The Billioniare's Bought Bride (Contemporary Romance) (5 page)

Chapter Three

Surely she hadn’t heard him correctly. “What did you say?” She shifted, ready for a quick exit.

“Don’t,” Dylan warned. He closed his eyes and his forehead furrowed into creases as he exhaled a deep breath. The silence stretched and lengthened into something akin to eternity. Finally, he spoke.

“Here’s the deal. I will give you the money for Summerhaven. I will forgive your loan, pay your taxes, and pay for upkeep. In turn…” He opened his eyes and pinned her with his gaze. “In turn, Maddy, you will give yourself as collateral. You will live with me, stay by my side, and share my bed.”

Rage and disgust stabbed her, sharper and deeper than any knife. “How dare you?  I’m not a prostitute. You… You…”

Hot bitter tears filled her eyes and she jumped to her feet, her quaking knees somehow holding her weight. “I’ll lose Summerhaven to high rise condos before I ever become any man’s bought and paid for mistress. You, you can go to…!”  She ignored her grandmother’s warnings and teachings regarding proper behavior. “Go to hell, Dylan!”

She stormed toward the door.

Dylan’s arm snaked forward and he caught her hand, twisting her around and stopping her flight. He yanked her into his arms and onto his lap. “Why do females think that whenever a man is silent for more than one second he is finished talking?” 

He pressed a finger to her lips and her eyes widened at the invasive gesture. “I’m not through. Although, perhaps we should get this out of the way.”

He lowered his mouth to hers, catching her ensuing gasp. The kiss was the opposite of the tender kisses he’d bestowed ten years ago. Instead Dylan’s lips began a total assault
on her senses—a pure, decadent plunder. He nipped and teased, and then shot his tongue inside for full exploration. On their own volition, Maddy’s hands threaded themselves into his hair. Her nipples thrust toward his chest, and heat pooled between her legs. She wanted him to touch her.

Triumph flashed in his eyes as he lifted his head and set her away from him, onto her own chair. “There. I doubt the physical aspect of our relationship will be a problem.”

She thumped down on the chair pad, angered and
chastised
. “Go to hell.”

He had the gall to laugh. “You already said that.”

She fought back, disgusted by her capitulation to his kiss. She might lose Summerhaven, but she would not lose her pride or her standards. “Just because you can make me hot and bothered doesn’t mean anything. Other women may degrade and cheapen themselves, but I won’t. I’m not spreading my legs to save my land, even for you.”

His eyes narrowed and his brows knit closer. “For the first time you disappoint me, Maddy.”

“What? That I’m not a whore? That I won’t sleep with you in exchange for money and loan forgiveness? I’ll sell my property first. At least I’ll have some dignity left.”

“Good. Because it pains me that you think sex is all I want from you. I don’t require an easy lay. There are plenty of those women out there. Do you really think I’ve changed that much as to not have any respect for you?”

“You certainly haven’t shown me any. You kissed me against my will.”

An eyebrow arched. “You weren’t resisting.”

True. Still, pride dictated a denial. “Whatever.  Only a jerk kisses someone as a power play. So no, I don’t know what type of man you think you are. As for respecting me? You’ve played me for a fool all along.”

“And you haven’t done the same? Ten years ago I believed I loved you—that those words we said to each other weren’t just a summer thing, but that they were real.”

“I told you I’m sorry!”

He shook his head. “Everyone knows love is an illusion. We were kids. Dumb, stupid teenagers with no clue about how life really was. I won’t be dumb, stupid or unworthy again.”

“I will not be your mistress, or your….” She broke off, her chest heaving. “I will sell my land to someone else. There are other people interested.”

“I know. So listen carefully to my offer, Maddy. You need money and I don’t want a mistress. I want a wife. I’m twenty-eight and I’ve decided it’s time to settle down, marry and have a family. Marriage to you will serve both of us well.”

