Expecting the Boss’s Baby by Christine Rimmer Read Free Book Online

priceless. He leaned across the desk and held the broken stone out to her.
    She took it from him. “Uh, thanks.”
    â€œIt appears that Johnny will be buying you another ring. Tell him not to be such a cheap bastard this time.”
    She looked as if she wished she could sink right through the floor. But Zoe was not one to be cowed bya little thing like abject humiliation. She pulled herself together and jumped to Johnny’s defense. “I’ll have you know that Johnny is not cheap—and this…” She looked down at the two halves of her supposed engagement diamond. “It’s nothing.”
    He arched a brow but kept his mouth shut. He was thoroughly enjoying himself. Hadn’t had this much fun in a very long time.
    She backpedaled madly, that quick brain of hers firing on all cylinders. “A…duplicate, a fake. I had it made.”
    â€œMade?”
    â€œYes. Made—you know, because I was nervous. Muggings are…simply rampant these days.”
    Simply rampant, huh? “No kidding?”
    She fisted the broken ring in her palm and sat up straighter, flicking a thick swatch of that gorgeous red hair back over her shoulder. “Yes, well. Ahem…where were we?”
    He debated whether to torture her some more or move on. In the end, he took pity on her. “The San Cristóbal Spotlight.”
    She swallowed, nodded, eager to talk more about her proposal—and to put the embarrassing incident with the ring behind her. “I’m so pleased, Dax. I can’t tell you how much this means.”
    â€œI’ve been thinking about what month we should use it.” With relish, he delivered the bombshell. “I’m thinking January.”
    Her mouth dropped open again. He really did enjoy catching her off-guard. “B-but January is already locked in.”
    Yes, it was. Spotlights, along with the rest of themagazine, were planned and scheduled nine months to a year in advance.
    â€œI run this magazine. And if I say we go to Chiapas and not Greece for January, then that’s where we go.”
    â€œBut you’re leaving for Greece in a week and a half. I have the travel arrangements all set up.”
    â€œThen you will change them. A little spontaneity is good now and then.”
    â€œBut…what if I can’t get that fabulous hotel?”
    â€œYou’ll find another fabulous hotel. I have faith in your ingenuity and resourcefulness.” He sat back in his chair and waited for her to confess what was really bothering her.
    â€œBut I…” She had her free hand folded over the one with the broken ring in it and both of them resting on her shut laptop. She stared down—at her hands, at the laptop? He couldn’t tell which. Her slim shoulders were slumped. She almost might have been praying.
    â€œZoe.” He spoke softly. “You what?”
    The red head lifted, the shoulders went back and the blue eyes gleamed. “I was hoping, well, that it would be a little later. At least not for a few months. Not until, um, after the rainy season ends.”
    â€œI don’t see a little rain as that much of a problem.”
    â€œDaily, Dax. It comes down in buckets.”
    â€œI know my weather patterns. It rains hard, but mostly just in the afternoon.”
    So much for the rainy season. She let that go and cast about for another excuse to postpone the trip. “But I, well, if you could only wait until I’ve been working for you longer, until…” Words deserted her.
    He didn’t let her off the hook. “What? Tell me.”
    â€œOh, please.” Her heated gaze accused him. “You know. I know you know.”
    â€œYou still have to say it. That’s how it works. You have to speak up and say what you want. Come on. Look at it this way, if you don’t get what you ask for, at least you’ll know you put yourself out there, that you did everything you could to make it