James formulas.”
“Yeah, I’ll take those formulas,” he said, “but there’s something else I want from you.”
Her eyes wide, she took a small step backward. “I don’t think so.”
“Take it or leave it, Maggie,” Connor snapped.
“Take or leave what?” she said in a huff. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It seems I need a date.”
“A date?” she scoffed. “You must know a hundred women who would—”
“Let me put it this way. I need a woman who knows a little something about beer. You more than meet that requirement, so I intend to use your services for a week.”
“My...services? What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about taking you up on your deal. I’ll pay you the entire amount of money you asked for in exchange for your formulas, plus this one other condition.”
“That I’m at your service for a week? This is ridiculous.” Agitated, she began to pace the floor of his office even faster.
“It’s only for a week,” he said reasonably. “Seven days and nights.”
“Nights?” she repeated, her eyes narrowing.
He shrugged lightly, knowing exactly what she was thinking. Sex. “That’s entirely up to you.”
“This is blackmail,” she muttered.
“No, it’s not. I’m about to give you a lot of money and I want something in return.”
“My services,” she said sarcastically.
“That’s right. Look, the Autumn Brew Festival is next week.”
“I know that,” she grumbled.
“I need a date, and you’re the perfect choice. So you will agree to be my date the entire week and go to all the competition events with me. I’ll also want you to attend a number of meetings and social events with me, including the Friday night gala dinner dance.”
That suspicious look was back. “Are you kidding?”
“What? You don’t like to dance?”
She looked stricken by his words but quickly recovered. “No, I don’t, as a matter of fact.”
That was weird. Maggie had always loved dancing. “Doesn’t matter,” he said. “You’re going to the gala.”
“We’ll see about that.” Her eyes focused in on him. “And that’s it? We pal around for a week at the festival and I get the money?”
“That’s it. And I’ll expect you to stay with me in my hotel suite.”
She stopped and stared at him. “Oh, please.”
“You want the money or not?”
“You know I do, but I can drive in and meet you each morning.”
“That won’t work. I expect us to keep late hours and I have a number of early morning breakfast meetings scheduled. I don’t want to take any chances on you missing something important.”
“But—”
“Look, Maggie. Let me make it clear so there’s no misunderstanding. I don’t expect you to sleep with me. I just expect you to stay at the hotel with me. It’ll be more convenient.”
She frowned. “But I can’t leave Grandpa for that long a time.”
“My mother will look in on him,” he said, silently patting himself on the back for his split-second problem-solving abilities. Deidre MacLaren had known Angus for years, so Connor knew she wouldn’t mind doing it.
“And at the end of the week,” he continued calmly, “I’ll give you the money you asked for in full.”
“And all I have to do is stay with you for a week?”
“And be my date.”
“In your hotel room.”
“It’s a suite.”
“I’ll sleep on the couch.”
“You’ll be more comfortable in a bed.”
“And you’ll sleep on the couch?”
“No.”
Her eyes widened. “Stop kidding around.”
His lips twitched. “Am I?”
“Wait,” she said suddenly. “I’ll get my own room.”
“The hotel is sold out.”
A line marred her forehead as she considered that for a moment, and then she brightened. “We can switch off between the couch and—”
“Take the deal or leave it, Maggie.”
She flashed him a dark look. “Give me a minute to think.”
“No problem.”
She took to pacing the floor again, probably to work out the many creative ways she would say no to his outlandish offer. But she would definitely say no, wouldn’t she?
Hell, what in the world was he thinking? God forbid she agreed to his conditions. What would he do in a hotel suite with Maggie for a week? Well, hell, he knew what he wanted to do with her. She was a beautiful woman and he still remembered every enticing inch of her body. He’d never forgotten all the ways he’d brought her pleasure. Those thoughts had plagued him for years, so living with her for a week would be a dangerous temptation. It would be for the best if she refused the offer.
And once she turned him down, Connor would go ahead and pay for Angus’s medication, even if he had to sneak behind her back to do it. And as for Maggie getting a loan to grow her business, he figured that would happen eventually. She’d either find a bank that would agree to it or she’d tap one of the other brewery owners.
That thought didn’t sit well with him, though. He didn’t want anyone else getting their hands on her beer formulas. Or her, either, if he was being honest.
And in case he’d forgotten, he still needed a date for the Wellstone dinner meeting. As much as he hated to admit it, Maggie would be perfect as his date. Jonas Wellstone would fall in love with her.
So maybe he’d gone too far. If she turned him down—hell, when she turned him down, he would simply renegotiate to get those formulas and to convince her to be his date at the Wellstone dinner. That’s all he really wanted.
Meanwhile, he had to chuckle as he watched her stomp and grumble to herself.
