Resisting The Tycoon's Seduction (The Berutelli Escape) Read Online Free PDF

although connected, reasons. 
    “I just…that is…I was wondering if…” she sighed and let her head drop.  She stood up, relieved to have a reason to pull her hand away from his.  Turning her back to him, she stared out the window but then squeezed her eyes shut.  “Would you marry me?” she blurted out.  Her whole body was trembling now and she was afraid he might be able to see it.  She clasped her hands in front of her, gripping them together in an effort to brace herself for his imminent rejection. 
    Unfortunately, there was only silence behind her and the tension tightening in her stomach increased to an almost painful level.  But she’d said it!  She’d finally gotten it out.  He could reject her or accept it and she could go back to her father with a clear conscience.  She’d figure out how to get out of marrying Jimmy somehow.  Just one problem at a time, she told herself. 
    When she finally heard him move, her back stiffened even more and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep herself from crying.  She hated for him to see how this little travesty was making her act, but she couldn’t completely hide her feelings from him.  He wasn’t a stupid man.  He could see her tense muscles, and probably her shaking as well. 
    “What’s going on Marissa?  Do you need money?  Are you in trouble in some way?”
    With his words, so kind and concerned, she couldn’t help the burst of laughter that erupted from her tense body.  “Money?  No, I don’t need money.  But thank you very much for your concern.  I really just…I need to marry you.”
    He stood in front of her looking down into her eyes, trying to determine what was going on.  She looked like she might snap at any moment, her eyes had dark circles underneath and her whole face was pale.  Even her lips were pale and her fingers were clenched together so tightly, her knuckles white and straining. 
    He lifted her hands and gently pulled them apart, holding them lightly.  His thumb rested on her wrist while his mind absently noted that her pulse was rapid.  “Need is a far cry from ‘want’,” he said softly.  “Can you tell me what’s going on?”
    She desperately wished she could confide in someone, but this wasn’t a conversation she could have with anyone, and especially not him.  She felt trapped, isolated.  She shook her head.  “No.  I just need to marry you.  Yes or no?” she demanded, ready to bolt no matter what his answer.  She was pretty sure what he would say, but she waited tensely for his response. 
    He wouldn’t let her pull away from him.  “Marissa, talk to me.  I can help you , I promise.”
    She laughed harshly, thinking about Jimmy waiting on the sidelines and her revulsion caused her to shiver once again.  Taking a deep breath, she shook her head.  “Not this time!” she claimed and tried to pull away.  “I’m guessing this is a no.”
    He smiled slightly and let her hands drop since she was trying to walk away from him.  He wouldn’t let her leave his office though.  Not until he figured out what was going on.  She was in trouble, he just couldn’t figure out the whole issue.  And until he had the facts, he couldn’t help her solve the problem. 
    “Maybe we could go out to dinner one night?  Get to know each other?”  He turned her around so she was facing him again.  “Didn’t your mother ever tell you that you should never marry a man until you knew his shirt and neck size?”
    She laughed, but it came out sounding a bit more like a sob.  “My mother died a long time ago,” she said simply.  “So no, that little gem of advice never made it to my ears.”
    “I’m sorry,” he replied, feeling like an ass for being so cruel.  Her mother’s status hadn’t made it into the background information he’d received from his head of security.  “That was heartless of me.”  He pulled her against his chest, relieved when she curled her body into his.  It occurred