Boardroom Proposal

by Way, Margaret

  When he saw them his whole face lit up. “Eve, Drew. Hi there!”

  Eve went to him and gave him a tight hug. “Ben, what happened?” she said quietly.

  There was the movement of chairs as Drew brought them up beside the bed.

  “God knows!” Ben shrugged. “I even scared myself. One moment I was taking notes, feeling a little strange, the guy beside me called my name, then I must have collapsed. I don’t even remember much about getting to the hospital. I’m fine now.”

  “You stay there, Eve, I’ll go talk to someone.” Drew started to move off. “Sounds like you’ve been overdoing it, Ben.”

  “Hell, I’m not doing much more than Evie,” Ben protested.

  “That’s not true, Ben.” Eve slipped her hand over his on the covers. “I’ve never known anyone who studies as long and hard as you.”

  “I love it, Evie,” Ben said. “One day you’re going to be very proud of me.”

  “I’m proud of you now,” she told him gently.

  Drew, at the entrance of the ward, stared back. Both faces were in profile and he noted again the strong resemblance between sister and brother. Both had suffered when their mother had been so cruelly taken from them. Eve had tried to take the role of surrogate mother into her own hands. It, too, was draining her strength.

  Out in the corridor he could see a tall middle-aged man in a doctor’s long white coat standing at the counter, in conversation with the nurse behind the desk. Drew approached, then when the man turned, asked if it was possible to speak to the doctor treating Ben Copeland. The tall man offered a hand. “Drew Forsythe, isn’t it? I’ve seen you so many times in the paper I feel I know you. How may I help you? I’m looking after Ben. John Devon.”

  Drew smiled and shook hands while the nurse at the workstation looked on almost fondly. “I’d be grateful if you could let me know Ben’s exact condition. I’m with his sister, Eve. She’s talking to Ben now.”

  There was no hesitation. The doctor told Drew all he wanted to know. Ben had clearly been overdoing things. Hardly surprising when he was studying so hard. Dazzling promise from all accounts. It would make a difference if he could give up his night job and work only at the weekends. He wasn’t eating regular meals and he wasn’t getting enough sleep. There was nothing of any real concern. He was healthy enough but his body had simply said enough to all the stress.

  Eve was quiet in the car going home. Drew wondered what anxieties were going on within her golden head. From all he had learned, Eve had been put under enormous pressure from her early adolescence. The past and the present were inextricably intertwined. Eve’s life since her parents’ divorce had been one of intensive commitment. She was unwavering in her devotion to her brother, indeed it worked both ways. He had observed the deep bond between the two of them, but it was obvious they needed help before Ben was ready to make his own way in the world. Certainly he deserved every encouragement to fulfil his ambitions. Medicine remained a noble profession. Maybe it was time to take both of them under his wing.

  “No sense in coming back to the office.” Drew drove her back to her apartment. “I still have a few things to clear up. What about dinner? We can pop in and see Ben again on the way. Or would you rather come over to my place. I can have everything we want sent in.”

  Eve couldn’t curb the erotic rush. “You realise, don’t you, we’re going to end up in bed?”

  He laughed softly under his breath, leaned down and kissed her on her full heart-shaped mouth, loving it when the tip of her tongue met his. “It’s not just your body I’m after” He looked directly into her eyes

  “What else, Drew?” She stared back at him, so handsome, so vibrant, smiling at her. “I really want to know.”

  “Heck, you’ll need a pen and paper to take notes,” he teased. “Let’s see. You have a first-class mind. I love the way we understand one another without talking. I love the way we enjoy the same things. I love your voice and the look in your green eyes. I admire the way you handle yourself and your life. I admire your devotion to Ben. I love the tender heart you tried so hard to hide. I love listening to you talk. So what do you see in me, Evie?” His eyes in the brilliant sunlight sparkled like jets.

  “You’re a magician,” she said very seriously, “and I’m afraid of your power.”

  Ben looked better in the evening than he had that afternoon, but the look of exhaustion was plain in the shadows beneath his clear hazel eyes and the look of the boy behind the emerging man. But, as usual, he was bright and cheerful.

