C.J. turned to Matt.
"How do you intend to do that?"
He coaxed a tendril of hair off of her face.
"We should have a press conference."
She just looked at him.
"A what? You didn't just say it did you?"
He nodded.
"I did and I think if we tell the world that you and I are having a baby together, that'll take away all of Delilah's ammunition."
She bit her lip.
"I don't know if I want to publicize my pregnancy that way," she said, "I enjoy this quiet time that we're sharing. The part of the world that cares will find out soon enough."
"She's trying to make it look like Robert is the father and that you had a jailhouse romance with him."
"I think that she's implying it's some sort of one night stand rather than a full-fledged affair."
C.J. considered it.
"Murray would throw a fit Houston."
He looked puzzled.
"Murray?"
"Yeah Murray…the CEO of what used to be Houston Enterprises and who's now president of our new company."
"Why would he be upset?"
She shifted her position on the bed having finished her dessert. Matt took the dish from her and put it on the side table.
"Because we're not married Houston…"
"I want to marry you."
C.J. knew she'd walked straight into that one. But everything had happened so fast with her. Losing the old company, building the new one, getting it on with Matt, getting knocked up by him and now all the news coverage surrounding them both. It got to be too much for someone who tried her damnedest to keep her life out of the press.
"I know but right now…we just have so much on our plate. But Murray is a bottom line kind of guy and he'll be thinking about what your announcement will do to our stock value."
"It should raise it I think. Good publicity and all that."
She tilted her face at him.
"What…me getting pregnant outside of marriage and the company just starting up."
He shook his head.
"C.J…a lot of couples have the babies first and then get married."
"I know that…seems to almost be a trend now but that's not why I wanted to wait. I just…I didn't expect to be pregnant and I'm very happy about it but it's overwhelming sometimes too."
He pulled her closer to him and they fell back on the bed where she snuggled against him.
"I know…my daddy was always on me about when I'd settle down, start my family…the next generation of Houstons…but I was never ready."
She gazed at him.
"You really ready now?"
He paused and then nodded.
"Yeah…we just need to buy us that ranch already," he said, "and work on the house there. None of this city life."
Her mouth curved into a smile.
"You really can give it all up? The parties and the clubbing?"
He nodded.
"I miss the quieter nights on the ranch," he said, "Just me, the horses and the coyotes. Of course toss in a pretty lady and it's even better."
She smiled.
"I think so…Houston I want that life a lot but there's so much I have to figure out…and Delilah running around trying to make up stories about one of the most important events in my life…"
"Mine too…"
"Okay…our lives. I just want to enjoy some privacy. I don't want my next ultrasound to be on the front page of the Daily Mirror."
"I won't let that happen."
"How will you be able to stop it? This is taking on a life of its own."
Matt knew that but he knew that the woman in front of him mattered more to him than anyone. He'd take the steps needed to protect her and their baby.
"That's why I think we should announce it publicly," he said, "I think that if we do that, then public pressure will move against Delilah and her rag."
C.J. thought about it but didn't feel all that sure.
"I don't know Houston…you know there's going to be some backlash if PEOPLE's sexiest multi-millionaire/investigator gets a woman knocked up destroying many a woman's fantasy of being either your true love or your next one night stand."
"C.J…that's a bit crass."
"It's true Houston…the little old ladies have you all picked out for their sweet granddaughters, their daughters have picked you out as a post-divorce fling and you've got that Rolodex."
He stroked her arm pulling her closer.
"They'll have to deal with it. But I think that the tide will go in our favor. If I come forward, it'll stop Delilah from her jailhouse interview with Robert."
C.J. really didn't want to be reminded that her ex-boyfriend even existed let alone that he'd be linked to her pregnancy.
"Okay…I'll think about it. But you have to handle Murray because I've got these hormones and I just can't be responsible…"
He kissed her and she forgot what else she had to say. She stopped worrying about it. Matt just had that talent of making her think less about the problems she faced and more about what was wonderful…and him and the baby definitely fell in that category.
Elizabeth called Delilah after talking to Matt.
"God he's so damn stubborn," she said, "I tried to do as you said and act like I was trying to save him from you."
"But it didn't work did it?"
"No…he's so infatuated with his assistant, associate whatever I can't break through to him. I mean I can't remind him of all the special times we shared when he's talking about her."
"He's never going to feel about her like he did with you. After all, you were the one he proposed to and unlike that last fiancée you're actually still alive."
Elizabeth sighed.
"Barely…I thought I might die on our wedding day. He told me it was about him and had nothing to do with me…but I know that evil man was after me. After all, I'm the one who's more famous."
Delilah bit back a chuckle.
"Yes but you're famous because your brothers are terrorists. I don't think that's something you should people of these days."
"Oh I don't…my silent partner told me never to bring it up. It might bring down our stock values."
"That's good at least. I still am trying to get that jailhouse interview lined up with Robert…but the jail warden is trying to block me. But I'll show him he can't stand in the way of a free press."
Elizabeth wasn't sure about that but whatever it'd take to prove to Matt that they belonged together she'd do it in a heartbeat.