The Baby Claim
“And your baby sister?” He placed the glasses and bowl on a tray before returning to the table in the corner, not a full-out conference table, rather more of a cozy meeting area. Not nearly large enough for her liking right now.
“Alayna’s a peacemaker. So unless I’m looking into her eyes, I don’t know for sure.” She reached for the glass, her hand brushing his. Crackles of awareness sparked along her every nerve. She took a quick swallow of water to cover her nervousness. “Thank you for this.”
“I’ve ordered food to be brought up. If you’re starving now the minibar has some granola bars—”
“This is fine. Thanks. I’ll wait.”
“I ordered extra. We have a long night ahead of us.”
Her gaze shot to his, searching for a double entendre, but his eyes were serious tonight. None of the teasing from that first day in her office was visible.
It had been a sobering three days since then. “I’m not sure how we’re supposed to do this.”
She jabbed a pencil into her loose topknot. “How do we work together while protecting the interest of both companies?”
“One company, if we can take what our parents said at face value.” He knelt to offer Kota the crystal bowl of water.
“I don’t understand how they expect the employees to get over decades of secrecy agreements and distrust. I’m not sure how we’re all supposed to get over it.”
“I don’t think we have a choice in the matter.” The tenor of his voice struck something in her.
Only the sound of Kota lapping water and icy rain beating against the windows cut through the silence.
She drummed her fingers along the edge of her laptop, still not sure how much to share in spite of what her mother had said. But Jeannie and Jack wanted a board of directors’ packet to reassure investors, and that would require Glenna and Broderick working together. “How did the meeting go with your father and your family?”
“Stunned surprise.”
She lowered the laptop screen, sliding back in her leather seat. “Not a surplus of congratulations, huh?”
“We’re all still in shock.”
“Less than an hour after the call, my sister-in-law and baby sister started sending out texts about organizing an impromptu shower or bachelorette party or something like that for the females in both families. Made me feel bad for not jumping on board with the congrats and felicitations.”
“You have to remember that they weren’t blinded by the—”
“Right. Don’t remind me. I feel bad about my reaction. My mother’s an adult. She’s entitled to her own life. It’s just tough to turn on a dime and see this relationship positively, after a lifetime of our parents bad-mouthing the business practices of the other family.”
He flipped a pencil over and over, tapping it on the tabletop rhythmically. She watched it linger between his fingers, mesmerized by the small, controlled gesture. Only the challenge in his voice broke her trance. “The business practices? What exactly do you object to in the way we do business?”
“I’m not trying to pick a fight.” Her voice rose, and her puppy sat up, whining. “We’re going to have to sort this out.”
“No. We just have to come up with a cohesive plan for the financials that we can present to the board. Ways to combine assets while preserving jobs.”
She snapped her fingers for Kota to come to her. “And staying on track for a pipeline.”
He dovetailed on her thoughts. “Building it faster and safer, to pipe more and be competitive. It’s a matter of self-preservation. Our parents haven’t given us any choice.”
“Right, of course.” She stroked her puppy’s back, the fluffy texture of his freshly washed coat soothing.
And she could definitely use all the comfort she could get right now, being closeted in this room with Broderick. Her senses were on overload from the fresh cedar scent of his aftershave, teasing and tempting her every breath. Her body wanted him…but her mind rebelled.
She still grieved for her dead husband. She’d loved him during their marriage. She’d loved him through every conflict as they’d worked so damn hard on their relationship. Yet on an earthy level, her body ached for closeness with a man. With Broderick.
Inhaling, she shivered at the delicious tingle of his scent even as she resented the tightening of her nipples. “Do you ever want more than…this? The job, the office?”
“No,” he answered without hesitation. “Does that mean you do want more? What would that be?”
Was it just her wayward imagination or had his voice lowered to an intimate level on that last question? His eyes locked on hers with a heat that seared right through her.