The millionaire's agenda Read online

  Chloe chose a lilac-coloured trouser suit from her wardrobe and left her hair loose. She studied her reflection critically in the mirror.

  The strange thing was that she did look good—glowing, in fact. And as well as that she had actually lost weight! How was that possible, she wondered.

  Maybe the doctor had made a mistake?

  Steven was ten minutes early. He bounded up the stairs, looking refreshed and relaxed in a pale grey suit that did incredible things for an already perfect physique.

  He smiled at her. ‘How did you get on with Dr Hallowell?’

  The quietly asked question made her temperature soar.

  ‘Fine.’ Her smile was slightly strained. ‘Pretty much as we suspected… I’m allergic to you. The doctor said to break off all contact immediately, or it could be fatal.’

  ‘I demand a second opinion at a Harley Street specialist.’ Steven grinned. ‘Because you won’t get out of marrying me that easily.’

  She picked up her bag and swiftly changed the subject. ‘I’m ready to go if you are.’

  As usual the Waterside Restaurant was busy, but they were escorted immediately to their table.

  As Chloe studied the menu she couldn’t help remembering the last time they had come here, on her birthday. Never in her wildest dreams had she thought she would be in here just over six weeks later with an engagement ring on her finger and the knowledge that she was pregnant.

  The waiter brought some champagne and as he poured it Chloe suddenly realised that if she was pregnant she shouldn’t drink. ‘May I have a bottle of mineral water, please?’ she asked the waiter before he departed.

  She smiled across at him. ‘How’s Beth getting on with the new nanny?’

  ‘Fine… Beth really likes Paula. She was a good choice, Chloe.’

  Chloe nodded. She had been the last of the women on her interview list. And Chloe had liked her instantly.

  ‘So…’ Steven settled back in his chair and raised his glass. ‘Shall we drink to a June wedding?’

  Chloe looked at him in consternation. ‘We’re midway through June now!’

  ‘Well, we’ll have to settle on a date.’ Although his voice was light-hearted there was something about the way he was watching her that was very intense. ‘And there’s no point in hanging around.’

  Silently she agreed that they should settle on a date, and under the circumstances it probably should be sooner rather than later. But she couldn’t go ahead and blithely make plans until she had told him her news, and she wasn’t ready for that tonight.

  The waiter came and took their order. When he had gone again Chloe hoped to change the subject but Steven persisted. ‘So, what about a July wedding, then?’

  ‘July…’ She felt hot and uncomfortable.

  ‘Are you happy about having a registry-office service? If you’d rather we can book a church,’ Steven said.

  ‘No. I don’t want a whole big fuss. Just a quiet civil ceremony.’

  ‘Well, at least you haven’t changed your mind.’

  The quietly spoken words made her glance over at him. He was watching her with a raised eyebrow. ‘You had me a bit worried for a moment.’

  The waiter approached the table and said something to Steven quietly. Something that Chloe couldn’t hear.

  Steven shook his head. ‘Sorry, Chloe, Jamie wants a quiet word with me in the office. Will you excuse me for a moment?’

  ‘Yes…sure.’ She took a sip of her water and watched him crossing the crowded restaurant with a determined stride.

  So, what to do? The question burned inside her. Should she tell him now and see what he said?

  The ring of Steven’s mobile phone, which was lying on the table, interrupted her thoughts. Chloe reached and picked it up, seeing Helen’s name flashing on the screen.

  She hesitated, then clicked the connect button.

  ‘Hello, darling, just wanted a quick word about Paris…’ Helen purred. Chloe reacted immediately by disconnecting her and sat back, stunned.

  Suddenly Steven’s earlier slip of the tongue became clear. He was taking Helen to Paris. She felt cold inside.

  ‘Have I had a phone call?’ Steven’s voice made her jump. She looked up at him, her eyes wide, and realised she was still clutching his phone.

  ‘Yes.’ She swallowed on a lump in her throat.

  ‘Who was it?’ he asked, taking his seat opposite.

  ‘I don’t know…’ she lied, handing him back his phone.

  It rang again. Chloe knew very well that it would be Helen’s name flashing on that screen as the woman tried to call him back. She waited for him to answer it, but instead he switched it off and put it back down on the table.

  ‘I’m sure, whatever it is, it’s not important,’ he said quietly. ‘They can leave a message on the answering service.’ Then he noted the pallor of her skin.

  ‘Are you all right?’ he asked with concern.

