by Angelo, Judy
HER INDECENT PROPOSAL
JUDY ANGELO
The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series
Volume 10
Copyright © 2013 Judy Angelo
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form, electronic or otherwise (mechanical, photocopying, recording or stored in a retrieval system) without the prior written consent of the Publisher. Such action is an infringement of the copyright law.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Author contact:
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BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
Judy Angelo
Volume 1 - Tamed by the Billionaire
Volume 2 - Maid in the USA
Volume 3 - Billionaire's Island Bride
Volume 4 - Dangerous Deception
Volume 5 - To Tame a Tycoon
Volume 6 - Sweet Seduction
Volume 7 - Daddy by December
Volume 8 - To Catch a Man (in 30 Days or Less)
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Mega-Coll. - Vols. 1 - 8
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Coll. I - Vols. 1 - 4
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES, Coll. II - Vols. 5 - 8
Two free stories in the Mega-Collection
One free story in each, Collection I and II
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NOW AVAILABLE - NEW!!
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
Volume 9 – Bedding Her Billionaire Boss
Volume 10 - Her Indecent Proposal
(NB: Not included in the Collections)
The NAUGHTY AND NICE Series
Volume 1 - Naughty by Nature
COMING APRIL 2013
BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES
Volume 11 - So Much Trouble
When She Walked In
Volume 12 - Married by Midnight
HER INDECENT PROPOSAL
GIVE ME A BABY...NO STRINGS ATTACHED
Melanie Parker is at the top of her game. Thirty-three years old, owner and CEO of Parker Broadcasting Corporation, with assets totaling over a billion dollars. There are many who would die to be in her shoes. But there’s one thing Melanie feels is missing from her life. A child. She’s always dreamed of one day being a mother but just never found the time to fall in love. And now time is running out. So she seeks out the one man who she knows can give her what she wants and will demand nothing in return, a man who’s a billionaire himself.
Sloane Quest can’t believe it when the owner of Parker Broadcasting Corporation – his biggest competitor in the media business – makes him the craziest of all proposals. The decision he makes is quick, and it probably defies all reason, but he has an ulterior motive which will not be denied.
Complications, intrigue and a baby bargain in the middle. Can love conquer all?
HER INDECENT PROPOSAL
CHAPTER ONE
“Thirty-three is not old,” Emily Parker gave her usual indulgent smile. “Look at your Aunt Cecilia. She didn’t have her first child until she was thirty-four.”
Melanie shook her head. “You are so not the typical mother. Most moms would be harassing me for a grandchild by now.”
Emily chuckled and the laugh line sank deeper in her sixty-four year old face. “The two I already have are more than a handful.” She reached across the kitchen table and squeezed Melanie’s hand. “I would love for you to have a child, dear, but don’t feel pressured. Things will happen at the right time.”
Melanie gave a snort. “If things are going to happen they’d better hurry up because I’m running out of time.”
“You want to do things the right way, Mel. Find a nice man, fall in love, and then think about babies.”
Melanie almost rolled her eyes but she stopped herself just in time. Now where was she going to find a man, fall in love, get married, conceive and then give birth – all before her thirty-fifth birthday? She was going to be thirty-four in exactly three months.
And she absolutely had to give birth before her thirty-fifth birthday. That was her deadline, because wasn’t it at thirty-five that fertility was said to decline dramatically? And wasn’t that the age where they began to consider pregnancies high risk?
She would never let that happen to her. She was a woman who planned all her moves strategically and being childless was not part of the plan. She’d written it all down in her personal book from as far back as her early twenties – by age twenty-five complete MBA, by age thirty build Dad’s corporation into a billion-dollar enterprise, by age thirty-four have a child. Her younger sister thought she was weird, writing out her whole life plan years in advance, but that was just who she was. Ever since she was a teenager she’d practiced writing down her goals and had used those written goals to keep herself focused.
And so far her strategy had worked – at least where the MBA and the corporation were concerned.
“Mom, it’s getting late. I’d better go now.” Melanie got up and went around the table to give her mother a hug. “I’ll give you a call when I get home, okay?”
“Okay, dear.” Her mother gave her a squeeze before she released her. “And remember what I said. Don’t force things. Everything will work out in good time.”
“Sure, Mom.” As usual, it was easier to agree with her mother than to argue the point. “All in good time.”
That was what she said out loud but inside Melanie was busy formulating a plan. Because she never believed in letting things ‘just happen’. She already knew what she had to do so now she was busy plotting part two of her scheme – how to get her man.
And she already knew the perfect one for the job.
***
Sloane Quest lifted his mug and took another swig of beer, savoring the crisp liquid as it slid over his tongue. He was early for his meeting with the guys but he didn’t mind the wait. He loved hanging out on the patio at Terasse Suite 701, soaking up the spring sunshine. Living in a city like Montreal where you had to stay indoors most of the year you grew to appreciate the sunny seasons and learned to take full advantage of them whenever you could. And that was exactly what he was doing this relaxing Sunday afternoon.
