Romance: The Billionaire's Proposal (4 page)

But it is her development application for the empty parcel of land in town that really catches my eye.

We both wanted the same piece of property, and knowing Councilman Jones, all I had to do was flash a little money to be right there in the game.

I just hope that my antics don’t get me too far on her hate list because it was going to be one bumpy ride…

I press the intercom in my desk to page my assistant and immediately Anna, a sensual woman in her midforties, walks in.

I had to hire older women because the younger ones tend to get distracted or try to date me after I sleep with them. After I slept with Anna on her first day, it was back to business as usual.

I liked that about her.

“Mr. Hudson, what can I do for you?” she asks with a smile.

She’s always pleasant, well dressed and on time.

There is nothing more I could ask from an assistant.

“Can you connect me to Councilman Jones’s office? I have a proposition for him that I know he’s won’t be able to refuse. Especially with reelections coming up,” I say.

She nods. “I’ll get right on it, sir. Is there anything else you need?”

“No, that’s all for now. Thank you, Anna,” I say, smiling.

She walks out of the room and after a few moments I hear her voice back over the intercom. “Councilman Jones is on line one, sir.”

“Thank you,” I say as I pick up the phone. “Councilman, I’m prepared to make you an offer that you may want to deeply consider. It’s really the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m offering it to you. Believe me; I’m not pulling your leg.” 

Chapter Five

Tara

I sip on a wine and relax a little bit.

The meeting with the council went well, so I need to celebrate. Running a property development business can be a lot of stress, so I take the chance to celebrate any victory that comes my way.

“What a good week,” I clink glasses with my assistant Joan as we sit in my tiny office.

“It’s good the councilman jumped on so quickly,” she smiles.

Joan is an older lady approaching her sixties so I haven’t shared my one-night stand story with her. I’ll just keep that piece of happy knowledge to myself.

My cell phone rings off in the distance, and I head to answer it.

I see that it’s Councilman Jones—maybe we could close the deal a little sooner?

Then I can get started on the development a lot earlier, which will be great.

I want to have the community center done by spring so the kids can start a vegetable garden and have a place to hang out. I also want the nursing home and the library built by the end of summer next year, which I could only get done if the paperwork was signed by the end of the month.

“Hello. Tara speaking,” I answer the phone.

“Hi, Ms. Timmons. Sorry to call you so late—I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time,” he says.

“Of course not; I’m available to talk. Have you already looked over those files? Are we able to close the deal earlier?” I ask, getting excited already.

Surely if he called me, it’ll be nothing but good news, right?

The line gets quiet for a minute, and then the councilman finally speaks.

“Well not exactly… After you left, I got another offer for the property. One even better than the one you pitched to me, and worth a lot more money.”

I immediately feel the angry welling up inside me.

We shook on an agreement and he’s backing out already?

Maybe he was just a dirty politician after all.

Dollar signs are everything to them, and I do mean everything.

“What do you mean you have a better offer? And from whom? I thought what we had was a done deal. We shook on it. But now you’re going back on your word?”

He sighs.

I can tell he’s getting frustrated, but I’m getting frustrated as well.

How could he do this to me?

Everything was good just a few hours ago, and now it was all crumbling down around me.

This guy is some piece of work.

“I got an offer from billionaire Alexander Hudson.”

“So?”

“He’s offered a lot more money than you did,” he sighs, “And wants to build a parking garage and a few more warehouses. It’s not as noble as your cause, of course, but he has the money and can pay the actual asking price plus a lot more. His proposal will create jobs and money for…”

“Money?” I interrupt. “Money for your back pocket.”

“I’m not saying that I’m saying yes to his offer. I’m just saying that I’m considering both options. It’s only fair,” he says.

“We had an in principal agreement.” My voice is firm.

“People get into bidding wars over property all the time. I’m sure this isn’t the first time you’ve gotten into one, and I’m certain that it won’t be the last. It’s the way the world works, and legally since we haven’t signed any papers, I have to still consider other options. It’s nothing personal Tara, just business. I hope you understand that I’m not trying to be malicious with this. I’m just trying to be fair, like I said.”

My hand grips the phone tighter. I want to smash something.

He was really full of it, but he also was a little bit right. We hadn’t signed any paperwork so he was still legally bound to consider other offers.

“Okay, Councilman.”

“Okay. You have a good day, Ms. Timmons. I’m really sorry about this,” he says before hanging up.

I toss my phone onto the table and take a deep breath.

I can’t believe this is happening to me.

Sure, he didn’t say no today, but if this billionaire guy could pay the asking price and a whole lot more then I can lose the land to him.

I’m sure he would also be making donations to an upcoming electoral campaign.

“Not good news?” Joan asks.

“Not at all Joan.”

“Another offer?”

“Yes, another offer. For parking and warehouses.”

“Oh dear…”

“The city doesn’t need any more warehouses or parking garages; there is enough of those already. At least I want to be helpful, unlike this guy—whoever he was. He was probably some old, fat, white guy just looking to add to his portfolio or whatever it is that rich people do.”

I fall into the chair behind my desk and Joan nods to me, exiting the room.

That’s what I like about Joan – she is very emotionally intelligent and knows when to leave me alone.

Turning on my computer, I type “Alexander Hudson” into the search engine.

When the picture pops up I do a double take.

What?

