Billionaire's Contract Engagement(32)

"I was named the other woman. Everyone knew what happened. I had no  defense. Suddenly I was a woman who'd slept her way to the top and then  destroyed my boss's marriage. Believe me when I say no one was lining up  to do business with me. So I quit and came home. Brock gave me a shot  with his agency and the rest, as they say, is history."

Evan closed his eyes and let out a sound of disgust. "I was so unfair to  you, Celia. You tried to tell me so many times how our relationship  might affect you and your career, but I wouldn't listen. I was selfish  and egotistical. I was determined that I should be enough for you. What a  jerk I was. I wasn't even here when all hell broke loose. I should have  been beside you, shouting to the world that you were my woman and I was  damned proud of it. Instead I slunk off like a sulking two-year-old  when I didn't get my way, and I can only imagine how it looked."

He gathered both her hands in his and brought one to his lips. He kissed  each finger. "I'm so sorry. I hope you'll let me make it up to you. I  wish you would have told me all this sooner. Maybe I would have  understood you better. But I also know I gave you no reason to trust me.  That's going to change. I want you in my life. I'll do whatever it  takes to make that happen."

She stared at him in utter bewilderment. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying I love you. That I'm sorry. That I want another chance and  that it's me who's crawling back on hands and knees, begging for your  forgiveness. You'll never lack for my support again, Celia. You'll  always have me to lean on. And I'll personally throttle anyone who so  much as whispers an ill word about you."

Her throat closed in. Her mouth went dry. The world tilted a little crazily around her.

"But I was going to you to apologize," she whispered. "I was wrong,  Evan. I did put too much importance on what others thought. As long as I  have the support of those who love and respect me, it doesn't matter  what the rest of the world thinks. I should have to crawl back. I was  horrible to you."         

     



 

"No, no, my love," he said as he hugged her tighter to him. "Never  crawl. Never. Forget I said it, please. You weren't horrible. You were  upset. Your world had been upended, and I should have been the one  person you could come to and who would support you and understand. I  didn't even try to understand. I got angry and stormed away. I love you.  Please forgive me."

"Oh, Evan, I love you, too. So much. I do forgive you as long as you'll forgive me, too."

His entire face lit up. He looked almost boyish as he stared at her in wonder. "You love me? You're not just saying it?"

She smiled and kissed him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and put  every ounce of her love into her kiss. He lifted her up until their  mouths were even and their noses bumped.

"How did you find me?" she asked.

Evan sobered and he let her slide back down until her feet touched the  floor. He cast her a sheepish look. "I might have stormed into Maddox  Communications, threatening death and destruction if someone didn't tell  me where the hell you were. I'd already tried your apartment, your cell  phone. I even called Noah's agent because I couldn't reach Noah,  either."

Celia giggled. "Death and destruction? Noah's agent?"

"Well, maybe not death and destruction but I did threaten to pull my  contract if I didn't get some answers. Let's just say that the entire  Maddox team developed a sudden interest in your whereabouts. Someone  found Adam's business number, had him paged and then waited an eternity  for him to call back. He told us you were here and I came right over."

She shook her head, but her grin was so big she couldn't hide it.

"Did you mean it?" he asked softly. "Do you love me? Enough to put up  with my ogre ways and my demanding personality? Enough to marry me?"

She sucked in her breath as tears flooded her eyes.

"I think I can tolerate you," she said teasingly. "If you can tolerate  the fact that I can't cook worth a darn. I'll probably never meet you at  the door wearing an apron, and the thought of having children scares  the bejesus out of me."

A slow grin spread across his face. "I think I can handle all that. So will you? Marry me? Put me out of my misery?"

"You don't mind me keeping my job? I've fought too hard and have spent  too long coming to grips with my issues regarding public opinion.  There's no way I'd want to quit now."

