by Lee, Nadia
“Oh at least that, if not forever.”
A boyishly charming smile lit his face. “Is that so? Then it’s a bet?”
As they gazed across the table, Natalie felt something stirring inside. Marcus’s abrupt ending of their relationship had made her feel undesirable and forlorn. He’d said all the right words while they were dating—how it was better to take it slow, make sure they were on the same page, wanting the same things out of life—and she’d never once suspected he would toss her away like a piece of trash. Her mother wanting her to suck back up to him for a few extra votes hadn’t helped.
But now, this magnificent man across the table was putting a million dollars on the line just for a chance to date her. It made her feel like getting back into the game again, showing the world what she had.
Holding his eyes, Natalie pushed her fork into her steak and drew the knife through it slowly and deliberately. She held up the cleanly severed piece of meat and said, “You’re on.”
Chapter Three
The next morning, Alex entered his office and saw Ethan Lloyd, his best friend and right-hand man. The morning sun gave Ethan a small platinum halo over his blond head. Thin wisps of steam rose from a mug of black coffee by the seat he was leaning in. Ethan never sat, but he didn’t exactly slouch, either. It was an effect only he could create. The posture made him look lazy and easygoing. His golden choirboy looks and laughing blue eyes further disguised his true corporate-raider nature.
“You’re getting indolent in your old age,” Ethan said.
Although he was American, he’d lived in England long enough to pick up just a hint of a British accent. He adjusted his gray Savile Row suit jacket. Off-the-rack suits were not an option because of his enormous shoulders and narrow waist, a legacy of the amateur-bodybuilding phase of his life.
When Alex raised an eyebrow, Ethan added, “I’ve been here for at least half an hour.”
Alex snorted. “Eleanor said ten minutes, max.”
“Traitor.” Ethan’s affectionate tone belied his words. “I even brought her a box of Belgian chocolates.”
“She knows who signs her paychecks.” Alex walked around and sat behind his desk. “When did you land?”
“Late last night.” Ethan opened a pocket-sized notebook and twisted his pen until the silver tip emerged. “So what is it that you want me to do here?”
“The Rodales.”
Ethan’s eyes sharpened for a moment before returning to their usual relaxed state. It occurred so fast most people wouldn’t have caught it. Alex did.
“Is that why you got rid of Ralph and Vivien?”
“Partially.”
“I presume you’re going to handle the takeover personally?”
“Yep.” Alex could almost taste the victory, the completion of his revenge against Emily Rodale. An eye for an eye. He wanted her to suffer as much as his family had. No, that wasn’t true. He wanted to return the pain tenfold.
Alex’s fingers drummed on the thick sheaf of paper on his desk. It was a new valuation of Rodale International. “One way or the other, I’ll have it.”
Ethan sipped his coffee. “Okay. So I guess you’ll want Jennifer to work with us on this as well.”
“No. She’s staying in France.”
“Then who’s replacing Vivien?”
“Natalie Hall. She used to work under Ralph and Vivien.” Alex saw Ethan’s eyes narrow. “Don’t worry, she’s sharp. She’ll be fine.”
Actually, more than fine. Alex would have liked nothing better than to have had her for dessert last night. Only the knowledge that he would win the bet by the end of the week had prevented him from acting on his male instinct.
Ethan was looking at him. “You want to get her in bed.”
“Crossed my mind. So?”
“So she might be in bed with the Rodales.”
“Why do you think that?”
“It makes no sense that Ralph would make so many blunders and lose two big contracts to Rodale International. Someone must be feeding information to the Rodales, and Natalie is a logical choice. She has easy access to the right information.”
Alex leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. “I’ve considered the possibility.” That had been one of the reasons he’d sought her out.
“But you don’t think she’s to blame.”
“No.”
Ethan shook his head. “Don’t let your attraction to her cloud your judgment. Willing women are a buck a bushel.”
