Tempting the Heiress

by Martha Kennerson

  “You sure? What about—?”

  “You let me worry about that,” she said before ending the call.

  Felicia tightened her robe, picked up her coffee cup and went to find Griffin.

  * * *

  Griffin was surveying the few office buildings in the city coming to life on a Sunday morning while drinking his coffee when he heard the bedroom door open. He turned to see a robe-clad, barefoot Felicia holding her coffee cup and heading for him. Griffin’s body immediately came to life. “You are so amazing and you’re finally mine,” he whispered in Mandarin.

  “Did you mean to say all that out loud?” she replied in English, her lips curved in a sexy smile.

  “Probably not,” he said, pulling Felicia into his arms, kissing her passionately on the lips.

  “Where’s breakfast?” Felicia asked when Griffin finally let her up for air.

  “It should be here in about thirty minutes. I waited to place the order. I didn’t want it to get cold.” Griffin released Felicia’s hair from the towel.

  “What are you doing?” she asked.

  Griffin gifted her with a childlike smile. “I love your hair when it’s wet and curly.”

  Felicia rolled her eyes and smiled.

  “How do you feel?” he asked, staring down into her eyes, wrapping a few strands around his fingers.

  “Wonderful.” Felicia’s smile widened as she pulled at his robe’s tie. “Have any idea about what we can do while we wait for the food to arrive?”

  “Several, but we really should talk.”

  “Spoilsport. Is there more coffee?” she asked.

  “Yes, let me,” he offered, refilling her cup, adding two teaspoons of cream before handing it back to her. Griffin guided Felicia to the sofa.

  “Thank you,” she said, taking a seat.

  “About—”

  “Look—”

  They both laughed. “You go first,” Felicia offered, sipping her coffee.

  “I know how important your work is to you and I wouldn’t want you to not have the career you’ve worked so hard for, even if that means you’re chasing dangerous viruses across the world.” Griffin pressed his lips together for a moment. “But I can’t have you dragging our daughter after you.”

  “I won’t—”

  “Let me finish.” He covered her lips with his hands. “I love you and I want us to be a family, so go when and where you have to. Alyia and I will be here waiting for you to get back. And if you’re somewhere safe for Alyia, we’ll come visit you, no matter what I have to drop here in order to make that happen.”

  Felicia sighed and smiled. “You’d do that...for me?”

  “I’ll do that for us.”

  Felicia kissed him. “That won’t be necessary.”

  “What?” Griffin frowned.

  “I resigned from the CIA,” she said in a nonchalant manner, sipping her coffee.

  “What...when?”

  Felicia’s eyes darted skyward briefly. “Umm, yesterday.”

  “Why?” His frown deepened.

  “Let’s just say a friend reminded me that I’m a mom now. My life is no longer my own. I have a daughter and a family to think about,” she said, holding his gaze. She put her mug down on the table and cupped her hands in her lap.

  “I can’t pretend that I’m not happy to hear that you won’t be traipsing around the world all the time, but what will you do?” Griffin ran the back of his hand down the side of her face. “You’re too talented a doctor not to share your gift. Do you have any idea what you’re going to do now?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” Felicia offered him a cheeky smile. “I’ve accepted a position at the CDC right here in Atlanta. I’m going to be working for Stacy Gray.”

  Griffin’s eyebrows stood at attention. “What...when did that happen?”

  “About ten minutes ago.”

  “There’s only one position that I’m aware of that someone of your caliber should be interested in and that’s the Deputy Director of the CDC.”

  “That would be the position.” She winked.

  “Well, damn.”

  Feeling happier and bolder than ever, Felicia folded her arms across her chest. “So, is the whole marriage idea still on the table?”

  Griffin threw his head back and laughed. He unfolded her arms and intertwined their hands. “My parents got married on their own. My Chinese grandparents couldn’t accept my mother marrying a black man. My parents were young and broke, so my dad used a Cracker Jack box ring when he married my mother. He promised to buy her the perfect ring one day and he’d re-propose. It took seven times and seven different rings before he got it right.”

