Read Online Punchline by Jacqueline Diamond - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jacqueline Diamond
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like an electrical storm.
“Maybe there’s an empty office around.” Hurrying away, Belle tried a couple of unmarked doors until one opened. Switching on a light, she stepped inside.
And found herself in a storage closet. Between the walls of shelving holding cleaning supplies and wrapped paper products, there was just enough room for two people to crowd inside, if they were on very, very good terms.
Which she and Darryl were not. But it was too late. He had followed her inside and closed the door. “Very nice,” he said.
With his broad shoulders looming over her and his hips only inches from hers and the tight space magnifying the scent of his after-shave, Belle kept flashing back to that morning when she’d awakened in his bed. What had it felt like when they’d made love?
“So what’s your idea?” she said.
“I feel responsible for this,” he began.
“ You are responsible.”
“Half responsible,’’ he said.
She wanted to argue, but as a modern woman, she couldn’t. “You’re offering to contribute to my expenses?”
“Expenses?”
“Insurance doesn’t cover everything,” she responded.
This obviously wasn’t what he’d expected. Darryl’s jaw worked for a moment before he said, “Naturally I’ll help out. More than that, you shouldn’t be living alone.”
“I like living alone.” She wished he would hurry up and get to the point. Belle had never been claustrophobic, but she’d never been jammed into a storage closet with Dar-ryl before, either. The man was practically inside of her. It wouldn’t take more than a few quick moves…
What was she thinking of?
“I should move in with you,” he said. “In case you suffer a fall or something.”
She had felt a few twinges of worry these past weeks, especially when she’d had such a bad attack of nausea she’d been barely able to climb out of bed. But living with Darryl was unthinkable. “You must be crazy. We might as well take an ad in the newspaper and announce that you’re the father. Would you like that?”
“No,” he admitted. “But we could get around it.”
“How?”
“We’ll tell everybody I’m researching an article.” He gave her a self-satisfied smile. “About how ignorant menare regarding pregnancy. I do plan to write it, Belle. It would be a real eye-opener for my readers.”
“You can open their eyes in somebody else’s condo.” This was the worst idea she had heard in a long time. “’ll bet there are lots of pregnant single women who’d be thrilled to have you as their houseguest. But not me.”
“You need someone to wait on you,” he continued in a soothing voice. “To fetch pickles and ice cream in the middle of the night. To bring you crackers in bed. I could even drop you at work so you wouldn’t have to drive.”
She wished the offer weren’t so tempting. “There’s no way I’m going to let you use my name in your magazine.”
“I won’t,” he promised hastily. “I’ll give you a pseudonym.”
“As if everybody wouldn’t know—”
“I’ll interview other women and create a composite,” Darryl improvised. Why was he so determined to get her to agree to this?
She doubted he had been overwhelmed by paternal feelings when he’d seen the ultrasound. Her own reaction had been strong and deep. The instant she had seen the baby Belle had discovered that she would go to any lengths to protect it.
She would almost be willing to let Darryl hang around in case of emergency. Almost, but not quite. Besides, there wasn’t going to be an emergency.
“I’ll think about it,” she said.
“Think about it now.”
“I’ve got work to do,” she retorted. “I’m hungry, my feet hurt, my stomach feels like an oil slick…”
“It does, huh?” Without waiting for an invitation, he pulled up Belle’s blouse and ran his hand across her tummy. “That doesn’t feel oily, it feels soft.”
“Only because your hand is covered with calluses,” she
“Maybe there’s an empty office around.” Hurrying away, Belle tried a couple of unmarked doors until one opened. Switching on a light, she stepped inside.
And found herself in a storage closet. Between the walls of shelving holding cleaning supplies and wrapped paper products, there was just enough room for two people to crowd inside, if they were on very, very good terms.
Which she and Darryl were not. But it was too late. He had followed her inside and closed the door. “Very nice,” he said.
With his broad shoulders looming over her and his hips only inches from hers and the tight space magnifying the scent of his after-shave, Belle kept flashing back to that morning when she’d awakened in his bed. What had it felt like when they’d made love?
“So what’s your idea?” she said.
“I feel responsible for this,” he began.
“ You are responsible.”
“Half responsible,’’ he said.
She wanted to argue, but as a modern woman, she couldn’t. “You’re offering to contribute to my expenses?”
“Expenses?”
“Insurance doesn’t cover everything,” she responded.
This obviously wasn’t what he’d expected. Darryl’s jaw worked for a moment before he said, “Naturally I’ll help out. More than that, you shouldn’t be living alone.”
“I like living alone.” She wished he would hurry up and get to the point. Belle had never been claustrophobic, but she’d never been jammed into a storage closet with Dar-ryl before, either. The man was practically inside of her. It wouldn’t take more than a few quick moves…
What was she thinking of?
“I should move in with you,” he said. “In case you suffer a fall or something.”
She had felt a few twinges of worry these past weeks, especially when she’d had such a bad attack of nausea she’d been barely able to climb out of bed. But living with Darryl was unthinkable. “You must be crazy. We might as well take an ad in the newspaper and announce that you’re the father. Would you like that?”
“No,” he admitted. “But we could get around it.”
“How?”
“We’ll tell everybody I’m researching an article.” He gave her a self-satisfied smile. “About how ignorant menare regarding pregnancy. I do plan to write it, Belle. It would be a real eye-opener for my readers.”
“You can open their eyes in somebody else’s condo.” This was the worst idea she had heard in a long time. “’ll bet there are lots of pregnant single women who’d be thrilled to have you as their houseguest. But not me.”
“You need someone to wait on you,” he continued in a soothing voice. “To fetch pickles and ice cream in the middle of the night. To bring you crackers in bed. I could even drop you at work so you wouldn’t have to drive.”
She wished the offer weren’t so tempting. “There’s no way I’m going to let you use my name in your magazine.”
“I won’t,” he promised hastily. “I’ll give you a pseudonym.”
“As if everybody wouldn’t know—”
“I’ll interview other women and create a composite,” Darryl improvised. Why was he so determined to get her to agree to this?
She doubted he had been overwhelmed by paternal feelings when he’d seen the ultrasound. Her own reaction had been strong and deep. The instant she had seen the baby Belle had discovered that she would go to any lengths to protect it.
She would almost be willing to let Darryl hang around in case of emergency. Almost, but not quite. Besides, there wasn’t going to be an emergency.
“I’ll think about it,” she said.
“Think about it now.”
“I’ve got work to do,” she retorted. “I’m hungry, my feet hurt, my stomach feels like an oil slick…”
“It does, huh?” Without waiting for an invitation, he pulled up Belle’s blouse and ran his hand across her tummy. “That doesn’t feel oily, it feels soft.”
“Only because your hand is covered with calluses,” she
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