Page 65 of Tristan’s Temptation

At the initial realization that he was going to be a father, the blood had drained from his head. He’d nearly passed out. Thank God Adam had been right behind him to steady him or he would probably have ended up facedown on the linoleum. But now that he’d had time to think about it, time to reflect, he couldn’t be happier. A child would bind them together. Pull them even closer. A child was a connection they would always share.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

He forced his gaze up to her face. God, he loved her. He couldn’t wait any longer. He pulled the ring out of his pocket and dropped to one knee. “Shannon Weiss. Will you marry me?”

She paled and then turned a bright pink. Tears pooled in her eyes.

His heart lifted. This was it. This was the moment. The moment she said yes.

But she didn’t say yes. She took a step back and hissed, “Oh my God. She told you!”

“What? No!” He leapt to his feet.

She put her palms on her cheeks. “I can’t believe she told you.”

“She didn’t tell me anything. I overheard. But it was…I didn’t know who…and then Mom…Shannon!”

She whirled on him, a fury. She thrust a finger at the door. “Get out!”

“No! Shannon. I love you, bab…sweetheart. I want to marry you.”

“I will not. I refuse.” She marched to the door and held it open. “Go.”

But he didn’t want to go. He wanted her to say yes and fall into his arms and kiss him silly. “You have to marry me.”

Every muscle in her body clenched. “No. I do not.”

“But the baby… It’s mine.”

“No,” she snarled. “It’s mine.”

“Shannon. Be reasonable.”

“I am being reasonable. I’m being very reasonable.”

“But I love you. You love me.”

She stared at him, those big doe eyes wide and wet. “I do. I do love you, Tristan. But you don’t love me. I’m your hot office fling, the dirty little secret you keep from everyone. I’m the woman you fuck in secret. Not the woman you marry. The only reason you’re proposing is because of the baby.”

“No. I’m not.” He was trying to stay calm but he felt reason slipping away. Felt her slipping away.

Her chin firmed. She threw her shoulders back. “I’m sorry, Tristan. The answer is no. And that’s final. Please go.”

“It’s not final. It will never be final until this ring is on your finger.”

At the sight of the ring, the four-karat emerald-cut diamond in a velvet box, the tears began to flow. But all she said was, “Go. Please go.”

And he did.

But it wasn’t final.

It would not be final. Not until she was back in his arms.

He didn’t bother with flowers in the morning. He knew better. But he did have a plan. A ring in his pocket and a plan.

If Shannon was convinced that he was ashamed of her or he didn’t want their relationship to be public, she was in for a rude awakening.

He came in late on purpose. Adam was already running the meeting. The crew was sitting around the table and drinking coffee and eating scones. They all looked up—like a herd of meerkats—when he entered the boardroom but there was only one set of eyes that mattered.