Nine Months

by Beverly Barton

  Jared was fast losing control, and if he didn’t stop now, he was going to take Paige with all the wild desire raging inside him. He ran his fingers down her throat and deepened the kiss. Then he slipped his hand inside her suit jacket and covered her breast, his fingers seeking and finding her nipple. Opening her jacket fully to reveal her beige satin bra, he lowered his head and took her nipple into his mouth, suckling her through the soft material. Paige grabbed at his shirt, quickly undoing the remaining buttons, then spread his shirt apart.

  Lifting her up against the wall, he pressed her moist, warm body between him and the mirror behind her. While she clutched his shoulders and succumbed to the desire to place her mouth on his chest, he shoved her skirt upward, bunching it around her hips. She lifted her leg, fitting her calf around his thigh.

  “I want you, honey,” Jared said, his voice deep and soft and dripping with desire. “Right here. Right now.”

  “I—I—” She couldn’t seem to form her thoughts into words.

  “If you don’t want this, too, Paige, stop me now.”

  “No,” she whimpered. “No, don’t stop.”

  Her words seemed to end any doubts on his part, sending him into a sexual frenzy. Within minutes, he’d divested her of her shoes and bikini panties, then unzipped his jeans and lifted her to straddle his hips. She clung to him as he braced her against the mirrored wall. While she returned his wild, wet kisses, he thrust into her.

  Paige threw back her head and cried out from the sheer joy of having him inside her. The tension spiraled upward and outward, a hotter, wilder passion than any she’d ever known.

  Jared whispered dark, erotic, almost incoherent words to her as he claimed her. He was lost in the moment, not thinking, only feeling. Paige cried out as fulfillment spread through her and her release triggered his. They clung to each other, straining to hold on to the ecstasy, shuddering as the last quivers shot through their bodies.

  When Jared lifted her face to kiss her, he saw tears in her eyes. “Did I hurt you, honey?”

  “No. It’s…it’s just that I’ve never…I mean it was never like that before.”

  “Yeah, I know what you mean.” He kissed her, softly, sweetly. “I haven’t been that wild for a woman since I was eighteen.”

  Her cheeks flushed. Bending her head, she looked down at where their bodies were still pressed together. She eased her legs down his and tried to stand. When she wobbled, he grabbed her by the waist, then he drew in a deep breath and stepped away from her. She looked like a woman who had been thoroughly loved, and the very sight of her aroused him anew.

  Seeing her reflection in the mirror, Paige sucked in a deep breath. Suddenly embarrassed, she tugged down her skirt and buttoned her jacket.

  “Are you on the Pill?” Jared asked as he reached down and picked up her panties.

  “What?” She grabbed the lace bikinis out of his hand and stuffed them into her beige leather purse, which she picked up off the floor.

  “I didn’t use anything,” he said. “I got so carried away, I didn’t even think about protection. I’m sorry, Paige, I don’t usually do something that stupid.”

  “Oh. I…”

  “If you’re protected against pregnancy, then everything else should be all right, shouldn’t it?” Hell, how could he have forgotten to use a condom? He never forgot. “What I mean is that I’m always careful.” Until tonight. “You are, too, aren’t you?”

  “Yes. There’s nothing to worry about at all.” Oh, dear God, Paige thought, she had just had sex with a man—a stranger—and hadn’t given a thought to protecting herself. She was twenty-five years old and she should have known better.

  She tried to smile, but the effort failed. “You certainly found a very effective way to get my mind off my claustrophobia.”

  He reached out to touch her and she moved out of his reach. “Unfortunately, I’ve never made love with a stranger before and I find the situation rather awkward.”

  “Well, if it makes you feel any better, this is a first for me, too.” He grinned, then explained. “I’ve never made love to a stranger in an elevator, either.”

  Nodding her understanding, Paige smiled weakly. “I—I don’t suppose many people have.”

  Jared tucked in his shirt and zipped up his jeans. Now what? he wondered. Despite how awkward things were between them, they were stuck with each other for the time being.

