by Addison Fox
Keira allowed herself to be led away, a mixture of shock and relief filling her at his deft handling of the situation. Despite her frustrated rebuttal to Ted, she wasn’t interested in having a public conversation about a very private matter.
Rather than use the situation to bait her further, adding to the fire he’d started with the Financial Journal article, he’d simply walked away from the situation. Which made absolutely no sense.
She stared up at the firm set of his jaw as he navigated them through the ballroom.
What was his game? She was still trying to figure it out—as well as why she was in his limo—a few minutes later.
“I thought we’d go somewhere else to discuss things. That ballroom had far too many reporters for my comfort.”
“On the contrary. I’d have thought you’d be right at home, spinning your story for the press. Just like you did for this morning’s edition.”
“This morning was different. That was the opening salvo. The rest of this battle is between us, darling.”
She clicked her tongue at the back of her teeth, unwilling to be baited. “You call all your opponents darling? I imagine that raises quite a few eyebrows.”
“Most of my opponents don’t deserve it.”
“I do because I’m a woman?”
Nathan leaned forward, his predatory gaze unwavering on hers. “A very beautiful woman.”
She would not be baited. Or flattered. Or enticed by those sin-with-me eyes. “It’s immaterial.”
“Actually, it’s not.”
“Excuse me?”
“This is a business transaction and the press is going to love pitting us against each other. The fact that you’re a beautiful woman has an impact. The press loves a good story, but when the players are as attractive as you three, well, it gives you an advantage.”
Keira shook her head, trying to follow his train of thought. “You’re suggesting I have a leg up because of how I look. That my shareholders will make a major business decision because of a photograph or two?”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
“If that’s the case, what about you? Movie-star good looks can’t hurt your march on the company like Sherman through the South. I saw the way the female half of the ballroom fawned over you.”
“So you were watching out for me? Or more to the point, watching those watching out for me?”
Keira snapped her mouth closed, unwilling to engage in any further discussion. No matter what she said—or how she framed her thoughts—he seemed to have a response waiting up his sleeve.
She knew people made decisions for far poorer reasons than what they read in the press, but from Sally’s reports earlier, Nathan had won more than a few investors over to his side already. Between his own stock purchase and his advance negotiations with several major investors—two large pension funds and a mutual fund that they knew of—he’d already laid some serious groundwork. All he needed was to garner enough shareholder support his way and she, Camryn, and Mayson could kiss McBride Media good-bye.
“Where are you taking me?”
“There’s a quiet bar in your neighborhood. We’ll go there.”
“You know where I live?”
“The McBride penthouse isn’t exactly a secret. It’s been in your family for years, hasn’t it? And it’s been profiled in several architecture magazines.”
Why did it feel like he had a leg up? Like he’d been studying her, while she’d been thrown into the deep end and was trying to catch up. She’d spent half her day combing the Internet for anything she could find on Nathan Cooper and it didn’t feel as if she’d made a dent, yet he knew where she lived.
Nathan climbed from the car first, then held out his hand to help her. As his fingers closed over hers, the heat of his touch assailed her once more. Which was about as convenient as a heart attack, she admonished as she pulled her hand from his grasp before heading for the bar.
This was a business meeting, nothing more.
The Commons was dark and sparsely populated for a Tuesday night, which suited her fine, Keira thought. She took a seat at one of the small conversation tables at the far side of the room near a roaring fire. She’d already been on display enough this evening. If she had to spend some time with Nathan Cooper, the anonymity of their meeting was far preferable to the crowded publishers’ dinner.
While a private meeting was preferable, it hardly made sense, and Nathan’s suggestion of a post-event drink didn’t answer the question of what he could possibly be up to. She and her sisters had spent time preparing with Sally and the rest of the legal team, and here Nathan was inviting her out for drinks one-on-one.
Which brought her to her next question. Why was she here? She was a grown woman. She could have extricated herself from the evening, had been more than adept at doing just that in the past. Which brought her back to the original question.
Why?
“A dark Cabernet, as requested.” Nathan set a glass down before her, the deep bowl of the wineglass reflecting in the muted light of the bar’s fireplace. The fire made for a nice, rosy glow, distilling the slight chill of the early fall evening, but Keira found she didn’t need its warmth.
Nathan Cooper was giving off more than enough heat to keep her warm.
“This is much better. We can discuss things in a far more civilized manner.”
“If by things you mean your intention to pillage my company, I’m going to have to insist we talk about something else. I’m not discussing McBride Media without including my legal counsel.”
As if she’d said the words that let the genie out of the bottle, Nathan leaned forward, his shoulders again drawing her gaze. “That’s fine with me. I’ve no doubt we can discuss some far more interesting things than business.”
Yet again, she was struck by how easily he maneuvered her.
Although she hadn’t dated anyone seriously in quite some time, she’d always been able to hold her own. She appreciated the company of men, but she’d never felt this off-kilter. This off her game. Nathan Cooper unsettled her and she was damned if she could figure out why.
