Read Online The Billionaire's Bidding by Barbara Dunlop - Free Book Online Page B

sandals to head across the deck.
    Mrs. Nash followed on his heels. “A marriage of convenience, Mr. Garrison?”
    â€œYes, Mrs. Nash. A marriage of convenience.” It wasn’t like he was breaking the law.
    â€œWell, we both know where that leads.”
    â€œTo profitability and an increase in our capital asset base?”
    â€œTo misery and a cold, lonely death.”
    A stillness took over Alex’s body. He hooked his toes over the edge and gazed into the still, clear water. “I am not my father.”
    â€œYou are more like him than you care to admit.”
    â€œI’m nothing like him.”
    She clicked her teeth, and he could feel her shaking her head.
    â€œI know what I’m doing, Mrs. Nash.”
    â€œDue respect, Mr. Garrison. You haven’t a bloody clue.”
    Yeah. That was respectful all right. Alex tamped down the urge to engage in the debate. He was out of patience, and he was out of time. He drew a strangled breath, tensed his calf muscles and dove into the pool.

Five
    I t was three minutes past eight by the time Alex found a parking spot and strode up the wide staircase into the DreamLodge headquarters lobby. The airy, open room was impressive—quiet, understated and classy. But then Clive Murdoch hadn’t built his empire on stupidity and poor taste. He was Alex’s number one competitor for good reason. The man wasn’t to be taken lightly.
    Briefcase in hand, power suit freshly pressed, and his hair trimmed right to his collar, Alex scanned the floor directory next to a bank of elevators. The executive suite was on number thirty-eight.
    He pressed a button and one of the doors immediately slid open.
    The ride up was direct and smooth. And on the top floor, he emerged and introduced himself to the receptionist, hoping name recognition would get him in to see Clive Murdoch without an appointment.
    â€œI’ll see if he’s free, Mr. Garrison.” The young woman smiled behind a discreet headset and punched a number on her phone.
    â€œAlex?” The sound of another woman’s voice sent a ripple of warning up his spine.
    He quickly blinked the surprise from his expression and turned to face Emma. Then he took a few steps forward to put some distance between them and the receptionist. “Emma,” he crooned. “Right on time, I see.”
    â€œWhat are you—”
    â€œI was worried you’d be late, sweetheart.” He gave her a kiss on the forehead, while his mind scrambled for a contingency plan.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” she asked.
    â€œWhat are you doing here?” he returned. “And why aren’t you wearing your ring?” A good offense? It might work. He sure hadn’t come up with any better ideas in the past fifteen seconds.
    â€œI have an appointment,” she said.
    â€œSo I heard,” he bluffed.
    â€œHeard from who?”
    He quickly grabbed an answer for that one. “The hotel business is a tight-knit community.”
    She frowned. “It is not.”
    â€œYes, it is.” He frowned back at her, pretending he had a right to be annoyed. “I can’t believe you’d book a meeting with Murdoch without me.”
    And, quite frankly, he couldn’t believe she’d agree to meet Murdoch on his own turf for a negotiation. Didn’t she understand the home court advantage?
    â€œIt’s still my company,” she said.
    â€œAnd I’m a player in it. Where’s your ring?”
    She curled her left hand and tucked it behind her. “We haven’t signed a thing.”
    They’d talk about the ring later. He had a lot to say about the damn ring. “You said yes in front of five hundred people.”
    Her complexion darkened a shade. “And we are definitely talking about that one later.”
    He should hate it when she used that tone of voice. But he didn’t. It energized him instead of annoying him. It made him look forward