He didn’t think it was possible, but the blush on her cheeks changed from pink to a deep rose. Was it possible that Haley found the idea of making love with him less than appealing? Or could it be that she was a bit more innocent than he’d anticipated?
Deciding to find out, he stood up and rounding the desk, took her by the hand to help her to her feet. “While you read and sign the prenup, I’ll make the arrangements for our trip to Pigeon Forge,” he said, taking her into his arms.
“W-what are you doing?”
“Giving the woman I’m going to marry a hug,” he responded, drawing her a bit closer. Holding her to him increased the heat in his lower body and sent a shaft of excitement straight through him.
At first, she stood stiffly in his arms. “We aren’t going…to be married…here in Nashville?” she asked, sounding delightfully breathless.
“No.”
When he drew her even closer, Luke felt a tiny tremor course through Haley and instantly knew his suspicions about her innocence were right on the mark. He normally liked his women to be a little more experienced. But for reasons he couldn’t put his finger on, he found Haley’s inexperience oddly touching.
“I have an important meeting with the management employees of Laurel Enterprises and I want to tour my new properties and meet the construction crews,” he explained, enjoying the feel of her silky hair against his cheek. “And since there are several wedding chapels in the Pigeon Forge area where we’ll be staying, it just makes sense for us to get married while we’re there.”
“This is a…” She paused. “…huge step. I’m not entirely certain we’re doing the right thing. Are you sure you want to go through with this?”
“I am.”
“Really?” She didn’t sound as if she believed him for a minute.
He nodded. “You told me that it would take us getting married before you’d have my son and I’m complying. In some courts, a verbal agreement is as binding as any contract. And unless you’ve changed your mind about us being married, I’d say we have a solid deal, sweetheart.”
“No, I haven’t changed my mind.”
He smiled. “I didn’t think so.” Releasing her, before she realized just how much he looked forward to making her pregnant the old-fashioned way, he picked up the folder containing the prenuptial agreement. “This is fairly basic and straightforward. After you sign it, I want you to take the rest of the day off, as well as tomorrow.”
“Why?” she asked, looking confused. “I thought you said we had a lot to accomplish.”
He nodded again. “I need to review the agenda for my meeting with the Laurel employees, call the charter service to arrange our flight and reserve a wedding chapel for the ceremony.”
“But you normally have me make those arrangements for you.”
“You’ll be too busy.”
She frowned. “Doing what?”
“You’ll need to pack, inform management that you’re giving up your apartment and decide whether to store your furniture or donate it to an agency for the homeless.” He walked back around the desk and reaching for his suit jacket hanging on the back of his chair, removed his wallet. “I almost forgot. I have to attend a charity thing at one of the museums tomorrow evening and I need a date. I want you to go shopping for something new to wear,” he said, handing her one of his credit cards. “And while you’re at it, you might as well get whatever you’re going to wear for the marriage ceremony on Saturday.”
To his amazement, she looked as if he’d offered her a poisonous snake instead of the small harmless piece of plastic. “If I want something new to wear, I’ll get it myself.” She sounded more than a little offended as she scooped up the folder containing the prenup. “For your information, Mr. Garnier, I’m not destitute. You pay me more than enough to be able to afford whatever clothes I wish to purchase.”
As he watched her leave his office in an obvious huff, he wondered what he’d said to upset her. Didn’t men buy things for their spouses anymore?
Of course, he and Haley weren’t married yet. Maybe she took exception to him paying for things like that before they’d made their union official.
But the way he saw it, it was already a done deal. They had a verbal agreement, would soon have a signed prenup and within a few days a marriage certificate. End of story.
Staring at his computer screen, Luke still couldn’t quite believe that in two days, he’d be a married man. Hell, he’d spent the better part of his adult life avoiding anything more than a casual relationship with any woman. And he’d never so much as entertained the idea of getting married. So why was he jumping into the deep end of the marital pool with both feet now?
Haley had every trait he wanted for his heir—intelligence, a good head for business and excellent health. And for another, he couldn’t get her to have his son without the benefit of marriage. Yet, when he’d first heard her requirements to agree to his plan, he’d rejected the idea outright and given serious consideration to looking for a different woman. But the more he’d thought about it over the course of their dinner together, then later on the drive to his place after dropping her off at her apartment, the more sense it made and the more appeal it held.
She was extremely passionate about mothering a child and that would definitely work to his benefit. He had several satellite offices throughout the south, requiring a certain amount of travel, and juggling a small child with all the paraphernalia required for his care would be counterproductive. Besides, he would have had to hire a nanny to care for his son until the boy was out of infancy and old enough to go with him to the actual job sites anyway. But with Haley sharing custody of the child, Luke wouldn’t have to worry about finding someone suitable to give his son the quality of care he expected.
And then there was the more pleasurable aspect of marriage. Until he’d stopped by to ask her to be his surrogate, Luke had never seen Haley outside of the office and certainly not wearing anything other than the conservative suits she seemed to prefer for her job.
But when she’d opened her door and he caught sight of her long, slender legs in those extremely short little cutoffs and the size and shape of her pert breasts in that snug tank top, it had damn-near knocked his socks off. It had been like he was seeing her for the very first time and every one of his male instincts had come to full attention—reminding him in the most basic of ways that he hadn’t had the pleasure of a woman’s company in his bed for a very long time.