An Heir for the Millionaire

by Julia James

  The squareness of his jaw looked freshly shaved, his aftershave was alluringly musky, and those sculptured lips curved slightly into a smile as he looked down at her with those dark blue eyes. Eyes that seemed fathomless as Casey suddenly felt herself unable to look away…

  ‘Mr Henderson, sir,’ the butler announced haughtily, before what Casey could only describe as a whirlwind swept into the room.

  ‘Xander!’ a harsh American voice rasped. ‘Who the hell is this?’ Brad Henderson demanded as he saw Casey standing at Xander’s side. ‘You didn’t tell me we would have company this evening!’ he barked at the younger man accusingly.

  ‘That will be all, Hilton.’ Xander calmly dismissed the manservant even as he snaked his hand out to firmly clasp Casey’s arm before she would have stepped away from him.

  Casey was too stunned at the older man’s verbal attack to do anything other than remain in Xander’s grasp as she continued to stare across the room at the aggressive American. Whatever she had been expecting—an elderly man bowed down by grief at his daughter’s death, perhaps?—it certainly wasn’t this tall, loose-limbed, energetically vital man in black evening clothes, his still attractive features defying his sixty-something years.

  It was obvious, looking at Brad Henderson, where Chloe had got her looks from. His dark hair was showing signs of grey at the temples, but his blue eyes had the same narrowed shrewdness his daughter’s had had.

  Even on such brief acquaintance Casey knew Xander was right to fear this man’s determination to claim his granddaughter!

  It was what she had wanted to know, after all—just not quite so forcefully. Or quite so soon…

  Well, she couldn’t say Xander hadn’t tried to warn her!

  ‘Good evening, Mr Henderson,’ she greeted him smoothly, stepping forward to hold her hand out politely.

  A hand the older man completely ignored as the hardness of his gaze remained fixed on Xander. ‘Who is she, Xander?’ he demanded scathingly. ‘Some woman you’ve brought in for the evening in the hope of distracting my attention from the real reason I’m here? The only reason I’m here,’ he added harshly.

  Casey’s breath caught in her throat at the double insult this man had just thrown out so casually. To imply that Xander would stoop to such behaviour was bad enough, but the slight he’d directed at her was incredibly insulting, considering they hadn’t even been introduced to each other.

  ‘I can assure you, Mr Henderson, that—’

  ‘I wasn’t talking to you, honey. Well, Xander? Are you going to say anything, or just stand there like a dummy all evening?’ he challenged.

  Xander could clearly feel Casey’s tension as he maintained his grasp on her arm. A perfectly understandable tension, considering Brad was excelling himself with his rudeness this evening.

  His father-in-law might believe him capable of many things—most of them Brad had already chosen to volubly share with Xander during their telephone conversation on Sunday evening—but being a procurer of women hadn’t so far numbered amongst them!

  ‘Casey…?’ Xander prompted, and he looked down at her, raising an eyebrow in enquiry, knowing that the next move was up to her—that he couldn’t go any further with this conversation without knowing what her intentions were.

  She gave him a startled look, her eyes widening as she understood exactly what he was asking of her.

  But she had no choice, Xander acknowledged grimly. Whatever method of introduction he were to use, the mood Brad was in he was sure to misunderstand it. Casey had to be the one who decided what happened next.

  She gave him a frown, before glancing across at Brad. Her back straightened as that glance seemed to bring her to some sort of decision.

  Xander found himself holding his breath as he waited to see what that decision was going to be.

  Her chin rose challengingly. ‘I’m afraid you’ve completely misunderstood the situation, Mr Henderson,’ she told him with quiet dignity. ‘Xander did invite you here this evening so that the two of us could meet, yes. But he intended to introduce me to you as his fiancée, and Lauren’s future stepmother, rather than anything else you might have assumed!’ There was a slight edge to her voice as she finished this pronouncement.

  Xander wasn’t sure if he wanted to kiss her more at that moment than he had when she had arrived earlier, looking so stunningly, desirably beautiful!

