Read Intimate Strangers for Free Online Page A

and sent up a silent prayer that if he did hold the infant, he wouldn’t want to run away and take Ruan with him.
    Clearing his throat, Mac started off their talks. “So, from what I gather, Chelsea and Christiaan met about a year ago, and they both stayed at the same hotel.” He turned to eye his daughter, who seemed oblivious to any issue with her being there.
    “Dad, seriously, we already did sex education and I’ve known how babies are made since I was about eight years old. Our neighbour in London had these two cats that would go at it like mad–”
    “Christ, Kayla! What did we say about talking like that?” He shoved his hands over his face while expelling the air from his lungs in a hiss. Hannah giggled, causing some of her iced tea to spray out on the table. “Nice,” he growled, “the women in this household have a penchant for making a mess. Right, can we get this over with quickly? I’m not used to so much commotion.
    “Based on the information we have regarding blood types, not to mention the fact that Chelsea’s story matches Tiaan’s, I think it’s safe to assume for now that Ruan is your son. Tomorrow morning I’ll take the three of you,” he paused, eyeing Chelsea, Tiaan and the sleeping Ruan, “down town and we’ll do a proper test to determine paternity. It’ll take about a week or so to get the results and have them mailed to us. So until then, let’s all just try and be civil towards each other.” Mac aimed his view directly at his friend as he finished the speech.
    Tiaan’s dark whiskey hued eyes met hers with the same hunger and intensity as their first meeting and she could swear the earth moved a fraction of an inch. Suddenly, the moment passed, like she simply made it up. She blinked to see him staring at her like she’d grown a second head.
    “Everyone okay with that plan?” Mac folded his hands on the table, fingers itching to reach for a second slice of cake.
    “Yah,” Tiaan replied.
    Chelsea opened her mouth but her watch started to beep, reminding her of her impending appointment. “Fine. I need to get to the bank to discuss keeping my loan from going into default–” Dammit! She didn’t mean to leak that information. The only people who knew about her debt were Hannah and Mac.
    “Great, she owes money,” Tiaan snorted. “Don’t think you can ask me for any.”
    At his rude statement, Chelsea squared her shoulders and stuck out her chin, eyes shooting daggers at Tiaan. “I already told you, I don’t want a damned thing from you. The section on Ruan’s birth certificate for father is blank and it’ll remain that way because he has no father. Regardless of your genetic contribution to the creation of my son, Ruan and I don’t have any room in our lives for a…a selfish jerk that neither wants nor needs us. My debt is my own fault for allowing myself to be duped by a heartless bastard in an elevator, and I am paying it off on my own, just like I have been raising my son. Alone, and without any help from you.”
    Chelsea pushed back her chair and walked around the table to collect Ruan who finally woke up and was hungry. She ignored Tiaan’s glare as she brought the tiny, precious bundle to her chest and stormed out of the kitchen.
    “Remember just a few minutes ago, I told you not to be such a piece of…” Mac paused, most likely recalling that Kayla was still in the room and that he’d have to curb his language. “Garbage…yeah. Did you completely forget about that?”
    Before she was completely out of earshot, Chelsea heard Tiaan reply, “I don’t know what it is about her, but she gets my guard up. I can’t help it.”
    So what? He turned her entire world upside down without a second’s thought. Chelsea got into her car and headed off to the bank, hoping to beg the manager to reconsider sending her case to a collection agency. If she had any extra money to offer, she would be paying more than just the smallest minimum on the very high