True. But that didn’t mean they should get married. Lilli tore away her gaze to clear her head. If she put the baby’s needs in front of hers, what would she do? She felt an immediate smack from her conscience. Who was she fooling? It wasn’t as if being with Max De Luca would present a hardship for her. But this was a huge decision. Huge enough that she wanted to make it with a clear head.
“Could you give me some time to think this over?”
He met her gaze and nodded. “Sure.” He paused a half beat. “Think about it. You’ll realize it’s best for everyone.”
She felt a sliver of relief. She’d bought herself a little time.
“Do you have any questions you’d like to ask me?” he said, as if he sensed what was going on inside her.
She closed her eyes so she wouldn’t be affected by his presence, but she still sensed him, still smelled the faintest scent of his sexy cologne. “If you raised the baby, would you blow bubbles with him?”
He didn’t even pause. “Yes.”
“Will you read him books at night? You can let the nanny do it every now and then, but you need to do it most nights.”
“Yes,” he said.
“Will you tell him he’s wonderful?”
“Yes.”
“Will you hold him when he cries?”
“Yes. And I’ll hold you, too, Lilli, whether you’re crying or not.”
And Lilli felt her heart tumble a little farther away from good sense and sanity.
Chapter Nine
“I like it,” Max said to Alex during a one-on-one meeting in his office. “At first glance, when you say West Virginia, I would think the local economy wouldn’t be able to support this kind of luxury resort.”
Alex tapped his pen on his outline. “Because it’s close to Washington, D.C., there’s great transportation access. D.C. residents will be rushing there every weekend.”
“The sticking point with the board will be the midweek challenge,” Max said. “Who wants to go to West Virginia in the middle of the week?”
“We can hold meetings and conferences. Plus, if we do it right, this place will have a spa, golf course, special events and all kinds of luxury amenities that will draw people year-round.”
“Like I said, I like it. You’ve got my—” His intercom beeped, interrupting him. Surprised because he’d told his assistant no interruptions during his meeting, he picked up his phone. “Yes.”
“I’m terribly sorry to interrupt you, Mr. De Luca, but security downstairs has called and they said a very pregnant woman insists on seeing you.”
There was only one very pregnant woman in his life. Immediately concerned, he frowned. “Lilli,” he said. “Is she okay?”
His assistant, Grace, made a sound between a cough and swallowed laughter. “She sounds quite healthy, sir. Just very determined to see you. Security was unsure what to do with her.”
He nodded, feeling a twinge of amusement at the notion of the beefy guys downstairs trying to handle a demanding pregnant woman. “Send her up immediately.”
Alex stood, lifting his eyebrow. “Does this mean our meeting is over?”
“For now,” Max said. “Let’s set up a time to discuss a strategy for approaching the board about this.”
Alex extended his hand. “Sounds great.” He gathered his report and headed for the office door. Just as he reached for it, the door flung open and Lilli burst inside. Her cheeks bright red, she carried a large rectangular plastic food container.
“Good grief,” she said. “Do you train your security to suspect that every pregnant woman is a nut or did I just get lucky today?”
Max chuckled under his breath and moved toward her to take the container. “It won’t happen again. Here, let me help—”
“No,” Alex said and grabbed the container before Max could. “Allow me and let me say you look gorgeous as ever.”
Flirting again, Max thought with more than a pinch of irritation. Did the man ever stop?
“I look like a blond beach ball,” she told Alex. “But thanks for the effort. Would you do me a favor and call a few of the assistants into the office?”
Max frowned. “What—”
“Sure,” Alex said and set the container down on a table.
Lilli smiled nervously as she met Max’s gaze. “This won’t take but a few minutes. Then you can get back to whatever you were doing.”
Max shook his head. “But what is this?”
She gnawed her lip. “Just a little something.”
Her expression made him uneasy. What the…
Alex reappeared in the doorway with several members of the staff, their faces filled with curiosity. “Ready for service,” Alex said.