“You’re quite the smooth talker. I hope you understand that neither my sisters nor I will capitulate easily. McBride Media is our heritage. It’s in our blood, and it’s far more than just a job for any of us.” She took a sip of the wine, the rich flavor smooth and even on her tongue. “Can you say the same?”
…
Could he say the same?
Nathan swirled his wine, the heat of the fire growing uncomfortable along his right side.
Did he feel something deeper, more heartfelt, for how he spent his days beyond this all-consuming urge to conquer? She wasn’t so far off when she used the word pillage. Maybe that was the only thing in his blood. The ruthless need to overpower, to grind his enemies into the ground.
Keira McBride seemed like anything but the enemy.
Casually, he removed his tuxedo jacket, but it did little good. The heat of her gaze consumed him. And he was enjoying the sensation more than he’d thought possible. What was it about her? She was beautiful, yes, but it was more than that. Something in her called to him on a far more elemental level. He was a man who enjoyed women. Enjoyed sharing his time with them. But something about Keira made him think of more than sharing a few dinners and his bed afterward.
More?
A distinctly uncomfortable knot settled in his gut. He might be West Harrison’s illegitimate son, but he was his son all the same.
And his genes didn’t do more.
His mother had learned that the hard way. He’d seen how she suffered and he’d sworn he would never mislead a woman the same way.
“You’re making this far more personal than it needs to be, Keira.” He savored the feel of her name on his tongue. “I don’t take over companies for personal reasons.”
“Yes, but McBride Media is personal to me.” A surprising blend of anguish and determination painted her features in harsh lines. “And it’s personal to
my sisters.”
“It’s a business, nothing more. Add on what I’m proposing to buy the company for and the three of you are poised to be very wealthy women.”
“McBride is about so much more than profit. Have you even read any of our magazines?” She leaned forward, those harsh lines changing as he saw the pride pour forth from her animated face. “Do you know we award scholarships every year to inner-city children who otherwise would have no way of going to college? That we contribute five percent of our profits to major health care initiatives like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease? Do you also know that several of our journalism pieces have been responsible for moving legislation through Congress to better insurance coverage or to give those without a voice public recognition. My grandfather’s legacy was that he believed in giving back, and my sisters and I take that same commitment very seriously.”
Nathan was surprised by her impassioned plea, but he refused to be taken off course. Lots of companies did noble things—hell, his own company gave money to charity—and it didn’t make him any less noble to want to take the company apart.
“Corporate charity is an expectation in this day and age.”
“I’m well aware of that. But through our editorial mission we also have a chance to shape public perception for good.” Keira hesitated for a moment—he saw the brief flash of indecisiveness in her gaze—before she shifted gears. “Your business interests have never been in the media community. It’s also common knowledge you purposely chose not to get involved in your father’s business. So why now? Why us?”
His stomach twisted at the mention of his father. West Harrison had offered him a job years ago. A job he’d thrown—with deliberate scorn—back in the son of a bitch’s face.
Even now, the memory burned in his gut. His father’s smug face, so convinced he was doing his bastard son a favor by offering him a position at one of his magazines. It had been a joke of a job, a figurehead position. All the while his brother, Booth—West’s legitimate heir—was being groomed for the head of MediaCorp. Ignoring the usual scorn that tinged the back of his throat with a cold, metallic taste when he thought of his half brother, Nathan focused on her question.
Keep the emotion out of it, Cooper. The way you always do.
“Just because I haven’t been focused on the media industry up until now doesn’t mean anything. I’ve built my business on opportunity. Your company has presented an opportunity, nothing more.”
She continued pressing her point, as if unwilling to drop the one thin thread she was clinging to. “It’s not that simple. You want something and I’d like to know what it is.”
“Despite our attempt to complicate them, most things are actually quite easy. Straightforward. Surprisingly uncomplicated.”
Frustrated with the focus on his possible motivations, he shifted gears. Leaning in toward her, his lips a breath away from hers, he whispered, “Speaking of things that are simple, you are right about one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“There is something I want.”
With determined movements, he took the glass from her hand and laid it on the small cocktail table next to their chairs. His focus unwavering, he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. The rich tang of wine on her lips met his taste buds first before being quickly replaced with a taste that was uniquely Keira. She filled his palate with the most exceptional flavor, something indescribably fresh, like ripe summer cherries.
Hungry for more, his tongue sought entrance to her mouth and she tentatively opened for him, her hesitancy evident in the cautious grip she had on his shoulders as she leaned into him. Pressing the temporary advantage, he pulled her closer, one hand settling on her back as the other fit at the nape of her neck. Time spun out between them as if in slow motion, the world around them fading away as his entire existence focused on this moment.
With this woman.
A soft mewl sounded in her throat and he responded in kind, deepening the kiss. Their lips met, again and again, her lush sweetness reminding him once more of ripe fruit and the heated air of summer. He swept his tongue against hers, suddenly desperate for more of that taste—more of the flavor that was uniquely her—and he felt his control of the situation rapidly fleeing.
