Page 28 of Staking His Claim
With a toss of her head, she blew out the breath she was holding and brushed aside the absurd notion.
No threat from him.
Never.
“Holly is sleeping,” she said finally as he brushed past her into the living room.
His response had nothing to do with the baby. “You’re putting up a Christmas tree.”
Did he have to sound so surprised?
“Yes.”
Guilt stabbed Ella. She wasn’t about to reveal that it was the first time in the five years she’d lived here that she’d done so. Or that most of the reason why she’d ordered a tree to be delivered stemmed from his barbed comments about Holly enduring her first Christmas alone. Becoming aware of the lack of festive cheer in her home had not been a welcome discovery.
“I almost had it in position...but then the doorbell rang.” She gestured to where the tree lay. “Now I’ll have to start all over again.”
He strode across to where the tree lay. “I’ll give you a hand and we’ll have it up in minutes.”
“Shouldn’t you still be at work?” She bit off the bit about “making your next million.”
He’d walked around to the far side of the tree. Now he shot one immaculate shirt cuff back to glance at a flat watch on his wrist. “Five o’clock. I’ve had enough for one day—boss’s prerogative. I wanted to see Holly.”
She refused to let that sentiment tug at her heartstrings.
Instead, she inspected the dark, formal suit he wore and decided it must be French, while she tried to ignore the effect the broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow male waist had on her. “What about your suit? You’ll get resin all over it.”
He’d reek of a pine forest for months to come. Ella doubted dry cleaning would get rid of the overpowering smell of pine. It would kill that sexy, seductive scent Yevgeny wore so well.
Her lips tilted up in secret amusement.
“What are you smiling at?”
He sounded so suspicious that her smile broadened. He’d find out soon enough. She slanted him an impish look. “Nothing.”
“Somehow I don’t believe that. You’re plotting.”
“Gosh, but you have a suspicious mind.”
“Do you blame me? I know exactly what you are.”
Her smile vanished and her eyes narrowed.
“There’s no point in your staying. Holly’s sleeping.” Ella had had enough of his unwarranted opinions. Now she just wanted him to leave. Before he tempted her to laugh with him...and then he wounded her again. She wanted him gone.
But before she could turn and walk to the front door to show him on his way, he asked, “Have you reached a decision on the new set of portfolios Jo Wells showed you?”
He’d only come to influence—make that sabotage—her decision.
It was her own fault for giving in and revealing she hadn’t selected any parents from the first batch of candidates. She’d been overtired...not thinking properly...reacting with her emotions rather than her head. And look where it had gotten her—Yevgeny hounding her.
Ella headed for the door and opened it. “Once I reach a final decision I’ll let you know. Then you can decide if you want to stay in touch with the baby and her new family. Thank you for visiting.”
Even from across the room, she saw his face fall.
He really had wanted to see the baby, she realized.
The considerations that had led her to update him about progress on the adoption proceedings yesterday returned. Yevgeny was the only blood relative who was showing any interest in the baby; he deserved to be kept in the picture. This would be an open adoption. Jo was insistent that adoptive children needed ties with their birth relatives. Those ties to family helped children grow up secure, with a healthy sense of self and identity.
Ella recognized that she needed to set aside her own antagonism toward the man...and think only of the baby.
As much as Holly needed contact with her birth mother, it would be to her advantage to know her birth father...and her uncle. Having a clear sense of identity would help her to stay intact as an individual as she grew up.
Even though Ella considered Yevgeny Volkovoy to be the most arrogantly selfish man on the face of the planet, for Holly’s sake, she had to recognize that his desire to visit Holly was a blessing.
From her position at the door, Ella relented a little. “You can come back when Holly is awake.”
But Yevgeny showed no sign of hearing. He’d already shrugged off his jacket and put it on the sofa. “I said I’d help you with the tree.”
So he was determined to stay—and ignore her wishes. Why had she ever imagined she might persuade him otherwise? He was accustomed to riding roughshod over other people’s opinions.