Her Bad Boy Billionaire Lover (Billionai - By Bretton, Barbara Page 0,44

and the hard work. It had nothing to do with five-bedroom houses and fancy cars...or a man who would break her heart in two. Her daughter's happiness meant the world to her and she'd been crazy to believe she needed anything else--or anyone--to make her life complete.

"Ingrid!" she called out. "Did you call Miguel? I--"

"Oh, thank God you're here!" A young girl Megan recognized as one of Ingrid's neighbors popped up at her side. She had the camcorder clutched in her hands. "You wouldn't believe what happened." Her face wrinkled comically. "It was really gross. Mrs. Chavez's water broke right there on the patio. I was really scared the baby was just gonna pop right out near the barbecue pit."

"Ingrid left for the hospital?"

The girl nodded vigorously. "Mr. Chavez cleaned up the gunk and they went off to the hospital. My mom and me said we'd watch the kids until you got back."

Megan looked over to the laughing knot of little girls who were waiting for the chance to ride Sparkles, the Happy Birthday Pony. Jenny was right in the thick of things. "They don't look any the worse for the wear." She looked back at the teenager. "How did you handle their questions?"

"There weren't any," said the girl with a shrug. "Sparkles showed up and ponies are a lot more interesting than babies."

Megan counted her blessings. She was all in favor of telling kids the truth about the facts of life, but six seemed a little young to explain the wonders of the placental sac. She took the camcorder from the girl.

"Thanks for your help," she said. "I can take over from here."

"I don't mind," said the girl. "I was kind of hoping to get a ride on Sparkles myself." She gave Megan a sheepish look. "If you don't mind, that is."

Megan laughed. "Don't let me stop you. If Sparkles doesn't have any objections then it's okay with me."

With a whoop of excitement the young girl practically galloped across the yard to wait her turn.

Megan looked at the camcorder with dismay. It didn't look all that difficult to use. She'd tried her hand at it last Christmas when Ingrid and Miguel wanted a family record of opening presents beneath the tree.

"First the lens cap comes off," she muttered. "Then you check the light meter."

"Tape," said a familiar voice behind her. "Make sure you have enough tape."

God, no. Please not now...not here.

"Great driving, Meggie," he said in that infuriatingly sexy Aussie voice of his. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get away from me."

"I was trying to get away from you."

He gestured toward the kids waiting for their turn to ride Sparkles. "Since when did you go into the babysitting business?"

She felt lightheaded with fear. "This is my partner's house."

"She has one hell of a big family."

"It's a birthday party, you fool," she snapped, spinning around to glare up at him.

"So where is your partner? I'd like to meet the money behind your operation before you sign on the dotted line."

"I'm not signing on the dotted line. You can take your contract and--"

"That temper of yours always did get you into trouble, Meggie. How does your partner like it when you run away at the first sign of rough weather? That's not going to get you back to Palm Beach."

She didn't look at him. She didn't acknowledge his words. Turning on her heel she headed for the patio telephone.

"If you're calling for pizza, make mine pepperoni," he drawled, following close behind.

"I'm calling the police," she said through gritted teeth. "This is harassment and I won't stand for it."

"The Miami police force has enough to worry about. Don't waste their time."

"The hell I won't." She grabbed for the phone but he got there first. "So help me, Jake, I'll--"

"I'm leaving in a few days," he said without preamble. "It's now or never. Come with me, Meggie. We'll work it out while we see the world. We have another ship ready to sail out of Bermuda. Then I'm flying to Hawaii and--"

"I don't give a damn about your itinerary." She glared up at him, praying her fear didn't show. Praying that Jenny would remain occupied with the pony. Praying that this was all a bad dream and she would wake up in her own bed, with Jenny safe and sound in the next room. "I'll give you ten seconds to get out of here."

He handed her the phone. "You might as well call the police then, Meggie,