Billionaire’s Pursuit(26)

 Life-threatening nausea is not the best phrase I’d use to describe the feeling that pulsed through every vein, capillary and corpuscle in my body. But of all the sensations I experienced at that instant, it is the most easily relatable.

 So we’ll go with it.

 In the wake of that, my mind flashed with innumerable outcomes, most of which ended with me in a twisted tangle of sweaty flesh with the olive-skinned hunk seated next to me. I reached up and smoothed my eyebrow with the most casual stroke I could muster as I stalled for time.

 Maddie! Wake up!

 Snapping out of my funk, I realized I had to speak my mind. No matter the consequences. And the time to do it was right now.

 “Um, Greyson…”

 “Grey,” he interrupted.

 “Sorry. Grey,” I said, correcting myself. “I don’t know how to say this, so I’ll just come out with it.”

 He nodded. “I’d prefer that.”

 “Please don’t take this wrong way, okay? Promise me that you won’t.”

 “Scout’s honor,” he replied with a wink.

 “Um, okay, well it’s like this. I want to keep our relationship professional. As much as I appreciate you being flexible and accepting the terms of my offer, I just, I don't want to ruin my business chances before they ever even get started. I hope that makes sense.” Turning my upper body towards him and placing my hand over my heart, I continued. “Please don’t be insulted.”

 He leaned away from me with a look of confusion on his face.

 “Maddie, why would I be insulted? I want the same thing.”

 “You do?”

 “Yes, of course. Why else would I agree to pay a king’s ransom to spend time with you?”

 As he finished speaking, he reached down and slipped his hand into mine. Disbelief suspended me in the moment as he raised my hand towards his mouth and placed a single, perfectly moist kiss on the back of my hand. Electric shocks raced up my arm and sent a primal pulse to my brain, setting my carnal urges on edge and my desire to keep things ‘professional' in serious jeopardy.

 Grey withdrew his lips from my flesh and lowered my hand back into my lap before releasing it.

 “Let’s discuss the details over dinner,” he said with a grin. “I have a proposal that I think you’ll find tempting.”



 GREY

 We dined at Chef Claude’s that night. After we were seated, he came out to the table and chatted with us. Nice guy. I know Maddie thought I was rude to him when we ate at the bar the first night I came to town. But if anything, I hoped she noticed the result. I operated by a simple rule, never take crap from people.

 Ever.

 If you give another person the slightest clue you think you’re less important than they are, it’s over. Now that Chef Claude went out of his way to glad-hand me, I was certain the point wouldn’t be lost on Maddie.

 After ordering, I turned my attention to the issue at hand. She’d caught me a bit off guard. Not only was she a knockout, but the business idea she’d come up with was a damn good one. I watch startups fail all the time. Mostly it's because they just run out of money before they can make a go of it. Of course, when that happens, it’s great to be in the position I’m in. My companies have acquired more businesses on the verge of bankruptcy than I can remember. But that’s where the real bargains are in life. When people are desperate, they’ll do almost anything. And while Maddie might not be desperate just yet, I figured it wouldn’t be long.

 I sensed an opportunity and there was no way in hell I’d leave town without making my intentions known.

 I took a sip of my vodka rocks. The alcohol stung my taste buds as I swallowed it with a hard contraction. It was about the only thing that could have washed away the taste of her skin from my palate. Not that I wanted to be rid of it, mind you. I had to be, otherwise I’d never make it through the meal.

 Placing the icy beverage down on the table, I looked across the table at her as she lifted her wine glass to her lips. Her fingers wrapped around the long, slender stem of the glass as she tilted it up and took a healthy swig of the deep purple liquid. I studied her throat muscles and watched as they contracted while the alcohol made its way inside her. Finishing, she placed the glass back down on the snow white tablecloth, made eye contact with me and smiled.

 “So,” she said, as she cleared her throat a bit. “You mentioned you had a proposal you wanted to discuss with me?”

 I nodded and leaned back in my chair.

 “I have to tell you I’m impressed,” I said.