The Secretary's Bossman Bargain

“Virginia.” He leaned forward and gently lowered her to his lap. “You have me. I’m at your disposal every night.”

“Marcos…” The words I want more faltered in her throat.

He must have misinterpreted her concern, for Marcos dropped his hands to his sides and sighed. “Nobody knows about us, Virginia, please don’t fret. I’m trying to keep things running smoothly. My office won’t be abuzz with gossip, I won’t allow it.”

Gossip. Could everyone be gossiping? Whispering? Her stomach clenched in dread. “But you keep stealing touches and people are noticing.” That much was true. And soon…how would she hide a pregnant belly?

Marcos boldly raked her figure with his gaze, reclined in his seat and said, “Then I should give these people something more to do.”

She blinked, then realized he was teasing her, and she forced her lips into a smile. But it wasn’t funny. Soon they’d notice she was pregnant. Soon she’d be waddling around.

He scraped two fingers across his chin as he studied her. “You look worried.”

She couldn’t do this here—she felt as emotionally stable as a compass gone berserk. “Maybe the Fintech dinner isn’t such a good idea,” she suggested.

“It was part of our arrangement, Miss Hollis.”

She swallowed and snatched up his files, deciding to postpone this for…tonight. Tomorrow. Never. “The projection room is ready.”

“You have your notes?”

“Of course. And yours.”

He stormed down the long hallway with her, and as people smiled at her in a “Yay, you” kind of way, her unease grew tenfold.

During the meeting, Virginia tried to concentrate on the images flicking on the projection screen. Sales charts with numbers. But Marcos sat unbearably close.

“Is it the dinner?”

She stiffened. “What?”

“Why you’re worried. Is it?”

“I… No.”

“The outfit? You’re afraid you won’t find one you like?”

She shook her head. “No.”

He leaned forward. He tapped her pad. “Reading your notes here. ‘Colorful charts.’ Very observant, Miss Hollis. Now why are you worried? Tell me.”

She attempted to take more notes but her mind was elsewhere.

“Now, you see the hedge fund study we just passed?” he said when she, apparently, was not going to talk. “We lost a little, but the fund was heavily invested in metals, as well, and the gold price has been rising, so we closed with a positive number nonetheless.”

“Yes, I understand. You lose some and win some. Like…gambling.”

He chuckled. “Indeed. It’s all a game of risk, Miss Hollis. You weigh the benefits against the risk. And decide how to move forward. You may lose, but at least you played the game. Or you may win…and the prize is exquisite.”

She did the exercise in her mind. Risk—her job, her self-respect, her body to a pregnancy, her heart…no, it was too much to bear to even think it. Benefit—save her father, who didn’t deserve saving, and share a wonderful week with the most wonderful, wonderful man.

She would have liked to think that if she remained cool and aloof, she would not be risking anything. If she behaved like her usual self, there was no reason the office would speculate. If she ignored his scent, his lips and his eyes, and the fact that she’d fallen in love with him, then she could settle for the benefits. Eventually.

Except already, there was a child.

Their child.

And she wouldn’t be able to hide his growing presence much longer.