The Bride’s Proposition

by Day Leclaire

  His buttons came undone beneath her busy hands, then his tie. She tossed the tie over the side of the couch and an ecstatic growl vibrated from the vicinity of the carpet while tiny claws happily ripped into the silk. Hell. The next minute those same claws scaled his leg, digging in with painful determination. No doubt the little beast had come looking for more silk to shred. His error. He'd soon learn his mistress was a cotton type of woman.

  "Cara-"

  "This is nice, isn't it?" she asked with a sigh.

  "Delightful. Nellie?"

  "Hmm?"

  "Your ear guy is waiting outside for us." He peeled her cat off his thigh along with a good portion of skin and handed the bloodthirsty little creature over to Penelope. "As much as I'd like to continue this, I'm afraid we've picked another inconvenient time and place."

  She pulled back with notable reluctance, blinking in surprise at his state of undress. "Did I..." She gestured toward his shirt.

  "Yes."

  "Huh." She cleared her throat. "Imagine that. I'll have to start paying attention to what I'm doing while I'm doing it. I imagine stripping you will be a lot more fun that way."

  "I'll make sure of it." He snatched another quick kiss and then released her. Refastening his shirt, he picked up the shredded remains of his tie. Shaking his head in disgust, he shoved it into his pocket and crossed the room to admit Daniel. "We're ready for you now."

  The entire procedure only took a brief five minutes. From the way Penelope hovered, he'd have thought it was major surgery. To his private amusement, she covered her ears during the actual piercing. But the minute Daniel left she fluttered around him, admiring the tiny gold half heart that formed the perfect mate to her own.

  He grinned at her obvious delight. "Tell me again how this was a practical, rational gift," he said.

  "Don't be ridiculous. Of course it was."

  "Honey, pierced ears have a certain permanency about them. Or didn't that occur to you?"

  "Only if you keep wearing the earring," she pointed out. "The hole will close if you don't."

  "Very symbolic."

  "You aren't reading more into this than you should, are you?" She snatched up Honor and cuddled him close. "I mean, I could say that giving me a cat smacked of permanency, too."

  He frowned. Now that he thought about it, it did. "But our relationship won't be permanent, right?"

  "Not at all."

  "It's strictly a business proposition." She avoided his gaze. "Nothing more."

  "That's what I thought." He suppressed a smile. "I'll remind you of that fact after we've been married a year."

  "I won't need a reminder," she insisted.

  "Maybe not." He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. "But I suspect I will. Have I thanked you for my present, cara mia? It was very sweet of you."

  "You're welcome. And thank you again for Honor."

  "I can't think of a better time and place to express our mutual gratitude." He glanced at the couch, his smile growing. "Can you?"

  ****

  "I absolutely forbid it."

  Penelope blinked at Stefano in astonishment. "Did you actually use the word, 'forbid' in connection with me?"

  "You're damned right I did. That cat stays here in my apartment while we go down to the ballroom." He glared at the manipulative kitten who'd quickly learned that by mewling pathetically it could get anything its greedy little heart desired. "One of the advantages to living in the Salvatore penthouse is being able to keep your cat close at hand, wouldn't you agree?"

  "Yes, but-"

  "One of the disadvantages to living here is that my family always knows where to find me. Which means that as one of the hosts of tonight's function I have precisely-" he checked his watch "-fifteen more minutes to get downstairs before I disgrace my family by being late."

  Disgrace? Oh, dear, that would never do. She gave it one final try. "I thought the carrier you bought me for Honor was so I could bring him with us."

  "Right. You can bring him from Crabbe and Associates, across the street, to Salvatore's. Which you have now done. It was not meant for you to take him to parties or restaurants or shopping, as you seem inclined to do." He stabbed the button for the elevator. "Stop fussing. Honor will be perfectly comfortable in my apartment now that we've moved the contents of an entire pet store in here."

  She regarded him with acute suspicion. "Was that a criticism?" she demanded.

  "Not at all, my sweet." He ushered her into the car. "I'm delighted you've decided to buy the beast every cat gadget ever invented."

  "You are being sarcastic." She planted her hands on her hips. "I'll have you know that though I adore all your gifts, Honor is special. I've never had a pet before."

  "Which reminds me." He hit the emergency button and the elevator ground to a halt. An alarm sounded, which he cut off with a master key. "Don't you think it's about time you admitted that none of your gifts to me-nor your reaction to the ones I've given you-have been the least bit logical or rational? Confess. They've been emotional choices and emotional reactions to those choices."

  She straightened the frames of the glasses Stefano had given her, a ridiculously delicate and feminine pair of wire rims that weren't in the least practical for a serious-minded business executive. They were also one of half a dozen that had been sent, along with a note that read, "Just in case we ruin another pair the next time we make love."

  "I'll admit your gifts have been extremely thoughtful," she conceded. "I'll also admit that the only logical response is an excess of gratitude."

