The Millionaire Bachelor

by Susan Mallery

  “I didn’t talk you into it. Attending meetings on my behalf falls under the category of your job description.” She grimaced. “You’ll be sorry.”

  “No, you’ll be brilliant.”

  She raised her glass. “To brilliance. Or at least not putting my foot in my mouth.”

  He touched his glass to hers and took a sip. Tomorrow there was a quarterly review at his office. In addition to his attending via speakerphone, Stone wanted Cathy physically at the meeting. She’d never been to his offices, and it was time she established her presence there. She’d come up with several good ideas of her own, and he wanted her to present them. His team needed a little shaking up, and she was just the woman to do it.

  The song ended and another one began. A slow instrumental that made him long to hold her. Before he realized what he was doing, he was half on his feet, and asking, “May I have this dance?”

  Cathy was too stunned to verbally accept. Instead, she let Stone pull her to her feet. Her body trembled as he took her into his arms. She told herself not to get too carried away by the moment, but it was far too late for those kinds of warnings. If she hadn’t already fallen in love with Stone, tonight had sealed her fate.

  Star-crossed lovers, she thought dreamily as he pulled her close. She closed her eyes and rested her cheek against his shoulder. He was warm, his body hard against her curves. They felt right this way, although she doubted that he would ever see it. He confused her. Sometimes she thought the distance between them was because of how he saw her and their relationship. Sometimes, though, she wondered if it was about the scars.

  She supposed there was no way to ever find out. In the meantime, she would enjoy the good times as they occurred and try not to think about the future.

  They circled the room, moving in time with the music. Stone didn’t say anything; he just held her tenderly. If only it could be like this forever. Just them, the night and the song.

  Loving him had been inevitable, she thought. First, on the phone they’d had a fantasy relationship. She wouldn’t have thought anything could be better than that. But she’d been wrong. Life with him was even better. He was a wounded warrior, a man who thought of himself as a beast, and she was his only link to the world. How was she supposed to resist that?

  She raised her arms and wrapped them around his neck. He placed his around her waist. They pressed tightly against each other. She could feel the beating of his heart, and against her belly, the hard proof that he wanted her.

  Fierce gladness filled her. She needed to know that. It was just physical; it didn’t necessarily mean anything more than a natural reaction to their close proximity, but it was more than she’d ever had before.

  Slowly, carefully, knowing he might pull back and destroy her with a few words, she pressed her lips to the side of his neck.

  His breath caught in an audible gasp. Every part of him stiffened, including the hard ridge of his desire. His arousal flexed against her. Stone swore under his breath. He turned his head toward her, but before they could kiss, Art appeared with their salads.

  Reluctantly they drew apart and returned to the table. Over the mundane issues of what dressing and did they want ground pepper, the mood shifted from passionate to friendly. When their server left, they talked about work and the books they were reading.

  Cathy finally understood what was going on. In that moment when she’d felt his reaction to her light kiss, everything had become clear. Stone was first and foremost a man. He might think he was a monster and might still be in mourning for his late wife, but he had physical needs. For reasons Cathy didn’t understand but that made her very happy, he wanted her in his bed.

  She also knew he would never make a move toward her. Not only was she living in his home, but she also worked for him. He would never allow himself to take advantage of the situation. He wouldn’t come to her, but she could go to him…if she was willing to put it all on the line.

  She broke a roll in half and took a bite. That was really what it came down to, wasn’t it? Was she willing to take the chance? Would she walk into the situation with her eyes open, fully realizing he was only interested in a temporary affair. It would never be more, no matter how long it lasted. In the end, she would lose him.

  There was no point in asking the questions. Of course it was worth it. She was tired of not knowing, of hiding from life. She wanted more. She wanted to live. She wanted Stone to be her first time.

  She gazed at him. Not tonight, she thought. She needed to think some things through, to be prepared. But soon.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” he said.

  She laughed. “I doubt that.”

  “You’re wondering if you get a present from me.”

  “Not at all.” She waved at the restaurant. “This is my present and it’s wonderful.”

  “That’s not all.” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small box.

  Cathy stared at it. The trembling started again because she knew it was going to be amazing. “Thank you,” she whispered, and had to fight back tears.

  “You haven’t opened it yet.”

  “Oh, you’re right.” She fumbled with the small box, then finally pulled up the lid. Nestled on a bed of white velvet was a pair of square-cut emerald earrings surrounded by diamonds. They glittered in the candlelight.

  Her breath caught in her throat, and she could barely speak. “They’re stunning.”

  “Don’t you dare say they’re too much or some of that other nonsense women insist on mouthing at times like this. I wanted to get you something nice, so I did.”

  The gruffness in his voice gave him away, she thought as she reached out and touched his hand. “Then I won’t say any of that. They’re the most perfect present anyone has ever given me. Thank you, Stone. I’ll treasure them always.”

  “That’s better,” he grumbled.

  She pulled out her simple gold hoops and exchanged them for the emeralds. Then she tucked her hair behind her ears and turned her head back and forth for his inspection. “What do you think?”

