Yahrah St. John - His Marriage Demand

“Very intriguing indeed,” Gage replied. “And here we are.”

Fallon took a generous sip of her wine. She hadn’t planned on revealing so much, but Gage was looking at her so intently, as if hanging on her every word.

“And you? Fill me in on your time abroad.”

Gage leaned back against the cushions. “I don’t think my story is quite as intriguing as yours.”

“But it clearly has a happy ending,” she replied. “I mean, look at where we are. The roles have been reversed.”

“Yes, they have,” Gage said quietly. “But I won’t sugarcoat it. After my mother and I were kicked off the Stewart estate, she had a hard time finding work, especially because your parents refused to give her a reference.”

“Gage...”

“I was young and resilient, with only a year left of college. I worked two or three jobs to keep us afloat. Once I finished school, I struck out on my own. A friend of mine worked on Wall Street and told me I could make a lot of money. The stock market had never really been my cup of tea but, lo and behold, I had a knack for it. From there I went to London, Hong Kong, making money in stocks and foreign trade. Until I settled on mutual funds and started my own business.”

“So why come back here?”

“Simply put, I missed home,” Gage replied. “I haven’t been back since I graduated other than the odd trip. Mostly, I’ve sent Mom tickets to meet me at some exotic destination. She deserved it, after all her years of menial labor.”

Although she’d never experienced the kind of hardship Gage mentioned, Fallon understood his drive to succeed because she shared it.

Over dinner they continued talking about his trading career, lifestyle and trips abroad before returning to the subject of Fallon. It surprised her how easy it was to talk to Gage, considering all that had transpired between them. It felt like a lifetime ago, but she was sure at some point Gage would be getting to the point of the evening.

“Are you having dessert?” Gage asked after they’d polished off nearly two bottles of wine with their meal.

She shook her head. “I couldn’t eat another bite.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin. “It’s been a lovely evening, Gage, but I’m sure that’s not the reason you asked me to dinner.”

“What do you think the reason is?”

“Payback. What else?” Fallon asked with a shrug of her shoulders. “And although I’m not destitute and put out of the family home, we are in a bind. Surely this must delight you?”

“Not everyone is like you and your family.”

Ouch. Fallon took that one on the chin because, after all this time, he deserved to speak his mind. “Why am I here, Gage?”

Gage leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and arresting her with his eyes. “I have a proposition for you.”

“And what might that be?”

“Marry me.”

Three

Fallon coughed profusely and reached for her water glass. Her hands trembled as she placed the glass to her lips and sipped. With all the wine they’d drunk, she must have taken leave of her faculties because Gage Campbell couldn’t possibly have asked her to marry him. Could he?

“Are you all right?” Gage asked, his voice etched with concern.

“Y-yes.” Fallon sipped her water again and placed the glass back on the table. “Can you repeat what you said?”

Gage’s mouth curved in a smile. “You heard me, Fallon. Marry me and, in exchange, I’ll give you the money you need to save your family business.”

She had heard correctly. But he was dead wrong if he thought for a second she would take him up on his outrageous offer. “Gage! What you’re suggesting is insanity! You didn’t even give an expiration date for this union. How long would you expect this to last?”

“It’s a business deal that will last as long as needed,” he stated calmly. “You get the money you need to save a dying technology firm, while I get a wife from an upstanding Austin family. Think about it, Fallon. Our marriage would legitimize my social standing while simultaneously letting all those pesky bankers who have been hounding you know the Campbell/Stewart family is as solid as ever.”

“That’s real vague. Plus there’s any number of society debutantes out there waiting to meet a catch like you, Gage. You don’t have to marry me.”

“But it’s you I want,” Gage responded. Within seconds he’d slid closer to her in the booth, until they were thigh-to-thigh.

Fallon flushed. “What are you saying?”

“A caveat to the marriage is it will not be in name only.”

“Meaning?”

“Do you really need me to spell it out?” His piercing look went straight through her. “We would consummate the marriage and share the same bed. Become lovers.”

Fallon sucked in a deep breath. Sweet Jesus! She had drunk too much wine because the words coming out of Gage’s mouth didn’t make any sense. She took another small sip of water.

“I think we would be quite good together,” Gage said, picking up her hand and turning it over palm side up.

Immediately she tried to pull it back, but his grip was too strong. “How can you say such a thing? I haven’t seen you in sixteen years.”

“Yet, you still want me.” His hold softened but he didn’t let her go. Instead his thumb began circling the inside of her palm, making her pulse race erratically. “I can see all the signs of arousal in you, Fallon—the way your eyes dilate when you look at me, the way your breath hitches when I come near. Even the way your breasts peak with one look from me.”

Fallon felt her cheeks flame. Was she so obvious that he could read her like a book? It was as though he’d put her under some kind of spell, the same as when she’d been sixteen. And why oh why wouldn’t he stop circling her palm with his thumb? He was teasing her and she didn’t like it. She jerked her hand free. “Stop it, Gage.”

“Stop what?” he asked so innocently she would have thought he meant it, but she knew better.

“Whatever game it is you’re playing.”

“No games. Just facts. I’m willing to give you millions to help Stewart Technologies, even though it’s been hemorrhaging money. I’m willing to give my money to help save your company. And in return, I offer you the chance to be my wife. I think it’s a fair trade.”

“Of course you would.” Fallon scooted out of the booth. “But I’m not a stock to be bought and traded. Furthermore, you got your signals wrong. I’m not interested in you in the slightest.” She made it as far as the foyer of the restaurant before Gage caught up to her and swung her into a nearby alcove.

“You’re not interested in me, eh?” Gage asked, stepping closer into her space. So close, her body was smashed against his. “How about we test that theory, shall we?”

She saw the challenge in his eyes seconds before his head lowered and he sealed his lips to hers. Fallon wanted to refuse him but the thrill of having his lips on hers again was too much to resist. Need unfurled in her, the likes of which she hadn’t felt since...since the last time he’d kissed her. No other man had ever come close to making her feel this way.

This hot. This excited.

Gage’s arm slid around her waist to the small of her back and he pressed her body even closer to his. Meanwhile his tongue breached her mouth, allowing him to increase the pressure, demand more and compel her to accept him. The kiss was hard yet soft, but also rough enough to thrill her. Fallon’s lips parted of their own accord and his tongue slid in. Teasing, stroking, tasting the soft insides of her mouth.

Fallon whimpered and her stance relaxed as the sheer power of his kiss enflamed her. Sliding her arms around his neck, she held his head to hers, reveling in the deeply carnal kiss. Gage ground his lower half against hers and she felt every inch of his hard body. Her tongue searched his mouth ravenously and he met her stroke for stroke. Her breasts rubbed against his chest and her nipples hardened. Fallon had never felt so desirable and could have gone on kissing him, but Gage pulled away first.