Baby Be Mine (Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1) (22 page)

Wracking his brain for a simple explanation,
he just couldn’t come up with any as he watched her once again flee
down the stairs with her hair tossing behind her, just like the
very first time she had fled from him when she’d delivered those
flowers to his townhouse the day before Valentine’s.

For once, the king of Casanovas was at a
loss for words.

CHAPTER 18

Max tiptoed to the door of the hotel suite
he shared with his cousin, then turned the door handle slowly. He
poked his head in first. His eyes scanned the lounge. All clear. No
traces of his cousin anywhere.
Must be busy making babies.
He grinned at his own thought.

It was actually Max’s plan all along when he
had begged Clarice to come to Queenstown after finishing all his
midterm exams. He really wanted to help her get that sperm. He
loved his dear cousin very much, and to see her so upset because
she was aging and might have no prospect of a husband and family
just shattered his heart.

Max knew his cousin wouldn’t take the first
step in seducing Anton. She was too well mannered, so he’d resorted
to this tactic instead.

When he mentioned to Clarice earlier
yesterday that he was going out exploring, in actual fact, he went
to do some networking. Max knew he was going to be a big
businessman one day, with lots of influence from around the world,
and so he went to start his networking then. And the information he
found just slotted right into his plan. Anton Silverton would be
holding an entertaining party at Torque for his VIP guests that
night, so he knew he must take action then.

During dinner at The Burger, he had informed
his cousin that she should wait at his friends’ suite in Night Love
Hotel so he could get some midnight snacks before they all headed
off to the Gondola to check out some nightlife. But what she didn’t
know was he’d planned to take Anton to her room and lock them
inside together so they could do their business.

Afterwards, he had stayed out all night,
checking out the night scene with his friends until he was so
exhausted that he stayed over at their place. Now it was
approaching 10:00 a.m., and it looked like his cousin still hadn’t
returned to their suite yet.

They must really be having fun,
Max
thought. At last her dream had come true. She must be really happy
now. He was happy for her too. Soon he would have another nephew or
niece to play with—even better, twins. He wondered what prize he
would receive for being a cupid like this.

Still grinning like an idiot, Max closed the
door and made a turn when—

Smack!
A pillow flew into his
face.

“Max, you rascal. Why did you do that?”
Clarice came charging out of her bedroom with another pillow in
hand, which she threw at Max also.

“Aaaaahhhhhh. Cuz,” Max screamed at his
cousin who had now been transformed into a wild boar.

He had heard many times from Elise and
Whitney that his cousin had a tendency to turn into a boar when
she’s upset, but he’d never experienced it firsthand. But now he
really didn’t want to experience it at all as he made dodges and
turns just so he could escape her flared temper. “I’m sorry, okay.
I thought you would be happy that I arranged it for you,” he
managed to say through his escape.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me? You set me
up, you rascal?” She ran after him again.

They both stopped for a few minutes to catch
their breath before proceeding with their chase again.

“Clarice stop,” Max shouted at her. He was
puffed out of air. This was ridiculous. Why were they running and
screaming at the same time? What a waste of energy. They should
just talk civilly. “Let’s just talk like adults, okay?”

“Fi… fi… finnne.” Clarice was also puffed
out air. She walked to the couch and collapsed. Max did the
same.

“That was exhausting. I haven’t run like
that in ages,” Clarice said.

“You should exercise more, cuz,” Max said.
“Exercise is good for you.”

“Don’t try to change the subject.” Clarice
glared at her cousin once her breath was intact again. “You want to
talk like an adult? Let’s talk like adults, then.”

“Fine. I’m sorry. I thought you would be
happy I did that for you.”

“Max, I just don’t understand how you would
think it would make me happy. Yes, I have a desire to have his
sperm. I was going to ask him nicely for it, so he could donate it
to me. If he says no, then I’ll just look for another option. I
don’t want to steal it.”

“I’m sorry, okay,” Max said sadly. “I just
want you to be happy, that’s all. I love you, Clarice. You’re the
only one that’s very close to me, despite our age difference. And I
moved all the way to Auckland just to look after you.”

