Twin Ties, Twin Joys: The Boss's Double Trouble Twins / Twins for a Christmas Bride / Baby Twins: Parents Needed

“It won’t be a normal marriage,” he added quickly. “I’ll be gone most of the time. But at least we’ll be married.”

She stared at him. This was one spectacular turnaround—only a few hours ago he’d been staunchly declaring he would never marry. Or had she heard that wrong? Whatever it was, she didn’t think she had better rely on it. Besides, he still hadn’t mentioned the babies.

“Let me get this straight. We’ll be married, but you’ll be gone most of the time.”

He nodded, his eyes bright with confidence. “That’s about the size of it.”

“I see.” She gave him a wry smile. “So you want to tie me down while you are free to go off and do whatever strikes your fancy.”

His look darkened a little. “Well, kind of. Though that isn’t exactly the way I was thinking of it. You’re putting it a bit unfairly.”

She looked at him and laughed. She knew that a part of her would always be bound to him no matter what they did. But she had to stay hardened against him. He still hadn’t made one gesture toward the boys. If he didn’t feel anything for the twins, the rest of this was moot. She didn’t even want him in her life.

“Darcy, think about it,” he was saying, trying to be convincing. “It could work. There would be advantages. I could check in periodically, sort of like military guys do. If you could live with a part-time husband …”

“No.”

“No?” He looked surprised.

Her steady gaze pinned him back. “It sounds like a great idea—for you. You’d be having your cake and eating it, too.”

He thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “What’s wrong with that?”

“Mitch …”

“Okay, I’ll put it this way.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips, then gazed at her over it. “Darcy, will you marry me?”

Something very like a butterfly was flapping around in her stomach. She was very close to being sick. This was so like what she’d dreamed of, and yet, it wasn’t good enough. She pulled her hand away from him.

“I can’t marry you.”

“Why not?”

“You are not marriage material. We knew that from the beginning. Nothing’s changed.”

He stared at her, his blue eyes turned black as night in the dim light of the parking structure. “That’s where you’re wrong, Darcy. No matter what we decide here, everything’s changed.”

CHAPTER SEVEN

“YOU know,” Darcy mused to herself in the mirror two days later. “Just when you least expect it, fate will step in and take control. Happens every time.”

She’d been going crazy wondering what she was going to do about Mitch. She was half in love with the man and there were reasons for her to want him in her life. And yet, she knew very well that would lead to nothing but heartbreak in the long run. So it was just too dangerous being around him all the time. If she wasn’t careful, he was going to lure her back into his influence and she was going to find herself agreeing to one of his loony ideas—like getting married. And that would be disastrous.

But now, like manna from the heavens, came a reprieve. That very morning, Mimi had announced that she had to go out of town.

“I’m so sorry to do this to you, Darcy. And at such a time. But my sister has fallen and wrenched her back. They might have to operate. She has no family to take care of her, and no money for nursing care, so I have to go.”

“Of course you must go,” Darcy told her, silently sending up a cheer as she realized the implications. “How long do you think you’ll be?”

“Oh, two weeks at least.”

“Oh, good.”

“What?” Mimi looked puzzled.

Darcy gave her a dazzling smile and amended quickly. “I mean, you’re so good—to your sister. She’s lucky she has you.”

“Well, I hate to leave you in the lurch. I’m going to call around to everyone I know and see if I can find someone to watch the babies.”

“No, you’re not,” Darcy told her sweetly. “I’m going to watch them. I’ll take some time off. I’ll just have to stay home for a couple of weeks. It’ll be perfect.”

“Oh, but doesn’t Mitch need you?”

Mitch can go pound sand! she thought, with vengeance on her mind. A couple of weeks away from Mitch—nothing could be better at a time like this. This would reaffirm her bond with her children plus she would get away from Mitch’s influence. With a little bit of distance, maybe she could think things through more clearly. It was all good.

But aloud, she said, “He’ll be fine. There are plenty of women at ACW who would be happy to take my place, believe me.”

She went in to work Monday morning with a spring in her step. She stopped by Human Resources to deal with the paperwork, then breezed into the office almost an hour after the workday had begun. Mitch scowled at her as she stood before him at his desk.

“Where have you been?”

Her bright smile was genuine. “Good morning to you, too.”

His grouchy mood melted immediately. “Yeah, well … Hey, I missed you,” he said lightly. “It was a long weekend.”

Her smile grew a little more forced. He looked very appealing in the morning sunlight that streamed in from the huge windows, especially now that the look in his eyes had warmed. Just looking at him made her heart beat a little faster—which was exactly why she had to go.

“Well, I’m afraid that’s something you’re going to have to get used to,” she said. “I’m not going to be here for a while.”

His scowl was back and he rose from his chair. “What are you talking about?”

“I need to take a few days off.”

His frown deepened. “Why?”

She wasn’t really fond of his tone, so she developed a frown of her own. “I have some personal days coming,” she said defensively. “I’m going to take them.”

He looked angered and frustrated at the same time. “Why are you taking them now?”

She glared at him. “Do you have to know everything I do?”

“Yes.” He hesitated, as though he rather regretted having said that. “After all, you’re taking care of my children,” he improvised.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake.” She gaped at him. The nerve of the man! He had the decency to look chagrined—but only for a moment before his natural arrogance reasserted itself.

“Okay,” she said quickly. “This is what’s happening. Mimi has to go take care of her sister in Dallas, so I’m going to have to stay home with the twins until she gets back.”

He shook his head as though he couldn’t see what that had to do with anything. “Can’t you hire a sitter?”