  Chloe couldn’t gather herself together to answer him.

  ‘Chloe?’

  She was aware that Steven was talking, but his voice seemed to be coming from a long way away. ‘Do you think we could get out of here?’ she asked. ‘I don’t feel very well.’

  ‘Yes, of course.’ Steven frowned and immediately put up his hand and summoned the waiter.

  Chloe was feeling incredibly claustrophobic, as if the whole restaurant was suddenly closing in on her. She was aware that Jamie had arrived at the table now, asking Steven if everything was all right.

  ‘Yes, everything is fine. We just have to leave…’ Steven’s voice was firm and polite. But the manager still detained him.

  Without waiting around, Chloe headed downstairs and left the restaurant.

  The air outside was cool and misty with rain. It was dark now and the rain was illuminated like a silver sheet against the glare of the street lamps.

  She walked over towards the embankment and stared out at the darkness of the river.

  Why did this hurt so much? she wondered. Why did she have this searing pain wedged somewhere deep inside? She had always known that Steven didn’t love her. In fact, he had been quite honest about his intentions. His proposal of marriage had been a business plan… Even right back on that night when they had made love he had talked about their union in businesslike terms; how was it he had phrased it…the perfect arrangement…?

  She was aware of Steven coming out of the restaurant behind her. ‘Chloe, you’re going to get soaked.’ He came over to stand beside her. ‘Here, take my coat,’ he said, draping it around her shoulders. ‘What’s the matter, sweetheart?’

  The endearment was the last straw.

  ‘I can’t marry you, Steven.’ Her voice was cool and clear and suddenly wonderfully controlled. ‘I’m sorry…I just can’t. I’ve changed my mind.’

  Steven shook his head. ‘No, you haven’t.’ His voice was equally firm. ‘You’re just a bit nervous, that’s all—’

  ‘Steven, I mean it.’ She tried to take her ring off so that she could give it back to him.

  He put out a hand and caught hold of hers, stopping her with gentle force.

  ‘Come back to the car and we’ll talk,’ he said softly.

  She shook her head. ‘There’s nothing to say.’

  ‘Yes, there is.’ Steven held her hand tightly. ‘Don’t walk away, Chloe.’ His voice was low and earnest. ‘There’s too much at stake here. Think of what you are doing. I need you, Chloe, and Beth needs you—’

  ‘I’m sorry…’ Her voice started to break. ‘I really am…but at least we haven’t told Beth.’

  She tried to take her hand away from him, but still he wouldn’t let go.

  ‘Why are you doing this?’ He spoke quietly, but his eyes blazed into hers.

  ‘That phone call a moment ago was from Helen; she wanted to talk to you about Paris.’ She blurted out the words, unable to contain them any longer.

  Steven frowned. ‘Why would Helen want to talk to me about Paris?’

 
‘You tell me.’ She looked at him pointedly. ‘Come on, Steven, I’m not stupid; you’re taking her to Paris, aren’t you?’

  ‘No, I am not.’ He looked startled. ‘I’m amazed you would think that.’

  ‘Really? What was it you said this morning…? “When I take you and Beth out for lunch when we return from Paris.” And now she’s ringing you to talk about the trip. She said, “Hello, darling, a quick word about Paris.”’

  ‘Well, I don’t care what she said—’

  ‘You are still in love with her.’ Chloe cut across him. ‘I know you are…you even sent her red roses after your relationship had supposedly finished.’

  ‘Roses?’ Steven looked perplexed.

  ‘The ones I ordered for you, the ones that were delivered to your house,’ she reminded him tersely.

  ‘Oh, those! They weren’t for Helen! It was my sister Maddi’s wedding anniversary and she and her husband were coming to stay for a few days; the roses were for their anniversary.’

  ‘Oh…’ Chloe’s anger died a little and she felt a bit foolish for mentioning the flowers now. ‘But the fact remains that you are still seeing Helen,’ she continued in a lower tone. ‘Don’t lie to me, Steven. I know the truth—I heard her on the phone.’

  Steven got out his mobile phone. ‘I don’t know what she wanted, but we will sort this out here and now.’ Swiftly he pressed the keys and waited.

  ‘Hi, Helen, it’s Steven. I believe you phoned me a few moments ago; what’s your problem?’ His voice was curt. ‘I see…’ He shook his head. ‘Would you mind repeating that?’ Swiftly he held the phone to Chloe’s ear.

