Elizabeth paced the floor.

"I think you might have gone too far."

Delilah stared at her.

"You think so? How?"

Elizabeth stopped in her tracks.

"By asking him for a DNA sample…as a paternity test."

"Oh you mean involving the bun in C.J.'s oven…well I can't print that he's the baby's father until I can prove it can I?"

Elizabeth folded her arms.

"You just planned a spread on how Robert Tyler fathered her baby while she visited him in prison. Did you have proof about that?"

"Well…no but Tyler granted me an exclusive jailhouse interview."

Elizabeth sighed.

"No one else is listening to him Delilah. He's last year's news and probably wants the spotlight back on him."

"It still could be him," Delilah said "I mean Matt could be lying about the baby to protect her. He'd do anything to keep her safe."

Elizabeth gritted her teeth.

"Yes he would…he used to feel that way about me and I want that back!"

"I wish you luck there…if he's in C.J.'s bed, he's not climbing out of it any time soon."

Elizabeth hated being reminded about Matt and C.J. together. She'd always been so sure that C.J. had secretly had the hots for her friend and would do anything even sabotage the engagement to get him. At some point, she'd finally believed that Matt loved her best but then it'd all gone to hell when that hired assassin had crashed the ceremony.

"I just wanted him back. That's all. What's so wrong with that? And now it's all messed up and it's her fault!"

Delilah sighed.

"I tried to help you but you won't listen to my advice. I'll find out if Matt's telling the truth about siring her child. But without a DNA test…"

Elizabeth held her hand up.

"Enough…maybe I'm going about this all wrong. Delilah, I know you're my friend and you're trying to help me get him back but maybe it's just hurt my chances."

Delilah narrowed her eyes.

"Hurt you? What I've done was to help you to keep you from messing up your own plan."

"It hasn't worked your way."

"In case you haven't noticed Elizabeth, blackmail and extortion haven't gotten results either."

Elizabeth looked puzzled.

"Did I do that? I don't think so. All I've done was given him a choice between me and his company."

Delilah folded her arms.

"Which did he choose by the way?"

Elizabeth's voice got very quiet.

"His company…but I'm sure he's had time to rethink it."

Delilah sighed.

"Rethink what if he's gotten another woman pregnant? Elizabeth I really think you need to sit down and think this through about what you're going to do next. What about your partner…?"

Elizabeth put up a hand.

"No…I'm going to handle this by myself. My partner's got other deals to handle."

"Who is it? And why won't you tell me?"

"It's a secret…and I don't want the whole world to know."

Delilah looked hurt.

"I'm your closest friend Elizabeth. I was going to be maid of honor at your wedding and I am doing all this to help you. Can't you tell me off the record?"

Elizabeth shook her head.

"I promised I wouldn't…but I've got to rethink my plan Delilah. I don't want to lose all chance at winning him back."

"Then you have to work harder at it Elizabeth and listen to me…it's your best chance at doing that."

The heiress looked doubtful.

"I don't know…it hasn't seemed to work so far."

"I'm going to find out who fathered C.J.'s child first…and then I'll plan around that to help you get him back."

Elizabeth sighed.

"All right you do that and I'll do what you tell me to do."

Her friend smiled.

"Great…then let me get busy."

C.J. adjusted her blouse while Matt fixed his pants.

"So you brought me some of those cupcakes too?"

He smiled and reached for the bag to hand to her. When he'd come into the office bearing gifts, her mind had been elsewhere. Pregnancy had stirred up more than just her appetite for food not that he was complaining.

They'd gone at it on the desk pushing some piles of paper away and then moved to the chaise that Matt insisted she put in her office so she could nap in privacy when tired. She'd done it only to appease him but soon found there were both alternate uses and ulterior motives involved.

"I'm starving."

"I'm not surprised," he said, "after all that exercise."

She smiled at him, handing him back his shirt.

"It was fantastic wasn't it?

"Sure was…"

She dipped into the bag for a cupcake and took a bite out of it. She closed her eyes from the sheer heaven of the richness of the chocolate and how nice it was having a man who bought her the sweets she graved, standing in line and fighting through L.A. traffic.

"More where that came from," he said, "Tell you what…why don't we take the rest of the day off? Take a mental health holiday?"

She licked the chocolate off her fingers while he watched enjoying it.

"That's not the part of me that needs to get out of the office," she said, "I'll grab my things."

Just the response he wanted and he had it planned. Pizza being delivered from Wolfgang Puck's own kitchen followed by some carbonated grape juice for her. He'd kept the massage oils a secret from her.

"Let's go…"

He took her hand and they took the rear staircase down not wanting to take chances. Serena had left the office after security had collected her. She'd ranted a bit but cooperated with them not wanting to wear iron bracelets.

"So you really told Delilah you'd sue if she published the story about Robert Tyler?"

"I sure did…and I meant it," he said, "I hope it didn't bother you when I told her about being the baby's father but I want the whole world to know."

Bemusement struck her.

"Oh you do…do you? Okay I can let that one slide because I do too Houston…even if…"

She didn't finish her words but Matt knew she stopped herself from mentioning them getting married. But he wasn't too concerned about her reluctance.

He was working on that. He would definitely get her to the altar and soon.