“That guy wouldn’t have taken no for an answer,” he reiterated, knowing that if he got her in his arms he would shake her first. Then kiss her.
Fear came and went in her eyes. “I know that now.”
Some of the tension eased out of his shoulders but he still couldn’t let go of the suspicion that she’d do something foolish.
“Why are you here, Flynn?”
Absorbed in his angry thoughts, it was the sound of his name on her lips that broke through to him.
But it was her words that reminded him of the paperwork inside his jacket…Reminded him that she’d do almost anything to get his attention. This was all about getting her own way. She was definitely high maintenance—in more ways than one.
He smiled unpleasantly. “I’ve come to give you something.”
She blinked warily. “You have?”
He took the contract out of his jacket and tossed it onto the sofa next to her. “Consider the loan paid in full. You no longer owe me two hundred thousand dollars.”
For one moment something flashed in her eyes, before she quickly looked confused. “I don’t understand.”
He watched her with cynicism. He’d seen her eyes lit up with what he suspected was satisfaction. “Of course you do. Your letter…the checks…the run-down car…were all a bid for sympathy to get my attention and win me over. Why not just admit it?”
Her eyes flared wide. “What?”
“I’m one step ahead of you.” He glanced pointedly at the paperwork. “Go on, pick it up and take a look. It’s the contract. You can rip it up or burn it. Do what you will for all I care, but let’s just cut our losses and get on with our lives. Separately.”
Her delicious mouth opened and closed. Then, as if pretending she couldn’t believe it, she looked down at the paper next to her and slowly picked it up. Her hands shook slightly and Flynn pushed aside a stab of guilt. They shook because he knew what she was about. He was probably the first man to so quickly see through her beautiful exterior to the hard core of selfishness beneath. Pregnant or not, this beauty intended to have it all.
Suddenly her head lifted and a deep anger bounced around in her blue eyes, surprising him.
“My God! I’m doing everything in my power to pay back the loan, and not only do you throw my effort back in my face but you accuse me of subterfuge.”
Oh, she was convincing, but her actions spoke louder than words. She was angry because he’d caught her out. Her wealthy appetite was never more apparent than now, here in her expensive apartment.
He gave her a sweeping glance. “I know women.”
She made a choking sound. “What a colossal ego you have.”
“Then tell me how wrong I am about you,” he said bluntly. “Tell me how you can afford an apartment like this—” he jerked his head at their swish surroundings “—yet not a decent car?”
A look of discomfort crossed her beautiful face before she tossed him a look full of sarcasm. “What? You mean you don’t already know everything about my finances?”
She was as guilty as hell and disgust flooded through him. She cried poor yet could afford to move into this? Perhaps he needed to get a new report done on her, and not just her business affairs this time.
“No doubt you have a lover or ex-lover paying most of your bills. What’s the matter? Did you overspend and now he won’t buy you a new car? Too bad.”
“Think what you like,” she said coolly.
“Oh, I will.”
She flung him a look of intense dislike. “By the way, you can take your offer and…” Without warning, her voice wobbled and she blinked rapidly.
“Yes?” he taunted.
She cleared her throat. “Mr. Donovan, no matter what you say, I intend to pay the loan back, even if it takes me a lifetime.”
He felt a flash of admiration, until he remembered this was just another ploy to trick him into believing she had integrity. She’d fooled Robert Ford at first, too.
All at once he wondered how far she would go in her quest to live the good life. How mercenary could she be? Would she take a new car if he offered it? He rather liked the idea of proving himself right. And dammit, he wasn’t a charity but he couldn’t bear to think of her pregnant self in a vehicle like he’d just seen. There would be no smooth ride in that thing.
He smiled with derision. If there was one thing she was used to it was a smooth ride, he decided, watching her sit back on the sofa like the lady of leisure she was, the contract casually resting on her lap.
Pushing aside his fanciful thoughts, he briefly glanced at his watch, noting the time. He had a half hour to get back to his office to meet with a visiting dignitary from overseas. What he really felt like doing was getting on his yacht and going for a sail along the coastline, letting the majestic view and cool sea breeze ease the tension out of his body. A tension that one woman had put there.
And still did.
He strode toward the door, but as he reached for the handle he suddenly pictured Danielle fainting. And what if she couldn’t get up? She’d have to crawl to the telephone. Perhaps she’d be unable to do even that.
He opened the door then turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Do yourself a favor and get a cell phone.” His gaze slid down to her stomach then back up again. “You never know when you’ll need it.”
Apprehension wavered in her eyes, then one of her eyebrows rose mockingly. “Gee, I wonder what pregnant women did before cell phones.”
The muscles at the back of his neck bunched together as he glared at her. “Good question,” he rasped, and shut the door on the way out.
Four
E verything about Flynn Donovan was so intense that Danielle brushed off his comment about pregnant women and cell phones. She had no idea why he’d accused her of ripping him off for not paying back the money for the loan, then turned right around and canceled it. Not that she had any intention of accepting the offer, as much as she’d wanted to take him up on it for just a split second. Oh, no. There would be conditions attached no matter what he said. As it was, she’d rather eat dirt.
