and in silence watched him go out the door and stride to his car.
When she closed the door behind him, her mind was churning.
Marriage. The idea was staggering. Yet she had to acknowledge, as much as she hated to, that in some ways Ryan was correct. Marriage would solve a lot of her problems.
With her thoughts in a turmoil, she moved sluggishly toward her bedroom. Without realizing what she was doing, she stopped, standing in the middle of the room and staring into space while she mulled over everything that had happened.
Tomorrow night she was having dinner with him, and he intended for them to make wedding plans. She was still in shock over the prospect. The minute Ryan had reappeared in her life, he’d turned it as topsy-turvy as her first encounter with him had been.
She thought again how little they knew each other, and ground her teeth together. She might as well decide what she would wear, she figured—anything to try to keep her mind off what was happening. She knew sleep would be a long time coming.
Trying to collect shards of self-assurance that had been shattered by Ryan’s demands, she left work an hour early the next day. She wanted to take her time getting ready, so she would feel and look her best. Even though he hadn’t said where they were going for dinner, somewhere casual or dressy, she selected a clinging black dress with a dramatic slashed V-neck trimmed in white that dipped to her waist. The skirt ended above her knees. Her black spiked heels gave her added height.
She swept her hair up on one side and let it fall loosely across her back and down the other side.
Finally she was ready, and while she waited, she thought that Ryan would probably be a great father. And her family would love her baby as much as a child could be loved. For the first time the prospect of telling them excited her. Married to Ryan, she would be able to inform them about the baby with joy and without all the worries she’d had before.
Ryan had been correct about that prediction, and eventually she might admit as much to him. But at the moment, she was so angry with him she didn’t care to tell him he’d gotten anything right.
When she heard a car, she glanced at herself in the mirror one last time, seeing a woman who looked poised and dressed for a night out. Uncertainty sent a ripple of worry through her. Had she overdressed? If he’d decided on barbecue and cooking at his place … She put the thought out of mind. With a toss of her head, she picked up her purse and went to the door as the bell rang.
The moment she opened the door, she was reassured about her dress. Ryan wore a dark brown suit and was stunningly handsome. As usual. And she saw the warm approval in his eyes when he looked at her, stepped inside and closed her door behind him.
“You look fantastic!” he said, touching her cheek lightly and then drawing his finger down the edge of the vee of her dress. She inhaled, because his feathery touch stirred hot tingles.
He bent his knees to look into her eyes. “Still angry?” he asked. “Hopefully, I can change that tonight.”
“Don’t count on it, Ryan,” she replied grimly.
He placed his hand on her shoulder. “I hope someday soon you’ll forgive me completely.”
“We’ll see,” she said tightly.
He gave her a long, probing look and she wondered what he was thinking. Then he reached for the door.
“I don’t need to ask if you’re ready to go, so shall we leave?”
She nodded and set her alarm, going out ahead of Ryan. In his sleek, black sports car, she sat far on her side, riding in silence, letting anger smolder and wondering how long he was going to put up with her fury. Or would it wear him down enough that he’d withdraw his offer? She’d soon see.
Then she realized they’d been driving a long time, and she glanced at him with curiosity. “Where are we going?”
“Someplace that I hope is special,” he replied easily.
“If you’re trying to bribe me into a good humor about this, it won’t work,” she said, frowning at him.
“Not at all. I want to show you a good time and a night to remember.”
“Ryan, how can I possibly forget one moment with you?” she asked in a tight voice.
Then she watched as they swung into the lane for the airport. Her amazement grew when they pulled up to a hangar and crossed the tarmac to a dazzling white jet.
“What are we doing?” she asked, realizing he was completely unpredictable to her.
“I’m just taking you to dinner at a place I hope you like.” He took her arm, leading her to the plane while the sun slanted toward the horizon on the warm spring afternoon.
In minutes they were airborne in his private jet. Ashley watched Dallas slip away below, and realized they had banked and were heading south toward the Gulf.
She turned from the window to find Ryan watching her. Her racing heartbeat was one thing that her anger with him hadn’t changed. Whenever the magnetic tug of his bedroom eyes focused on her, her pulse accelerated, no matter what she thought about him.
He sat across from her in a plush seat, and the well-decorated, comfortable interior of the plane reminded her of his money everywhere she looked. His money, and she was marrying into it. The idea amazed her, but didn’t help her ruffled feelings over his authoritarian manner. She could get along without Ryan and his money. She always had. And she had a family who would love her baby and support her, whether Ryan was on the scene or not.
“Penny for your thoughts,” he said.
“I’m still fuming and wondering how you can possibly expect this marriage to work.”
“The chances of my marriage to you being happy are vastly greater than the chances for success I figured I had when I was a kid—so much so that this wedding prospect doesn’t give me many qualms.”
“You have done a complete turnaround since that weekend when you let me know you preferred to remain a bachelor for many years to come.”
“I didn’t know you then—or had known you only a few hours. I wasn’t expecting a baby and I didn’t see the great possibilities for the future.”
She rolled her eyes and shook her head. “And you expect me to simply turn my life over to you and let you make all the decisions.”
“Hardly,” he said, smiling at her. He moved to the seat beside her and turned her swivel chair to face him, then cupped her chin in his hand. “Just this one thing. I have to get my way on marriage because it’s what’s best for all concerned, and I expect the day to come when you’ll agree. I don’t think we have time to wait and hash it over.”
“Yes, we do,” she said. “You could take time to court me. We could get to know each other, and then you could propose like a normal person, instead of taking charge and getting your way.”
“By offering to end your family’s problems? I don’t think that’s too evil.” He was close and his gaze bored into her, making her weak-kneed as she argued with him. When he looked down at her mouth, taunting memories seized her. Her lips parted, tingled, and she couldn’t repress her blatant physical response. “Ashley,” he whispered, “You’re pregnant. Face it, I can make things easier for you.”
“It’s not evil, Ryan. It’s generous and wonderful, but arrogant, and you don’t know whether you’re getting us into a lasting relationship or not.”
“Who knows that for certain when they marry?” he asked, but she focused on his mouth and couldn’t think about his question.
“I’d like you in my arms and in my bed,” he said. “I want to love you and I don’t intend to wait.” He touched her cheek lightly. “You have no idea what you do to me.”
Her heart thudded at the last and she couldn’t