  “They’re very nice.” He frowned.

  “What is it?”

  “I was just thinking, you need somewhere special to wear them.”

  “This is special.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” His frown deepened.

  “Stone?”

  “It’s nothing. Just that this is the first time I’ve been out to dinner since—” He shrugged. “In a long time.”

  Since Evelyn had died, she filled in silently. “You should get out more. I’ve been telling you that for months.”

  “I know. I’m not comfortable with that, but I do have social obligations I’ve been ignoring. Perhaps there’s a way to take care of that.”

  “I’m intrigued. What did you have in mind?”

  The frown faded and he smiled. “A masked party. I’ll be the phantom of the opera.”

  They both started to laugh. They were still laughing when Art returned to take away their plates. He stared at them strangely, but they both ignored him.

  *

  “I can’t do this,” Cathy whispered into the cellular phone, even though she was alone in the car and there was no one to hear her.

  “Then why did you agree to go?” Stone asked.

  She exhaled sharply and glanced around at the parking lot. “If you’re going to be logical, I absolutely refuse to have this conversation with you.”

  “Cathy, you’ll be fine. They’re expecting you, they know you’re brilliant and they’ll go out of their way to make you feel comfortable.”

  She closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Like I believe that.”

  “You’re going to be reporting back to the boss, whom most of them have never met. Are you kidding? They’ll want you to say wonderful things about them to me.”

  She brightened at the thought. “Oh, I really like that.”

  “I thought you might.”

  She glanced around the plu
sh interior of his BMW. “Thanks for letting me borrow your car.”

  “I thought driving it would terrify you enough that you wouldn’t have to time to worry about the meeting.”

  She laughed. “It worked…right up until-you told me your logic.”

  “Take deep breaths. You look great, you know your subject and if any of them bug you, you have the power to get them fired.”

  “Really?”

  “Sure.”

  “I’d never do that.”

  “I know, but remember you are in command. Anyone gets out of line, zap ’em with a ray gun. Or tell me about it, which is probably better.”

  “I would guess. What with ray-gun technology not being perfected yet.”

  “That’s what you think. You should see some of the high-tech firms we own stock in. They have some amazing developments in the works.”

  Cathy laughed. “I don’t have time to debate futuristic weapons with you, Mr. Ward. I have a business meeting to attend. Thanks for the moral support.”

  “Call me as soon as you get back to the car. I want to know everything.”

  “Promise. Bye.” She hung up the phone and smiled. She’d known Stone was going to make her feel better. That’s why she’d called. Well, that and to hear his voice. She wished he were with her. This meeting would be a lot easier if they were in it together. But Stone Ward of Ward International did not attend meetings. At least not anymore.

  She picked up her briefcase, a surprise that had been waiting on her desk that morning, and her slim handbag. After locking the car and setting the alarm, she made her way to the elevator that carried her to the twenty-fifth floor and the reception area for Stone’s firm.

  As the small car moved vertical, she checked her suit. It was a linen blend that looked expensive but didn’t wrinkle. Her silk blouse was the same color, as were her shoes. She’d been poring over fashion magazines for the past month and had been shopping several times. A monochromatic look gave her authority, she had decided. Anything else tended to look too, well, sexy.

  Cathy smiled. Who would have thought that would ever be a problem? But it was. With her newly toned body, she actually attracted attention on occasion. She didn’t want that for the meeting. She wanted to look as if she’d been in business for years.

  The doors slid open, and she stepped out into a large, elegantly decorated reception area. She hadn’t realized Stone’s firm took up the whole floor. Her stomach headed for her toes. Even so, she raised her chin slightly and ordered her lips into a faint but confident smile.

  Before she could approach the waiting receptionist, two men in their thirties stopped her. “Ms. Eldridge?” the taller of the two asked. They were both well-dressed and blond with blue eyes.

  “Yes?”

  “I’m Eric McMahn. This is Bill Ernest. We’ll be running the quarterly review this time. Nice to meet you.”

  As they shook hands, Cathy realized she was never going to be able to keep names straight. With luck there wouldn’t be a quiz later.

  “You found the building all right?” Bill asked.

  “It wasn’t that difficult, what with the street address being on the front in big letters.”

  She meant the comment as a slight joke to ease the tension coiling inside of her. But instead of smiling, Bill looked vaguely panicked. “Of course. I didn’t mean to imply you wouldn’t be able to find it.”

  “I know. I was teasing.”

  “Oh. Of course.”

  Cathy drew in a deep breath and relaxed. They were as nervous as she was, although for different reasons. For her, she was terrified of making a big mistake that would not only reflect badly on Stone, but that would point out that she had never been to college or worked in business before. However, for them, she was a frightening unknown—an emissary sent by the big boss. Someone who had his ear and could say anything she wanted about them.

  Power, she thought ruefully. Who would have guessed she would ever have power?

  The heady feeling lasted right up until she walked into the meeting room. The table was huge, and nearly every seat was filled. Everyone turned toward her and stared.