“Thank you,” Lilli said and went to the table where the plastic container sat. “I just need to borrow your voices for two minutes. Today is Max’s birthday, so I was hoping you would join with me in singing ‘Happy Birthday.’” She whipped off the top of the container to reveal a collection of frosted cupcakes decorated with sprinkles. “Sorry you can’t blow out the candles,” she said with a moue. “Security took my matches. Okay, let’s go.”
Max stood in stunned disbelief as she led the small group in song. Alex laughed the entire way through the tune.
When they finished, Lilli shot him a wary glance and a tentative smile. “Happy Birthday, Max.”
Max met her gaze and felt his heart swell to at least twice its normal size. He hadn’t celebrated his birthday in years. It was just another day to him. “How did you know?”
“That’s a secret,” she said. “But I didn’t know your favorite kind of cupcake, so I made a variety. Vanilla with chocolate frosting, chocolate with chocolate frosting, chocolate with vanilla—”
Alex extended his hand into the container. “I’ll take the chocolate with—”
Lilli lightly swatted his hand. “It’s Max’s birthday. He gets to choose first.” She glanced at Max. “What kind do you want?”
I want Lilli with Lilli frosting, he thought and cleared his throat. “Chocolate and chocolate,” he said and nodded toward the staff. “Go ahead, help yourself.”
Each of his employees took their treats and wished him a happy birthday before they left. Alex lingered an extra moment. “For your information, my birthday is November 16 and I love cupcakes.”
Max felt a surge of possessiveness. “Call a bakery,” he growled.
Alex laughed and shook his head. “You’re a damn lucky man, Max. Happy birthday,” he said and left the office.
Closing the door, Max turned toward Lilli, who was sitting in a chair across from his desk, biting off the top of a chocolate cupcake. He walked to the chair across from hers and sat down. “What possessed you to do this?”
“You’re not angry, are you?”
He shook his head. “Off guard. Surprised.” And a few other things he didn’t want to name. “You didn’t answer my question.”
She licked her lips and he wished he could do it for her. “It occurred to me that you may not have celebrated your birthday very much when you were in boarding school. That was a bad habit to start at such a young age,” she said in a chastising voice that made his lips twitch. “So I thought I should get you back on track.”
“Why?”
She met his gaze and he saw a flash of deep emotion shimmer in her eyes. Max could identify things that held a high value and what he saw in her gaze was more precious than all the gems in the exclusive jewelry store down the street.
“I think you are an amazing man. So the day you were born should be celebrated.”
Her simple explanation held no false flattery. He heard the sincerity in her voice, saw it on her face, and it was the most seductive thing anyone had ever said to him. Lilli, pregnant or not, made him hungry for more of her. Standing, he took her hand and pulled her close. “Marry me.”
He saw the desire and fear collide in her gaze. “It’s right,” he said. “For all of us.”
“How can you be so sure?�
� she whispered.
“Be honest, Lilli. Underneath it all, you want it, too.”
She closed her eyes for a long moment and he could feel her heart hammering against him. She took a small shallow breath and opened her eyes. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”
Max made the arrangements so quickly Lilli barely had time to catch her breath, let alone her sanity. Three days before he’d scheduled a private wedding ceremony with a judge who was a friend, he and Lilli shared late-night conversation on the patio.
“I picked this up today. Let me know if you like it.” He casually slid a box across the table toward her.
Curious, she opened the box. Shocked at the diamond ring winking back at her from the velvet fold of the box, she choked on the water she had just swallowed.
Max rose and patted her on her back. “Are you okay?”
She coughed, tears coming to her eyes, then waved her hand. “Yes.” She coughed again and shook her head. “I didn’t expect an engagement ring.”
“Of course I’d get you a ring.”
She stared at the ring, almost afraid to touch it. “The stone is huge.”