  He picked up his Stetson and set it on his head. “I suppose you live here in Grand Springs, don’t you? I’m from Texas. Just got into town today and—”

  “Stop it, will you?” Crossing her arms over her chest, Paige leaned against the back of the elevator. “I don’t want to talk to you. Do you understand? I want to pretend that what happened didn’t happen. We’re strangers who will never see each other again once we leave this elevator, so let’s keep it that way.”

  “You’re right,” he said. “We’re both better off not knowing anything about each other. Just a couple of ships that passed in the night.”

  Jared slumped down on the floor, leaned back his head and drew his Stetson down over his eyes. Paige rummaged in her purse, pulled out a paperback book and began to read.

  They ignored each other for quite a while. After checking her watch for the dozenth time, Paige wondered if they were going to be trapped in the elevator all night. The power had gone off around seven o’clock, more than four hours ago.

  A rather loud banging caught their attention. The elevator vibrated ever so slightly.

  “Hey down there!” a masculine voice called out. “How many of you are there?”

  Jared glanced up and saw a man at the mezzanine level of the shaft. “Only two of us. Are you maintenance?”

  “No, sir. I’m Troy Dodd with the fire department. We’d have been here sooner, but we didn’t know anyone was still in the building when the power went out.”

  “Can you tell us what happened?” Jared asked as he stood.

  “Well, the whole town’s in the dark. Seems the heavy rainstorms caused a mud slide that buried Grand Springs’s only source of electricity.”

  “Will you stop talking and get us out of here!” Paige said impatiently.

  “Is your name Paige?” Troy Dodd asked.

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Your parents called and told us that you were probably trapped in the Wellman Building.”

  She glanced at Jared, who smiled at her. That devastating killer smile.

  “I was supposed to have dinner with them tonight,” she explained.

  “Hey, folks,” Troy Dodd said, “we’re going to send down a lift chair and bring you two up, one at a time.”

  “Jared, about what happened,” Paige whispered as they waited for the chair, “I want you to know—”

  “You don’t have to say it, honey. What happened was a mistake. We lost our heads and went a little crazy.”

  “Yes, we did.”

  “The best thing we can do is forget about it. Right? Pretend it never happened.”

  “Yes, of course. You’re right. It never happened.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Paige and Jared stood on the mezzanine level of the Wellman Building and shook hands with the firemen. After thanking them for coming to the rescue, Paige said goodbye to Jared. They stared at each other for one, long, sweet moment, then Paige walked downstairs and into her mother’s open arms.

  * * *

  After thirty-six hours without electricity, thanks to the massive rainstorm and mudslides that destroyed everything in its path, Grand Springs was a flurry of activity on Monday morning. Jared arrived at his new office in the Wellman Building before any of the office staff. He had planned to be in town for a week before he turned the entire Grand Springs operation over to his manager, Greg Addison. As this Colorado branch of Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development expanded, it would be necessary for Jared to make trips more frequently and stay longer, so he’d told Greg to hire a secretary for him, someone capable of doubling as his assistant
.

  But the thirty-six-hour blackout upon his arrival had set the tone for the entire weekend, and Jared had decided to cut his visit short. It had been one wild, unexpected event after another. He’d said his goodbyes to Paige, telling himself he’d forget all about her, and left the Wellman Building with the firemen who had rescued them. Discovering how desperately volunteers were needed during the local emergency, he had offered his services. He hadn’t gotten a bath or a hot meal until Sunday morning when electricity had been restored and he’d checked into a local motel.

  And he had dreamed about Paige. About touching her. Making love to her. For the past two days, he hadn’t been able to get her out of his mind.

  Since Grand Springs wasn’t a big town, the longer he stayed, the greater the odds were that he and Paige would run into each other. He didn’t want that, and he suspected neither did she. What had happened between them had been a chance happening, a one-night stand to end all one-night stands.

  “Trying to make the rest of us look bad?” Tall, lanky Greg Addison sauntered into Jared’s private office and sat down on the side of his desk. “I didn’t expect you until later in the day.”

