“And you are an expert from having how many children?”
“Don’t get snippy, darling. I’m disappointed, but there’s another showing tomorrow night. I’ll expect you to attend.”
“I’ll talk to you later.” Clay hung up and a rush of relief swept over him. At one time he’d been dazzled by her beauty and ignored her annoying traits, but not anymore. It was his fault for calling her. Well, his new secretary’s, really. She had rattled him, and he dialed Claudine without thinking.
He buzzed her. “Suzette, if Claudine calls back, I’m busy. Do you understand?”
“You can call me Susie. Is that only for today?”
“Your name is Suzette. Why cut it short to Susie? It doesn’t fit you. And that’s for today and any other day she calls.”
“I’ve been called Susie for years.”
“I prefer to call you Suzette.” He hung up the phone. What was the matter with him? Every time they had an interaction, he acted like an idiot. He’d call her Miss Nyland. What was he thinking? This was a business relationship, nothing more.
Chapter Three
Susie hurried to her sister’s house after work. Mark had called with a list of things Sondra wanted her to bring. The baby had been born in the early afternoon, a little girl. Susie left a note on Clay’s desk. He’d been out most of the day.
She gathered the items Sondra wanted and changed her clothes to jeans and a dark-green sweater before she headed to the hospital.
Sondra was in Room 515. She peeked in the door. Sondra and Mark were beaming at Clay. He had on a gown and held the baby.
Susie’s breath caught in her throat. The baby had grasped Clay’s finger and his face held a look of wonder.
He cleared his throat and looked at Sondra. “You did a great job. She’s beautiful.”
“To me she’s the most beautiful baby in the world.” Mark and Clay grinned at Sondra.
“Can I join the party?” Susie said from the doorway.
“Come in and meet your niece, but wash your hands and put on a gown first,” Sondra said.
She handed Mark the bag from home and after washing her hands thoroughly and putting on a gown, she walked to Clay’s side. The warm smile on his face had her heart fluttering and heat rising in her body. Susie touched the baby’s arm.
“They’re always so soft,” she murmured.
Then she glanced up at Clay. His face had softened and his eyes flared with a mysterious light that made her tremble.
“Do you want to hold her?” he asked.
“Yes.”
He easily shifted the baby into her arms. At that moment her niece opened her eyes and stared at Susie. Her heart softened like a marshmallow. “I love her already,” she said and looked across at Sondra and Mark. “What will you name her?”
“Mary Anne, after our two moms,” Mark spoke up.
“I like it. She is beautiful. She’s going to look like her momma.” Susie smiled at her sister.
Clay had been standing close to her side. Susie wished he’d step back. His scent surrounded her, making her conscious of him more than she wanted to be. She stepped back. “How did you learn to hold a baby so comfortably?” she asked him.
Clay grinned. “I have four brothers and a sister. Most of them have had at least one child.”
His grin shook her. Who was this man? He didn’t resemble the ogre she knew from the office. In his present mood, she understood how he attracted beautiful women. If I’m not careful I’ll melt into a pool of need at his feet. To cover her expression, she bent her head down toward Mary Anne’s sweet-smelling face.
“Welcome to the world, my darling little niece.”
Susie had pulled her hair back in a ponytail, but the baby found a few stray strands and clamped her little fist around them.
Seeing Susie wasn’t able to get loose, Clay carefully got her hair out of Mary Anne’s grip. Susie glanced up at him through her eyelashes just as he looked at her. She swallowed around the tightness in her throat. A rush of warmth kindled in her abdomen and a strange yearning stirred inside her.
His eyes had darkened, and they stared at each other for several seconds. He broke the spell by abruptly moving to Sondra’s bedside.
“I have to go. Congratulations again to both of you. And don’t forget you are coming back to work for me in three months. Then you’ll be in charge of my New York office and get a significant raise to help take care of Mary Anne.”
“I’ll be in charge? I thought I’d still be your replacement’s secretary and report to you.”