Clarice couldn’t help giving in to her
cousin when he talked about his life like that.

“Oh, Max. Stop it with the sad face. Come
here.” She hugged him. “I appreciate that you care and love me. I
love you too. But this is very important. We’re talking about a
person’s life here. I don’t feel it’s right to do this. Plus, I
have my own value. I don’t want to devalue myself just for the sake
of the sperm. Perhaps it’s my fault too for putting my problems
into your hands. I’m sorry for that, so next time, if you have some
elaborate plan that involves messing in other people’s lives, I
think it’s best to talk to that person first. Do you agree?”

“Okay,” Max said, still looking sad. “Do you
forgive me, then?” he asked with unshed tears in his eyes. He knew
after Clarice had said all that, it did make some sense. He was
being too hasty in helping his cousin that he forgot to take into
account her feelings. He just assumed she would be happy that she
got her sperm. But he should have known that Clarice had class and
dignity. She valued her innocence more than anything. So he was
wrong and he admitted it.

“I forgive you. But promise me before you
start interfering in other people’s lives, ask their permission
first.”

“I promise.” He smiled. And then they both
hugged each other again.

Later that night after dinner, Clarice was
sitting at the dining table, rubbing her lips profusely.

“Urrr? Cuz?” Max asked from behind when he
noticed his cousin rubbing her pouty lips all red and raw.

“Mmmm?” Clarice answered while still
unconsciously rubbing.

“Why are you rubbing your lips like that?”
he asked in concern. “Did you eat something wrong? Or did a bee
sting your lips?”

“Huh? Huh? What? Of course not. No,
nothing.” Clarice turned away from Max’s prying eyes. “I’m going to
bed now.”

“What? Cuz.” Max stepped in her way to block
her path, drawing his eyes forward to examine her lips. “They look
really red, cuz. It looks like someone kissed you.” Then his eyes
popped wide open at the realization. “Shit, did Anton eat your lips
or something?”

“Max!” Clarice clamped his mouth shut.
“Don’t say things like that.”

“Did he? Did he kiss you?”

“Max, I am not having this conversation with
you. I’m tired. Would you just go to your room now? I’m going to
sleep.”

“Don’t give me that excuse,” Max said. “Your
face is all red. He kissed you. didn’t he? And he gave you that
sperm!”

“Of course he did. You set us up, didn’t
you?” Clarice let her tongue loose, and before she realized it, Max
had dragged her to the comfy couch and demanded she tell him the
whole story.

“Aren’t you too young to listen to this kind
of story?” She was about to leap off the couch again, but Max’s
arms were firmly on her shoulders, holding her in place.

“Come on, cuz. Just spill a bit,” Max
pleaded with puppy dog eyes. He knew Elise and Whitney couldn’t
resist those eyes so he was sure it would work on his cousin
too.

“There is nothing to tell. I’m going to
bed,” Clarice said quickly, then ran off to her room, but Max’s
voice still drifted into her room when she’d closed the door.

“Someone’s shy right now,” Max teased her
from the other side. “Ooo-la-la.”

“Shut up. Don’t make that stupid noise. You
are so annoying. Go to bed now,” she shouted. “We’re leaving early
tomorrow morning, so go to sleep.”

“Aye, aye, Clarice cuz. See you tomorrow
morning all bright-eyed and fluffy-tailed. Hope you have a good
dream about that baby of yours. I so can’t wait to have a nephew or
a niece,” Max said.

Once she was sure Max had gone off to his
room, she sank to the floor, her knees weak.

Dear heavens! So many things had happened to
her in the last twenty-four hours. Getting confessed to by Anton
that he wanted her, sleeping with Anton, and then getting kissed by
that Casanova Hunter.

“Urrggggg…” Clarice moaned as she felt her
heart beating for both men. “Why oh why did that Casanova have to
kiss me?”

CHAPTER 19

The slim woman in the four-inch heels strode
along the hallway to the head office of Silverton Hotel like she
was parading on a catwalk, her gait sly like a panther stalking her
target. She dismissed anyone who got in her way, only heading
toward her destination, which lay hidden in the private sector of
the hotel. Her target: the young heir of Silverton Enterprises,
Hunter Silverton.

