Wanted: Billionaire's Wife Read online

  “Great! In the meantime, I’ll send Luke the details of my stylist. Just in case you don’t have your own.” Her bright gaze lingered on Danica’s blouse, bought on clearance several years ago at a discount store. “But now, I better run. So nice seeing you, Luke. Congratulations, again. Danica, lovely to meet you. Talk to you soon.” She waved, a slight bending of fingers at the tips, and left the cramped office.

  Danica waited until Irene disappeared. Then she went to the door and peered down the hallway.

  “She’s gone,” Luke said.

  “I wasn’t looking for her,” Danica said, shutting the door and whirling on the balls of her feet to face Luke. “I wanted to make sure no one could hear me yell at you.” Her pulse beat in her throat, threatening to close off her airways. “I may have slept with you last night, but that doesn’t give you permission to pull me into your game with Irene!”

  Luke took a step toward her, his hands held out. “Danica—”

  “Don’t come closer,” she warned. The last thing she needed was to be overcome by Luke’s nearness. Or for him to kiss her again. She was angry, damn it, and she had the right to be angry.

  “I know you’re upset,” Luke began.

  “Understatement of the century. Try furious, livid, rage filled—”

  He held up a hand. “And you deserve to be. But think about it. It’s a win-win.”

  She scoffed. “This may come as a shock, but every woman who sleeps with you doesn’t automatically want to marry you.”

  Despite her warning, he took two steps toward her.

  She moved backward until her rear end hit the door. She took comfort from the solid material. She could be just as unyielding. If she tried.

  “Think about it,” he said. “It’s the right solution to the search.”

  “Luke—” she warned.

  “I know you’re not happy with me.”

  “Again, understatement of the century.”

  A ghost of a smile momentarily creased his face. “The century is still relatively young. I can live with that.”

  Despite everything, her lips quirked upward.

  “And we kill whatever story Cinco Jackson is planning,” he continued.

  She frowned. “Marrying your search consultant doesn’t put out that fire. On the contrary.”

  “How can I look at other women when I have you in my life?” A spark lit deep in his gaze.

  It was amusement. It had to be. But for a brief second, Danica imagined what it would be like if his words were the truth. If she mattered to his life, was the center of his focus. She swallowed, hard, and looked away. “What’s the other win?”

  “You fulfill the terms of your contract. Before the deadline, so you qualify for the bonus.”

  “Bonus?”

  He held up three fingers and counted them down as he spoke. “Jayne, Felicity and you. That makes three candidates I’ve accepted.”

  “But I’m not a candidate.” She laughed. It was either that or cry. “Last night was...last night. I wanted to be there. It wasn’t an audition. I don’t meet the criteria.”

  “You think fast on your feet, you handled the Felicity situation with grace under pressure, and I received a thank-you this morning from the Peninsula Society. Grayson Monk gave a very generous donation. He credited you for daring him to match your winnings at the roulette table.” He moved a step closer, his blue gaze frank and warm. “You more than fulfill the requirements.”

  Every cell in her body ached to believe him. Then she remembered he was a skilled negotiator, while she was tired, worried for her family and still on sensory overload from the night before.

  She shook her head. “I can’t be part of a pretend marriage.”

  “Who said anything about pretending?”

  She blinked rapidly, trying to parse his meaning. “Of course we’d be pretending.”

  “No. We’ll be married. As soon as possible.”

  He spoke in English, but his words didn’t make sense. “Married? Like, married married?”

  “If by married married you mean legally, then yes.”

  “Married...in every sense of the word?”

  His gaze fell to her chest. Her nipples tightened at the visible appreciation in his eyes. “That would be an advantage of this deal.”

  Would it ever... Wait. He was far too sure of himself. “Again, just because I slept with you once, it does not mean I want to repeat it, much less be legally tied to you.”

  The hot light left his gaze. He ran his right hand through his hair, leaving it mussed. Just like it looked when she’d stood by his bed and said goodbye. “I know our association started to save the acquisition. And I still need to present a wife to Nestor Stavros.”

