by Cat Schield
Emma turned from her father and confronted Nathan. Everything inside her cried out to stop fighting him and let him take care of her. He held her heart in his hands. And now, with his child inside her body, she’d gone way past the point of trying to forget him and move on.
“We’ll talk about that later.”
“Putting me off isn’t going to change my mind. I’m not letting you go. We belong together.” He caught her by the arms. “Marry me,” he whispered urgently. “Not because of the baby or a business deal, but because I can’t live without you.”
Joy seared her, sharp and unexpected, stealing her breath. She blinked away tears. Those words might be as close to a declaration of love as she would ever get from Nathan.
And it was enough. Nathan couldn’t live without her. And she couldn’t live without him. She’d been a stubborn fool to believe otherwise.
She cradled Nathan’s cheek in her palm. “That’s definitely something I want to discuss with you later. But first I need to settle things with my father.”
Turmoil swirled in his gray eyes at her request. He wasn’t the sort of man who backed down when he set his mind to something. But she was equally determined.
“But let me help you with this,” he murmured.
It was a precarious tightrope that stretched between accepting help and standing on her own two feet. Could she trust herself and Nathan enough to achieve the right balance?
With her heart pounding dangerously fast, she wavered. She’d been fighting to stand on her own for so long that it was hard to stop. But for all her assertion that she could take care of herself, she liked having him to rely on.
Emma put her hand against Nathan’s cheek as her sleepless night took its toll. Let him take care of you, her mind whispered. And at last she was ready.
“You can help,” she said. “But just this once.”
Teeth flashing in a mischievous grin, Nathan turned to her father. “She had the money on the fourteenth. I can attest to that. She refused to marry me because of it. And if you don’t give her what she deserves for all her hard work, she will continue to refuse me out of a sheer stubborn need to prove that she doesn’t need anyone to take care of her. Which, by the way, she’s been doing really well for a long time, only none of us have given her credit for it.”
Strengthened by Nathan’s support, she confronted her father. “I want my money signed over to me as soon as possible. I have a nursery to decorate.”
“And a wedding to plan,” Nathan prompted, demonstrating that he wasn’t kidding about persisting until she agreed to marry him.
“And if I don’t?” Her father hadn’t made his billions by being a poor negotiator.
“Then it will always be between us. I need you to look at me and see that I am a grown woman, capable of supporting herself. I deserve your respect because I earned it through hard work and determination.”
Her father scowled, but Emma stood her ground until grudging approval transformed her father’s expression.
“I only want the best for you,” he said at last, his tone gruff, but gentle.
“I know you do.” Emma gave him a weak smile. “And what’s best for me is to know that you believe in me and in my ability to take care of myself.”
“Very well. I’ll give you your trust fund back. You did earn it, after all.”
Emma mastered her shock before it showed on her face. Her knees weakened with relief. She pulled her spine straight. “And no more interfering,” she continued, capitalizing on her victory. “Meddling in my love life is wrong in so many ways.” She pinned her father with a fierce scowl and waited until he nodded. Then, she turned to Nathan. “Daddy is going to visit his new grandson. I don’t think he’ll mind if we use his study while he’s gone. You and I have a couple things to sort out.”
Her father looked nonplussed at being ejected from his domain, but went without protest. As he passed Nathan, he paused and stuck out his hand. “Welcome to the family. I always liked you.”
“Daddy!”
Once her father had exited the room and closed the door, Emma leaned against his desk and regarded Nathan.
“I’m sorry about the way I handled things earlier,” he said. “I never should have let you walk away from me like that.”
“I overreacted, too.”
“You had cause. I’ve been acting like a stubborn fool.”
“At last we agree on something.” She took the sting out of her words with a smile and pushed off the desk. “Thank you for helping me out with my father.”
He stood in place, his features like granite, but his eyes alive and wary as she advanced toward him one slow step at a time. “I’ll always be there for you.”
“I know that,” she said, putting her hand on his chest and backing him toward the study door.
It no longer scared her that he might never love her the way she loved him. Nathan was the perfect man for her. He would honor their marriage vows and be a great father to their children. And when it came right down to it, she had enough love in her heart for both of them.