But when a new shiny green sedan arrived courtesy of Donovan Enterprises, she was both stunned and dismayed. Could he know it was her birthday? Even if he did, why on earth would he make such a gesture? He couldn’t get her into bed now. He’d made it more than clear he didn’t want to get her into bed now. Why spend even more money on her if he didn’t want something in return? It just didn’t make sense.
But during the drive to his office to give the car back, a horrible suspicion occurred to her. Was he like Robert and wanted to play nasty little games with her? Robert had been spiteful when he didn’t get his own way and would have done something like this just to make her suffer.
Was this Flynn’s way of being spiteful because he couldn’t have her in his bed? Did it give him some sort of satisfaction pretending to terminate the loan, then committing her to a new car so that she was still tied to him?
It had to be. She could think of no other reason a man would throw away good money, especially when he’d already made it clear he didn’t give a damn about her as a person.
Thankfully his assistant wasn’t at her desk, giving Danielle the opportunity to walk into Flynn’s office without knocking.
He looked up from some paperwork, his eyes showing mild surprise, but she didn’t give him the chance to speak. “I don’t understand you,” she said, walking toward him. “You accuse me of taking your money yet you want to spend more on me?” She slapped the car keys down on some papers. “No thanks. You can keep your money and your car. I don’t need your help. I can manage to buy a car all by myself.”
“Really?” His lips twisted. “You’re not doing a very good job of it from what I can see.”
Her cheeks filled with angry warmth. “Thanks for the compliment.”
“Oh, so it’s compliments you want, not my concern over the safety of you and your child. Or do you really want to drive around in a death trap like
the one you were in yesterday?”
A shudder went through her. “You really know how to play dirty, don’t you?”
“It’s come in handy over the years.”
She just bet it had.
He leaned back in his leather chair. “Why are you being so difficult about this?”
She clenched her teeth. “Why not? Isn’t that how I get your attention?” she said sarcastically.
He straightened, a sudden icy contempt flashing in his eyes. “Look, you wanted a car, you’ve got one.”
She lifted her chin. “I didn’t ask.”
“I didn’t say you did. But you’ll accept it, anyway. Well?” he proceeded.
She’d like to throw it back in his face but couldn’t afford to right now. Instead, trying to gather her thoughts, she put her purse down on the desk and took a few steps over to the tropical fish tank next to the wall. For a couple of moments she watched the colorful array of fish swimming around in the clear water and felt an affinity with them. No matter how you looked at it, they were trapped.
Like she was.
Dear God, could she swallow her pride and refuse the car? Worse, could she risk her baby’s life by buying a cheaper one that was perhaps not as safe?
Suddenly she knew what she had to do and she gave an inner groan. It would be hard but somehow she’d manage.
She turned to look at him. “I’ll accept it on one condition. I’ll pay it off, along with the other loan.”
“Of course you will,” he mocked.
Her eyes widened. “You don’t believe me?”
“What’s to believe? I’ve already told you to forget the money.”
“And I said I’ll accept the car, but I won’t agree to not paying back the loan,” she pointed out.
“Don’t make a song and dance about it,” he said, but there was a tiny muscle jerking at the corner of his mouth. “You’re not fooling anyone but yourself if you think I can’t see what you’re about.”
She pushed aside a sense of hurt. Once again she was being accused of something unpleasant. He thought all this was just a pretense on her part…that her objection was just lip service and she was actually reveling in him giving her a valuable car. It was obvious he expected her to take what she could get out of him.
“You’re a fine one to talk. You’re obviously doing this for your own sick reasons that have nothing to do with me but everything to do with you.”
“Is that right?” he drawled, but she saw an alert look in his eyes.
“You want to hold it over my head, don’t you? It makes you feel important to know that it will take me a lifetime to pay the loan back.”
“I don’t need you to make me feel important.”
“Not from where I’m standing.”
His mouth tightened. “I don’t play games.”
“Unlike me, you mean?”
“You said it.”
That did it. She’d had enough.
Of Flynn and his unfounded suspicions.
Of the whole darn world.
She straightened her shoulders. “Mr. Donovan, you owe me one hell of an apology,” she said, determined to stand up to him and to keep on standing up to him for as long as it took.
One of his arrogant brows lifted. “For what?”
“You’re wrong about me.”
“I don’t think so.” His eyes were so cold that not even the hot Darwin sun could defrost them. “Now, stop wasting my time.” He picked up the car keys and held them out to her. “Take it or leave it.”
She looked at the keys, then back at his derisive face. “Thanks. I’ll pass.”
“Danielle…” he growled.
All at once she knew that if she didn’t get out of there she was going to burst into tears. She twirled toward the door.
“Where are you going?” he demanded.
Moisture welled in her eyes and she tried to blink it away. “That’s not your concern.”
“Danielle, stop,” he warned.
She kept on walking out the door and hurried toward the elevator.
“Danielle, I mean it,” he said, coming up behind her.
“Big deal,” she choked as she punched the button for the elevator and the doors slid open. Thankfully it was vacant and she rushed into it before she did something really stupid, like crying.
