Page 19 of Silver Fox's Secret Baby

"I generally eat at six thirty if you would like to join me for dinner. I just need to let Carolyn know to make enough for four instead of one."

Inwardly, I kicked myself because after I brought them to their rooms, I was supposed to leave them alone. I'd been planning on having Caroline serve them dinner, and I would either eat in my office or at a different time. Yet here I was, inviting them to eat with me.

"You're being very kind, Henry." Samantha’s non-answer to my invitation told me she didn’t want to join me. Again, I was hurt and relieved by that.

With a slight nod, I prepared to make my exit. "I will let you all settle in. And again, if you need anything, please don't hesitate to let me or Knightly or Mrs. Tillis know."

I left them in the nursery and headed downstairs, making a beeline to my office, shutting the door behind me and leaning against it.

I should've put her up in one of our corporate apartments. I should've given her a bigger signing bonus so she could find her own place. I should've done anything but have her stay in my home.

Perhaps this was my penance for how terribly I had treated her five years ago. I'd been a selfish dick, afraid that the world would find out I had been fucking my daughter's friend, who happened to be my intern. In this day and age, that sort of scandal would likely require me to resign as the CEO of my own company. Then there was the fear of Victoria's response and losing the only family I had.

Because I was a coward, I had done a despicable thing and sent Samantha away. This time around, I needed to be a man. I needed to control my heart and my dick and stay away from Samantha. I had to make right what I did wrong, and part of that was to keep my hands to myself.

Heaven help me.

7

Samantha

Coming to stay at Henry's house was difficult enough. I didn't need to mortify myself by saying things like, “I came a few times."

When Henry first mentioned my visiting his home, I hadn't thought about the times I'd visited with Victoria. I had thought about the times I had been with him. Initially, I was shocked that he had mentioned it. But then he clarified what he meant, which made me feel foolish, and then I made it worse by responding with “I came a few times." I hadn't meant it as innuendo, but the minute it escaped my mouth, that’s what I heard. I could only imagine what Henry thought of that. The worst-case scenario was that he believed that I was still interested in him. For a moment I wondered what he would think about that, if it were true, which it wasn't.

I decided that the comment had unsettled him because Mrs. Tillis showed up around five asking if we would be coming to dinner at six thirty and making Henry's excuses that he wouldn't be there. When I last saw him, he’d invited us to dine with him, and now, he'd changed his mind. It had to be because he didn’t want me making comments that suggested he and I had been more than friendly at one time.

I told Mrs. Tillis that we didn't want to impose on Henry or her or any of the other staff, but she waved my concern away. "We are happy to have you stay. It's nice to have new energy and life in the house. I hope you will indulge us."

That evening, we ate dinner in the dining room without Henry, and afterward, we finished unpacking and I helped settle Pax into his new room.

He’d been very excited about all the toys in the large space, but when it was dark and time to go to bed, he grew frightened of the new space. I read him stories and stayed with them until he was asleep, and then I went to my own room.

I lay awake wondering about the wisdom of taking Henry up on his offer. It was a reminder of how hard I needed to work, not only to make the money I needed to find a suitable place to live for me and Pax and Marie, but also to fight my father over my mother's will.

The next day was the weekend, and I spent as much time as I could with Pax, going to the park and other excursions. It was fun for him, and it got me out of the house and away from the possibility of running into Henry.

I wondered if Henry was avoiding me too because even though I was staying in his house, I didn't see him Saturday or Sunday. I had remembered Henry was a workaholic, but the fact that he didn't have dinner in the dining room over the weekend was a sure sign that he was avoiding me. I should have been happy about that, but in truth, it irritated me.

I lay in bed on Sunday night, unable to fall asleep. The more I thought about Henry's behavior, the more annoyed I got. Finally, I gave up, getting out of bed and putting on my robe. It was well past midnight as I crept down the stairs to the kitchen, thinking a glass of milk and a snack would help put me to sleep. Sleep that I needed since tomorrow, I would be starting my new job.

I entered the kitchen, and the moon glowing in the window lit up the room enough that I could keep the lights off. Henry had said we could help ourselves to anything, but I still felt a little bit like I was sneaking around where I shouldn't be.

I opened up the fridge and found the carton of milk. Taking it out, I set it on the island in the middle of the kitchen. Henry hadn't been joking when he said Caroline made enough cookies to feed an army, and I figured no one would notice if I snagged a couple. I opened a cupboard to pull out a glass and a small plate.

"Can't sleep?"

I jumped, letting out a small yelp. I spun around, feeling embarrassed at being caught.

Henry held up his hands to his sides. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you." He was wearing a robe, but it was loosely tied, opening in the front to reveal the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath. For a moment, I was drawn to his chest. I remembered laying my head on it and listening to his heartbeat, fooling myself into believing it beat for me.

"I'm sorry—"

"Don’t be sorry. I told you the house was yours." He came around the island toward me, and I was glad to see that he was wearing lounge pants because I knew I wouldn't be able to handle seeing any more than what was already exposed.

I stepped back as he pulled out two plates and two glasses from the cupboard, setting them on the island. He poured us both some milk and brought the tray of cookies onto the island. "Do you mind if I join you?"

"I should be asking you that."

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