The Tycoon's Proposition

Is there something wrong?

There won’t be if you play along with me…

Martha gripped the end of the sofa. “You’re getting married?” She stared straight at Terri for verification.

Help.

A little while ago Terri had told Ben he could depend on her to follow through with whatever plan he had in mind. But for him to take things this far meant he was desperate!

“N-no one knows about it yet,” Terri stammered. “We have to get the memorial service behind us first.”

She felt a firm squeeze that sent warmth streaming through her sensitized body.

“So you see,” Ben filled in, “I won’t be needing any assistance from other quarters. I’ll phone Creighton and tell him I appreciated his willingness to let you fly down to be of help.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Martha sounded like she was a victim of shell shock.

Ben finally let go of Terri’s shoulder. “We were in the middle of a movie when you arrived, and would like to get back to it. I’ll walk you to the elevator.”

Now that Terri had capitulated, she needed to act like a woman in love for as long as it took to get rid of Martha. It wouldn’t be hard, not when Ben had become her whole world.

She jumped up from the chair and caught hold of his hand. “You should be in bed. I’ll see Martha out.”

He lowered his head and kissed Terri on the side of the neck, reducing her body to jelly. A word of goodbye to Martha and he left the living room.

Somehow Terri found the presence of mind to ask the other woman if she would like to use the guest bathroom before she left the ship.

“I don’t think so.” She marched to the foyer ahead of Terri and stepped inside the elevator.

“Have a safe trip back to Texas.”

The furious glitter in Martha’s brown eyes was the last thing Terri saw before the door slid shut.

Without wasting any time, Terri headed for Ben’s bedroom. He’d turned the movie back on and appeared to be enjoying it.

“She’s gone.”

He pressed the pause button on the remote. “My tactic worked.”

She could tell he was pleased, but his air of calm was mildly irritating when she could hardly breathe because her heart was pounding so hard.

“I agree it got her out of your hair. But she’s going to go back and tell your brother that you and I are getting married. When your family finds out it’s not true, she’ll probably resort to other methods to pursue you. I’m afraid you just may have created a monster.”

“That all depends on you.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the hospital I made the decision that when this was all over, I was going to ask if you would come to work for me as my private secretary. I’ve never had one before, never saw the need for one.

“But there’s a quality about you that has caused me to change my mind. I found out right away you’re a person who lights her own fires. You’re unique in this world. Someone who would be invaluable to me now that my dream is becoming reality.”

She clasped her hands together. “Coming from a business tycoon like yourself, I’m very flattered, of course, but—”

“I’m not finished.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, you’re not,” he brushed off her apology, “but that’s all right. For several days I’ve been asking myself what it would take to lure you away from your creature comforts back in the Black Hills.”