I rub my eyes to make sure they aren’t deceiving me, and once I realize that they aren’t, I get angry.

“No freaking way,” I mumble to myself. “I can’t believe this!”

I stare at the picture: it’s the guy from last night at the bar.

I can’t believe this.

Did he know I was planning to buy the land all along and was just checking out his competition?

Because if that’s the case, I’m sure that I gave him everything he needed to know because alcohol always made me talk.

I just can’t believe that a man with his amount of money and connections would have to stoop to the level to seduce business rival.

Prick.

I write down where his office is and place the address on the desk.

There’s no way I’m letting him get the piece of land.

This is now so much more than just a business deal. This man took me for a ride – all because he wants a piece of land.

Bastard.

This deal has just gotten personal.

I can do so much more with it than he possibly could, and I am not about to be walked over by him just because he has a lot more money than I do.

Turning away from the computer, I take a deep breath.

Maybe if I reasoned with him at his office and not go in all crazy woman on him, he’ll consider backing off.

Maybe, just maybe, the guy had a heart.

I mull over that plan for about fifteen seconds before I kick that idea to the curb.

He was going to get mad Tara - the personality that got more things done than soft, little, innocent Tara.

I was so sure that I had this development in the bag.

I’m glad that I waited to tell people I had gotten it, because it would be terrible to tell them that I didn’t get it again thanks to some spoiled billionaire jerk.

I’m fuming, and all I can think seeking my revenge on this Alexander Hudson.

Why didn’t he just tell me who he was in the first place?

And why was he at just some regular run-down bar if he had that much money to blow?

There were a lot of bars downtown that would cater to his every whim.

There’s something more to him that meets the eye, and I plan on finding out what it is.

But even after taking some deep breaths, all I can think about is busting into his office first thing in the morning.

He was going to get a piece of my mind whether he wanted to or not.

The line had been crossed and I was about to show him that I’m the type of person who didn’t play those games.

Alexander

Councilman Jones had taken the bait.

I knew I was taking a risk and possibly causing Tara to hate me, but I want to see what she’s all about.

And sometimes, the only way to do that is to put people in positions where survival is key.

I know that she really wants that land for her community projects.

And I really wanted it too… but now it is game.

This little play will show me if she’s a good competitor, a business person, or if she will even be worth my time.

I have no doubt that tomorrow morning, once she realizes who I am, she’ll be busting into my office. If she doesn’t, then she’s not the woman I thought she was, and I’ll keep the property to myself.

Some people may think this is a strange way to court someone, but if any woman wanted to be with me then she needed to be strong and not afraid to say what’s on her mind.

If Tara’s indeed that woman, I guess I’ve finally met the one to take home to Mama.

Especially since lately, she’s been nagging about me settling down.

And with Tara, it might not be such a bad idea. I look over at my phone, where a number that I don’t recognize has popped up.

I answer the call. “Hello.”

“I’m so sorry about the way I stormed into your office the other day. I realize I was wrong,” says the voice.

I sigh. This had to be the crazy brunette. “Uh, it’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I made myself look like an idiot.”

Well, that’s kind of true. “Don’t worry about it. It’s water under the bridge.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

There’s a brief silence, and then she says, “So do you want to hang out again sometime?”

“Uh, no thanks, sweetie. I have my hands a little full right now with work but thanks for the offer,” I say as I hang up.

I knew where the conversation was going, and I really didn’t feel like going there again.

The only woman occupying my thoughts was Tara, and that’s how it was going to stay—at least until I figured out if she was worth my time.

And right now, I really hope that she is.

Chapter Six

Tara

I walk into Hudson Enterprises dressed in an all-white suit with my hair pulled up in a bun. My fists are clenched as I walk but I am hiding my anger in an attempt be productive. After this meeting, I am due to meet the councilor again to propose a higher price.

Each step with softened by deep breaths as I don’t think yelling and screaming will produce anything productive today.

Once off the elevator, I see an office with glass doors and big, bold letters that says “Alexander Hudson, CEO.” His assistant is sitting at a desk, engrossed in something she was doing on the computer. I walk over to her and put on my best smile, hoping to smooth her over a little so that she’ll let me in to see her boss.

“I’m here to see Mr. Hudson,” I say as politely as I can.

She looks up at me with perfect eyes. “Do you have an appointment?”

“No, I don’t, but I really need to see him. It’s important.”

“So you should call and make one because I’m under strict orders not to let anyone in unless they have an appointment.”

A little bit of the anger slips out through gritted teeth, “I would like to see Mr. Hudson now. I’m not some tired little groupie; I’m here to discuss business—very important business. And if you don’t, I will shove that phone so far down your throat that you’ll only be able to make phone calls using your belly button.”

The poor woman is opening her mouth to say something when the doors to the office open.

Damn.

There he is.

Sexy. Tall. Seductive.

Damn it.

This was not a good idea.

Alexander is standing at the office door in a black tailored suit and a pair of shoes that I know cost at least a grand.

He’s smiling, and not just any smile—it’s a huge grin, as if he finds this whole situation amusing.

“Tara, I thought that you might come here. Come in and have a seat,” he says as turns and settles behind his large oak desk.

I throw a death stare at his assistant as I walk into his office, but she only rolls her eyes. I’m sure she’s seen worse.

As I walk into Alexander’s office, I am impressed. His desk space is about as large as my entire office. And his office is about as large as my apartment.