Heart Matters

by tani shane

  Damn him! As though it was any of his business what she did with Adam! She drew in a deep breath determined not to let him spoil her evening and succeeded quiet pleasantly. She was well aware that she had succeeded because he had chosen to let her relax but she wasn’t ready to admit it.

  Throughout dinner, Jessica noticed he did not speak much. He reserved himself to brief comments all the while watching her with such a transparent look that she was sure everyone had noticed it. She was sure Adam had because his arm came around her shoulders possessively more than once.

  That night when she slipped under the cool sheets of her bed, Steven’s mocking face drifted before her eyes. She had somehow never seen him before even in the social columns of magazines and came to the conclusion that he was a very private person. She knew nothing beyond the fact that Steven Hart, the successful industrialist, was also a very fascinating man.

  But she had to be objective. As far as she was concerned he was her last hope for her company. Therefore she was pleasantly surprised when he had given her an appointment later in the week and agreed to grant her proposal a hearing. With her fingers crossed she drifted into a fitful sleep where Adam’s features seemed to converge into Mark’s and then Mark’s into Steven’s with deep blue eyes threatening to drown her in them.

  ***

  Steven Hart flicked off the lamp by his bedside, a deep frown etching his handsome features. Jessica Cantrell had thrown him off guard that evening. He had no idea Jeff’s baby sister was such an attractive woman. He had seen her photograph from Jeff’s wallet once when she was about fourteen and had been fascinated by her dark hair and deep gray eyes. He had been ashamed of his attraction for her then. He was twenty-two, just two years younger than her brother and a good eight years older than her. She was a child he had reminded himself and forgotten about her. He had later seen her in a newspaper article when she had won some award for her designs but the print had not been clear and he had not given it a second look. He had never again set his eyes on her until tonight.

  When he first saw her dancing in the arms of her lover, he felt he had been jolted out of his senses. A primitive streak of desire so strong that he had felt a weakness in his loins passed over him momentarily. His reaction to her surprised him and he dismissed it as his desire for a very attractive woman on pure sexual basis. He wanted to feel her soft fragile body in his arms, to feel her smooth, cool skin against his own heated one, to feel her arch in response to his love making…

  “Hell!” Steven cursed loudly as he headed hastily for the shower to cool his erotic thoughts. She was probably in her lover’s arms at this moment responding in very much the same manner as his imagination.

  He cursed again and relished the jet of cool water over his heated skin. You are behaving like a high school virgin, Steven Hart, he told himself sarcastically; get her out of your system before you burn yourself.

  Jeff was relying on him and he wasn’t about to mess it up because of his sexual fantasies about Jessica. He had to make her trust him and he wasn’t going to be able to do it by ogling at her. No. He had to be objective in his approach and trap her as neatly as a spider trapped a fly.

  Chapter Four

  Four days later, Jessica presented herself at Steven Hart’s office well in time for their ten o’clock appointment. She wore a chic, peach colored business suit with her wild tresses pulled back in a stern chignon. Her makeup was light as was her jewelry giving her an air of cool confidence. Her shoes had medium high heels that gave her a couple of much needed inches.

  Steven’s secretary smiled at her when her intercom buzzed and said, “You can go in now, Ms Cantrell.”

  Jessica rose to her feet from the visitor’s couch, her heart beating the tempo of a wild African drum. For all her outwardly calm appearance, the very thought of meeting Steven Hart was having a strange affect on her nerves. She opened the door that bore his nameplate on it and stepped in, closing the door behind her.

  The interiors of the office were breathtaking. Done up entirely in black and white, it spoke volumes about the person behind it. Practical. No shades of gray. Yes or No. No maybes. She was impressed. At least he wouldn’t lead her on false hopes.

  Her shoes clicked smartly on the patterned, white tiles and she noticed Steven didn’t seem to be around. The office was massive. It held apart from his working desk and the usual visitors chairs, a more informal seating arrangement in one corner, a well equipped bar complete with two stools, a home theatre system and two doors to unknown destinations.

