Dr Di Angelo's Baby Bombshell Read Free Page A

her. Had she really asked Blake to pretend to be in love with her? To spend the weekend with her, share a hotel room with her?
    â€œSaturday afternoon is a picnic at the town park, so something casual for that. The reunion itself is being held at the Armadillo Lake Lodge’s ballroom and will be dressy. Not tuxedo formal, but you’ll need a suit.” She raked her gaze over him, imagining him at the party. He’d look good in a tux, but that would definitely be overkill. A tux would scream “trying too hard”. She wanted their relationship to look real, not make-believe.
    She wanted their relationship to be real, not make-believe.
    She bit back a sigh. Their relationship was real. They had a great business relationship, were ideal partners. Anything beyond that would only make life complicated, because if she and Blake ever became involved that way she’d end up hurt and losing everything. But what if…?
    â€œPicnic and dressy.” Winking, he shot her with his finger. “Gotcha.”
    Fighting to look as if her mind wasn’t racing inunwanted directions, she lifted her shoulders. “Wear that blue button-down you bought for the hospital Christmas party last year. I like how that looks on you.”
    His brow quirked. “Tell me, which part do you like?”
    Darby winced. Had she really just said that she liked how his shirt fit him?
    â€œThe part that covers you up,” she quipped, stepping into the back hallway leading to their private offices. No way would she admit to liking how the material emphasized his broad shoulders and narrow waist.
    â€œNow, now,” he chided, “that’s not how you should be talking to the man you’re madly in love with.”
    Certain her heart throbbed in her throat, despite knowing such a feat was physically impossible, Darby froze, rounded on him. “I’m not madly in love with you.”
    She might have feelings for Blake, but she didn’t do love. At the young age of sweet sixteen she’d learned that love hurt way too much, and credited herself with being intelligent enough not to make the same mistake twice.
    â€œOh?” His brow lifted again, high enough that a lock of his inky hair hid the top of the arch. “Is this a one-sided love affair, then? I’m insane for you, but you’re immune to my charms?” His lips twitched. “Or are you just using me for phenomenal sex?”
    Trying not to think of phenomenal sex and Blake in the same context, Darby gulped. “You’re crazy.”
    Perhaps she was crazy, too. Otherwise why would she have asked him to go to Armadillo Lake? Even forgetting how she’d deal with spending a weekend in a hotel room with him, he’d tease her mercilessly over the things he’d learn about the old Darby. She’d never live down the jokes, the puns.
    â€œWe really should get our story straight before this weekend.” He took her elbow, led her into her office, pausing only long enough to caress the heart model as they passed by the shelf. “Maybe we should practice.”
    â€œPractice?” Darby’s ears roared. Her heart thudded, pounding wildly against her ribcage and threatening to once again leap into her throat. Her gaze dropped to his lips and the desire to practice hit so hard she thought she might faint.
    Then the most brilliant idea hit her. One in which she’d risk everything—but some risks were worth taking.

CHAPTER TWO
    â€œD O YOU even like the people you went to school with?” Blake stuck a French fry in his mouth. Although he usually ate healthily, French fries were his Achilles’ heel. The hotter and saltier the better. Thanks to the hospital cafeteria ladies knowing his vice, they always put on a fresh batch just for him.
    â€œOf course I like them,” Darby insisted, but color rose in her cheeks. “I went to high school with them.”
    â€œDoesn’t mean you like