctor. “Can I go home now?”
He pushed his glasses up from the tip of his nose and studied her chart. “You might be a little sore tomorrow and have a bit of headache from the blow you took. If so, feel free to take a couple of Tylenol. Otherwise, I didn’t see anything from your examination that would cause alarm. Just remember, you’re only eight weeks along, and your pregnancy is high-risk. If something doesn’t feel right, call me. If you can do that, then yes. You can go home.”
Carter spoke for her. “She will.”
Harlem glared at him as she told the doctor. “I will.”
“Great.” Dr. Baker looked at Carter. “Can I assume Mr. Owens is going to take you home?”
They both responded at the same time.
“No.” Harlem vigorously shook her head.
“Yes.” Carter was firm.
Dr. Baker smiled inwardly and cleared his throat. “I’ll let you two figure it out.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Harlem said as she shook his hand.
“You’re very welcome.”
Carter also shook Dr. Baker’s hand and then waited for him to leave. Worried, Carter rubbed the back of his neck. “Are you really okay?”
Harlem’s response was curt. “I’m fine.” She wasn’t but would rather rot in hell than admit it.
His concern came off as angry. “What the hell, Harlem?!”
She ignored him and slid off the bed. Harlem picked up her clothes that sat at the end of it and walked into the bathroom. The closing of the door was loud, and so was the clicking sound of the lock.
Carter glanced heavenward. Is this my fuckin’ karma for all the shit I’ve done? Harlem was the most irritating woman he’d ever met. He was caught between being worried to death and wanting to kill her. Instead of overreacting, Carter tried to calm down before she came out of the bathroom.
After what felt like an eternity, Harlem finally emerged with her cell phone held up to her ear. “Yes. Please have the Uber pull up to the entrance by the emergency room. Thank you.” She disconnected the call.
She had to be out of her mind. Carter was barely keeping it together. “If you think you’re getting in an Uber at almost three-thirty in the morning, you’re crazy.”
Harlem rubbed her forehead in irritation. “It’s late.” She laughed sarcastically to herself. “Actually, it’s early. Anyway, I’m tired, and I’m not in the mood to stand in this hospital and argue with you. I requested an Uber. I’m taking an Uber.”
That was not happening. If Carter had to pick her five-foot-nine-inch ass up and carry her over his shoulder, he would do precisely that. “What the hell were you doing out this late?”
She was matter-of-fact. “You’re talking as if I owe you an explanation. I don’t.”
“Why must you always be so difficult?! I’m trying to do the right thing and look out for you.”
Harlem stomped over to him and got in his face. “I am not your responsibility!” Her anger was over the top. “If I wanted to go to the store because I have a craving, it’s MY fuckin’ business! You don’t have a say.”
A nurse stepped into their room. She whisper-yelled, “Please! Lower your voices. We have other patients here.”
Harlem was embarrassed. She could not believe she allowed Carter to bait her into acting outside of her body. The man drove her crazy. She didn’t owe him an explanation. Harlem didn’t owe him anything.
Her emotions were all over the place. Harlem guessed her hormones were the reason she was on the verge of crying. It would make sense after being roughed up pretty badly by the carjackers. Would it have been so bad if I lost the baby? The thought popped into her head out of nowhere. Well, it wasn’t exactly out of nowhere. Harlem was still struggling with the idea of being pregnant and what to do about it.
Carter felt like the biggest asshole. Harlem had been through hell and was now staring at him with glassy eyes that were now more green than their typical gold and brown color as she fought back tears. He’d only ever seen her cry twice, and tonight was the second time. Unfortunately, he was responsible for both. This was where he needed to be sensitive. “Listen, if—”
Harlem glanced away because she would not lose it in front of Carter. She did her best to hold it together.
“If you need anything.”
“I don’t.”
“But . . . if you did, or you have a craving any time of the day or night, please call me.”
She glanced down at the floor. “Why would I do that? You have your life, and I have mine.”
He didn’t understand why he couldn’t get through to her. “I’m trying to be here for you.”
“I’ve already told you a million times that it’s not your job. You’re not responsible for me.”
“C’mon, Harlem. You’re pregnant with my baby.”
She reared her head back as if he’d slapped her. Harlem’s face turned ashen. She swallowed hard a few times before she could get her voice to work. It took a moment, but when she was finally able to speak, her words dripped with barely contained rage. “
Don’t you ever say that! Ever.” She enunciated each word through clenched teeth. “This is not your baby. It’s his.”
Chapter 3
Harlem almost ran out of her hospital room to get away from Carter. Her face was still hot from their exchange as she pressed her cheek up against the cool glass of the emergency room doors.
She could sense him the moment he walked up and stood behind her. And as much as Harlem wanted to get into the Uber that had recently pulled into the circular drive, she couldn’t. It wasn’t safe.
Carter figured he’d given her enough time to calm down. Harlem had been through a lot. Not just tonight but over the past couple of months. He understood the root cause of her outbursts. But DNA didn’t lie. No matter how much Harlem may not have wanted him to be the father of her baby, no matter how much he may not have wanted it . . . he was.
Carter meant what he had said. He hoped Harlem would see reason, but if she didn’t, he was fully prepared to follow-through on his promise of carrying her out. Carter cleared his throat. “You ready?”
Harlem inhaled long and deep. She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t. Instead, Harlem pushed off the glass and started to walk out of the door. Quietly, Carter gave her some space as he followed a few steps behind.
She turned slightly and spoke over her shoulder. “I need to tell the driver.”
“I’ll do it.” Carter went over to the only car in the circular drive. He talked to the driver and tipped him a hundred-dollar bill. Carter then made his way back over to Harlem, and they walked to his car.
They didn’t speak the entire ride to her place. It was the longest twenty-three minutes of Carter’s life.
He pulled into the parking garage of Harlem’s condo. As they came closer to her designated parking area, the sound of her voice broke through the silence. “Take my spot.”
Carter did as she asked and maneuvered his car to where she had requested.
“I’ll walk you up.”