The Tycoon's Reluctant Bride (2 page)

“
Go ahead.” She waved a hand in the direction of the laptop. He sat down, his large hands hovering over the keyboard. Clearing her throat, she asked, “Would you like a drink? I’ve got some juice in the fridge.”

“
Sure.” He glanced up at her for a second before returning his attention to the screen, a smile forming on his lips. “That would be good.”

Walking over to the scrupulously clean commercial kitchen that took up most of the office space, Laura took out a jug of freshly squeezed orange juice left over from today’s event. She poured two glasses, then carried them back to the desk.

“Thanks,” he said, taking a large swallow. He studied the screen in front of him once more. “You’re right. Your cash flow problems started four months ago.”

She raised her eyebrows, but decided not to comment. He
was
doing her a favor by looking at the books.

“
Do you own this place
?”
His eyes never left the screen.

“
Yes. My parents paid off the mortgage a few years ago.” Her parents had bought the premises a decade ago, and right now, it was something she was very thankful for. At least she didn’t have rent to worry about.

“
There’s something else,” she added hesitantly. Laura had no idea if it was relevant or not, but she might as well tell him everything.

“
What is it?” He switched his gaze to her face.

“
Around the same time we started having cash flow problems, another company began to undercut our quotes.”

“
Isn’t that normal?”

“
Yes, but not to this extent.” Laura frowned. “We know, or know of, our competitors. My parents have been in this business a long time. I’m sure all the catering companies in the city are undercut by one of their competitors from time to time. But…”

“
But?” The black depths of his eyes focused on her face.

“
But lately, at least half our quotes have been undercut - by a
lot.
There’s no way I could match those quotes
and
make a profit, however slim.”

“
Hmm.” Alex turned back to look at the computer screen. “Tell me more about your dealings with Crawson.”

Laura shrugged. “There’s not much else to tell. After he asked me for a date--"

“And you refused.” His eyes left the screen and watched her expression carefully.

“
Yes.” Alex seemed very interested in that part of the story. She mentally shook her head and continued, “He started calling me every couple of weeks, offering to buy the company. When I said it wasn’t for sale, I started having problems with a rival company undercutting me.”

“
Do you know which company it is?”

“
No.” Laura tugged down the end of her shirt again. It was a little unnerving to be the sole focus of Alex Trask.

“
Have you tried to find out?”

“
Of course.” Her eyebrows drew together. “I realize this isn’t technically my company, but I have worked here full-time for the last five years, and before that, during school vacations. I do have some idea of what I’m doing.” Honestly. She mightn’t be a billionaire but did he really think she hadn’t tried to find out what was going on?

“
Okay,” he said mildly. “I’m sure you have. But I have access to a few resources that you don’t. I’ll be able to find out who your main competitor is.”

“
Really?” Laura knew she sounded hopeful, but if Alex could find out who her business rival was, it would be a relief. “Thank you.” Her lips curved into a smile, faltering slightly when the expression on his face changed from business-like to something else. It looked remarkably like desire.

Don’t be silly.

Alex stood, his tall, lean frame radiating power. For a brief second, Laura thought she sensed sexual tension simmering in the air before dismissing the notion.

“
You do know that finding out who’s undercutting you won’t solve the problem of your clients not paying you on time.”

Her throat suddenly felt parched. Only a few inches separated them. Taking a step back, she nodded. “I know,” she managed to squeeze past her arid throat.

“If you keep hemorrhaging money like this, you
will
go bankrupt.”

“
Yes.”

“
You’re going to have to get these people to pay.” He took a step closer to her. An image of a panther flashed through her mind.

Laura licked her lips, desperately hoping her dry, husky voice would return to normal. “I know. But they’re ignoring me.”

“I might be able to help.” His eyes glinted with banked heat.

“
How?” she whispered.

“
I’ve had business dealings with a lot of your clients. They’ll listen to me.”

She blinked, trying to break his sensual spell. “Whereas they won’t listen to me.”

He shrugged. “They probably don’t think you can do much about it. You can take them to court, but that will take a while and involve lawyers, unless you want to down the DIY route.” Pausing, he added, “Which I don’t recommend.”

