At the Tycoon's Command (16 page)

He rested his cheek against the top of her head. “You're right. Grant is probably on his way now.”

Jared released her from his embrace as he looked at his clothes. “I really do need to take a quick shower and put on something clean.”

“You go ahead and grab a shower. Meanwhile, I have plenty of work to do in the office.”

Jared placed a loving kiss on her lips, then disappeared across the hall to his bedroom. After checking on Chloe to make sure she was still sleeping, Kim went to the office. She picked up where she had left the charity event. About twenty minutes later she looked up to find Jared staring at her.

“I didn't hear you come in.”

He walked over to her and sat on the edge of the desk. “You looked like you were deep in concentration. I didn't want to disturb you. What you are—”

The doorbell interrupted him.

“I'll bet that's Grant.” He hurried to the door and admitted his attorney to the house. He called down the hall for Kim to join them in the den.

Grant Collins nodded in Kim's direction, acknowledging her presence. “Miss Donaldson. It's nice to see you again.”

A flush of embarrassment heated her cheeks. “I want to apologize for my rude behavior. There was no excuse for what I did.”

“That's quite all right. I understand.” The attorney went right to the business at hand.

“I've spoken with Amy Fenton, the little girl's mother. She does not want the child back. At first she told me it was because there was no way she could properly care for her, but her true reasons came to light shortly after that. It seems she has a new boyfriend who has no interest in being saddled with the care of any children. He wants to be free to pursue his wanderings and expects Amy to go with him. She had made the choice between Chloe and the new boyfriend—she chose the boyfriend.”

Jared's frown carried a hint of confusion and a lot of disgust at the news his attorney had brought him. “So what happens now? Where does Chloe go?”

Grant drew in a deep breath and slowly expelled it. “Well, a lot of that hinges on Terry. He is Chloe's father and apparently is listed as such on the birth certificate.”

“Terry? He'll never take any responsibility for raising a child. He certainly demonstrated that by bringing Chloe here, then announcing that he was leaving on an extended vacation starting immediately.”

Kim had been following the discussion with great interest. “If Terry doesn't want her, what will happen? Will she become a ward of the state and be put into an orphanage?”

A look of deep concern covered Grant's face. “I'm afraid that's probably how it will happen.”

Jared looked at Kim, his eyes pleading as much as his voice. “Let's adopt her…you and me.”

“What?” The shock quickly filled every corner of her conscious thoughts. His statement had come out of the clear blue, and she wasn't sure what to say.

Jared pulled her into his arms. “Marry me. We'll adopt Chloe. We'll be a real family.”

“Do you realize what you're saying?” She was afraid to allow her joy to burst into the open, afraid he didn't understand the full impact of what he had said.

“Yes, I know exactly what I'm saying. I love you. I want you to marry me. I want us to adopt Chloe.”

She threw her arms around his neck as the tears of joy ran down her cheeks. Her happiness welled inside her until there was hardly any room left for her to breathe. “Yes, yes, yes! I'll marry you!”

He placed a loving kiss on her lips. “I'm now the luckiest man in the world. I have everything I want, everything that's important…a wife and a daughter to love forever. For the first time in my life I have a real family.”

“Uh…” Grant cleared his throat, but when he didn't receive a response he made his way toward the front door. “I'll call you in the morning.”

A moment later the sound of the front door opening and closing filled the room.

Jared held Kim tightly in his embrace. A mischievous grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. “I was beginning to think he'd never leave.”

She returned his teasing smile. “Me, too.”

“Kimbra Stevens…Mrs. Kimbra Stevens…Mrs. Jared Stevens… I hope you like the sound of those names because they'll belong to you just as soon as we can make it legal.”

“I love the sound of those names. I love
you.
”

Jared continued to hold her in his embrace. The warmth and contentment radiated between them and spoke of a deep and lasting love.

K
im and Jared stood next to the crib watching Chloe as she slept. He turned to Kim, placed a loving kiss on her lips, then folded her into his embrace.

“Tell me, Mrs. Stevens, is all of this real? I keep asking myself if it's possible to have everything I want and to be as deliriously happy as I am, yet here it all is—a wife I love very much and a darling little daughter to make us a family.”

She rested her head against his shoulder. “I know what you mean. Everything happened so quickly, it's taking me a while to catch up with reality.”

“I thought it would take longer for all the paperwork on Chloe. Grant really earned his money on this one. He had the appropriate documents drawn up in record time, got the mother's signature and Terry's signature showing that they relinquished all claim to the child and gave her up for adoption.”

Kim reached over and adjusted Chloe's blanket, then they walked quietly out of Chloe's bedroom and continued outside to the deck. The full moon cast a silvery glow over everything, enveloping them in a mystical aura.

“I love you, Jared. I really do.”

He let out a soft chuckle. “It's a good thing, Mrs. Stevens, because you're stuck with me forever.”

“I like the sound of that…Mrs. Stevens forever.”

Jared pulled her into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and nestled her head against his shoulder. It was, indeed, a love that would last forever.