Blackmailed Into Bed by Heidi Betts Page A

quite a while, and that sort of experience changes a person. One minute, I was a carefree prima donna, and the next my whole world was falling apart. That’ s when I realized the whole world didn’ t revolve around my wants and needs, and that there are more important things in life than money or social status.”
    He wasn’ t sure he agreed with that sentiment. He’ d spent his entire adult life working to make money and build his social status in an attempt to prove to the Elenas of the world that he wasn’ t just a poor rancher’ s son. He was an industrious businessman, who— in recent years, at least— had become one of the wealthiest men in Texas.
    It was no small coincidence that the Ramsey Corporation happened to be the company poised to overtake Sanchez Restaurant Supply. Chase had been keeping an eye on Elena’ s family for years, not only so he would know when he’ d surpassed them financially, but in hopes that just such an opportunity would present itself.
    He wanted nothing more than to thumb his nose at them— at Elena— and show them all what he’ d become. Not just a stinking rich tycoon in his own right, but a man to be respected and admired.
    Which didn’ t explain why he was suddenly feeling pangs of guilt over his plans for revenge against this woman.
    So she’ d suffered a loss. Didn’ t everyone at some point in their lives?
    So he found her irresistible in bed. What red-blooded American male wouldn’ t?
    It didn’ t make her a saint, and it didn’ t make him a bad guy.
    “ The things I’ d always thought were so important,” she continued, “ weren’ t anymore. And no amount of my father’ s wealth or prestige could make my mother better. She had the best medical care money could buy and still it wasn’ t enough.”
    “ So you became a social worker,” he said, tamping down on the sympathies threatening to overwhelm his better senses. “ To try to save the world in other ways?”
    “ Not save the world,” she said softly. “ But I did want to help people. Our family has more than enough money to get by. Even if we lost the business— which I don’ t want us to do because of how important it is to my father— ” she added with a meaningful glance, “ we’ d still be okay financially. I wanted to do something with my life that made a difference.”
    “ And I’ ll bet you do. Make a difference, I mean.”
    A small smile played over her face. “ I try. There are so many kids in trouble out there, so many families with problems. I just do what I can— and what the law allows— to make things a little better for them.”
    “ And you don’ t turn down awkward teenage boys when they ask you to dance, just because their parents aren’ t as rich as yours?”
    She flushed, her cheeks turning pink with embarrassment. “ I’ m not sure how many teenage boys would ask me to dance these days, but no. I wouldn’ t turn anyone down based on their upbringing or bank account. Especially you.”
    “ But I’ ve got money now,” he pointed out, arching a brow. “ Doesn’ t that make me more acceptable?”
    “ No more and no less. I don’ t judge people that way anymore and I never should have to begin with.”
    Wiggling around the bed, she pulled the sheet with her as she once again took up position along his side, one leg draped over his thigh, her breasts pressing into his chest.
    “ At the risk of making you even angrier about that night,” she told him, turning her head to rest on his shoulder, “ I really did think you were cute back then. If it hadn’ t been for my friends and my fear of what they might say, I probably would have danced with you— and enjoyed every minute of it.”
    He didn’ t reply; instead he let the room fall into silence and her words sink deep into his bones. Beside him, Elena’ s breathing turned deep and even, and he knew she’ d fallen asleep.
    But Chase couldn’ t sleep; his mind wouldn’ t let him. Into the wee hours of the