Nine Months Part 2

“The woman knows I won’t fire her,” Greg said. “I can’t get along without her. She knows more about Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development than I do. And I’m sorry, Paige, if what I said offended you. I didn’t mean it that way. You’ll have to pardon me if I find this whole situation rather amusing and if I milk it for all it’s worth.”

“I’m afraid I fail to find the humor in all this, Mr. Addison,” Paige said.

“Greg has a rather warped sense of humor.” Kay stood, slipped her arm through Greg’s and nodded toward the open door. “Why don’t we leave Paige alone and let her open her gifts?”

“Is it true that you turned down his marriage proposal?” Greg asked.

“Yes.” Paige wondered who else Jared had shared their little secret with. Had he taken out an ad in the paper?

“Then be prepared,” Greg told her. “He’s mounting a full-fledged attack. L.J. is a man with a mission, and you, little lady, have no idea what you’re in for. I’ve seen him in action before. He always gets what he wants, and he wants you.”

“Come on, doomsayer. Paige needs time to open her gifts and collect her thoughts before the man in question arrives.” Kay led Greg toward the door. “She’s giving him his ring back as soon as he comes in.”

“I’d give a month’s salary to see that,” Greg said.

Kay closed the door on her way out, leaving Paige alone, staring at the two pink boxes. Go ahead and get it over with, she told herself. They’re gifts, not bombs. Maybe she shouldn’t open them. Maybe she should just return them to him still prettily wrapped when she gave him back his ring.

Reaching out hesitantly, she ran her finger over the satin ribbon on the larger box. What sort of presents had Jared sent? Paige untied the ribbon, ripped off the paper and removed the lid. Beneath the pink tissue paper lay a white leather photo album. A handwritten note had been placed on top.

With trembling fingers, Paige picked up the note. For all the pictures we’re going to take of our little girl. Tears welled up in her eyes. She already had the first pictures of their baby—the sonogram pictures—and she hadn’t shared them with Jared.

Wiping her tears, Paige opened the second gift. Inside, a tiny silver spoon nestled against another note. After picking up the spoon, she saw the letter A engraved on the handle. She lifted the note. I’ve decided I like the name Angela. Do you?

What was she going to do with Jared Montgomery? How was she going to fight a man so determined to marry her, especially when she would not only be fighting Jared, but her own desires, too?

* * *

Smiling and self-confident, Jared breezed into Paige’s office at ten o’clock. “Good morning, honey.” He glanced at the roses on her desk. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? Bright sunshine, crisp autumn air, red roses for my favorite redhead and—”

“Jared, may I see you in your office right now?” Paige scooted back her chair, stood and walked around her desk.

“Did you get the gifts?” he asked.

“Yes, thank you. They’re both very nice. You must have gone to a lot of trouble to buy the roses and the gifts and have them delivered before business hours.” She nodded toward his closed office door.

“Money has its privileges.” Jared opened the door, stood back and waited for her to enter first. The minute she was inside his office, he closed and locked the door. “I assume you want our conversation to be private.”

“Yes. Although I don’t know why. We don’t seem to have any secrets from Kay and Greg. For all I know everyone else at Montgomery’s knows that I’m pregnant with your child.”

“I didn’t tell anyone else. Did you?” Slipping his arm around her waist, he drew her close, lowered his head and covered her mouth with his.

She wanted to lose herself in the kiss, wanted to forget the reason she’d asked for this private audience with Jared. For one brief instant, she allowed herself to enjoy the kiss. She even responded. But as quickly as she’d succumbed to the temptation, she fought it, pulling back and shoving forcefully against his chest.

“We cannot solve all our problems this way,” she said breathlessly. “I know what you’re trying to do, and it won’t work. I will not allow you to cloud my mind with passion.”