Page 9 of A Baby for the Billionaire Cowboy

She scowled at her reflection. She shouldn’t worry about looking nice. No one expected a woman over seven months pregnant to looknice. They might pretend she “glowed,” but she could hardly be expected to put on fitted dresses and high heels. Should she get some makeup, now that she had a job? Or would she look like she was trying too hard? She didn’t want anyone thinking she was after one of the Tomlinson boys, especially not a Tomlinson wife, fiancée, or girlfriend. She could use some female friends, and if being obviously pregnant had one advantage there, it was that no one would see her as a threat to their relationships.

Okay. Back to work, to prove she could do this job. She tried to find a little of Auntie Rhonda’s fierceness. Daisy could be a dragon slayer too—as long as the dragons came in the form of spreadsheets and memos.

When she returned to the main room, Xander hovered by the kitchenette. “Can I get you a drink? Or a snack? If there’s something special you want, let me know, and I’ll order it.”

Daisy put her fists on her hips. “I’m your administrative assistant. You should be asking me to order drinks and snacks.”

“Oh. Sure. Then you can order whatever you want. But for today...” He looked around as if trying to find something he could offer her. Daisy couldn’t decide whether his anxious helpfulness was cute or annoying.

Annoying. Definitely. She could not let him get in that habit. Ava had given her this job out of kindness, and Daisy would not abuse her trust by treating Xander like a sugar daddy. She didn’t even know how one was supposed to treat a sugar daddy.

“I think there are homemade cookies in the house,” Xander said.

Daisy smothered a laugh. He was literally offering her sugar.

She stalked toward him, gaze narrowed. “Now you listen here. I may be pregnant, but I am not helpless. You don’t have to wait on me. I’m here towork.”

His eyes widened. “Oh. Um. Sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” Now his glance around appeared to be searching for escape.

She stepped closer and tapped a finger on his chest. “If I want a drink or a snack, I will get one for myself. And Iwillorder what I want, thank you very much, because that’s the prerogative of an administrative assistant. She gets to order her favorite pens and the cute sticky notes. If I need a break, I’ll take one, and I don’t need anyone telling me when. And if I want to turn down the thermostat, I’ll do so, because it’s too hot in here!”

Whoops. She’d gotten on a roll. William would’ve given her a chilly look if she’d suggested changing the thermostat. He wouldn’t have told her no, but his silent disapproval would have discouraged her. Oh, well. Maybe it was for the best if Xander realized she’d stand up for herself, and if she knew right away whether that was going to be a problem.

“There are cute sticky notes?” He shook his head. “Never mind.” He gazed into her eyes and spoke softly. “I just want you to feel comfortable and safe here.”

Aw. What a sweetie.

No. She had to stand firm, even in the face of those big, pleading brown eyes with the thick lashes.

She took one step back and crossed her arms. “What exactly do you think I’m doing here?”

He studied her posture, his forehead wrinkled.

“Not right this second,” she snapped. “In general. Here in this office.”

“Um.” He glanced around the room. “Working?”

“That’s right. Don’t you forget it.” Daisy hoped she wasn’t challenging fate, which might respond with something humiliating, like sudden cramps that would send her to the hospital in a panic and turn out to be a Braxton Hicks false alarm. She held her breath for a few seconds, but her body seems stable.

“I didn’t mean to offend you,” Xander said. “I don’t know much about pregnant humans.”

Pregnant humans? That was an odd way to put it—or maybe not, since they ran a cattle ranch. Good grief, she hoped he wasn’t going to treat her like a pregnant cow, even if she sometimes felt like one.

“I’ll do some research, and then I’ll be better,” he said. “But I wanted you to know that we’re not real strict here. It’s only Mama and Carly and me, and we pretty much work whatever hours suit us. I’ll be in and out, taking care of the animals. Carly likes to go for a ride with Josh sometimes. Maybe Mama will want to work less after her vacation, I don’t know. She’s not used to having free time and other people to do the work. We’re still getting the hang of having the money.”

“Okay. I appreciate that.” She offered a smile now that she’d made her point. “Since I’ll be living here, I can work whenever I’m needed, or set my hours as suits me, if you don’t need me for something in particular.”

His eyes widened. “Living here?”

Oops. His mother really had taken him by surprise with this whole thing. “If that’s all right with you,” Daisy said. “Your mother said I could have room and board and a small salary while we figure out if I’m right for this job. But it’s your home too, so if that’s going to make you uncomfortable...” She gulped and gathered her courage. “I can move back in with Auntie Rhonda.”

He visibly shuddered. “No. I wouldn’t ask you to do that. I mean—not that your aunt isn’t a lovely person...”

Daisy snickered. “She’s sometimes a bit aggressive in her kindness. I’m glad you understand.”

He nodded. “I see why Mama offered room and board, if that’s the alternative.” His face was red, but they smiled at each other in accord.

Daisy tried to think of what else he’d said. “You mentioned you’d do research on pregnant women. You could also just ask me.”

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