Cade was under no illusions that his uncle’s offer was iced with ulterior motives, but, in no position to refuse, he had to take the bait. A pittance, but it’d swing him from the red into the black, and buy him some time. He’d expand his global holdings, complete the mega development in Cyprus, triple his profits and—his heart turned to determined stone—catch the hacker embezzling company funds.
The con was about to demolish Cade into a heap of rubble. He had to do something.
He scrubbed the stubble on his jaw, and his gaze swerved to her. He’d racked his brain for the perfect candidate, and Ms. Straitlaced, now staring up at him with half parted lips, best fit the bill—no complications.
She licked her lips, and then nipped the bottom one with her teeth.
His gut got unhinged with that strange feeling again. He yanked his gaze away from her mouth and plummeted into the ocean of her eyes. He bounced off, aimed lower and got socked in the belly. Beneath her colorless dress, her breasts rose and fell with every breath she took, and he imagined—
Get a grip, man. Oh yeah. Freud would get a big chuckle outta that.
Cade cleared his throat. “A marr—” He coughed, and forced the words out. “A marriage proposal.” A noose around his neck.
“What?” She gaped at him as though he’d gone bonkers, then her stiff discipline kicked in. “A market proposal, sir?”
“Nice try.” Somehow, he’d outmaneuver his uncle’s ploy to get him hitched, but first, he had to get his hands on the dough.
Matrimony.” He scowled. “It’d be a promotion. Higher salary … perks … company car … me.”
She laughed, but there was a nervous tingle in it. “I don’t qualify, sir.”
“Indeed, you do.” He’d checked her out and she came out squeaky clean. Lived with her cat, bicycled in Central Park on weekends, no boyfriend, a mother in Los Angeles. Her father, a former employee of the company before Cade’s takeover, unaccounted for. He curled his lip in distaste. Divorce, no doubt.
“Marry…you?!”
Heck, did she have to sound so shocked? Plenty of sophisticates would snatch at his proposal. He palmed his nape. But this business model called for specific criteria—and he was looking at her. “Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Because—”
“I don’t even like you.”
That cut through his thick hide and pricked his pride. He shrugged.
“You don’t have to.”
She giggled, and the sound booted him with a delicious zap.
“Strictly a business transaction.” He pointed to himself then to her.
“Mutually beneficial.”
“No, thank you.”
Aww, man, there she went barricading herself behind her prim and proper façade. He had to knock her defenses down and clinch the deal.
“Would a percentage of three million change your mind?”
“Very funny.” She shifted in her chair and resumed typing.
“Okay.” He slid off the desk. “If you change your mind—”
The phone rang.
Nina picked up the receiver and sized him up over the rim of her glasses. Sexual energy vibrated from him, a catalyst to her own. Good reason to keep her distance. “I’ll see if Mr. Sloan’s avail—”
He grabbed the phone from her so quickly, a whoosh of hot air singed the back of her hand.
“Sloan,” he barked, making the room shrink. “No way in hell.” He paced the floor, the muscles in his back contracting. A scowl creased his otherwise handsome features. It was a face that had women lining up and gossip hounds salivating after him.
A shiver shimmied up her spine.
Cade Sloan gobbled girls like her for appetizers, spat them out and moved onto the entrée. Breath whipped from her lips, and she twitched her nose. No way would she be another notch on this stud’s belt.
Nina had her life mapped out. And it did not include her sexy boss who had just propositioned her. She fiddled with her pearl earring, and her gaze strayed back to him.
“Not my type,” she murmured beneath her breath.
He heard and cocked a brow, his eyes shuttering.
Heat—his searing hot attraction – grabbed hold of her. Perspiration dampened her skin and a droplet meandered between her breasts. She pulled a tissue from the Kleenex box and dabbed her upper lip.
He was much too dangerous.
Lethal…to her.
What if he was behind her father’s disappearance? Her father was a former employee.
“I need more time.” Already having dismissed her, he glanced over her head at the New York skyline visible through the wide expanse of glass of one wall. “Three days.” Gold flecks in his eyes glittered, then he crashed the phone down, tension riddling his broad shoulders as he let out a deep breath of frustration. He strode to the door, paused, and tossed over his shoulder. “Think it over, Ms. McLowsky.”
“Why?”
“Because … er … you’ve got the stellar qualifications stipulated for the position.”
She shook her head, and a curl dared play fickle at her temple. She batted it away with the back of her hand, and resisted the temptation he dangled before her. “I’m flattered, but—”
“No flattery intended.” He laughed. It sounded like a snort and made her bristle with indignation. “Cold, hard cash. Plenty of it.” About to step across the threshold, he paused in stride, one foot firmly set on her turf, the other about to land in his office.
“How much?” Nina blushed to the roots of her hair knotted at her nape. Had she actually uttered those words? She swallowed. Okay, he was serving up a deal that didn’t cross a girl’s desk every day.
Wouldn’t hurt to get the particulars, would it? It could be her ticket out of a nine to five and enable her to open her lingerie boutique before her thirtieth birthday which was just months away. She’d achieve financial independence and go full force after the creepola who lured her father away, leaving her mother a broken heap.
Nina took a breath and shook herself from her lapse into the past. Removing her glasses, she blinked at Cade’s back, and a funny sensation fluttered in her stomach. She ignored it. Mustn’t skip lunch again.
Working through lunch and after hours afforded her time to search for answers. Now, here was the boss handing her a prime opportunity to get them. She propped her eyeglasses back on her nose. Being linked to Cade Sloan would give her access to confidential files that might give her the coup to her father’s whereabouts.
Would she dare? And if she did, could she go through with it?
Her palms grew moist, and she swiped them on her loose fitting dress.
A nervous giggle slipped between her lips. Would it be so awful, if it got her closer to her goal?
But what if you fall for him? She rolled her eyes. Not a chance in hell.
“Fifty thousand.” Cade turned, setting both feet on the floorboards, and held her gaze.
“Wha-at?” Her mind filled with possibilities