“
You’ll talk to them?” Hope rose in her chest.

“
Maybe.”

She caught a glimmer of a grin before it vanished. “Maybe?” Laura echoed.

“On two conditions.”

The silence stretched in the room. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. Her pulse jumped when Alex took another step toward her
.
When Laura couldn’t stand the tension any longer, she asked shakily, “What are they?”

“
Stay away from Crawson.”

Relieved, she said, “That’s easy. I haven’t seen him since I catered his party.”

“Good.” Alex almost growled. “He’s bad news. I don’t want you taking his calls, either.”

Laura crinkled her brow. “So what do I say to him if he calls me again with another offer? Alex Trask doesn’t want me to talk to you?” The situation struck her as funny and she tried to hide a smile, imagining herself saying that to Charles Crawson.

“Yes. Tell him to call me instead. Even better, get a new phone number. I noticed he called you on your cell, not the business line.”

Was he serious?
Once again, he’d surprised her with his attention to detail. But Laura realized it was actually a good idea. That way, she wouldn’t have to deal with Crawson anymore.

“
All right.”

His eyes left her for a moment and rested on the landline on the wooden desk. “Why
is
he calling you on your personal phone - it
is
your personal phone?”

“
Yes.” Her gaze flickered to her cell phone lying next to the laptop. Realizing he was waiting for the rest of her answer, she continued, “I have no idea how he got my phone number.”

Alex’s mouth tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He just continued to look at her, his gaze sweeping over her. She shifted, her heartbeat quickening. When he remained silent, she said, “You mentioned two conditions.”

“Yes.” He continued to stare at her, almost broodingly, for long seconds. “Marry me.”

“
What?” Laura gasped.

“
I asked you to marry me.” He continued to look at her, his eyes hooded.

“
But--”

“
As my wife I can protect you from people like Crawson. Once your clients know you’re married to me, I have no doubt they’ll pay their bills.”

No doubt.
Laura continued to stare at him, her mind racing. Alex might not have any doubts about his crazy suggestion, but she had plenty!

“
That’s hardly the response I expected,” he said dryly, as she remained silent.

Blinking, Laura said, “It’s crazy. You don’t even know me.”

“We’ll get to know each other once we’re married.” His gaze swept over her thoroughly. Heat rose, unbidden, to her cheeks.

What would it be like to get to know Alex Trask?

Laura commanded herself to stop thinking about it, before her whole body turned a shade of beetroot. She shook her head. She mightn’t have had many boyfriends in the past, but even she knew that a man didn’t propose marriage to someone he’d just met. Especially a billionaire. Women must swarm around Alex Trask like bees around a hive, so why on earth was he proposing to her?

Unless …

“You’re kidding, right?” That had to be it.

“
I rarely kid, Laura.”

She swallowed - hard. When he looked at her that way, as if she were the tastiest morsel he’d seen in a while, her nerve endings sparked like a firecracker on the fourth of July.

"Why ... why do you want to marry me?"

"I have my reasons." His expression became shuttered.

"But--"

"Yes or no?" His tone was abrupt.

“No,” she finally whispered. The idea was too incredible to contemplate. He was a total stranger. Laura had always imagined when she married it would be to a man she loved with her whole heart. She couldn’t marry someone - even if he was a billionaire - for reasons other than love
.

He looked at her for a long moment, as if the glint of command in his eyes would induce her to change her mind. Laura’s eyes drifted to his lips. Although she’d refused his proposal, what would it be like to kiss Alex Trask? To say yes, and marry him?

Don’t even go there.

“
All right,” he said finally, as if this was just an everyday business discussion
.
“But if you change your mind, you can reach me at this number.” He took out a business card from his wallet and scrawled a number on the back of it. “Day
or night.”

She tried not to gulp as she took the card from him, careful not to let her fingers graze his. But it was no use - his thumb brushed her hand in a touch so light it was a caress. Laura hoped he couldn’t hear her indrawn breath. “Thank you.”

He nodded, then turned to go. Once he reached the door, he said, “Don’t forget I can help you.”

If I marry you, Alex Trask.

