Nine Months Part 1 (36 Hours)

by Beverly Barton

  “Why were you dressed like a cowboy Friday evening?” she asked.

  “I’d just flown in from my ranch in Texas,” he said. “Besides, I don’t wear suits all the time. What about you? Why didn’t you tell me you’d just been hired as my administrative assistant?”

  “I didn’t know who you were! I had no idea you were L. J. Montgomery.”

  “Sit down.” He pulled up a chair and placed it in front of his desk. “We’re caught in a rather awkward situation here, aren’t we?”

  That was the understatement of the year, she thought as she continued standing there staring at him. He was going to fire her, here and now. She was just about to lose the best job she’d ever had before she even started work. “I’ll save you the trouble of asking me to leave. I’ll get my purse off my desk and—”

  “I’m not going to fire you,” he said, then pointed to the chair. “Please, Ms. Summers…Paige, sit down.”

  Reluctantly, she sat, her back ramrod straight.

  “I know that we both assumed we’d never meet again,” he said. “But…we have.”

  “Yes, we have.” Paige was torn between her delight at seeing Jared again and her misery over the fact that he had turned out to be L. J. Montgomery. Her boss! One of the wealthiest and most powerful businessmen in the Southwest.

  “Look, as far as I’m concerned, there’s no reason you can’t keep this job.” Jared eased his rear down on the edge of his desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “What happened between us Friday night was a one-time-only thing. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have happened. And it’ll never happen again.”

  “I’m not sure I could work for you after what happened,” she said. Not now that I think I might already be halfway in love with you.

  “Look, Paige, you obviously need this job or you wouldn’t have applied for it.” Jared uncrossed his arms and stuck his hands in his pockets. “A job like this one, with all the benefits, doesn’t come along every day. It wouldn’t be fair to ask you to give it up just because of what happened. And I don’t date my employees. It’s one of my cardinal rules. One I never break.”

  “But don’t you think it might be a little embarrassing, our working together every day?”

  “There’s no reason why it has to be. We’ll just put the Friday night incident in the past, where it belongs. And it’s not as if you’ll even see me that often. I probably won’t be back to Colorado for several months.”

  “I know. Mr. Addison explained about your work schedule when he hired me.”

  “Then there shouldn’t be a problem.” Jared eased off his desk. “Honey, we’re a couple of adults. It wasn’t the first time for either of us. These things happen.”

  They don’t happen to me, she wanted to say, but didn’t. Instead she said, “You’re right, Mr. Montgomery. It would be stupid of me to let what happened between us make me give up a wonderful job.”

  “Then you’ll stay on here at Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development?”

  “Yes, I’ll stay.” As long as he wasn’t around every day, she’d be fine. And when he was in town, she’d just have to find a way to manage.

  “Then we have a deal, Ms. Summers. We’re going to pretend Friday night never happened.” Jared held out his hand. “And you’re going to stay on as my administrative assistant.”

  She didn’t want to touch him. But she had no choice. If she didn’t accept his handshake, he’d know she was afraid. Willing herself not to tremble, she put her hand in his. Her insides melted. All she wanted to do was wrap herself around him and ask him to hold her close forever.

  * * *

  That had been the last time Paige had seen him. Four months ago. And in those four months her life had changed forever. She had longed for Jared to return and tell her that his rejection had been a mistake, that he still wanted her as much as he had the night they’d shared such unparalleled passion in the elevator.

  Now Paige realized that once she had discovered L. J. Montgomery and her lover, Jared, were one in the same, she should have given up her job as his administrative assistant. She could have found something with another firm. After all, she had a business degree and nearly four years’ experience. If only she’d done the smart thing, she wouldn’t have had to endure talking to him on the phone, which always prompted her to dream about him. And she wouldn’t now be facing the prospect of his imminent return. But jobs that paid the salary she received at Montgomery’s and companies that provided such excellent employee benefits were few and far between.

  And now that she was in this situation, she desperately needed her good insurance to pay the doctor and hospital bills.

