Page 146

“To what is this regarding?” I asked.

He held an arm out toward the open door across the building, his large desk sitting ominously inside. “Let’s step into my office, shall we?”

Nodding, I saved my progress and shut off my computer, then followed him toward what felt like my doom.

“Have a seat,” he said once we were sealed inside.

I did so begrudgingly, though I would have preferred to stand by the door, the better to run if necessary.

“I trust your day was pleasant,” he said as he sat, and my mind dredged up the images Cam’s head between my thighs.

“It was fine. Is there something you need, Mr. Shepherd?”

“And did you enjoy the ball on Saturday?” he asked, ignoring me.

“Yes.” I folded my hands in my lap. “It was lovely.”

Steel-gray eyes studied me. “I never saw you leave.”

“And yet I must have, since I’m sitting here before you and not still in your home.”

A tiny smile perked his mouth. “We had a discussion a few weeks ago.”

“I remember.”

“I thought I’d made myself clear.”

I swallowed. “You did.”

“And yet my son canceled plans with his own father on Sunday to return to the woman in his bed.”

Well, at least he used the term “woman” and not “whore.”

“Did he?” I asked.

“Don’t play games with me, Miss Honeycutt. I am well aware of what goes on in my home.”

I gritted my teeth, refusing to confirm it.

Shep’s assessing stare turned into a glare. “You seduced him.”

I thought about that. I did seduce him, didn’t I? I took off my clothes and threw myself at him.

Ha. Whoops.

Worth it.

I still said nothing, but my silence appeared to be confirmation enough, because his mouth tightened. “At least tell me you’re on birth control.”

I jerked back, my thoughts flying to the little bar in my arm I’d had replaced every three years since I was fourteen because the doctor promised it was the only thing better than abstinence at preventing pregnancy. “How do you think that’s your business?”

“I have a wife and son to think about, Miss Honeycutt. I can only imagine your plans, but it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that he’d finally come to his senses, only to have you trap him with a pregnancy, then extort money from my family using my only grandchild as leverage.”

My mouth dropped open. “Seriously? Who does that?”

“It has been done.” He enunciated each word with precision, cold and sharp as a knife.

“I would never do that. That would never even enter my head!”