Free Second Wife by Unknown Page A

means
    getting involved with a child who isn’t your own. You’re going to have to bring a lot of love and tolerance
    and commitment into a marriage, Heather. If you can’t offer those three things then you haven’t got much
    to offer any man, let alone a paragon such as the one you say you want.“
    „And what do I get in return?“ she asked coldly.
    „Love and tolerance and commitment.“ Flynn’s face relaxed and a measure of indulgent tenderness
    appeared in his eyes.
    „I think you’re the one who’s looking for a paragon,“ Heather remarked with artificial calm. She put her
    napkin on the table. „Beth assures me there are a lot of female paragons just waiting to take you up on your
    offer. Good luck finding one. Can we go now, please?“
    „No. I haven’t finished my prime rib.“
    „Then I’ll phone for a taxi.“ She started to get to her feet but was halted by the cool command in his
    next words.
    „Sit down.“
    Heather fumed silently. Flynn hadn’t raised his voice, but that didn’t lessen the impact. She began to
    understand why he was so good at his job. „There isn’t much else to say, is there? We’ve insulted each
    other enough for one evening.“
    „You started it,“ he informed her with a startling hint of humor. „I was on my best behavior until you
    deliberately pushed me into a corner.“
    Heather discovered she wasn’t prepared for the switch from masculine irritation to indulgent amuse-
    ment. „Why didn’t you tell me about…about Jeremy?“ She still found it difficult to say the boy’s name. On
    some level, Heather knew, she didn’t want to give the child a real identity. It was easier not to be interested
    in him if she kept him a totally unknown quantity in her mind.
    „Strange as this may sound, I was holding him in reserve in case I blew my chance with you,“ Flynn ex-
    plained quite calmly. „I figured if I messed up badly, I could always bring in the big guns, namely him. I told
    myself that you might be able to resist me, but you probably wouldn’t be able to resist my son.“
    „Was that assumption based on some ridiculous theory that all women go crazy over babies?“
    „Nope. I knew better than that. I’m fully aware that not all women go crazy over babies. My ex-wife is
    a good example.“
    Heather shifted restlessly, moving her gaze around the room. „I’d rather not talk about your ex-wife,
    Flynn.“
    „I think it’s time we did. While we’re at it, I think we’ll get a few other details out of the way, too. Are
    you going to eat any more of that tortellini?“
    „No.“ She’d probably disgrace herself if she tried, Heather thought. Her stomach was in knots. „The
    only thing I want right now is to go home.“
    „All right,“ Flynn agreed. „I’ve done about as much damage as I can do on this prime rib. Let’s go.“
    Relieved that the painful evening was finally about to come to an end, Heather waited impatiently as
    Flynn paid the bill. When that task was finished she turned to lead the way toward the door of the restau-
    rant. He was forced to take a couple of long strides in order to catch up with her just as she pushed open
    the glass doors and stepped out into the pleasantly warm darkness. Flynn grabbed for and caught hold of
    her arm.
    „Nothing like an eager woman,“ he growled, reaching for his car keys as he kept a firm grip on Heather.
    Heather overlooked the two-edged remark as they walked to the far end of the parking lot. Flynn had a
    habit of parking his precious car as far away from other cars as possible to protect it from the dreaded
    parking-lot dent. Privately Heather had never seen much sense in owning a car that had to be treated so
    carefully. „You do understand that the reason I’m in such a rotten mood tonight is because I feel like I’m
    the one who’s been set up, don’t you, Flynn?“ she demanded as he deposited her into the passenger seat of
    the Porsche.
    He didn’t answer, but closed the door