quite succeed. When the plate was hot, he directed her to a seat at the table.
Twenty minutes later, she’d polished off a reasonable portion of beef, bread and a brownie he’d insisted she eat.
She leaned back in her chair and stretched her legs. “That was delicious. Thanks.”
His gaze enigmatic, he gave a slight smile. “You’re welcome. Not bad for Mr. Steel.”
Lilli blinked, then realized there was only one way he could have known she’d called him that. Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. “How long were you listening to my phone conversation?” she accused.
“It wasn’t premeditated,” he said. “I was going to tell you about the report I got from Jim, but you were so absorbed in your conversation that you didn’t notice me.”
Lilli closed her eyes, wishing she could hide. “Great.”
“And no, I don’t have a wife or mistress tied to my bed. I haven’t found it necessary to tie women up to keep them in my bed.”
She opened her eyes. “I didn’t mean it the way—”
He waved his hand. “We may as well get this on the table. I know you’re attracted to me,” he said without a millimeter of arrogance.
She opened her mouth to deny it, but her throat closed around the lie.
“I’m flattered that you think I’m hot,” he said. “But it’s probably a good idea that you also think I’m cold because, for some reason, I find you attractive.”
Lilli gaped at him, sure he was mocking her. “No.”
“Yes,” he said.
“But I’m pregnant,” she blurted out. “And not with your baby.”
“Your pregnancy doesn’t conceal your other assets. It doesn’t conceal your fire.” His gaze traveled to her breasts and lower to her legs, then all the way back up to her mouth, making her feel as if a hot wind had blown over her. He gave a short laugh as if the joke was on him. “Don’t worry. I’ll get over it. You may have seduced one De Luca, but I’m not as easily impressed as my brother.”
She felt as if he’d slapped her. “I haven’t been trying to impress you,” she told him. “Besides, your brother did the seducing, not me.”
“It doesn’t sound like you fought him.”
“I didn’t,” she told him, but there’d been a time he’d taken advantage of her. “My mother died one week before I met Tony and I freely admit I was a mess.” She met and held his gaze for a long, fierce moment. “And besides the fact that you’re hot, what makes you think I would want to go round two with anyone with the last name De Luca?” She stood and whirled away.
He snagged her wrist, pulling her against him when she stumbled. Her hand fell against his chest and she felt his heart against her palm, his heat all over her.
“Hold on to that thought,” he said. “You’re going to need it. But just so you know, if you ever went to bed with me, you would never think of it as round two.”
Looking into his hard, sensual gaze, Lilli felt a shiver run through her. Somehow, deep inside her, deeper than her bones, she knew that again he wasn’t bragging. He was just telling the truth.
Three
Lilli awakened to the sound of the Bose alarm clock on the elegant bedside table. The strains of classical music lulled her into consciousness. Rolling to her side, she pulled the pillow over her head.
Just a couple more minutes. This bed was divine. It felt so wonderful she hated to leave it. Much better than her lumpy mattress back at her apartment.
She stiffened at the thought and immediately sat up in bed. Frowning, she told herself not to get used to this level of luxury. Sometime, more likely sooner than later, she would be living in a place where she was both the chief housekeeper and assistant housekeeper. There would be no Bose stereo systems and the closest she would get to a gourmet meal prepared by a chef would be a frozen dinner.
Rising from the bed, she padded across the luxury carpet to the large shower in the connecting bathroom. She would need to get up earlier since her commute to work was longer from Max’s home. The very thought of him made something inside flutter and flip.
Hunger, she told herself. It had to be hunger or the baby. After she donned her colorful scrubs, she headed downstairs and was surprised to see Max pacing and speaking into a cell phone via a Bluetooth in his ear. He wore running shorts and a tank top that showed off his muscular legs and arms. Everything about him oozed strength. “Tell Alex we’re limiting our domestic expansion until we see what happens with the dollar.”
He saw her and lifted a hand. “Yes, I know Alex still resents that I was promoted over him. We each serve an important purpose. I provide the balance. He provides the fireworks. Tell him I said to think global. I’m working from home this morning. I’ll be in the office this afternoon and will get an update then. Thanks. Bye.”
He immediately turned to Lilli. “Good morning. Did you rest well?”
She nodded. “Yes, thank you.”
“We have fresh-squeezed orange juice and the cook will be happy to prepare anything you like.”
She shook her head. “I need to get on the road if I’m going to make it to work in time.”
He frowned. “You can’t skip breakfast. What about the baby?”
“I’ll grab something at work. We always have fruit and bagels in the workroom,” she said.
He shot her a disapproving glance. “That’s not good nutrition.”
“I don’t think my baby is suffering. I’m taking my prenatal vitamins.” He moved toward her and she struggled with the urge to flee. She was doing her best to keep her gaze fixed on his eyebrows. She refused to look into his eyes, or at his mouth, or at that stubborn chin or at those shoulders. Or lower. Feeling a flush of heat, she stepped backward. “Better go. See you la—”
“Your things from your apartment should be here by the time you return,” he said.
Lilli stopped abruptly and blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I arranged for someone to pack your belongings and bring them here. Duplications like most of your furniture, dishes and linens will be put in storage. All the baby items will be moved into the nursery.”
Trying to catch up with him, she shook her head in confusion. “Where is the nursery?”
“Across the hall from your bedroom,” he said. “A decorator will be calling you later today so you can tell her what you would like done to it.”
She shook her head again. “Did I ever actually say that I was going to stay here?”
He lifted a dark eyebrow. “There was another choice?”
She sighed, hating him for being right. “Well, you could have given me a little time to adjust to the idea. There’s no reason I couldn’t pack my own stuff and—”
His eyes widened in horror. “Moving in your condition?”
She sighed. “I’m very healthy. Women have been getting pregnant and delivering babies for years. In ancient times, it wasn’t unusual for a woman to be working in the fields one minute, having her baby the next, then back at work immediately.”
“I won’t have you in the fields, period,” he said in a dry tone. “In terms of the speed of the movers, there was no need to wait. We both agree, even if you don’t want to admit it, that you belong here until we figure out a safe place for you and the baby. And that will be months from now.”
She made a face at his imperious tone. Lord help her, he sounded like an emperor.
“In