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“Dinner? Why on Earth would I have dinner with you?”

“I said dinner, not a date. I want to discuss business.”

“I’m sure you do!”

“Not that kind of business. Investments.”

“Excuse me?”

Helen chuckled. “A possibility of investing in your business. Don’t tell me you couldn’t use some extra money in a place like that. You have a lot of expensive clientele to keep happy.”

“We already have investors.”

“And you don’t want more?”

Either her palm was sweaty or Helen Warner was making Monique’s phone burn in her hand. “I’m not sure it would be appropriate for us to have dinner.”

“It would be good for you to come down from your mountain and join me for dinner in the city. I’m in town for a few days.”

“You don’t live in the city?”

“No, but I keep a place here. I’m always looking for new ventures to gauge. Come have dinner with me.”

“I’m afraid I don’t do that. Go into the city, that is.”

“Fine. I’ll come there.”

Why was she being so stubborn?Dommes, I swear to God!“While I appreciate your vested interest in my business, Ms. Warner, I’m afraid that I am not open to them at this time.”

“You know, Monique, it could be that I want to get to know you.”

Well! Someone certainly wasn’t expecting candor like that. “You made that clear when you gave me your idea of a gift.”

“Have I offended you? Please, tell me if I have.”

“You haven’t offended me.”More like made my imagination run wild.

“Then you shouldn’t have any issue with having dinner with me. Tell me when.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Monique stared at the collar on her desk.“I desire to be your patron.”She imagined her and Helen sitting in a cozy restaurant, the one fawning over the other. “Thursday. Five. If you’re even a minute late, it’s over.”

Another pause. At this rate, Helen would kill her with the waiting. “Thank you for taking another chance on me. By the way…”

“Yes?”

Helen breathed deeply against the phone, that voice, those breaths burrowing into Monique’s ear as she felt a trickle of sweat come down her forehead and chest. “Never mind. We can talk about it on Thursday.”

Monique said the first thing to come to her mind, although she instantly regretted it. “I look forward to it.”No, no, no!What inthe world was she doing?Don’t encourage her!Oh, she would encourage her all right. She let a smile cross her face before leaning against her desk and saying, “I look forward to how you try to seduce me next.”

Cat, mouse… who was who, and which was which? Furthermore, how much longer would Monique resist?

Chapter 6

The Wolf’s Den

The wine was vintage, sweet, and much more delicious than Monique wanted to give Helen credit for. She had spared no expense on the gifts she brought beyond the wine. Truffles, exotic flowers, and a transparent light red shawl that glittered in tiny rubies. Since these were given to her publicly in the foyer, Monique had no choice but to graciously accept them. The foodstuff was put out for their dinner, the flowers sent to the dining table, and the shawl? She handed it to Sybil and asked her to leave it in the front hallway of the master suite.No way am I wearing it outside to our dinner in Helen’s presence.

“I don’t want you to think I bought it to impress you,” Helen said as they walked side by side upstairs and toward a small balcony near the primary suite. Monique arranged for a two-person dining table to be set up, complete with a lantern and a tablecloth. While it shouldn’t have grown too dark while they ate, Monique understood ambiance like her billionaire clientsunderstood the stock market.She'll think I’m flirting. Monique was. She was flirting so hard the outcome pointed to Helen bending her over the railing and giving her what they both wanted.