The Heiress's Pregnancy Surprise (Heirs to an Empire 2)

CHARLOTTE CHOPPED FRESH strawberries and dumped them over a bowl of yogurt. She wasn’t up for a full meal right now; her internal clock was all messed up with the time difference. She had coffee brewing in the French press, and she looked at the blueberry muffins and turned up her nose. American muffins were so...cakey. And also seemed too heavy right now.

But she was ready to meet with Amelie and go over details. Amelie was her boots on the ground and she was incredibly good at her job. They’d go over the itinerary, any new invitations, interview requests and coverage for Aurora’s show. Then there was the guest list for the party Charlotte was hosting at the Waldorf. There were always last-minute additions.

It was all terribly exciting. She’d been along for the trip twice, but both times her mother had been in charge and Charlotte had ridden on her coattails. Charlotte was thrilled to have this chance, bodyguard or not. She had always been Aurora Germain’s daughter or William’s twin sister or the youngest daughter. Sometimes she wanted to be herself, and recognized for her own achievements and not anyone else’s.

Being a part of Aurora Inc.’s empire meant there were limitations to that desire. And she wouldn’t leave the company or the family. But she desperately wanted to put her own stamp on something. Create her own legitimacy.

It wouldn’t happen overnight, but this trip was a good start.

Her stomach growled and she turned her attention back to her light meal. Yesterday the housekeeper had stocked the fridge and pantry in anticipation of Charlotte’s arrival. Her favorite Icelandic yogurt and fresh berries were the perfect pick-me-up. She hadn’t seen or heard anything from her bodyguard, which she counted as a blessing. Maybe he was still sleeping. Either way, it felt odd having a stranger in the apartment.

After the yogurt was gone, she poured her coffee and set up her laptop and a few files on the dining room table. The doorbell rang, and before she could go to the door and open it herself, Jacob strode past the kitchen to the foyer.

So he was up.

He stepped back into the kitchen with their guest, Amelie, who sported a raised eyebrow and an amused expression, and Jacob frowning. Again.

“Did the doorman call up and announce Ms. Beauchamp’s arrival?”

“No, of course not.”

“He’s supposed to. It’s part of the security measures.”

“It’s just Amelie.” She gave a little laugh and held out a cup. “Coffee?”

“Oui,” Amelie answered. “Do you have to ask?”

Jacob was still standing and scowling, and Charlotte sighed. “What?”

“It was Amelie this time. But we do not want strangers having access to this apartment. I’ll have to speak to the door staff to make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

“Jacob, it’s fine.”

He bristled. “Let me do my job, okay?”

“Fine. If you want coffee, fix it yourself. It sounds as though you could use a shot of caffeine.”

She led Amelie into the dining room, and gestured to the empty chair. “Sorry about that. Apparently he goes everywhere I go.”

Amelie’s blue eyes darkened with worry. “But why? Is something going on I should know about?”

Charlotte debated how much to tell her assistant and her staff in general. She didn’t want to scare her, and didn’t want staff gossip, either. As much as she trusted her people, rumors did get out. At the same time, it wasn’t fair to leave her next-in-command in the dark.

“Do you remember the strange letter I got last fall?”

“The one that said you were a viper and that your day would come? Of course. It was not only odd, but vicious.”

“It wasn’t the only one. I haven’t said anything because nothing has escalated, really. No real threats, nothing violent. But Maman would only let me take point on this trip if I agreed to a bodyguard, so there you have it. Jacob Wolfe, who is going to be a thorn in my side until I get back to Paris.”

Amelie took a sip of her coffee and lowered her voice. “I don’t know, Charlotte. He’s terribly good-looking.”

She wasn’t wrong, and it wasn’t like Charlotte hadn’t noticed. Even standing in the kitchen with a scowl on his face, he cut an impressive figure. He’d ditched the suit and now wore jeans and a sweater, the first fitting

his long legs and fine butt perfectly and the second managing to make his shoulders look even more forbidding. His hair was rumpled as if he’d run his fingers through it, and his eyes had been icy fire as he’d told her to let him do his job.

He was an intense man. She kind of liked it, not that she’d admit such a thing. Besides, she had to focus on the job at hand. “Well, looks aren’t everything,” she responded. “Now, let’s look at the schedule. You can bring me up to date with the various preparations, and we can decide what I need for my own appearances. I’m particularly nervous about the interview with Vogue.”

Amelie opened her case and took out her laptop, and as she set it up, Charlotte heard noises coming from the kitchen. She really should have been more gracious and fixed him a coffee. Or told him to help himself to the food in the fridge. Instead she’d put her nose in the air.