Her eyes widened even more. “He can do that?”
“It’s his company.”
“You could always start your own, but I’m guessing you put a lot of time and effort into your family’s business to just walk away, huh?”
Always such a smart girl, and now a smarter woman. “Exactly.”
She licked her lips, a small, quick movement of a cute, pink tongue that nearly had him groaning. “What if you say no?”
“Then thousands of people will lose their jobs.”
“Oh.” Her brow furrowed. “But if you start your own company, you could hire them.”
He cocked his head to one side, studying her. “True, but that would be a PR nightmare. I would have to hire an entire team to explain why and how things with me would be better than it ever was with Montgomery Industry. My biggest competitor is already embroiled in something similar. His employees have taken a hell of a beating. I’d rather not do that to mine—job stability increases work production.”
She nodded slowly. “I still don’t understand why you would pick me of all people. Aren’t you dating someone, or know someone who would better fit the image of a corporate wife?”
“You beat them out. Besides, the majority of them only want to be the wife of a billionaire,” he said flatly.
“And the jokes just keep coming,” she muttered.
“I’m serious.”
“I know you have money, Drew.” She glanced around the room. “Obviously, it’s a lot.”
“We’d have to sign a prenup,” he said, putting it out there. “I can’t marry anyone without one of those.”
Hanna shook her head. “This is unreal. I can’t wrap my mind around it.”
He leaned forward, lightly wrapping his hand around her delicate wrist. “It’s the truth, Hannah. I need to get married. I need you to be my wife.”
“I—I need time to think,” she said, and he relaxed a little. She hadn’t said no. She hadn’t said yes either.
“As much as I would love to give you all the time in the world, we don’t have the luxury of time.”
“Can’t your billions buy time?” she said with a little, teasing smile that eased more of the tension that had built up in his shoulders and neck. Hell, his entire body was tense from the situation and anticipation of seeing her again.
“Afraid not.”
“What will you do if I say no?” Her gray eyes searched his face. So pretty, her eyes. Soft and light like a rainy day.
“Oh my gosh.” Those pretty eyes narrowed when he didn’t answer. “You don’t know, do you, because you assume I’m going to say yes? You’re still cocky. What if I were married already?”
“You’re not.”
“What if I were dating someone?”
“You’re not.” He held up a hand, forestalling any further objections from her. “There is nothing standing in the way of us getting married except… that you have no interest in me.”
Her nose scrunched. “Interest in you? You’re not a product.”
Letting go of her wrist, he ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. “I didn’t want to have to do this.”
“Then don’t.”
He fished a piece of paper out of his pocket and unfolded it. “You owe me for saving your life.”
“What?” she all but squeaked.
He spread the IOU on the conference table and slid it over to her. “I’m cashing this in.”
Her mouth fell open with a gasp. “You kept my IOU?”
“Yes, and I’m cashing it in. You said I could have anything I want, and Hannah, I want you.”
Drew’s green eyes fairly blazed at her while she sat there, her gaze bouncing between him and the over-a-decade old IOU. “I was only thirteen,” she whispered. “I had a crush on you then. Puppy love, my grandparents called it.”
“I know.”
“This isn’t a legal document,” she said, tracing the bubbly lines of her name. Hannah Coral Miller. She’d written it like that to make it more official sounding.
“Know that, too.”
“Then why in the world would you try to use it against me?”
“I’m not trying to do anything. I’m hoping that you’ll make good on this.” He looked so serious, so determined to make her understand, that she took pity on him. She couldn’t help it. This was her Drew. The boy who saved her life, never lied, and gave her her first kiss. They had known each other for years… almost for as long as they’d been apart.
And she had loved him from the time she was eight years old until… Well, she wasn’t sure when she stopped loving him.