Baby for the Billionaire - By Maxine Sullivan Page 0,78
closed the distance between them, unwilling to allow her to shut him out. They may have chosen to enter their marriage in a cold-blooded fashion, but it wouldn’t continue that way. He slid his hands around her waist and tipped her into his arms. She fell against him, all feminine softness and delicious warmth.
“Don’t,” she pleaded. “It’s too much for me to handle.”
“Handle?” He lifted an eyebrow. “Or control?”
“Either. Both.”
“Then let go. I’ll take care of everything.”
He lowered his head and took her mouth. It was a simple kiss, yet one that created an intense explosion of pleasure. She struggled for a brief instant, more against herself than him. And then she wrapped her arms around his neck and sank into the heat.
He wished he could claim that he was kissing her for Isabella’s sake. But it would have been a lie. Selfishly, he wanted her for himself. Wanted it all. Wanted to right the world for his niece and try to give her some measure of happiness. And he wanted this woman in his bed, to wake beside her each morning. Endless Sundays filled with Family Bed stretched out before him, the mattress overflowing with child and dog, husband and wife. It was a life he’d never known.
It was a life he’d do whatever was necessary to create.
Seven
The wedding ceremony took place two short days later. It had been a struggle to convince Annalise that a formal wedding gown and tux was an absolute necessity. When he suggested as much, she’d stared at him in horrified disbelief.
“You must be joking.”
“Not even a little. Think it through logically, Annalise. This needs to be convincing. The unfortunate fact is, my name is going to generate news. Our marriage is going to generate news. I intend to use that to our advantage. I want every newspaper, rag and media outlet to splash lots of pictures of us in formal wedding gear. I want all the articles to rave about the whirlwind romance between the ruthless tycoon and the adorable nanny who won his heart.”
She paled. “My father. He has no idea I even work for you. What am I supposed to tell him about our marriage?”
“Tell him it was love at first sight.”
“He’ll never believe that.”
Jack’s eyes narrowed. “Why not?”
“He just won’t,” she argued. “He knows me. He knows I’m not the type to fall for someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” He wondered if he sounded as offended as he felt.
“Rich. Powerful.” She regarded him impatiently, refusing to reflect even a modicum of nervousness at his reaction. “It’s too fast. I’m a cautious type of person.”
“What’s really going on, Annalise?”
Her chin shot up. “You once told me your father taught you to do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. Well, mine taught me not to make rash decisions. Just as you’ve taken your family motto to heart, so have I. My father knows I wouldn’t marry someone I’ve only known for a couple of weeks.”
“Then you’ll have to find a way to convince him that you’ve made an exception this one time.”
She spun away, turning her back to him so he couldn’t read her expression. “Dad agreed to captain a charter into the Caribbean for the summer. It may take a while to track down his boat and get word through to him. This is something that needs to be done in person. When he does get in touch, I’ll do my best to convince him it’s a love match, but I suggest we come up with an alternative story. Because I guarantee we’re going to need one.” She faced Jack once again. She’d gathered up her self-control and hid every scrap of emotion behind a calm expression. “How will your father react to our marriage?”
“I guess we’ll find out when it hits the newspapers.”
Her air of calm evaporated. “You’re not going to tell him yourself?”
He bared his teeth in a grin. “Trust me. It’ll be more fun if we do it my way.”
He didn’t give her time to argue the situation. Instead he dropped her and Isabella off at an exclusive little boutique with instructions to the proprietor to dress his bride-to-be in the most romantic gown available, and to make sure that his niece wore something that matched. The blank check he offered to make certain everything was completed on time ensured satisfaction on behalf of both parties. Much to his private amusement, he left Isabella glowing and Annalise glowering.
The next morning Derek had surprised him by showing up