Propositioned By The Tycoon: Mr Strictly Business / Bought: His Temporary Fiancée / A Win-Win Proposition

“If she’d let me, yes. But there was the board of directors to consider.”

Understanding dawned. “Let me guess. The board comprised those individuals who were taking advantage of her. And they weren’t about to let you mess with the status quo.”

“Got it in one.”

Compassion filled her. “So the only solution was for Gabe ‘the Pirate’ Piretti to raid the company.”

“I cleaned house, all right. Starting right at the top with my mother and working down from there.”

“How did Dina handle it when you took over?”

“She was furious. She wouldn’t even speak to me. So, I abducted her.”

Catherine’s eyes widened. “Excuse me? You what?”

“I loaded her into my car, protesting all the way, and took her off to a resort and forced her to deal with the situation. Of course, the daily massages and mai tais—heavy on the rum—didn’t hurt. It also helped that I brought along the accounts and forced her to look at the bottom line.” He shot her a cool look. “I’ve considered using the same approach with you in order to get to the bottom of some of our issues.”

She released his hand and swept to her feet. “It wouldn’t have worked.”

His eyes narrowed. “And there’s that secret again, right smack-dab between us.” He rose as well. “How many mai tais would it take to pry it out of you, Catherine?”

She shook her head. “There’s nothing to pry out. I told you. Your view of marriage and what you want from it are a hundred and eighty degrees different from my wants and needs.”

“You know one of the qualities that makes me such a good pirate?” He didn’t wait for her to respond. “I’m excellent at reading people.”

She took a step backward. “Not all people.”

“You’d be surprised.” He followed in the path of her retreat. “For instance, it only takes one look for me to know that you’re lying. You’re keeping something from me, and all the denials in the world aren’t going to convince me otherwise.”

“Too bad. You’ll just have to live with it.”

“For instance…” He trapped her against one of the huge picture windows overlooking the sound. Brilliant light encased them, sparkling over and around them. “I know for a fact that you’ve always wanted children. You told me so yourself.”

She forced her gaze to remain steady, to be captured and held by his. “Long ago. In another lifetime. But I’ve changed since then. My wants and needs have changed, as well.” She forced out a laugh. “I find it ridiculous to have to explain this to you, of all people. You, who puts business ahead of everything and everyone. Why is it acceptable for you and not for me?”

“Because it’s not true.”

He leaned in. Even with layers of clothing separating them, she could feel the heat of his body, feel the sinful contours that were so potently male. And then he made it so much worse. He slid his hand low on her abdomen, his fingers spread wide across the flat surface. She shuddered beneath his touch, her belly quivering in response. Liquid heat pooled, stealing thought and reason.

“Are you telling me you don’t want any children at all? Not even one?”

She forced out the lie. “No, not even one.”

A lazy smile crept across his mouth, one that told her he didn’t believe a word of it. He dropped his head, his mouth brushing along the sensitive skin of her throat, just beneath her ear where her pulse skipped and raced. “You don’t ever want to give birth?” The question burned like acid. “You don’t want to feel your womb swell with our baby? Feel the flutter of new life? Sing and talk to him while he grows and becomes? Encourage his passage from his safe little nest into a world just waiting for his arrival?”

Dear God, make him stop, she silently prayed. She fixed her eyes on a point just over his shoulder and took a long, calming breath. “That’s what you want, isn’t it?”

“More than you can possibly imagine.”

One more slow breath and she’d worked up the courage to shift her eyes to his. It took everything she possessed not to respond to the rich warmth of those impossibly blue eyes. “Then I suggest you start looking for someone who can give that to you. Because it’s not going to be me.” She spread her hands across his chest and nudged him back a few inches. “Look at me, Gabe. Look at me and tell me I’m lying to you. I won’t give you a child. Not ever. Is that clear enough for you?”

His hand slid from her abdomen and he stepped back. “Quite clear.” His face fell into hard, taut lines. “And quite honest.”

“Thank you for recognizing it.” She twitched her blouse into place and smoothed her skirt. “And thank you for admitting as much.”

The phone on his desk gave a soft purring ring. He crossed to answer it. Listening a moment, Gabe said, “Put him through.” Then he covered the receiver. “I’m sorry, but I have to take this call.”

She slipped behind her most professional demeanor. “Of course. I’ll wait for you in the foyer.”

He stopped her just as she reached for the doorknob. “Catherine? If you think our discussion has changed my mind about our relationship, you’re wrong.”

She glanced over her shoulder. “Why? Because you think at some point in the future I’m going to change my mind?” She could see from his expression that was precisely what he thought. A smile escaped, one of infinite regret. “Let me clue you in and save both of us a lot of time and grief. I won’t.”

And with that, she escaped his office.

Closing the door behind her, Catherine took a quick breath. As long as her day was progressing so well, she might as well keep the streak going. The time had come to deal with Roxanne. Either they came to terms here and now or Catherine would take action. But never again would she step back and take it on the chin. Never again would she allow this woman to cause harm to her business or make her life the misery it had been during those earlier years.

She paused by Roxanne’s desk, fully aware that she’d been noticed and equally as aware that she wouldn’t be acknowledged any time soon. It was unquestionably a power play, one Catherine intended to commandeer.

“Hiding behind that computer screen isn’t going to make me go away. All it does is confirm that you’re afraid to look me in the eye.” It was the perfect gambit, Catherine thought with some satisfaction, causing Roxanne’s head to jerk up and anger to flare to life in her sloe eyes. “You and I are going to get something straightened out.”

“You’re the one who needs to be straightened out. I—”

“I’m not interested in what you have to say,” Catherine cut her off smoothly. “It’s your turn to listen. Or shall we have this conversation in Gabe’s office?”

“And talk about what?” she demanded. “Your whiny complaints about his favorite assistant? He’s too logical to give them any credence.”

“It’s because he’s so logical that he will.” She gestured toward Gabe’s closed door. “Shall we find out which of us is right?” She wasn’t the least surprised when Roxanne didn’t take her up on the offer.

“Where do you get off, threatening me?” she asked instead. “You have no idea who and what you’re taking on.”

Catherine planted her palms on Roxanne’s desk and leaned in. “I know precisely who I’m taking on, and, sweetie, I knew what you were from day one. Now you close your mouth and listen very carefully, because I’m only going to say this once. If you mess with me or my business ever again, I will see to it that your career as you currently know it ends. I will make it my mission to introduce you to hell on earth.”

“You don’t have that power,” Roxanne scoffed.

“Watch me.”

Gabe’s assistant leaned back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest, a smug smile playing about her generous mouth. “Is this about your little disaster at the Marconi party?”

“No, this is about your little disaster at the Marconi party. Specifically, the boaters whose advent you were so eager for me to witness.”

Roxanne’s smile grew, slow and catlike. “You can’t prove I had anything to do with that.”

“Can’t I?” Catherine straightened and thrust her hand into her purse. Retrieving her cell phone, she flipped it open. One press of a button snapped a digital picture of Roxanne. Another press had it winging its way to Catherine’s e-mail account.

Roxanne straightened in her chair. “What the hell did you just do?”

“I’ve e-mailed myself your photo. When I get home, I intend to print it off and hand-deliver it to the King County Sheriff’s Marine Unit. They have some very contrite boaters who are eager to point the finger at the person who invited them to the Marconis’ party and encouraged them to make—how did they phrase it? Oh, right. A splashy entrance.” Roxanne turned deathly pale, and Catherine smiled. “Nothing to say? How incredibly unlike you.”