Winton, who was busy dashing between errands
for Anton Silverton, just stood in the hallway, watching her glide
past him, his mouth gaping open in awe as he admired her beauty.
She was a sight to behold all right, with her long, glorious fiery
red hair cascading all the way down to her waist.

Winton didn’t realize he was gawking and
drool was forming on the corner of his lips until she slid past him
toward the restricted staff-only area. Blinking a few times for his
wayward mind to return back to reality, he clamped his mouth shut,
swiped the drool off the side of his chin, and raced to catch up to
the beauty that had caught his eyes.

“Miss, I’m sorry, but you can’t pass this
area. This is a no patron area. Only staff is allowed in here,” he
said sweetly by way of blocking her passage with his body.

The woman gazed at him under her lashes.
“But Fern has someone she needs to see. Can’t you just let her in?
It’s very important to her.”

Winton couldn’t handle being spoken to like
this. He felt his legs turning into jelly. He always had a soft
spot for sweet beauty like this woman here. Especially if she was
referring to herself in the third person.

“I’m sorry, miss, but I can’t.”

“Really?” she asked, her eyes twinkling with
sadness, her lips pouting. And she even batted her eyelashes again
just for effect.

“I… I could get that person for you.” Winton
tried to woo her and stood a little straighter so he could look
manlier.

For someone who was on par with Anton
Silverton, the same age and everything, Winton couldn’t help
feeling inferior to the man. Where Anton was blessed with thick
brown hair, Winton was starting to turn into a silvery grey fox,
what with the silver lining on his temple already. And it didn’t
look good either when there was a potbelly on its way too. He
needed to get those extra pounds off if he wanted to attract any
woman at all. He just needed a beautiful woman to motivate him to
do this. And he just hoped this woman in front of him here would be
his prize for losing all that extra weight.

“I… can’t.” Winton still stood his ground.
“Who do you need? I can call for him. You can just—”

Blue blazes, the woman was winding her arms
around him, and Winton almost peed in his pants. He had never been
this close to a beautiful creature before. He couldn’t even think
straight, let alone react. This was outside the bounds of their
office rules. No sexual conduct in Silverton Enterprises between
strangers or office workers. She was a stranger, but he had no
doubt he’d just broken the rules.

“What is going on here?”

Winton turned to the voice and there was the
CEO of the hotel, all serious-looking, Anton Silverton. Winton
tried unwinding the arms of the beautiful creature, but she was
like a leech, sucking him until he was out of energy.

The woman turned to the man and ran her eyes
down the length of his body. Smiling as she saw the man who
interrupted her, wearing a suit that was not as expensive as this
gentleman with the growing potbelly, she assumed immediately that
he must be the underling of Mr. Potbelly.

“Fern is here to see Hunter,” she announced.
“Are you the secretary here? Please bring Hunter to Fern,” she
instructed.

Anton almost gaped in horror at the sight of
the woman before him. She was like the devil, dressed all in red
with red sharp claws and lips that were so scarlet it hurt his eyes
to look at. And the gall of her to even assume he was a
secretary.

“I…” Anton couldn’t pretend to speak; in
fact, he was that speechless.

“Fern would like to speak with Hunter.” She
came to stand in front of Anton and with her heels, her head was
level with his.

Eye to eye, nose to nose, and lips to lips,
Anton couldn’t help feeling a slight thump in the rhythm of his
heart. There was no denying there was some sort of electric shock
running through his being.

Fern cocked her head to one side. This man,
why was he not having any reaction to her? He looked so serious and
still, like a mannequin.

Anton couldn’t take his eyesight off this
woman; he just couldn’t. So he continued to stare at her, putting
on his serious and businesslike face.

“What in the grasshopper is going on?” came
Clinton Silverton’s booming voice, breaking the two’s eye
contact.

The red-haired woman gracefully turned her
head to look at the old man, which in turn made her coppery mane
sway past Anton’s face, and he couldn’t help sucking in her sweet,
exotic scent. When she saw the man with the silvery grey hair and
the Armani suit, with the round chin and chubby cheeks, Fern knew
immediately who this person was.