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“Mr. Levine—” Joe spoke up again.
“Listen, Joe, you’ve gone through great lengths to try to hide the fact that you are the owner. It was like pulling teeth to sift through the paperwork and figure out who runs this operation, but I concluded it’s the guy that’s been right out there in front the entire time—you.”
“Wrong!” I said.
He ignored me and continued talking to Joe.
"It’s not easy to run a successful business, but you have done your best. I'd like to take the company off your hands and offer you a handsome deal for it."
"I own M&M, and it's not for sale," I said slowly but assertively.
“You?” he said, and his eyes roved over me from head to toe as if he were trying to figure out if I were worthy of making that announcement to him.
“Yes, me. This is a company I started from scratch and nurtured to what it has become today. I’ve heard of you, but I don't want to know you. I want you to turn your expensive shoes in that direction and leave, Mr. Levine.” I pointed toward the exit.
"Darling, Joe and I met in the gym, and we became friends. I’ve been studying his work," Mr. Levi
ne said. "But, I didn’t know…” He paused, continuing to size me up. A sparkle entered in his gaze, and no doubt it was the sparkle that comes to a man’s eyes when he thinks his charm is easy bait to reel in a woman’s company. “You are beautiful," he said.
The flirtatious grin on his face made my blood boil with anger.
“You are Ward Levine, the CEO of Levine Enterprise Holdings?” I asked, now remembering exactly who he was and the threat standing before me. He was the Ward Levine, a ruthless business tycoon, and a playboy. I had seen his shirtless photo on the cover of a sleazy gossip magazine, and my mouth watered as I remembered how toned and gorgeous his body was. He looked better in person, but his attitude was rotten. I had also seen his name on the Forbes Youngest Self-Made Billionaire list. There was a rumor around town that he loved to buy smaller companies and absorb them so they wouldn’t become a threat to him. Essentially, his business had become crushing small to mid-size real-estate related companies. Also, Ward’s name had been linked to several celebrities in the past, and there were speculations he had a series of lovers to keep his bed warm.
“Hello, I’m Mr. Right. I heard you were looking for me,” he said, bringing my attention back to his presence. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing in construction?” he drawled. “Why don’t you let me take this baby off your pretty little hands?”
“The first thing you should do is drop the cheesy lines. I didn’t come this far in this business to listen to catcalls and two-dollar whore lines,” I retorted. “Next thing you should know is that if you are looking to partner with someone…”
“These are not lines,” he cut in. “You really are the second most beautiful woman I have seen today.”
Who was the first beautiful woman he saw today? The thought popped into my head, and I knew I needed my head examined.
“In case you’re wondering, the first beautiful woman I saw today was Maggie.”
“I really don’t care. Why don’t you stop being a nuisance and leave?” I growled.
“Oh, you’re feisty and hot,” Ward said, smiling. “A great combination.”
I hardly knew him, but from what I’d seen already, he played too many games. Far too many. So why did a wave of jealousy sweep through me when he mentioned the name of his girlfriend?
Hormones.
Yeah, it had to be my hormones acting up on me. I didn’t care who he spent his time with, and why would I when the pig was there to steal everything I’d worked for?
“Please leave, you are trespassing,” I said as an order.
Joe pled with his eyes for me to control my temper. He knew how influential Ward Levine was in the real estate world. But he also knew I didn’t spend time playing little boy games.
Ward flashed a boyish grin, which would have melted my heart if it came from another man, but it only hardened it toward him.
“Can we start over?” he asked, extending his hand. “My name is Ward Levine, and I’d love to get to know more about you.”
“I know who you are, and right now, you are trespassing. I’d like you to leave,” I replied.
He shrugged as his eyes drifted over my body, and I felt a fluttery feeling in the pit of my stomach. I was confident I looked gorgeous in my favorite knee-length skirt with a button-down beige chiffon blouse and rich brown makeup. But the way he was looking at me made me want to glance down to see if there was a smudge of dust on my blouse. I folded my arms across my chest, maintaining eye contact with him.
“You just dropped something,” he said huskily.
“What?” I glared at him.
