Perfect Partners (39 page)

“Would you mind putting the president of Thornquist Gear back on her feet?” Joel said coldly.

The Adonis blinked and looked immediately alarmed. “Sure. Sorry about that.” He hastily set Letty back on the floor.

“Hello, Mr. Blackstone.” Letty smiled cheerfully as she struggled to tuck in her blouse and straighten her rumpled jacket.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Blackstone. Who the hell is this and what does he think he's doing carting you around like a sack of potatoes?”

“This is Mark,” Letty said. “He's going to be the model for our new ad campaign. You know, the one aimed at the experienced high-country backpacker and rock climber.”

“I trust he's not going to try to pack you into the high country?”

“Heavens, no. He was just proving to me that he could lift a hundred and twenty pounds of camping and climbing gear, weren't you, Mark?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Mark flashed another perfect smile.

Letty examined him with professional admiration. “I think he's going to look just great climbing a glacier or something with lots of Thornquist Gear on his back. This new campaign is going to be smashing.”

“Speaking of the new campaign, I have a few things to discuss with you concerning it, Mrs. Blackstone.” Joel braced one elbow against the door frame and glowered at her. He lowered the file he was holding in one hand and tapped it against his leg.

Letty's brows rose behind her glasses. “Is there a problem?”

“There is one hell of a problem,” Joel bit out. “The campaign is apparently fifty thousand dollars over budget.”

“Oh, that.”

“Yes, that. Would you care to explain where the money is going, Madam President?”

Letty laughed up at him with warm, loving eyes. “Certainly, Mr. Blackstone. Do you want to hear the explanation before or after I tell you that I have every reason to believe I'm pregnant?”

That very morning Joel had decided that it was probably not possible for him to be any happier than he was already. Now he realized he was wrong. He forgot about the little matter of a fifty thousand dollar cost overrun and started to grin like an idiot.

“You're pregnant?” Joel ignored the embarrassed expression on the face of the blond Adonis. “You're going to have our baby?”

“It would appear so.” Letty pushed her glasses up onto her nose and smiled demurely. “What do you say to that, Mr. Blackstone?”

Joel tossed the file over his left shoulder. The data on the ad budget was sent flying into the air.

Eyes gleaming, he walked over to Letty and lifted her carefully into his arms. “I say the hell with the fifty thousand dollars. What's a few bucks between a president and her CEO?”

“I knew you'd be reasonable about it, Joel.”

Joel carried her out the door and down the hall. “Let's go back to my office, Mrs. Blackstone, and discuss something far more important than ad budget overruns.”

“Yes, of course, Mr. Blackstone.” Letty glowed up at him. “And this time we must remember to lock the door before we start our discussions.”

Joel's laughter echoed down the halls of Thornquist Gear. Life was very good.