  This situation? Paige laughed aloud. Tears sprung to her eyes. She swatted them away as if they were pesky insects. She was not going to feel sorry for herself. She’d gotten herself into this situation and it was up to her to take care of herself.

  If she had a viable alternative to facing L. J. Montgomery, she wouldn’t still be working for his firm. But she needed her job, now more than ever. Her parents weren’t poor, but neither were they wealthy. Her father’s carpentry work supplemented his army retirement and the family got along just fine. But her parents had one son in his second year at the University of Colorado and a younger one was a senior in high school. They could hardly afford to take care of her.

  So far she’d been able to keep her condition a secret from everyone at work, including Kay Thompson, with whom she’d formed a genuine friendship. She wasn’t showing—not yet—not so that anyone could tell she was four months pregnant. But sooner or later, her pregnancy would become noticeable, and then what would she tell everyone? What would she tell Jared?

  Paige checked her watch. Twelve-thirty. Jared was due at the office at two. An hour and thirty minutes. Maybe she would feel differently about him once she saw him. It was possible that he wasn’t quite as wonderful as she remembered. Maybe he wasn’t as tall and lean and powerful and sexy as she’d thought he was. Maybe she had imagined his killer smile—those white teeth, that darkly tanned face. Maybe he was just an ordinary, attractive man with a nice smile.

  Yeah, sure. And I imagined our wild, hot, passionate lovemaking in the elevator. I imagined that what we shared was earth-shattering, unlike anything I’d ever experienced. And maybe I’m just imagining that I’m four months pregnant.

  Paige took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and glanced straight at L. J. Montgomery’s big, wide oak desk. Pretending he was sitting in the chair behind the desk, Paige went over her stories—the ones from which she’d have to choose when it became necessary to reveal her pregnancy.

  One was a lie. He wasn’t the father. The other was the truth. He was the father.

  What sort of woman would lie to a man about something so important? But then again, what sort of woman would make love to a perfect stranger in an elevator? She wasn’t the type to do either. But she’d already done one and might be forced to do the other.

  Once she saw Jared again, she’d know the right thing to do. Maybe, if she was lucky, he’d walk into the office, swoop her up in his arms and declare his undying love for her. But something told Paige she wasn’t going to be that lucky.

  * * *

  Jared had convinced himself that for the past four months he’d been far too busy to become involved with someone new. Although he’d made time for a few dates, not one of them had involved more than a pleasant dinner and a chaste good-night kiss. And when thoughts of Paige Summers drifted through his head, as they so often did, he forced them away, determined to put his Grand Springs administrative assistant out of his mind.

  In the cold, hard light of day, Jared was completely in charge of his life. He had learned at his wealthy father’s knee that power was everything, and despite his inherited millions, he’d been determined to prove himself in the business world—without his father’s help. And at thirty-seven, he’d done just that.

  But despite his iron will, he could not control his dreams. At night
, Paige curled herself around him like a purring kitten and he became powerless against his desire for her. No matter what his good sense told him—that no one, least of all some sexy redheaded working girl, was going to veer him off course and ruin his plans—his body told him the exact opposite—that he should give up everything to possess her.

  Years ago, another beautiful administrative assistant had wanted him to play Prince Charming to her Cinderella. If it hadn’t been for Grandpa Monty’s intervention, Jared would have found himself married to a sexy little gold digger. But he’d learned his lesson well, and in the years following, his romantic liaisons had been confined to brief, mutually satisfying affairs with sophisticated women, who like him, wanted nothing more.

  Of course, he would marry—eventually. He was damn near close to accomplishing everything he’d set out to achieve when he’d started his real estate and land development company straight out of college. In another five years—when he had achieved all his goals—he’d find a suitable wife, marry and have children.

  But he certainly wouldn’t find his life’s mate in an elevator. The woman he made his wife wouldn’t just have a gorgeous face and great body. And she certainly wouldn’t be some unsophisticated, hot-blooded, earthy, emotional redhead. No, when Lawrence Jared Montgomery married, he’d marry a dignified, sophisticated princess who would make him the perfect wife.

