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He stroked his fingers through her hair. “The texture and color of mink.” Placing his hand flat on her chest, he said, “Your heart is pounding, Rowan.”
She didn’t know if she was supposed to say anything but found she was beyond speech.
“Marry me. Fight for me. When I die, you’ll never have to worry about working another day in your life.”
“I’ll fight for you but I won’t marry you or take a dime of your money. Before I met you, I held you in high regard as a philanthropist and businessman. I don’t require a piece of paper or money to do the right thing. Refusing to allow you to be stripped of your accomplishments is the least I can do.”
“I’ve spent my entire life knowing when a goal is within my grasp.” She snorted. “Let’s negotiate, Rowan.”
With a grin, she told him, “There’sthe Lion of Finance.”
“You move into my house.” Her eyes went wide. “Together, we’ll drive my ex-wives and children into signing multi-million dollar settlements. I’ll provide the money. You provide the passion. James shall be our muscle.”
“Move into…”
“I’ll draw up agreements to protect you. If you feel I’ve treated you fairly, we’ll marry and you’ll become my sole heir. You’ll spend whatever time I have left sharing your spark.”
“My counter-offer is simple. I’ll help you fight your family and when they’ve been sharply reprimanded for their greed, if you feel the need to marry me on anemotionallevel, we can discuss it then.”
“Are you afraid you might grow to love me, Rowan?”
“I’m afraid to love anyone. Love ispainfuland you’d beeasyto love, I think.” Far too easy, she added to herself.
In a whisper, he asked, “Did someone break your heart?”
“Years ago. If I fell in love with you and then lost you, the pain would be excruciating.”
His eyes were so green, so filled with life as he stared at her. It wasn’t right that he was facing his own mortality so young.
“I’m going to teach you about it being better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. That will be my goal, Rowan – a lesson for both of us in the time I have left.” She nodded slowly but couldn’t fully hide her fear. “You’re so solidlyinthe world. You’ll learn about yourself and I’ll learn to use a part of my heart I’ve never engaged before. Perhaps the exercise will do it good.”
“Why me?”
“I told you, I have a good feeling about your character.” He winked. “I can’t touch you sexually but having your gorgeous body beside me as you tote around a brilliant mind and the heart of alionessisn’t exactly a drawback.”
“Oh, man.” She swallowed hard. “You’re diabolical.”
Reaching out, he ran his finger over her cheek. “Spend a year with an old man who needs your help, Rowan. Change the course of your life with one choice.”
“You’renotan old man. You just have a sick heart.”
“Already you soften. Give me a year, darling.”
Nodding slowly, she whispered, “Alright, Bennett. I’ll give you a year.”
“I won’t let you regret it.” Tightening his fingers around hers, he asked, “Won’t it be fascinating if ours becomes a great love affair? No one would ever see that coming.”
After three days, Rowan already saw it coming.
It frightened her to the core.
Chapter Five
They drove for half an hour in companionable silence with Bennett holding her hand.
“Why were you on campus, Bennett? The other day...why were you there?”
“I’m an alumnus. The University of Texas was the first school I attended. It was not the last but I’m sentimental about it. Hometown, home state, and so forth. I was signing off on next year’s scholarships. I like to look the dean in the eye to make sure they go to the mostqualifiedapplicants.”