“Who could handle my New York office better? You know exactly how I handle my business. Congratulations on the baby and your new job.”
“You kept the promotion as a secret until now. Why?” Sondra asked him.
“I needed insurance to be sure you’d come back to work.” He winked, waved, and hurried out of the room.
“Congratulations, honey, on our baby and your promotion.” Mark kissed his wife.
Susie brought the baby to Sondra. “Here she is.” She leaned down and placed her niece in her sister’s arms. Then she kissed Sondra’s cheek. “I’m so proud for you, and happy.”
“Thanks, but tell me what just happened over there between you and Clay?”
“What do you mean?” Susie felt her face flush.
“You know. The two of you looked entranced with each other.”
“No. You got the wrong impression. We were enjoying the baby.”
Susie started to move away from the bed, but Sondra put out her hand to stop her. “I know what I saw. Be careful. He romances his women, and then he drops them when his interest wanes. Don’t let him break your heart.”
“You’re being silly. All that labor must have muddled your brain. I’m fine. He’s the last person I’d fall in love with, and you know how he dislikes me.”
“Neither one of you had any dislike in your expression. Please think before you leap.”
“I am not going to leap.” Susie spoke firmly, but she wasn’t sure whether she was trying to convince Sondra or herself.
* * * *
Clay called Heath. “Hi, are you going out tonight?”
“No, I’m sitting on my balcony sipping some good bourbon. Do you want to join me?”
“If you don’t mind.”
“I’ll get a glass out and pour you a shot. Where are you?”
“In a taxi headed to your place.”
Heath hung up laughing. The taxi driver wove his way in and out of traffic. When he got to Heath’s condominium building, he swerved to the side. Clay paid him and got out.
“Good evening, Mr. Brodie. Mr. Garrison called down and said to expect you. Go right on in. You know the way.”
“Thanks, Charles.” Clay went through the double doors and turned left to the elevators. Heath had the top floor, a very large, swanky penthouse that he often used for business parties.
When the elevator opened, Heath stood at his front door. “Come on in. I was getting lonely.”
“Liar.” Clay took the glass of bourbon from his hand. “You’re one of the most self-contained men I know. You like your own company.”
“Sometimes.” Heath led the way outside on his wide veranda. They sat in lounge chairs and sipped on their drinks for several minutes.
“I was considering calling Susie and asking her out to dinner for tomorrow night.” Heath glanced at Clay. “Unless you object.”
“Her name is Suzette. And I don’t care what you do. She’s just my secretary.”
“Hmmm, I thought it was Susie. But I like the name Suzette. I believe it’s French.”
“She prefers Susie, but I call her Suzette to annoy her.”
“Ah.”
“What does that mean?”
“I suspect you’d prefer I call her Susie.”
“Yes.”
Heath laughed quietly. “So that is the way it is. I will win my bet.”
“You are being obtuse. What does my calling her Suzette ha
ve to do with our bet?”
“You know, but you’re not ready to admit it. I’ll have fun watching the two of you. And I will call her and ask her out to dinner in the morning.”
“Good. It doesn’t bother me one bit.”
“Where were you coming from when you called me?”
“Sondra had a baby girl. I went by and took a gift my mother helped me pick out when she was here. Since they preferred not to know the sex of their baby until now, Mom found something appropriate for a girl or boy.”
“Was Susie there?”
“She came by. I left shortly afterward. Seems everywhere I turn lately someone is having a baby.”
“They tell me it can be contagious.” Heath looked across at Clay, who had taken a swallow of bourbon.
Clay spewed the bourbon out. “Damn, don’t say such things.” He wiped the bourbon from his face and shirt. Heath bent over laughing. Seeing him set Clay off and they laughed until he and Heath had tears in their eyes.
“I’m almost certain you and I are immune,” Clay said when he finally sat back and caught his breath.