###

Four days later, Laura squinted at the accounts program on her laptop. She still had trouble believing what had happened the other night, when Alex had come by the office.

He’s crazy.

Why would a billionaire want to marry her? She lived in a one-bedroom apartment, drove an old station wagon (handy for picking up gourmet items for the business) and liked wearing comfortable clothes and shoes. Maybe he’d heard about her secret craving for gourmet European chocolate and planned to shower her on their wedding day with fifty-five percent, seventy-seven percent and eighty-eight percent artisan chocolate bars. She giggled to herself, until she realized what she was laughing about and quickly sobered. A crazy billionaire who wanted to marry her.

At least, he
thought
he wanted to marry her. Laura shook her head. Alex could have just about any woman he wanted. She was hardly irresistible.

Telling herself to pay attention to the figures on the computer screen instead of thinking about an insane billionaire, no matter how good looking, or how he stirred her pulse - she couldn’t remember the last man who had done that just by talking to her - Laura focused her gaze back on the monitor. Sighing, she tapped the desk in frustration. Thanks to Alex’s check, she could pay the staff next month, but the rest of his money would go towards utilities and ingredients.

“Hi Laura.” The door opened and an older woman walked into the office.

“
Hi, Edna.” She smiled at the fifty-something matron. Edna had worked for her parents for the last fifteen years and was a whiz around the kitchen.

“
I’ve just quoted on the Bellamy job,” the gray-haired woman said, putting her purse down. “And I told them we now required a fifty percent deposit.”

“
Good.” Since Alex’s visit, Laura had decided to increase the deposit required from thirty percent
.
If people weren’t going to pay the balance of their account, at least the increased deposit amount would improve her cash flow.

Edna shrugged. “They asked if I could do better, but I told them our prices are competitive already.”

Laura nibbled her lip. The Bellamy’s twenty-first birthday party promised to be a huge event, and Laura had hoped they would land the account. Her parents had catered a few events for the Bellamy family in the past and they had always paid their bill promptly.

“
Did they mention receiving any other quotes?”

Edna nodded. “You know who - except we don't know who.”

Darn. Laura tried to hide her disappointment. “I suppose they didn’t mention who our mysterious rival is?”

“
Nope. They said the quote was confidential. I think it’s strange that there’s a catering company out there undercutting us but we don’t know who they are.”

“
Me too. Maybe we'll land the Bellamy party anyway.” Laura tried to sound positive.

“
Maybe,” the older woman echoed, although she didn’t sound very convinced.

Edna went through to the kitchen. They were catering a small party tonight, and Laura knew she could rely on her employee to prepare the dishes. Nancy and Joe would help serve at the event, while she and Edna concentrated on presenting the food with King Royale’s usual style and flair.

Laura scanned the unpaid client accounts
.
Three weeks ago, she’d sent out a reminder notice to a client who’d hired them to cater a large party, but still hadn’t paid the remainder of his account.

She picked up the phone, absolutely hating
this part of the job.

Two minutes later, she banged down the receiver in frustration. For once, she’d been able to get through to a client, but Mr. Wilson had informed her that due to his own cash flow problems, he wouldn’t be able to pay the remainder of his bill. Not for a few months at least. What was she going to do in forty days time, when it was time to pay the staff their August wages?

She’d been hoping against hope that Mr. Wilson would pay his bill. Laura wanted to scream, but restrained herself. She didn’t want Edna to worry about their lack of cash flow.

If she had savings, she would pour all of it into the business to keep it going, but she’d cut her own salary to the bone two months ago, when the problems had really started to affect the business’s bank account, and she’d already dipped into her savings to supplement her small salary.

Her parents’ money was tied up in long-term bank investments, and besides, she didn’t have the authority to access their bank account. Right now, they were trekking in a remote area of Peru and she had no way of contacting them. When her folks had left on their trip, the catering business was in a healthy state and none of them had foreseen the problems Laura now faced.

Including a marriage proposal by a billionaire.

Attempting to shake the thought from her head, she went over the accounts once more, hoping  that somehow the figures would look better this time. They didn’t.

Laura sighed as she tied on an apron and joined Edna in the commercial kitchen. She couldn’t let Mom and Dad forfeit the business they’d built up over the last twenty plus years.

