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In fact, if he chose a wife like this lady, his mother would probably wash her hands of him in despair.
As his hand reached for the phone to call security, he halted in midair. A ridiculous thought—but intriguing. He shot a look at her ring finger. Bare.
“Are you married?” he asked.
For the first time since she’d entered his office, she drew back. Only inches, but a definite retreat.
“Why?”
“I want to know.”
She hesitated but finally answered, “No.”
“I will listen to your pitch tonight. Write down your address,” he ordered, shoving a piece of paper and a pen across his desk, “and I’ll pick you up at eight. It’s formal.”
“What’s formal?” she asked, her voice wary. She hadn’t picked up the pen yet, and he wondered just how strong her determination was. She might save him from his bizarre idea if she weakened.
“I have to attend a reception this evening. It’s the only time I can give you. Take it or leave it.”
She stared at him and he calmly waited for her decision. He’d always been a gambler. But he’d never taken such a personal risk before.
She reached out for the pen and paper and wrote down an address. He took it from her and nodded as he folded it and put it into his top pocket. “Eight o’clock.” Without another word he returned to his perusal of the letter. Even as she walked to his office door, he’d lost himself in the new project he was working on.
Will put his Jaguar in Park and pulled the piece of paper from his tux jacket pocket: 1205 Wornall Avenue. He slowly lifted his gaze to the monstrosity in front of him. The Lucky Charm Diner—an old trolley car, painted a pea green, though half the paint had peeled off, set at the edge of the small parking lot. The sign on top of it was covered with graffiti, making its name almost unreadable.
She couldn’t live here. The woman he’d seen this morning, Kathryn O’Connor, in that elegant blue suit, couldn’t live in a diner. If she did, his plan would not only upset his mother, but it might also give her a heart attack.
Maybe Miss O’Connor just wanted to meet him here. She hadn’t seemed the cautious type, though these days any woman should be. But couldn’t she find a classier place to meet?
He shut off the engine and got out of the car. As he stood there, adjusting his gold cuff links, a rattletrap old pickup pulled into one of the many empty spaces. Without even a glance in his direction, two grizzled men in coveralls got out and entered the diner.
With a shrug, Will followed them.
He surveyed the small eatery, noting the faded tabletops, their green color matching the outside paint, the patched and uneven floor, the close quarters. Clearly a down-and-out café. Its name had certainly not been lucky for the owner.
Clearing his throat, he waited for the only employee in sight, a frizzy-haired, middle-aged woman, to acknowledge him.
“Just come on in and park yourself, honey. We’re not formal here.” Even as she greeted him, she was pouring coffee for the two men who had preceded him.
“I’m looking for Miss Kathryn O’Connor,” he explained crisply, trying to hold back his distaste.
The woman paused and giggled, her gaze sweeping over him. “Oh! You must be the gentleman she said would be coming. Kate!” she called in gargantuan tones. “He’s here.”
Will barely stopped himself from shaking his head in amazement. He couldn’t have chosen a better place to shock his mother if he’d tried. The picture of her entering this establishment, in her fur and pearls, almost made him burst out laughing.
The redhead appeared from a door to the side of the counter. The men drinking their coffee put down their cups and clapped and whistled, jerking Will from his thoughts.
She was wearing a little black dress, cut low in front, displaying her charms, and slit to the thigh on one side. Sheer black nylons led his eyes to the high heels that only emphasized all those curves.
His mouth suddenly dry, he cleared his throat again and muttered, “Good evening, Miss O’Connor.”
Seemingly unaffected by his appearance, she replied, “Hello, Mr. Hardison. Are you ready?”
“Hey, Kate, where you going, all duded up?” a member of their audience called out.
Will frowned in his direction but waited for the woman to answer.
“This is a business meeting, Larry.”
“Whooeee! I think I’m going into business!” the man whooped as all the others laughed.
Will’s soon-to-be date laughed along with the men, but he didn’t. “Miss O’Connor, this is a formal affair,” he said.
“This is as dressy as I come, Mr. Hardison. I haven’t frequented formal occasions lately.”
His gaze briefly roamed the diner before he said, “I can see.” He hadn’t intended his remark as a criticism but he saw the flash of anger in her green eyes.
“If I’ll be too much of an embarrassment to you, we can have our meeting here and then you can proceed without me.”
“Not at all, Miss O’Connor. After you.” He was looking a gift horse in the mouth. Why worry about her embarrassment if she didn’t? He’d never deliberately place any woman in such an awkward situation, but he’d warned her. It wasn’t his fault she wasn’t properly dressed.
After they were settled in the Jaguar and on their way, he said, “The man in there called you Kate.”
“Yes.”
“Ah. Do you mind if I call you Kate?”
She’d been staring straight ahead until now. Turning, she let one brow slip up in a fascinating manner. “Are we going to be informal, then?”
There was a challenge in the husky tones that made his gut clench. He didn’t want to react to her, but her sexy apparel combined with her attractions would make any man sit up and take notice.
“I thought it might be a good idea—since we’re going to be in each other’s company all night.”
“All night?”
Damn, she was making him sound like an adolescent boy, stumbling through his first date. “Too literal, Miss O’Connor. I of course meant all evening. Though when the evening ends will be your choice. I’m a gentleman.”
