Millionaire Mavericks: The Oilman’s Baby Bargain. Michelle Celmer

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СКАЧАТЬ it meant she and Mitch were supposed to kiss.

      Mitch looked at her apologetically because he knew as well as she did that they had to make this look real. She held her breath as he cradled her face in his hand, leaned forward and laid a kiss on her that curled her toes and turned her brain to mush. The guests applauded, and she heard a couple of wolf whistles. After that, it seemed as though every five minutes the clinking started, and Mitch would be forced to kiss her yet again. Not that he seemed to mind, and she couldn’t deny the man did fantastic things with his mouth.

      He’d had several glasses of champagne with dinner, then after dessert, switched to whiskey. The more he drank, the more relaxed he became, and the more relaxed he became, the more affectionate he seemed to be. By the time they had their first dance together, he nearly had her convinced they were madly in love. The song playing was a slow one and he pulled her so close, gazed so tenderly into her eyes, she thought any minute he might drag her to the nearest broom closet.

      “When we walked in here I thought this night was going to be a disaster,” he said. “But I have to admit, it hasn’t been so bad.”

      She’d thought the same thing, but she was actually having a great time.

      “You might have to drive us home tonight,” he warned her. “I think I may have had a few too many.”

      That could be a problem. “I can’t.”

      He frowned. “You haven’t been drinking, have you?”

      “Of course not! What I mean is, I really can’t. I never learned how to drive.”

      His eyes widened. “You’re kidding.”

      She shook her head.

      “Let me guess. Your father wouldn’t allow it.”

      “It would have made it more difficult to keep me under his thumb. I had a driver who took me wherever I needed to go.”

      Mitch shook his head in disgust. “No offense, but the more I learn about the senator, the less I like him.”

      His irritation stunned her, but she realized it was a nice change to have someone to defend her. “I can ask Tara to drive us.”

      “I’ll call a car,” he said. “And the first chance we get, I’m teaching you to drive.”

      “Seriously?” First cooking lessons, now driving? He was being almost too nice and understanding. Probably tomorrow, when he was sober, he would come to his senses and change his mind.

      “Speak of the devil,” Mitch said, gesturing toward the door with his chin.

      She turned and saw that her father had arrived. He was watching Lexi and Mitch dance, and he didn’t look happy.

      “Is it my imagination,” Mitch asked, “or does he look really pissed off?”

      “It’s not your imagination.” She couldn’t help wondering what she’d done this time, because when he looked like that, it was usually her fault. “I should go talk to him.”

      “You want me to come with you?”

      “Maybe you’d better give us a few minutes alone.” The last thing she needed was for her father to berate her in front of her husband. Not that she thought it was possible for Mitch to have a lower opinion of her than he already did, but why take a chance?

      She crossed the room to where her father waited, forcing a smile, and said, “Hello, Daddy.”

      She hadn’t expected a warm greeting, but she also hadn’t expected him to clamp a hand around her upper arm and pull her to an unoccupied corner. He had never been one to get physical.

      “What’s the matter with you?” he said under his breath, but she had no idea what she’d done.

      “I—I don’t know.”

      Before the senator could respond, Mitch appeared at her side. He held a hand out for him to shake and her father had no choice but to let go of her arm.

      “Senator Cavanaugh, I’m so glad you could finally make it.” He was all smiles but his words had bite. He put an arm protectively around her shoulders and asked, “Is there a problem?”

      “Yes, there’s a problem. Lexi looks awful. Her skin is pale and she’s obviously lost weight.”

      “You think so?” Mitch asked, looking down at her.

      “I know my daughter, Mr. Brody, and I know something isn’t right.”

      Sudden fear gripped her. With that invaluable senatorial support in mind, what if Mitch decided to break down and tell her father the truth? Instead, he looked at Lexi with one of those sizzling smiles and said, “She looks damned good to me.” Then right in front of her father, he lowered his head and brushed his lips against hers, so soft and gentle and sweet that her knees went weak.

      He eased back, and with his eyes locked on hers said, “Excuse us, Senator, but I’d like to dance with my wife.”

      Her father’s stunned expression as Mitch took her hand and led her away gave Lexi far more satisfaction than it should have. When they were back on the dance floor, he said, “What the hell kind of man tells his daughter she looks awful at her wedding reception?”

      “I probably looked happy.”

      “Isn’t that the point?”

      “I think it makes him feel threatened because when I’m happy about anything, he always says or does something to sabotage it.”

      “He’s your father. He’s supposed to want you to be happy.”

      Lexi shook her head. “The entire time I was growing up he talked about how he wished he’d had a son, but my mom died before they had the chance. He never said he resented me for being born a girl, but it was obvious he felt that way. As I got older, he started to talk about me getting married and giving him lots of grandsons. Like he only saw me as a baby-breeding machine or something.”

      “I guess that explains why he was so anxious to marry you off.”

      “Exactly.” But he didn’t want a grandson so badly that he would tolerate her being an unwed mother. If she had a boy, she honestly wouldn’t put it past him to try to take the baby and raise it himself.

      “Is he still looking at us?” Mitch asked.

      She looked past his shoulder and saw that her father was holding a drink and talking to Sebastian Huntington, but his eyes were on Lexi and Mitch.

      “Yes, he’s still looking.”

      A devilish smile curled the corners of Mitch’s mouth and she was sure that any second he might sprout horns. “Then let’s give him a good reason to feel threatened.”

      Before she could ask what he planned to do, he lowered his head and locked his lips with hers, kissing her so passionately, so deeply, she could swear she felt him hit her tonsils. She might have been embarrassed but her brain had ceased to function the instant his lips touched hers. When СКАЧАТЬ