I let out a breath when I see my new boss isn’t there. I need a second to regroup. Then I’ll come back. Right now, my head is spinning. My mind is coming up with a million things he might say to me. I can’t help but wonder what’s going through his head.
Is he upset because I snuck out of the hotel room the morning after our night together? Or was that angry look on his face because he never wanted to see me again after that night and there I was? Probably thinking I’m there to demand money or something.
“Thanks for the info,” I tell the woman before I step off the elevator. I don’t make it far. Two men in suits appear out of nowhere, stepping in front of me.
“Ma’am, we need you to come with us,” the taller of the two says.
“No thanks.” I try to bolt around them, but they only move to effectively block me again.
“We weren’t asking.” One of them tries again.
“You can’t make me come with you.” I tilt my chin up, trying to seem tough like I know if they really can or can’t take me. This is a casino. Are the rules different or something? They could be some kind of police. I have no clue.
“Mr. Valentine can do anything he likes.” The shorter one finally speaks. He reaches to grab me by the upper arm. I step back, trying to dodge his grasp. I actually manage to, but not because I got away. But because a hand shoots out and snags the man’s wrist.
In one quick move, Archer has the man's arm behind him as he screams in pain. “I told you not to touch her.”
“You also told us not to let her leave,” he groans back. I stand there gaping at them like the rest of the people standing around and gambling.
“Leave my sight.” He shoves the man, who goes stumbling forward. The taller man in the suit manages to grab him before he can fall on his ass. “He's fired,” Archer tells him.
“Of course, sir. I’ll see him out.” He nods before taking off with the man, leaving me with Archer and all of the lingering eyes.
“Hi,” I manage to squeak out.
“Hi?” he repeats. He closes his eyes, taking a long breath as if he’s trying to get himself under control. It takes a few seconds before he opens them again. “That’s all you have to say after sneaking out of my hotel?”
“I thought it was just your hotel room. Not that you owned the whole place,” I respond. He narrows his eyes on me because it’s a stupid response, but it’s all I’ve got right now. He knows what that night was supposed to be. He invited me up to his room, after all.
“It looks like you took something else with you.” His eyes drop to my stomach. “We’re getting married.”
“What?!” I gasp. “What if it’s not even yours?” I hiss back.
I don’t know why I’m so hurt by the marriage thing, but I am. I’m not marrying someone because I’m knocked up with their child. There is no way in hell that’s happening. I grew up in a home where my parents hated each other. It was miserable for all of us. I promised that if I ever had kids that I would never subject them to that.
He moves suddenly, grabbing me by my hips, pulling me into his body. I fight a whimper, my body coming alive at the feel of his pressed against it. Every night when I go to sleep, I dream of that night. Ache for it. For him. No matter how many times I told myself that I was being ridiculous and that it was only a one-night stand.
“That baby is mine, and so are you. Don’t test me on this. You won’t win.” I stare up at his handsome face. I open my mouth to give a tart retort, but his lips come crashing down onto mine.
I’m pretty sure he just sealed my fate.
CHAPTER 3
ARCHER
“I don’t understand why I’m sitting inside your office. Shouldn’t a secretary sit outside? That way the phone calls and my typing and the delivery men don’t bother you,” Mila wonders.
“No.” Having her in my office is less of a distraction than her outside of it, regardless of the noise and other disturbances. I learned this quickly when I kept getting up to see what she was doing. Was she still sitting at her desk? Was she flirting with the UPS guy? My sister, Ember, once had a huge fucking crush on the guy who delivered packages to her apartment. I didn’t get it, but she said his brown uniform made her tingly downstairs. I told her never to speak those words to me again. But unwillingly, they bubbled to the top of my memory bank, and every time I heard a sound in the outer room, I was at my office door, staring through the blinds like a fool.