Pregnant on the Upper East Side? / The Billionaire in Penthouse B: Pregnant on the Upper East Side?. Emilie Rose

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ you dance around each other is exhausting me, and my poor, pregnant body is already on a hormonal roller coaster without watching all that longing in your eyes. Do him already.”

      She rolled her eyes. “You’re not helping.”

      “Yes, I am. You’re just not willing to admit I’m giving sage advice.”

      Admit to her newlywed and now aggressively matchmaking friend that she was attracted to Alex Harper?

      Amanda would rather walk naked through Times Square.

      At twelve-twenty-six the next day Amanda pushed open the heavy gold-stenciled glass door of Harper & Associates.

      Alex’s firm epitomized the affluent type of client Amanda longed for. Perhaps, she thought, she should consider targeting more corporate clients instead of focusing primarily on private affairs.

      Her D&G pumps sank into the thick carpeting as she crossed to the cherry reception desk that had been polished to a mirror shine. A twenty-something blonde greeted her with a face and a toothy smile worthy of a beauty queen. “Good afternoon. May I help you?”

      Amanda smiled back. “Amanda Crawford for Alex Harper.”

      “One moment please.” She swiveled away and spoke quietly into a headset before turning back. “His assistant will be right with you. Would you care for a beverage?”

      A stiff shot of something to calm her nerves would be good. “No, thank you.”

      “There she is now,” the receptionist said, drawing Amanda’s attention to a compact, midforties brunette charging down a wide corridor in her direction.

      “Ms. Crawford? I’m Moira Newton. I’ll take you to Mr. Harper’s private waiting area.”

      Amanda followed her into a room that reeked money, from the wainscoting to the clean-cut lines of the leather and cherry furniture to the original artwork on the walls. If a room could instill a client’s confidence in its owner, then this one would.

      “Alex will be with you momentarily. May I get you anything while you wait?”

      “I’m fine. Thank you.”

      “I’ll take your coat.”

      Amanda shrugged off the garment, handed it over and sank into a deep wing chair tucked in the corner.

      Moira hung her coat in a small closet hidden by the paneling, then sat behind a desk that fronted the remainder of her work space, which was discreetly concealed in a large alcove.

      Moments later the muted timbre of Alex’s voice scattered the butterflies that had been resting in Amanda’s stomach. A door on the far wall opened and a harassed-looking, balding man stepped through, followed by Alex. As yet unnoticed, she drank Alex in as the men said their good-byes.

      From the aggressive angle of his jaw to the straight set of his shoulders, Alex radiated self-assurance. His black tailored suit accentuated his height and athletic build, and his white shirt brought out his olive complexion. His dark hair swooped back from the side part, the ends covering his collar at his nape. Traditional, conservative clothing and furnishings, but the deliberately in-need-of-a-trim hairstyle hinted at a rebellious side. And her rebellious side snapped to attention.

       Business only.

      The client left. Alex turned and nailed her to the chair with his direct gaze. “Hello, Amanda.”

      How did he unsettle her with nothing more than a slow perusal and a hello? She had to work on shutting down that reaction.

      “Alex.” She dipped her head in greeting and rose, lifting her laptop case. “I have confirmations and contracts, and I need signatures.”

      “Come in.” He extended his arm, gesturing for her to precede him.

      His spacious office contained the same high-end furniture but had a slightly more relaxed atmosphere. A subtle hint of his cologne hung in the air. In addition to the desk and bookcases, he had a boardroom table set up in front of a bank of windows. He led her to that table. “Have a seat.”

      His knuckles brushed her shoulder blades as he seated her in the chair closest to the glass. She hid her shiver by reaching into her briefcase, extracting his file, then admiring the view of the Manhattan skyline.

      “We have the Carlyle Trianon Suite for Saturday, the twenty-second. We need to choose a theme and send out invitations immediately. If you have e-mail addresses for the people on your guest list I can also send out a blanket ‘save the date’ notice tomorrow.”

      He leaned back against the edge of his desk and crossed his ankles. His unwavering gaze pinned her to her chair. “Moira can give you the addresses. You look beautiful today.”

      Her brain tripped. She couldn’t remember what she was supposed to say next. How did he fluster her so easily? “Thank you.”

      She dropped her gaze to the papers in her hand and struggled to regain her footing. “I have—” A knock at the door interrupted her.

      “That should be our lunch. Eating in will allow us more time. I hope you like Greek food.”

      Lunch in an office shouldn’t seem intimate. But it did. “A working lunch is a good idea. We have a lot to cover. And I love Greek food.”

      He opened the door to reveal Moira with a brown paper bag in one hand and tableware in the other.

      “Need help setting up?” his assistant asked.

      “We can handle it.” He took everything from her, then placed the bag on the table and opened it. A delicious aroma saturated the room.

      Amanda’s mouth watered as he removed the lids from containers of feta, tomato and spinach salad, followed by farmer’s bread and artichoke moussaka. He crossed to a small wine refrigerator tucked beneath a counter in the corner and returned with a bottle of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, which he opened and poured into two glasses.

      She’d learned to keep a clear head when around Alex. “I don’t usually drink when I’m working.”

      “The wine goes well with moussaka, but I’ll get you a bottle of water if you prefer.” He retrieved two bottles from a different refrigerator and set them on the table.

      After scooping generous portions onto plates, he surprised her by shoving the containers to the opposite side of the table and sitting beside her instead of across from her. Their shoulders brushed as he adjusted his chair.

      Too close. How could she concentrate with him touching her?

      He lifted his glass and twisted in his seat. “To an enjoyable and profitable relationship.”

      “I’ll drink to that.” She lifted her glass and clinked her rim against his.

      She took a sip. The zesty fruit-and-berry flavor of the cool liquid slid smoothly down her throat. She would have to be careful because she liked this wine too much, and that could get her in trouble.

      Alex looked at her over the rim of his glass. “I’ll need СКАЧАТЬ