Vegas Pregnancy Surprise by Shirley Jump

that would mean developing a relationship, and he’d made it clear two months ago that he wasn’t interested in that.
    Then, she’d been glad.
    Now, not so much.
    Because of the baby, she told herself. Only because of the baby.
    And yet…she wondered why Linc would bring her here, if he had no interest in her on a personal level? Why ask her to go on what would be considered a date by most anyone else? Why work toward developing something with her if he wasn’t the kind of guy who wanted the full life, with a wife and kids?
    She considered asking him. Thought better of it.
    Lincoln Curtis was, after all, the exact opposite of the kind of man she wanted. Despite that one night, he was a man who lived by a schedule. Who, like her ex-husband, seemed to like everything in neat little rows and columns. After what he’d said tonight, there would clearly be no room in his life, either, for the messy chaos a child would bring.
    She didn’t need that again. Nor did she want to get wrapped up in someone who had stated over and over that he wasn’t interested in children.
    Been there, made the mistake. Got the T-shirt.
    “Interesting fact about leopard sharks,” Molly said, taking a couple steps closer to the tank. Talking about aquatic animals was a much better topic than talking about them. Or the lack of them. “They don’t hunt, per se, but researchers have observed pairs of them swimming in the opposite direction of a school of fish. Each shark will take one flank of the school, just open their mouths, and eat to their heart’s content.” She turned to Linc and smiled. “Not a lot of work, but a lot of reward.”
    “The fish don’t catch on?”
    Her fingers danced against the glass. “That schooling behavior is pretty ingrained. Follow the leader…straight into the shark’s mouth.”
    He chuckled. “Sounds like corporate life.”
    She watched the sharks and thought about the world Linc inhabited. Was that what had made him so jaded against the idea of children? Or was it something else, something in his past? “That world is so different from teaching kindergarten.”
    “Well, you’re smack-dab in Corporate America now.” He turned to her. “You never really told me what made you want to give up the world of small children—” he gestured toward the group of them now swarming into the room like a bunch of bees “—for corporate life? You could have just as easily stayed in San Diego and looked for another teaching job rather than coming out here to work for a software developer.”
    “Even though I plan to apply for new teaching jobs for next term, I thought while I’m waiting it would be nice to try something new,” she said, treading carefully with her answer. Skirting as far away from the truth as possible. “And your proposal sounded really interesting.”
    He paused to study her. “I’ve told a half a dozen people about that software program, and most of them told me I was crazy. That it was a waste of company resources and time.”
    She shrugged. “I’m not a number cruncher like you are, but I think anything that inspires learning isn’t a waste of resources.” She gestured toward the children darting in and out of the room, their excited voices rising as they noticed the “dangerous” sharks. “Take Harry’s aquarium. It’s probably not the biggest money-maker in Vegas, but look around you. These kids are excited. They’re learning. And Harry loves this place. That’s a return on investment that you can’t measure by a profit and loss statement.”
    He didn’t say anything for a long time, simply watched her. She grew uncomfortable under his inquisitive gaze, sure he could read her every secret. Then Harry’s voice came on the loudspeaker and announced closing time, and broke the tension between them. The room began to empty out, disappointed children reluctantly leaving.
    “The children aren’t the only ones learning a thing or two,” Linc said quietly.
    They were alone,