  Her announcement had certainly had the desired effect on Brad. He looked momentarily nonplussed, but he recovered quickly, his blue eyes narrowing speculatively as he shot Xander a derisive glance. ‘What is this, Xander? A set-up? You’re going to keep a so-called fiancée hanging around for a couple of months in the hope of distracting me from a custody suit?’

  Xander’s hand tightened on Casey’s arm as he sensed her bristling indignation. ‘Let me introduce the two of you properly,’ he drawled. ‘Casey—Brad Henderson. Brad, this is Casey Bridges.’

  ‘I don’t give a damn—Bridges, did you say?’ The older man’s attention sharpened noticeably. ‘Are you telling me that she’s Sam Bridges’ widow?’

  ‘One and the same, Brad,’ Xander confirmed softly, now able to feel Casey’s slight trembling as the older man turned to give her a closer examination.

  ‘You’re marrying Sam Bridges’ widow?’ Brad practically shouted incredulously.

  ‘Am I marrying the woman whose husband your daughter seduced from his marriage? The woman who was left alone and penniless after that bastard walked out on her and her son because he found himself a woman who had more money than sense? Yes, I’m marrying Casey, Brad.’ He nodded abruptly, his gaze challenging the other man now, knowing that Brad had disliked Sam Bridges almost as much as Xander had.

  Brad’s face was florid with anger as he glared at the two of them.

  ‘Damn it to hell, Xander! Sam Bridges’ widow?’ he repeated, shaking his head in utter disbelief.

  ‘That’s correct.’ Casey was the one to answer huskily. ‘I’m sure Xander—and Lauren, of course—would be pleased if you’d care to attend the wedding next month?’

  Brad’s response to that was completely predictable. ‘You haven’t heard the last of this, Xander,’ he warned fiercely.

  But the threat was bluster, pure bluster, and they all knew it…

  CHAPTER SIX

  ‘WHEW,’ Casey breathed weakly as she collapsed down into one of the sumptuous armchairs. Brad Henderson had stormed out of the room—and the house—only seconds ago. ‘What a truly obnoxious man!’

  ‘Here.’ Xander sounded amused as he handed her one of the two glasses of brandy he had just poured. ‘He really isn’t such a bad guy normally,’ he excused with a grimace.

  Casey looked up at him, brows raised. ‘I’ll take your word for it!’ she said, before taking a reviving sip of the brandy.

  It was obviously an expensive brand—unlike the cooking sherry two evenings ago!—and it slid smoothly down her throat to warm her inside and take away some of the shock of the last ten minutes.

  ‘And can I take your announcement to Brad as yours?’ Xander asked as he stood beside her chair looking down at her.

  Her announcement that she was his fiancée.

  That the wedding was going to be next month.

  She avoided Xander’s searching gaze. ‘I’m sure that normally Brad Henderson is a reasonable man.’ She wasn’t sure of any such thing, considering his behaviour just now, and the selfish way his daughter had turned out, but she was willing to take Xander’s word for it if he claimed otherwise. ‘But he certainly isn’t fit at this moment in time to have the care and control of an already emotionally traumatised six-year-old girl!’

  ‘You didn’t answer my question, Casey…’ Xander prompted dryly.

  No, she hadn’t, had she? Because she felt a little shy with him now that the two of them were once again alone—was very aware that before Brad Henderson had interrupted them she had been on the point of raising her face for Xander’s kiss.

  The man she
had just announced she was engaged to marry!

  Xander gave a low chuckle. ‘I thought he was going to blow a complete gasket when you invited him to attend the wedding next month!’

  Casey winced at this reminder that she had done exactly that. And, considering that tomorrow was the start of the next month, the wedding was destined to take place some time in the next four weeks!

  ‘I did, didn’t I?’ She chewed on her bottom lip as she looked up at Xander. ‘Pure bravado on my part, I’m afraid. I don’t think I would be too thrilled if he changed his mind and decided to attend after all!’

  Xander smiled as he looked down at her, finding this woman more and more intriguing by the minute.