  “Since I’m going to be here only a couple of days, I want to make the most of my stay,” Jared said. “I need to meet your assistant and break in my new administrative assistant. You did hire someone for me, didn’t you?”

  “Never fear. I hired a highly recommended woman on Friday afternoon.” Scooting off the desk, Greg stood and pointed toward the outer office. “As a matter of fact, Ms. Summers has just arrived. She’s outside talking to Kay.”

  “Kay?”

  “My assistant, Kay Thompson.”

  “Well, I might as well meet them now. I want to brief my assistant on her duties and—”

  “What’s the hurry? I thought you planned to spend the week.”

  “My plans have changed,” Jared said.

  “Blonde, brunette or redhead?” Greg asked.

  Jared caught himself before he blurted out “redhead.” “I left some loose ends back in Texas I need to tie up, and I have to run down to Florida. Besides, we all can’t be playboys like you.”

  Greg laughed heartily. “Yeah, sure. Tell that to someone who doesn’t know you the way I do.”

  “Introduce me to the people you’ve hired.” Jared quickly changed the subject. “I’m especially eager to meet my administrative assistant. We have a lot to do before I leave town.”

  “Right this way.”

  Greg swung open the door and the two men exited Jared’s private office.

  “Well, here they are,” Greg said. “Ms. Thompson, my assistant, and Ms. Summers, your assistant.”

  “Ms. Thompson.” Smiling at the tall, slender brunette, Jared shook her hand, then turned to the other woman. “And this must be—” He stared at the curvaceous redhead who looked at him as if he had suddenly sprung a second head. Dear God, it couldn’t be. His assistant was Paige. His Paige…from the elevator!

  Chapter One

  After hurriedly leaving Grand Springs four months ago, L. J. Montgomery was finally returning for an indefinite stay. Paige had overheard Greg Addison telling Kay that he thought it was past time for Jared to return, that he couldn’t understand why the boss man had stayed away so long. It wasn’t like Jared not to keep his finger directly on the pulse of a new branch office.

  Paige couldn’t help but wonder if Jared had stayed away because of her. Surely not. He’d made it perfectly clear that their sexual encounter had been a mistake, something he preferred to forget. Easy enough for him. But not for her. Not now.

  She supposed if she’d been more experienced and less romantic in nature, she could have gotten over the silly notion that she’d fallen in love with Jared. And as long as she lived, she’d never forget her first morning at Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development.

  * * *

  On the previous Friday afternoon, Greg Addison had hired Paige as L.J.’s private administrative assistant and told her she’d meet her boss on the following Monday morning.

  She’d arrived at work that Monday prepared to prove herself indispensable to her new boss.

  “There’s no need to be nervous,” Kay told her. “Greg tells me that Mr. Montgomery is a demanding boss, but a fair one. Besides, he’s only going to be here a week this first time, then he’ll fly back and forth once we get things set up and running.”

  Paige smoothed her hands down the sides of her lavender coatdress and wished she could check her appearance in a mirror just one more time. She wanted to make a good impression on her first day. Since the moment she’d entered the Wellman Building that morning, she’d heard nothing but talk about L. J. Montgomery. How rich he was. How powerful he was. What an eligible bachelor he was. How handsome he was rumored to be.

  Obviously the women in the Wellman Building saw L. J. Montgomery as the answer to their prayers. But why would a rich, powerful, successful, handsome man be interested in a working girl when he could have his pick of wealthy, cultured ladies?

  Besides, Paige wasn’t interested in L. J. Montgomery, other than as her employer. The only man who interested her was a tall, green-eyed cowboy with the most devastating smile she’d ever seen. She had tried all weekend to put him out of her mind, to pretend that what had happened hadn’t happened. But she kept remembering. His smile. His touch. The feel of him making hot, wild love to her. Just remembering brought a blush to her cheeks.

