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

He set his jaw and went to wake Charlotte. Last night he’d forgotten his promise to be tough on her after yesterday morning, but today he was reminded. He’d told her he would drag her to the gym because he couldn’t trust her to follow instructions. Maybe they both needed to be reminded of that.

He put on shorts and a T-shirt and then went next door and knocked on her door. Loudly.

Time to get back on the job and stop being foolish.

* * *

Charlotte pulled the pillow over her head. What was that awful noise? Persistent thumping was coming from somewhere... She pulled the pillow off again and realized it was her bedroom door.

“What?” she yelled, irritated. She hated being awakened.

“Rise and shine, buttercup. Time for the gym.”

Oh, no. No, he wouldn’t. Sure, she’d gone out yesterday when she’d promised she wouldn’t, but the day had ended so nicely. Nicely enough she’d lain awake for an hour after going to bed, just thinking about it. “I’m sleeping!”

“No, you’re not or you wouldn’t be yelling at me. I told you I wouldn’t give up my workouts, so up and at ’em, sunshine. Pull on some spandex and let’s go.”

She growled and rolled over, pulling the covers over her head. It wasn’t enough to block out his voice, though. “If you’re not up in ten seconds, I’m coming in. Ten...nine—”

“Fine, I’m up!” she snapped, throwing off the covers. She went to the door and flung it open. “I’m up. Now please go away.”

Jacob had been ready to say “eight” and his mouth now hung open and his eyes widened. She realized belatedly that she was wearing a short silk nightie that covered everything important but didn’t leave a whole lot to the imagination. She stepped back and slammed the door in his face as heat rushed up into her cheeks.

She would have to act as if nothing had happened. And he wasn’t going to leave her alone, so she went to her drawers and pulled out a pair of yoga pants and a fitted top that she normally wore for her irregular yoga practice. She always traveled with it just in case she ended up stressed out and in need of some stretching and deep breathing. And boy, could she use that today.

Only there’d be no Zen, would there? Because they were going to the gym. Ugh.

She wrenched the door open again to find him still standing there, the stunned look gone from his face. Thank God. “Fine,” she said, her voice sharp with annoyance. “If I must, I must. Though I might want to remind you that you work for me.”

“Oh, la dee da, there’s the princess.” His eyes lit with humor that only infuriated her more. “Technically, I work for your mother, so that actually puts me in charge. Let’s go. Bring music if you want. As long as I can see you, that’s fine. No need to chat.”

She grabbed her mobile and a pair of wireless earbuds, thinking that the moment from last night had to be an utter blip, because she was back to despising him again. She said nothing to him in the elevator, and when they entered the gym, he wen

t his way and she went to the other side and the cardio machines.

She hated running and wasn’t a fan of stationary bikes, so she chose an elliptical and put it on the easiest setting. Playlist blaring in her ears, she hit the start button and started the smooth yet slightly awkward motion of the machine.

Five minutes later she was thinking how out of shape she was. Granted, she led a busy life and walked a lot and tried to eat well so she kept her trim figure. And the genetics from her mother’s side didn’t hurt, either. But as far as cardio health... Her breath was labored and she knew her face was turning red from the exertion. Worse, this was how Jacob was going to see her.

It made her feel naked. She worked very hard to not show anyone her weaknesses or insecurities. She was Charlotte Pemberton. There was an image to uphold.

She stole a glance over at Jacob and tried not to goggle. He was lying flat on a bench doing chest presses, and his whole upper body flexed as the bar and plates went up and down, up and down, at least ten times. He was...beautiful, she realized. In a rugged, angular, rough sort of way. Her body clenched as she watched him put the bar back in the bracket, and then she looked away before he could catch her staring.

The next time she glanced over, he’d removed his T-shirt and was wiping his face with it. He had abs. Like six-pack abs that glistened with sweat. He dropped the shirt and went to a machine that had two handles sticking out. He braced his elbows, held onto the handles and lifted his knees in an ab crunch that made those ridges bunch and flex.

Good heavens. She lost her rhythm on the elliptical and had to regain it. She supposed this was the equivalent of her opening the door in her negligee this morning. At least maybe he’d liked what he’d seen?

Though why should it matter?

After torturing herself for thirty minutes, she finally stopped the machine and went to the water cooler for a drink. She’d turned off her playlist just in case he said something, but he was now over at the leg press. It didn’t seem possible that he could push that much weight with his legs, but the black plates moved back and forth in a steady rhythm.

The man was in stellar shape.

Charlotte was much too embarrassed to attempt to do any weights with him around, considering how puny her muscles were, so she went to a treadmill instead and started to walk. It was easier, she supposed, if not a bit monotonous. If he were going to make her go to the gym, fine. What she did when she got here was none of his business. If she wanted to walk, dammit, she’d walk.

But as she watched him move to adjust his weights, she hit a button and added an incline. Just because.

He kept her there for a whole hour. When he finished, he put his sweat-streaked T-shirt back over his head and came over to the treadmill.