Snowbound with the Boss (8 page)

“Be careful,” Sean warned.

“For heaven's sake...” Her mutter carried even while she walked away.

Sean spared her a single glance, then turned his focus back to the man staring at him. Awkward, he told himself, but no getting around it.

“I didn't know she was pregnant,” Sean said, once Kate was out of earshot.

“I know.” Harry's eyes were narrowed on him. “I disagreed with her on that, wanted her to tell you, but she's a strong woman. Hardheaded, too.”

“Yeah, I know,” Sean said. “I like that about her.”

Harry snorted and relaxed his stance enough that Sean was pretty sure he wasn't about to be punched. Funny how facing down the father of the woman you're sleeping with could make a man feel like a teenager caught breaking curfew.

“Kate's a grown woman and her decisions are her own, no matter how I'd like to think different.”

Sean thought he could see the man's point of view and now that he knew he was also going to be the father of a daughter, he had to wonder if he'd be as reasonable as Harry Baker was in the same situation. Of course, Sean's daughter would never be in this situation because he was never going to let a man near his girl. But for now, he had to reassure Kate's father.

“She's not alone in this,” Sean told the other man quietly. “Now that I know about the baby, I'm in this and she's not going to shake me loose.”

Harry tipped his head to one side and studied Sean. His eyes were sharp, and Sean thought he probably didn't miss much. Made him uncomfortable having that steady gaze fixed on him, but he stood his ground and waited.

“Good to know,” Harry said with a nod. “But I'm thinking it's my daughter that brought you here.”

Sean frowned. He had come to see Kate. To see if he had imagined the connection between them—which he hadn't. Hell, his mouth was still burning, his body still sizzling just from that one short, furious kiss they'd shared. He didn't know what the hell was between him and Kate, but he did know they had to figure it out before he talked to her father about all of this.

Instead, he said only, “It's my hotel, Mr. Baker. I've got to keep an eye on the progress.”

Shaking his head, Harry mused, “You check out every hotel with a kiss?”

Sean scowled and rubbed one hand across the back of his neck. “Yeah, you saw that.”

“I did. Look, what's between you is private.” Harry folded beefy arms across his wide chest and stood like a man braced for a fight. “But I'll say I want my pregnant daughter married.”

Married?
Amazing how that one small word could hit a man like a bucket of rocks. Nobody had said anything about getting married, Sean thought. He could understand how Harry felt, but marriage was something that seemed so...forever.
But so
, his mind whispered,
is a baby
. A child. Linking him and Kate always.

Hell, he hadn't had enough time to think things through. To make a plan. To figure out what his response should be. There was too much going on in his head right now to make sense of much of it. But he did know he wanted his kid. He wanted the chance to prove—if only to himself—that he wasn't the same man he once was. That he'd grown and changed.

Harry was still talking, though, so Sean listened.

“This is the first real sign of life I've seen in my girl since she lost her husband.”

“Husband?”

Harry's eyebrows lifted. “Didn't know about Sam, eh? Well, not surprising. My girl isn't what you'd call a big sharer.” He frowned to himself. “Losing Sam threw her hard. She doesn't really talk about it, but I can see it. She changed after Sam. Locked herself down.” He paused and gave Sean another long look. “Until you, that is.”

Sean didn't know what to say to that. She'd never mentioned being married. Being widowed. Why the news hit him so hard was beyond him. But just knowing she'd once been another man's wife was hard to deal with. What was he like, the mystery husband? As he wondered, he remembered their conversation last winter and how she'd only been with one other man.

He groaned internally. Hell, no wonder she'd been so defensive of a man who hadn't been much of a lover. He'd been her
husband
. She'd loved the guy and clearly remained loyal to him even now. There was a tightness in Sean's chest he didn't care for, so he rubbed his fist against his breastbone in a futile effort to ease the discomfort. Weird position to be in, he thought as he recognized what he was feeling. Envious of a dead man.

