To Catch a Man (In 30 Days or Less) (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (4 page)

“I’d love to hear more,” she said.

He responded with a laugh.  “I knew
you would.  Now the only question is, how soon can we meet?  The situation is a
bit urgent, I’m afraid.  My current project manager is due to have a baby soon. 
Would you be available tomorrow?”

Indie bit her lip.  Tomorrow was
good but today was even better.  The sooner she could get a face-to-face
meeting with Stone the sooner she could start working her plan…or, more
accurately, Tessa’s.  They didn’t have much time.  “What about today?”

“Sounds good to me,” he said
without hesitation.  “The sooner, the better.”

“Is five o’clock too late?  I could
be at your office by then.”  Indie was feeling pleased with herself at how
easily she’d pulled off an early meeting when she looked over and saw Tessa. 
Her friend was frantically shaking her head and mouthing the word ‘later’.

“Wait, five o’clock may not work. 
What about seven?”  Indie backtracked but meanwhile she was glaring at Tessa. 
What was wrong with her?

“We could meet at Palmetto's, that great
restaurant on Maple Avenue.”

“That’s fine,” Indie said, feeling
totally distracted.  Tessa was signaling something else and she couldn’t figure
out what two fingers pointing to the lips meant.  She was so preoccupied with
Tessa, if Stone had suggested they meet under a bridge she would have agreed. 
“I’ll see you at seven,” she said then hung up.

“What?”  She gave Tessa a look of
annoyance.  “Didn’t you see I was trying to set up the appointment?”

“Yes, and that’s the problem.”

Indie narrowed her gaze.  “The
problem?  I thought that was the plan.”

“It was at first but then I
thought, why settle for an appointment when you can get a date?”  Tessa gave
her a grin of triumph.  “And it worked!  Now we have exactly five hours to get
you ready.”  She ran over and grabbed Indie’s arm.  “Come on.”

“Where are we going?"  Indie
pulled back, unwilling to get caught up in Tessa’s whirlwind of excitement.

“To the mall, of course.  We have
to get you a dress, shoes, a nice purse, makeup.  Oh, and your hair.  We’ve got
to do something about that hair.”

Indie lifted her hand and ran her
fingers through her black strands.  “What’s wrong with it?”

Tessa rolled her eyes.  “You’re
seriously asking that question?  It makes you look like a boy.  Now once my
hair stylist gets his hands on you, you’ll be a new woman.  He’ll layer the
strands, get your hair to softly frame your face and soften those lines, then
he’ll-”

“All right, whatever.”  Indie
grabbed her keys from off the desk and stuffed them into her pocket.  “Let’s
go.” 

Tessa almost bounced out of the
room, she was so eager.

Indie could only sigh.  For years Tessa
had been trying to ‘beautify’ her with manicured nails, fancy dresses and
jewelry.  She’d resisted every attempt until now.  But fate – or maybe just her
desire to get the fourteen million dollars – had led her straight into Tessa’s
hands.  Heaven help her.

They jumped into the Land Rover and
sped off to The Burlington Mall where Tessa took Indie on a whirlwind shopping
spree, dragging her into at least eight stores until they found the perfect
dress, an emerald green sheath that showed off her long legs and svelte frame. 
Then, a quick dash to Julio’s, where the expert trimmed and feathered until Indie’s
hair caressed her nape, emphasizing her slender neck and tickling her cheeks. 
When he spun the chair around so she could look in the mirror she almost didn’t
recognize herself.  If she should admit it, she could actually pass for a
beautiful woman.  A model, even.  When Tessa said Julio had talent and could
transform her, she wasn’t kidding.

“Now for the shoes.”  Tessa dragged
her off again, and this time it took three shoe stores before they found a
pretty pair that made Indie’s size nine feet look dainty.

An eyebrow and upper lip wax and a
manicure later, Indie was out of pocket a few hundred dollars but actually
quite pleased with her new look.  It was a far cry from the rugged, outdoorsy
look she usually sported. 

“It’s a quarter to six,” Tessa
said, pointing to the clock on the salon wall.  “We’ve got to get you ready.”