She had to do something to fix this mess, otherwise she was going to lose everything her parents had worked for.

###

Laura scanned the posh living room from the kitchen doorway. The small business party was in full swing. Nancy and Joe circulated among the guests, offering them appetizing tidbits from silver trays. Well-dressed men and a few stylish women laughed and chatted as they sipped cocktails and single malt whiskey.

Then she saw him.

Laura drew in a deep breath.
Alex.
What was he doing here? She looked down at her outfit - gray pants and a white chef jacket, her hair caught up in a neat bun under a white cap.

The man who had proposed to her wore a smart, charcoal-gray suit that looked expensive, with a crisp white shirt and blue tie. He sipped an amber liquid from a cut glass tumbler.

She ducked back into the kitchen, her heart pounding. Bustling about the kitchen, she tried to keep her mind off him.

It didn’t work.

Although her chef outfit looked a little smarter than the clothes she’d worn when Alex had come to the office four nights ago - if you discounted the couple of minute food stains on her cleavage - the cotton garments did nothing for her generous figure.
At all.

Automatically swirling raspberry coulis onto the dessert platter, Laura couldn’t stop thinking about the decision she had to make. Without Mr. Wilson paying, she didn’t know how King Royale was going to continue to trade in August. Any of her overdue clients paying would be welcome, but it would barely be enough to help the company limp along for another month, or maybe two.

Unless she married Alex Trask.

Laura’s cell phone rang, the musical tone breaking into her racing thoughts. Wiping her hand on a cloth, she picked up the phone from her bag in the corner.

The male voice on the other end of the line did nothing to dispel her worries over the future.

“
Something wrong?” Edna inquired when Laura jammed her phone back into her handbag and stomped over to the kitchen sink.

“
We didn’t get the Bellamy account.” She couldn’t hide the distress in her voice.

“
I’m sorry, hon.” Edna looked at her sympathetically. “I know you were hoping we’d get it.”

“
Yeah.” Laura just wanted to curl up in a ball and cry. Why was
everything
going wrong?

Blinking back her tears, she finished garnishing the dessert platter, her mind repeating the same thought over and over.
She was out of options.

###

Laura had almost finished packing up when she overheard a conversation near the kitchen doorway.

“
I didn’t think Alex Trask would come.” A woman spoke in hushed tones.

“
I know!” said her companion. “It was such a last minute acceptance, after I told him we’d hired King Royale.”

Laura stilled, warmth flushing her skin. Alex knew she’d be working here tonight?
Maybe he just likes your food,
she tried to tell herself. But the memory of the look on his face when he proposed haunted her, just as it had for the last four nights when she’d tried to sleep. Had she imagined the gleam of desire in his eyes? Or was it just her imagination?

Firm footsteps alerted her to somebody entering the kitchen. She turned around, a polite smile on her face. Her smile faltered when Alex Trask stood before her. Her mouth suddenly dry, for a few seconds she could do nothing except look up at him.

“How’s business?” he inquired, his eyes sweeping over her, appearing to take in every aspect of her appearance.

For once, why couldn’t she be wearing a nice outfit that flattered her curvy figure when she came face-to-face with Alex? Instead of looking like a white blob?

“Fine,” she lied, fixing her gaze on the silk of his tie, wishing she had the courage to ask him if he only came tonight because he knew she was the caterer.

“
Really?” He raised an eyebrow in inquiry

Laura frowned. What would he say if she told him about Mr Wilson not paying his huge bill, or that she'd missed out on the Bellamy party? She shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant but aware of failing - miserably.

“My offer is still open.” He took a couple of steps towards her. Although the kitchen was a decent size, it suddenly felt crowded. Laura resisted the urge to retreat. “But not forever,” he continued smoothly, taking another step towards her.

She couldn’t help it - taking a step back, she felt the stainless steel of the sink against her spine. “Alex--”

“I meant what I said.” He took one more step towards her. Now, only a few inches separated them.

She gazed up at him, her pulse rapid. What would it be like to be wrapped in his arms, to kiss him … to make love with Alex Trask? If she married him, she might find out.