Expecting at Christmas

“No, I learned that while I was working at a health food store.”

She tried to get up but couldn’t manage the right leverage. Griffin caught her arm to help her up before she turtled onto her back and was stuck there indefinitely. Her bones were so delicate; how could she carry the extra weight of the baby? He was amazed once again by her hidden strength, and a little bit scared by the risk her pregnancy posed.

Why the heck had she showed up on his doorstep?

“Thanks.” She flushed, her voice breathy. Glancing away from him, she dusted the back of her dark pants off with her hand. “I probably would have learned more but they fired me after two weeks.”

“The health food store?”

Nodding, she smiled sheepishly. “They caught me eating a Big Mac and fries in the stockroom.”

He swallowed a laugh. “That does seem a little sacrilegious.”

“They could have given me a second chance, though,” she said seriously. “I’d only been there two weeks and they shouldn’t expect a person to go cold turkey like that when it comes to junk food. I mean, they didn’t even want anybody to eat chocolate.”

“They probably had to maintain their standards.”

“That’s what they told me.” She shrugged, apparently unaware of how that made her breasts rise and fall in a very intriguing way. “I’ll get your breakfast now. I’ve got hand-squeezed orange juice for you, and I sent out early for papayas and strawberries to mix in. That’ll get your enzymes back on track.”

“I’m fine this morning.” Though he’d had an interesting reaction to her reference to hand-squeezed which had nothing to do with orange juice. “Why don’t you just bring me a cup of coffee and we can sit here and talk a minute.”

“Coffee?” She lifted a censuring brow.

“Yes, coffee. Caffeinated, if you please. If you’re offended by my asking you to bring me coffee, I’ll fix it myself.”

“Of course I’m not offended,” she said in a huff. “They taught me—”

“—in your accelerated butler classes. Coffee, Loretta. Now.”

Loretta hustled into the kitchen. Every bit of the calm she’d managed to gain through her meditation had flown right smack off the deck when she’d opened her eyes to discover Griffin standing there.

A man ought to know better than to show up first thing in the morning practically naked. And then to start giving her orders. For pity’s sake! How was she supposed to concentrate while she stared at that broad chest of his with its fascinating swirls of springy brown curls? Or when she surreptitiously glanced at his muscular legs roughened by the same intriguing hair. She wasn’t a saint. For heaven’s sake, the man gave her ideas she shouldn’t even be considering. Not in her advanced state of pregnancy. Not at all, she sternly reminded herself while trying to forget the warm feel of his hand on her elbow, steadying her.

She knew he was a megamillionaire, which didn’t trouble her one way or the other. The fact that he’d been plastered on the cover of grocery store tabloids as a big-time playboy did. Maybe she hadn’t recognized his name or his face immediately. But the truth had come to her the moment Miss Redheaded-Doll-Face had shown up at the door.

Some impulsive, protective instinct had made her want to close the door in the woman’s face. He deserved better than a bit actress who was about to be written out of a minor role in a mediocre soap by the hunky, dark-eyed villain popping her off in a fit of jealous rage. Loretta was certainly familiar with the storyline of the soap in question and could see what was coming.

Griffin Jones would simply have to be more discriminating about whom he dated while Loretta was in his employ. No doubt he would thank her eventually.

Which he would never have a chance to do if she didn’t get his breakfast out to him in a hurry and he fired her before he got his mainline morning dose of caffeine. Rodgers had indicated their employer could be a grouch before he got his coffee. Loretta wasn’t eager to test the waters.

Minutes later she carried a tray out to the deck—a generous pot of strong, black coffee, juice and homemade whole wheat date muffins slathered in let’s-pretend butter. Now was assuredly the time to impress her boss.

“There you go, sir. The perfect beginning to your day. Fifty-two percent of your daily minimum requirements for A, C, E, B—”

“It looks delicious.” Griffin waved her to sit down. Breakfast did look good and smelled even better. He took a sip of coffee. The caffeine jolted him with a sharp wake-up call, and he relaxed momentarily to enjoy the scenery—including his dark-eyed butler. “You’re not eating?”