“Sloane, you beat me to it again.”
At the sound of Michel’s voice Sloane turned and when he saw his friend laden down with catalogues and magazines, he grinned. Ah, the pains and troubles of a man preparing to get married. “You know me,” he said, waving his friend over. “Always early. It’s a habit I just can’t break.”
“Yeah,” Michel said as he got to the table and plopped down in one of the empty chairs. “Military training will do that to you.” Then with a look of disgust he dumped his armful of magazines on the table. “Want to go through these? Celine said I should take them to show you so we can pick out matching tuxedos, I guess.” He said it with a grimace. “Women.”
Sloane only laughed. “It’s your wedding. You pick out the damn thing. I’m only coming along for the ride.”
Michel gave him a scowl. “You’re my best man. Aren’t you supposed to show support or something?"
“Yeah, by standing beside you and handing you the ring.” Sloane didn’t even try to hide his amusement at the look of distress on Michel’s face. When it came to weddings, that was a woman thing and the man involved usually wanted it over and done with so he could get back to his normal life. And obviously, Michel was no exception.
&n
bsp; “You know what?” he said, picking up the first catalogue within his reach, the one on top of the pile. “I’m picking the one on page one, whatever it is, and she’d better like it.”
Sloane only chuckled. He knew better than to get involved in that discussion. Celine was a feisty one and if word got back to her that he’d agreed with Michel on that strategy, she would let him have it. A woman planning her wedding was the pickiest, most cantankerous person in the world and he planned to stay far out of firing range. At least until the wedding was over.
After flipping to page one and studying the tuxedos there, Michel shrugged. “Looks okay to me.” He flung the book onto the pile then his face cleared. “There. She can’t say I didn’t look at her books.”
Sloane cocked an eyebrow. “A more accurate word would be ‘book’, wouldn’t it?”
“As long as she doesn’t find out.” Michel’s voice trailed off as his gaze went past Sloane and he peered down the street. “Hey, there’s Marc. Patrick’s with him. Just a sec.” He stood and lifted a hand so their friends could spot them in the Sunday afternoon crowd. When they acknowledged him he sank back down. “They said they’ve got some ideas for a really whacky bachelor party.” He gave a snort. “Knowing them, it will probably be something just shy of illegal.”
“Come on. They’re crazy, but not that crazy.”
“Yeah, you’re right. They wouldn’t go that far.” Michel gave a sigh. “I guess I’m just jittery after the last prank they pulled. Hard to believe we’re talking about two grown men, isn’t it?” He shook his head as if in disbelief.
Sloane chuckled. “They’ve been like this since high school. What did you expect?”
“Maturity?” He said the word but the expression on Michel’s face said he knew it wasn’t going to happen any time soon.
“Soakin’ up some sun, eh?” Marc bent his long frame and sank into the seat across from Sloane while the other man pulled out the last free chair.
“What did we miss?” Patrick asked as he sat down.
“Nothing. I just got here,” Michel told them. “Sloane’s been here a while, though.”
Marc snorted. “As usual.”
“He’s lucky.” Patrick jerked his head in Sloane’s direction. “No kids to babysit before running over here. No wonder he’s always early.”
“Lucky?” Marc scoffed. “Is that what you call it? The man has no life.”
“Hey.” Sloane put up his hands, ready to defend himself. “Just because I’m not married it doesn’t mean I don’t have a full life.” He shrugged. “Okay, so you guys are married. So what? And you,” he eyed Michel who had settled back in his chair, listening to the banter with great interest, “you used to be on my side. Now it’s me against the lot of you.”
“Join us,” Marc moaned, zombie-like. “Become one of us.”
Michel laughed but then he turned earnest eyes on Sloane. “Seriously, Sloane, when are you going to take the plunge? You’re thirty-six, for God’s sake. You want to wait until you’re gray to start a family?”
“Who? This guy?” Marc looked amused. “He’ll never settle down. Every few months he’s got a new lady on his arm. This is definitely not a one-woman man.”
“Yeah,” Patrick chimed in. “Just like his motto, 'Love 'em and leave 'em'.
“Hey, who said that was my motto?” Sloane glared at Patrick whose eyes immediately went to Michel.
“I didn’t have to say a thing,” Michel said, putting a hand up. “It’s pretty obvious, isn’t it?”
Sloane frowned. “Obvious that what?”
“That you’re one of those rolling stones that gather no moss,” Marc said with a sardonic smile.
“I’ve got corporations to run. I’m a busy man.” Sloane scowled. What the hell? He hadn’t come here for his friends to gang up on him.
