One Night for Love by Maggie Marr Page B

meant to go on for the next seven years, and your departure from Metro Media is imminent. I don’t want my company leaving an awful memory in his mind. Every time he thinks of my company, he also thinks of the woman he couldn’t get. If he were self-made I wouldn’t be concerned, but he’s like a petulant child.”
    Prim played with one of the earrings that dangled from her ears. It quivered gently against her long, beautiful neck. Her skin would feel soft beneath his fingertips. To roam over her collarbone and unbutton her silk shirt. To cup those breasts that were quickly becoming familiar to his hands and that he longed to kiss and—
    “So what do you suggest?”
    “Hmm?” Tristan pulled his eyes from Prim’s breasts. Her nipples were tight buds under the lace bra that peeked through her white silk blouse.
    “Make Roger believe there’s a reason you couldn’t become involved with him, because you are involved with someone else.”
    Her full lips dropped open. She blinked and then looked away from him. “One of our deal points was privacy.”
    “Right. Well why don’t we pretend we’re more serious than we are? That what’s going on between us is actually real. Seems like a win for everyone. He gets to save face and we get the deal.”
    “Yes,” Prim said, her voice soft. She toyed with the bracelet on her wrist. “A real win for everyone.” Her gaze locked with his. She placed a smile on her mouth, but happiness didn’t reach her eyes. “We’ll pretend what we have is real.”
    “I knew you’d agree. Perfect solution, right?” He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a black velvet case. Prim’s eyes widened and her lips turned down with the presentation of the ring box. She lifted the lid. He’d done a bang-up job with the ring. Gone all out.
    She lifted the diamond from the velvet.
    “It’s beautiful,” she whispered. Her gaze met his and her eyes, her eyes, held … was that sadness that he saw? “You want us to pretend to be engaged? For this deal?”
    “It solves everything doesn’t it? He won’t bother you again and we get the Flixster deal.” He reached out and plucked the ring from Prim’s hand. “Here, let me.” He slipped the ring onto Prim’s slim finger.
    His heart beat faster in his chest. Putting this ring upon Prim’s hand felt so right, so perfect. He looked into her eyes. Should he ever decide to marry, ever believe that he could marry, he hoped to find such a woman as Prim.
    “It’s gorgeous,” Prim whispered.
    “Thank you,” Tristan said. “I have a jeweler I like.”
    “If I do this,” Prim whispered, her gaze leaving the glittering ring and locking with his, “pretend that we’re engaged, then I need something from you.”
    Tristan’s eyes met Prim’s.
    “I want you to consider keeping Metro Media whole.”
    “I’ve decided nothing, I—”
    “Our deal includes honesty. Maybe you haven’t completely decided, but I know your intention is to sell of Metro piece by piece. It’s what you do with every company you buy.”
    He had no defense; she was correct on every count.
    “I can’t dictate what you do with Metro, but I want you to really consider maintaining the company as is, with employees, with offices, with Metro Media as you found it but getting better each day under your leadership.”
    Tristan shifted in his chair. He didn’t want to lead or get attached. He was an opportunist, not a leader.
    “Give Metro a fair chance. Don’t assume that the best thing for you, is to butcher the company.”
    She asked for much less than she could have.
    “Deal,” Tristan said.
    He turned toward the darkening sky outside the window. His eyes would betray him. He wanted her. On this night, seeing the ring on her finger, he actually wanted Prim to be his permanently, and that most definitely wasn’t part of their deal.
     
    *
     
    Prim had visited a number of billionaires’ homes and she wasn’t easily impressed; however, Roger Macon’s