Their Million-Dollar Night (10 page)

He looked so alone and determined that her heart ached. He still stood next to the bench. The ring and its box had been tucked away somewhere.

There was no hint of vulnerability in him, and she wondered for a moment if he'd really just asked her to marry him, because he didn't look like a man who'd had his proposal turned down.

“I…I was going back to work. I didn't think you'd still want to have lunch.”

“You thought wrong. I misjudged you, but I won't do it again.”

She didn't like the way that sounded. He was focusing on her the same way he was his merger. She bit her tongue before she could ask him if he was going to draw up a statement about the pros and cons of her marrying him. “I'm not a business you are trying to acquire.”

“I know that. Companies are a lot easier to get a handle on. All I have to do is look at the P and L and then figure out if I can turn a profit.”

“What's a P and L?” she asked to distract herself.

“Profit and loss statement.”

“Kind of like pros and cons?” she asked.

“Kind of.”

“How'd I stack up?”

His expression lightened as he skimmed his gaze down her body. “Better than I did, obviously.”

She couldn't help but laugh at him. She slapped him on the arm. “That wasn't very sophisticated.”

“Who said I was sophisticated?” he asked.

“No one had to. You exude breeding and culture with every movement you make. Unlike me.”

“Is that why you said no?” he asked.

She wished it were something easy like comportment so she could take a class and fix it. But she knew it was more complex than that. She needed more from Max than a proposal after a few days. She needed emotion, and the man she'd come to know wasn't that open with his feelings.

“I'm going to ask you again, and the next time you will say yes.”

“Do you have any idea how arrogant that sounds?” she asked, trying to change her mood and get past the emotions that weighed so heavily in her throat.

“Yes.”

She had to laugh at the totally unrepentant way he said it. She knew she shouldn't encourage him because marriage wasn't in her plans, but there was something that felt so right about slipping her arm though his as they walked. “We'll see.”

He stopped walking and turned to her there on the path, and there was emotion in his eyes this time. Real emotion that made her hope that he might feel more for her than he did for his business merger. “I want you in my life. If you're not ready for marriage then I can wait.”

It scared her how important he'd become to her in such a short time. He was making her change and she knew she'd needed that impetus to start changing, but at the same time she was afraid to trust.

“I'm sorry.”

“Don't be. I misjudged something. I'll figure it out and ask you again when the time is right.”

“Part of the problem is you thinking that you have to figure this out by yourself. A relationship involves two people.”

He scratched his chin. “I'll try, but honestly, I'm not sure I can do what you ask. I'm too used to operating on my own.”

“What about your family? Don't you compromise on stuff like where you have holiday dinners and vacations?”

“We're not a close family. My schedule is always available to them, but they are busy.”

“That's not what family is supposed to be. Is that how you envision marriage to me?”

“I'm not sure what you're asking.”

“I'm asking if I'd get a copy of your schedule and then have to decide when I wanted to see you.”

“From your tone, I think my answer better be no.”

“We still have a ways to go, Max. We're not ready for marriage yet.”

“What do I have to do? I'm good at achieving objectives.”

She shook her head at him. “Stop acting like I'm a company you're trying to acquire. And you're going to have to compromise.”

He arched one eyebrow at her in that arrogant way of his. “I'm sure you can be very persuasive if you put your mind to it.”

“Are you talking about sex again?”

“I listen to you when we're not in bed.”

He led the way into the tower building, holding the door for her to enter. She thought about how different Max was from every other man she'd ever been involved with. He did listen to her, and he heard things she wasn't even aware she wanted or needed. But he kept his own dreams and desires hidden away, and she really needed to know him to feel safe spending the rest of her life with him.

T
he next two weeks were hectic as Max divided his time between Vegas and Roxy and business trips to Vancouver and his corporate headquarters in Atlanta. He was tired, he missed Roxy and he wanted nothing more than just to hold her in his arms.

The second day in Vancouver, he'd invited her to join him for a mini-vacation while he closed the deal with MacNeil, but she'd refused. She had a job to do and she hadn't yet earned vacation time. Max had made a call to Hayden and asked him to free Roxy from her schedule.

Hayden had refused and Roxy had called Max,
livid that he would try such a thing. It had not been the smartest move on his part.

He'd showered her with gifts, but she'd told him to stop trying to buy her. She didn't need anything, and it made her uncomfortable to receive pricey gifts. Max
had
stopped, but it hadn't felt right.

From his mother's knee he'd learned that women wanted trinkets and baubles, and Roxy's disinterest in them was just another thing that set her apart from every other woman he'd ever known. She'd also told him that he better get used to her working, because she'd never be a lady of leisure.

Tonight she was working until nine o'clock, when her gambler was leaving for the airport. So he went to the poker room to play a few hands. Hayden was there talking to two Japanese men whom Max recognized from his own deep play. They were both whales, big-time gamblers who spent weeks at the casino several times a year. Hayden waved him over but Max didn't feel like socializing so he declined with a shake of his head.

