Emily leaned against the table for a moment, her heart pounding. That had been a close one. When she finally caught her breath, she hurried back toward the crowded hallways, eager to find an easy exit.
The last thing she wanted right now was to be escorted out by security like a criminal. That wouldn’t be good for business. She was just about to the exit when a large hand landed on her shoulder. Her breath caught in her lungs and she whipped around, ready to fight off the creep again.
“Emily, what are you doing here?” Michael Knight stood before her in a luxurious gray suit, his dark brown eyes scanning her over. She’d never seen a more beautiful sight. “And why were you running?”
“Thank goodness it’s you.” She flung her arms around his torso, trembling as the adrenaline in her system began to subside. “I thought you were that awful man.”
“What awful man?” Michael’s arms enclosed around her back and he looked down at her with concern. “Did someone do something to you? Tell me, Emily.”
She laughed against his vest, suddenly feeling very silly. She wasn’t the kind of woman to throw herself into the arms of a man. What Michael must think of her now. Disentangling her arms from around his muscular torso, she stood back and smoothed out her dress.
“Oh, it’s nothing. Just a bad encounter. I took your advice and came to the conference to hand out business cards. I think I made some good headway. Found a few people who might be interested in Sevenson Selective.”
He gave her a skeptical frown. “Just a bad encounter, huh? Why don’t I believe that?”
“Just another jerk.” She laughed nervously. “I told you I attract them, didn’t I? Seems you’re the only exception to the rule.”
Again, he frowned, but he didn’t say anything.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, desperate for a change in topic. “Checking out some new tech to invest in?”
“Actually, I was one of the speakers today,” he said, closing his suit jacket and buttoning it. “I just finished up and was getting ready to head out.”
Emily’s eyes widened in surprise. Although he asked plenty of questions about her business, they’d never gotten far into the finer aspects of his job. He had to be someone important to be a speaker at the San Jose Tech Convention. Only a few years ago, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates had been some of the headliners. She made a mental note to ask him more about what he did the next time they got a chance to chat.
“There she is.”
A familiar voice sounded behind her and made her whole body cringe. She turned to see the jerk approaching her, flanked by two burly men in tight black t-shirts and dress pants. Her heart dropped into her stomach and she took an involuntary step back, bumping into Michael’s chest.
Of course, this would happen now. She was about to be led away in handcuffs in front of the man she actually liked. Fate had vicious timing.
“This is the woman,” the jerk said, his lips twisting into a victorious smile. “Please escort her off the premises.”
“What seems to be the problem here?” Michael draped a protective arm across her back and stepped forward.
“This woman attacked me,” the man said forcefully, hatred shining in his eyes. “All I did was ask her to join me for dinner and she poured water on my head. I should have her arrested for assault.”
“Maybe she had a good reason for it,” Michael replied just as forcefully. Emily looked up to see him staring the man down, his whole body tense like a lion defending its territory. “Maybe you needed a little cooling off.”
The man grunted, his hands curling into fists at his sides. The two guards shuffled next to him, glancing at each other with uncertainty.
“Gentlemen, this woman is with me,” Michael said, turning to the guards. “She will not be going anywhere she doesn’t choose. Please escort this man to his next workshop and remind him that we don’t tolerate harassment at this convention. If I hear so much as a whisper of him behaving in such a manner again, I will personally throw him out on the pavement.”
Emily watched in awe as the man’s face turned bright purple. The guards nodded in confirmation and each placed a hand on his shoulder. With a last, scornful glance in her direction, he shrugged them off and turned to march down the hallway. The guards followed close behind.
“That was brilliant,” she said, turning to Michael. “How did you do that?”
“I guess I have a little bit of clout around here. Are you sure you’re okay?”
He looked down at her with such softness in his eyes that she thought she was going to melt into the floor right there.
“Yeah,” she replied breathlessly. “But I’m ready to get out of here.”
“Me, too.” He reached for her hand and interlaced his fingers with hers. Her skin burned from his tender touch. “Feel like getting a cup of coffee?”
“Absolutely. Lead the way.”
She thrilled at her good luck. Michael was such the opposite of everything she was used to in the men she dated. Maybe Lydia had been right.
There were a few good ones left out there.
Chapter Nine
Michael had just given himself a rare moment to sip his coffee and stare out the window of his corner office when the door burst open. He closed his eyes, knowing that there was only one person who showed up unannounced like that. Henry Knight was back in town, two weeks early. So much for the European vacation Michael’s mother had painstakingly scheduled for their thirty-fifth anniversary.
“Hi dad,” he said, turning in his chair to observe his father claim the high-backed leather seat across from his desk. “How was vacation?”
“Tedious,” Henry replied with a frown.
He had a slight tan, but other than that, there was no sign that he’d been away from the office for more than a few hours. Michael had inherited much of his looks from his father. They shared the same tall, athletic figure, dark brown eyes, and strong jawline. But Henry had the tough, weathered look that came with years of experience. His broad shoulders filled out his gray Giorgio Armani suit nicely and there was always a disapproving frown on his face.
“How’s Mom?” Michael asked.
