Melody Anne's Billionaire Universe: Her Billionaire's Bargain (Kindle Worlds Novella) (3 page)

Giving her a nod, he acknowledged her words. He was impressed how perceptive she was. Most people always just assumed that Zac started his own business to prove something to his father. However, he loved his dad, Jake Powers, was a formidable businessman, but a great parent as well.

Zac did something that he never did, he started talking about himself. “You know for years while I was in high school and college I worked for my father in one capacity or another. I wanted to be content, but I always felt as if I should be at the helm. Now, logically I knew that one day I possibly could have been running the family business, but—”

“It never seemed like enough.” She added as the waiter entered and removed their plates and brought in their main course.

When the man left, Zac agreed, “Exactly.”

“My father offered to set up my first contract for me. You know use his connections to get me started. However, I turned him down. From the first to the last contract I earn with Zac Acquisition & Development it will be because my team and I acquired it.”

“Is that the reason you went with placing your first name on your company?”

“Yes. The name Powers in Seattle and Durham, as well as a lot of places around the world opens doors. When people hear Zac it takes some investigative work to determine that owner of ZAD is the son of Jake Powers.”

She took a small bite of her steak. “It feels good to watch your business succeed. Have something to pass on to your children.”

Gazing at her, he pondered his words. Just like his father he did want to pass on his company to any offspring he had…once he decided he wanted them. He wondered if Kourtney desired children, marriage. She appeared to be close to thirty years old. Old enough to have been married with kids if she wanted.

There was no engagement ring on her left hand, which didn’t mean anything in this time and age, but Zac doubted if she had a boyfriend he would have allowed her to have dinner alone with him.

The few bites of lamb in his stomach soured some as he thought about her leaving him that night and curling up in the arms of another man. He refused to peel apart those feelings. It was easier just to keep this meeting on a superficial level.

Swallowing the bite of the lamb chop in his mouth, he refocused on her comment. “Is this where you’re going to make your pitch about your own store?”

Feigning shock, she stretched her sultry shadowed lids and said, “Not at all. I mean my little bitty cupcake stand could never be compared to the conglomerate you’ve grown your own company to.”

“Touché. However, just for the record, I don’t consider small business owners insignificant. The reason I pay
more
than top dollar for their establishments and what they own.”

They ate in silence for a moment then she said, “Your offer was generous.”

“Are you going to take it?”

“No.” She smiled and humor danced in her gaze.

If he wanted to he could pull a million and one things out of his pocket to convince her to take his offer, including adding just the right pressure and coercion to get her to bend to his will. Hell, those tricks weren’t foreign to him. However, as he studied her smile, the beauty of her features and the confidence she exuded, none of those things were paramount in his mind. All he could think about were ways to spend more time with her—being alone with her.

“I’ve not even attempted to persuade you yet.”

She set her fork on the side of her plate, tines down. “What do you call all of this?”

Seduction
. Instead of answering her, he said, “Come with me somewhere, Kourtney.”

“Excuse me?”

Seeing their waiter hovering at the door, Zac signaled him over.

“Yes, Mr. Powers.”

“Timothy, we’re finished. Can I please have the check and a bottle of The Prisoner and two slices of the chocolate sin cake to go?”

“Excellent selection, Mr. Powers. The Napa Valley Red Blend is a perfect pairing for that dessert.” With a smooth bow, Timothy collected their plates and moved from the room.

“I don’t recall agreeing to go anywhere else with you.” There was a saucy jut to her chin.

With a simple tilt of one side of his mouth, he stared boldly at the beautiful black woman sitting across from him. He could name on one hand the times in his life he felt the tingling of reckless anticipation crawling along his spine. However, for some reason Kourtney inspired that level of excitement in his blood and he was going to journey along with it for as long as he could.

“Tell me you don’t want to go,” he challenged. “That I haven’t piqued your curiosity.”

Sighing, she glanced away. He could see the multiple thoughts and concerns playing across her features. Just because the connection between them was as evident as the table sitting in the restaurant, he was not going to push her. This was Kourtney’s choice. If she rose and said she was headed home, he would respect that. However, every ounce of his soul hoped she would give in.

Her gaze slipped back to his. “I’ll grant a few more moments. However, my time is not unlimited.”

“Then let’s not waste any of it.” Rising from the table, he walked around to her and assisted her up.

“What about the check?” She collected her purse and moved beside him.

Their waiter entered the room with a restaurant bag. Zac paused briefly and collected the items as he pulled his wallet out of the inside of his jacket then handed the man his platinum card. “My driver, Steven, will be in to collect this from you.”

“Very good, sir.” Timothy stepped to the side and allowed them to pass.

Zac escorted Kourtney around the other guests and beyond the front door where another restaurant staff member held it open.

When his driver pulled up to the curb in the champagne Rolls Royce, Zac instructed him, “Steven, collect my card and I’ll see you in the morning.”

Without question, Steven nodded. “I’ll be there an hour before the Tomlin meeting.”

“Have a good night.” Zac went to the front passenger door and held it open for Kourtney.

Appearing a little in shock, Kourtney moved toward him.

“Your car valet ticket, please.” Zac held his palm out to her.

“You can just bring me back here and I’ll drive myself home.”

“No need, Steven will take care of it.”

She tilted her head and stared from him to his driver. “He doesn’t even know where I live.”

He smiled at her naiveté. “The packet on you not only contained your business address but your home address and phone number.”

