Billionaire’s Bounty
Billionaire’s Bounty
He wanted her.
Who ever she was, whatever it took, Jude Stone knew he would have his way. He always did.
She was dressed in a calf-length, black-sheathed dress, with its broad straps crisscrossing over her shoulders. She filled out the outfit nicely, her ample curves hugging the thin fabric. He drew in a breath of sexually charged awareness at this voluptuous beauty that stood in the middle of the room; totally clueless about the effect she was having on his long-deprived hormones. Her generous bust seemed to strain against the bodice, with its heart-shaped cut and revealed a delicious deep shadow of cleavage. She had to be a 40D, Jude’s well-trained eye decided – and her five-foot frame served to emphasize further her deliciously buxom proportions. He took his time to trail his eyes from the top of her top-knotted hair to her heeled feet, and decided that he hadn’t seen anything so alluring, so utterly desirable, in a long time.
“Who is she?” he heard himself ask tersely, cutting through the words of his assistant who was standing next to him.
His assistant, the long-suffering Carly, followed the line of his gaze and narrowed her eyes in recognition.
“Sir, why do you ask? Because if Miranda Quinn has caught your eye, then I’m going to have to disappoint you.”
***
Carly couldn’t help the trace of satisfaction in her voice. She knew her boss – for whom she’d been working the last nine years – too well. She knew that look in his eye, understood exactly what he was thinking even without it being spelled out for her. It was rare, but when she saw that dark, purposeful glint in his eye, she knew it meant that he’d set his sights on a potential female acquisition. And he was the type who never could understand that not everything – or everyone – had to fall into his lap.
Jude Stone was not just her long-time employer, but he was one of the richest men in the city. He was known as the “Bust-up Billionaire” because of the way he’d made his fortunes on ruthlessly leveraged takeovers – turning a thriving family business into a goldmine. Now, at age thirty-four, he was running a billion-dollar business empire left to him by his tycoon father when Jude had been only twenty-five. In the ten years since then, Jude Stone had become a billionaire several times over – and he didn’t seem ready to slow down yet.
And if that wasn’t enough, he had the looks of a god. His face had graced enough magazine covers, both in the field of business and of style. He was nothing short of a celebrity thanks to his undeniable physical attributes as well as his money. People were intrigued by his corporate savvy, and were even more pulled in by his handsome looks.
He had links to the top-most politicians, movie stars and business moguls. His last girlfriend had been one of the top three supermodels in the world – and the break-up of their one-year relationship had been fodder for the gossip sheets for months.
Carly carefully analyzed the target of his interest, and had to admit she was certainly a voluptuous beauty. Certainly on the curvy side, and was hardly what Carly would consider his ‘usual’ type. And yet Carly could see where the appeal lay. The woman known as Miranda Quinn looked confident, at ease in her own skin. Her poise was evident in every inch of her carriage. Yes, she was certainly quite lovely, with regular, striking features. Her dark hair was swept up, leaving her shoulders bare. She stood in her group and talked and laughed, oblivious of the scrutiny from across the room.
“Her name is Miranda Quinn? Why does that sound familiar?” her boss mused.
Carly turned to face him. “Well, for one thing, because you were responsible for taking over her father’s company,” She told him bluntly. “Her father was Jepson Quinn, and his company was just another of your bust-ups of last year. So really, you can’t expect to have any luck with his daughter, can you?”
“Why do I have the funny feeling you sound pleased about this?” he asked, his tone still thoughtful. He hadn’t torn his eyes from the subject of their discussion. Just then, she’d accepted the offer of a dance from a bespectacled, burly-looking man whose suit seemed to hang on his beefy frame awkwardly. Jude felt himself scowling, especially when the man drew her closer into his huge arms than was necessary. She seemed uncomfortable, though she smiled with forced brightness. Jude saw a grimace cross her face and he figured Mr. Hulk had trod on her.
“Here,” he told Carly shortly, handing her his glass.
“What…Jude,” she said through gritted teeth, watching him stride purposefully away. In the direction of Miss Miranda Quinn and her dance partner. Carly sighed impatiently. In the past nine years of being his most trusted employee, she’d gone through many emotions: fury, exasperation, and then affection. He now seemed like her naughty younger brother that she was consigned to keeping away from trouble whenever she could.
