Matt just stared at her.
"What did you have in mind?"
They were in her office sitting and talking about saving his company from a hostile takeover by Elizabeth in the midst of massage oils and edible body paints. What was the matter with them? He watched her standing in front of him while he sat on her desk watching her.
"First we need to get them out of the building," C.J. said, "Should I have Chris call security?"
Matt thought of the scene he'd witnessed with Delilah milling around the lobby of his office toting a letter opener and that couldn't be good for business. Not to mention that she now owned the Daily Mirror or whatever it was called.
"Maybe I can go reason with her."
C.J. sighed, pacing the room.
"You already tried that Houston," she said, "and now she's threatened to dedicate a special issue of her rag to do an exposé on you."
Matt shrugged.
"She can give it her best shot but I'm pretty much an open book."
"Houston this is serious," she said, "They want your company and they'll do anything to get it."
He shook his head.
"No Elizabeth wants to marry me and she's threatening to use my company against me as leverage."
"Same difference since you have no plans to marry her."
He hesitated and she looked carefully at him. Her hair curled around her like a halo and the way she looked in her business suit…
"Houston are you listening?"
He blinked his eyes and nodded.
"Yes I am and I don't think we need to talk about this right now," he said, "When's the last time you ate?"
She put a hand on her hip.
"What's that got to do with anything?"
He watched her, always on the move. He'd have his work cut out for him getting her to dial it down a few notches but he enjoyed a challenge.
"C.J…you're pregnant."
"I know Houston," she said, "My bladder knows for sure."
He suppressed a smile.
"Yes I'm sure it does and I'm sure you're feeling a bit more tired these days."
She just looked at him.
"Maybe…but Houston I know you've worked your whole life to build your company."
"I didn't do it alone," he said, "I had this very smart, very hard working and very…sexy woman helping me every step of the way."
She sighed, joining him near the desk, leaning against it.
"You're all those things too especially the last part," she said, "but maybe it's time to get some food in you."
She looked at him sideways.
"I ate a sandwich and some soup earlier."
He nodded.
"Okay then maybe you need to get some rest," he said, "a nap or something. We have a comfortable bed here you know."
Her mouth curved into a smile.
"I know and I know you Houston…and right now we need to concentrate on business."
He didn't want to even think about business right now, not when they were alone together and there were other things more pleasurable to do than plot to save his company. To him, it wasn't as big a deal because he knew that even if he lost his entire empire, he'd still have the things most important to him in life. Maybe fewer horses, fewer cars but he'd still have the woman next to him who was pregnant with his child.
Every time he remembered that, it jolted him and different emotions filled him. Ever since she'd given him the news he'd been thinking about his daddy a lot. How much Bill would have loved to see his first grandchild born. He'd be more than tickled to know that Matt had hooked up with C.J. who he loved like a daughter and wanted as a daughter in law.
Speaking of which…
"C.J. how do you feel about getting married?"
She just looked at him as if he grew a second head.
"Houston…," she said, "Where did that come from?"
He paused.
"I don't think I should have to explain it," he said, "We're going to have a baby and he…or she will need both of its parents."
She smiled at him.
"She or he will have a father and mother who will always be there," she said, "I don't think that needs a piece of paper."
"A piece of what…," he said, "I don't see marriage that way and I didn't think you did either."
She sighed, running a hand through her hair.
"I don't…I remember when my father was alive, how much he loved my mother," she said, "I always wanted that for myself…someday but it's not something to rush into because of the baby."
"It's better this way," he said, "for all of us."
He saw the flash of more than irritation on her face.
"I'm not going to marry you because I'm pregnant."
"But…"
She tried to soften her words for him.
"Look Houston…I always had this dream when I was a little girl about getting married."
"Oh I see?"
"Do you Houston, because it didn't include a man who tossed it out almost as if it were just some minor thing, a detail rather than one of the most important decisions a couple could ever make."
"I know it's important C.J.," he said, "I had parents too and they were married until my mama died."
She nodded at that.
"I know Houston and I heard your daddy speak of her with great love in his voice," she said, "but that's just more reason for us not to get married…at least right now."