  “I’m your recruiter.” Even as she said the words, a memory flash of how he’d caused her to scream his name turned her cheeks to flame. “We agreed last night would not affect our business relationship.”

  He moved closer. There was a slight bite mark just below his jaw. She could still taste his skin, the rasp of his whiskers stinging her tongue. If she just leaned forward, she could kiss that reddened area better...or do more damage.

  Right now, she was torn.

  “We would still have a business relationship. We’ll have a new contract. With a marriage certificate as an addendum,” he stated.

  She narrowed her gaze. “Explain.”

  “I hired you to find a wife to demonstrate to Nestor I’ve changed. We’ll extend our arrangement to you fulfilling the role of the wife. We act like a faithful couple in public, the goal is achieved, and the acquisition goes through.”

  “And after you get what you want?” His scent wafted over her. It made her think of rumpled bedsheets and hot skin sliding against hers and his mouth...oh, his mouth.

  His gaze searched hers. “That’s up to us. To you.” There was a note in his voice she’d never heard before. It almost sounded tentative.

  But Luke didn’t do tentative. He cut relationships and walked away. She suspected that was partly why the current situation with Irene got under his skin. He couldn’t shun Irene and still work with Nestor.

  The late night, the lack of sleep and the churning turmoil in her nervous system made it hard to think. Although even if she had slept a full eight hours it would still be difficult to think when he stood so close. She could see the streaks of dark lapis lazuli in his ocean-blue eyes.

  “Danica?”

  Too late, she realized he had continued to speak. “I’m sorry?”

  “I said this wasn’t the way I wanted to ask you. I did want to take you to lunch. Irene forced the timetable.”

  “I don’t—you mean this wasn’t just a spur-of-the-moment plan when you saw Irene?” Her heart leapt, just a little.

  “I thought of it last night. After you left.” His mouth twisted and he reached out to cup her cheek, a brief caress that shouldn’t cause her blood to ignite but... “I couldn’t sleep.”

  She shouldn’t, in all fairness both to him and to her, agree to marry him. She deserved better than a marriage proposition with all the romance of an annual report presented to the board of directors. He deserved better too, even if he wouldn’t admit it.

  She had sworn off being involved with men who cared more about their reputation than they did about her. She had been already hurt, badly, by a boyfriend who used people as a stepping stone to getting what he wanted. She swore to never again let her heart be used in that manner.

  But her bed was a different matter, as the liquid heat gathering deep in her belly reminded her. As long as she remembered this was a business deal, why not continue to have the best sex imaginable? She nodded, licking her very dry lips. “Yes,” she said, her voice rough.

  “Yes?” His gaze traced the contours of her mouth.

  “Yes,” she repeated, but held up her ha
nd when he stepped closer. “Until Ruby Hawk is acquired by the Stavros Group.”

  His blue eyes darkened, but otherwise he showed no reaction. Was he elated? Deflated? She wished she knew. Finally, a corner of his mouth dented his cheek. “Until the acquisition goes through.”

  “Deal.” She held out her hand to be shaken. He drew her into his arms instead, enveloping her with his strength and warmth. She fought the urge to place her head on his chest, close her eyes and breathe in his scent.

  Don’t get attached, she sternly warned herself.

  “The clock starts now,” he rumbled. Right before his mouth met hers, he whispered, “I’m going to make the time count.”

  Her last thought, before all ability to form coherent sentences melted away, was her warning came too late.

  Eight

  In a perfect world, Danica would be thrilled. It was her wedding day. Her groom was a shining star who stood out even in Silicon Valley’s crowded galaxy. Her family wouldn’t have a financial worry for the foreseeable future. Matt’s therapy could continue until he didn’t need it, not end when an insurance company cut off the funds. She should be the happiest person walking through the metal detectors at the entrance to the San Mateo County courthouse at that moment.

  She was petrified.