  His desk was free of clutter apart from a computer and phone. Behind it, large windows allowed filtered sunlight to light the interiors through partially drawn venetian blinds. The windowsill held several indoor potted plants that lent relief to the otherwise serious interiors. She waited around patiently for a while then out of sheer boredom dumped her purse and the file she was carrying on one of the visitors chairs and went closer to admire the potted plants.

  She smiled at the fragile greens, stooping slightly towards them. “You like plants?” his voice unexpectedly sounded so close behind her that she spun around startled. He reached out a hand to steady her and smiled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  Jessica managed a weak smile between the deep breaths she was taking to steady her racing heart. He had released her arm but her skin continued burn under the soft material of her clothes. “I...was just admiring the plants. They’re lovely.”

  He looked past her at them as though seeing them for the first time and gave a slight nod. “My secretary takes good care of them. She says they make the place look alive.”

  “They do,” she agreed, raising her eyes to smile at him. Her heart jumped as she did so for nothing had prepared her for the impact of the deep blue irises in broad daylight. What shook her even more was the look they held. She wasn’t exactly naïve to not recognize desire and it made her fluster uncomfortably. The look left his eyes so abruptly that she wondered if she had imagined it. Now they were etched with their usual cynicism.

  “You blush beautifully,” he remarked, moving away to seat himself on his chair. He motioned her to take the visitor’s and said quite openly, “I’m sorry if I embarrassed you, Jessica, I couldn’t help myself. You are a very attractive woman.”

  So she had been right! Jessica’s cheeks burned more furiously than ever. It wasn’t as if she was not used to receiving compliments but coming from him made her feel like a teenager receiving her first bout of flattery. She pulled herself together roughly and smiled disarmingly just as the blush was reaching the tip of her nose.

  His eyes narrowed over her but he suddenly looked away to boot his computer. “Now, shall we get down to business?”

  Jessica had gained control of her senses by now as she leaned forward to place her file on his desk. She briefed him about her proposal and then answered his questions efficiently. After thirty minutes of discussion, he finally opened the file to browse through. When he had finished, his blue gaze rested on her once again. “Interesting facts. I like it.”

  A rush of pure happiness swept over her but she chose to remain calm. “So are you genuinely interested in a partnership deal with ‘Jess-C Creations’?”

  “Genuinely,” he repeated, smiling cynically, “I like the way you put it. Yes, I am certainly interested.” He paused watching her closely. “As you are aware Jessica, I run a large empire and have a stake in various fields. Now I wish to expand into the fashion industry. I want a well-established name and yours fits the bill. I’ve seen your work. It’s got your mark on it.”

  “I beg your pardon?” she asked a trifle confused.

  “Your designs Jessica, they speak volumes about your style. Defiant, bold and yet sensuous, bringing out the woman behind the clothes. I especially like your blend of the Western and Oriental designs.” He paused, having surprised her with his keen observation on her. He had done his research on her and had assessed her style accurately. “You have great potential, Jess
ica and that’s why I’m willing to consider a business relationship with you. Here’s my proposal.”

  He moved his chair sideways, frowning thoughtfully while keeping his eyes on her. “Let me be frank with you. I believe in mergers. I want to make your company an integral part of Hart Incorporated. You can retain your name but you will essentially be a part of a larger group. I will finance the production and the marketing. In return, you lend me your name, your designing skills and of course, we share the profits. But I’m concerned about one simple thing.” He eyes watched her closely. “You have a lot of enemies in the business, Jessica, enemies who are out to get you. What will happen if they strike again? I can’t afford to lose out on investments that I make.”

  Jessica felt a nervous gnaw in the pit of her stomach but kept her chin up defiantly. “If you are referring to the fire that gutted my manufacturing unit, I must tell you that it cannot be ascertained to be deliberate. The short was a case of human negligence.”