Matt brightened, as she'd said right now which meant he definitely had his foot in the door.
"Okay we'll table that topic for now," he said, "but C.J. you look tired."
She shrugged.
"I feel fine Houston," she said, "Delilah's just a pain…but once I call security."
He put up his hand.
"Let me handle her," he said, "and my company. You focus on getting some rest and the baby."
She didn't like the sound of that at all, judging by her expression. She got off the desk and put her hands on her hips and boy, he knew he was in trouble now.
"Houston I'm more than capable of doing my work and looking after myself," she said, "In fact I think I'll go out and deal with Delilah personally."
Matt just looked at her, getting all riled up. That couldn't be good and he didn't want the mother of his child going anywhere near someone toting a letter opener. But she got out of the office leaving him there with her the massage oils and body paints.
He heard some loud noises and crashing crystal in the lobby and hurried on out there. But C.J. had stood there and the letter opener was on the floor. So were some broken crystal vases that his uncle collected.
"What happened here?"
Delilah stared at him, sidestepping the broken glass.
"Your…assistant threatened me with bodily harm."
He looked over at C.J. raising his brows. She just shrugged.
"She threatened to harm me and I'm going to call the police."
She whipped out a cell phone and Matt turned to C.J.
"What did you do to her?"
C.J. didn't look fazed by all the activity.
"Nothing…well I did a roundhouse kick to get her to drop the opener."
Damn, well she was a fourth level Black Belt in several martial arts but that was his fault. He'd taught her everything he knew to protect herself and she'd been a quick study who could take him to the mat. That made him smile because he wouldn't mind if she did that right now.
But first things first…
"Delilah I want you out of my office."
The woman just glared at him.
"Not until I call the police and have her arrested."
C.J. looked at Matt. He didn't want police to show up and cart her off to jail, not in her condition. But he knew better than to say that out loud.
"You don't really want to do that."
Delilah started clicking on her cell phone.
"Oh yes I do…"
C.J. turned to Matt.
"I'll be fine really," she said, "I'm a lawyer. I'll be the most popular person in lockup."
Matt didn't even want to think about her being surrounded by criminals. No, that wasn't going to happen.
"C.J…"
"No really, I wanted to kick her a lot harder, kick some sense into her," she said, "but I am taking care of myself."
Matt smiled and then turned to Delilah.
"Don't you have an exposé to publish," he said, "because I could call the police on you for brandishing a weapon."
Delilah laughed.
"You mean that letter opener? I didn't plan on hurting anyone with it, I was trying to make a point."
"You made it now leave my office…"
C.J. heard the tone in Matt's voice that didn't invite argument.
"Not with…"
He held up his hand.
"I'm not going to let anyone take C.J. to jail for defending herself. Now you best leave. We have work to do here."
Delilah chuckled.
"Oh yes…your company," she said, "In 48 hours, Elizabeth and her partners will own your company and then what will you do?"
Matt wasn't too concerned about that but he intended to find out more about these partners who had aligned themselves with his ex-fiancée.
"We'll see about that," he said, "Now it's time for you to go…I look forward to reading about myself in the newspaper."
"May I quote you on that," she said, "before you accuse me of libel."
"You tell Elizabeth I'll be ready for her," he said, "and anything she plans to do to my company."
Delilah looked at him for a moment and then she turned around and left the lobby through the elevator. Matt turned to C.J.
"Now we were discussing…"
She put her hand on her hips.
"How to keep your company safe…"
He slid his arms around her waist pulling her closer to him.
"No that's not what I meant…"
"Then what…"
But his lips had brushed against hers and she found herself dropping what she planned to tell him. He rubbed her back and she found herself kissing him back. When they broke for air, he kept one arm around her waist.
"Let's go get some dinner," he said, "I know this great barbecue place."
She laughed and put her hand on his chest. They headed on out of the office more than willing to forget the whole mess over Elizabeth, Delilah and their duel plots. But when they reached his sports car in the garage, they found Hoyt waiting for them.
"What's up," Matt asked.
And then that's when he saw the other police officers come out from the darkness.