The Billionaire's Blackmail Bargain. Margaret Mayo

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СКАЧАТЬ his arms snaked around her waist, and she was pulled back against the hard, exciting length of him. She didn’t fight. What was the point? Fighting Cade had always been useless. And, actually, it felt good to be held by him. She dropped her head back on his shoulder, felt his warm breath feathering her cheek, and for one crazy moment she wished that things were different between them.

      But they weren’t, and they never would be. ‘I’m sorry things haven’t worked out for you,’ he said, his voice surprisingly soft.

      Simone remained silent. He was saying what he thought she wanted to hear. He didn’t mean it. Too much had happened between them for him to be genuine. He was only offering to help with the business because it would be to his benefit. Cade would probably tie her up in complicated legal knots, and she’d sign her life away and be left with nothing. Just as he thought she had done to him!

      As this second thought struck her, Simone struggled to free herself. Cade was clever, but not clever enough. ‘Don’t worry about me, Cade, I’m all right,’ she insisted.

      ‘Then I suggest we begin our meal.’ He sounded incredibly satisfied as he led her to the table, confirming in Simone’s mind that she had every reason to be wary of him. It didn’t stop her responding to his sex appeal, though. It was so strong that it came across her in waves of thick emotion. She had only to breathe the air around them to feel an instant stirring of her senses.

      He was so insufferably arrogant these days that she didn’t know how she could possibly react so wildly. It had to be a throwback to her youth, and the heady rush she had felt as she had fallen in love for the first time. It was said that no one ever forgot their first love. Well, she most certainly had never forgotten Cade. What she hadn’t expected was for the same feelings to come tumbling back.

      She found herself hungering for his kisses, wondering whether they would be the same as they had been or whether he’d improved. She used to think that was impossible; how could you improve on perfection? But where Cade was concerned she was quickly beginning to learn that anything was feasible.

      In the centre of the table was a red rose in a bud vase. Simone hadn’t noticed it before, and she winced as she remembered that this was Cade’s signature tune before spending a romantic evening together.

      She felt like picking the vase up and flinging it across the room, but of course she didn’t. She ignored it, sitting perfectly still instead.

      ‘You’ve gone very quiet all of a sudden,’ said Cade as he filled their wine glasses. ‘What are you thinking?’

      His voice, deep and amused, had her looking up with a startled expression in her lovely eyes. ‘Nothing,’ she answered.

      ‘Impossible. Unless, of course, by nothing you mean that I was the object of your thoughts, mmm?’

      Of course he knew that she’d been thinking about him. He’d always had an invisible antenna that picked up on her thoughts whenever he was in them. It looked like some things never changed, and that she’d need to be even more wary in future.

      ‘It would be pretty ridiculous not to think about you when you’re right here in front of me,’ she replied sharply.

      Cade raised his glass. ‘Here’s to us, then. To a successful partnership.’

      Simone eyed him warily. ‘Partnership?’ She wasn’t aware that she had agreed to anything yet.

      ‘What else would you call it?’

      ‘Nothing,’ she said quickly, trying to dismiss the fact that she’d been thinking he might want a complete takeover. ‘To our partnership,’ she agreed reluctantly, lifting her glass too, knowing she had absolutely no other choice.

      ‘And to the future,’ he said. ‘Whatever that might hold.’

      There was silence for a few seconds, each deep in their own thoughts, and then Cade smiled and said, ‘I’ve ordered oysters for our entrée, Simone. Kilpatrick, just as you like them.’

      He remembered. But oysters? Oysters and champagne— both aphrodisiacs, allegedly! Was that what this evening was all about? Did he want to get her into his bed?

      The very thought sent serious sensations zinging their way through her. She tightened the muscles at the apex of her thighs, and vowed not to let herself give way to temptation. The trouble was he was still so utterly, utterly gorgeous. Long, dark lashes framed his amazing golden eyes, his nose was straight and only slightly flared, and his mouth—not too generous, not too small— Well, she ached to be kissed by those exciting lips.

      ‘Of course, there’d be interest to pay.’ He was back to the main topic of conversation.

      Faint alarm had her looking sharply at him. ‘Even though you’d be a partner?’

      ‘Even so.’ He pushed himself up and walked ever so slowly round the table towards her, his eyes on hers every inch of the way, never deviating, never blinking.

      Simone’s heartbeats increased to a treacherous level. She had a feeling she wasn’t going to like what he had to say next. He wasn’t talking about money here, it was something far more dangerous.

      ‘So what is it exactly you want from me, Cade?’ she asked when he came to a halt at her side. She could feel the heat of his skin, see the dark pupil in the centre of his eyes, smell the dangerous male scent of him. Every one of her senses was on high alert.

      ‘I’ll turn your company around in return for…’

      Simone knew what he was doing. He was testing her nerves, wanting to see whether she’d back out before he put any clauses into their agreement. She stood up and looked straight into his face, trying not to show the panic swirling inside her.

      His golden eyes blazed into hers, claiming her, making her his before he’d even spoken. ‘In return for you in bed beside me. Every night. As my mistress. No concessions. If you want to keep your business, you’ve no choice.’

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