His to Command

She stepped farther into his big office, but paused yards from his desk. She stood tall and confident, commanding the room. Her presence surrounded him, mesmerizing him.

Silence hung between them as he waited for her to say something, but finally he needed to break the silence. “Why are you here, Kate?”

“You and I have unfinished business to discuss.”

“I have a meeting in a half hour,” he stated distractedly, concerned it didn’t give them much time, but he instantly regretted saying it aloud.

“All right, another time then.” She turned and headed toward the door.

“No, wait. I can cancel.” He snatched up the phone, relieved to see Kate stop and turn back. He did not want her to leave. The temp picked up. “Cancel my next meeting, and I’m not to be disturbed.”

He hung up. “I’m all yours, Kate.” Body and soul. If only she wanted him.

She frowned. “What I want to discuss is sensitive. I don’t want anyone walking in.”

“My secretary won’t let anyone in.”

She raised an eyebrow. “And yet, she let me in even though she had standing instructions not to allow anyone to disturb you.”

He sighed and nodded. “Point taken. I’ll lock the door.”

Damn. That meant this was going to get messy.

When he’d told her what he’d done, she hadn’t yelled or screamed, or even cried. She’d just walked out. Clearly, she’d chosen now to let him know what she thought of him, and she didn’t want anyone walking in on their emotional confrontation.

He strode across the office and locked the door, then he turned back to face her.

“So why are you here, Kate?”

“If I told you I’m not comfortable with you having any control whatsoever of my company, would you be willing to dissolve the business agreement between us?”

His chest tightened. “That’s not a good idea.” They both knew that without the capital he was providing, her company would fail.

She walked to the round table by the window where he held one-on-one meetings and placed her slim leather briefcase on the tabletop, then opened it and pulled out a document.

“I’ve had my lawyer draw up papers to replace our business agreement. Essentially, to dissolve the partnership. I’d like you to sign it.”

“Do you have another investor?”

If she didn’t, her business would not survive and he hated the thought that she would let it die, just to cut the connection between them completely.

“No, but I do have something I hope will pan out.”

She held out the document and he stepped forward and took it from her hand. He caught a whiff of her lilac shampoo, a new scent for her. Delicate and enticing.

He glanced over the typewritten words, most blurring under his quick perusal, but it was clear what it was. Kate was cutting him loose.

He glanced up from the paper and met her gaze. “Are you sure you want to do this, Kate?”

“Under the circumstances, the agreement no longer works as is, so yes, I’m sure.”

He sighed and pulled a pen from the inner pocket of his jacket, then set the agreement on the table and signed. Then he handed it to her.

“Is there anything else, Kate?”

“Yes, we haven’t even begun to deal with the fact that you nearly destroyed my whole career.”

He nodded, his heart aching. “I know. If there