It was true that she intrigued him, and maybe that was affecting his thinking. But Alex’s instinct told him Natalie wasn’t the mole. Still, a woman had been the cause of his father’s downfall—a man who’d been invincible otherwise. “I know what I’m doing.”
“Okay.” And just like that, Ethan dropped the topic, his eyes turning bland again.
“Invite Natalie to dinner later this week.”
Ethan’s mouth quirked. “Spanish Inquisition?”
“No. You need to brief her on her new responsibilities.”
Ethan rose from his seat, a lazy smile making him look utterly harmless. “Thursday all right?”
Alex nodded.
“Should I let her know who’s coming?”
“Why would you want to do such a thing?”
Shaking his head and laughing, Ethan left.
Chapter Four
Natalie couldn’t decide what she ought to feel. Alex had ignored her since Monday, and she was relieved but also somewhat suspicious. What kind of man bet a million dollars and then didn’t do anything thing to win? It didn’t seem to fit the personality of someone who’d built a multinational business empire from scratch.
On the other hand, maybe a million bucks really was nothing to him, and he had no problem throwing it away on a dumb joke at her expense.
She was still in the same office, but now the plate on her door read “Senior Financial Analyst.” None of her coworkers had said anything about her promotion except “congratulations,” although Danielle had brought in a home-baked cake. Apparently there was a pay raise that came with Natalie’s new responsibilities. Not that she would need it once Alex paid up. Because even if he’d meant it as a prank, she planned on collecting.
“Almost done with the P&L?” Natalie said, stopping by Danielle’s cubicle on her way out.
Danielle nodded. “Just a couple more adjustments.”
“Thanks. Send me a soft copy when you’re done.” She said good night and left the office.
Ethan wanted the figures first thing the next morning. Natalie was finding him fabulous to work for. Unlike Alex, he didn’t distract her with overwhelming sexuality. Not that he wasn’t attractive, but he was just charming enough to make her like him without clouding her mind with lust. Although…he did have great shoulders.
Just before three, Ethan had sent her directions to a small but excellent Italian restaurant in Reston. Natalie knew the place; she’d been there once with Brian right before she’d gone to college. Louise and Belle, of course, had been too busy to spend the day with her. As usual.
The restaurant was a low, square building in the middle of an Etruscan-themed shopping center, orange lights glowing inside and casting the diners into silhouette. The evening breeze toyed with an Italian flag as Natalie walked up the entryway. She pulled open the heavy cherry door and was immediately greeted by a tall man, all dark, wavy hair and white teeth, who called her signorina.
She mentioned Ethan’s name and was led through the dining area back to a private corner where a horseshoe-shaped seat wrapped around the table.
Ethan sat—or was it lounged?—on one end of the seat. His face lit up when he saw her.
“Good evening.”
She returned his smile, sat on the other side, and ordered a glass of Chianti. “Sorry I made you wait. The meeting this afternoon lasted longer than expected. How long have you been here?”
“I just sat down, actually.” He sipped his red wine and gestured at the bread bask
et full of crusty garlic bread. “Help yourself; they just brought it out. So, everything taken care of?”
She nodded and reached for a piece. It was still warm. “Danielle should have the numbers ready by tomorrow morning.”
“Excellent.”
A familiar baritone voice came from behind her, and Natalie’s heart almost stopped. She turned around to see Alex looming over her. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you again too,” he said in a bland tone that didn’t quite manage to hide his amusement. “Didn’t Ethan tell you? It’s a welcome dinner for him.”
She gave her new boss a sharp glance. He responded with a smile, which somehow failed to work its magic this time. She turned back to Alex. “So, where is everybody?” She made a show of looking around. “It doesn’t look like you invited anyone else from the office.”
“Well, you’re the only one who’ll be working closely with him.” Alex sat beside her, and she had no choice but to move closer to the middle to make room. Now she was sandwiched between the two large men.