  The two earlier occasions they had met, she had been ruffled at having to collect Josh from the house his father had shared with Chloe, let alone seeing Xander there, too.

  Two evenings ago she had been tired and looking less than her best after a hard day working at two jobs.

  But tonight—tonight she looked a beautiful and sophisticated woman. Someone he had been proud to present to Brad as his future wife.

  If, indeed, that was what she was going to be…

  His mouth tightened. ‘Casey?’ he pressed again.

  She couldn’t prevaricate any more, Casey knew. It was cruel. She had to give him answer. After all, she’d had no qualms about telling Brad Henderson what her decision was to be!

  She sat up straighter in the chair. ‘After careful consideration, I—I’ve decided to accept your proposal—your business proposition,’ she amended firmly, determined that Xander should realise that as far as she was concerned this was only to be a business arrangement.

  Not that Casey imagined he thought of it as anything else—if Chloe Fraser’s exotic beauty was anything to go by, she was hardly his type, now, was she?

  Which brought her to one of the things that definitely had to be sorted out before any marriage between them took place…

  ‘That’s good, Casey.’ Xander murmured his satisfaction before she could voice her other concern.

  Was it good? she wondered, still filled with doubts about her decision, but knowing—as, no doubt, did Xander!—that it was the only one she could have made.

  She couldn’t quite meet his triumphant gaze. ‘Obviously we still have to work out the—details of the arrangement—’

  ‘Dinner is served, Mr Fraser.’ The tall, imposing butler stood in the doorway, looking completely unconcerned by the fact that there were now only two people left to eat the meal that had been intended for three. Although Casey didn’t doubt that Hilton, and the rest of the household servants, were all well aware of the way Brad Henderson had stormed out of the house minutes ago. If not the reason for it!

  ‘Shall we…?’ Xander held out his arm to take her through to the dining room.

  She didn’t really need to stay to dinner now that Brad Henderson had left so suddenly, Casey realised. Although it would probably look even more odd to the staff if she were to leave without eating too!

  ‘Of course,’ she answered, and she stood up to place her empty brandy glass down on a side table, her hand trembling slightly as she moved to place her hand in the crook of the arm he held out to her.

  ‘Bring some champagne through, would you, Hilton?’ Xander instructed the butler.

  Champagne?

  To toast their engagement, Casey realised.

  Or, rather, she corrected herself firmly, to seal their bargain.

  The decision made, the commitment voiced, Casey could feel her panic starting to rise again at exactly what she had done.

  She didn’t doubt that Josh would blossom in the ease and comfort to be found in the Fraser household, nor that her young son would be thrilled at finding Lauren was to be his stepsister, and he would benefit from a change of school, too.

  Her anxiety was more because she still wasn’t sure quite what her role was going to be!

  Xander’s wife, obviously.

  No doubt his hostess, too, if he entertained.

  But what else?

  ‘Stop worrying so much,’ Xander murmured close to her ear as he pulled out a dining room chair for her to sit down. ‘It will all work out—you’ll see,’ he promised.

  Would it? Casey wondered, slightly disconcerted by the warmth of his breath against her neck. Would it really?

  The fact that the high-ceilinged, ornately decorated dining room was formally set for two—the third placing having been hastily removed, no doubt—didn’t exactly instil her with confidence, either. She couldn’t help but notice that the snowy white napkins, cut-glass wine goblets and the silver candelabra with candles already alight were a complete contrast to her own cramped kitchen, where most of their last conversation had taken place.

  Once again Xander watched the play of emotions that flittered across Casey’s telling face. He looked up to give Hilton a frowning glance as the other man returned carrying a silver tray with the requested bottle of champagne and two glass flutes.

  ‘Just leave it on the side there, Hilton,’ he said impatiently. ‘I’ll deal with it myself,’ he added less harshly, shooting the butler an apologetic glance as he did so; after all, it wasn’t the other man’s fault that Xander’s bride-to-be was becoming jittery now that she had actually committed herself to the marriage.

  ‘Very well, sir,’ the elderly man acknowledged with an inclination of his silvery head, before quietly leaving.