“She and Sam talked about having a family, but then he was gone and Kate sort of...” Harry paused then said, “Shut down. Like she pulled away from life because it was just too painful. But since you, and now the baby, she's been different. More like herself than I've seen in a while.”

Was she still in love with the long-gone Sam? Sean didn't much care for that thought and didn't care to explore why the idea bothered him as much as it did. He had his own past, didn't he? He hadn't told her about Adrianna and the baby. Hadn't opened up his soul.

Passion had brought them together, and Fate had thrown them both a curve by creating a child to mark the occasion.

What the hell was he supposed to do with this information?

He was going home in a couple of days. He had to be in California for the launch of “The Wild Hunt.” But how could he leave Kate and his child behind?

* * *

“Are you crazy?” Kate demanded a few hours later. “I can't go to California. We're in the middle of a job!”

Sean folded his arms across his chest and leaned one shoulder against the doorjamb. His eyes were cool, almost amused, and that just fed the outrage rushing through her. Sean and her father had walked in from their forest meeting like old friends, each of them smiling, until they caught sight of her. Then the two of them had presented a united front of keeping her in the dark.

Had they cooked this up between them?

“I told you that you couldn't march into my life and start issuing orders,” she reminded him. “And if you and my dad think you can make plans for me like I'm a child who needs two strong men to take care of me, then you're both crazy.”

Casually, he crossed one foot over the other and looked, she thought, not just amused, but
bored
by her arguments. “This has nothing to do with your father. I have to be back at the office to help run the launch of the new game—”

“So, go,” she told him quickly, both relieved and somehow disappointed to know he was leaving. But she'd get over it. “Happy trails.”

He snorted and shook his head as he watched her. She wished for an interruption. But that wasn't going to happen.

They were alone in the hotel, with the crew and her father having left more than a half hour ago. Kate had lingered behind to make sure everything was safely tucked away for the night. Tools, extension cords, coffeepots, radios. She'd checked every window on the ground floor and every door lock. They were far enough out in the country that they probably didn't have to worry about thieves or vandals dropping by, but it didn't hurt to make sure things were safe.

Naturally, Sean had stayed, too. As he'd promised earlier, she'd been unable to shake him loose. Now she knew why. He'd waited until they were alone to spring his ridiculous idea.

Outside, the light was going soft and pearly as the sky deepened toward the coming night. Inside, there were only a few lights on, keeping the shadows at bay.

“Oh, I'm going, and you're coming with me.”

He looked so sure of himself, Kate wanted to kick him. “The job—”

“Is at a stage where you can leave your crew working without supervision for a few days.”

“Days?”

“Maybe a week.” He shrugged as if unconcerned about the time he was demanding she take.

“It's business, Kate.” Before she could argue again, he said, “I want you out there to meet with our artists. They've had some ideas on the new cabins, and you can consult with them and meet with the architect in person.”

“It's not necessary,” she argued, already feeling as if she'd lost this battle. He looked calm and in control, and she felt the ragged threads of
her
control sliding from her fingers, but she made one more try. “As long as I have the plans, we'll get it done.”

Sean sighed and shook his head. “You're going to lose this one, Kate. This is my job, and I want my contractor in California for a meeting.”

He was right. She couldn't win here. He was not only the man currently driving her insane, but he was also her boss. Refusing to go with him just wasn't an option. But whatever he said, this wasn't only about business. He had an ulterior motive. She just wasn't sure what it was. To get her out of her comfort zone? To
show
her the difference in their lifestyles? To prove that if he wanted their baby, he had the money and power to take it?

Anxiety rippled in the pit of her stomach, and she had the distinct feeling it wouldn't be dissipating anytime soon.

“Pack for a week,” he said casually, then glanced around the great room as if the subject was closed. “You were right about these floors,” he mused. “Sanded and refinished they look brand-new and old at the same time.”

Automatically, her gaze dropped to the floorboards. In the dim light, they shone golden, with a soft gleam that caught the light and held it. Yes, the hotel was looking good. Walls were painted, floors refinished, ceiling beams stripped and sanded until they looked as they had when the place was first built. But at the moment, she didn't feel like admiring her crew's work.

