Twice the Temptation. Rochelle Alers

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СКАЧАТЬ the deal is off the table.”

      “And if I say yes?” Denise felt as if someone had put their fingers around her throat, slowly squeezing the life out of her.

      Rhett knew he had Denise on the ropes when he saw her shoulders slump. And, like a shark drawn to the smell of blood, he went in for the kill.

      “You give me the next three and a half months of your life and I’ll offer you a two-year lease with a ten percent increase.”

      “Make it three years and six percent,” she countered.

      “Three years, eight percent, and that’s my final offer.”

      Denise felt as if she’d won a small victory. Picking up her flute, she extended it. “Deal,” she crooned, touching glasses. She took a sip of champagne. “Why me, and not some other woman?” she asked, seeing his smug expression.

      Rhett lowered his gaze, staring at the back of his left hand. “I don’t have time to tutor someone about social etiquette and protocol.”

      “How often will I have to stand in as your hostess?”

      “Every weekend.”

      “Every weekend?” she repeated. “You’re kidding me, aren’t you?”

      “No, I’m not kidding you, Denise. We’ll either entertain here in D.C., or on Cape St. Claire.”

      The waiter’s sudden appearance to take their order was the only thing that stopped Denise from spewing the acid-laced response poised on the tip of her tongue. She narrowed her eyes, glaring at Rhett when she wanted to wipe the smirk off his face. Crossing her arms over her chest, she counted slowly in an attempt to control her temper.

      “It can’t be every weekend,” she said when they were alone again.

      Rhett angled his head. “Is your business open on the weekend?”

      She rolled her eyes at him. “No.”

      “It can’t be because of a man, because you said you didn’t have a boyfriend.”

      “Boyfriend or not, I still have other obligations.”

      Rhett glanced up, annoyance and frustration welling up within him. If he wasn’t careful, his plan would backfire and that was something he wanted to avoid, given the risks he’d taken to exact revenge from Denise Eaton for turning his world upside down. His most ruthless business foes hadn’t been able to affect him the way she had.

      He’d designed his retribution as carefully as he studied a company on the brink of bankruptcy before he stepped in to take it over. Rhett had been hard-pressed not to shout at the top of his lungs when his investigator uncovered that Denise had opened a child care center in D.C., and on property his company had recently purchased from a developer who’d been forced to abandon his plan to revitalize four square blocks of commercial real estate after the housing market bottomed out. He’d paid the developer a little more than half the fair market value for the property, and the developer took the check and thanked him profusely.

      His game plan included seducing Denise back into his bed, then walking out on her as she had walked out on him. The only difference was there wouldn’t be a woman waiting for him as there had been for her years ago.

      “What type of other social obligations?”

      “I have two fundraisers—one in June and the other in August. I’m also involved in planning my cousin Belinda’s baby shower.”

      Belinda Eaton-Rice was due at the end of the month and the family had decided that a get-together over the three-day weekend would provide an opportune setting for a baby shower.

      “Does she know about the shower?”

      Denise smiled for the first time since she’d agreed to go along with Rhett’s unorthodox proposal. “No. My parents are supposedly hosting the get-together, and that will give Griffin time to drive Belinda to Philly while the rest of us decorate their house in Paoli. Once they arrive, Griffin will have to come up with an excuse why they have to return to Paoli.”

      Rhett lifted his eyebrows a fraction. “I must say I was quite surprised when I’d heard that Griffin Rice had married Belinda Eaton.”

      It was Denise’s turn to raise her eyebrows. “How did you hear about it?”

      “Keith Ennis.”

      “You know Keith?” Denise asked. The Philadelphia Phillies ballplayer was a sports superstar. As Keith’s agent, Griffin had helped the naturally gifted athlete from a poor Baltimore neighborhood to superstar status with a five-year multimillion-dollar contract, along with high-profile endorsement deals.

      “We’d shared a table at a Baltimore fundraiser, and I overheard him tell someone he was going to be a groomsman in his agent’s wedding. When I heard him mention Belinda Eaton I knew then it was your cousin.”

      “Griffin and Belinda shocked everyone when they announced they were getting married,” Denise said, smiling. “I’d always thought they couldn’t stand each other.” She sobered. “Griffin losing his brother and Belinda her sister brought them closer together after they became guardians for Donna and Grant’s twin daughters.”

      “I’ve always liked your family, Denise.”

      She nodded, scrunching up her nose. “I kind of like them, too. In fact, Chandra asked me about you.”

      “And what did you tell her?”

      “She’d asked if I’d run into you now that I’m living in D.C. and I told her I hadn’t.”

      Rhett leaned closer. “That is, until now,” he said softly.

      Denise stared at Rhett. There was something in his eyes that communicated he was mocking her. A sixth sense wouldn’t let her feel comfortable about their reunion. It wasn’t coincidental that he’d happened to purchase the building where she’d set up New Visions Childcare. His reputation as a ruthless corporate raider had earned him the reputation as one of thirty under thirty rising stars in Beltway Business Review. At twenty-eight, Garrett Fennell was touted as the Warren Buffett of his generation. She knew there was only one way to find out what he was up to, and that was for her to play the same game.

      “Do you have anything planned for the Memorial Day weekend?”

      Rhett drained the flute. “I have an invitation to a neighbor’s cookout on Sunday. Why?”

      “Belinda’s shower is scheduled for Saturday afternoon, and I’d like you to come with me. After that, I’m all yours for the rest of the weekend.” Denise knew she’d shocked Rhett with her suggestion when he stared at her as if he’d never seen her before.

      “You want me to hang out with your family?”

      “Of course,” she said flippantly. “I’m certain they’ll welcome you back with open arms.”

      A beat passed before Rhett spoke again. “What did you tell your parents about our breakup?”

      Denise closed her eyes, recalling СКАЧАТЬ