  “Where are you off to after?” he asked, curling a long arm behind his head and studying the two of them with a warm, slightly teasing expression. It was very clear to Ben an enormous attraction existed between them. Eve, whether she admitted it or not, had been walking on air for months.

  “Dinner.” Drew gave Ben one of his flashing white smiles, dark eyes dancing. Hell, what more does he need? Ben thought wryly, in turn feeding on the older man’s vitality. Drew was every inch a man’s man but Ben could see quite plainly such was the sum of his assets he would bowl most women over. Pity the stepmother Eve had told him about was smitten.

  “So enjoy yourselves.” Ben gave them his blessing. “You’ll look after my sister carefully, won’t you, Drew?” Ben’s eyes rested with unabashed love on his sister’s face.

  “With my life,” Drew answered in such a deep, serious voice Eve, startled, blinked back tears.

  “What more does she need?” Ben answered, well satisfied. “Off you go now. I’ll be out of here tomorrow.”

  “And we might talk about a little break of some sort,” Drew said. “I have the beach house at Noosa. You could take your books along. You might like to share with a friend. Take some time off, go surfing, enjoy the restaurants. We’ll talk about it when I pick you up tomorrow.”

  Ben’s handsome face reddened. “Gee, Drew. I don’t know. I have a part-time job, lectures.”

  “You can catch up on them,” Drew told him, seeming all of a sudden like an older brother. “Any part-time job will have to go on hold. It’s absolutely essential you get back to your full strength.”

  Ben couldn’t fail to read the message. It was a little unsettling, Drew being so generous. He and Evie had always paid their own way, but it was obvious Drew meant to help. Could he accept? Ben felt with a flush of pleasure it would be wonderful to have a week off at the beach, catching the waves. Maybe Simon could come along with him? Lord knows the two of them spent overtime hitting the books.

  It took only ten minutes more for them to reach Drew’s penthouse apartment that had a marvellous view of the river and the city skyline. Eve had visited the apartment many times but each time she entered it was to a feeling of delight. Decorators working to Drew’s brief had reworked a spacious but fairly plain area creating architectural details in the contemporary manner that gave the apartment great definition. The artworks were marvellous, the large-scale pieces of furniture, the few wonderful antiques for drama, the sense of intimacy within the large expanse. Nothing was delicate or dainty. The concept was bold, very masculine, the striking fabric that swathed several of the armchairs and sofas complementing the corded creamy beige of the upholstery in other seating areas. Robust ewers held lush indoor plants and the dining area set at the end of the large living room had hosted any number of formal, eighteen people, black-tie, sit-down dinners.

  Tonight the circular stone table facing the view had been set for an occasion rather than a simple dinner for two. A fluted silver vase held a small posy of crimson rosebuds, an heirloom silver candelabrum holding slender dark green tapers stood at one end. The table was covered in a very beautiful white embroidered cloth, matching napkins looped with ivy, pure white, gold-rimmed bone china, gleaming silver flatware, crystal glasses. Drew always did like a bit of theatre, she thought smilingly. Still their sitting down together had never looked more ceremonial. There were sounds of activity coming from the galley kitchen completely screened off from the living room and Dre
w turned quickly to Eve.

  “I’ve had someone from Margo’s come in to fix dinner. They’ll leave when it’s all ready and we can serve ourselves.”

  Eve liked the idea. While Drew conferred with the chef, she walked out onto the terrace admiring the sparkling night-time view and the shining sweep of a city bridge across the broad stretch of water.

  A few minutes later, having escorted their caterer to the door, Drew came out onto the terrace carrying two glasses of champagne. She could see the bottle reposing in a silver bucket on the table. Dom Pérignon.

  “Are we celebrating something?” she asked, revealing her surprise at the very special “atmosphere.”

  “Who knows what can happen?” he gently mocked.

  Drew wouldn’t let her do anything, going back and forth to the kitchen bringing an entree of slow-roasted Tasmania salmon with a carefully composed salad that was as beautiful to look at as to eat, followed by breasts of chicken stuffed with lobster and basil, all served with little crispy rounds of freshly baked herb bread that melted in the mouth, with a light finish of beautiful fruit salad in lime and ginger syrup with Margo’s coconut ice cream.

