Mail-order Bridegroom Part 54

"Interesting," Damon said. He looked at her a.s.s ingly for a moment, then his

gaze moved to the cl "If I move away from the door are you going to again?"

"Are you through accusing me?"

He nodded.

"For the moment."

Kate, who had begun to relax, stiffened again at his words.He smiled grimly."Sit down, Kate McKee. We have things to talk about.""What things?"He nodded at the chair and moved towards the desk himself. But this time, instead of sitting down behind it, he hitched one hip up on the corner of it

and waited until she'd come and sat.

"Things like what you told your father when you hit on--excuse me--when you "

approached" Stephanos so, shall we say, enthusiastically."

"What difference does that make?""It makes a difference.""I don't see how," she said stubbornly.Tell me. ""Oh, good grief. You can guess, can't you?" She glared at him irritably."I can make a fair stab at it, yes. Something about not possibly being able to marry Jeffrey because Stephanos was your man?" He said it all with just

enough mockery in his voice to make her cringe.

"Something like that," Kate mumbled, mortified to hear it all spelled out.

It had been such a spur-of-the- moment thing! And so incredibly stupid. She had been horrified at her father's suggestion, had made desperate excuses, met her father's doubting gaze, then glanced up and spotted Stephanos--the rest had simply happened!

Kate had never lied in her life. And with good reason, she thought now, if

every time she did so, she was going to get caught up in a mess like this one!

"I know it was stupid," she admitted gruffly, She expected he'd agree with that, but all he asked was,

"Did you tell your father his name?"

"Of course not! Do you think I'm a complete idiot?

I just said

"There he is now," and jumped up and ran i over to him. I certainly didn'tintroduce them! ""What will happen when Daddy finds out you lied?" i She s.h.i.+fted uncomfortably in her chair.

"I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"How?" ; "I don't know yet," she said crossly, looking away across the

room.

Beyondthe mobile she could see the Empire State Building, the lights

beginning to gleam as the sun set. She focused on them, trying to blot outthe man leaning^ on the desk barely eighteen inches from her."Perhaps I can help you out."She blinked and looked back at him."Why should you?"He shrugged."I'm a businessman, Ms McKee. If I can help you and help myself at the same time, I think that's good business." He looked almost bored as he spoke.

Kate couldn't imagine any sort of dealings the two of them might conduct that would be mutually beneficial. But then he was the business tyc.o.o.n, not her.

"What did you have in mind?"

"I want you to marry me."

CHAPTER TWO.

'very funny. "

Not only was Damon Alexakis powerful, he had a warped sense of humour. Just

what I need, Kate thought irritably.

"Who's laughing?"

She looked up at him, startled. He was staring implacably back at her, not a

glimmer of laughter in those hard, dark eyes.

"You can't be serious!"

One heavy brow lifted.

"I don't joke about business matters, Ms McKee."

"Marriage is not a business matter!"

"Sometimes marriage is not a business matter," he agreed smoothly.

"Sometimes it's a matter of hormones and pregnancy and some ridiculous thing

called love. But for thousands of years it's been an economic decision, no more, no less."

"And that's what you want?"

"That's what I want."She shook her head. She felt as if she'd walked through the looking-gla.s.s orfallen down a rabbit hole. Certainly she felt as if she'd missed somethingvital in this conversation.

"It doesn't make sense," she said finally.

"Why would you want to marry me?"

"I don't want to marry you. I need to marry you."

"But why?"

He shoved away from the' desk pushed his hands into the pockets of his trousers, and paced around the room, all vestiges of cool detached boredom a thing of the past.

"I do, that's all," he said after a moment. He didn't look at her, choosing instead to stare out the window into the deepening twilight.

Kate regarded him quizzically, interested in how suddenly agitated he'd become.

"Not fair, Mr Alexakis," she said after a moment.

He spun on his heel and glared at her.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

She gave him a faint smile.

"I had to tell you my sordid little tale.

Let's hear yours. "

He gritted his teeth.

"There's nothing sordid about it."

"But there is a tale?"

"It's business."

"And as the person you've approached to take part in this business, however

non-sordid as it might be, I have every right to know the particulars."

He scowled at her. Kate smiled equably back and didn't say a word. He

muttered something under his breath, then raked his fingers through his hair,mussing it even more."It's my mother," he blurted out after a moment.Kate smiled."Ah. I see. Your mother and my father.""My mother has nothing in common with your father!""Maybe not. As you so aptly described him, my father is a barracuda.What's your mother like? "Damon rubbed the back of his neck, considering. Then his mouth twisted slightly.

"Holding to a sea- world metaphor? A barnacle."

"Once she attaches herself, she doesn't let go?"

He nodded grimly.

"Ever since my father died, she's focused on me.

Consults me about every d.a.m.ned thing from changing the light bulbs to buying