Billionaire Bachelors: Stone

He stared at her, clearly taken aback. “Why?” When she nodded, he sat back, as if to distance himself from the question. “Well, because it’s a good business decision.”

“But surely there are other companies out there that fit the bill. Why this company?”

“Because it’s my heritage. My great-grandfather founded Smythe Corp. It would be a shame to see it pass out of the family.”

There was something more there, she realized as she registered the tension in his posture, something she couldn’t put her finger on, that underlay his stated reasons for wanting that particular company. But she had a feeling he wouldn’t take kindly to being pushed any further.

“Will you do it?” he asked.

“I don’t know.” She chewed her lip. “It seems so dishonest—”

“Any less dishonest than trying to force me into marriage just because she’s decreed it’s time?” he demanded. For the first time, his control slipped and she caught a glimpse of the desperation lurking beneath his stoic facade. But he quickly controlled it, and when he spoke, his voice was calm again. “It would only be for a year,” he said, “or a bit more. Strictly temporary. Strictly platonic. Except that we’d have to convince my mother that it’s a real marriage. I’m not asking you to lie about anything that would hurt anyone.” He stared deep into her eyes. “Think about that company, Faith. It’s been in my family for three generations. If it’s sold to an outsider, who knows what kind of restructuring might occur? Hundreds of people might lose their jobs.”

She frowned at him. “That’s emotional blackmail.”

He grinned ruefully. “Did it work?”

She stared at him, her thoughts crashing over each other in chaotic patterns. “Would we live together?”

He nodded. “You’d have to move into my place for the duration. But we’d get an annulment when the time comes. And I’d expect to pay you for your time.”

Pay you. She was almost ashamed of the mercenary thoughts that rushed through her head. Practical, she told herself, not mercenary. Not much. She couldn’t possibly let him pay her. Not after all he’d done for her. This would be a good way to do something for him in return. Besides, if she moved in with him, she wouldn’t have to keep renting her apartment.

She could go back to school, get a lot farther along in her education more quickly, if she didn’t have living expenses. She only had a year and a half to go. Which meant that she’d be able to start repaying him sooner. Because regardless of what he said, she was going to pay back everything he’d done for her and her mother in the years since her father had died. And suddenly, that goal didn’t seem so totally out of reach.

A profound relief washed over her and she closed her eyes for a moment.

“Are you all right?” He reached across the table and cupped her chin in his hand.

She swallowed, very aware of the warmth of his strong fingers on her skin. His touch sent small sizzling streamers of excitement coursing through her and she suppressed a shiver of longing. “Yes.” But it came out a whisper. She cleared her throat. “But you can’t pay me.”

He released her chin, his brows snapping together. “Of course I’ll—”

“No. I’m in your debt already.”

“All right,” he said promptly. “How about this: if you marry me for the time I need to get Smythe Corp., I’ll consider all the debt you imagine you owe me to be paid in full.”

She froze for a moment as hope blossomed. Then she realized she couldn’t possibly make a deal like that. It wouldn’t be fair to him. She started to shake her head, but before she could speak, Stone raised a hand.

“Hear me out. Marriage would be a sacrifice. You’d lose a year of your freedom. You’d be expected to attend social functions with me and play the part of hostess when we entertain. We’d have to convince my mother it was a real marriage for real reasons.”

She didn’t ask what he meant, but she could feel a blush heating her own face now as she sat silently considering his proposal.

“It’s a fair deal,” he urged. “An exchange of favors, if you like.”

She wasn’t so sure of that. Taking care of her mother and her for eight years weighed a lot more on her scale than one measly year of marriage did. But when she met his gaze, she could see the iron determination there. If she didn’t agree to this, he was liable to start in about paying her again.

And there was another factor, one that outweighed even her concerns about her finances. A moment ago, she’d seen naked panic in his eyes at the thought of losing that company. It wasn’t financial, she was sure. But it was terribly important to Stone for some reason. And because she’d discerned that, she knew what her answer had to be.

“All right,” she said hoarsely. “It’s a deal. But there are three conditions.”

He only raised one eyebrow.

“I’d like to continue with my education—”

“You don’t need to finish school.” Impatience quivered in every line of his big body. “You’ll be doing me an enormous favor with this marriage. The least I can do is settle a sum on you at the end of the year. You won’t need to work at all.”

“I want to work,” she insisted. “And I want to go back to school.”

“You won’t be able to work,” he said. “Can you imagine what the press would do with that?”

Unfortunately she could. As one of the richest men in the country, Stone dealt with a ridiculous amount of intrusive press.

“You’d have to consider being my wife your job,” he said. “But I’ll pay your tuition if you insist on taking classes.”

“I do,” she said firmly. “I’ll reenroll for the summer session.”

“All right. Now what’s the third thing?”

She hated that she had to ask him for help with anything, but she had no choice. And it wasn’t for her. “My mother,” she said quietly. “The cost of her care—”

“Is not a problem for me,” he said firmly. Then he leaned forward. “In fact, if you like, we could move your mother into my home. There’s an apartment on the main floor for live-in help but I’ve never had anyone live in. She could stay there.”

It was a generous offer and a generous thought, even if he was doing it for selfish reasons. She swallowed, more tempted by the thought than she should be. It would make her life much easier in many ways. And she’d be able to see her mother every day, perhaps even help with her care

“Please,” Stone said. “I’d really like you to do this, Faith.”

She studied his handsome face, serious and unsmiling, his eyes intense with the force of his will and an odd feeling rippled through her. “All right,” she said. Then she cleared her throat and spoke more firmly. “I’ll marry you.”

The next morning, Saturday, he picked her up in his silver Lexus and took her to his home so that she could see where she’d be living and check out the apartment for her mother. He’d asked her to stop working immediately, and though he could tell she didn’t like it, she’d informed him when he picked her up that she was no longer employed.

“Don’t think of it as unemployed,” he advised. “You just switched jobs.”

She was silent as he maneuvered the car through Manhattan’s insanely crowded streets to the quieter area where he made his home.

He could see her chewing her lip as she had the night before and he wondered what she was thinking. Worrying, probably, about whether or not she’d made a bad decision.

As he braked for a light, he said, “Thank you. I know this isn’t an easy thing for you to do.” He put his hand over hers where it lay in her lap and squeezed. This time he was prepared for the sensation her soft flesh aroused. Or so he told himself. Still, the shock he’d absorbed when he’d touched her last night reverberated through him. All he’d done was place his hand beneath her chin, letting his fingers rest against the silken skin of her cheek.

He thought he’d steeled himself for the same reaction that had hit him yesterday when he’d touched her lip.

But he hadn’t been prepared for the strong current of attraction that tore through him, making him want to deepen the skin-to-skin contact in a very basic way. It was as if she was a live circuit and touching her plugged him in to her special current. He mentally shook his head. What was he doing, asking the girl to live in his home? Putting temptation right under his nose probably wasn’t the smartest thing he’d ever done.

Still, as he drew her from the car and took the elevator from the garage to his Fifth Avenue town house across from Central Park, he felt an immense relief. Faith had been sheltered her entire life. Who knew what kind of things might happen to a naive girl like her on her own? He’d promised his father’s memory that he’d take care of Faith, and he would.

Unlocking the door, he ushered her into his home. Inside the door, Faith stopped in the large central foyer, looking around. Though she’d spent her early years in a family that wanted for little, he imagined that the place seemed luxurious compared to the seedy little apartment in which she was living. Looking at it through her eyes, he watched her as he realized he was holding his breath waiting for her reaction.

“This is lovely,” she said quietly. “Simply lovely.”