He still had Roxy's ring in his pocket, and he wanted it on her hand. He hadn't asked her again, but had made love to her as often as he could. He'd also taken the time to ask about her dreams and where she saw her future. She wanted to open a small dance studio and pass her love for dance on to others.

She had an idea for opening a showgirl college of
sorts in Vegas and Max had already done some research into what that would take. He wanted to talk to Hayden about space for the facility in the hotel.

He'd called her every night, at first hoping to make her realize how much she needed him in her life. In his arrogance, he wanted to remind her of what she'd said no to.

But instead he'd found that he was the one who needed the conversations. And because dependence wasn't something he could tolerate, he'd deliberately stopped talking to her every day, calling her when he knew she wouldn't be there to prove to himself that he didn't need to hear her voice before he went to bed. He'd have her in his arms for the next four nights. That was the longest stretch of time they'd been together.

Arms snaked around his waist and he felt the cool press of Roxy's lips against his neck. “Hey, there!”

He turned in her embrace and kissed her with all the pent-up emotion that had been bottled inside him for the last five days. “Damn, I missed you.”

Her lips were wet and swollen from his kiss. “I missed you, too.”

“Are you ready to go?”

“Yes. I just got back from the airport.”

“You took Suzi to the airport?”

“She asked me to ride with her. She's really nice and she gave me a huge tip. Dinner tonight is on me.”

“No way.”
No woman of his was buying him a meal. He knew it was an archaic attitude, but he wanted to take care of her because no one else ever had. She'd been working and providing a shelter for herself since she'd turned eighteen, and now he wanted to spoil her. “I'd rather you buy something for yourself.”

She shook her head. “I want to do this, Max. You're always showering me with gifts and stuff. And you have everything…”

He started to argue but she put her fingers over his lips. “Compromise.”

When she put it that way, he understood where she was coming from.

“Great. Do you have a favorite restaurant?”

He had several and he tried to pick one in the moderate price range. He wanted her to feel good about buying him dinner but not stretch her budget. “There's a nice sushi place near the hotel. I'll have my secretary make us a reservation.”

Over the last few weeks he'd come to realize that when she'd stopped headlining, her income had been cut in half. And he admired the way she'd been careful to make sure that she was still able to make ends meet by adjusting her lifestyle.

He kept his hand at the small of Roxy's back as they walked to his limo.

 

Two nights later Roxy put the finishing touches on her makeup in the luxurious suite that Max used whenever he was at the Chimera. Max was at a meeting, but they were having dinner with Harron MacNeil and his wife, who had flown to Vegas for the weekend.

Ever since she'd turned down his wedding proposal, Max had been going out of his way to learn to compromise. She knew it was a struggle for him.

“Roxy?”

“In here,” she said. She blotted her lipstick and turned as he came in, shedding his jacket. He tossed it on the edge of the bed and crossed the room to kiss her. She loved that he did that.

“I'm sorry, Blondie, I thought I'd have you to myself for a few days but sometimes duty calls.” He undid his belt and tossed it on the bed and then went to work on his shirt.

“Sometimes? It calls you all the time.” She opened the closet and took out a fresh shirt for him while he went into the bathroom and freshened up.

“This is my life,” he said, poking his head around the door and holding his hand out for his shirt. She handed it to him and he shrugged into it.

“I know. When I used to dance I was the same way about my career.” She understood Max's dedication and didn't resent it. He always made time for her. The
reality was, he was the CEO of a huge company, and there was no way he'd be able to step away from that.

He pulled a new tie from the drawer and put it around his neck, leaving the tails dangling while he buttoned his shirt and tucked it in.

“This should be the last dinner with them. I think MacNeil is ready to sign on the dotted line.”

“What's been the hold up?”

“The company has been in his family for the last three generations and he wants to make sure that I don't change the essence of what they do.”

“And that is?”

“Cater to families. They pride themselves on their wholesomeness.”

“You're not exactly virtuous.”

He gave her a wicked grin. “Ah, you know you like that about me.”

He pulled her into his arms, leaning back against the vanity table. She rested her hand on his bare chest. “MacNeil is finally convinced that I will keep my word. I told him he could have an opportunity to meet the woman I'm planning to marry.”

“Max, I haven't said yes.”

“I know that. I was upfront with Harron, told him you were dragging your feet.”

She shook her head. Sometimes he was outrageous. She honestly thought that the reason Max was so successful in business and in life was that he
simply never gave up. “Harron thinks I'm the key to you keeping your word.”

“He does. Dinner tonight is just a formality. Thanks for doing this.”

“I don't mind. I really liked Sheila when we met them for lunch. I want to talk to her more about the dance studio she and her daughter own.” She liked being a part of Max's business life. Since that was a huge part of who he was, it gave her another glimpse into the complex man she cared for. She stepped away from him so he could finish dressing.

“I've done some preliminary research into starting a showgirl dance college, if you're interested,” he said, tucking his shirt in and knotting his tie.