  ‘When you told me this morning you were going to Paris I wondered if you would pick me up some of my favourite perfume; it’s not available here now and—’

  Steven took the phone back and cut the communication, putting the phone back into his trouser pocket.

  ‘And, before you ask, I’ve forgotten what Helen’s favourite perfume is,’ he said briskly. ‘How could you think I’d do something as deceitful as see Helen behind your back?’

  ‘I’m sorry, Steven, it was wrong of me.’ Her voice was very low. ‘I know that. You are an honourable man, Steven Cavendish, a man who adores his daughter—’

  ‘And adores his fiancée,’ Steven finished huskily. ‘I would never hurt you like that, Chloe. I couldn’t bear to lose you… I love you.’

  The words cut into Chloe’s consciousness and brought her to an abrupt halt.

  ‘You love me?’ Her eyes were wide and incredulous.

  ‘Of course I love you.’

  His eyes moved tenderly over her face.

  ‘Oh, Steven!’ She went into his arms. ‘I love you too.’ Her voice was muffled against his chest. Firmly he held her away from him.

  ‘Say that again,’ he demanded.

  ‘I said, I love you, Steven Cavendish…’

  Steven wrapped her in a bear hug of such proportions that he almost squeezed the breath out of her as he whirled her around.

  Then suddenly they were kissing, frantically holding each other, oblivious of the rain and the people going in and out of the restaurant behind him.

  It was only when Steven pulled back that they suddenly became aware of how saturated they were. ‘I think we should get out of this rain before we catch pneumonia,’ Steven said, putting his arm protectively around her, and they hurried to the car.

  Once they were in the shelter of the car, he turned to her with a smile. ‘Now, where were we?’

  ‘You were telling me how much you love me,’ she whispered. ‘And I still can hardly believe it.’

  ‘I thought you didn’t believe in love?’ Steven said teasingly.

  ‘I’ve had a conversion,’ she laughed.

  He smiled and traced the outline of her lips with his finger. ‘And to think I was so worried about mentioning the dreaded L-word that I went to all those elaborate lengths to avoid it when I proposed…’

  ‘You loved me the day you proposed? I thought it was just a business proposition…a perfect arrangement of expediency?’

  Steven shook his head. ‘I was just frightened that if I told you how I felt that it would scare you away…and I wanted you so much I’d have said anything that day to hold you, to keep you in my life…be with you… You’ve no idea the passions you arouse in me.’

  She laughed a little at that. ‘I think I have a little idea,’ she whispered, remembering the passion of his lovemaking. ‘But I thought it was just sexual, and today I was suddenly convinced that you were seeing Helen again.’

  ‘I never loved Helen, Chloe. Never felt about her the way I feel about you.’ Steven reached and kissed her tenderly on the lips. ‘But your instincts were right about that trip to Paris.’ He pulled away from her and opened the dashboard, taking out an envelope.

  ‘What’s that?’ Chloe asked as he handed it across to her. ‘Those are our flight tickets and details. I’m taking you with me to Paris, Chloe…as a surprise. Remind me never to try and hoodwink you again.’

  Chloe threw her arms around him and hugged him tight. ‘Oh, Steven, I love you so much.’

  They kissed again and it was a while before they drew apart.

  ‘I’ve got a surprise as well,’ she said quietly, almost shyly, as he looked down at her.

  ‘What kind of surprise?’ he asked indulgently.

  ‘Well…firstly…you know you mentioned something about a June wedding?’

  ‘Yes…?’

  ‘Well, maybe that was a good idea…’

  As he made to reach to kiss her she pulled away. ‘That’s not the surprise,’ she said quietly.

  ‘It’s not?’

  She shook her head. ‘I was hesitating about setting the date for our wedding because I have something important to tell you.’ She took a deep breath. ‘I’m almost two months pregnant, Steven… I found out today—’

  For a second Steven looked stunned, then a smile of incredible happiness spread over his face. ‘Oh, darling, that’s wonderful.’

  ‘So you don’t think Beth will mind having a little brother or sister?’ she asked.

  ‘Mind?’ He laughed. ‘She’s going to be ecstatic, just like me.’

  As Steven pulled her towards him and kissed her with tenderness and love she closed her eyes. ‘I think I’ve found that perfect haven after all,’ she whispered happily.

  ISBN: 978-1-4268-7293-8

  THE MILLIONAIRE’S AGENDA

  First North American Publication 2004.

  Copyright © 2002 by Kathryn Ross.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.

  All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

  This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

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