“Still vacationing in the French Riviera,” Henry said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “I needed to get back to the office, so she elected to stay behind.”
Michael nodded. It was a wonder his mother put up with his father for that long, but she always claimed that things could be worse. At least his father was a steady, loyal, providing man. In her mind, it was all she could ask for.
“I’ve come to speak about Kevin Smith’s project,” Henry said, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands in his lap. A stern expression settled on his face. “I see no progress in the latest reports. It’s time to pull the plug.”
Michael’s usual stoic demeanor crumbled for the tiniest second. His jaw hung loose and he leaned forward in his chair, grasping the edge of the desk. “You can’t. We’ve come so far.”
“Not far enough,” Henry said, his eyes narrowing. “I’ve got a hundred other projects on the backlog that can take their place. I recently met with Abbott about some new med tech they’re developing. If we reroute our investments now, we can cut our losses.”
Michael gritted his teeth and willed himself to stay calm. It was the same old father he’d grown up with. Always about the results and never the process. He didn’t care that this was one of Michael’s best friends and that Smithy was brilliant. He saw numbers and reports, nothing more.
It was why he’d forced Michael to give up his beloved sport in elementary school and go into fencing. There was no glory to be had in his mediocre baseball skills. But fencing was a different story. Michael had almost gone to the Olympics, he was so good. But he never loved it like he loved the sport of baseball. It still made him bitter.
“Dad, I’m telling you, this is the real deal.” Michael sat straight in his chair and fixed his father with a steady stare. “I’ve been working very closely with S
mithy’s team and they’re near finalizing the project. In fact, I’m so sure about it, I went ahead and scheduled the public unveiling for next week. We’ll be ready.”
It was like staring down a venomous viper. Michael didn’t blink. Neither did his father. Finally, after a long moment of silence, Henry abruptly stood up and walked toward the door.
“You have until the public unveiling to prove me wrong,” he said with a grunt. “After that, I’m diverting funds.”
“Understood.” Michael stood and nodded. “We’ll be ready.”
As soon as his father was gone, he sank into his chair and cradled his head in his hands. He was a man used to public pressure. He’d weathered all the storms. But his father still had a way of making him feel like a five-year-old boy, shaking in his boots.
When he closed his eyes, the only thing he could think of was Emily. Beautiful, intelligent, sweet Emily. With the public unveiling just days away, there was no way his secret would keep for much longer. He longed for more time with her. Just a few more days to feel her trusting hand in his as they strolled down the darkened streets of San Jose with cups of coffee in their hands.
Last night during their coffee date, he’d allowed himself the freedom to imagine a future with her. One that didn’t involve him prying business secrets out of her, but just the innocent beginnings of a relationship that felt...right. Emily had invaded his very soul and he was having a hard time reminding himself that it wasn’t meant-to-be.
How had he let things go this far?
If he truly cared for her, he’d end it now. Before anyone got hurt.
❖
“This isn’t personal, it’s just business.”
Emily stared wide-eyed at Harold, her long-time landlord and family friend. He’d trudged into her office wearing paint-stained overalls, a shiny sheen of sweat on his bald head.
He looked bashfully up at her from the red handkerchief he was twisting in his hands and sighed. “All I’m saying is, I can’t give you any more leeway, Miss Emily. Business is tough all the way around. If you can’t pay, I need you out by the end of the week. I’ve got someone who wants the space and is willing to pay six months up front. I’m so sorry.”
He hung his head and shuffled his feet. Emily reached out and patted him on the shoulder, feeling the floor crumble out from under her. This was it. The end. No more last minute saves. Sevenson Selective was kaput. Six feet under.
“I understand, Harold.” She swallowed down the tears that threatened to burst forth. “Mom would’ve understood. You have to do what’s best for your family.”
“I’m sorry, Emily.” Harold turned toward the door, his voice thick with emotion. “So sorry.”
When he was finally gone, she collapsed into her favorite armchair and allowed the pain that had been building up to envelop her body. She clenched her abdomen, her stomach throbbing.
Her mother had rented this very office over thirty years ago. She remembered playing in the back office with her dolls when her mother entertained their exclusive guests. Some of the world’s richest men and women had walked through that door, certain they’d find love once Sevenson Selective took their case. And now, it was nothing but a memory. A crumbling, dusty memory.
The door to the office opened and Emily looked up, blinking back unshed tears. A figure stood in the sunlight, his broad shoulders filling the doorway. It took two seconds for Emily’s brain to comprehend the identity of her new guest. When she made the connection, her heart lurched forward, desiring nothing more than to jump into his arms.
“Emily.” Michael stepped forward uncertainly, his stoic expression melting into concern when he spotted her. “What’s wrong?”
She stared at him as her lower lip trembled. If she opened her mouth to speak, she was afraid the dam would break and everything would gush forward in the form of ugly sobs. She pressed her lips tightly together and pushed herself off the chair, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Are you okay?” He crossed the room slowly, eyeing her. “Is there anything I can do?”
She shook her head. He was so sweet. But not even Michael, with all his confidence and swagger, could solve her problems now. It was over.