  Felicia smiled. “I can imagine what that ring looks like.”

  “You don’t have to.” Griffin kissed her on the corner of her lips.

  “What?”

  “Check your pocket,” he said as he stared into her eyes.

  Felicia quickly pulled her hands free and felt inside both pockets. A shaking right hand came out with a small black pouch.

  Griffin smiled and took it from her hand. “Let me.”

  He opened it, took Felicia’s hand and dropped a two-carat, princess-cut diamond, ruby and emerald ring into her palm. It was simple, beautiful and completely unexpected.

  “Griffin, it’s outstanding.”

  Griffin took the ring and held it between his thumb and index finger. “My mother said it had always been just her and Dad, even after having me. They have an unbreakable bond, which is what the diamond represents. Mother said they stood strong together through the good and the bad times, which is what the ruby and emeralds stand for. Mother wanted a ring that reflected their story. So no matter how much money my dad made or how big the diamonds he offered her, it took this final ring—” he shook it a couple of times “—a symbol of what they’d always been...for him to get it right.”

  “Now she’s given it to you?” Felicia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

  “No, she’s given it to us.”

  “Us...”

  “Mother always knew you were The One. She just wanted to make sure you knew it. Nothing makes people realize how important they are to each other like a little adversity from those that matter most.” Griffin wiped away tears Felicia didn’t realized she had shed.

  “You know they say women find love too soon and men find it too late?” Felicia held out her left hand. “I think we found it right on time.”

  Griffin slid the ring onto Felicia’s finger. “I think you’re right, baby,” Griffin agreed before kissing her passionately on the lips.

  Epilogue

  “Only Francine could actually have her babies on their due date,” Felicia said, laughing as she paced the maternity waiting area of the Texas Women’s Hospital. The brightly lit room with its expensive, low-backed leather seating had televisions on three walls and was very cozy.

  “Talk about bad timing.” Farrah’s eyes zeroed in on her husband, who was standing across the room talking to Griffin, who was holding his and Felicia’s daughter. “Valentine’s Day, of all days.”

  “I’m sure whatever crazy thing you two have planned will keep,” Felicia replied, giving her sister the side-eye.

  Farrah smirked. “It most certainly will. Now sit down. You’re making me dizzy.”

  Felicia rolled her eyes and complied, taking a seat across from her sister. “I think it’ll be cool to have Valentine’s Day babies.”

  “Of course you do. You did get married on New Year’s Eve,” Farrah reminded.

  Felicia’s eyes found her husband and smiled. “Yes, I did.”

  “Newlywed love, isn’t it divine?” Farrah teased.

  “Yes, it is. Speaking of divine love, have you heard from
Mom and Dad yet?” Felicia asked.

  “Yes, the weather in Colorado is still pretty bad. All the snow they’re getting is great for skiing but not so much for flying.”

  “I know Mom is going nuts.” Felicia shook her head.

  Farrah looked over at Robert, who was now reaching for a laughing Alyia. “She was, until my brilliant husband was able to work with the resort’s technology team to set up a system so Mom and Dad can watch the birth of their second and third grandchildren.” Both Felicia and Farrah trained their eyes on Alyia, who was bending her body from side to side, playing a peekaboo game with her father from her uncle’s arms. “Hopefully they’ll be here tomorrow.”

  “Robert’s going to make a great dad someday,” Felicia predicted.

  Farrah’s mouth curved into a smile and her eyes sparkled like she had a secret she couldn’t wait to spill. “Well, Griffin certainly has taken to fatherhood.”

  “Yes, he has.” Felicia smiled, biting down on her lip.

  “So, things good at work? Are you and your boss still getting along?” Farrah crossed her legs.

  “Yeah, Stacy’s great. Why are you asking?” Felicia frowned.

