Until last year. With her mother gone, Ellie'd had no reason to remain in Flint…and Timothy had offered her something she couldn't resist. A job in New York City.
Perhaps she'd been wrong to accept. But she couldn't kid herself that she would have gotten her job without his help. All of Diogo's other secretaries had not only finished high school, they'd graduated from college. And yet, against all odds, she'd done well in her position of junior secretary. She'd learned quickly. She'd been popular with the other employees.
At least until Jessica had spread the rumors far and wide that Ellie was trying to climb the corporate ladder by climbing her boss.
She sucked in her breath. Maybe she really was the slut they all thought she was! She'd nearly agreed to be Diogo's mistress, knowing that he'd never marry her. Knowing that he would never even love her, and when he tired of her in bed he'd move on. Knowing that all the world would believe her to be a gold digger—a greedy secretary who'd retired from her job as soon as she'd gotten pregnant by the boss!
Diogo came back onto the balcony. “Com licença, querida,” he murmured, reaching for her. “Now. Where were we?”
She jerked away with a gasp. “You must be kidding!”
“You are upset?”
“Because you were kissing me, then stopped to take a call from another woman!”
His eyes grew cold. “You do not own me, querida. Do not presume to think you have the right to know my secrets.”
“Why shouldn't I?” she demanded, fighting back furious tears. “From the moment you first seduced me, you've acted like you own me. Like I'm your possession to ignore or enjoy as you please—”
There was a cough as one of the bodyguards slid open the glass door to the balcony.
Diogo turned on him with a scowl. “Sim?”
“A médica está aqui, senhor.”
Diogo's eyes were still dark as a midnight storm as he turned back to her. Clenching his jaw, he said, “The doctor is here.”
“Doctor?” she repeated, still scowling.
“Yes.”
“But I told you. My wrist is fine!”
“The doctor's not for your wrist. She's for our baby.”
Our baby. Hearing those words on his lips did strange things to her insides—made her want to forgive him anything. She desperately fought the feeling!
“Since you only just realized you were pregnant,” he continued, “I'm guessing you didn't have much prenatal care in New York?”
She shook her head. “Just a drugstore pregnancy test.”
“I thought as much. From now on, my son will have the best quality care. Letícia is coming to give you a checkup, an ultrasound.”
Letícia? He called the doctor by her first name?
Diogo suddenly smiled, and his handsome face glowed with charm. “Come. Enough arguing. Let us see our baby.”
He held out his hand, waiting.
See their baby. There was no way she could resist something like that…
Ellie reluctantly placed her hand in his. As she felt his fingers enfold her own, a sizzle went through her—not just desire, but of something more.
Completeness.
No! She could allow herself to imagine they were a family. A real family loved each other, protected each other—trusted each other. Diogo and Ellie might raise a child together, but they could never be more than two single parents….
She told herself these things, but her body wouldn't listen. As he led her inside from the balcony, she couldn't stop the feeling of rightness.
This man is for you, her body insisted. You are for him.
As Diogo smiled down at her, her heart give a strange new flutter—a sensation different from any she'd ever felt before. She marveled at the masculine beauty of his face. The bright Brazilian sunshine caressed his olive skin, haloing his black hair, making him handsome and dangerous as a shining dark angel.
“Você está pronta, meu amor?” He lowered his head to kiss the knuckles of her hand. “Come, my love. Let's see our baby.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
AS THE DOCTOR FINISHED Ellie's preliminary checkup, Diogo left the study to take a phone call.
A phone call that involved business…or pleasure?
Don't think about it. Ellie clenched her fists as she stared up at the ceiling. She knew Diogo wouldn't answer questions, anyway.
She glanced at the dark-haired, thirtysomething Dr. Carneiro, who was now preparing the equipment for the ultrasound.
Another of Diogo's mistresses?
Dr. Carneiro spread a clear gel over the gentle swell of her naked belly, and Ellie murmured, “It's very nice of you to make a house call like this.”
“I'm happy to do it,” she replied in accented English. “Anything for Diogo.”