  “I was hungrier than I thought.” Eve gave a little blissful sigh, putting down her dessert spoon. “Thank you, Drew. I’ve never been so looked after in my life.”

  He looked up with searching dark eyes. “How do you know I didn’t take aim for you that first day in the lift?”

  “Aim, as in Cupid?” she asked.

  “I made sure I interviewed you, didn’t I?”

  They moved out onto the terrace for coffee and afterwards Eve insisted on helping him clear the table. He was enormously efficient, she noted, very methodical, a perfectionist in everything he did.

  “Come and listen to some music,” he said, folding his arms around her, his breath fragrant with coffee.

  “That’s what you always say.” She leaned back into his embrace.

  “I don’t want to appear too obsessed with getting you into bed.”

  “But you are.”

  “Would you like me to sweep you up right now?” he challenged her.

  “You’re a man to die for, Drew,” she sighed, instantly intensely aroused.

  “So how come you can resist me?” His voice was a little rough, a faint tremor in his strong arms.

  “I’ve got a lot of trauma in my head,” she told him with a catch.

  “Such is the irony. I could have picked a dozen beautiful women.”

  “You must have stopped counting.” She reached back, touched his cheek.

  “So why do I lust after you?” he asked in a low, vibrant voice. She gave a little shudder at his words and he bent and kissed the side of her silky ear. “Only joking. You’ve lifted the curtain of love for me, Eve. I’m not just talking about sexual feelings. Come and join me on the sofa. I have something for you.”

  She looked up at him with widened eyes. “What could it possibly be?”

  “Hang on. I’ll get it.” He walked off towards the master bedroom, turning on the CD player in the state-of-the-art entertainment unit as he went.

  Anne-Sophie Mutter on violin playing with the Berlin Philharmonic, the “Romance” CD Eve loved. She slipped off her low-heeled suede shoes, pushed up the long sleeves of her thin V-neck burgundy sweater she wore with matching slacks, and sat down on a sofa, resting her head on the wonderfully plush arm.

  When Drew returned he had removed his jacket and tie and was carrying a small luxuriously wrapped gift parcel in his hand.

  Eve sat up quickly, tossing back her long hair. “Have all my birthdays come at once?”

  “You’re just an out-and-out adorable girl,” he mocked, instead of handing her the parcel, putting it down just out of reach on the coffee table and pulling her into his arms.

  “I have a powerful urge to protect you, Evie,” he said.

  “You don’t think I can look after myself?”

  “You can. Extremely well. By the same token it’s taken its toll. I think you deserve to be pampered for a while.”

  “Lovely!” She stretched out her arms, the movement pulling the fine wool taut across her breasts.

  It was like a switch had been thrown in his head. With a deep primitive sound even resembling a growl, he lowered his head, his eyes extravagantly dark with desire.

  He kissed her deeply, so deeply Eve thought he might steal her soul. She would never get over the shock of his wanting her, the never to be borne excitement of having his hands rove her. Her legs and the toes of her feet stretched in a kind of agony. She was softly moaning as if she were on a rack, but a rack so exquisite it stretched her to incredible yearning.

  “Drew.” She only just managed to free the mouth that was pressed to his. “I’ll die if you don’t stop.”

  “But I haven’t touched you yet.” He eased a voluptuous hand down over her clothed body, his handsome face taut with his own passion. “I don’t believe I made love to a woman before you,” he said in wonderment. “You’re the woman I knew existed but couldn’t find. Are you scared?” He stared down into her liquid green eyes.

  “Yes.” When her arms were knotted around his neck.

  “This might panic you even more.” He reached for the packet, placing it on her lap. “Open it, Eve. I want to see your face.”

  While the beautiful music filled the room, Eve pulled the ribbons off the package and opened up the silver, green-medallion-embossed paper, careful not to tear it. An exquisite porcelain box was inside, executed in golds and enamels with stones that surely couldn’t be emeralds, surrounding a watercolour of a lovely young woman with swirling blond hair on the lid.