Something inside of him shifted as he dragged himself away from her.
What was this? And why was it suddenly impossible to see anything but her?
…
Keira wanted to fight the rising sensations, knew she should fight them, but she’d be damned if she could even tear her gaze from his lips.
“Why? H-How?” She sputtered to come up with some coherent thought when all she wanted to do was kiss him again. “Why did you do that?”
“We did that.” His voice was calm as he reached for her wineglass and handed it to her, their fingers brushing. The moment was fleeting, but she could have sworn his hand trembled oh so slightly, and she took some comfort in the fact that he wasn’t completely unaffected by their kiss.
He took a sip from his own glass. “It’s just like I said. It’s simple.”
Simple? It was anything but. “And what is that supposed to mean?”
“It means there’s something between us. Something very good. There’s no reason not to act on it. We’re healthy, single adults.”
“At war with each other.”
“One doesn’t have to affect the other.”
She resisted the urge to gasp, instead channeling the sudden charge of anger to focus her wayward thoughts. The man might be able to kiss like a pro, but he wasn’t about to use it—or her—to railroad her company. “There is no one. Or other, for that matter.”
“What’s the phrase?” He swirled the wine in his glass, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Make love, not war?”
“Seeing as how I’m not a peace-loving hippie or a woman who goes down without a fight, I don’t see how it applies.”
“We want each other. That’s enough.”
“I’m not a woman who makes it a habit of sleeping with my enemies.”
“Who do you make it a habit to sleep with?” The question was deceptively casual, but she didn’t miss the glaze of male possession that marked his features. The lines in his forehead stood out in sharp relief to his narrowed eyebrows, and his fingers dug into his thighs, turning the tips white.
“This conversation is over.” Reaching for her evening clutch, she stood. “I’ll see myself out. As you mentioned, my apartment is right around the corner.”
“I’ll walk you.”
“There’s no need.”
“You’re not walking home by yourself.”
“I’m awed by your sudden streak of chivalry, Nathan. Especially since, if I just interpreted the subtext of your last several comments appropriately, you seem to think it’s a no-brainer that I’d fall into your bed while you attempt to take over my company.”
“It’s not an attempt, Keira. For your company or your bed.”
“You’ll have neither.”
He smiled slowly and saluted her with his wineglass. “I’ll have both and we both know it.”
Chapter Three
“What happened to you last night? One minute I see you at the hotel bar and the next time I glance over, you’re being escorted from the ballroom by Nathan Cooper.”
Keira glanced up from where she tapped away on her laptop, unable to stop the frown Mayson’s words evoked. “Nothing happened. Or not much, anyway.”
“Not much?” Mayson’s eyes widened as she beelined her way to the chair opposite Keira’s desk. “You have details?”
“No,” she said. Then she amended herself with a quiet, “Yeah, well, sort of.”
Mayson was already reaching for the phone at the edge of the desk. Before Keira could blink, Camryn’s voice shot out of the speaker. “What?”
“Get in here. Now.”
“Mayse?”
“Yeah. It’s me and I’m in Keira’s office. Just like we thought, something happened last ni
ght, and I’m about to get details.”
“I’ll be right there.”
Keira frowned at the phone but resisted the urge to stick her tongue out at it. She turned toward her youngest sister. “Why are you making such a production out of this?”
“Was there lip action?”
Keira pressed together those very lips Nathan had plundered and refrained from answering.
“I’ll take that as a yes,” Mayson said with a triumphant smile.
“What was a yes?” Camryn demanded from the doorway. She crossed the room as quickly as Mayson had—a feat even more impressive in her killer heels they’d all been coveting for weeks—and settled herself next to her sister. “Okay. I want to hear all of it.”
“He wants to sleep with me.”
Camryn frowned. “Well, yeah, duh, he’s a man.” She shot a dark look at Mayson. “You dragged me away from my office for the obvious?”
“Your spreadsheets can wait, oh geeky one.” Mayson leaned forward, her expression rapt with interest. “Something happened last night.”
Keira knew it was impossible to resist in the face of her sisters’ eager expectations, so she simply let out with it. “We kissed.”
“Where?”
“At the Commons. Around the street from the apartment.”
Camryn’s interest was evident as she leaned forward, her posture a match for Mayson’s. “How’d that happen?”
“I don’t know, really.” That, at least, was the truth. One minute they were arguing their positions and the next she was in his arms, being kissed breathless. “It just sort of happened.”
A small sigh escaped Camryn’s lips. “That’s the best kind.”
“It’s idiotic, irresponsible, and inconvenient.”
“Which is also the best kind of kissing,” Mayson said.
Keira smiled, even as she searched for the right words. “It’s more than that. He wants the company. This isn’t a joke or some whispered rumor skating its way through the business press. He’s targeted us and he’s not going away.”