He cupped her chin and smoothed a thumb over her cheek. "You can't quit.  You're handling all my advertising. I'd be broke inside of a year  without you. Besides, I'm way too damned proud of you to ever want to  clip your wings."

"I love you," she said fiercely. "And, yes, I'll marry you."

He lowered his head to hers and kissed her long and sweet. "I love you, too," he whispered.

He reached down into his pocket and pulled out the same ring he'd given  her before. He grasped her hand in his and slid it back on her finger.

"I've kept this in my pocket ever since you gave it back. I can't tell  you how wrong it felt when you handed it back to me that night. Promise  me you'll never take it off again."

She glanced down at the glittery diamond, tears blurring her vision.  Then she glanced back up at the man staring at her with so much love in  his eyes that her knees threatened to buckle.

"Never. This time our engagement is for real."

* * * * *





Advertising Media Volume 186

FEATURESPOTLIGHT

This Week in Advertising.

The Adman:

Ash Williams

His New Campaign:

Truth serum. When you have to discover what's real  …  by whatever means necessary.

We've been wondering what's been going on with Ash Williams. Maddox  Communications' CFO has always been controlled and on his game. But  lately he's become very distracted, almost as if he were missing  something. Could it have been a woman? Perhaps the very same woman who  is now living in Ash's home? His fiancée  … ?

How is it possible that one of the most eligible bachelors in San  Francisco is engaged and no one suspected a thing? We've all seen how  Ash has discarded one woman after another, never willing to be  "shackled" for long. So why is this mystery woman now wearing his ring,  having no memory of how or why the millionaire proposed?





MONEY MAN'S

FIANCÉE

NEGOTIATION





MICHELLE CELMER





About the Author


Bestselling author MICHELLE CELMER lives in southeastern Michigan with  her husband, their three children, two dogs and two cats. When she's not  writing or busy being a mum, you can find her in the garden or curled  up with a romance. And if you twist her arm really hard you can usually  persuade her into a day of power shopping.         

     



 

Michelle loves to hear from readers. Visit her website, www.michellecelmer.com, or write her at P.O. Box 300, Clawson, MI 48017.





To the ladies of Sister Night:

Karen, Janet, Susie, Toni and Cora.





Dear Reader,

Welcome to book four of the Kings Of The Boardroom series, the story of  CFO Ash Williams and his mistress, Melody Trent. Or is she his fiancée? I  guess you'll just have to read to find out!

There is nothing more lethal than a man with power who is out for  revenge. Especially one who is too stubborn to consider that he might be  wrong. Ash is determined to make Melody pay for betraying him. But it's  tough to be angry with someone recovering from a nearly critical brain  injury. And even harder to hold her responsible for things she can't  remember doing. She's not the person she was before the accident. He has  to wonder if he's finally seeing the real Melody, not the carbon-copy  mistress she thought he wanted her to be.

She nearly died, and she spent weeks in a coma, but Melody Trent refuses  to let her guard down and play the victim, and she's wary of this  steamy man who claims to be her fiancé. His story checks out, and he's  playing the part of the devoted companion convincingly, but she can't  shake the feeling he's hiding something. What was she doing in Texas  without him, and why was she carrying four thousand dollars in her  purse?

Melody wants answers, but Ash is determined to keep their past a secret.  Now that he's let himself fall for her, her memories are the one thing  that could tear them apart.

Writing their story was exhilarating and heartbreaking and sometimes downright confusing! But their journey was a rewarding one.

I hope you enjoy it!

Best,

Michelle





Prologue


February

Melody Trent shoved clothes into a suitcase feeling a sense of urgency  that was totally without merit. Ash wouldn't be back until late. He'd  been working longer and longer hours lately. Spending less and less time  with her. Honestly, she would be surprised if it didn't take a few days  before he even noticed she was gone.

Emotion welled up in her throat and tears stung her eyes. She bit down  hard on the inside of her cheek and took a deep, calming breath. It had  to be hormones because she had never been a crier.