“I am, friend, but I’m afraid it’s too late for you.” Heath studied Clay. “She’s different and fascinates you. Plus, I’ve never seen you react so negatively to a woman. Come on, man. What’s a little coffee on your coat sleeve? You’d normally laugh that off.” Heath took a sip of his bourbon and studied the dark sky and stars above them. “No, you have all the signs of a man rolling downhill and desperately trying to grab hold of anything to stop his fall. You’re a goner.”
“I am not. I’ve been out this week with several of my lady friends.”
“Did you have a good time or did you find them annoying and boring?”
“How do you know all this?”
“From experience. I fell once and crashed and burned at the bottom. It gave me immunity to any further danger of caring for a woman too much.” Heath stared into his empty bourbon glass.
“I didn’t know.”
“No one did. If you tell, I’ll put a hit man on you.”
“Don’t worry. You know a lot of my secrets I wouldn’t want to get out.” Clay tipped his glass and finished his drink. “I’d better go. I’ve gotten us both in a down mood.”
“I’m fine.” Heath got up and walked with him to the door. “My episode was over long ago. Be careful, my friend. You’re in dangerous waters.”
* * * *
Susie was anxious this morning. Work had been going well the last few days. But what happened last night shook her. She wasn’t sure how she’d respond today. Sondra had been right. Last night she’d seen Clay as a man and not just a difficult boss. Her body’s response surprised her. She had no intention of being one of his women.
The phone ringing was like a lifeline being thrown to her to stop her troubled thoughts.
Clay walked in as she answered.
“Hello. Yes, I remember you. I know you did mention calling. Dinner tonight? My sister and the baby are coming home from the hospital today. Yes, give me an hour or so and I can go. Then Sondra and Mark will have the house and baby to themselves for a while. All right, seven thirty is good.”
When she hung up the phone, she saw Clay standing at his door. “Did you want something?”
“My coffee and I don’t like employees to take personal calls during work hours unless it’s an emergency.”
“It was your friend, Heath Garrison. I didn’t know he’d be calling. I’ll ask him to call on my lunch hour from now on.” She turned her back on him and poured the coffee into his mug. She heard his door slam shut. Good riddance. He was back to being the difficult boss.
Chapter Four
At two o’clock, Clay called her into his office. “I want to dictate several letters and I want them mailed this afternoon.”
Fuming inside, Susie got her notepad and settled in her chair to write. Clay paced around the room and dictated as quickly as he did her first day. When he finished, she had five letters to transcribe and type.
“I’ll stay until you’re finished so I can sign them.”
“I’m not available to work overtime tonight,” she said as she walked to the door.
“That’s part of the job. I’ll expect you to work until the letters are done.”
“Most nights I’d agree. But you know my niece is going to be there when I go home, and I have a dinner date. Why did you wait to dictate five, long letters this late?”
“You are questioning me, the boss?” He frowned at her and his blue eyes darkened.
“I’m explaining why I won’t work late. And if I don’t start on these letters, you’ll be more upset when I leave.” She rushed out and shut the door behind her.
He makes me angrier than any man I’ve ever known. He’s arrogant and controlling. If I hadn’t left the room, I’d have told him exactly what I think about his highhandedness.
She hurried to finish the letters, but kept her eye on the clock. At five, she’d typed four of them. After addressing the envelopes she took the four to him.
“Are they ready?” he growled.
“All but one. Sign them, and I’ll drop them in the mailbox on my way home.”
“It won’t take you long to finish the last one.”
“I’m leaving in ten minutes, with or without those four letters. Heck, you can read them and sign them at your leisure. I’m sure there’s a mailbox on the way back to your cave.” She swished around and marched out.
“Come back here or you’re fired.”
“Good riddance,” she hollered back. “Any boss would be preferable to you.”
She got her purse out of the bottom drawer. When she turned, Clay was right behind her.
“No one but me would put up with you,” he snapped.
“That works both ways.” She put her chin up and stepped into his space.
A vein throbbed at his temple and his nostrils flared. He grabbed hold of her shoulders and pulled her against his muscled body.