  And until recently, Jared noted, he’d enjoyed a rich, full social life, with his pick of women wherever he went. Oh, he still had his pick of women, but he’d been too busy to begin a new affair. Besides, he hadn’t met anyone really interesting in quite some time. Not since he’d spent an evening trapped in an elevator with a redheaded temptress.

  But Paige Summers was not the reason he hadn’t had sex with another woman in four months. She didn’t mean that much to him. Hell, she didn’t mean a thing to him! They’d had a one-night stand and that was all there was to it. They had both agreed that what had happened had been a mistake, that they’d forget it, pretend it never happened. All she was to him was an employee. His Grand Springs administrative assistant. A voice on the phone.

  They had corresponded on business matters via fax, E-mail and occasionally telephone. He avoided calling her except when it was absolutely necessary. Just the sound of her voice made him hard. It wasn’t her fault, of course. She couldn’t help that her voice was sweet and soft and so sexy that she could make reading from the phone book sound like an invitation to bed.

  Jared had put off returning to Colorado as long as he possibly could, relying on Greg to get the business off to a good start. But he needed to be in Grand Springs himself. He’d never before let a new branch of his company go without his personal attention for such a long time. And Greg was beginning to ask questions. Questions Jared couldn’t answer. Hell, what was he supposed to say? I’m scared to come back to Grand Springs because I had sex with my assistant when we were trapped in the elevator and I can’t get her out of my system? He’d never forget that Monday morning after they’d made love in the elevator.

  * * *

  Seeing Paige again was a surprise. Finding out she was his new administrative assistant was a shock. He supposed he should have fired her on the spot. But that would have been unfair to Paige. He felt relieved when she agreed to remain in his employ.

  “Then you’ll stay on here at Montgomery Real Estate and Land Development?” he asked.

  “Yes, I’ll stay.”

  “Then we have a deal, Ms. Summers. We’re going to pretend Friday night never happened.” He held out his hand. “And you’re going to stay on as my assistant.”

  Jared clasped her small soft hand. He wanted this woman. Wanted her badly. And wanted her now. Thank God he wouldn’t be in Colorado long. If he knew what was good for him, he’d leave that day. The last thing he wanted was to get involved with some administrative assistant who had stars in her eyes and the wedding march playing in her head. Paige Summers might be the most gorgeous, tempting female he’d ever run across, but she was not the type of woman he planned to marry. He certainly wasn’t going to allow his attraction to her ruin all his plans.

  He wished she wasn’t so damned gorgeous. All round, voluptuous curves, big brown eyes and glorious red hair. Just looking at her aroused him. If he had any sense at all, he’d send her away.

  Pulling her hand out of Jared’s grasp, Paige smiled weakly. “I’d better go back outside to my desk.”

  “Good idea. I’m sure Greg and Ms. Thompson are wondering why I whisked you off in here so quickly.”

  “If Kay…that is, if Ms. Thompson asks, what can I tell her?”

  “Tell her that my plans have changed and I’m going back to Texas today, so I needed to brief you on your duties immediately.”

  “But you haven’t,” Paige said.

  “Haven’t what?” He stared at her quizzically.

  “You haven’t briefed me on my duties.”

  “No, I haven’t.” Damn! If he didn’t straighten up his act, Paige would figure out what sort of effect she was having on him. Hell, if she took a good look at his crotch, she’d know. Just brief her as quickly as possible, he told himself, and get her out of your sight.

  Within an hour, Jared had rearranged his entire weekly schedule and was en route to the airport. He knew that the sooner he got away from Paige Summers, the better. And he’d have to stay away long enough to forget her. Forget about her beautiful face and perfect body. Forget about her sweet lips and warm brown eyes. Forget about her whimpering little cries of pleasure when he thrust into her. Forget about the way he felt when she fell apart in his arms.