  “Oh, Drew, this is too extravagant for me,” she protested as soon as her eyes fell on it, but her face reflected her delight. “They’re surely not emeralds?” She traced the small glittering stones with a delicate finger.

  “Colombian. What’s more, it dates from the turn of the century. I couldn’t resist it. The girl could be you. It’s actually a music box. If you turn the little key on the back it plays an old French song. ‘Plaisir d’Amour.’” He began to hum a snatch of it, stopping when Eve got the music box working.

  “I love it. I absolutely love it,” she said. “You want to be careful. I’ll cry. You’re so kind.”

  “It’s not kindness that inspired me, my love,” he said in a dark, wry voice. “Open it up.”

  “Don’t tell me there’s more?”

  With a tremendous shock that elicited a sharply indrawn breath, Eve saw slotted into the midnight-blue velvet the most beautiful diamond and platinum engagement ring she had ever seen in her life and she had seen a good many from her time working in the jewellery shop. The central stone was of superb colour and clarity, easily two carats, flanked by smaller diamonds of the same rose cut. Eve stared at it spellbound. She even tried to speak without success. The golden glow from a table lamp fell directly on the stones so they flashed out mesmerising beams of light. Her heart was thudding so painfully she thought she was about to faint.

  “I knew you’d be surprised,” Drew said to her in a voice that came close to self-mockery.

  “Drew, is this for me?” From the expression on her face she might have been Cinderella.

  “Was I wrong to think you clever?” he teased.

  “An engagement ring?” She felt thrilled, excited, but committed to an answer. Wasn’t that the purpose of an engagement ring?

  “It is and it’s particularly beautiful, don’t you think?”

  “The most beautiful I’ve ever seen.” It dazzled and blazed. “It must have cost an awful lot of money.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” he said with a faint smile. “I want you to have the best. Here, let me take it out before you shut it away again. You’re not just mine, Evie, to love and touch. I want us to get married. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. I know you’re haunted by the past, your mother’s broken heart, but this is us. Our life. Your engagement ring is my vow of commitment.
I swear I’ll never break it.”

  The whole thing had the quality of some beautiful dream.

  “I don’t know if I could stand it if you did.”

  “Have faith, my love. We’ll conquer your fears together.”

  Drew slipped the glorious ring down over Evie’s finger. “You’re mine now, Evie, to love and to honour.”

  She stared back into his handsome dark face.

  “You truly believe this is destined?”

  “Don’t you?”

  “I so want to,” she whispered. “It’s wonderful when we’re together. But marriage is such a perilous journey.”

  “My darling, you relish a challenge.” He put his arms around her, feeling her heart beat through her breast. She clung to him as he kissed her hair, her temple, her cheek. “What’s it to be, Evie?”

  “No one in the world would expect you to marry me,” she sighed deeply.

  “I don’t know if I can follow that.”

  “Well, your background.” She rested against him. “I’ve never been part of your world.”

  “I notice you haven’t had the least trouble moving in it,” he said soothingly. “Nothing you can say will put me off, Evie. Only the words, I don’t love you. Can you honestly say them?”

  She felt she was a sobbing little girl again, pounding at her father. “I would never be in your bed if I didn’t care about you deeply, Drew. You know that.”

  “But love is the forbidden word?”

  “I recognise that myself.” Her face was hidden by a veil of gold.

  “But you’ll agree to marry me? It might sound like undue persuasion, but there are many ways I can help Ben.” His voice had a faint bite of satire. “You’re not the sort of woman to be a sex object, Evie. We should get married, the way we feel.”

  Didn’t she know it in her heart? “It’s worse for a woman, Drew,” she said, too long a witness to her mother’s grief.

  “I don’t believe that’s true.” Drew tightened his hold on her. “I’ve known men devastated by marriage breakdowns. Indeed suicidal, especially when there are children involved. The courts inevitably grant custody to the mother. I know your mind is always drawn irresistibly to your parents, but you’re not looking at the full picture. You have to get rid of your doubts now. If you don’t, they’ll destroy you. Let me love you, Evie. I’ll atone for it all.”