Baby Be Mine(Spinsters & Casanovas Series Book 1)(56)

Yes, let’s present this talk with dignity, poise, and confidence.





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Who was she kidding, presenting the talk with dignity, poise, and confidence? Pah! There was nothing confident or poised about her right now as she eyed her audience, her nerves a shivering mess. Her hands shook like she was having an epileptic fit. Thank God she was standing behind the podium and her mini episode was unseen. Otherwise, an ambulance would be called and she would be admitted into Queenstown Hospital. And it wasn’t because she was scared of public speaking. No, far from that. She was actually nervous because Anton was here, at the Dental Hygiene Conference, sitting near the exit, talking to a few of the other hygienists.

What in heaven is he doing here anyway? was the first question that came into her mind. Yes, he was the owner of the hotel chain, but did he have to make an appearance now of all times? She didn’t even know he was here in Queenstown. Just when she was thinking about him this afternoon, he suddenly appeared.

She was about to make her presentation and she didn’t want to think about him just now. It just reminded her of how perfect the man was for her baby. To be so close yet so far away. She should just muster up the courage to ask him for that sperm. Just one single sperm. That’s right. It would be her goal when she got back to Auckland to just ask for his sperm. At that moment, while her mind was still mulled up about that prospect, Anton turned his eyes toward her.

Anton couldn’t help admiring the woman standing on stage before him, exuding a look of poise, confidence, and dignity. She was about to present her talk on dental implants. She was so beautiful, well mannered, delicate and small, like a china doll that needed to be treasured or else it would break. He wanted to be the man that would treasure this china doll.

Clarice had to swallow to wet her dry mouth because that staring contest with Anton was making the back of her throat feel like sandpaper. Turning to her audience, she finally broke eye contact with Anton and began to speak.

“Dental implants…” She began, eyeing the dental hygienists and dental therapists who flew from all over New Zealand to Queenstown for this particular conference. “How do we go about caring for implants for our patients…?”

Once she got going, she realized she lost sight of time, place, and even Anton, who was sitting there watching and admiring her from afar, her focus solely on her presentation.

After an hour presenting the many cases of implants she had preformed and the many ways the hygienists could help care for them, Clarice found herself with a bottle of wine in hand as a parting gift and claps and applause on all sides.

The wine, Clarice knew, she would dispose of through Gracey, since she herself couldn’t drink even a lick of alcohol, what with her memory still fresh from that embarrassing episode from that night at the club on the day of her thirtieth birthday. She could still remember that foul taste of liquor on her taste buds, and no thank you, she would not be repeating that experience ever again.

As the applause continued, Clarice basked in the glory of her audience for an extra full minute before she was led offstage to find Anton patiently waiting for her.

He hadn’t left yet? Suddenly, her heart thumped nervously. Could he have known about her plan for asking for his sperm? She cringed. But she didn’t have to worry herself long, because Anton walked toward her, then made his intention clear.

“Can I speak with you in private, Miss Clarice?”

Private? Why would Anton want a private meeting with her? What was he planning on doing to her? No one had ever requested a private meeting with her before. Not ever. Was he one of those playboys too, like that Casanova Hunter? Did he have evil designs on her? Or was this her God-given opportunity? Was she supposed to take the opening and ask him nicely now? Clarice found herself shaking once again. What to do? What to do? She must calm herself. Breathe in, breathe out, breathe in, breathe out.