  Cathy worked hard to keep her expression pleasant. “Good morning,” she managed to say, and was pleased when her voice didn’t shake.

  Murmured greetings came in response. Eric, or maybe Bill—she’d already forgotten which was which—introduced everyone. Cathy nodded and didn’t even try to remember names. That would be her goal for next time. This morning it was enough to get through the next few hours.

  The conference table was extrawide, which put two people sitting side by side at the head and the foot. Cathy found herself next to Eric. She knew it was him because each of them had a three-ring binder in front of them and the names were printed at the top of the binder.

  “We’ll be going in order,” Eric said, pointing to the book. “I’ll be able to answer any questions or clarify anything. Mr. Ward has his own copy of the report. It was delivered to him this morning.”

  “Good.”

  “Hi, Cathy.”

  The familiar voice made her smile. She glanced up and saw that someone had put a speaker in the center of the table.

  “Morning, Stone.” She spoke without thinking and saw several people exchange startled glances at her use of their boss’s first name.

  “Are they treating you right?” he asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes.” She drew in a breath for courage. “Let’s begin.”

  *

  Cathy washed her hands, then dried them on the small plush towel provided. Apparently both sexes had executive washrooms, and she’d been shown to the ladies’ version of that time-honored perk. She gazed around at the light-colored fixtures, the tray of toiletries and grinned. She’d come a long way from the woman who had worked the graveyard at the answering service, she thought.

  They’d taken a fifteen-minute break from the meeting. Everything was going well, and her butterflies had finally gone to sleep. She was able to follow most of what people were saying and she made notes about what confused her. Stone had promised they could discuss everything when she got home.

  She headed for the door. She passed through a small sitting area on her way out, then remembered she’d left her purse on the shelf by the sink. She spun back to retrieve it and saw someone else had entered the room.

  She paused, waiting for the other woman to say something. Then her mouth fell open as she realized there wasn’t anyone in the rest room but herself. She was staring at her own reflection in a full-length mirror.

  While she’d known she’d lost a lot of weight and that her hairstyle had improved her appearance, the changes had happened gradually. She’d never really taken a look at herself in comparison to what she’d been before. Her reflection showed a tall, slender woman in a fashionable suit, elegant shoes, with a great hairstyle and perfect makeup. Had Cathy met herself a year ago, she would have been intimidated and assumed the worst.

  Fierce gladness filled her, and she sent up a quick prayer of thanks. For Stone for giving her the chance to change, and for the fact that she’d had the courage and conviction to make the most of the opportunity.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cathy ran up the stairs to the second floor, then hurried to Stone’s office. He stepped into the hall and grinned at her.

  “You were great!”

  “Thanks.” She followed him inside and laughed. “I was so terrified that they would think I was an impostor or stupid or something, but it didn’t happen like that.”

  “Of course not. You’re intelligent, articulate, knowledgeable.”

  She tossed her purse and briefcase on the chair in front of his desk, then allowed him to lead her to the sofa against the far wall. She sank down onto the smooth leather and sighed. “You flatter me, but I like it. Don’t stop.” She smiled again. She’d been smiling on the whole drive home. Everything had gone perfectly.

  “So what
did you think?” Stone asked as he settled next to her.

  “You’ve got a good team. They work hard for you. They’re also terrified of you, but then you probably like that.”

  “You’re right.”

  They giggled together like schoolchildren. While Cathy had greatly enjoyed the opportunity and it had been fun getting out to face down her fears, she was pleased to be back where she belonged. Here, in Stone’s presence, her world was right.

  He asked about different people. She answered as best she could, trying to put faces to names. As they spoke, she studied him, the way he moved his hands when he talked, the slight tilt of his head as he unconsciously kept his scarred side turned away from her.

  She had grown to love him. She’d figured that out last night at her birthday dinner, and today only confirmed that information. She wanted to do him proud. Not just because she worked for him or cared about him, but because he was the most important part of her life. She didn’t want to think about a world without him, even though that was inevitable.

  He leaned forward and gave her a quick hug. “You did great, and I’m very proud of you.”

  He started to release her almost as quickly as he’d reached for her. As if he’d just realized what he was doing. Cathy had a split second in which to make a decision. She knew it would never be more than physical—at least not for Stone. It would never be emotionally meaningful or anything permanent. Stone would offer her an affair, and if she could live with that, if she could make it enough, then this was her moment.

  In an act she knew would count as one of her bravest, she let him release her, but kept her hands on his shoulders. His expression shuttered. Her heartbeat increased and the butterflies returned, bringing all their friends and relatives to the party. She told herself that she would survive the rejection, that emotional pain was rarely fatal and that for once in her life she would be regretting action instead of passive acceptance. Then she pressed her mouth to his.

  She waited for the heat and tingling that had engulfed her the last time they’d kissed, but there was only a painful pause during which she wondered if he would respond or push her away. She realized then that the sparks between them had required both their participation. Her heart thundered twice more before she figured out he wasn’t going to kiss her back. Instantly humiliation flooded her. She’d been wrong last night. He wasn’t interested in her in that way. How could she have made such a mistake?