  “It could also be made to look like human negligence,” he observed astutely.

  She nodded. “Yes but it has not been proven.”

  “That makes no difference to me. I’m sorry if I sound like a pessimist but that’s the way I choose to look at it.”

  His resolute attitude annoyed her but she struggled to keep her calm. “Well then you should know that’s why I approached ‘Hart Inc.’ I have come to understand that your mere presence keeps enemies at bay.”

  Steven gave an involuntary smile that sent a warm rush through her. “I seem to have quite a reputation, don’t I? ‘Mean Boy of a Mean Age.’ ‘Cross Your Hart and Hope to Die.’ Oh, yes, newspapers have coined some interesting phrases about me but I stand unimpressed. I am not a vulture, Jessica. When someone goes bankrupt, I get to shoulder the blame. I don’t forcibly take over small firms. When their owners can no longer run them, they come to me. I take a risk each time I buy one of these indistinct names but I guess I’m always lucky. I turn them into successful businesses and make a fat profit. That is what annoys my critics.”

  He shook his head absently as though dismissing a vague thought. “However, I’m not invincible, Jessica. And I’m certainly not stupid. I weigh my pros and cons before I go through with a deal and hence this apprehension.” He leaned back, a preoccupied frown on his face. “Did you have the fire investigated?”

  “Yes, of course”

  “And?” he prompted.

  “And they came up with nothing. There weren’t any witnesses. It happened after two in the night. The security men didn’t see anything suspicious.”

  “What was the cause?”

  “A short circuit in the pantry. Someone left the hotplate on. The whole place went up in flames and was reduced to ashes. The dress materials I use are expensive silks, organza and satin. These materials light up easily and result in extensive flames. The investigation team has proof of foul play. The insurance company obviously thinks I had something to do with it. But they don’t have concrete evidence.”

  The frown on his face deepened. For a long time he said nothing then queried slowly, “Do you suspect someone?”

  She shrugged noncommittally, wondering if she should discuss her suspicions with him. After Jeff had sown the seeds of doubt in her mind she had done some investigation of her own and come up with one possible suspect. She looked at Steven dubiously then decided to confide in him. After all if she wanted him to accept her proposal she had to trust him. “I think ‘La Belle Shari’ had something to do with it,” she divulged tentatively.

  His brows rose in instant surprise. “Shari Stanford?”

  Jessica immediately realized her mistake. The evening she had first met him he was with Niki and Shari was Niki’s half-sister! Shari Stanford was also the owner of ‘La Belle Shari’ and Steven obviously knew Shari personally. Rats! He would probably throw her out right now.

  But he went on calmly. “How did you arrive at such a conclusion?” He leaned forward with an interested look on his face.

  Jessica swore at herself under her breath but there was no turning back now. She had to be fair to herself and not think that she was offending someone. “‘La Belle Shari’ has been a competitor since the day I founded my company as a serious contender in the fashion business. At first I was a small timer so they didn’t bother with me but as I became popular, they resorted to cheap tricks to slander me.”

  “Such as?”

  “Well, once they had my designs for a particular fashion show stolen and they presented them as theirs. Since at the time they were a bigger name, I was literally booed off stage when my designs were presented. You see they had made very minor alterations in my designs and presented them before mine. So when my turn came, my designs looked like cheap imitations of theirs.” She glanced at him for a reaction and found the same intense frown as before. “Look, the point is that I have some genuine basis for my suspicions but they don’t lead anywhere.”

  “Which is to say your company still has a reason to feel threatened,” he summed up, rubbing the cleft on his chin absently. “I think, Jessica, if we be quite blunt about it, you’re asking me to take a bigger risk than I intend to. My name alone doesn’t guarantee a safe bet.”

  “So what do you want me to do about it?” she asked, her heart slowly beginning to sink.

  “I need you to place some collateral on the table for me so that in case of a loss I don’t stand to lose everything.”