“You’d tell me if there was something I could do?” He took her arms and pulled her closer to him.
She nodded, swallowing down the lump that had formed in her throat. She couldn’t keep up this silent act forever. “Sevenson Selective is done. In five days, we’re closing our doors forever.”
Sorrow and understanding filled his dark brown eyes. His jaw flexed as he tried to find the words to say. “Oh, Emily. I wish I could fix everything for you.”
He wrapped his arms around her and for one moment, she stiffened, unsure whether she deserved the comfort of such a man. But then the warmth of his chest seeped through her blouse and it was all over. She melted into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his neck.
The smell of his tangy aftershave filled her nose. She buried her head in the curve of his neck as he leaned down and pressed a scorching kiss to her jawline. Desperation filled her and all at once she needed him. Needed him to kiss her and never let her go. Needed him to wash away her sorrows. She clung to his shoulders and laid a trail of kisses along his jaw, her chest rising and falling in rapid breaths.
“Emily...” Michael growled.
Her heartbeat quickened and she worked her hands up the back of his head into his hair. It felt soft beneath her fingers, like feathers. Michael’s hands encircled her waist, pulling her closer to him.
“Emily,” he said again, his voice deep and husky. He growled when she kissed his earlobe, his hands gripping her waist even tighter. “Emily, I can’t.”
She stopped suddenly and pulled back, just enough to look up into his eyes. “You can’t?”
“I can’t do this to you,” he said, dropping his hands from her waist and straightening up. He raked a hand through his hair and groaned. “It isn’t right.”
She blinked through fresh tears, her heart blossoming. Michael truly was an honorable man. Here she was, throwing herself at him in her hour of desperation, and he was being the voice of reason. Not every man had that kind of will power.
She dropped her hands from around his neck and smiled sheepishly. “I guess I got a little out of control. I’m sorry for that.”
“Jeez, Emily, you have nothing to be sorry for.” Michael grimaced and placed his hands behind his neck in a frustrated posture. He pinned her with an intense gaze that sent shivers down her spine. “Believe me, there’s nothing I’d rather be doing right now than pushing you up against that wall and kissing you thoroughly.”
Her cheeks burned and she had to reach out to the counter to keep from swaying in place. “Then, why don’t you?”
“I can’t.” Pain flashed in his eyes. “You don’t understand, Emily. I came here to...”
His gaze trailed toward the floor and he opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again with a frustrated sigh.
“You came here to...?” Emily took a step closer to him, not understanding what the problem was. She liked him and it seemed like he felt the same. It was simple.
“I came here...” He swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing. Finally, his gaze met hers and his shoulders dropped. “To see how you were doing. But I really should be going now.”
Emily’s brow wrinkled in confusion as Michael practically ran toward the exit. He paused for one moment in the doorway to throw her an intense gaze over his shoulder, one filled with longing and regret, and then he was gone. Inside her head, she heard a whisper of doubt. A tiny, niggling feeling that doused her with cold water.
She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d chased the man of her dreams away.
Chapter Ten
Emily bounced restlessly on her feet and peered over the crowd. Most of them were dressed in suits and holding cameras or microphones. A few held notepads. Lights flashed as a few photographers clicked away at the massive lobby of Linex Investments.
“Tell me why we’re here again?” Lydia demanded, staring grumpily down at her fingernails.
They’d just started packing the office that morning and she’d been in a sour mood ever since she’d unplugged her desktop for the last time.
Emily made a face. “I want to hear about this new matchmaking app that’s putting us out of business,” she said through her teeth.
Today was the big reveal of Linex’s matchmaking app. Emily raised to the balls of her feet, attempting to get a view of the small makeshift stage and podium that had been placed against one of the cool, gray walls of the lobby.
Already, she hated the place. There were no warm colors or inviting aspects of Linex Investments. Instead, it had been built with cold steel and gray tones shooting up overhead, as if they were inside a giant freezer. Even the temperature was frigid. She shivered in her grungy t-shirt and rubbed her arms for heat.
“How is that going to help?” Lydia asked with a grimace.
“I want to look it in the eyes, so to speak,” she replied. She sucked in her cheeks and wrinkled her nose. “Stare the monster in the face. Maybe then, I’ll feel better. Or, at the very least, I’ll have a better idea of what’s to blame for my company’s demise.”
Lydia gave a hollow laugh and returned to examining her fingernails. Emily’s insides twisted with anticipation as the crowd grew around them. Finally, a hush went over the reporters and she strained to listen.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming out this afternoon.”
Her breath caught in her lungs. She knew that deep, masculine voice. She’d know it anywhere by now, although it had been days since she’d last heard it. She closed her eyes, praying she wasn’t right.
“Emily.” Lydia gripped her shoulder tightly. “Is that...?”
Her friend’s confirmation was all it took to force her eyes back open. She bobbed between the two reporters standing in front of her and finally got a good look at the stage. There stood Michael, looking as gorgeous as ever in a tailored navy blue suit with a baby blue tie. He had an impassive expression on his face as he stared down the reporters and spoke into the microphone.
The Billionaire and the Matchmaker Page 6