“I had my breakfast ages ago. I’m usually an early riser.”

“I see.” He broke off a bite of muffin and watched the steam rise. She might not be acceptable as an employee of a health food store, but she knew a helluva lot about baking bread. “Do you live somewhere, Loretta? I mean, do you have an apartment where you stay when you’re, ah, not here?”

“I had a place. After Isabella died I gave it up, knowing I’d need the extra money. I moved back home with Mama.”

Ah, then she did have somewhere to go if he fired her.

“Of course, when I learned I’d have this job with you and would be living here, I gave up my room to my niece Patrice and her husband. They’ve got three kids plus one on the way and needed a place to stay while they’re doing a huge remodeling job on their house. More bedrooms, you know?”

So much for that plan. “It must be pretty crowded at your mother’s house with five additional people.”

“It’s not so bad. Of course, she has Enrico there—he’s my youngest brother and still in high school. Tía Louisa has lived with us for ages. She’s my great-aunt twice removed. A wonderful woman who does beautiful tatting.”

“Tatting?” he asked, distracted.

“It’s like lace except stringier. She makes up hope chests full of her tatting for all us girls. For our wedding presents, you know.”

He nodded as if he understood. He didn’t. “So if you went home now—”

“I’d have to sleep on the couch.”

Griffin’s eyes crossed. A pregnant woman shouldn’t have to sleep on the couch. It couldn’t be healthy. Desperately he drained the rest of the coffee from his cup.

“You want some more?” she asked graciously.

“Yes, please.” It was more a groan than a request. Dammit all! He was a business executive running a multimillion-dollar corporation with retail stores in the ten western states. This little waif of a female shouldn’t have him so far off balance with her whimsical stories, floating oxidants and the feeling he was responsible for her. Maybe he ought to hire her to work in one of his stores. That way she’d at least be out from underfoot. “Tell me, Loretta, do you know anything about computers or electronics?”

She poured from the pot on the tray. “Oh, sure. Lots. What would you like to know?”

Relief surged through him. There was a way out of the maze he’d found himself in.

“I play Nintendo with my nephew all the time,” she continued brightly. “Of course, he beats me most days, but I’m getting better.” She looked at Griffin with so much enthusiasm, he didn’t want to be the one to quash her spirit. But what the hell could she be majoring in to have a hundred and thirty-something units and not know squat about computers? Unless she was putting him on.

“When is your baby due?” he asked. A hopeless sense of futility settled over him. No way was he going to be able to get rid of this woman.

“Four weeks. And it’s only three weeks until I’m eligible for the insurance I need. See how well things work out when God is on your side?”

The headache that had only been a threat last night stabbed him right between his eyes. “You’re right.” He shoved back from the table. “I’ve got to go into the office.”

“On a Saturday?” she gasped.

“Yeah, on a Saturday.” If it had been Christmas Day, he would have gone into work to get away from the craziness that had invaded his home. Besides, he really did have work to do. He suspected his uncle Matt and his competitive electronics outlets were somehow diverting Compuware shipments to their own Compuworks stores. He needed to track back through the records to see if that was a possibility and if he had a spy in his own firm. The holidays were their busiest season, the sales during the month before Christmas representing a huge percentage of the annual gross. Losses now couldn’t be made up later. The industry changed too fast for second chances.

Loretta staggered to her feet, out of balance because of her swollen abdomen. “I put your car away in the garage for you last night. Rodgers said it shouldn’t be left out. Vandals and thieves, you know.”

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll be late getting home. Don’t worry about dinner for me.” With luck, he might be able to recoup his losses with Aileen.

Upstairs he showered, shaved and dressed casually for his day at work. He hated wearing suits, but the job required it of him when he was dealing with suppliers. Not so on Saturday.

Feeling refreshed, he went downstairs, hit the button for the garage door opener and gazed in dismay at the dented front bumper and broken headlight on his prize Mercedes 450SL.