“Marriage?” She stared at him but his face was impenetrable stone. She struggled for solid ground in a world full of quicksand. “This is ridiculous. You’re proposing marriage? Why?”

“Because you’re Maddy Johansson. Your family name means something, rather like Kennedy or Rockefeller. Even better, all of our flaws are already exposed. We won’t have any emotional entanglements or attachments that will cloud things. It’s obvious how you feel about me.”

She was horrified. “Marriage isn’t a cold blooded business proposition.”

His poker face never changed. “All things are business propositions. The sooner you learn that, the better off you’ll be in this world. Most people let overrated emotions like love get in the way of common sense. Would you rather I tell you that I want to see you lying naked beneath me, your face covered with the sweat of our lovemaking, and that I’m willing to do the decent thing and marry you and save your precious Summerhaven for
that privilege? After all, I’m sure if I kissed you again I could take you right here on this table.”

She reached over to smack him and he caught her hand. 

“So those graphic words aren’t more to your liking? No? Well, given your financial situation, marriage to me is the best solution. Marriage, Maddy. Legitimacy. Not my mistress, but my wife. Why shouldn’t I choose you? Didn’t we plan to marry each other all those years ago? To death do us part and all that? Didn’t we swear to wait for each other? Would you like me to tell you I’ve waited for you? Although you were engaged, so really, so much for that idea.”

She started to answer but Dylan placed a finger on her open lips. “I’m not finished. You’ll have to work on that annoying habit, just as I’ll work on not creeping up on you.”

She jerked her head away from his finger, which had, for a brief second, caressed her lips and left her tingling.

“I’m certain we’ll manage to do more than tolerate each other,” Dylan continued. “We made a good team once.” 

He paused, lowering his lashes and sending her the smoldering look he’d used that summer, before he’d kissed her. Her first kisses at age sixteen had rocked her core. The one they’d shared minutes ago had her rattled. Surely he didn’t plan another demonstration!

He edged closer. “Let’s see if I can refresh your memory. I remember vows, dreams, oh, even plans to run away together once you turned eighteen. You were going to be my princess, and
me,
your prince. Surely you can spare a little of that former magic to save your land under the respectable guise of marriage.”

She shifted away and struggled for sanity. “I’d still be selling myself. You’re
demented!”

Broad shoulders shrugged. “If you wish to call me crazy, fine. I’ve been called much worse.”

Maddy fought for precarious footing. “Surely you could find someone else to marry, someone who loves you. I certainly don’t. I rejected you! Remember?”

She did. That nightmarish scene was as fresh as if it had been yesterday when she’d watched Ted and two of his friends beat up Dylan. She’d been about to tell Dylan she had to stop seeing him. But she hadn’t yet broken the news, which she was sure she somehow could have tempered and softened, when Ted and his friends had arrived.

Only Maddy’s outright declaration, her cold, bitter rebuke, had stopped the one-sided fight that had left Dylan with a puffy eye and bloody nose and possible bruised ribs. She’d never spoken to him again, until yesterday.

He sensed her thoughts. “Like you said earlier, you were sixteen and threatened. But I made vows that summer. I intend to see them through. Now is as good a time as any to get what we both want. You’ll get your land; I’ll get a wife. Besides, you were raised to be the perfect hostess. You know all about manners and breeding. That will be very helpful to me in cultivating the type of people with whom I will be doing business in the future.”

He paused and assessed her. His lips curled in amusement. “Surely you’re not now speechless?”

What was there to say? He was buying her bloodline, and a cold-blooded business proposition was not the type of marriage proposal she’d envisioned. Even Michael’s proposal had been more romantic, although then again, look how that relationship had turned out.

“I don’t know what to say.” Safe words, admitted with an honest shrug. Saving her
land by marrying Dylan, while the ultimate temptation, came with strings attached.

“We’ll live in Chicago, which is where I make my home, and spend the summers here. You won’t need to teach, but you can do so until we have children. There are many nice private schools in Chicago. I’m on the board of two of them.”