She leaned over his shoulder, catching his eye in the mirror to make sure he saw that she was serious. She'd mentioned her dream of opening a school during a late-night conversation. If she didn't put up some stipulations, he'd use his money to make the showgirl college a reality before she had a chance. “Really. I don't want you to buy it for me. Plus I'm not sure I have the right personality to teach.”

“Somehow I knew you'd say that. I ran the idea past Hayden, because it makes sense to have a central training area. Even if you decide not to teach, the idea should still go forward and you should be a part of it.”

She shook her head. “I'm going to do this research, not you.”

“Did you just tell me no?”

She bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. If only he were as arrogant as he thought he was, it would be easier for her to resist him. Easier for her to pretend this was just an affair. Easier to sleep when they were apart.

“Yes, I did. You can't keep buying me things all the time. You make me feel like a kept woman.”

He shrugged into his suit jacket, checked himself one more time in the mirror before turning to her. “Not a very well-kept one. You work as many hours as I do.”

“And your problem with that would be?”

“Absolutely nothing, Blondie.”

He mixed them both a vodka martini, shaking it perfectly, and handed her the glass.

“To us,” he said.

“To us.” Their eyes met as they clinked their glasses and even though she knew she wasn't really part of this world—his world—for once she felt as if she was exactly where she belonged.

 

Their dinner was nice but Max wanted to be alone with Roxy.

For the majority of his life, work had been his number-one priority and it was unnerving to find that a woman was now edging business out. It was early and he should suggest something like dancing
or drinks, but all he really wanted to do was get back to his suite and make love to Roxy.

He shook hands with Harron and watched as Roxy and Sheila said goodbye. Niceties over, be guided Roxy back to his limo as quickly as possible without seeming to rush.

He wanted to ask her again to marry him. The words had been on the tip of his tongue every time they spoke, but he knew he only had one more shot to get it right. He couldn't keep asking her without making himself look like a desperate ass, an image he never wanted to cultivate.

“You're quiet,” he said as the city lights flashed into the back of the limo.

“So are you.”

He raised both eyebrows at her tone. “What's up?”

“I've been thinking about our relationship. I don't see how we can go on this way. I miss you a lot when we're apart.”

He pulled her into his arms. “Good.”

She punched his shoulder lightly but didn't leave his embrace. Instead she settled back against him as he wrapped his arm around her.

“I don't think so, Max. I'm not sure we can keep on the way we have been.”

Finally, he was going to be able to have what he wanted. What they both wanted. He couldn't explain the bond between them. It was like nothing he'd ever
experienced before. He only knew that his life paled when he was away from her.

“I agree.”

“You do?”

“Of course, I do. I'm not any happier with the way things are. I want to sleep with you every night.”

She tipped her head back and he lowered his mouth to hers, sipping from her. Tasting her with long sweeps of his tongue. The brief taste he'd had of her passion earlier wasn't enough. He needed more. He needed it now.

He shifted her in his arms until she straddled his lap. Her hands on his face, her breasts resting on his chest.

“I don't see how that's possible unless you move your headquarters to Las Vegas.”

He skimmed his hands over her back, tracing her spine and shifted under her until he had them both as close as they could get.

“I'm afraid I can't do that. Too many jobs are at stake. Why don't you quit working for the Chimera and travel with me?”

She shifted off his lap and to the rear-facing seat. She crossed her legs and wrapped her arms around herself. “I can't. I can't stop working to be with you. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I did that.”

“Compromise, isn't that what you're always telling me?” he asked.

“Yes, I am. But—”

“What?”

“I'm not sure what I want to do,” she said.

“I'll support you until you figure that out. You can try whatever you like.”

She gave him a hard glare. “I promised myself I'd never live on charity again.”

“There's a big difference between being charity and living together with a man you can't get enough of.” Even now he couldn't make himself talk about emotions. Hers or his. He wanted her, he could vocalize his attraction for her body and late at night he could admit to himself that he needed her in his life. But he couldn't make himself that vulnerable to her.

“That's really not for me.”

His anger bubbled over. He couldn't believe they were having this conversation. He felt like a heel for suggesting that she live with him.
He
didn't want a mistress—he'd wanted a wife. “I asked you to marry me and you said no. So tell me what will work.”

“When you say it like that—”

Immediately he regretted his outburst. Eye on the prize. He was focused on getting her into his life. Making her his wife. “Sorry, my temper got the best of me. I know you need time to see for yourself what I already know about the two of us.”

“What do you know?”

“I know that we fit together.”

“Physically, we sure do. But our lives are very different.”

“Variety is the spice of life, isn't it?”

“Yes, it is. But what if this is just the newness?”

“I can't make you any promises for what the future holds, I'd be lying and we'd both know it. But I can tell you that I can't imagine a time when I won't want you by my side.”

She shifted in his arms, leaning closer to him. Her head on his shoulder. “I'm so tempted. But reality is hard on those kinds of fantasies. And I'm falling for you, Max. Really falling for the man you are in a way that has nothing to do with sex. Relationships are built on more than what we have.”