The Billionaire Date Read Online Free PDF Page A

a worthy cause, you see. And besides, if you don’t take this challenge—”
    Kit wanted to ignore him, but the question hung in the air like a plume of toxic gas, threatening to choke and smother her. “What if I don’t?”
    â€œIf you don’t succeed, or if you don’t even have the guts to try, then I will take great pleasure in telling everyone I deal with exactly why Tryad is a good firm to stay away from.”
    Kit gasped. “That’s not fair!”
    â€œIf you don’t believe in your abilities, Ms. Deevers, why should I cut you any slack? I think I’d be doing a public service, frankly, to let your prospective clients know what they’re getting into.”
    â€œThat’s not what I mean. It’s not fair to blame Tryad as a whole for something that was my doing.”
    â€œI thought,” he said gently, “that you said it wasn’t your fault.”
    â€œIt wasn’t, but at least I was involved. My partners weren’t. It has absolutely nothing to do with them.”
    Jarrett shrugged. “You’re part of this firm, so whatever you do reflects on them.”
    â€œYes, but—” She stumbled to a halt, unable to think of a telling argument.
    â€œTake it or leave it.” Finally, he moved, striding with the easy grace of a lynx toward the door where she stood. “I’ll leave my card with your receptionist.” The sleeve of his linen blazer brushed Kit’s bare arm. The contact stung as if she’d been whipped with nettles.
    â€œWait!”
    He turned. He was less than a foot from her, and Kit had to look a long way up into his face. There were flecks of gold in his dark brown eyes, and tiny lines at the corners. Those must come from the time he spent on that sailboat with the current Lingerie Lady.
    â€œYour complaint is with me,” she said desperately.
    â€œNot with Tryad. So I’ll make you a deal.”
    He shrugged. “You’re not exactly in a good place to be dictating terms, you know.”
    â€œI’ll do a campaign for you, and I’ll do my best to raise at least ten thousand dollars.”
    â€œSomehow,” Jarrett mused, “this sounds familiar. Almost as if I’d said it myself.”
    â€œBut I’ll do it on my own time. You don’t have to pay me a dime, but in return, you have to promise that Tryad doesn’t come into it.”
    He looked thoughtful. “You mean, you want me to promise that if you fail—”
    â€œI won’t fail!”
    â€œIn that case,” he said gently, “you—and Tryad—don’t have a thing to worry about, do you? Shall we shake hands on our deal, Ms. Deevers?”
    Â 
    Kit didn’t walk him to the front door, as all three of the partners usually did with their clients. Mostly, she admitted, it was because she wasn’t so sure she could still walk.
    She heard the front door close and sank against the conference room wall with a thud. How had he managed to turn things so neatly against her? She’d made a perfectly reasonable proposition, and he’d shot it down without even bothering to take aim.
    She wanted to pound her forehead against the door.
    A couple of minutes later Susannah came in. “He’s gorgeous,” she said.
    â€œI suppose you were hovering in the hallway so you could get a good look?”
    â€œOf course not,” Susannah said with dignity. “I was supervising Rita’s typing.”
    â€œBet she loved having you leaning over her shoulder.”
    â€œI wasn’t. I was sitting on her desk—I had a much better view of the conference room door that way. Kit, he’s twice as terrific as his pictures. No wonder you... Are you all right?”
    â€œJust jolly,” Kit said under her breath.
    â€œWell, good. You look a little stunned, though. Let me guess what happened. He was so impressed by you that he wants Tryad to take over Milady