  She stared at him bewildered. “You mean like an asset that will be transferred to you?”

  His mouth quirked faintly, betraying a trace of amusement. “Yes, an asset, simply put a pledge.”

  “But..I..don’t have anything to offer,” she breathed, her temper slowly rising, “If I had some asset I wouldn’t be here, would I?”

  For a moment, he declined to speak, simply watching her steadily as if to assess if she was speaking the truth. Then he spoke curtly. “What about ‘The Cantrell Residency’?”

  The question took her by surprise. “How do you know about that?”

  He gave her a bored look. “Come now, Jessica. Do you take me for a fool? I make it my business to know everything about anyone who gains my interest.” His blue eyes turned innocent. “And I must say; you have gained my interest rather strongly.”

  Annoyance rose within her but she refused to let him unnerve her. “Well, then you must also know that I can have rights over them only once I get married…”

  “And I hear you’re getting married soon.”

  “Yes but I wasn’t planning right...”

  “So what’s stopping you? You can draw papers and pledge your ‘Residency’ shares to me so that once you’re married the collateral is already in place.”

  She stared at him in disbelief. “But why would I come to you if I have my inheritance? I can easily revive my company by myself when I get it.”

  He smiled arrogantly. “Don’t forget the bad wolves, Jessica. You need a larger one to keep them at bay. Besides you can’t possibly believe Jeff will allow you to casually dawdle away your inheritance do you?”

  Indignant dark gray eyes held his narrowed ones in silent battle. Steven Hart was proving to be a tougher challenge than she had bargained for. But she wasn’t about to be intimidated by him. “It’s quite clear I can’t give you what you’re asking for right away. But I am willing to consider it. Can you give me some time to think about it?”

  “Sure,” he drawled, “Take all the time you want. Just remember you have only a couple of months to bail yourself out.”

  Her startled eyes dilated. “You know about the loans I have to repay?”

  “Naturally my dear.”

  She hated the way he said ‘my dear’ and fumed silently. Condescending pig! “All right then, how long do I have?”

  “My offer stands open. It’s all up to you.”

  She rose to her feet smiling brightly. “Fine. You’ll hear from me soon, possibly in the form of my wedding invitation. Good day.” She didn’t fai
l to notice the fleeting look of surprise that reflected in his eyes and smiled with satisfaction as she left the building.

  So Mr. Conceit was vulnerable to jibes after all. Well, he deserved it. If he had meant to intimidate her by his arrogant suggestions then he was sadly unsuccessful. She was almost cent percent sure the marriage issue was courtesy Jeff. She didn’t really see Steven as anything but a hard-core businessman. He was interested in her inheritance only for his own security. It had to be Jeff who had allowed him to think she was marrying for convenience and hence the sarcasm.

  An irritated frown marred Jessica’s beautiful face. Damn, them! Why was she always running into men who were just as patronizing and arrogant as her brother? Whatever happened to the soft-spoken kindly middle-aged men of the yesteryears? Why couldn’t Steven Hart have been someone like that instead of the disturbingly virile man that he was?

  A guilty, hot flush of color swamped her cheeks. She wasn’t sure where that thought had popped up from. She certainly hadn’t meant to think of him in that way! She bit her lower lip forcing herself to think about her immediate dilemma.

  She had now come to understand that while ‘The Residency’s’ board of directors would object strongly if she were to mortgage her shares to pay off her debts, they wouldn’t mind if she pledged it as a security to someone as influential as Steven Hart.

  She could have used some time to think matters over but she had no choice. Her creditors were almost baying for her blood. She had several orders pending. Even if she managed to revive ‘Jess-C’ on her own, Steven Hart was right, chances were she could run into trouble again. There was hope in the form of ‘Hart Inc.’ Maybe she should trust her instincts and trust Steven Hart after all. But for a deal with him it was clear she had to get married earlier than she had intended and gain access to her inheritance.