"No. He wants to be alone with me."
He turned her to face him. "This is the big leagues, honey. You work with the guy, have access to his businesses and they are multiple. We're talking private jet, shares in oil companies, real estates, malls and God knows what else. This man has lawyerson retainer." He shrugged as she stared at him. "I looked him up when you got the job. And did some research as well."
"He was abused by a drunken mother, and I think his daddy has now surfaced out of the woodwork to put the moves on him."
"You did your homework."
"I was curious." He eyed her for a minute. "You said he has feelings for you."
"Yes." She shook her head. "He makes me happy. At first when I started, I thought he was hard, cold, and unfeeling. But then I got to know him." She shrugged. "He was not turned off when I was ill. He made me tea." She smiled slightly.
"I don't know what I'm doing, and I cannot go public because the media will be all over it and everything will come to the surface. We grew up in a group home and I'm pregnant for a man who does not want the baby." She drew in a careful breath. "The media and oh God! The people at work would..." She shook herhead and leaned back, feeling staggered by it all. "I have to think this through."
"Isn't it too late for that?"
She looked at him then. "I've made a mess of things again. What's wrong with me?"
"As far as I know, you did not pursue the guy, he pursued you."
"He did."
"And you were honest with him about the pregnancy."
"Eventually."
"Then you have nothing to regret. He must know what he's doing. Will you go with him this weekend?"
She nodded. "I want to and please don't tell me I'm setting myself up for heartbreak. I'm past the point where I can just simply walk away."
He lifted their joined hands and kissed hers. "You're my sister and the only thing I want in this world is for you to be happy. If he has feelings for you and is willing to do the right thing..." And he privately determined that he was going to find a way to find that out. "Then I'm going to celebrate it. You deserve to be happy, honey, and this guy, if he makes you happy, I'll try to look past the fact that he's well and truly loaded."
"I don't care about that."
"I know you don't," he acknowledged soberly. And wondered how she was going to deal with the media hanging around and trying to find out every blasted thing about her. When this gets out, her life and his would never be the same again.
His private life would no longer be private, because he would be drawn into the mix by association. The thought of it scared the crap out of him. He was a detective and sometimes did undercover work. That will all be blown to hell when the press discovers the relationship.
He hoped to God that the guy was serious and not messing around with her. Or rich as Croesus as he was, if he hurts her, Caleb has every intention of making him pay, somehow.
"I'll talk to you later," he added.
No one was looking at her funny. All the way to the corporate office, she had worried about seeing him and wondering if somehow someone had noticed that she had spent the night with him. His place was in the middle of nowhere, but her car was parked there all night. What if someone by chance had passed by and seen it there?
The questions burned her and had her looking around as soon as she stepped into the reception area. And she was later than she normally was.
The svelte quartet of receptionists barely glanced up as she walked in, the phones already ringing off the hook and keeping them busy. Taking a deep breath, she hurried to the private elevator, more than happy that she did not encounter anyone on her way up and grateful that his offices were the only ones on the top floor.
Settling behind her desk, she made some tea and got straight to work. Before long, she was buried in paperwork and phone calls.
When he called an hour later, she was on her way to being composed and answered the phone in her usual polite and professional manner.
"Mr. Livingston's office, how may I help?"
"I thought I told you to come in late."
His deep voice shattered her careful composure and had her going still.
"I... er. Hi. Uhm, you have messages. I..."
