Accidentally Yours

“I’m here to talk about our deal.”

“Same thing.”

She motioned to the chairs flanking the narrow table in the corner. “I’ll make coffee. It’s that or water. I save the milk for Cody. He needs it more than you do.”

“I didn’t realize there was a milk shortage.” He shrugged out of his jacket and sat at her table.

“There isn’t. Have you priced milk lately? Do you know how much a boy Cody’s age can drink in one sitting?”

“No—to both.”

Right. Because it would never occur to him to check the price of anything. She would bet that he had someone to do his grocery shopping for him. She focused on that because it was a whole lot easier to think about than to remember that Nathan had already been through what she was desperate to avoid—the loss of a child.

“Coffee is fine,” he told her.

She nodded, then dumped the old grounds in the trash, put in a filter, new ground beans, water and flipped the on switch. Unable to put off the inevitable, she turned to face him.

Even sitting, Nathan was a big guy in a relatively small room. She had a feeling he was one of those people who used up an unfair amount of air. He had to be, because it was oddly stuffy in here.

“I’ll have my lawyer draw up the paperwork,” he told her, his expression determined. “Everything will be explained in detail, including the fact that you won’t tell anyone about our deal. You and your son will be available whenever I ask, to do whatever I ask. Charity events, press functions. From now until the zoning commission meets in six weeks. In return, I’ll give Dr. Wallace and his lab fifteen million dollars.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “I have terms.”

He glared at her. “No, you don’t. This is not negotiable, Ms. Sullivan.”

“Of course it is. Everything is. And if you’re going to use your money to get me to sleep with you, you should probably call me Kerri. It makes things more special.”

He stood. There was no mistaking his temper. Anger burned hot and bright in the room, making her think that if she could harness a little of that energy, she could cut down on her electric bill.

“I am not using my money to get you to sleep with me.”

“That’s what you said. Before. At the salon.”

“You offered.”

“I was making a point. I will do whatever it takes to get Cody better. Even deal with the devil.”

“You mean me?”

“You’re not the devil.” She tilted her head and stared at him. “You’re a powerful, egotistical man who is too used to getting his way and doesn’t care about other people very much, but you’re not the devil.”

The anger turned icy. “How flattering. Have you considered that you may want to hold off on insulting me until after the money has been transferred?”

She smiled. “You’re not going to change your mind. For what it’s worth, I am grateful.”

“That’s not immediately obvious.”

“Would you be more comfortable if I fawned?”

“No.”

“Then think of me as refreshing.”

“Is that what you call it?”

She smiled. “Some people find me very charming.”

“They see you as a steamroller and move fast to get out of your way.”

“I’m a mother on a mission.”

“The same thing.”

He wasn’t going to back down and she could get a serious cramp in her neck if he continued to loom over her like some annoyed, threatening, tall person.

“I can’t totally be at your beck and call,” she said, changing the subject. “I have a job and a life.”

“You have a job and now I’m your life. I’ll respect your work hours.”

“Why do I doubt that?” She walked to the cupboard and pulled down two mugs. They were both chipped. She looked through her selection, but none of them were in great shape.

Nearly as bad as the chips were the gaudy logos on the front. Every one of them had been a freebie. Billionaire Nathan was just going to have to work around that, she thought as she poured coffee and handed it to him.

“I’ll take it black,” he told her, “what with milk being so scarce.”

“Don’t mock me. I’m poor.”

“Don’t assume about me. I’m rich.”

She sighed. “You’re not going to make this easy, are you?”

“You’re blackmailing me. Why should I?”

“It’s the gentlemanly thing to do.”

He put down the coffee untasted. “I’m not interested in being a gentleman, Kerri. I’m interested in winning. I will honor my part of the bargain—see that you do the same. If you don’t, I promise you’ll regret screwing with me.”

She set her mug next to his. “You can’t do anything to me that’s worse than what’s already happening.”

Something dark and painful flashed in his eyes. “I can still make your life hell. I’ll have my secretary phone you and set up an appointment. We’ll meet in my lawyer’s office.”

She wanted to snap at him, but the truth was, he could have ignored everything she’d done and not given her the money. Because of him, her son had a chance. Annoying or not, the man deserved to have her meet him at least halfway.

“Okay. Look, I’ll try to help when I can, but I have Cody to think about. So at least give me some notice?”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Are you going to want me to show up at fancy stuff? If so, wardrobe could be an issue.”