Sultry

Despite his obvious revulsion, she leaned over and pecked him on the cheek.

He jerked back. “You know better than that.”

She grinned. “Ta-ta, darling.”

From that moment on, the rest of the day was downhill. Shortly after Sara’s stunt, he was called into the president’s office, where he was chewed out because of a bad loan he’d made.

Later, his mother, Harriet, called and wanted him to run some unnecessary errands for her. If only he still had money, he wouldn’t have to be indebted to anyone.

Part of the problem was that at one time he had had money. His entire family had had money—until his father squandered it. Once the attorney had delivered the bad news to him and his mother, he had never been the same. His life had never been the same. Even though his old man was long dead, he still damned him to hell.

Only after he met Lindsay and, subsequently, her father did he start to climb out of the toilet. Even so, it took a while before he realized the doctor had something else on his mind—finding a suitable husband for his daughter.

When Cooper had first mentioned that to him, Peter had almost laughed in his face. “I mean no disrespect, sir, but people don’t arrange marriages anymore, not even in the South.”

“That’s not at all what I had in mind, young man.” Cooper’s tone was cold and condescending. “If you’re interested in my daughter, then it’s up to you to make her fall in love with you.”

Love? Hell, he hadn’t cared about that. But if that was what it would take to feather his own nest, then so be it.

“Why is that so important to you, sir?”

“I think it’s time she settled down and had a family of her own.”

“Don’t you think she’s capable of handling that on her own?”

“No, I don’t,” Cooper replied, his tone remaining cold.

“So what’s in it for me?” Peter asked bluntly, thinking, what did he have to lose? Besides, from where he stood, he seemed to be in the driver’s seat. This man wanted something from him. And nothing came free—at least, not as far as he was concerned. He might as well get that straight right up front.

“Let’s just say I’ll make it more than worth your while.”

“Can you be more specific?”

Cooper’s face turned unnaturally red. “Even though you’re from good stock, you lack manners, boy.”

Peter didn’t so much as flinch. “What I lack, sir, is cash.”

“Once you’re married to my daughter, your money woes will be past history. Is that plain enough?”

“Absolutely.”

Immediately after that chat with Cooper, he had upped his pursuit of Lindsay. To date, however, he’d made little headway. The road had been much rockier than he’d anticipated.

Lindsay had a hard shell around her that he hadn’t been able to crack. And he was getting disgusted. But Cooper wanted them married. His mother wanted them married.

Somehow he had to convince Lindsay that she wanted to be married. To him.

That thought was still uppermost in his mind when he left the bank and stopped by the Newman mansion. He was getting out of his vehicle, parked behind Lindsay’s in the circular drive, when she bounded out the front door.

He watched as a look of displeasure changed her features. Though anger surged through him, Peter managed to hang on to his control. “Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?”

“To the shelter.”

“Is there a problem?”

“Not an urgent one, no.”

It was her aloof and somewhat patronizing attitude that irked him, made him want to shake her. “Then don’t go. I’d like to take you to dinner.”

“Sorry, I can’t.”

“Can’t—or won’t?”

Her lips twisted. “Look, Peter, don’t start, okay?”

“Fine. Another time.”

Lindsay gave him a weak smile before getting into her car and driving off. He turned and rang the doorbell. Moments later, Dolly showed him into the parlor, where Cooper was indulging in a before-dinner drink.

“Ah, Peter, it’s good to see you. Come on in and have a seat.”

“Thanks,” Peter said, forcing his voice back into its normal range. He was still smarting from the cold shoulder that Lindsay had given him.

“Care for a drink?” Cooper asked. “You look like you could use it.”

“In the worst way.”

“Feel free to help yourself.”

Peter nodded, then made his way to the small bar, where he poured himself a stiff drink. He took a healthy swig of it before he sat across from Cooper, who was watching him with raised eyebrows and a displeased expression on his face.

“What’s wrong?”

“This hasn’t been one of my best days.”

“We all have them,” Cooper responded in an impatient and dismissive tone.

Peter knew where Lindsay got her holier-than-thou attitude, but that didn’t make dealing with it any easier. And if the truth were known, he knew he was guilty of the same behavior, though the loss of money and status had tempered him.

“What’s the deal with Lindsay?” he asked.

Cooper’s body stiffened, but he didn’t sidestep the question. “I wish the hell I knew.”

“She acts as if I’m contagious, or something worse.”

“Then it’s up to you to change that.”

Peter almost strangled on his sip of vodka. “What do you think I’ve been doing? Hell, Cooper, I don’t even think she likes me.”