Tempted by the Billionaire (Forbidden Confessions 9)
Chad’s hand lingers on the back of my chair. I can tell he wants to touch me but doesn’t want to undermine my professional credibility. But if we were alone…
Over the last six months, the man has proven inexhaustible and insatiable. All he ever does is make money or make me feel pleasure. I’m so lucky. And I’m so in love with him it’s ridiculous.
I can’t imagine my life without him.
“So that’s a yes? You’ll take the job?” Chad prompts, extending his hand to me.
“Of course it’s a yes, Mr. Force. I’m honored.”
After we shake, the cluster of cheering Force Financial employees finish their cake and begin to file out of the conference room. Several stop to smile my way and offer their congratulations. A few other department heads tell me quietly they lobbied Chad to have me moved to their departments before being turned away.
Once the room empties, Chad gestures me out the door with a gentlemanly sweep of his hand. “If you’ll come back to my office, we’ll negotiate salary and terms.”
He means we’ll volley back and forth while he tries to talk me out of my skirt. “Of course.”
Once inside his office, he shuts the door—and drops the purely professional pretense by taking me in his arms and kissing me. “Happy, sweetheart?”
“Thrilled. And shocked. It’s a big responsibility. Thank you for trusting me with such an important role.”
“You can handle it. And you’re ready. I wouldn’t have promoted you if I wasn’t one-hundred-percent convinced of that.”
“Coming from you, that means a lot.”
He smiles. “So…let’s talk terms.”
I cross my arms over my chest and prepare for this argument. In truth, I’ve come to love our verbal foreplay. And I know that grin of his. He wants to play hardball, and it already has me squirming hot. “All right. Make me an offer.”
“Eighty-five thousand, three weeks’ vacation, and an eight percent annual bonus for all metrics met.”
I raise a brow at him. “I hope that’s a joke.”
His face doesn’t change, but I know him. I see the smile lurking in his eyes. “Why would you think so? I just offered you a thirty-five percent raise, not including your executive bonus.”
“You did. But two of Hennessey’s directors make over a hundred grand.”
“They’ve been here longer.”
“So? You hired Hunt’s last director, Alejandra Samos, fresh off the street three months ago, and she makes ninety-five. She also gets four weeks’ vacation and a ten percent bonus.”
“But Shawn Amos has been here just over a year, and he makes seventy-eight, along with the rest of the benefits I’m offering you.”
“Please. He’s acting in that position, like I have been. If you make him permanent, you’ll bump his salary and benefits.”
“I’ve never promoted anyone up four levels as quickly as I have you. Your salary will take a bit more time to come up.”
“You either believe I can do the job and are willing to pay me accordingly or not. If you’re not, I’ll go out to my desk and simply continue being your assistant. And good luck finding someone qualified to take over Townsend’s chair in less than a week. But if you truly believe in me, I’m expecting a hundred grand, four weeks’ vacation, and ten percent. Take it or leave it.”
A smile breaks out across his face. “Done. By the way, I had a guess what we’d be settling on. Want to see?”
This ought to be amusing. “Sure.”
He reaches into his desk and retrieves an envelope, then hands it to me. I open it to find a piece of paper with his distinctive scrawl. “You thought I’d settle for ninety-five, three weeks, and ten percent? You silly, misguided man…”
He shrugs as he reaches into his desk again. “I hoped, but you drive a hard bargain. Time for me to drive one.”
“For what?”
“I have another open position I’d like you to fill.”
Is he crazy? “Chad, I’ve already been acting as your assistant and working Townsend’s old job, plus training Dan and—”
“I know it’s a lot, and you’ve done amazingly well. But I’m not looking for you to fill another position at Force Financial. This time, I want you to fill the role of wife…with an upgrade to mother of my children hopefully soon.” He kneels at my feet and opens a blue ring box to reveal a stunning flash of brilliance I’m sure is huge and beautiful—but all I care about is him and the love in his eyes. “What do you say, sweetheart? Marry me?”
Oh. My. God. I’m shaking. Literally trembling all over with shock and happiness. Maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised. The day I interviewed was essentially the day we moved in together. Since then, we’ve been almost inseparable.
“Yes.” I nod, feeling tears prick my eyes as I fling myself against him. “Yes!”
“I can’t wait to call you Mrs. Force.” He pulls from the embrace just enough to slide the ring on my finger.