When his back met the door, Nathan stared into her eyes but made no attempt to touch her. “You should also know that the only merger that’s going to happen between our families is you and me.”
His announcement startled her. “After everything we’ve been through, you’re not doing the deal with my father?”
“I don’t want it to come between us,” he said. “Plus, my brothers aren’t ready for the sort of risk it involves and I’ve decided to stop fighting them on it.”
“I don’t understand.” Her hand dropped away. “I thought you wanted to take over the company.”
“I thought that’s what I wanted, too. When my dad asked me to come back and help out Max and Sebastian, all I wanted to do was get back at them for the way they’ve always excluded me. But lately, I’ve realized that what I really want is to be accepted as part of the family.”
Seeing the way his mouth curved downward, she leaned her body into his and framed his face with her hands. “How about becoming part of my family?”
At first, Nathan’s expression reflected disbelief and hope. Then, his teeth flashed in a broad grin and his hands settled on her hips. “I think I’ve wanted that since the day you strutted past me in high heels and those ridiculous short shorts.”
“I was sixteen.” She regarded him in disbelief. “You turned me down flat, and I didn’t see you again for ten years.”
“I was way too old for you. I had to get out and stay gone. You scared the hell out of me.” Lightning danced in his eyes. “You still do.”
She was only half-ready for the arms that locked around her and pulled her up onto her toes. Her breath caught as his mouth claimed hers. Her body came immediately to life. She threaded her fingers through his hair and met the thrust of his tongue with matching passion while urgent encouragement issued from her throat.
She wanted him more than ever and wasn’t afraid to let him know.
Nathan broke off the kiss and swept his lips toward her ear. “Sweet, sweet woman. I adore you.”
His confession sparked a tremor inside her. She pushed him to arm’s length. “Say that again,” she demanded, thinking she’d misheard him.
“I love you,” he said, his smile softer than she’d ever seen it. “I’m sorry I didn’t realize it sooner than I did.”
She’d grown accustomed to his imposing will and powerful personality. But it was the tender expression on his face at that moment that made hope surge in her.
He loved her.
“But you said you didn’t believe in love.” The devilish quirk that weakened her knees returned.
“I believe in it. I just didn’t want it in my life. With the exception of your brother and Jaime, everyone I’ve ever known has cheated on their spouse or been cheated on. After I moved in with my father’s family, I watched my stepmother’s love for him destroy her a little more each year. I was afraid to let that happen to me.”
> Emma recalled her own worries about how loving Nathan and keeping it to herself would eat at her. “What changed your mind?”
“You did. I couldn’t understand how you could put such faith in love when you’d seen how miserable it made your parents. Then, yesterday, after finding out that you were pregnant, after you walked away, and today, seeing Cody and Jaime with Evan, I realized that having you in my life, in my bed, wasn’t going to be enough unless I was in your heart and you were in mine. I love you.”
“You do love me.” Her voice trembled with awe.
“More than I ever thought it was possible.”
He swept his lips across her eyes and down her nose. His hands slid over her curves, gentle, measuring caresses that awakened her to the quiet house and the lock on the study door. Desire rushed through her, sweeter than ever now that she knew Nathan loved her.
She eased her hands down the front of his shirt, loosening buttons as she went. Two weeks without him had been too long. She couldn’t wait to get him naked and reacquaint herself with all those lovely rippling muscles.
“You know,” she said, “I think my father is right after all. I do need someone to take care of me.”
Nathan waited until she’d tugged the shirt down his arms and tossed it aside before he asked, “Got anyone in mind?”
“There was this really hot guy I met when I was a teenager.” Enjoying the way her touch disturbed the cadence of his breath, she trailed her fingers down his chest and abdomen until she ran out of naked skin. “I wonder what ever happened to him.”
When Emma started to unfasten his belt, Nathan caught her fingers and lifted them to his lips. “I think he finally figured out what’s been missing in his life.”
Soaking up the love and sincerity she saw in his eyes, Emma knew she’d found her happily-ever-after at last.
“And what’s that?” she whispered.
Nathan’s lips dipped toward hers. “You.”
ISBN: 978-1-4592-0565-9
MEDDLING WITH A MILLIONAIRE
Copyright © 2011 by Catherine Schield
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