“Yeah, oak will do that. But back to the point—”

“The point is,” he interrupted her neatly, “we leave day after tomorrow. Be ready.”

Eight

I
t started with a private jet.

The minute she walked on board, Kate knew that she would never be happy flying coach again. There were luxurious leather seats, plush carpeting so thick her shoes sank in it and a flight attendant whose sole duty was to ensure that Kate enjoyed the trip to California. Sadly, the very efficient woman couldn't ease the knot of nerves in Kate's stomach.

That knot only tightened once they landed, and Sean drove them to his penthouse condo on the beach. Stepping into that expansive space was a revelation. Sean gave the impression of being a regular guy who liked surfing. She had known, of course, just how rich he was, but his home really defined the difference between her life and his.

The living room was wide and furnished with tasteful comfort in mind. Polished wood floors were dotted with thick rugs in neutral tones. Couches and chairs were overstuffed, inviting visitors to drop down and be comfortable. A wall of windows provided an amazing view of the Pacific, and with the French doors opened to a terrace that stretched the length of the building, a sea breeze drifted lazily into the room.

Anxious, Kate wandered through the condo and let the silence inside her, where hopefully it would settle the nerves clawing at her. She was alone now, as she had been the night before, sleeping in one of the guest rooms in this palace. Sean hadn't pushed for her to join him in his bed, and a part of her had been disappointed in that.

This morning when she woke, Sean was already gone. But he'd left her a note in the living room.

Went surfing. Make yourself at home. I'll be back in a couple hours and we'll go to the office.

So Kate made coffee in the incredible kitchen and tried not be envious of the six-burner stove, the sub-zero fridge and the miles of black granite. She was willing to bet the man never cooked anything more than a cup of coffee and maybe toast. No way he could really appreciate this kitchen for the incredible work space it was.

Sighing, she took her coffee onto the terrace and sat down on one of the cushioned chairs arranged there to enjoy the view. In June, gray skies covered the coast of California every morning, keeping the heat down and giving the Pacific a leaden look. The ocean was immense and frothed with white caps. Boats, their brightly colored sails billowing in the wind, skimmed across the surface of the water, and near the shore she could make out a handful of surfers riding the waves.

“Is one of them Sean?” Kate watched, thought about the man who'd brought her here and wondered what the hell she was going to do for the next few days.

Having him on her turf was hard enough, but being on
his,
completely pulled her out of her comfort zone... She kept losing her mental balance and wasn't sure how to get it back—or even if she would.

When her phone rang, she answered gratefully. “Molly, hi.”

“Hi, yourself. How's it going?”

“Well, I'm sitting here on the private terrace of a truly awesome penthouse, staring out at the ocean.”

“Wow,” Molly said on a sigh. “Sounds rough.”

Kate laughed shortly. Trust Molly to put things in perspective. “Okay, his home is beautiful and looks like a spread in a magazine. You should see the kitchen.”

“Uh-huh, unlike you, I really don't care about kitchen goodies. What about Sean? What's happening with you two?”

“Nothing.” Kate sipped at her coffee and sighed. “I don't know why I'm here. I swear, even though he insisted this trip was about business, there was a part of me that figured he was just trying to get me out here and into his bed.” Well, boy,
that
sounded egotistical. “You know, keep me happy long enough that he could find a way to get our baby.”

“Come on, Kate...”

“But he didn't try anything last night.” Frustration jumped into life and held hands with the anxiety inside her. “Nothing. He just showed me the guest room.”

And that fact, she was forced to admit, had bothered her more than a little. She'd lain awake half the night, imagining him in the room across the hall and wishing that she was lying next to him, which made her...what? Pitiful? Crazy? Masochistic?

“Well,” Molly sympathized, “that's just sad.”

“It really
is.
But more than sad,” Kate told her, “it's out of character. He's been flirting with me and trying to seduce me since we met. Now all of a sudden, nothing? He's been really quiet, too, and that's really not like him. Plus, I keep finding him watching me.”

