His Heir, Her Honor Read Online Free PDF Page B

eyed his door warily. “I hope he’s not in a bad mood after your confrontation.”
    Shock jolted her already ragged nerves. Nancy couldn’t possibly know about the baby. Had someone been outside the door listening? Wanda, perhaps?
    As she calmed down enough to look at Nancy’s curious face, she realized the woman was just that—curious. She wasn’t shocked or mad, none of the reactions that would be normal if she’d heard rumors that her new “boyfriend” had fathered a child with someone else. “I assume you’re referring to the incident in the men’s locker room.”
    â€œI’m sorry.” Nancy pulled up straighter, fidgeting with her logo buttons until they were all cockeyed. “I shouldn’t have said anything. I didn’t mean to be so chatty.”
    Lilah eased between her and the exit. “I’m truly curious how you heard this quickly. Please, be frank.”
    Nancy winced. “I heard in the cafeteria. The buzz is pretty intense as people try to figure out what he did to make you that angry. Bets are being taken for possible reasons.”
    â€œAnd what would those guesses be?”
    She nibbled her lip, hesitating for a moment before continuing warily. “Most think you’re upset because he blew off that board meeting earlier this week. Others wonder if you’re freaking out over him taking on too many pro bono cases. For what it’s worth, my money’s on the latter. He’s such a bighearted man under that gruff exterior.”
    Lilah gripped the bobby pins in her pocket so tightthey would probably leave holes in her fingers. “Hope you didn’t bet the bank on that because you’ll lose your life’s savings.”
    If the hospital rumor mill was already churning over one confrontation—granted, a pretty theatrical one—she hated to think how soon her own personal life would be fodder for cafeteria gossip. Good God, she would have to be so much more careful to protect her child’s privacy. For the first time it really sunk in that she was carrying a royal child, a person who would be dogged by the press for a lifetime.
    Would the news of her child fit on the same press release as Carlos’s new girlfriend?
    Panic roiled. So much for her decision to opt for an even-keeled “wait and see” attitude. She’d been fooling herself. Her visceral reaction to this woman made it clear too many emotions were involved already.
    She needed to keep on fighting rather than letting him roll over her. She would not let her child be hurt by Carlos. She would shield this precious life as best she could from the pain of a father’s neglect.
    The click of a turning doorknob snapped her attention back to the reception area a second before Carlos’s office door opened, the man of the hour filling the frame with his broad shoulders. A flash of surprise raced across his dark eyes.
    Anger, frustration and, hell yes, hurt chased through her. Quickly, she stifled the urge to vent the steam building inside her. She’d already made a large enough scene for one day, and she didn’t intend to let Carlos know just how deeply he’d wounded her.
    That didn’t mean she had to balk at making him squirm.
    Lilah flicked her loose hair, hair mussed by him during their out-of-control kisses, over her shoulder. “Hello again, Dr. Medina. I was just talking to your new girlfriend.”

Three
    T he shots just kept coming today.
    Carlos looked from one woman to the other. How much had Lilah said before he interrupted? Apparently not much since Nancy appeared blessedly oblivious. She was a nice person he’d gone out with a couple of times in hopes of erasing Lilah from his memory.
    Nancy was everything he wanted in his personal life. She was intelligent, witty, with common interests and made no demands on his emotions. She should have been perfect for him, except she left him cold. Rather