It took them exactly eighteen
minutes to get to Indie’s house which was thankfully only three blocks away
from Tessa’s.  At least she wouldn’t have to drop her friend home before
rushing off to her date.  Tessa could easily walk.  It took Indie another
twenty minutes to shower and dress and twelve whole minutes for Tessa to do her
makeup.  Indie had thought the haircut was transforming but when Tessa was done
she could truly say she was a new woman. 
Move over, Lois Lane.  Indiana
Lane is ready to snag herself her own Superman. 

At the door she drew in a deep
breath, tucked her gold purse under her arm and gave Tessa a slightly less than
confident smile.  “Wish me luck,” she whispered, not feeling at all like her
usual self-assured self but more like the wishy-washy women she normally
scoffed at.  Now, with her mission being to capture the full attention of her
target, she had become one of them.  Her lips curled in self derision.  The
things people did for money.  Although, in her case it would all go to worthy
causes.  She didn’t intend to spend a cent of it on herself.  That is, assuming
she even got it…

But even as she walked to her
vehicle Indie knew deep down that this wasn’t all about the money.  To her
chagrin she was beginning to realize that there was a part of her that really
wanted this – the date, getting to know Stone Hudson and maybe, just maybe,
getting him to feel something for her, possibly attraction, maybe even…love.

She shook her head
.  Get your
mind out of the clouds, woman.  This is business.
  She started the engine
and pulled out of the driveway then headed off to her date with Stone Hudson. 
With her purse full of notes from Tessa, instructions on how to mesmerize the
man in question, the night promised to be interesting, to say the least.

CHAPTER
FOUR

Stone strode into Palmetto's where
he was a well-known and valued patron.  He was immediately ushered to the
private lounge reserved for special guests.  He’d left instructions for Indiana
to be escorted to this private dining room immediately upon arrival.  He hated
to keep a lady waiting and had made sure to get there over ten minutes earlier
than the appointed time.

He was relaxed in the plush chair,
skimming the wine list, when the maitre-d’ ushered in an exquisitely elegant
lady in a stunning emerald dress that molded her curves like a second skin.  As
the man brought her closer Stone raised his eyebrows in surprise.  Why was she
here?  Had they got his unexpected visitor mixed up with someone else? 

He rose to his feet and gave a
courteous nod and that was when he got a really good look at the queen who had
sauntered into his private salon.  Her lips pert and prettily painted, her hair
soft and feathery around her face and her eyes – those beautiful eyes, now
arresting in their beauty, the colors on the lids making them sparkling green
behind her long lashes.  The regal beauty standing before him was none other
than his awaited guest, Indiana Lane.

Her dramatic beauty stunned Stone. 
He knew Indiana was beautiful but this was way beyond what he could have
imagined.  Realizing he was still staring he gave her a smile to break the
tension.

She smiled back then she did
something that threw him for a loop.  Was she batting her eyelids at him?  He
had to stop himself before he got caught in a frown.  Was cool and
matter-of-fact Indiana Lane flirting with him?

He had no time to ponder that
question.  She was standing right in front of him now, her lips parted, her chin
tilted up toward him.

“Indiana, thank you for coming,” he
said as his eyes roamed her face.  “You look very beautiful this evening.”

She cocked her eyebrow and gave him
a slow, even smile.  “Why, thank you,” she breathed, her voice a deep, sultry
purr. 

God, what a contrast to the firm
tone she’d used on him the evening before.  He blinked then pulled out the
chair for her and as she sat down  his nostrils were filled with the seductive
fragrance of her perfume.  He could only describe it as seductive because, if
the tightness in his groin was anything to go by, he had already fallen under
her spell.

He went to sit on his own chair,
thankful for the chance to hide his lower half from view.  With relief he took
the wine list from the maitre d’ and pretended to be lost in its contents.  He
needed those few seconds to readjust his thermostat.  He put a hand up and ran
his finger inside his collar then tugged his tie back in place.  God, it was
hot in here.

The maitre d’ called a black-suited
young man and thankfully, by the time the server took the orders, Stone was
back to normal.  The room had cooled down wonderfully in the past few minutes.