“That doesn't sound like a bad thing.”

“Not
that
kind of watching. This is more studying, like I was a bug under a microscope and he's trying to figure out exactly what species I am.”

“You're overreacting, honey,” Molly said, and Kate could almost
see
her shaking her head slowly.

But Molly didn't know Sean like Kate did. Okay, they hadn't known each other for very long, but their relationship had been pretty intense right from the beginning. Being with Sean made Kate feel more alive than she did without him. She liked arguing with him, liked laughing with him and she loved being held by him.
Loved?

That word sneaked in there unexpectedly and for the moment, Kate was going to ignore it.

“I think he's up to something.”

“Paranoid much?” Molly asked, laughing.

“Molly, he told me he wants the baby.” She looked over her shoulder into the living room of the condo. “Judging by this place, the private jet, if he wanted to, he could go for custody and I wouldn't stand a chance.”

Instantly her friend's attitude shifted. “Don't do this to yourself, Kate. Don't go looking for trouble. Wait for it to find you if it's coming.”

“Hard to be prepared if you're waiting,” Kate said, shifting her gaze back to the cool, blue ocean. On the other hand there was just no preparing for Sean Ryan. He was like a force of nature, blowing into her life and turning it all upside down.

“Kate, do yourself a favor,” Molly said softly. “Just enjoy where you are while you're there. Stop worrying about what might happen before it does.”

Good advice, Kate thought a few minutes later when she hung up. She just didn't know if she could follow it or not. Worry was simply a part of who she was. As a kid, after her mother's death, she'd worried that her father would die, too. She'd insisted on going with him to job sites whenever she wasn't in school, just to keep an eye on him. Later, she'd worried about classes and worried when she married Sam that something would go wrong to ruin their happiness.

That time, she'd been right.

So how could she stop worrying about the possibility of losing her child?

“Kate? You here?”

She stood up and turned to see Sean striding into the condo. For one split second, she did exactly as Molly had advised and simply enjoyed the view. His hair was still damp, his jaw shadowed with whiskers. He had a cherry-red surfboard tucked under his left arm and the wetsuit he wore had been pulled down to his waist, leaving his arms and chest bare.

Heat erupted so fast, so completely, it stole her breath. Kate dragged in a gulp of air and forced herself to lift her gaze from his chest to meet his eyes. Once she did, she saw a flash of recognition shining there, and she knew that he was aware of what she'd been feeling.

But how could he be, she wondered, when she'd just that second realized she was in love with him?

She swayed a little as the knowledge settled into her brain to stay. Kate had been fighting her own emotions for too long. She had tried to ignore them, pretend that all she felt for Sean was the closeness associated with a lover—and the father of her child. She'd even tried to ignore the feelings altogether and when that didn't work, she'd lied to herself about the truth that was even now slamming home.

She couldn't be in love with a man in the position to take everything she cared about away from her. Couldn't give him even more power over her than he already had. Panic settled into the pit of her stomach, and she swallowed hard. After Sam, she'd vowed to never love again. To never put herself in a position to experience the pain of loss again. But it seemed that life happened even when you tried to avoid it.

“Hey!” Sean dropped the surfboard with a clatter and crossed to her in a blink. Holding on to her arms and looking into her eyes, he asked, “Are you okay? Your face just went snow-white. Is it the baby?”

He smelled so good was all she could think. But she managed to tie a rope around a single active brain cell, then dragged it around until it collected enough friends that she could speak again.

“I'm fine.” His eyes shone with worry. “Really. I'm fine. So's the baby.” She changed the subject quickly before he could grab her and rush her off to a doctor or something. “Did you have a good time?”

“Waves weren't much, but it was good to be out there again.” He shrugged, then reached up and ran both hands through his hair. His muscled chest rippled until Kate wanted nothing more than to stroke her palms across it. Deliberately, she curled her hands into fists.

“I'm going to grab a fast shower,” Sean said into the silence. “Then we'll head over to the office.”

