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He waited to answer until we were in his car and on the road. “No, usually I give my assistant’s number. You won’t need it though, you have my cell number.”
I sat there speechless. This man, his charm was dangerous, especially with that sexy as fuck accent. I knew I shouldn’t be having those thoughts but I couldn’t help it. Everything about him I found alluring to my very soul.
“Before we continue I want to explain a couple of things about your mother and me. Authors Plus has always simply been an online retail bookstore. I’ve wanted to expand it into more for a long time. Building a publishing house up from the ground floor is quite cost prohibited. So I looked into acquiring an established publishing house. Your mother and I have been in talks for months.
“The biggest challenge has been navigating the laws at both the state and federal levels. One evening, after another long day of meetings and negotiating, and a bit too much wine with dinner, your mother suggested we get married. I admit I was opposed to the idea but then it made sense. The merger of our companies would be much easier if we simply married.
“So that’s what we did but on paper only. No ceremony, nothing like a wedding at all. We simply signed our names and our lawyers filed the marriage certificate. We continued our life as we had before. The only time we saw each other was in the occasional meeting that week.”
“After we spoke on the phone the first time, I was curious about you. I’d never enjoyed a business call like that so much in my life. I looked up information about you in our system and online. I even called you mother but I’m sure you can imagine how that went. I wanted to know more so I picked up one of your books to read until your mother joined me for another business dinner.”
“You were curious about me? Why? I’m just a silly romance author, putting fantasies into words for anyone to enjoy.”
“You are so much more than that. I might not know much but I know that.”
I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t put a voice to the hope inside me. Blinking rapidly at him, he smiled as he caressed my cheek while we paused at a red light. My skin tingled where he touched it.
Chapter 5
Alastair
The moment I saw Perie Winters standing before me as she opened her door, one word resounded through my mind, ‘Mine!’ She was a curvy goddess with long dark hair. When she smiled, she outshone every light in that room. She was a sun goddess and I was going to make sure she was mine. I would give everything I owed to spend a single hour with her.
“My mother and I never had a good relationship of any kind. She got pregnant at sixteen and made sure I knew I was not planned or even wanted. Candace Winters was a very cold, driven woman that wouldn’t tolerate failure of any kind. She kept tight control of every aspect of my life.
“When I turned eighteen, I used my own contacts to break away from her completely. As sad as it sounds, I’m not even surprised in the least that I knew nothing about you or this merger. I won’t fight you for the company or anything else that you want from her estate. If there are photos I’d like those, otherwise the only thing I want is the trust fund my grandfather left for me.”
I was stunned into silence as we arrived at the Belladonna. On the outside, it looked like a standard office building with a restaurant on the ground floor. It was a beautiful glass and steel building with one name gracing the building right above the restaurant’s outdoor terrace, Belladonna.
After parking my vehicle, I got out and quickly walked over to open her door, lending a hand to help her out of the car. Refusing to let go of her hand, I led us past the Maître d' with a smirk and a nod. We walked straight to a secluded table already prepared and waiting for us in a more secluded portion of the restaurant.
I turned on the charm, as I helped settle her onto a chair before joining her. “Charming, perfect manners, and handsome,” she smiled at me.
My smile turned positively wicked in the best sense of the word. I leaned close and growled playfully in her ear, “I want you as mine today, tomorrow, and every day after that. To accomplish that, I will use everything at my disposal.”
She blinked at me in utter surprise. “But… but… Alastair, how can you know that? We hardly know each other. What if I snore worse than a freight train?”
“Do you?” I smiled at her indulgently.
“Well, no, but what if we realize we hate each other? I could turn out to be exactly like my mother.”
I reached up and caressed her cheek in the tenderest of motions. “Not possible. My heart, my soul, everything I am is yours.”
“Alastair!”
“Perie, my father knew the instant he met my mother that she was his everything. The same for my grandfather and great-grandfather. It’s a known fact that the Heney men know they’ve met the love of their lives as soon as we see them. If I could, I’d whisk you away and marry you this instant.”
“Oh heavens! You’re serious! How can you be serious? Alastair, this is insanity. You were married to my mother, even if it was only for a week. I could take you for everything. How can you know that I won’t?”
My hand cupped her cheek, gently tipping her head back. My lips were a breath away from hers. “I know because you asked that question. I know because my heart and soul are screaming it so loudly I’m surprised it’s not heard by everyone. Trust me, Perie. Feel what’s in your heart. Listen as my soul sings to yours.”
As my lips captured hers, my mind went blank as I felt myself relax into it. After several blissful moments, I gently pulled away. I looked deep into her eyes as my finger caressed her lips.
“My heart is begging me to listen to you but my head is scared. How do I know this isn’t for business just like with my mother? How do I know you just want to secure what you need for Authors Plus?”
“Well, you’ve already said you want no part of Winter’s Publishing. And technically we were married without a prenup. If that is all I wanted, why would I need or want to spend this evening with you?”
“Fair. Please don’t hurt me, Alastair.”