  "An excess of gratitude, huh? You mean like this?" He cupped a hand around her neck and tipped her into his arms. She went willingly, surrendering to the unexpected embrace with an exuberance impossible to disguise. Each time he touched her it became more and more difficult to think straight, and almost as impossible to regain her equilibrium. Not that she tried very hard. She tended to surrender without a murmur of protest, then proceeded to strip him as fast as she could. Not that she was ever aware of-

  Her eyes popped open and she pulled back with a gasp. "I did it again, didn't I!"

  "Yes." He flicked her hair with his finger. "Though I believe I got even. You look delightfully rumpled."

  "This has to stop, Stefano."

  To her disgust, he shot her a grin of pure, male satisfaction. "I don't see why. I enjoy rumpling you almost as much as I enjoy getting rumpled."

  She turned her back on him and set the elevator in motion once again. Her enthusiasm whenever he touched her worried her. A lot. It warned that her-she winced-emotions might actually be engaged. And that would never do. Her relationship with Stefano needed to remain on a business footing. Anything more would be a huge mistake. She tended to make horrific errors in judgment when her emotions were engaged, something she couldn't afford at such a critical juncture.

  The elevator slowed and the doors parted, opening to the huge, glittering ballroom on Salvatores second floor. She risked a quick glance at Stefano. "By the way, I have another present for you." She swept from the car, calling over her shoulder, "Oh and you might want to check your shirt. You missed a couple of buttons,"

  She wasn't the only one to notice his shirt, or the trace of lipstick clinging to the corner of his mouth, or the fact that his tie needed to be reknotted. If there'd been any doubt about the extent of their romantic relationship, they'd clarified the situation by their antics in the elevator, a fact brought home to her when she caught a glimpse of herself in a mirror.

  As he'd warned, Stefano had left her hair more than a little rumpled and her swollen mouth denuded of lipstick. Barely suppressed passion glittered in her eyes along with a wild, desperate longing. She shook her head in denial, refusing to admit the love-struck woman in the mirror bore any relationship to Penelope Wentworth, business executive.

  "So, where's my present?" Stefano asked as soon as he caught up with her.

  "It's downstairs in the lobby. Do you want to see it now or later?"

  "I
think we have a couple of minutes to spare."

  A wide, marble staircase led down to the main lobby and they bucked the flow of traffic heading for the gathering. The reaction from those entering the reception was far different than the one at the charity benefit a few weeks ago. Amused grins greeted them, along with a hint of respect.

  "I liked the bronze," one man said, grasping Stefano's hand for a quick shake. "Makes quite a powerful statement."

  "Bronze?" Stefano murmured in Penelope's ear.

  "You'll see."

  She led the way to the lobby to where the bronze artwork stood. Stefano slowed as he spotted it, stopping a few feet away. He was silent for so long, she couldn't help wondering if she'd made a terrible error in judgment.

  "It's...it's Don Quixote," she offered nervously.

  After checking with Luc, she'd had the statue placed right inside the front doors of Salvatores, a silent, noble ambassador greeting all who entered the building,

  "So I see."

  "I always considered him a symbol of lost causes." The muscles along Stefano's jaw tightened. "Am I a lost cause? Or is it just that I'm fighting one?"

  "Neither." She came up beside him, slipping her hand into his. To her relief, he didn't reject the small gesture. Instead his fingers entwined with hers. "You're fighting against overwhelming odds, knowing it might be impossible to win your battle. But still you'll fight because it's the right thing to do. The honorable decision to make."

  "Honor?" he whispered.

  "Why do you always act so surprised whenever I say that? It's one of your defining qualities." She leaned into him, sighing in pleasure as he wrapped an arm around her. Did he have any idea how generous and honest he was? Or how rare it was to find a man of his stellar qualities in the business world she inhabited? "I picked up Senor Quixote figuring we could use all the help we could get. What do you think? Shall we ask him to help us tilt at a few windmills?"

  "Nellie..."

  Her name came out as a soft caress, one that stirred the oddest reaction. A delicious tremor coursed through her, along with a powerful hunger that urged her to slip into his arms again and kiss him until she'd rid them both of every last bit of clothing. Did he have any idea how much she wanted him? How much she-

  "You really are determined to ruin your reputation, Ms. Wentworth," Cornell announced from behind shattering the moment. "Such a shame."

  Beside her, Stefano tensed and she slipped an arm around his waist, giving the taut muscles a warning squeeze. "Don't take the bait," she whispered.

  "You spoil all my fun," he muttered back.

  Penelope spoke before Stefano had the opportunity.

  "In what way am I ruining my reputation, Mr. Cornell?" she asked.

  "By continuing to defend the Salvatores instead of getting out of the way of their imminent destruction."

  She chuckled in genuine amusement. "I'll take my chances, especially since I suspect the destruction won't be theirs."

