LITMIR.BIZ

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her. Eventually she’d told the friends she had come with to leave without her because Ryan would take her home. They had gone to his condo, and in another hour, she had been in his arms, and later, in his bed. She had given her body to him intimately, had explored his and shared her life, even telling him what desperate financial straits her family was in, and how she was helping them. Why had she been so free and open in every possible way with Ryan? He had seduced her and won her total trust.

      Disgusted with herself, she tried to stop thinking about him now, finally getting out her bank statements and checking her entries and withdrawals for her business that month. She wrote her regular monthly check to her father, which included every penny she could spare.

      When she finished, she spent another restless night, before going to work Monday morning.

      Ashley tried to immerse herself in business, meeting a client, setting up appointments, talking to a caterer and a florist. Her day passed, but she constantly became distracted, lost her train of thought and realized she was staring into space, remembering Ryan.

      She hadn’t seen or heard anything from him since Saturday at the reception, and she decided he’d moved on with his life and she’d seen the last of him. It was for the best.

      When it was almost closing time, she walked through her office and headed for the front to ask Carlotta, her receptionist, about an appointment. Carlotta was momentarily on the phone, and Ashley moved away from the desk to wait for her to finish her call. When she glanced out the front window, she saw a black sports car whip into a parking space. The door swung open and Ryan stepped out.

      Ashley’s insides clenched. Dressed in navy slacks, a white shirt and navy tie, he was as handsome as ever. Wind blew locks of his black hair away from his forehead, and his long-legged stride revealed confidence and purpose.

      Ashley knew she didn’t want a confrontation with Ryan with an audience, so she hurried to the door and stepped outside. She was oblivious to the bright sunshine, the sweet scents of blossoming fruit trees, the enticing splash of the nearby fountain. She focused totally on the determined male striding toward her. Squaring her shoulders, she walked to meet him, knowing she had to convince him that she’d meant what she’d said to him at the wedding.

      She had to send him packing. How difficult it would be! Every square inch of her wanted to be in his arms. She wanted his kisses, and as she watched him striding toward her, she struggled with her inclination to hurry and meet him and do whatever he wanted.

      Except she knew she could do no such thing, and as she faced him, she could already feel the clash of wills. Someday, she knew she would have to tell him the truth, but not this soon. Now, she wanted life on her own terms, and she didn’t want someone forceful like Ryan meddling in her decisions.

      She clenched her fists, reminding herself to stay firm with him. He must not find out the truth so soon. She was carrying his baby from that wild weekend of lust, and she wanted to deal with this secret herself as long as she possibly could.

      She stepped forward to meet him, folding her arms across her middle, standing with her feet slightly spread, as if ready for a confrontation. “Why are you here?”

      Two

      Ryan’s green eyes danced with amusement. “Hi, to you, too.” Even though he smiled and his voice was cheerful, he watched her intently.

      “Ryan, I told you that I don’t want to see you.”

      “So you did, but then you turned right around and promised you’d go to dinner with me,” he said. “And I do recall your racing pulse when we were together. There’s a conflict between what you say and how you say it. And a few other things.”

      “I’m trying to do the sensible thing here,” she said, conscious that they were probably drawing the attention of her employees. “I’ve done the nonsense thing with you, now I’m doing otherwise.”

      “Maybe. By the way, you look as gorgeous as ever,” he murmured, studying her and then meeting her gaze. “Whenever I see you, you look great. Luscious,” he added softly.

      “Thank you,” she replied solemnly. His compliments warmed her, and she wanted to smile in return, but didn’t. “I’m in the middle of work.”

      “I called this morning and your receptionist said you’re through at five today. I think that’s in ten minutes. I came by because I still intend to take you to dinner. You said you’d go out with me, so you owe me one. Ashley, if I thought you truly didn’t like having me around, I’d be gone.” He reached out to touch her wrist lightly with his forefinger with feathery strokes that sent tingles radiating through her. “Actually,” he said, his voice dropping and getting the husky note that made her sizzle, “I’m looking for the woman who spent the weekend with me.”

      “I think I lost my mind that weekend.”

      “Let’s talk about it during dinner.” He glanced over her shoulder. “May I see your office?”

      As her mind raced for an answer, she hesitated, and he smiled. “Good.” He draped his arm across her shoulders. “Show me around and then I’ll take you to eat and we can talk.”

      While her mind wrestled with what she should have said and what she could say, she walked with him, but most of her attention was on his arm across her shoulders and his side brushing against hers. She had to get rid of him. He was way too take-charge, and she didn’t want him discovering that she was pregnant. She loathed the prospect of pity. She didn’t want a dutiful proposal. Even more unwanted would be Ryan making decisions about her and her baby. Most frightening of all, she didn’t want him to use his millions to try to take her baby away from her.

      From the first moment in the doctor’s office, when she had almost fainted at the news, she had wrestled with how to deal with Ryan over the matter.

      He had used condoms, but the doctor had told her they weren’t a hundred percent foolproof. So on a wild weekend that was a once in a lifetime fling for her, she had gotten pregnant by a man she barely knew. As she walked beside him, she rubbed her forehead. How complicated her life had become!

      Ashley hadn’t figured out yet how to break the news to her father, her brother and her grandmother, let alone Ryan.

      She had considered every aspect, and finally had decided that the best possible thing that could happen would be to keep Ryan out of her life until after the baby was born.

      She had no idea what his reaction to her pregnancy would be. She knew the day would come when she would have to let him know that he had fathered a child. But she wanted it far in the future, when she had her baby in her arms and her life established, with Ryan Warner far out of it and happily involved with another woman. The last part still hurt to think about, but Ashley knew it was the wisest course.

      “This is nice, Ashley,” he said as they approached her front door, with its fan transom gracing the top and long, low redwood boxes of blooming flowers on either side. “I’ve forgotten what you told me. How long have you been a wedding planner?”

      “Almost a year,” she answered, barely thinking about the question.

      He reached out to open her door for her, letting her enter ahead of him. Carlotta was gazing at Ryan with a smile and obvious curiosity.

      “Hi,” she said.

      “Carlotta, this is Ryan Warner. Ryan, this is my receptionist and secretary, Carlotta Reyna,” Ashley said, while Carlotta reached out to shake his hand.

      Ashley took his arm. “I’m going to show Ryan the office. I’ll close up tonight,” she told her employee, who nodded, barely able to take her eyes from Ryan.

      “You do have an effect on women,” Ashley said when they’d crossed the hall, out of earshot. “I thought Carlotta was going to faint with pleasure when you shook her hand.”

      He grinned and shrugged. “I’m not having the effect where it’s important,” he replied.

      She inhaled.

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