Her brows knit in the center above the bridge of her nose, as her free hand not clutching her purse pressed into her stomach. “That’s a big invasion of my privacy.”

Shoving his hands deep in his pants pocket, he held her gaze. He had to remind himself, Kourtney would not be familiar with big corporate America and what all went into acquiring a company. It was invasive, to a degree. “We’re not stalking you. It’s a lot about your company, but it does get all contact information. If we needed to send you a subpoena we could have sent it to your home.

She gasped. “A subpoena?”

He held a hand up hoping to calm her. “It shouldn’t get that far. Hopefully.” He winked, trying to put her at ease.

Finally, she gave in. Taking the ticket he handed it to Steven then moved to the driver side of the car and slipped in behind the wheel.

~YH~

Thirty minutes later, Zac pulled into the vacant parking lot of Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens.

“What are we doing here? The gardens are closed.” Kourtney was gazing out the window at the night lights glowing from the entrance.

“What can I say, there are perks to having a company that is a corporate partner. It gets you access to places at odd hours.” He exited the car and went to open her door.

“I’m sure it does.” She stood from the vehicle and slipped her hand around his elbow.

The clicking of her heels along the stone walk, was just as musical to him as the sound of the birds and the night insects that made noise around them. This wasn’t his first time at the gardens after hours. It was when he always came and visited the place. He enjoyed the solitude, it was the place he came to when he needed to think and be alone. However, this was the first time he’d brought someone else with him.

“Have you ever been here?”

“Not since I was smaller. I’ve been planning a trip back, however, life happens.”

“The more successful one becomes it means the less amount of time they have to do enjoyable things like a walk in the gardens.” Guiding her away from the main visitor’s pavilion he headed in the direction of the employee entrance and used his access code.

“Wow, Zac Acquisition & Development must be very
good
corporate members.”

He chuckled. “You can say that.”

They walked in silence and moved through the different gardens and around various fountain displays. As they journeyed along the paths he was thoroughly enjoying his decision to bring her to his sanctuary. Kourtney didn’t feel the need for senseless chatter, the quiet didn’t appear to bother her and he appreciated that about her.

Once they reached one of his favorite spots in the place, the pond by the Woodland Trails, he was impressed when she slipped her heels off, stepped off the designated path and walked onto the lush grass.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m dying to have some chocolate cake, I think this would be a perfect spot.”

The area was not well lit and if it wasn’t for the springtime moon in the sky that illuminated it, it would be too dark to see the edge of the water.

“A perfect choice.” Moving beside her, but keeping his shoes on, he was happy that it hadn’t rained in weeks so the grassy area was dry. “Here.” Removing his suit jacket he laid it on the ground for her to sit upon.

“Such a gentleman.” She smiled, with his assistance she settled on the inside of the coat.

He took up a spot beside her. “My mother would hate to discover that all her hard work on my brother and I had not been heeded.”

“Well, she should be proud.”

“I’ll remember to tell her that.” Removing the two small containers and plastic forks from the bag, he handed one to Kourtney. “Your dessert.”

“Oh, I have such a passion for chocolate, this may not be pretty.”

“Please enjoy. I’d hate to be the man that stands in the way of a woman and her passion.”

He watched her take a bite of the cake and heard her moan at the decadent flavor and close her eyes. The sound coming from her had an instantaneous reaction in his body. His mind had no problem conjuring up other ways to get her to make such a sound.

Attempting to keep his mind from journeying any further along that path, he pulled the wine out to the bag. “I’m afraid I don’t have cups so we’ll have to do this the college way.”

She opened her eyes and smiled. “I’m game.”

“I’m driving so I’ll only have a sip or two.” Wiggling out the loosened cork, he lifted the bottle and sipped then passed it to her.

“You’re not trying to get me intoxicated are you, Mr. Powers, then present me with a contract to sign?” She held the bottle and eyed him suspiciously.

Raising his hands, he shook his head. “I promise I have no contract on me.”

Smiling, she tipped the bottle back and took a small drink. “Wow, the combination of these two is amazing.”

He took a bite of his own cake and winked at her. “You think you could add a cupcake like this in your line up?”

Setting the bottle down between them, she bit into her dessert again and sat there for a moment not swallowing. He imagined she was taking apart the ingredients to determine what she would need.

“Hmm, maybe. It is very likely. I think a moist cake with a silky cocoa wine infused filling would create the same amazement for my customers.”

“Really…?”

She laughed. “You look shocked. Like you believe we are making cupcakes from box recipes or something.”

Shrugging his shoulder, he answered honestly. “I didn’t give it much thought truthfully.”

“I’m not surprised to hear you say that. You’re a business tycoon, when you want a treat I’m sure you have multiple people on your staff who go out searching for just what you want.”

He stayed silent and stared out over the pond. There wasn’t much he could say to that. It wasn’t that he preferred not to do things himself, for himself. However, he knew that as soon as he uttered a word of something before it was fully out of his mouth someone was taking care of it.

She rocked her shoulder into his. “Don’t get all morose on me. I’m sure having others around to do your bidding has its perks.”

“And drawbacks.” He didn’t regret his life, but there were times that he missed simple things like going to get his own dessert. Or spending that moment with a beautiful woman undisturbed. His cell phone was off, but he was sure that when he turned it back on there would be several messages on it. Things he needed to take care of, reassurance messages that things
had
been taken care of and such. Dillon was efficient if nothing else.