  "Unlike Salvatore's last fiancée, you're a unique woman." Cornell's gaze shifted to Stefano. "Katie chose to get out of the way, didn't she?"

  "With your help," Stefano confirmed.

  "I won't deny it, though after being so quick to believe the worst of you, Salvatore, I found I couldn't trust her. Besides, she'd served her purpose by confirming your guilt in the eyes of the world and that's all I cared about." His grin made Penelope nervous. "Unfortunately, disposing of her ended up being ... messy."

  "Next time, don't dump your women in public."

  "One of life's small casualties." Cornell snapped his fingers. "I've been meaning to ask you, Ms. Wentworth. You told me you two were engaged, and yet I don't recall hearing anything official. There isn't a problem, is there? Perhaps you've changed your mind about selling Janus Corp to the Salvatores?"

  "We haven't gone public, yet," Penelope said blandly. "Aren't you flattered that you're among the first to know?"

  "But I don't see a ring." He made a point of examining her finger. "You're not having second thoughts, are you?"

  "Her birthday's not for another week," Stefano interrupted, his words sounding suspiciously like a growl. "She'll get a ring then."

  Penelope glared at Cornell. "Thank you so much for ruining the surprise."

  He shrugged off her annoyance and turned a mocking gaze on the bronze. "A tarnished statue of an impractical man pursuing lost causes. I can't begin to tell you how appropriate I find this."

  It took every ounce of her strength to physically restrain Stefano. "Beating him up isn't going to solve anything," she warned.

  "Maybe not, but it'll make me feel a damn sight better. Come on, Cornell." His accent deepened. "Say something else so I can give you what you deserve."

  Cornell held up his hands. "No, thanks. And just to prove how generous I am-not to mention forgiving-I've already purchased a wedding gift for you two." Penelope didn't trust his smile one little bit. "I'll make sure you get it the day you tie the knot."

  She drew back. "Don't bother. We don't need any presents from you."

  "No doubt. But this is one present I insist on delivering whether you want it or not." He bared his teeth. "It'll be my pleasure, though possibly not yours." With that, he headed for the ballroom.

  Stefano's hands collapsed into fists. "And you were going to marry that jerk."

  Penelope winced. "Don't remind me. Fortunately, good judgment prevailed."

  "You mean, fortunately I stepped in and saved your pretty little backside.' He slanted her a dry look. "Purely as a business consideration, of course."

  Her chuckle returned. "And here I thought it was because you enjoyed how well I stripped you every time we kissed."

  He tucked her close and started for the ballroom.

  "That, too, cara. That too."

  She peeked up at him. "Do you like your statue?"

  "No."

  "No!"

  "I love my statue," he admitted gruffly. Pulling her to a stop, he took her mouth in a swift, passionate kiss. Then he stared down at her with black eyes filled with an emotion she didn't dare name. "It means more to me than you can know. And one day I'll find a way to repay you."

  "I don't want repayment," she protested. "That's not why I did it."

  Secrets glittered within the darkness of his gaze. "I know why you did it, probably better than you do. And that, cara mia, is how your generosity will be repaid. I'll give you precisely what you've given to me."

  And with those enigmatic words, he escorted her into the ballroom.

  ****

  Once again, Stefano stormed off the elevator, intent on getting hold of his soon-to-be fiancée and kissing some more sense into her. Not that it had worked last time he tried it. Still, he'd give it his best shot. He hadn't progressed farther than two strides before Loren exited from a nearby office. As much as he'd like to brush past, Stefano knew he couldn't.

  "Hello." Loren greeted him with the sort of smile people use when they know they should remember the person they were meeting, but couldn't quite place how or why. "Have we met?"

  "Stefano Salvatore." Giving in to the inevitable, he held out his hand and braced himself for the customary reaction. To his surprise, it didn't come.

  Instead Loren wrinkled his brow in thought. "The name's familiar. I'm afraid I can't quite place it, though."

  Stefano's tension eased ever so slightly. "My family owns an extensive import/export business. We're located across the street from you."

  "Yes, yes. Of course. You have a reputation for being able to acquire anything anyone might want." Loren smiled knowingly. "For a price, no doubt."

  "I've discovered there's always a price to pay whenever we're determined to obtain what we want."

  "I can't argue with that. So, tell me, Stefano. What brings you over to our side of the street? Something I can do for you?"

  "I'm here to see your niece."

  "On business, I assume?"

  "Actually it's a social call." Time to put his cards on the t
able. "Nellie and I have been seeing each other. Perhaps she mentioned?"

  "Nellie, huh? Cute nickname. To be honest, Stefano, I'm sure she did tell me about you. I'm equally sure I wasn't giving the matter the attention it deserves." Loren clucked his tongue in dismay. "That's what I get for paying more attention to business than to family. Have you been dating long?"

  "A while." Stefano decided to push matters and see what happened. "I guess you'd call it a whirlwind romance."