He wanted her.
Who ever she was, whatever it took, Jude Stone knew he would have his way. He always did.
She was dressed in a calf-length, black-sheathed dress, with its broad straps crisscrossing over her shoulders. She filled out the outfit nicely, her ample curves hugging the thin fabric. He drew in a breath of sexually charged awareness at this voluptuous beauty that stood in the middle of the room; totally clueless about the effect she was having on his long-deprived hormones. Her generous bust seemed to strain against the bodice, with its heart-shaped cut and revealed a delicious deep shadow of cleavage. She had to be a 40D, Jude’s well-trained eye decided – and her five-foot frame served to emphasize further her deliciously buxom proportions. He took his time to trail his eyes from the top of her top-knotted hair to her heeled feet, and decided that he hadn’t seen anything so alluring, so utterly desirable, in a long time.
“Who is she?” he heard himself ask tersely, cutting through the words of his assistant who was standing next to him.
His assistant, the long-suffering Carly, followed the line of his gaze and narrowed her eyes in recognition.
“Sir, why do you ask? Because if Miranda Quinn has caught your eye, then I’m going to have to disappoint you.”
***
Carly couldn’t help the trace of satisfaction in her voice. She knew her boss – for whom she’d been working the last nine years – too well. She knew that look in his eye, understood exactly what he was thinking even without it being spelled out for her. It was rare, but when she saw that dark, purposeful glint in his eye, she knew it meant that he’d set his sights on a potential female acquisition. And he was the type who never could understand that not everything – or everyone – had to fall into his lap.
Jude Stone was not just her long-time employer, but he was one of the richest men in the city. He was known as the “Bust-up Billionaire” because of the way he’d made his fortunes on ruthlessly leveraged takeovers – turning a thriving family business into a goldmine. Now, at age thirty-four, he was running a billion-dollar business empire left to him by his tycoon father when Jude had been only twenty-five. In the ten years since then, Jude Stone had become a billionaire several times over – and he didn’t seem ready to slow down yet.
And if that wasn’t enough, he had the looks of a god. His face had graced enough magazine covers, both in the field of business and of style. He was nothing short of a celebrity thanks to his undeniable physical attributes as well as his money. People were intrigued by his corporate savvy, and were even more pulled in by his handsome looks.
He had links to the top-most politicians, movie stars and business moguls. His last girlfriend had been one of the top three supermodels in the world – and the break-up of their one-year relationship had been fodder for the gossip sheets for months.
Carly carefully analyzed the target of his interest, and had to admit she was certainly a voluptuous beauty. Certainly on the curvy side, and was hardly what Carly would consider his ‘usual’ type. And yet Carly could see where the appeal lay. The woman known as Miranda Quinn looked confident, at ease in her own skin. Her poise was evident in every inch of her carriage. Yes, she was certainly quite lovely, with regular, striking features. Her dark hair was swept up, leaving her shoulders bare. She stood in her group and talked and laughed, oblivious of the scrutiny from across the room.
“Her name is Miranda Quinn? Why does that sound familiar?” her boss mused.
Carly turned to face him. “Well, for one thing, because you were responsible for taking over her father’s company,” She told him bluntly. “Her father was Jepson Quinn, and his company was just another of your bust-ups of last year. So really, you can’t expect to have any luck with his daughter, can you?”
“Why do I have the funny feeling you sound pleased about this?” he asked, his tone still thoughtful. He hadn’t torn his eyes from the subject of their discussion. Just then, she’d accepted the offer of a dance from a bespectacled, burly-looking man whose suit seemed to hang on his beefy frame awkwardly. Jude felt himself scowling, especially when the man drew her closer into his huge arms than was necessary. She seemed uncomfortable, though she smiled with forced brightness. Jude saw a grimace cross her face and he figured Mr. Hulk had trod on her.
“Here,” he told Carly shortly, handing her his glass.
“What…Jude,” she said through gritted teeth, watching him stride purposefully away. In the direction of Miss Miranda Quinn and her dance partner. Carly sighed impatiently. In the past nine years of being his most trusted employee, she’d gone through many emotions: fury, exasperation, and then affection. He now seemed like her naughty younger brother that she was consigned to keeping away from trouble whenever she could.