He was silent for a moment then laughed under his breath. “You’re complaining about a large diamond?” he asked in disbelief. “That’s a first.”
“I’m not complaining,” she quickly said. “I just didn’t expect it. When I think about us getting married, I haven’t thought about diamonds, or even rings.”
“Then what have you been thinking?”
She bit her lip, reluctant to reveal the fact that she was wondering if it was such a smart thing to marry Max. She shrugged, not meeting his gaze. “More about how all three of us will adjust to family life.” She hesitated. “Wondering how you and I will adjust to being married.”
“I think we’ve demonstrated we won’t have any problems,” he said, gently skimming his hands over her neck, making her feel as if her collarbone was a sensual hot spot for the first time in her life. It amazed her that he could make her feel so sexy with just a touch.
She closed her eyes for a second. “In bed,” she said in a voice that sounded small to her own ears.
His hands stilled. “What do you mean?”
“Well, it may be a rumor,” she said, trying to keep a light tone, “but I hear married couples tend to spend a lot more time out of bed than in bed.”
“Damn,” he said. “So you may actually have to join me for dinner most nights and we’ll have to do things together.” He walked around her chair and bent down over her, meeting her gaze. “Sounds rough, but I think I can do it. What about you?”
She smiled reluctantly. “Probably,” she said.
“But you’re still bothered.”
“You have to admit this isn’t the typical romantic wedding. We don’t even have a honeymoon planned. For that matter, how did you find out my ring size? I didn’t know yours.”
“While you were sleeping,” he said and added, “in your bed. Say what you want, but sex between us will take away a lot of your doubts.”
The notion filled her with a combination of anticipation and anxiety. Would she have any leftover reactions to that last experience with Tony? So far, Max seemed to push everything from her mind, but him.
“So try on the ring. Maybe you’ll like it better on your finger,” he said casually and plucked the ring from the box and slid it onto her hand.
It fit perfectly. It sparkled like a bright star. “It’s beautiful,” she said and wiggled her finger. “Does it come with a crane?”
Lilli woke up the next morning full of anticipation and hope. She was just two weeks from her delivery date, two weeks from when she would hold her baby in her arms. The excitement inside her seemed to build with each passing hour. And she was getting married in just two days.
Glancing at the diamond ring that felt heavy on her finger, she fought the slivers of trepidation that stabbed at her. She felt as if she were on the precipice of falling completely in love with Max. What if she spent a lifetime waiting for him to love her and he never did? What if he fell out of lust with her and left her? Or worse yet, what if he never allowed himself to love her, but stayed with her even though he was miserable?
Lilli shook off the thoughts. She had every reason to hope everything would work out well. The sun shining brightly outside seemed to invite her to take a short stroll along the driveway that led to Max’s home and then down the block. The fresh air cleared her head and the sunshine gave her a boost of optimism.
Returning from the stroll, she spotted a car parked in the driveway. It was a Jaguar, so she knew it didn’t belong to any of her friends. Mallory drove a BMW.
Curious, Lilli entered the house and overheard a woman talking with Ada, the assistant housekeeper. “I left some of my things here several months ago. I just want to pick them up.”
Recognizing the woman’s voice as Kiki, Lilli stiffened. She turned away to quietly climb the stairs. She didn’t want a confrontation with the woman.
“Oh, look, the sweet mother-to-be. Don’t run off. It’s been too long. We should visit for a little bit,” Kiki said.
Lilli reluctantly stopped and turned. “Hello, Kiki.”
Looking as svelte and perfect as ever in a fashionable black-and-white sheath, Kiki moved past the housekeeper. “Omigoodness, you look like you’re ready to go any minute. Positively glowing,” she said. “Babies are pure magic, aren’t they? They make the impossible seem possible. I mean, look at how your life has changed.”
“I just want what’s best for my baby,” Lilli said.
“Of course you do,” Kiki said. “I was surprised that I never heard back from you after we met at the charity auction. Did you lose my card?”
