Bargaining for Baby(16)
Her eyes flew open while her heart sank. "That's two weeks earlier than scheduled."
"They're eager to see what we have. I'm eager to show them." His voice cooled. "What about you?"
She visualized her big desk in her corner office suite even as she gazed at the vintage molded ceiling and felt today's soft fleece beneath her fingers. Then she heard Jack's plea … you and I are staying the night.
Her stomach knotted.
Her father wanted her to leave straight away?
"Maddy, you there?"
Thinking quick, she sat up. Today was Tuesday.
"The Pompadour proposal is polished and printed," she told him. "There's only the Powerpoint to tidy up and a final briefing with the staff involved. If I get back mid-next week, say crack of dawn Wednesday, that'll be plenty of time to pull those last strings together."
Tension crackled down the line. "Honey, I've been patient. I understand what good friends you were with that girl. But you've done what you promised. You've delivered the boy to his new home. Now it's time to get back to looking after you. Looking after your own future."
Maddy drew her legs up and hugged her knees. He was right. Absolutely. Given the circumstances, it was only logical she get back to her life, pronto. Still …
She gnawed her bottom lip. "Dad, can you give me until Monday?"
She imagined her father shutting his eyes and shaking his head.
"You have a choice to make," he said, not unkindly. "Either come back and finish the job or I'll have to give it to someone who can."
Her throat closed. "But I've put so much work into that campaign." Storyboards, multiple media schedules, months spent on research both in Australia and overseas.
"This isn't about being fair. I love you, but that's personal. This is about business. You're either with Tyler Advertising a hundred percent or you're not."
She let go of her knees and straightened. "I understand."
She really did. And yet leaving Beau here after only one day seemed … worse than heartless.
As if reading her thoughts, her father sighed the way he used to when she was young and had pleaded for another scoop of ice cream after dinner.
"If you really think you can pull it off … all right. I'll give you 'til Monday to get back."
She pushed to her feet, beaming. "Really?"
"Monday eight a.m.," he decreed. "Not a minute later."
She said goodbye and thought over how thirteen days at Leadeebrook had dwindled down to five. At least she didn't have to hop on a plane back to Sydney as soon as tomorrow. But now she needed to make the most of every minute she had with Beau.
She crept the short distance down the darkened hall and when she reached the nursery, the door was ajar. After tiptoeing in, she waited for her eyes to adjust to the shadows and moonlight streaming in through the partly opened window. The outline of the crib grew more distinct as the smell of baby powder and Beau filled her lungs. Feeling the cool timber then soft center rug beneath her feet, she inched closer until her fingers curled over the sturdy cot rail. She smiled. Beau was sound asleep.
She stood there for she didn't know how long, simply drinking in the angelic form, filing this memory away for later. In this wedge of time, Sydney and Tyler's Advertising were another world away. Another universe.
And she was more than okay with that.
A creak came from behind. Heart zipping to her throat, Maddy spun around. A hulking shadow in the corner took on shape as it straightened out of a chair and edged toward her. She smothered a breathless gasp. An intruder?
But as the figure drifted closer, its build became unmistakable. Of course it was Jack. Saying not a thing the whole while she'd been there.
"Why didn't you let me know you were in the room?" she whispered, hoping the irritation showed in her voice. No one liked to be spied on.
"I didn't want to disturb you." He came closer. "But when you stayed … "
He stopped beside her and his simmering magnetism at once drew her in. It was as if she were a planet being sucked into the heat of the sun, or the day needing to surrender to the unconditional blanket of the night.
Bracing herself, Maddy locked her weakened knees.
She needed to get out of here, away from him, before she did something foolish like let him kiss her again. She had to keep focused. But she needed to say something important-something that couldn't wait-before she left this room.
"I spoke with my father tonight," she told him. "He needs me back in Sydney early."
The dark slashes of his brows swooped together. "How early?"
"Monday morning."
His frown lowered to Beau. "How do you feel about that?"
She batted a reply around in her head and decided on, "I don't have a choice."
"Doesn't give me much time to get you in a saddle."
When he grinned, she gave in to a smile, too. You wish. "But it does give us time for the gala," he went on. "Do you have a dress?"
Her jaw dropped and an exasperated sound escaped her throat.
"I seriously cannot believe you." The baby stirred. Gathering herself, she pressed her lips together and hushed her voice. "I'm not going anywhere with you, particularly not now that I only have five days left with Beau."
Even if, admittedly, when she'd spoken on the phone with her father and had asked for more time, going to the gala with Jack had been something of a consideration.
"Five days, yes," Jack agreed. "But that doesn't mean you can't come back."
The words hit her, caressed her, and she could only blink. Just days ago he'd barely wanted to know her and now …
She half smiled. "You want me to come back?"
"Now don't be shy. I know you're secretly attached to the Mitchell grass and the dust."
She almost laughed. Never, ever would that happen. But …
"I would like to come back and see Beau," she added to be clear.
"That can be arranged. On one condition."
She narrowed her eyes at him. "Is this going to be an offer I can't refuse?"
"Hope so." He turned to her and held her with his eyes. "Come away with me, Maddy. One night. Just one. Don't make me beg."
They'd known each other such a short time. But she was convinced of his strength and confidence and, above all else, his pride. The idea of him begging …
She touched her forehead.
He made her feel vulnerable. Desirable. Hot. How a woman should feel with a man. He almost made her feel too intensely.
"What are you afraid of?" His head angled and a lock of hair fell over his furrowed brow. When he moved closer, his height, his overpowering presence, seemed to curl over and absorb her.
"Once I thought I had all the time in the world," he murmured into the dark. "But we both know life isn't always that way. If we had more time, I probably wouldn't have suggested this." A corner of his mouth hooked up. "Then again, maybe I would have."
Her heart squeezed so much that it ached.
She was physically drawn to a ruggedly handsome man who wasn't hiding the fact that he was seriously drawn to her. He'd told her in the plainest of terms-he wanted them to spend the night together. He was saying he wanted to make love.
What did she want?
Not the girl who'd grown up without a mother, or the cosmo-chick who lived for her decaf soy latte each morning at eight. What did Madison Tyler, the woman, want?
He seemed to read her mind. His big hand threaded around her waist and brought her close. "This might help you decide."
His lips met hers, a feathery, devastatingly gentle caress. The steam in his blood found a way into hers and, in that mist-filled instant, she burned white-hot from the inside out. She told herself to keep her wits … to try to find her feet. Useless. Her defenses fell away and any remaining doubt drifted off like weightless wisps from a dandelion ball.
His mouth reluctantly left hers but the hold on her waist remained firm. When her eyes fluttered open, she didn't have the strength to even pretend she was annoyed. She understood the arguments. She barely knew him. She wasn't a leap-in-think-later type. God, what would Dahlia have thought?
And yet suddenly none of that mattered.