  Xander crossed the room to pick up the chilled bottle wrapped in a white linen napkin and loosen the cork; perhaps if Casey got some champagne inside her she might start to relax again.

  The sparkling wine poured, he moved across the room to hand her one of the two-thirds-full glasses before raising his own glass. ‘To us,’ he toasted huskily.

  Casey swallowed hard, her fingers tight around the delicate champagne flute. ‘To us,’ she echoed awkwardly, before taking a grateful gulp of the bubbly wine.

  Except it didn’t quite work out that way. The chilled wine hit the back of her throat, which was tight with nervousness, and then refused to go down!

  She began to cough and choke as the bubbly liquid went up her nose, causing her eyes to water, too, holding the glass away from her so that she shouldn’t spill the rest of the champagne down herself or over the ornate Aubusson carpet.

  She couldn’t even see properly when Xander took the glass from her unresisting fingers, patting her lightly on the back as he stood in front of her to use one of the snowy white napkins to wipe away the tears that were now streaming down her face.

  This was just too embarrassing, too awful, on top of everything else! What on earth was Xander going to think of her? That she was too gauche even to drink champagne properly without—

  Casey became suddenly still as, the choking stopped, her cheeks wiped, she found herself standing only inches away from Xander, looking up into the handsome ruggedness of his face.

  Her breath felt strangled in the tightness of her throat and she was completely captured by the sensual heat of Xander’s gaze, her heart starting to beat so loudly that she was sure he must be able to hear it, too. She felt so sensitised, so aware, that it seemed as if she could feel the blood rushing through her veins.

  She must look a fright, an absolute mess—her eyes teary, her nose red, her cheeks flushed—

  None of which seemed to bother Xander in the slightest as he slowly lowered his head and his mouth claimed hers.

  Casey melted against him as his arms moved about her waist to pull her into the hardness of his body, and the soft flick of his tongue against her lips encouraged them to part so he could deepen the kiss.

  Her own arms moved up, her hands gripping his shoulders to feel the ripple of muscles there, the promise of power as he tensed beneath her touch—a leashed power that she sensed could be so easily released, overwhelming her…

  One of his hands caressed the length of her spine as his mouth continued to plunder hers, fingers light against her before his hand cup
ped the curve of her bottom and drew her even closer against him.

  She could feel his body, that leanly muscled force, hard with desire, pulsing against her thighs, filling her with the warmth of her own rising need—a need that was rapidly spiralling out of control—

  ‘Mr James is on the telephone from New York, Mr Fraser,’ a voice interrupted them regretfully.

  Casey drew back guiltily and turned to look at the butler, standing so stiffly in the open doorway. She couldn’t miss seeing the amusement in Xander’s gaze before she pulled abruptly away from him to move over to the window and stare out sightlessly into the darkening evening.

  What was she doing?

  Minutes ago she had realised that any relationship between herself and Xander had to be clearly defined—that they would both need to know exactly what each would expect from the other during their marriage—and that it wouldn’t include any sort of physical relationship between the two of them.

  What had happened between them just now only increased the urgency for that conversation!

  ‘I’ll take the call in my study, thanks, Hilton,’ Xander said. ‘That will be all,’ he added, dismissing his servant and waiting for the other man to leave before turning back to Casey. ‘We—’

  ‘Please go and take your call, Xander,’ she told him shakily, without turning.

  Xander stared in frustration at the rigidity of the slender back Casey kept so firmly turned towards him.

  Maybe kissing her hadn’t been the most sensible thing in the world. But, no matter what she might be thinking now, it hadn’t been the worst thing that could have happened, either. The two of them were getting married, for goodness’ sake, and if their response to each other just now was anything to go by then it didn’t have to be a celibate marriage. For either of them.

  ‘Casey—’

  ‘Would you please go and take your call, Xander?’ Her voice was brittle with the tension obvious in her expression as she turned to face him. ‘And then I think it would be a good idea for us to discuss the—details of our marriage, when you come back,’ she told him coolly.