Despite her apprehensions, Alex didn’t seem to want to focus his formidable sexuality on her. But her senses were so acutely attuned to his presence that it didn’t really matter what he did. The man had an animal magnetism that just wouldn’t quit. How could one person exude so much masculine force?
Doing her best to ignore him, she took a bite of the bread. Herbs and butter created an exquisite blend of flavors on her tongue. Alex and Ethan started talking about a recent tennis match. The restaurant was too crowded for business conversation, especially anything confidential. And a lot of DDE’s work fell into that category, given that the Department of Defense was the company’s biggest client. She pursed her lips. Why was she here? She felt out of place and excluded, especially since she didn’t know anything about tennis.
When their waiter returned, everyone ordered. When had Alex and Ethan figured out what they wanted? They’d been chatting the whole time, their menus untouched.
Ethan turned to her. “We never talked about your roles and expectations,” he said. “We’re consolidating the work of three people into two, so it’s going to be more challenging, but also a great growth opportunity for you.”
She nodded. Two people doing three people’s job… Did it mean DDE didn’t plan to fill her old position, which was now vacant? Or maybe Alex would be leaving soon?
Ethan went on with her new duties. She tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but her mind wandered to Alex. If he was only going to be around for a short while, she was glad she hadn’t given in to him. He’d undoubtedly been looking for a short fling, and that wasn’t what she wanted right now.
Alex popped more bread into his mouth and gave her a light smile. She pointedly looked away and did her best to focus on Ethan.
The waiter returned to the table with a large tray balanced on his hand. His arrival pulled Natalie out of her gloomy thoughts. There was seafood pasta to be had, and it looked positively delectable, filled with the tiny peppers that she loved.
Ethan’s cell phone rang. “Sorry.” He glanced at the caller ID. “Juliane. Guten tag.” He made a face and excused himself from the table.
Natalie glanced at Alex. Ethan’s presence had made her feel safer, but now…
“Europeans.” Alex smiled. “You’d think they’d have more respect for our business hours.”
“Maybe it’s really his girlfriend. She must be very sad to see him go to America.”
“I’ve seen his girlfriend. She won’t be lonely for long.” Alex took a sip of his wine. “Ever been to Europe?”
“I went to school there for fourteen years.” Exiled would be a better word. Shrugging, she pasted on a bright smile. “My parents wanted the best education for me.”
“America has some fine private schools. Especially in this area.”
She fiddled with her napkin. “True. I actually was accepted at Exeter, but my parents wanted me to have a more cosmopolitan upbringing.”
“Hobnobbing with the likes of the Rockefellers and the du Ponts wouldn’t have been cosmopolitan enough?”
A slight hint of sarcasm in his tone made her pause, but she was probably projecting her feelings. She’d thought the same when Louise had made her speech about how Exeter wasn’t good enough. “Well, you know. The cachet of Europe.” Natalie took a sip of wine.
* * *
Alex didn’t buy Natalie’s act for a second. She was trying hard, but the embarrassment in her voice was obvious. And underneath he could detect hints of anger and hurt as well.
He already knew a lot about her family. Her sister, the real Hall daughter, hadn’t been sent off to Europe to study.
“That was very nice of them,” Alex said. Time to switch gears. Dredging up painful memories didn’t serve his purpose. “Are you planning to resign anytime soon to join your father’s campaign?”
Her eyes widened, and she let out a short laugh. “I don’t think that’s something I want to tell the CEO of my company.”
“Why not?”
“If I tell you I’m going to quit soon, I’m lacking in company loyalty. If I tell you I’m not, I’m lacking in family loyalty. Either way I seem to lose.” She put a bite of pasta in her mouth, chewed, swallowed, and dabbed at her lips with her napkin. “Actually, I don’t plan to quit. Bri…Dad already has Belle—that’s my sister—and a very competent staff. I’m sure I won’t be needed.”
