Billionaire’s Bounty(24)

Jeff rose, his face rigid with anger. “I meant what I said back there, Miranda. Our dignity is more important. It’s bad enough that you thought you needed to sell yourself to him –”

“I don’t need you judging me, okay?” she said with flashing eyes. “Last time I checked it was a free country. And besides...it never felt like I was selling myself or anything. Because I wanted it, Jeff. I wanted him.” Her eyes held his defiantly. “I think I always did. But I guess I needed that excuse of telling myself it was for the company – even though it was never about that.”

“Oh my God,” her brother gasped in almost comical dismay. “You’ve fallen in love with him.”

Miranda turned away, sighing deeply. He came up to where she stood, taking her shoulder and spinning her round to face him. “How could that happen? You know it’s not going to pan out, right? Jude Stone is...”

“I know what he is.” But what Jude was had been different from what she’d expected. She hadn’t expected to enjoy being with him as much as she had – and she certainly hadn’t expected to miss him as much as she now did.

“Then you’ll know it’s best to forget him,” her brother said, his voice gentling as he placed a hand on her shoulder. “You made a silly mistake, but let’s put it behind us if we can.”

“How can I put it behind me if you refuse to consider taking hold of the company?” she asked, glaring up at him. “I know you said it didn’t matter, but...”

“We’re not going to talk about this, okay? I’ve made up my mind. I’m sorry if it feels like you went through it all for nothing.”

You have no idea, Miranda thought as she looked away, her eyes downcast. She couldn’t say it was completely accurate. She had come away with a lot more than she’d bargained for. With Jude, she’d felt real, fiery passion. And beneath the cold, hard facts of their agreement, there had been times when she’d seen a spark in his eye when he looked at her. And the way he’d made love to her...she could never, ever believe it had all just been part of the game. But it didn’t matter now. It was over. The only thing thing left to do – and this was the hardest part of all – was to try and forget he ever existed.#p#分页标题#e#

***

Carly wasn’t sure which was worse: brooding Jude, or quick-tempered Jude. He hadn’t been the same ever since they returned from the eventful London trip. She’d missed the main event, by his account. Apparently, Miranda Quinn’s brother had shown up and rescued his sister from the vicinity like it was a hostage situation. Now, they’d just had a gruelling meeting with his board, and he’d more or less bitten the heads off most of the top-ranking members, over little or nothing. He was getting really tough to work with, and she was concerned for him. Not just as a boss or someone running a business, but as a friend.

“How long are we going to go on like this?” she asked mildly, and saw him look up from his desk, cocking a quizzical brow at her.

“What are you talking about this time, Carly?” he asked on a sigh of exasperation.

She waved her hands expressively. “You’re just no fun to work with anymore. You drive everyone almost up the wall with your short fuse, and then when you’re not displaying monumental levels of fury and impatience, you tend to be unapproachable and difficult to get along with. I’m thinking maybe it’s time you called her.”

“Who?” he growled, then sighed at the look on her face. “Why would I do something as dumb as that?”

“It’s pretty simple, even for you, Jude,” she said, voice teasing. “You want her, go get her.”

He chuckled humourlessly, swivelling his chair to the side and staring out of the picture window. “She’s not going to want me, Carly. Not the way I want her. It’s not like I have a carrot to dangle in front of her anymore, do I?

Carly had to smile. “You’re Jude Stone. You don’t need carrots.” Her tone was teasing as she added, “What I mean is, she should be wise enough to sense that you have a lot more to offer her as a woman, not just your money, looks or everything else. And once she knows how you really feel...”

Jude huffed, pushing up on his feet as he shoved his hands in his pockets before he began pacing the expansive office. “You think I should go over there, tell her I’m crazy about her? I’m not sure I relish the prospect of being laughed at.”

“And who says she’s going to laugh?” Carly queried, throwing her hands in the air again.