Page 23 of One Steamy Night

Nadia disconnected the call and marked Marvin Booster’s name off the list of possible sponsors for the holiday play. She, Marvin and his wife, Harriett, had gone to the same church as kids when their parents were alive. He owned one of the largest ranches in Gamble and was a big supporter of community projects.

She frowned when she saw the next name, Fletcher Mallard. Shaking her head, she marked through his name as well, refusing to call and ask him for anything. Fletcher had been Pam’s fiancé years ago and swore Nadia and her sisters were the reason Pam hadn’t married him. He would conveniently forget the lie he’d told to get Pam to agree to marry him in the first place. It was the lie Dillon exposed at the wedding in the nick of time.

Nevertheless, the man still wanted to blame Nadia and her sisters anyway. Unfortunately, he was wealthier now than before. His chain of grocery stores had grown and was in almost every state in the Midwest and still expanding. She’d also heard he was on his fourth wife.

She was about to pick up the phone to call the next person when the buzzer on her desk sounded. Pressing the button, she asked, “Yes, China?”

“Someone is here to see you. A Mr. Jaxon Ravnel.”

A frown settled on Nadia’s face. Why was Jaxon here? She hadn’t seen or talked to him since that night he’d taken her to dinner on board his jet. That had been over a week ago. She would be lying if she said she hadn’t thought about him because she had. More times than she wanted to.

Telling him there would only be an acquaintanceship between them had meant no kisses and no holding hands. When he had taken her home, he had walked her to the door, told her how much he had enjoyed her company and made sure she had gotten inside the house safely before leaving.

“Ms. Novak?”

Releasing a deep sigh, she said, “Please show Mr. Ravnel in.”

“Trust me when I say it will be my pleasure, Miss Novak.”

Nadia rolled her eyes as she moved from behind her desk. She recognized that voice. It was the same one China used whenever one of the Westmoreland or Outlaw men arrived in town and would take her to lunch. She could understand a young girl of China’s age getting all hot and bothered seeing such eye candy, and Jaxon was definitely that.

The door opened and seeing Jaxon again took her breath away. Literally. Why did he have to look so ultraenticing and mouthwateringly appealing in his business suit? Looking like the billion dollars he probably was. And why couldn’t she control her gaze from roaming over him, appreciating how his muscles filled out that jacket?

“Jaxon,” she said, moving toward him to shake the hand he’d extended. She had to fight back the reaction she felt the moment their hands touched. “It’s good seeing you again.”

Too late, she watched China’s brow inch up in curiosity. Her administrative assistant had latched on to the wordagain, which meant Nadia and Jaxon had seen each other before.

“It’s good seeing you again, as well, Nadia,” he said with a smile that complemented everything about him. His masculine power and that virile strength were definitely radiating from him today.

Nadia glanced to China. “Thanks for escorting Mr. Ravnel to my office. That will be all.”

Once China had left and closed the door behind her, Nadia turned back to Jaxon. “And the reason for your visit?” she asked, offering him a seat in the chair in front of her desk.

“The reason I’m here, Nadia, is strictly business.”

“Is it?” she asked, going back around her desk to sit down.

“Yes.”

“And what kind of business is there that would bring you here?”

It was only after she’d taken her seat that he took the one she’d offered him. As usual he was displaying impeccable manners. She wished the way his slacks stretched across a pair of masculine thighs when he sat down didn’t send her heart racing.

“An article will be appearing in theGamble Daily Tribunetomorrow that Ravnel Technologies has acquired over fifteen hundred acres of land to expand our business here.”

She couldn’t help the smile that spread across her lips. For both him and the city. “Congratulations. That’s a lot of land.”

“Yes, it is. The city was instrumental in helping me acquire what I needed.”

Nadia could just imagine. They probably saw it as a boom to Gamble’s economy.

“Thanks for letting me know, but you didn’t have to come all the way over here to tell me.” In a way she wished he hadn’t. When it came to Jaxon, out of sight, out of mind worked best. She’d managed to get by on her dreams of him at bedtime and memories of their one and only kiss.

“That’s not why I’m here.”

“Oh? Then what is the purpose of your visit?”

“To offer you a proposal. I decided to do so here first before moving on to some other entity.”

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