He turned round from thanking the
server and was just about to say something charming to Indiana – or ‘Indie’ as
she called herself – when he noticed that she’d opened her little gold purse
and was carefully perusing what looked like a folded sheet of paper on which
she had notes or some sort of list.  And as she read she was frowning, seeming
deep in concentration, and she was mouthing the words.  If he could read lips
he would swear she’d mouthed, “Always flatter him".  He almost laughed at
his stupidity.  There was no way her paper said anything like that.  He was
ninety-nine percent sure that what she was reading had something to do with
business.

“Lots of things on your ‘To-Do’
list?” he said with a smile.  “Had to take you work with you, I see.”  His tone
was teasing.  He knew what it was to have a million and one things to cram into
a measly twenty-four hours.

Indie jumped and her wide-eyed gaze
flew to his.  She immediately dropped her gaze again, shoved the paper back
into her purse and snapped it shut.  Then she dragged it off the table and
dropped it onto her lap.  When she looked up again her face was rosy with a guilty
blush.

That only made Stone smile wider. 
It was amusing, maybe even sweet, that she’d taken her work with her and then
felt guilty at being caught.  “It’s okay,” he said magnanimously.  “No need to
feel bad.  I’ve been guilty of the same thing.”

When she gave him a look of
confusion he continued.  “Taking my work with me.  Not leaving it back at the
office.” 

At that, her face cleared.  “Oh,”
she said, a look of relief passing over her face, “that.  Yes, I…can’t seem to
leave the office behind.”  She gave a little giggle and it made her seem much
younger and a whole lot less audacious than the woman he’d met the day before. 
Charming, but he sort of missed the woman he’d run into.

By the time the meal arrived Indie
was almost back to what he considered her normal self, ribbing him again about
his name.  She was never going to let him live that one down.  But then, just
like the transformation that had taken place with her appearance, her
personality changed again.  Indie’s lips softened in a smile and her eyelids
lowered seductively.  “Uhm, that’s a lovely tie you’re wearing.”

Stone couldn’t even remember which
tie he’d grabbed when he was getting dressed.  He glanced down and saw that it
was a narrow black one with thin, almost invisible strips of gray.  Nothing
spectacular, as far as he was concerned.  But maybe it appealed to women.  He
had no idea, but Indie certainly seemed to like it.  “Thank you.”  He
acknowledged her compliment with a nod and a smile.

“And your cologne,” she said
softly.  “What is it?  Issey Miyake?”

Surprised, he nodded.  She had a
great nose for scents.

“Perfect choice,” she almost
crooned.  “It suits you.”  Then she lifted her glass and the tip of her pink
tongue slipped from between ruby lips to taste the dark red liquid.  She took a
slow sip and raised shimmering green eyes to him.

Stone almost groaned.  If she kept
this up he’d probably reach across the table for her and kiss her senseless.  A
man could only take so much.  He shifted in his seat but getting comfortable
was next to impossible just then.

He cleared his throat.  “How’s your
steak?” he asked as he picked up his fork again.

She blinked.  Then, as if snapping
out of a trance, she straightened up and the smoldering embers left her eyes. 
Instead, the mischievous light was back and her lips curled in a smile.  “Very
well done, like I asked.”

He looked at the dark mass on her
plate.  “It looks like it’s been burned to a crisp,” he said.

“Just the way I like it,” she said
with a laugh and to his relief it was a real laugh, not low and sexy and
disturbing, but light and melodic and genuine.  Now that was the Indie he
liked.

After that, they settled into
companionable conversation while they ate until Indie closed her knife and fork
and dabbed at her lips with her napkin.  “I’ll be right back,” she said,
smiling.  “I just need to powder my nose.”

Gracefully, she got up and turned
to go but then she spun around and grabbed her tiny purse from where she’d
placed it beside her napkin.  Another bright smile and then she was walking
away, her hips swaying with every step.

She was almost at the door, heading
out of the private dining room, when the seductive sway of her hips was
interrupted by a stumble and then a curse under her breath.  Stone made to get
up and help her but she immediately righted herself and, still muttering,
disappeared through the door.

He sank back in his chair, shaking
his head.  Talk about a mystery woman.  One minute alluring temptress and the
next, swearing like a truck driver, albeit under her breath.  Which one was
she, really?  No wonder men could never understand women.  With a man, what you
saw was pretty much what you got.  With a woman, you just never knew…