  In less than twenty-four hours, Luke somehow managed to get a marriage license and arrange for a courthouse ceremony, to be held at two thirty in the afternoon on the dot. The only thing she oversaw was showing up. Which she managed to do, barely, after an hours-long wrestling match with her conscience in the wee hours of the night and a long talk with her roommate, Mai, in the morning.

  She inhaled, counted to three, then exhaled. This was strictly business. They had a contract, drawn up after he left her office yesterday. She was walking into this marriage with her eyes open.

  She had only herself to blame if she went into it with her emotions wide open too.

  “Danica!” Luke was already in the waiting area, early. His crisp azure blue shirt matched his eyes, and his charcoal suit fit him as if it had been made for him, as it no doubt had been. Judging by the looks thrown their way by the others nearby, she was considered to be a lucky bride indeed.

  If only they knew.

  “Hey. You’re here.” She managed to sound normal. Inside, she was shaking so hard, she was surprised she could keep her eyes focused.

  “You look...” His voice trailed off. “You wore your hair down.” He tucked a curl behind her ear, her skin burning where he brushed it. “You’re beautiful.”

  A white lacy gown would have been absurd under the circumstances, but when she saw the pink floral shift dress hanging in the window of a Palo Alto boutique, she went ahead and splurged. “Thanks,” she said, suddenly shy from all the eyes on them. She turned her head, so his kiss landed on her cheek. “I don’t see Aisha. Let me call her.”

  “I’m here!” a woman’s voice sang out. Danica turned and saw her investigator making her way to them. They needed one witness for the marriage certificate, and when Mai couldn’t rearrange her shift at the hospital on such short notice, Danica called Aisha. She was not only a colleague but a friend and the most trustworthy person Danica knew. Aisha was paid well to keep people’s secrets private, and Danica was sure she would be discreet about the wedding, as well.

  Aisha was stunning in her full-skirted dress, her dark skin glowing against the daffodil yellow fabric. She gave Danica a once-over with her shrewd gaze, then handed a small bouquet of white roses to her. “Brought these just in case. Looks like you might need them.”

  “I knew there was something I forgot.” Danica’s smile was only half-faked. “You look great.”

  “Not every day I get to be a bridesmaid at the last minute,” Aisha laughed. “How did you arrange this so fast anyway?”

  “Friend-of-the-family favor.” Luke said. His phone buzzed, and he looked at the screen. “If you two will excuse me? I’ll be right back.”

  Danica watched him leave. When Aisha touched her shoulder, she jumped.

  “That’s some bridal nerves,” Aisha deadpanned.

  “Yeah, well, y’know.” Danica’s gaze focused on Luke’s receding back.

  “Actually, I don’t. Can we talk privately? Before the groom returns?”

  Danica wrenched her gaze away. Aisha sounded serious. And when she was serious, it meant whatever she had to say wasn’t good news. “What’s up?”

  “Cinco Jackson. Why is he calling my office and asking about you? Does it have something to do with this sudden wedding?”

  “He’s asking about me? What did he say?” Danica’s nerves were already scrambled. This put them into a blender set on high.

  Aisha shrugged. “How long have I worked with you, did I know you well, how long you have worked for Dallas, general stuff like that.”

  Danica searched Aisha’s gaze. “Did you tell him about the wedding?” Luke planned to put out an announcement eventually, but without mentioning the date. Just a general “Luke Dallas and Danica Novak are pleased to announce their marriage. The bride and groom will reside in Atherton, etc.”

  “Of course not!” Aisha scoffed. “That’s your personal business. But a few days ago, you had me checking on women’s marital statuses, and now you’re the one getting married? Jackson isn’t the only one who is curious.”

  She sounded miffed. Danica didn’t have many friends in California. She didn’t want to lose this one. “It’s...a spur-of-the-moment decision. But one we’ve thought through.”