“You are the most annoying woman I’ve ever met.”
He leaned his head down close to her face. “And I don’t know why.”
His kiss started out hard and angry. Clay put his hand at her lower back making her aware of his hard cock against her abdomen. She opened her mouth for a second and his tongue ravished the interior, tasting and caressing. His kiss softened and her body leaned more into his. Her nipples rubbed against his muscular chest and when he licked across her bottom lip, a swirl of desire flooded her core.
She started to push him away, but he kissed the soft skin at the base of her throat. Her body’s eager response to his touch surprised her.
When he moved back, his gaze traveled over her face and searched her eyes. He straightened to his full height and in a cool, controlled voice said, “I’m sorry.” He turned abruptly and strode into his office, closing the door with a loud click.
Susie touched her lips and the spot where he’d kissed her neck. Her heart pounded in her chest. I have to get out of here. I’ll think about what happened later. She picked up her purse from the floor where she’d dropped it. Then she practically ran to the elevator and gave a sigh of relief when she got on and the doors closed.
Outside on the busy street, she slowed her pace and took several deep breaths. She’d splurge and take a taxi home. As it was there’d be little time to visit with Sondra, Mark, and Mary Anne before her date arrived.
Her mother opened the door on her arrival. “Mom, we didn’t expect you until tomorrow.”
“I couldn’t wait to see little Mary Anne. You look flushed. Did you run from the subway?”
“No. I took a taxi. I’m late, and I have a date picking me up at seven thirty.”
Sondra joined them holding the baby. Susie took her.
“She’s so precious.” Susie kissed the baby’s cheek. And hoped she’d deferred questions from her sister. But she hadn’t.
“Who’s your date? I didn’t think you’d met any men, but Clay and Heath. Is it Clay?”
Sondra asked.
“Heavens, no. His friend, Heath, asked me out to dinner. I accepted.”
“Oh my, he’s as bad as Clay with women.” Sondra motioned for them to join her in the living room.
“What do you mean?”
“Neither Clay nor Heath is the marrying kind, but they are the type of men who can break your heart. Be careful. Have fun, but don’t think you’ll change his mind.”
Her mother frowned. “I’m not sure New York is the right place for Susie. She’s totally different from you, Sondra.”
“She’ll find her way around.”
“You two decide my future. I’m going to shower and change.” Her mother and Sondra irritated her. You’d think I couldn’t make up my own mind about what I want to do. Both of them had been overprotective of her. Why? She didn’t know, except her other two siblings were brothers, and they definitely took care of themselves.
She showered and dressed in one of her few outfits appropriate for a date. Back home she’d mostly worn jeans and shirts with cowboy boots. She’d bought the silky, pink dress on impulse shortly before she came to New York. It had a short, flirty hemline, cap sleeves, and a rounded neckline lower than she usually wore.
Sondra peeked in the door. “Wow, I like it. I hope you’re still planning to keep your appointment on Monday to see about contacts. With them and that dress, you’ll be a knockout.”
“I thought you didn’t want me to try to attract Heath.”
“I don’t, but it feels good to be admired. Leave your hair down.” Sondra walked to the dresser and brushed Susie’s hair until it fell in waves around her shoulders and partially down her back. “There, you’re ready. I’ve got a pearl necklace and earrings that will cap it all off.”
Sondra went to her room and came back with the jewelry. “Put it on. I hear the doorbell.”
Heath looked stunning himself in a dark-brown suit. His longish-blond hair shone in the foyer light, and when he winked it brought her attention to his golden-brown eyes.
“I invited him in to see the baby.” Sondra ushered them into the family room where their mother rocked her granddaughter. Sondra introduced her mother to Heath. “And this is Mary Anne.” She held the baby so Heath could see her better.
The Billionaire Cowboy's Christmas Surprise [Wives for the Western Billionaires 10] (Siren Publishing Everlasting Classic) Page 3