  “I was just making sure you were still happy with your decision to leave the CIA. I’m so happy you’re a quick plane ride away versus being on the other side of the world.” Farrah pulled Felicia into a quick embrace.

  “Someone’s emotional today,” Felicia teased.

  “Shut up,” Farrah said, giving her sister a playful shove.

  “Excuse me,” an older nurse called as she entered the waiting room. “If you all would please follow me.”

  Griffin reached for Felicia’s hand as he held Alyia in his other arm and Robert wrapped his arm around Farrah’s waist, and they all followed the nurse.

  “Knock...knock,” the nurse called as she opened the door to a hospital suite that seemed to be designed for royalty. “I have some people excited to meet their new family members.”

  Everyone entered the bright room filled with natural light offered by the extra-large corner window. The room had dark hardwood flooring, a queen-size poster bed placed in the middle of the circular room and designer furnishings. Francine, sitting up against the headboard, her hair up in a large bun, was wearing a white silk robe. She hardly looked like a woman who had just gone through several hours of labor. In her arms she held two babies bundled in pink-and-blue blankets; one wore a pink hat, the other blue. Meeks stood with his back to his family, looking out the window.

  “Oh, my...” Felicia said, unable to control her tears.

  “Those two are perfect,” Farrah added.

  “Actually...” Meeks turned to face his family. He, too, held another baby wrapped in a pink-and-blue blanket and wearing a blue cap. “These three are perfect.”

  “What the—?”

  “Farrah...” Felicia admonished, wiping away her tears.

  “Surprise!” Francine said, scanning her sisters’ faces. “See, I told you they didn’t know.”

  “Yes, you did, my love.” Meeks gently pinched her cheek.

  “Meeks just knew our connection would somehow spoil the surprise,” Francine explained.

  “Actually, I’m surprised it didn’t,” Robert said, frowning.

  “I know I’m one of the newest members to this family...” Griffin said, trying to keep one-year-old Alyia from jumping out of his arms to get to her new cousins. “But from what I’ve seen of you three’s connection, that surprises me, too.”

  “Well, we’ve had a lot going on lately, not to mention the added interferences.” Francine looked at her children. She smiled and her eyes danced between her sisters. “You might as well spill.”

  “What?” Robert and Griffin replied in unison.

  Both sisters remained silent as they glared at a smiling Francine.

  Farrah turned to Robert and said, “Honey, I have a surprise for you.”

  Felicia captured her lip between her teeth as she patted Alyia’s back; her daughter’s head now on Griffin’s shoulder. She looked into her husband’s eyes and said, “Me, too.” Felicia pulled Griffin to the corner of the room.

  “What’s going on?” His eyes widened.

  “I’ve decided to build a bigger house,” she said, smiling.

  Griffin’s eyebrows stood at attention. “A house... This is about our need for a bigger house?” he clarified.

  “Yes.” She patted her sleeping baby on the back. “We need more bedrooms, since our family is expanding. And when they come to visit, I want everyone to be comfortable.”

  “Well, if that’s what you want, then that’s what you shall have, my love.”

  “I’m thinking we should have a two-bedroom guest house on the property and in our house we need four guest rooms—”

  “You want to talk about this now?” Griffin glanced over his shoulder. “Don’t you think we should get back to our family?”

  “We will, and this is about our family. I think we need at least five bedroom suites—one for us, one for Ms. Ellen, Alyia, the new baby, and since multiples seem to be our thing, we’ll need an extra room just in case.”

  Griffin stood staring at Felicia as if he’d never seen her before. “Did you just say ‘new baby’?”

  Felicia smiled and shrugged. “Or babies...”

  Griffin pulled Felicia into his body with his free arm. He looked at Alyia and then Felicia. She cupped his face with her right hand, using her thumb to wipe away a lone tear. “I love you, my beautiful wife.”

  “I love you, too.”

  * * * * *

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  ISBN-13: 9781488003714

  Tempting the Heiress

  Copyright © 2016 by Martha Kennerson

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  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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