Tempting Aquisitions Read Online Free Page B

Financial Journal article, he’d simply walked away from the situation. Which made absolutely no sense.
    She stared up at the firm set of his jaw as he navigated them through the ballroom.
    What was his game? She was still trying to figure it out—as well as why she was in his limo—a few minutes later.
    “I thought we’d go somewhere else to discuss things. That ballroom had far too many reporters for my comfort.”
    “On the contrary. I’d have thought you’d be right at home, spinning your story for the press. Just like you did for this morning’s edition.”
    “This morning was different. That was the opening salvo. The rest of this battle is between us, darling.”
    She clicked her tongue at the back of her teeth, unwilling to be baited. “You call all your opponents darling? I imagine that raises quite a few eyebrows.”
    “Most of my opponents don’t deserve it.”
    “I do because I’m a woman?”
    Nathan leaned forward, his predatory gaze unwavering on hers. “A very beautiful woman.”
    She would not be baited. Or flattered. Or enticed by those sin-with-me eyes. “It’s immaterial.”
    “Actually, it’s not.”
    “Excuse me?”
    “This is a business transaction and the press is going to love pitting us against each other. The fact that you’re a beautiful woman has an impact. The press loves a good story, but when the players are as attractive as you three, well, it gives you an advantage.”
    Keira shook her head, trying to follow his train of thought. “You’re suggesting I have a leg up because of how I look. That my shareholders will make a major business decision because of a photograph or two?”
    “It doesn’t hurt.”
    “If that’s the case, what about you? Movie-star good looks can’t hurt your march on the company like Sherman through the South. I saw the way the female half of the ballroom fawned over you.”
    “So you were watching out for me? Or more to the point, watching those watching out for me?”
    Keira snapped her mouth closed, unwilling to engage in any further discussion. No matter what she said—or how she framed her thoughts—he seemed to have a response waiting up his sleeve.
    She knew people made decisions for far poorer reasons than what they read in the press, but from Sally’s reports earlier, Nathan had won more than a few investors over to his side already. Between his own stock purchase and his advance negotiations with several major investors—two large pension funds and a mutual fund that they knew of—he’d already laid some serious groundwork. All he needed was to garner enough shareholder support his way and she, Camryn, and Mayson could kiss McBride Media good-bye.
    “Where are you taking me?”
    “There’s a quiet bar in your neighborhood. We’ll go there.”
    “You know where I live?”
    “The McBride penthouse isn’t exactly a secret. It’s been in your family for years, hasn’t it? And it’s been profiled in several architecture magazines.”
    Why did it feel like he had a leg up? Like he’d been studying her, while she’d been thrown into the deep end and was trying to catch up. She’d spent half her day combing the Internet for anything she could find on Nathan Cooper and it didn’t feel as if she’d made a dent, yet he knew where she lived.
    Nathan climbed from the car first, then held out his hand to help her. As his fingers closed over hers, the heat of his touch assailed her once more. Which was about as convenient as a heart attack, she admonished as she pulled her hand from his grasp before heading for the bar.
    This was a business meeting, nothing more.
    The Commons was dark and sparsely populated for a Tuesday night, which suited her fine, Keira thought. She took a seat at one of the small conversation tables at the far side of the room near a roaring fire. She’d already been on display enough this evening. If she had to spend some time with Nathan Cooper, the anonymity of their meeting was far preferable to the