  How long would it take? A month? Two? Longer? Heaven help him, he’d just have to stay away, no matter how long it took to work her out of his system.

  * * *

  Well, that had been four months ago, and Jared still wasn’t a hundred percent sure he had worked Paige Summers out of his system. But whether he had or not, he was returning to Colorado. He had already stayed away too long.

  He checked his Gucci watch. Another hour and his pilot would land the Montgomery jet in Grand Springs. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a sip of the half-Drambuie, half-Scotch drink. A rusty nail, as the mixture was called, had been Grandpa Monty’s favorite, and the old man had served Jared his first on-the-rocks rusty nail when he’d been fourteen. That night had been a rite of passage in many ways for Jared. His grandfather had been quite a man, not as smooth or sophisticated as his father, the old man’s only son, but smarter, tougher and filled with a passion for life few men possessed. The old man had made his millions in oil right after the First World War, but in his heart, he’d never been anything but a cowboy. Jared had cared for Grandpa Monty more than he’d ever cared about another living soul, and even now, fifteen years after Monty’s death, Jared still missed him.

  He wondered what the old man would think of Paige Summers. He already knew what his widowed mother would think of her. Joyce Montgomery shunned anyone she considered even remotely beneath her.

  Of course, it didn’t matter what anyone thought. He wasn’t returning to Colorado to begin an affair with Paige. Quite the opposite. He was going to stay in Grand Springs as long as it took to get over his obsession with the girl. And that’s all it was. An obsession. Once he saw her again, he’d probably realize that his memories of her were overblown fantasies. She couldn’t possibly be as lovely as he remembered or her body as alluring. And the sex they’d shared had been just that—sex. He’d had good sex before. Often. His mind and body had played tricks on him, making him remember their lovemaking as something more than it was. It couldn’t have been that earth-shattering.

  When he arrived at his office, he intended to treat Ms. Summers as nothing more than an employee. If she had been fantasizing about their having a relationship, then she’d have to face reality. He was her boss. She was his administrative assistant. If she harbored any illusions about the two of them, then he’d make it perfectly clear to her that they had no futur
e together.

  Chapter Two

  Paige heard Jared’s voice in the hallway. He was here. Her heart skipped a beat. Greg Addison laughed heartily. The door to Paige’s office swung open and the two men entered, Kay Thompson following closely behind.

  Paige’s heart stopped for a split second as she rose from her chair, her gaze riveted to Jared. He was the very essence of a successful businessman, an aura of wealth and power surrounding him. He filled out the double-breasted jacket he wore to perfection, and the brown stripes in his broadcloth shirt matched the dark silk of his hair.

  She stepped out from behind her desk and smiled. More than anything, she wanted to run into his arms. She’d been kidding herself if she thought she could see him again and not feel the same magic that had caused her to act so out of character four months ago. She was as drawn to him as metal to a magnet.

  When Jared paused briefly at her side, Paige’s smile widened. “Welcome back to Grand Springs,” she said, amazed that she’d been able to keep the nervous quiver out of her voice, when it was wreaking havoc in her stomach.

  “Thank you, Ms. Summers. It’s good to see you again.”

  His gaze never quite settled on her face. Paige realized that he was looking somewhere over her left shoulder, at the wall behind her. Without another word or gesture of any kind, L. J. Montgomery proceeded to his office. When Kay followed the two men into Jared’s office and closed the door behind them, Paige slumped down in her chair. Clenching her teeth tightly in an effort not to cry, not to overreact to Jared’s cool, businesslike greeting, she closed her eyes and counted to ten. Counting had always been her mother’s solution to problems. When they’d been children, Mama had given Bryant, Austen and her to the count of three to obey her command or else face the consequences. And whenever any of them lost their temper, Mama would caution them to always count to ten before throwing a tantrum.

  Paige most certainly wasn’t going to throw a tantrum. She wasn’t the type. Never had been. But she was upset and hurt. Jared had treated her as if she were nothing more than an employee.