  “Right.” Aisha didn’t look convinced, and why would she? Danica’s words didn’t make sense to herself. “Dallas is incredibly well connected, his mother practically owns Bay Area society, and yet it’s just the two of you plus me here for the ceremony?”

  Danica tried again. “We didn’t want a circus. Just us.”

  Aisha’s expression was still skeptical. “Word on the street is there’s some sort of snag with the Ruby Hawk acquisition, and that snag is the Stavros family and whatever they have on Dallas. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ve done some work for Irene and you do not want to be on her bad side.”

  “Why would marrying Luke put me on Irene’s bad side?” Danica widened her gaze.

  Aisha regarded her for a beat. “Hey, if that’s the way you want to play it, fine with me. Like I said, it’s your life.”

  “There’s nothing—”

  Luke walked back to them. He offered his arm to Danica, causing the hyperactive butterflies in her stomach to go into overdrive. “Shall we?” he said. “We’re up.”

  From what she was told later by Aisha, it was a perfectly adequate ceremony. She remembered nothing except squeaking out her responses at the appropriate time and the warm pressure, over far too soon, of Luke’s lips on hers. The rest was a blur. Before she knew it, they stood outside the courthouse, the crushed bouquet still in Danica’s hands.

  “Congratulations, again,” Aisha said. “I have to get back to work, but you two go celebrate.” She hugged Danica tightly. “I was wrong,” she whispered into Danica’s ear. “He stares at you like you’re a rare steak and he’s a contestant on a wilderness-survival show who hasn’t eaten in a week.” She drew back and gave Danica a wide smile. “Call me. But I expect you to be otherwise occupied for a month, maybe two.” She waggled her eyebrows as punctuation.

  Danica laughed, even though Aisha was wrong. If Luke looked at her with any hunger, it was because he wanted the acquisition and she was the means to achieving it. Aisha waved goodbye and then Danica was alone.

  With Luke. Her husband. Her mouth suddenly was parched and the world spun, once, before it righted itself.

  He cleared his throat. “I still owe you that lunch. Hungry?”

  Since she had barely been able to eat a bite since he’d walked into her office the day before, she nodded.

  “G
ood.” He took her hand. The left one, now sporting a three-carat diamond. “Your fingers are cold.”

  His weren’t. “I did just get married. Better cold fingers than cold feet, I suppose.” She tried to smile at him. She was somewhat successful.

  His grip tightened. “Thank you, again.”

  “A deal is a deal. And it’s only until you secure the acquisition.”

  A crease appeared between his eyebrows. “But in the meantime, we are married.”

  “Of course,” she said lightly. “We are. But it’s not like that was a real ceremony.” She was babbling, but she couldn’t stop it.

  “I have a certificate that says otherwise.”

  “I know. But—” she threw out her free hand “—my family wasn’t there. And no organist playing ‘My Shot’ from Hamilton.”

  He stopped walking, causing her to jerk to a stop. “What is the organist playing?”

  “I can’t have ‘Here Comes the Bride’ played at my wedding. I hate everything about it.”

  He laughed. It made him devastatingly handsome, his eyes crinkling in the corners. “Of course. Who doesn’t?”

  “It’s such a cliché.” She could feel herself relaxing, her shoulders descending to their normal position as they resumed walking. “It’s practically a parody of itself. Give me something with more personal meaning.”

  “And the song you mentioned?”

  “It’s about taking all the opportunities life hands you. Taking a risk. Like—” She stopped, suddenly aware of who she was talking to. And why.

  “Like marriage.” He nodded. “I get it.” They reached his car and he unlocked the passenger door and ushered her in.

  “Like love,” she added under her breath while he went around to the driver’s side and slid behind the steering wheel. The car didn’t have the largest interior to begin. With him in it, all the oxygen seemed to suddenly disappear. All she had to do was move her hand and she could stroke his thigh. “Where are you taking me to lunch?” She winced. It had come out far too loud.

  “That’s up to you.” He pushed the ignition button and the car purred to life. “I know a nice place not too far from here. Or...”