Interesting. Most politicians’ families tended to work together on campaigns to project a happy, wholesome image to the public. With Virginia’s conservative constituency, he would’ve thought her smiling, loving presence would have been required. Whether it was an election or a corporate takeover, everything had to be ready and lined up correctly in order to win.
A glimpse of wistfulness passed through her eyes, but she quickly looked away. The tightly coiffed hair made her features stark under the amber glow of the restaurant lights. She was an intelligent woman, highly educated and experienced. Three years at Goldreich Stanley in Hong Kong, Wharton MBA, three years at DDE. Even her outfit said “I’m a pro.”
Still…there was a lingering vulnerability that made him want to protect her. The thought was disconcerting.
Ethan reappeared. “I have to go. An emergency conference call.” He turned to Natalie. “I’m sorry. Perhaps next time?”
She gave him a regretful smile. “Sure. Good night.”
After Ethan left, silence descended on the table. Natalie fidgeted with the bits of pasta left on her plate. Alex finally leaned back. “Dessert? This place is supposed to have the best tiramisu in town.”
“Why not? I never say no to dessert.”
He signaled the waiter, who cleared their table and went to get the tiramisu.
Alex held a bottle over her glass. “More wine?”
“No, thank you. I have to drive home.”
“Cab it and expense it, if you want.”
“I’d rather not.”
Shrugging, Alex poured rest of the Chianti for himself and placed the empty bottle at the end of the table. Their tiramisu appeared, and he took a bite of the moist, bittersweet treat.
“You’ve gotta wonder if they knew we’d order this all along,” Alex said.
“Mmmm. Probably.”
Alex watched her eat. Her full, red mouth looked startlingly erotic closing around the small silver fork. Her pink tongue darted out to lick it clean of cream and crumbs before she went for more. If it had been anyone else, he’d have found the move calculated, but with Natalie, everything was unconsciously done, which only added to her allure. He imagined all sorts of pleasurable things they could do in private.
“By the way, you owe me something,” he said.
“What?”
“Remember the bet we made on Monday?”
A frown appeared on her face, and he almost laughed. Obviously, she hadn’t been thinking about that at all.
“I thought it was only for a private dinner and only if
you asked me out.”
“Uh-uh. The only thing we agreed to was another dinner before the week was over.”
Her knuckles whitened around her fork. He wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d stabbed her dessert. “That’s ridiculous.”
“Hey, all you had to do was say no to Ethan’s invitation.”
* * *
Natalie continued to frown at him, but he seemed completely oblivious. Alex laughed. “Don’t look so torn. We’re not getting engaged here. It’s just a weekend.”
“A million bucks would’ve been nicer,” she said, her voice even. So. Alex wasn’t the type to play fair.
“A bit mercenary, don’t you think?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t like money. Obviously you do.”
“And you do too. Fair enough. So, why didn’t you go back to Goldreich? They pay better than DDE.”
“Because I wanted a career change.” And because an ex—the mistake before Marcus—was still working there. Just thinking about Jack gave her the shivers now. “There’s a point where money can’t compensate enough for personal sacrifices.” She put her fork down and pulled out her phone. “Let’s get this over with. When would you like to claim your prize?”
“That’s awfully…unromantic of you.”
“Oh, were you expecting romance? After all, we’re not getting engaged here. When and where?”
Alex waved at her gadget. “Put that thing away.” He signaled the waiter for the check, handed him several twenties, and rose.
The parking lot was dark, the late evening breeze unusually crisp but without teeth. Rows of cars gleamed under the pale street lights. Alex pushed his hands into his pants pockets.
“Where are you parked?”
“Over there.” She gestured at her Audi several yards away.
As he walked with her to her vehicle, anticipation hummed in her blood. Whatever he was planning wouldn’t end the way he wanted—she’d make sure of that.
When they reached the car, she turned to look at him. Something she couldn’t identify glimmered in his eyes. She licked her suddenly dry lips.