Page 13 of How to Avoid a Billionaire

He shook his head. “No, I’ll handle it. Thanks. I’m going to be out until my four o’clock.”

She made an immediate note in her planner. “Where?”

After he’d passed on the information, she turned and left the office, closing the door behind her. He liked her to know his whereabouts should an emergency arise and she couldn’t get through to his cell phone.

“Lunch with Melanie today?”

Ryder flared his nostrils. “Don’t say it. I’ve brought women by the office before. As easily as I can give access to come up here, I can revoke it.”

“I didn’t say a thing.” The triumph in Christian’s eyes said it all. “I get to meet her.”

“You get to leave my office with your head intact.”

Christian laughed his way out.

A short time later, Jodie buzzed to let him know Melanie had arrived. He eyed the roses but left them where they were and headed out of his office. Melanie stood with her back to him looking out at uptown Charlotte through a window. He strode up behind her but didn’t touch or move too close. “My view is better.”

She glanced at him, and when she spoke her breathless tone tempted him to kiss her. “We’re on the fifty-sixth floor. I think I can see China.”

He laughed. “Come into my office.”

She followed him inside, and as soon as he’d shut the door, he drew her into his arms and backed her up against the door. Her mouth tasted like strawberry candy, and he enjoyed a good five minutes of it before he let her catch a breath.

He left her where she stood and scooped up the roses. “This is for you.”

Her eyes widened. “Thank you. I love roses.”

“I know.”

She tilted her head to the side, and her indignant yet amused gaze roved from his feet to his face. “Do you think you know everything about me?”

“Not everything.”

“Hmm.”

They left the office, and Ryder swore when they ran into a pack of reporters. Normally, he would have driven, but Melanie had wanted to dine at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, which wasn’t that far.

Cameras flashed. “Mr. Neyland, care to comment on the hostile takeover of Robert Bean’s corporation?”

Ryder ground his teeth but kept his expression neutral. “Don’t be ri

diculous. Bean’s corporation was in trouble. I bailed him out. Simple.”

“But you did offer less than the company was worth, a business that had been in his family for generations.”

“Bill, are you reporting financial news or doing a human interest piece?” The man’s face reddened, and Ryder continued. “The fact is three thousand, two hundred twenty-one jobs were saved. Now, if you’ll excuse us?” He placed a hand at Melanie’s lower back and guided her into the building. A guard stepped between the two of them and the entrance. Ryder sighed. “I apologize. We’ll have to take the car. I should have known better.”

She gazed at him, her eyes unfocused. “How often does that happen?”

“Not often. They’ll move on to someone else soon enough.”

“You knew that reporter’s name.”

He shrugged. “I gave him an exclusive a while back. Besides, I know all of their names. I make it my business to know.”

“I can’t imagine the amount of information rattling around in your head.”

He chuckled. “Are you saying my head’s empty otherwise?”

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