Baby Business(4)

The late-afternoon sun spilled onto the porch, lighting the deep dark  sheen of her hair and making him catch his breath. She was truly the  most beautiful woman in the world. And he couldn't believe how easily  this had all gone.



But then, this was Cassidy, and she'd always made his life brighter just  by being near him. He would never admit it out loud, but maybe  Granddaddy had done him a favor when he'd added that clause to the CEO  requirements.



As he listened to her speaking with her mother, he realized that she was  hopeful about their marriage. He made a vow at that moment to never let  her find out why he'd come back. He'd do whatever it took to protect  Cassidy from learning that he'd returned to her only to win the CEO  position at Tolley-Patterson.



Chapter Two

Dwelling on details wasn't something that Cassidy was good at, and she  knew it was one of the areas where Donovan and she weren't the same. He  kept talking about all of the things that had to be done, but it was the  first week in August and she was bigger than a beached whale-and about  as comfortable as one, as well.                       
       
           



       



"Are you listening to me?" Donovan asked.



He'd coaxed her out of her house and to the country club where both of  their families were members. They were sitting in a secluded alcove  overlooking the ocean and she could feel the warm breeze stirring over  the veranda.



"No."



"Cassidy, we don't have much time and I want everything taken care of before you go into labor."



"I don't understand what the rush is," she said, a part of her not  believing that Donovan was back in her life. But here he was, and he was  taking over the way he had before.



And she wasn't too sure she wanted to let him. The last time, she'd been  more than happy for him to take the lead, but she was older and  wiser-and crankier, she thought. She didn't want to talk about what kind  of life insurance policy they should have for themselves to protect the  baby if they died.



She didn't want to think about anything like that.



"We need to talk about guardians, as well. I think it would be best if the child went with my family."



"What do you mean, best? I've already asked Adam to be the guardian."  Her oldest brother was very responsible and she knew that Adam would  keep her child safe.



"You shouldn't have done that without consulting me first."



"Um … you weren't in my life, remember?"



"Again with the sarcasm."



"Yeah, I kind of like it."



"I don't."



"Then stop trying to run my life. I said I'd marry you, but I'm not going to let you take complete control of everything."



"Cassidy … "



"Yes?"



"I'm not asking you to let me control your life."



"You're not?"



He leaned across the table. There was a glint in his eyes that was  distinctly sexual and she had to fight not to smile. This was the  Donovan she remembered, able to turn any situation into something fun  and sexy.



"No, I'm not … I'm telling you."



She leaned closer to him. Her belly rested against the lip of the wooden  surface. She reached out and traced his lower lip, and his mouth  opened. She shifted farther in her chair and briefly pressed her lips to  his. "You have to remember one thing, Donovan Tolley."



"And that is?" He brushed his mouth against hers. The soft kiss might  have looked sweet and innocent, but a flood of hormones rushed through  her body. Even though she was very pregnant, she really wanted this man.



"You aren't the boss outside of Tolley-Patterson."



He stroked a finger down the side of her neck, tracing the bead of sweat  that had just taken the same path. "Once we're married I will be."



"How do you figure?" she asked, trying to ignore the way his finger felt  as he stroked her skin just above the base of her neck. Her pulse was  beating wildly. She had no idea where this conversation was going; she  only knew that this was what she had missed. Having Donovan in her life  meant she wasn't alone. And she could just be herself, no matter how  crazy or silly she might seem to someone else.



"I'm going to insist that our vows have the word obey in them."



"I have no problem with that," she said. "I've always wanted you to obey me."



He threw his head back and laughed, drawing the attention of the other  people on the veranda. Cassidy smiled at him and leaned back in her  seat, taking a sip of the refreshingly cool lemonade she'd ordered.



Donovan's BlackBerry twittered and he pulled it from his pocket, glanced  at the screen and then up at her. "I have to make a quick call. Will  you be okay by yourself?"



She nodded. He got up and left the table, and she glanced around.  Sitting alone at a table in a restaurant always made her feel exposed,  something that she didn't like. She took a sip of her water.



"Cassidy?"



She turned to see her best friend, Emma Graham, and Emma's fiancé, Paul Preston. "Emma! How are you?"



"Good. Are you here alone?"



"No. I'm with Donovan."



Emma raised both eyebrows and told Paul she'd meet him at their table.  Emma wasn't a subtle person, and Cassidy immediately knew her best  friend was concerned.



"What's going on?" Emma asked, sitting down in Donovan's seat. "The man  left you alone and pregnant. I can't believe he'd have the gall to come  back to you now."



"You know he didn't know I was pregnant."                       
       
           



       



"Okay, I'll give him that. What does he want?"



"To marry me."



Emma's eyes widened. "Are you going to?" she asked.



For the first time, Cassidy felt a twinge about how easily she'd  capitulated. But she couldn't have done anything else. Surely Emma  understood-she was getting married as well. Cassidy wanted a partner-a  husband-in her life. "Yes. I think so. I mean … "



"You still think you love him."



"Who's to say that I don't love him?"



Emma shrugged one delicate shoulder. "No one but you. Are we happy about this?"



Cassidy thought about it. "I don't know yet. I was going to call you in the morning."



"I've got an early flight to New York for a meeting. I can talk until  eight tonight and then again after three tomorrow. I was going to stop  by your place later today anyway."



They had grown up together and attended the same boarding school in  Connecticut. Emma was like the sister Cassidy had never had and had  always wanted. "Did you tell him about the baby, is that why he came  back?"



"No. He just showed up."



"Why?"



"Um, he missed me," she said to her friend, feeling sheepish and suddenly wondering what Emma would say.



"And you believe that?" Emma asked.



"I-"



"Yes, Emma, she does believe me, because I told her that letting her walk out of my life was the biggest mistake I'd ever made."





"It's about time you realized it," Emma said. "Hurt her again and you'll deal with me."



Donovan nodded as Emma gave Cassidy a hug and then walked away. The  threat should have seemed silly coming from the petite brunette, but  Donovan knew Emma Graham was more than capable of backing up her words.



"Sorry about that," Cassidy said as he sat back down.



"It's okay. She cares for you and wants the best for you."



"Yes, she does."



Cassidy took a sip of her lemonade and glanced toward the ocean. Donovan  realized that getting her agreement to the marriage wasn't enough. He  needed to … ah, hell, he needed to make some promises that would alleviate  Cassidy's fears that he was going to hurt her again.



"I care, too," he said, realizing as the words left his mouth how lame  they sounded. Lame-ass comments like that were exactly why he didn't  talk about his emotions. He was much better keeping things light or  talking about business.



"I'd suspected as much, since you asked me to marry you."



"See, you are a smart girl."



"Don't be condescending."



"I wasn't. You're one of the smartest women I know. It's what drew me to you the first time."



"Um … I thought that was my legs."



It had been everything about her. Her long legs in that impossibly short  micromini she'd had on. Her long, dark curly hair hanging down her back  in silky waves. But, to tell the truth, it had been her laughter that  had first caught his attention. It was deep and uninhibited. He'd found  himself distracted at the charity event. Instead of conducting business  as he usually did at social functions, he'd followed her and joined her  group just to hear that laugh again. And her intelligence was quickly  evident as she debated and discussed myriad current events.