  He’d told her that what had happened had been a mistake, and he’d let her walk out of his life. Obviously their lovemaking hadn’t meant anything to him, nothing more than a diversion to pass the time while they were trapped in the elevator. Perhaps if she was a little older, a little more experienced, that was all it would have meant to her. But their lovemaking had been unique, unlike anything she’d ever known. She’d been in love with Kevin, her college sweetheart, but he’d never made her feel the way Jared had.

  “Hey, earth to Paige,” Kay said. “Where are you, girl? I’ve been talking a blue streak to you for five minutes now and you’re just staring off into space. Thinking about a guy, huh?”

  “What?”

  “I said, you must be thinking about a guy.”

  “Well, to be honest, I was.”

  “Not weaving fantasies about your new boss, are you? I understand from Greg that L.J. has a cardinal rule about not dating his employees.”

  “Oh, no, I can assure you that I haven’t set my sights on Mr. Montgomery,” Paige said. “I was thinking about a cowboy I met Friday night. When the power went out.”

  “Oh. We’ll have to go to lunch together.” Kay grabbed Paige’s arm. “You can tell me all the delicious details.”

  The inner office door swung open and two men emerged from L. J. Montgomery’s office. Paige looked up to see Greg Addison.

  “Well, here they are,” Greg said. “Ms. Thompson, my assistant, and Ms. Summers, your administrative assistant.”

  “Ms. Thompson.” The man smiled at Kay.

  Paige’s stomach tightened into painful knots. She recognized that voice. She looked at the man standing beside Greg Addison, and for one heart-stopping moment, she thought she was going to faint.

  “And this must be—” Jared glared at her, his mouth agape.

  “Mr. Montgomery?” Paige spoke his name in a strained squeak.

  Grabbing Paige’s arm, Jared jerked her toward him. “Come with me, please, Ms. Summers.”

  She allowed him to drag her into his office, leaving behind Greg and Kay. Glancing back over her shoulder, she saw the startled looks on their faces. Jared slammed the door.

  “You’re my assistant?” Jared settled his hands on his hips and glared at her. “You?”

  Paige looked at the harsh, stern man and wondered if she had lost her mind. This couldn’t be happening. He was the same man she’d made love with in the elevator—and yet he wasn’t. Jared, her Friday night lover, had been a cowboy in a Stetson, boots and jeans. L. J. Montgomery wore
an expensive suit, silk tie and linen shirt.

  “Why were you dressed like a cowboy Friday evening?” she asked.

  “I’d just flown in from my ranch in Texas,” he said. “Besides, I don’t wear suits all the time. What about you? Why didn’t you tell me you’d just been hired as my administrative assistant?”

  “I didn’t know who you were! I had no idea you were L. J. Montgomery.”

  “Sit down.” He pulled up a chair and placed it in front of his desk. “We’re caught in a rather awkward situation here, aren’t we?”

  That was the understatement of the year, she thought as she continued standing there staring at him. He was going to fire her, here and now. She was just about to lose the best job she’d ever had before she even started work. “I’ll save you the trouble of asking me to leave. I’ll get my purse off my desk and—”

  “I’m not going to fire you,” he said, then pointed to the chair. “Please, Ms. Summers…Paige, sit down.”

  Reluctantly, she sat, her back ramrod straight.

  “I know that we both assumed we’d never meet again,” he said. “But…we have.”

  “Yes, we have.” Paige was torn between her delight at seeing Jared again and her misery over the fact that he had turned out to be L. J. Montgomery. Her boss! One of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen in the Southwest.

  “Look, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason you can’t keep this job.” Jared eased his rear down on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “What happened between us Friday night was a one-time-only thing. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have happened. And it’ll never happen again.”

  “I’m not sure I could work for you after what happened,” she said. Not now that I think I might already be halfway in love with you.

  “Look, Paige, you obviously need this job or you wouldn’t have applied for it.” Jared uncrossed his arms and stuck his hands in his pockets. “A job like this one, with all the benefits, doesn’t come along every day. It wouldn’t be fair to ask you to give it up just because of what happened. And I don’t date my employees. It’s one of my cardinal rules. One I never break.”