Ruthless Seduction: Pleasured in the Billionaire's Bed / The Ruthless Marriage Proposal

No doubt, that surprised her.

‘They already have been. The first one premières in Los Angeles in April next year. I’ve been invited to attend as a special guest.’

‘Wow! That’s fabulous, Jack. Who’s playing the part of Hal?’

‘An unknown actor. The studio didn’t want a big name. They wanted the person who played the part to really become Hal in people’s minds. His name is Chad Furness. I hear he’s very good. And very handsome.’

‘Well, Hal’s very handsome, isn’t he? Oh, you must be so proud.’

Proud.

Jack thought about that word for a long moment.

Proud.

No. That wasn’t what he felt.

Satisfied, perhaps. But not proud.

‘It’s certainly made me a very rich man,’ came his considered reply. ‘I bought this car and my penthouse at Terrigal with some of the money Hollywood paid me. Plus I hired myself a cleaner from the top cleaning establishment on the coast,’ he added with a wry grin.

She laughed, the sound reassuring Jack. He would hate to think she felt tense in his company. And she had been, earlier on.

Suddenly, the thought of never seeing her again after this evening was unbearable.

‘I suppose I can’t talk you into cleaning my study this Monday, could I?’ he said, doing his best to sound very casual. ‘Gail’s ankle wouldn’t have recovered yet and my study’s crying out for a thorough cleaning.’

When she didn’t answer, he glanced over at her.

‘At the risk of being accused of trying to buy you, I’ll pay you double,’ he said. And a million dollars if you’ll sleep with me, came the added Hal-like thought.

Her head turned, her eyes betraying the most intriguing dilemma. She wanted to do as he asked. He could see it. But she was hesitant. Which meant what? She did like him, but was afraid of him for some reason? Clearly, she was still worried that he was going to pounce, sexually.

‘I…I can’t, Jack. I have other work to do on Monday.’

‘Tuesday, then.’ He had no intention of letting her off the hook that easily.

‘I’ll send someone else.’

‘No,’ he snapped. ‘I don’t want anyone else. I want you.’

Jack could have bitten his tongue out. He’d done it now. Showed his hand. He could feel her eyes on him. Feel her tension welling up again.

‘You’re the best cleaner I’ve ever had,’ he went on, hoping it wasn’t too late to salvage the situation. ‘You leave Gail for dead. It’s difficult to go back to second rate when you’ve experienced perfection.’

‘You’re being persuasive again,’ she said.

‘Is it my fault if you’re perfect?’

‘Don’t flatter me, Jack.’

‘The truth is not flattery.’

‘You have a way with words.’

‘You have a way with floors.’

Her laugh delighted him. And made him want to roar in relief.

‘All right,’ she said. ‘I’ll clean your study. Once. On Tuesday. But after that, you’re back to Gail.’

‘Oh, cruel woman.’

‘Stop it, Jack,’ she said, but smilingly.

After that she seemed much more relaxed, and they chatted away about all sorts of things. Music. Movies. Their families. Or lack of them. Lisa’s parents were divorced, and, like himself, she had no siblings. All their grandparents had passed away, too.

In a way, they were both loners. Both self-sufficient.

Occasionally, she brought the topic of conversation back to his writing. But Jack managed to steer her away from further discussion of his books, or his so-called hero.

Jack didn’t want to think about Hal too much tonight. Hal could sometimes be bad for him. He appealed to his dark side. It was difficult enough ignoring the sexual thoughts and feelings Lisa could so easily evoke without Hal getting into his head, tempting him with truly wicked ideas.

Would two million tempt her to sleep with him? Five? Ten?

Jack clenched his jaw-line, then concentrated on keeping their casual conversation going, forcing himself not to fall broodingly silent as he could do on occasion when his thoughts turned dark. Which they were on the verge of doing every time he glanced over at Lisa.

Damn, but he wanted her!

His body was rock-hard with desire, his resolve to have her threatening to turn more ruthless with each passing minute.

‘Not far to go now,’ he said with some relief as they approached the harbour bridge. Best get out of this confining car and into somewhere public.

The traffic was a bit heavy across the bridge, but moving along steadily. Jack knew where he was going, taking the correct lanes and exit to whiz them down to the harbourside restaurant where the awards dinner was being held. Thankfully the restaurant had a private car park, reserved for patrons, an attendant swiftly directing them to a spot just metres from the entrance.

‘I’d better warn you about Helene before you meet her,’ he said as he extracted his car keys.

‘Helene? Who’s Helene?’ Lisa asked.

‘My agent. She’s a darling woman underneath her tough-bird exterior. But she does have a big mouth. Puts her foot into it occasionally. She’s also going through a gypsy-cum-gothic stage in her wardrobe, which can be a bit startling. If she’d dressed me tonight I’d have been wearing black leather trousers, with a full-sleeved white silk shirt, topped off with a scarlet cummerbund. I’d have looked like a camp pirate from the Caribbean.’

Lisa laughed, her lovely blue eyes sparkling with amusement. ‘If there’s one thing you could never look, Jack, it’s camp. But I’m glad this Helene didn’t dress you tonight. What you’re wearing is superb. That suit must have cost a small fortune.’

‘It did. And I would think that little number you have on didn’t come cheap. I wish you’d let me pay for it, Lisa. You shouldn’t be out of pocket because you did me the favour of being my pretend girlfriend for the night.’

Chapter Nine

LISA found herself piqued by that word, pretend.