“Okay.” She didn't want to think about him in the shower and wondered if he'd planted that image in her brain on purpose. But the way he walked out of the room, easily dismissing her, sort of shot down that theory.

So what was he up to? What was his plan?

* * *

Sean didn't have a plan.

He was still thinking about the fact that Kate had been someone's
wife
and hadn't told him. What the hell was that about? He'd seen the look in her eye this morning when he got home from the beach. Passion. Desire. Need. It was all there, easily enough read in spite of her attempts to hide it. But damn if he'd be a substitute for her dead husband. It had taken every ounce of self-control he had to keep from stalking across the room and grabbing her. Then she'd gone so white, anger had been swamped by a flood of panic.

He was keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn't do that again. And once Sean was sure she was okay, he would need some answers.

He watched her working with the art department and heard the deep, rich music of her laughter at something Dave said. She flipped her long, loose hair back and bent over Dave's shoulder as he made notations on a computer.

“Does she have to get
that
close?” he muttered.

“I like her.”

Sean shot his brother a sour look, not pleased that he'd been so focused on Kate that Mike had been able to sneak up on him.

“Yeah, she's good. Did you see how quickly she picked up on the ideas for different rooflines on the cabins? I liked how she tweaked them, too, so each cabin will have a different look and style.”

“I noticed,” Mike said, giving his brother a shoulder bump, “but I wasn't talking about her work. I like
her
. She's nice. Funny. Pretty, too.”

Sean rolled his eyes. Mike wasn't exactly subtle. “She is. Kate and Jenny seem to have hit it off.”

Mike nodded and watched his wife join Kate and Dave at the computer. All three of them were talking over each other to the point where Sean had to wonder how they could get anything done. His gaze fixed on Kate, in her black slacks and the tight, short-sleeved yellow shirt that defined and displayed her rounded belly. Something inside him stirred, a sense of protectiveness, possession, that surprised him with its depth. And there was something else there, as well. It wasn't just the baby he wanted, it was Kate.

“You're staring,” Mike murmured.

“What?” Sean shot him a quick look. “The only way you would know that is because you're watching
me
. Cut it out. Don't you have somewhere to be?”

“Nope, the beauty of being a boss. I can be wherever I want to be. And right now, I want to watch my brother drool over a pregnant woman.” Mike grinned when Sean turned his head to stare at him. “Something you'd like to tell the class?”

Sean jerked his head then walked off, knowing his brother would follow. Once in Mike's office with the door closed, Sean paced, hands in his pockets, too restless to stand still.

“So? It's your baby, isn't it?”

Sean stopped, took a breath and looked at Mike. “Yeah, it is.
She
is.”

“A daughter?” Mike grinned widely. “That's excellent. Congratulations. We find out our baby's sex tomorrow.”

Sean nodded, knowing just how excited Mike was about the baby Jenny was carrying. They'd made a family, they were building a future. Right now, all Sean had was the knowledge that he would be a father. He'd never really been one to look into the future. He was more of a right-now kind of guy. But a lot was changing in his life lately.

“That's great, Mike,” he said, dragging one hand through his hair. “Really.”

“Yeah, it is.” Mike walked across the room and sat on the edge of his desk. “What's going on, Sean?”

“Oh,” he said, snorting a laugh, “not much. I just found out I'm going to be a father. The woman carrying my kid wants nothing to do with me, and did I mention she used to be married but her sainted husband died two years ago?”

“Whoa. That's a lot.”

“You think?” Sean dropped into a chair, stretched his legs out in front of him and folded his hands on his abdomen. “It bugs the hell out of me that she didn't tell me she was married before.” He shook his head. “I mean, sure we haven't known each other long and she really didn't have a reason to tell me, but why didn't she? Hell, I don't even know
why
it bugs me so much.”

“Don't you?” Mike asked.

“Is she still in love with the dead guy, Mike?”

“I don't know,” his brother said thoughtfully. “Why don't you ask her?”