“Yes. I think I did,” Lilli said.
“You seem like a smart woman. I thought you might take me up on my offer. But rumor has it you’re placing your bets somewhere else.”
Lilli and Max hadn’t announced their decision to marry, so Lilli refused to confirm or deny any implications. “I should go upstairs. I have a doctor’s appointment this afternoon.”
“You can at least show me the nursery,” the other woman said with a fake pout. “I’ll go upstairs with you. I need to pick up a few things I left here.”
Ada stepped forward. “I’m sorry, Miss Lane, but I’m not sure Mr. De Luca would be comfortable with you going through his private quarters. If you’ll wait, I can call him.”
Alarm shot across Kiki’s face. “That’s not necessary. I’ll give him a call myself. It’s just so awkward to ask a man to return lingerie,” she whispered. “But it was La Perla. One of my favorites,” she said with a sigh. “One of his, too, as I recall. Oh, well. Lovely seeing you. You can still give me a call if you change your mind about anything, but don’t wait too long.”
Watching Kiki leave, Lilli told herself not to trust the woman. Kiki was clearly desperate and would do anything to get Max back. She shouldn’t let the woman generate any doubts about her decision to marry Max. Her rebellious mind, though, hung on to Kiki’s description of lingerie. She remembered the photo of Max and Kiki in the newspaper just recently. Perhaps she had underestimated their relationship.
Chapter Ten
Lilli’s day went from bad to worse when Max presented her with a pre-nup agreement late that evening. With the exception of the clause that gave Max custody of the baby if they separated and she was determined to be an unsuitable influence, the pre-nup was very generous. Financially, anyway.
Lilli slept on the agreement, not wanting to overreact. The day before she was scheduled to marry Max, she rose and looked at her large diamond engagement ring and took it off. In a calm voice completely at odds with the turmoil raging inside her, she called Max and asked him to meet her at the house as soon as possible. He arrived an hour later.
“I’m not going to sign it the way it is,” she told him and set the ring and the agreement on the patio table in front of him.
His mouth twisted as he glanced down at the
ring and the unsigned agreement. “You want more?”
“No. I’m not going to leave the judgment of my ability to parent up to a court that could be bought or skewed by your influence.
He met her gaze. “It’s not money?” He paused a half beat. “Are you sure this isn’t about Kiki’s offer?”
She couldn’t hide her surprise.
He walked toward her, dressed in a suit that emphasized his height, power and attractiveness. “You didn’t know that I knew? The housekeeper told me she came to visit. She seemed to imply she’d made some prior offer and I can only imagine it was meant as a buy off.”
“Apparently she came by to collect some expensive lingerie she’d left,” she said, refusing to give in to his effect on her.
“That was a lie. I’ve never invited Kiki to stay in my bedroom. Why didn’t you tell me that she was trying to buy you off?”
Trying to digest the fact that Kiki’s La Perla lingerie had never made it into Max’s bedroom, she fought another wave of confusion. “I didn’t know if you were still in love with her.”
He lifted a dark eyebrow. “I’ve told you my opinion of romantic love. It doesn’t last.”
His words cut, but she didn’t want to show it. “I didn’t feel comfortable telling you. I felt like I should handle her on my own.”
“Or maybe you were holding out for a better offer than I gave you in the pre-nup.”
Lilli felt a spurt of anger. “If you really believe that, then we definitely shouldn’t get married.”
Max met her gaze. “What do you want?”
“Strike the clause about my being an unfit mother.”
“Done,” he said. “If Kiki contacts you again, you must tell me.”
She paused a brief second. “I will,” she said. “Are you sure you don’t have some leftover feelings for her? She is more beautiful than I am,” she impulsively blurted.
He stared at her in surprise. “I disagree.”
Perhaps she should have felt affirmed. Instead her insecurities seemed to bubble up from deep inside her. “She knows how to operate in your crowd.”
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