"I fired the board of directors. I hired a new one. People whose opinions I care about," I said, getting straight to the point.

Della put her fork down and stared at me. "Good for you. You're in charge; you need those close to you helping you with this."

I was glad she agreed. Not that I expected her not to. "I want you on the board, Della."

She had started to pick up her juice but she set it back down and looked at me like I'd just spoken a foreign language.

"What?" she asked.

"I want you on my board. I already have your paperwork ready. You just need to sign it."

Della shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea. I mean, maybe later when you're sure, but right now . . . that's a hasty move. I mean, just three weeks ago you and Jace were worried about my, uh, problems being an issue. I can't be on your board. I'm better, but what if I relapse? You don't want that there and I know your friends agree. I heard Jace. He's gonna want to see that I'm better."

I had forgotten about that damn conversation she'd overheard. I stood up and moved around the table, then knelt down in front of her. "Della, I need you to listen to me. What you heard wasn't what you think it was. We weren't talking about you. Never you. We were talking about my mother. She had called board members and caused problems for me. We were discussing her because, unlike you, she really is crazy. Baby, I would never call you those things or allow anyone else to call you that."

I could see the relief in her eyes. She believed me. She hadn't brought it up all night and I'd been so damn happy to see her that I hadn't thought about it. But damn, she was here in my arms thinking I'd said those things. It was humbling.

"Oh," she said simply.

I smiled and stood up and kissed her. "Yeah. Oh."

"I should have asked you about it. I was . . . I didn't want to hear the truth. I was scared of it."

"Never be scared to hear the truth from me," I told her.

She nodded. "I'm sorry I didn't ask you about it."

"I'm sorry you thought we were talking about you."

She sat there and studied her hands a moment, then looked up at me. "I want to be on your board."

"Good. I can't do this without you."

She went back to eating and I had to force myself to eat, too, and not watch her. I just wanted to watch her do everything. Letting her out of my sight today was going to be hard.

I stepped off the elevator and Vince looked up to greet me. He started to speak and stopped. I watched him as he observed me.

"Miss Della is home, then," Vince said.

"Yes she is. How did you know?"

Vince let out a low laugh. "I'm old, Woods, not blind. It's all over your face, boy."

The grin that broke out across my face stayed while I went through my morning notes and made scheduled phone calls.

Right before lunch, Della stepped into my office with a sexy little smile on her face that was going to get her f**ked up against my desk if she wasn't careful.

"I missed you," she said.

"I missed you more. Come here," I told her, holding out my hand for her to come to me. She walked over to my side of the desk and I pulled her down to my lap. "Have you had a good morning?"

"Yes. Have you?"

"It could have been better," I replied, slipping my hand up her skirt. She wiggled in my lap and slapped my hand away.

"Stop that. We have work to talk about," she said playfully, and then tried to stand up. I held her to my lap.

"Go ahead and wiggle, baby. It feels real good."

"You are so bad," she said, stopping me from slipping my hand between her thighs.

"I'm playing catch-up. I have three weeks' worth," I told her.

"Mr. Kerrington, Mr. Rush Finlay is here to see you," Vince announced over the intercom.

"Damn, Rush. Forgot he was coming by."

Della jumped up out of my lap and straightened her skirt.

"Send him in," I said as I watched her fix herself. I was going to mess it up as soon as Rush brought me the info on Nate's trust fund that he'd set up for Dean.

Rush walked into the room with Nate in his arms and a baby bag over his shoulder. That was funny shit. Rush Finlay, badass rock star's son, had a baby bag and a baby in his arms.

"Oh, you brought Nate!" Della's excitement interested me.

I watched her walk over to Rush and take Nate from him. She walked over to the sofa with him, cooing and making him laugh.

Rush's chuckle reminded me he was there. I shifted my attention back to him.

"She likes babies," Rush said with a smirk.

I hadn't known she liked babies. I liked watching her with Nate. Rush was going to be hard to concentrate on. "Yeah, she does."

"When did she come back? Or did you chase her down?"

"Last night. She came back to me," I told him.

"Told you that hand wasn't over," Rush said, then took a seat across from my desk. "Stop mentally f**king her while she's holding my kid."

I shot him an annoyed glare that just amused him. "Here's the paperwork for Nate's trust. Do the same with my paycheck from here."

"Done. I'll get the direct deposits set up today."

Rush let out a sigh. "I might just sit here a minute and take a break. Della looks like she's having fun and I'm beat. Grant was at my house late last night and we had to deal with some shit."