“Yes,” Michel said, giving the other two a stern look then turning back to Sloane. “You’re a busy guy but so are we. And we still found the time to focus on what’s important. Family.” He paused, giving Sloane a pointed look. “Just something to think about.”
Marc barked out a laugh. “You’re telling that to 'Mister love 'em and leave 'em’? It will never happen.”
Sloane gave him a baleful stare. But then, how could he deny it? He’d gotten that reputation because it was like he’d done his best to live up to a certain image – the typical ‘bad boy’.
But Michel’s question was like the shock of ice-cold water. At his age, how long could he keep that up?
CHAPTER TWO
“I thought my schedule was free for the rest of the afternoon?” Sloane frowned as he listened to the voice of his personal assistant on the phone. “I was planning to leave early for a round of golf.”
Megan Frawley killed that dream real fast with her next words. She’d seen his schedule open and had slipped in a last minute appointment. He bit back a sigh. “All right. I’ll stay.” She was about to hang up when he stopped her. “Hang on. Who’s it with?”
“Melanie Parker,” she said, “of Parker Broadcasting.”
That made Sloane sit back in his chair. The Melanie Parker? His biggest competitor in the media business? Talk about an unexpected guest.
But what would she want with him? The competition between their two conglomerates had always been fierce, his a legacy of four generations and hers a company that had been started by her father forty years earlier before either one of them, the current rivals, had been born. And the rivalry between Quest Media and Parker Broadcasting had started from day one.
Quest Media was founded almost a century earlier by Sloane’s great grandfather who launched with a newspaper, The Observer. A radio station was added twenty years later then that was followed by television. By the time Sloane took over Quest Media Group was a multi-billion dollar business serving markets all across North America and parts of Latin America. Under Sloane’s leadership, the internet became a large part of their portfolio, garnering a worldwide audience and accounting for almost thirty percent of revenue within three years of launch. And it was a good thing, too. With the increased usage of the internet and the growing popularity of e-readers, sales of print newspapers began to hemorrhage, but the growth of Quest Media’s electronic business was perfectly timed and business boomed.
That is, until a certain company appointed a new CEO who revamped that company’s structure and core strategy and aggressively went after the market share of the leader in the business. The market leader and target of Parker Broadcasting’s attack was Quest Media, and that CEO was the very woman who would be in his office in less than an hour.
A woman who had always intrigued him…
He hadn't had any personal dealings with her but they weren’t total strangers. On the contrary, decades earlier both their fathers had been members of the same country club. And although Melanie Parker might not even remember it, they had actually gone to the same exclusive high school.
He'd been a senior, popular with the ladies even from then, not necessarily because he was from the wealthiest family in the region – all the kids at his school were from ‘money’ – but because he was on all the major sports teams. Hockey, soccer, football and basketball. And there was nothing that attracted hot females like being a sports jock. Apart from having the coolest Porsche on campus, of course.
She’d been a freshman that year, a shy-looking little thing with soft blonde hair and long-lashed brown eyes that she kept downcast most of the time, it seemed. The only reason he’d noticed her that first day she walked into the cafeteria was that Zena, the girl he’d been dating at the time, pointed her out.
“Hey, isn’t that kid from the Parker family? You know, the people your dad’s always blustering about. Parker Broadcasting?”
“Oh, yeah?” He turned to look, curious to see the spawn of his father’s sworn enemy but all he saw was a skinny girl with horn-rimmed glasses perched at the end of her nose, her brown eyes looking huge behind the lenses. Then he remembered. He’d seen h
er a few times at the country club but she’d been so tiny then, running around the place with an even smaller girl, both of them with their hair in pigtails. Now she was bigger but still just a little kid, probably thirteen or fourteen. And she looked totally lost.
“So that’s the next generation of Parkers, is it?” he said, growing thoughtful. As far as he knew the Parkers only had the two kids, both girls, and they looked like they would jump out of their skin if you said, ‘Boo’. Parker Broadcasting didn’t look like it had much of a future once the father retired. A threat, these girls were definitely not.
“Scrawny, isn’t she?” Zena scoffed. “With all the money they make you’d think they’d feed the thing.”
“Okay, Zena. That’s enough. Let’s not go there.” Sloane’s voice was firm as he cut her off. The kid might be from the family that was giving his dad high blood pressure but that was no reason to slam her. None of that was her fault. And even if it were, it was business. There was no need for personal attacks. “Leave the kid alone,” he said as he grabbed his tray and got up. “Come on, let’s get outta here.” He didn’t know why, but Zena’s gibe had triggered a sudden protective instinct, one that he could not explain. Why the hell would he feel protective toward a kid he hardly even knew? From the family of their biggest rival, at that? Talk about weird.
After that Sloane saw the girl around campus a few times but with his busy schedule as a senior and being on so many teams, the incidents were few and far between. But each time she’d looked the same – distant and reserved and shy, her arms full of books. And she was always alone.