But she only managed to hold back the tears until she stepped inside, half-blindly pressing the ground floor button. Then they swelled up in her eyes so quickly she couldn’t even see what she was doing.
All at once Flynn stormed in next to her, making her jump. She turned her back and blinked rapidly, determined not to let him see how upset she was. This would just be another thing for him to accuse her of faking.
She heard the elevator door close.
A moment passed.
“Danielle, look at me,” he said softly.
“No.” She didn’t want him to see her like this. Not when she felt like a weepy female.
His hand touched her shoulder and he gently turned her around. At the oddly concerned gleam in his eyes, she moaned and did the exact opposite of what she’d told herself not to do. She burst into tears.
After a moment or two a snarling sound came from deep in his throat and he pulled her into his arms. “Shh. Don’t cry.”
“I can’t help it,” she mumbled into his shirt, hating him, wanting him. Oh, she didn’t know what she felt for him.
He gave her his handkerchief and she cried even harder, until she thought she was never going to stop. Until the tears began to dry up and she could sniff for a few more moments. And then she began to notice how wonderful Flynn smelled, the tantalizing warmth of his male body mixing with the clean scent of his shirt.
“Danielle?”
She heard the deep rumble of her name, felt the rapid beat of his heart against her cheek and couldn’t seem to pull away. She felt lethargic all of a sudden. Wonderfully lethargic. Heat was engulfing her. Male heat. And it was coming from Flynn. She had the sudden urge to take long, intimate breaths.
“Danielle?”
This time she did move back. And looked up into dark eyes that made her heart skip a beat. Up close like this, the look was much more than powerful. It was potent. And possessive. She dared not breath. Otherwise he would kiss her. Would lay his lips upon hers and ravish her mouth, and she didn’t think she would be able to resist him.
He bent his head….
The elevator jolted to a stop, making her jump back, horrified by what she’d been about to let him do to her.
He reached out to steady her as she bumped against the wall. “Careful,” he said roughly, his touch making her skin quiver, as if the thin material of her top beneath his hands didn’t exist.
She took a shaky breath. It was time to put some distance between them. “I think I need eyes in the back of my head,” she said, trying to sound glib but the huskiness in her voice gave her away.
“It would help,” he muttered, a vein throbbing at his temple, telling her he was as affected as she was. “Maybe then I wouldn’t want you.”
She gave a soft gasp. “I—”
“Don’t say a word, Danielle. Not a word or I’ll carry you back up to my office and make love to you right now.”
She’d known there was a sexual spark between them from the start, but hearing him say out loud that he still wanted her was shocking. “But…I’m pregnant.”
“I know,” he said, his mouth grim.
For a moment she stood there, stunned as the doors behind him slid open to an empty lobby. Flynn Donovan still wanted her. And dear God, she wanted him, too. But pregnant widows weren’t supposed to want a man. It just wasn’t done.
Yet how could she want a man who thought the worst of her? A man who had accused her of stealing his money? Of lying and cheating?
A moment crept by, then with a hint of regret in his eyes, he took her arm, gently pulled her past him and pushed her out into the lobby, but not before she felt his hard body brush against
her own.
“The car’s yours,” he said roughly, not moving from the elevator. His eyes held hers for another instant, tiny flames firing in them, then anger flared and he reached out and shoved the car keys in her hand. “Take them.” He turned and stabbed the elevator button.
The door closed shut between them and she took a steadying breath. Flynn Donovan stirred a need within her that was more than physical. Something deeper. More intimate. Oh, God. Hadn’t she had enough heartache where men were concerned?
It was all his PA’s fault that he had to return Danielle’s purse after work, Flynn decided. If it were left to him, he would have sent it back by courier. As it was, if he didn’t do it, she would. She’d said so when he’d returned from seeing Danielle off at the elevator and Connie had stood there with the purse in hand and a worried look in her eyes. He hadn’t been about to let that happen. If Danielle got her clutches into Connie, then she would have won.
Of course, his PA was more than happy for him to return the purse. Delighted in fact. He was still in her good books after yesterday when he’d walked into the office and ordered her to go buy a new car.
“For you?” Connie had said with a frown.
“For Danielle Ford,” he’d snapped.
Her eyes had widened. “What about the loan?”
“She refused to tear it up.”
Connie had nodded, as if agreeing. “She has integrity, that one.”
He’d shaken his head, still amazed his usually perceptive assistant couldn’t see the truth. “She’s just trying to pull the wool over your eyes.”
“I don’t know why.”
He did, but he’d refused to mention his theory that Danielle was after a rich man to marry her. How else could she keep herself and her baby in the manner to which she was accustomed?
“No matter. Right now a car is her immediate concern. That’s if it meets with your approval,” he’d derided.
Her eyes had softened with understanding. “That isn’t why you did it, but thank you, Flynn.”
“Connie, don’t turn me into a saint.”
“Heaven forbid,” she’d joked. Then her forehead had creased. “Hmm. Perhaps I should go and see—”
“No,” he’d growled.
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