Page 21 of Keeping The Virgin

He ignores my optimistic comment. “This is a deal that needs to go through, or my business will take an enormous hit. My investors and board of directors will lose faith in me if things go south with Igor.” He’s still leaning toward me, and I can even see shards of silver in his blue eyes. “I’ve promised everyone this deal on a silver platter, and now it’s at risk.”

“How?”

He leans back in his chair and bars his arms over his wide chest. One of his fingers taps as if he’s counting to himself, bringing down his temper number by number.

“Is there anything you noticed about him?” he finally asks. “Anything that stood out to an observant person such as you?”

It’s a cut disguised as a compliment, and I fist my hands in my lap. “He seems…nice. And very understanding.”

He only gives me a look like I’m gum on the bottom of his expensive designer shoe, and it’s as condescending as hell.

My own temper bucks up again. “He was courteous, gentlemanly, and kind of…old fashioned.”

“Very good, Karini. You’re right—Igor is extremely traditional, and that includes his views. He’s been a bit reluctant in his dealings with Bryant Industries, in large part because I’m not married and I don’t have children. He considers such men to be unstable, and it’s taken a great deal of wooing to even get Igor to the point where he’s considering a partnership.”

“I still don’t—”

“Understand? You saw how approving he was at the mere thought that I had settled on one woman.”

“Yes.”

“So what do you think will happen if Igor never sees you again?”

Oh.

Oh.

Now I’m starting to get it.

I nudge the sundae away from me. It’s getting runny, and I can’t even think about how yummy it might’ve been if I hadn’t freaked out and thrown out the word girlfriend to Mr. Vasiliev.

Cage is still tapping his finger. “Let me paint that picture for you. If you don’t show up to our dinner, Igor will believe that I’ve dumped you—just like he thinks I do to all the women I go out on the town with. He’s going to see me as untrustworthy. He’ll rethink the deal. That’s how his mind works. To him, a family man is the only man he wants to have a business relationship with.”

“So you’re saying that I’ve undone all of your hard work, is that it?”

His silence once again speaks volumes.

One stupid word—girlfriend—is causing so much trouble. And it’s all my fault. I own this, but there has to be something I can do to improve matters.

“I’m going to make this right somehow,” I say softly.

Cage lets out a long, rough breath. His tapping finger goes still, and he uncrosses his arms. Then he leans forward again and lowers his voice to a harsh whisper so no one around us will hear.

“I’ve already decided that we’re going to continue the ruse of being a couple. We’re going to make a dinner date as Igor expects us to.”

Guilt presses down on my chest. Some gift I am. “I’m so sorry. I really didn’t mean for this to happen.”

“But it did. You were thoughtless.”

His rudeness makes me flinch. If he was a prick yesterday, he’s double the fun now.

I stand out of my chair, my back stiff. “You don’t have to be such a pill about it.”

“A pill. Like aspirin? Because I’ll need some of that with the headache you’ve given me.”

“Aw, poor baby.” I’m starting to see red. He just brings it out in me—from zero to sixty in a hot moment. “It’s beyond me how you manage a billion-dollar industry if something like this makes your delicate head hurt. Surely you’ve dealt with worse.”

He slowly brings his gaze back to me, searing me with it. Now he’s really good and pissed, because my backtalk has obviously rubbed him the wrong way. I’m not sure people generally talk to Cage Bryant like this, and something makes me a little proud that I’m the one who’s dared to do it.

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