visitation arrangement than she had originally proposed. Of course, since her original idea was that there be no visitation at all, no connection between her child and Aidan or his family, she supposed she couldn’t blame him for asking for a little more leniency on that item.
Still, Ellie had argued with herself on that one. After all, some anonymous sperm donor wouldn’t be given those rights, would they? No, of course not. But since it was Aidan and since his family was so lovely, she couldn’t find it in her heart to fight him. Besides, they would all be living on Alleria so it would be pretty hard to avoid having her child run into its father from time to time. Better to be upfront about all of this from the get-go.
But then Aidan had insisted on supporting her and her child monetarily, too. Ellie had tried to turn him down, but he had persisted. She’d pointed out that it was odd for a man who had no interest in children to be so adamant about supporting this child. Aidan had brushed it off as being something any man would do, but Ellie knew he was wrong about that.
Finally, Aidan had included a clause that stated that he intended to rewrite his will to include the child, which, in the privacy of her office, had moved Ellie to tears. She had never expected that level of generosity and support, especially from a man who, let’s face it, had only offered to father her child to keep her on the island. That’s what she’d originally thought, anyway. Clearly, she was wrong about him in more ways than one.
*
The following morning, Ellie decided that this must be her week for signing personal legal documents. Soon after she arrived at her office, her assistant dropped a thick, padded envelope on top of her inbox. It was her copy of the Sutherland partnership agreement Aidan had promised her. How he had been able to have the lawyers write it up so quickly was a mystery to her, but she’d read it over carefully, called the lawyer to clarify a few issues, then signed it the next day.
Unable to hold in her excitement, she checked that her secretary wasn’t watching, then jumped in the air and clicked her heels with joy. She was now a partner in the Sutherland Corporation! She clutched the document to her heart and tried to hold back the happy tears trying to escape her eyes. It wouldn’t do to burst into waterworks in the office, but this was a moment worth savoring. After all, it seemed that so many of her dreams were coming true. A fabulous career advancement, a baby someday soon, and hot sex with her fantasy man.
This called for a celebration. She brushed her hair and added a touch of lip gloss to her lips, then walked down the hall to Aidan’s office.
“Are you busy?” she said when he opened the door.
“Always,” he said, but since he was smiling and holding the door open, she walked in.
“I wanted to thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
She threw her arms up in the air and whirled around. “It’s official, I’m a partner! Thank you so much, Aidan. I won’t let you down.”
He stood there grinning at her, so she hugged him before she could think too much about it.
“It’s probably not very businesslike, but I was sitting in my office staring at my signature on the partnership agreement, and realized I just had to share my happiness with someone. I thought of you.”
“I’m happy, too, Ellie. And so is Logan. We’re both thrilled to have you on board. And we know you won’t let us down. You could never do that. You’re our right-hand man.”
“Woman,” she amended.
“Person,” he said, and they both laughed. It was an old routine, but she loved it.
They stared at each other in amusement for a long moment. Ellie turned speculative as Aidan’s eyes turned a smoldering gray and narrowed in on her. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt like she was staring into the eyes of a sexy, too-tempting-for-words predator.
They stayed frozen in place for a few charged seconds, then both
Still, Ellie had argued with herself on that one. After all, some anonymous sperm donor wouldn’t be given those rights, would they? No, of course not. But since it was Aidan and since his family was so lovely, she couldn’t find it in her heart to fight him. Besides, they would all be living on Alleria so it would be pretty hard to avoid having her child run into its father from time to time. Better to be upfront about all of this from the get-go.
But then Aidan had insisted on supporting her and her child monetarily, too. Ellie had tried to turn him down, but he had persisted. She’d pointed out that it was odd for a man who had no interest in children to be so adamant about supporting this child. Aidan had brushed it off as being something any man would do, but Ellie knew he was wrong about that.
Finally, Aidan had included a clause that stated that he intended to rewrite his will to include the child, which, in the privacy of her office, had moved Ellie to tears. She had never expected that level of generosity and support, especially from a man who, let’s face it, had only offered to father her child to keep her on the island. That’s what she’d originally thought, anyway. Clearly, she was wrong about him in more ways than one.
*
The following morning, Ellie decided that this must be her week for signing personal legal documents. Soon after she arrived at her office, her assistant dropped a thick, padded envelope on top of her inbox. It was her copy of the Sutherland partnership agreement Aidan had promised her. How he had been able to have the lawyers write it up so quickly was a mystery to her, but she’d read it over carefully, called the lawyer to clarify a few issues, then signed it the next day.
Unable to hold in her excitement, she checked that her secretary wasn’t watching, then jumped in the air and clicked her heels with joy. She was now a partner in the Sutherland Corporation! She clutched the document to her heart and tried to hold back the happy tears trying to escape her eyes. It wouldn’t do to burst into waterworks in the office, but this was a moment worth savoring. After all, it seemed that so many of her dreams were coming true. A fabulous career advancement, a baby someday soon, and hot sex with her fantasy man.
This called for a celebration. She brushed her hair and added a touch of lip gloss to her lips, then walked down the hall to Aidan’s office.
“Are you busy?” she said when he opened the door.
“Always,” he said, but since he was smiling and holding the door open, she walked in.
“I wanted to thank you,” she said.
“For what?”
She threw her arms up in the air and whirled around. “It’s official, I’m a partner! Thank you so much, Aidan. I won’t let you down.”
He stood there grinning at her, so she hugged him before she could think too much about it.
“It’s probably not very businesslike, but I was sitting in my office staring at my signature on the partnership agreement, and realized I just had to share my happiness with someone. I thought of you.”
“I’m happy, too, Ellie. And so is Logan. We’re both thrilled to have you on board. And we know you won’t let us down. You could never do that. You’re our right-hand man.”
“Woman,” she amended.
“Person,” he said, and they both laughed. It was an old routine, but she loved it.
They stared at each other in amusement for a long moment. Ellie turned speculative as Aidan’s eyes turned a smoldering gray and narrowed in on her. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt like she was staring into the eyes of a sexy, too-tempting-for-words predator.
They stayed frozen in place for a few charged seconds, then both
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