LITMIR.BIZ

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to her chair and the pile of birthday presents still waiting to be opened.

      Ashlyn really was something, Cleo found herself thinking, so thoughtful and mature for her age. Fletcher’s daughter exclaimed over each gift as she opened it and seemed sincere in her excitement every time. She didn’t come across as spoiled in the least—and that was surprising. In Cleo’s experience, children of doting wealthy parents tended to get big attitudes early on.

      After the presents came the cake. They all sang the birthday song. Then Ashlyn made her wish and blew out her five candles in one breath. Olivia and another young woman worked together to serve up the cake, piling generous scoops of vanilla ice cream on top.

      It was five o’clock in no time. Cleo got another hug from Ashlyn and said a quick thank-you and goodbye to Fletcher and she was out of there.

      That night Danny asked her again if something was wrong. Again she told him there was nothing. She saw in his eyes that even he, so patient and always understanding, was growing tired of the way she avoided his touch.

      After he left, she lay awake much too late, hating herself for not treating him right, actually beginning to admit that the best and most honest thing to do would be to break things off with him.

      And no, she had no intention of getting anything started with … anyone else. But Danny was such a fine man. He deserved a woman who couldn’t keep her hands off him. Cleo wasn’t that woman. At least, not anymore.

      She had a while to think it over. Danny left town Sunday for two big car shows, one in Phoenix and a second in Southern California. He wouldn’t return until the fifteenth or sixteenth. By then, the new KinderWay should be open and operating. Things wouldn’t be so hectic. She would sit down with him and they would talk it out, come to a real understanding—one way or the other.

      The week sped by, as stressful, busy and exciting as the one before it. Cleo and Megan worked straight through the weekend.

      Their efforts paid off. On Monday, the fourteenth of February, KinderWay at Impresario opened its doors.

      Cleo had opted to spend that first morning going from classroom to classroom, checking out the various first-day welcoming activities, seeing that everything ran smoothly. She happened to be in the three-year-olds’ room when Celia Bravo dropped Davey off. She had her new baby with her.

      Cleo went straight for that baby. “I hear you’re calling her J.J.”

      Celia sighed. “I’m afraid so.”

      “May I …?”

      Celia beamed her a wide smile. “Absolutely.”

      So Cleo held out her hungry arms and Celia laid the warm bundle in them. Cleo gazed down at the bald pink head, the rosebud of a mouth and the tiny turned-up nose. “Beautiful …”

      “I think so,” Celia agreed. “But then, I am her mother.” Celia turned to kiss Davey goodbye, but her son was already occupied, playing blocks with a couple of the other kids. She cast Cleo a wry glance. “As you can see, he can’t get along without me.”

      “Looks like a well-adjusted boy to me.”

      “And I’m glad he is—but a big hug and a kiss goodbye would be nice.”

      Davey turned and waved. “‘Bye, Mommy. Come back and see me soon.”

      Cleo, who couldn’t bear to let go of that warm pink bundle just yet, suggested, “Come on, I’ll walk you out.”

      They ran into Fletcher in the central breezeway that connected the classrooms. He’d just dropped Ashlyn off with the five-year-olds. He greeted Cleo and Celia and remarked that things seemed to be off to a great start.

      “So far, so good.” Cleo glanced up from J.J.’s sweet little face and into the eyes that haunted her dreams. Quickly she looked down at the baby again.

      Celia said, “Cleo got her hands on my baby and now she won’t let go.”

      Cleo laughed and smoothed the pink blanket, then stroked one plump and perfect little hand. “Oh, don’t I wish …” And then she made the mistake of glancing up a second time. Her laughter faded as her gaze locked with Fletcher’s.

      Trouble, she thought. I’m in big, big trouble here.

      She made herself turn to Celia. “I suppose I’m going to have to give her back to you….”

      Celia took the baby and they started for the nearest of the three gates that led out to the parking lot behind Hotel Impresario. Along the way they passed other parents with their kids. They waved and shared greetings as they went by.

      When they got to the gate, Fletcher put his hand on Cleo’s arm. She felt that touch far too acutely, as she’d felt every one of his touches since that first day they’d met. “I need a few minutes.”

      Carefully she pulled her arm free. “Sure.”

      “This is where J.J. and I came in.” Celia left them, taking the sidewalk around the KinderWay fence, heading toward the hotel. More parents with children approached the gate.

      Fletcher took her hand, capturing her fingers, wrapping them around his arm. “How about your office?”

      “All right.” And she let him lead her, as if she didn’t know the way, back through the gate and along the breezeway.

      She knew she should probably pull away again. But she didn’t. She kept thinking it shouldn’t matter as much as it did—the touch of his hand on hers, the feel of his warm, hard arm beneath the fine fabric of his suit jacket, the heat of his lean body so close to her side.

      They entered the main office. The new secretary, RaeAnne, smiled as they passed her desk. “Cleo. Mr. Bravo …”

      “We’ll just be a few minutes, RaeAnne,” Cleo said. “No calls or interruptions. Not unless there’s bleeding involved.”

      “Got it.”

      Cleo let go of Fletcher’s arm—and felt her heart contract at losing hold of him.

      No doubt about it. Trouble. Capital T.

      “This way.” She opened the door to her office and ushered him inside, gesturing at a guest chair. He sat and she went to her chair behind the beautiful desk he’d had built just for her. “Now,” she said, sounding brisk and businesslike and feeling anything but. “What’s up?”

      He studied her for a moment before he spoke. She felt his gaze as if it were a physical touch. At last he said, “You’ve done an amazing job with this project. I didn’t really believe you’d succeed in doing what you’ve done here—not in two and a half weeks, anyway.”

      She couldn’t resist reminding him, “I believe you chose the time frame.”

      He gave her one of those regal nods of his. “I did. I like setting impossible goals. They make people try harder. And you did.” Another regal nod, then he said, “Well done.”

      “Thank you.” So. He’d only taken her aside to give her a pat on the back for the work she’d done.

      That was good. She was pleased. He wasn’t putting any moves on her and she wanted it that way.

      Too bad she felt so let down.

      He asked, “Aren’t you glad now that I wouldn’t leave you alone until you agreed to go for it?”

      To her, the question had more than one level of meaning. She reminded herself not to go to those other levels. “Yes, I am. It’s worked out beautifully.”

      He slid a hand into the inside pocket of his suit coat and produced a red leather jeweler’s box embossed with gold.

      Another gift.

      Well. So much for a purely professional pat on the back. Damn him. She had told him not to—

      “Don’t,” he

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