An Improper Affair (Millionaire of the Month #4)(28)
Author: Anna DePalo

She even looked like Brenda. He wouldn’t want to wake up over the years, look over at the next pillow and be reminded again and again of the woman that his father had been sleeping with during his mother’s last months.

The sound of the doorbell startled her from her reverie and she wondered with some unease about who could be ringing her doorbell in the middle of a thunderstorm.

She peered out her living-room window, Dimlv. she could make out a man’s form.

He must have seen a movement, because he turned to face her and she saw it was Ryan.

Her heart began to pound.

She got up and moved to the door, unlocking and opening it.

"Yes0" she asked.

Droplets ran down from the brim of his hat.

"Can I come in0" he asked.

Without responding, she moved aside and he stepped inside.

While she closed the door to the wind and wet, he pulled off his hat and jacket.

Turning back to him, she said, "Let me take those."

He handed them to her, and she deposited them on a nearby coatrack.

After that, she folded her arms and walked farther into the house He followed.

She turned when she reached the middle of the living room. "Can I offer you a drink’?" She nodded at her cup. "I just made a pot of tea."

It seemed ridiculous to be offering him a drink, but it served to cover the terrible tension.

"Thanks, but I’m fine." He looked at her closely. "You look tearful."

She’d been so surprised by the sound of the doorbell, she hadn’t thought about her appearance.

"Allergies." she fibbed.

He walked toward her. "I don’t think so."

"I can’t imagine why you’re here," she said quickly.

"Can’t you?" he responded obliquely.

Her chin came up. "Come to tell me that your first order of business as the new head of Sperling. Inc. is to cut off Distressed Success?"

"I think you know the answer to that question." Her lips parted.

His expression remained indecipherable. "I’m not willing to walk away from the bargaining table—yet."

She wrapped her arms around herself. She longed for the return of her midnight lover of tender caresses and passionate kisses, but the man in front of her wore a mask of inscrutability.

"Provided you can meet a few conditions," he said, "I think we’re in business." Her heart pounded. "Such as?"

"The first thing anyone would need to know," he said,  "is whether you have any brand recognition"

Her spirits sank. "Well, not really— "

"It doesn’t have to be nationwide," he supplied helpfully. "It could just be local. Say a small place like Hunter’s Landing9"

She nodded. "People in Hunter’s Landing definitely recognize Distressed Success." The truth was, it was a laughably small place to rely on for brand recognition. "What about meeting demand0" he asked. "Who are your suppliers’?"

She felt a spark of hope. Here she was on firmer ground. "I have some manufacturers right here on the west coast. I know they’re reliable. They’ve produced samples for me ahead of schedule in the past. Plus, I found them on recommendations and I know they produce goods for some of the major department store brands."

"Even Sperling stores?"

"Even Sperling," she confirmed.

"What about gross-profit margins’?" he went on. "Department stores usually look for aroimd forty-five percent, but— " he stopped and looked at her thoughtfully "— that’s negotiable."

"How negotiable’?" she asked suspiciously.

"What are you making at Distressed Success’?"

She hesitated. "I’m getting aroimd sixty in the shop right now."

He looked impressed. "Superb."

"Location is everything," she allowed. Then emboldened, she decided to put down some qualifications of her own. "You could achieve the same in Sperling stores, but I’d have to be assured of proper product placement— good sight lines, and some swing areas."

"Done.. .but I need an exclusive deal."

"What kind of exclusive deal9" She tried to read his expression again, but couldn’t.

"You partner with me only. No relationships with other parties."

Eleven

She felt a flutter in her stomach, then wet her lips.

His eyes zeroed in on the action and flared, before his eyelids dropped to conceal his expression.

"With an exclusive deal— " she cleared the catch in her voice "— I’d expect… more."

He shifted closer. "Name your terms."

"Are we still talking about Sperling, Inc. and Distressed Success?" she asked, huskily.

The tension was unbearable.

"I don’t know." he said, raising his hand to cup the side of her face, his fingers delving into her hair. "Are we’?"

"Aren’t you worried about partnering with me’?" She searched his eyes. "I am Brenda Hartley’s daughter. I even look like her."

"I like the way you look." His fingers caressed her scalp, making her want to purr. "And for the record, you’re nothing like your mother in the ways that count. You’re no more like Brenda because you have red hair and hazel eyes than I’m like Webb because I’ve become head of Sperling, Inc."

"People may be surprised to hear we’ve… hooked up," she whispered. His eyes lowered to her mouth. "We miglit as well make a big splash." "We’re from different worlds— "

"We’re alike, you and I," he contradicted, smiling wryly as his eyes met hers again. "We’ve both spent our whole lives making sure we didn’t become our parents."

"You do have a point there," she conceded.

"See." he joked, "that’s a great first step— admitting I’m right. I foresee a beautiful.. .partnership."

Her laugh came out weak and breathless.

He leaned forward and placed light kisses on her nose, the corner of her mouth, her lips….

"You know," she joked, "this is inappropriate… if I’m giving a presentation to become your business partner."

"But not," he responded in a low voice, "if you’re interviewing for the position of wife."

Her heart Hipped over. "What did you say’?"

Instead of responding, he kissed her, long and deep.

When he finally pulled away, he said. "Marry me and let’s have kids."

"Yes." Tears pricked the back of her eyes. "I called up Webb last week and told him I was no longer interested in getting my designs into Sperling stores."