“You sound very sure of yourself, as if you know I’ll say yes.”

“What other choice do you have?”

None.
“You’re despicable.”

He ignored that. “Think about it, Maddy. I could easily afford to summer in the Hamptons, only I don’t prefer Long Island or the seashore. I like it here. Notice, everything I own on Knollwood Lake remains undeveloped.”

“Unlike your other parcels all over the county.”

He held up his hand, palm outward. “A man has a right to make a living and many of those plots were developed after I sold them. My decision to marry you is one more step in a plan I put into motion years ago. Oh, and to erase any doubts, I definitely want you. While I won’t ever again tell you I love you like I did that summer, for that emotion has died, I’ll make certain you stay pleasured and satisfied. I’ll be faithful, unlike your fiancé.”

“How dare you bring that up?"

“I will dare. He didn’t deserve you.”

“And you do?”

“I know what you need. That kiss made you putty.”

Her body quivered. “It’s chemistry. Pheromones or whatever.”

“Who cares? All lead to pleasure in bed. I can take you to heights you’ve never experienced, do things to you I wanted so badly that summer but didn’t because you were underage. I’ve waited ten years for you.”

She said nothing and he continued. “You can spend my money and laugh all the way to the tax office. Better yet, think of Summerhaven restored to all its former glory. You can fix up your home. You will have access to my bank accounts. After all, married couples share everything.”

“But not love.”

His eyes narrowed. “No. That is not part of the equation.” He ran a finger up and down her arm, and his touch tickled. She shivered. “This is a business deal with benefits that suit both of us. But be warned, this is a forever deal. At some point, you will give me children. I am an only child. My mother desperately wants to be a grandmother. She’d be pleased to know we’d found each other again. For her, we pretend our marriage is a love match. That we’ve rediscovered ourselves and rekindled the flame.”

Maddy faltered. The entire idea of marrying Dylan boggled her mind. Michael had been all about professing his love, yet he’d been sleeping around to satisfy his sex drive.

At least Dylan wasn’t promising love. Yet how could she be seriously considering his proposition?  This was Dylan, her grandfather’s nemesis. When had she lost her mind? Probably the very day she’d learned she was going to lose Summerhaven.

Dylan inched closer, his lips moving into kissing range. “Why don’t you take time today and think things over? How about we continue this discussion over dinner tonight?” 

He toyed with her fingertips, his gentle touch short-circuiting her body. She yanked her hand away and put it in her lap. He was enjoying this, the bastard.

“Go home and contemplate my offer. You can give answer me tonight. After all, the clock is ticking.”

“I know that. It’s the only think I’m sure of.

Her answer garnered an amused smile, like that of a man taming a hissing kitten.
“Marry me and I’ll save Summerhaven. They don’t make houses like her anymore. I can save her from being replaced with condos. I can give you everything you want.”

But to keep her home, she’d have to trade away her chance at love. At finding her soul mate. Once again she’d have to choose between her land and true love.

Underneath the table, Maddy clenched her hands and dug her fingernails into her palms. Ten years ago she’d have given her eyeteeth for any type of future with Dylan. She’d adored him. But no matter how many dreams they’d shared or how many vows they’d made, no matter how many declarations of love or passionate kisses, he’d never lost control.

“I had many cold showers that summer because of you, many long swims in the lake,” Dylan said, as if reading her mind. “Chemistry can be a very powerful thing. When we make love, it’ll be unlike anything you’ve ever known.”

“Now isn’t the time,” Maddy replied, her face turning a mortified shade of pink.

He nodded, all back to business. “Of course not. I’ll pick you up at five. We’ll supper at the country club.”

“Please not by boat.” The words slipped forth automatically. When she’d been a child, her grandfather had loved to boat over to the club, and often the family had gotten drenched in a late thundershower that had rolled in after dusk. Stephen had thought the adventure great fun.