“Don’t play word games with me, Mr. Hardison,” she returned, her voice smooth and enveloping. “Given my choice, we would’ve had our meeting in your office.”
He breathed deeply and inhaled her perfume. His gaze swept up her leg, following the slit that teased him with a glimpse of a firm thigh.
“Tell me about the project you think would be perfect for Hardison Industries’s entrepreneurial program.” If he didn’t change the subject and stop thinking about how the evening might end, he was going to embarrass himself.
“Can’t you guess?”
Such a strange answer brought his gaze back to her. “I beg your pardon?”
“The light’s turned green,” she murmured just as the car behind him sounded its horn.
Embarrassed, he stomped on the accelerator and the tires squealed as he roared through the intersection. Feeling like a teenager, he tried to bring himself under control.
“What did you mean?” he finally asked.
“You’ve already seen my project.”
He frowned. He really wasn’t interested in discussing business right now. His plans were more important. All he’d hoped to do was distract his mind from the urges that were overtaking him every time he looked at her. But now she’d caught his attention.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. All I’ve seen is you.”
“Not unless you walked inside the diner with your eyes closed.”
“Walked inside—” He broke off and stared at her again in horror. “You can’t mean—”
“Watch out!” she shrieked and grabbed the steering wheel to help him avoid a parked car.
He turned back to the road, keeping his gaze firmly fixed in front of him, as he fought through the shock. “You’re saying The—The Lucky Charm is your project? You’ve got to be kidding!”
Chapter Two
Kate wasn’t pleased with the shock in his voice. The man was a snob, just like her Aunt Lorraine, who hated the diner. Anger warred with despair. She needed his money. Desperately. Otherwise, she would never have agreed to have a business discussion in a social setting.
“I’m quite serious, Mr. Hardison. I have figures to show you that support my intentions.”
He pulled into a parking lot that encircled the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and stopped by the front door where a valet waited to park his car. It wasn’t until he reached her side after circling the vehicle that he responded.
“Either I’m thinking of a different kind of figure or they don’t amount to much, Kate. Because I don’t see where you could’ve hidden any more of your figure wearing that dress.”
The steamy stare that swept her from her toes to her shoulders, or perhaps a little below her shoulders, told Kate there wasn’t much hope for a business discussion. This man had his mind on other things.
Stiffening her shoulders, she raised her chin and waited until his gaze finally left her breasts. “I’m asking for a loan, Mr. Hardison, not selling myself. A business discussion is what I want, not...not a seduction.”
Though his cheeks reddened, he looked down his nose at her as if she were a common bug that happened to intrude in his path. “Of course. That’s my intention also.”
He took her arm, a touch that Kate felt all over, and led her toward the door, immediately opened by an attendant. Standing just inside was a receiving line of gray-haired women dressed in elegant, floor-length gowns, adorned in diamonds and pearls. Their escorts wore tuxedos, like Hardison’s.
Kate hid an inner groan beneath a smile. She’d occasionally attended such social events with her aunt Lorraine. And hated every minute of them.
The first lady stared at her in horror, as if unable to believe her eyes, and Kate quickly glanced down her person, afraid something was amiss. Her short black dress was certainly less formal than their gowns, but she was decently covered.
When she raised her gaze, she saw her escort bend over and kiss the woman’s cheek.
“Evening, Mother. I’d like you to meet Kate O’Connor. She works at The Lucky Charm Diner on Wornall Avenue.”
The woman’s face paled, and she wavered on her high heels. Kate feared they’d be picking her up off the floor any minute. And wondered if William Hardison had intended that result with his invitation.
After all, it hadn’t been necessary to mention the diner at all, much less make it sound as if she was working for minimum wage. Though minimum wage might be an increase in her income right now.
“I—I—how do you do?” the woman finally warbled, sounding as if she had a tickle in her throat.
“Fine, thank you, Mrs. Hardison.” Kate pretended a lack of interest in the woman’s distress, hoping she would understand that her accompanying the woman’s son was an impersonal thing. “Your gown is lovely.”
The woman’s gaze trailed down Kate’s figure, as if she intended to return the compliment, then thought better of it. “Thank you,” she muttered and dropped Kate’s hand.
The man next to Mrs. Hardison instantly grabbed Kate’s fingers and lifted them to his lips. Kate wasn’t fond of hand kissing, but having lived in France for four years, she wasn’t stunned by his action. His devouring stare bothered her more.
“Absolutely stunning, Miss O’Connor. I hope you’ll save me a dance. I’m Count Ryzinski.”
She supposed his affected speech was meant to imply he was European, but Kate didn’t believe it for a minute. She slipped her hand from his with no comment.
William Hardison’s arm slid around her waist and he introduced her to the next dowager in line. Distracted by his touch much more than the count’s kiss, Kate couldn’t remember the woman’s name.
Not that it mattered.
She wouldn’t see any of them after tonight, whether she got her loan or not. Unless, of course, they became future customers.
Will kept his hand on Kate’s waist, enjoying the feel of her. She might not be dressed as elegantly as the elite of Kansas City, but she shouted sex appeal.
And he was a healthy man.
The count, one of his mother’s hangers-on, appeared to be healthy, too. Too much so. It irritated Will that the man had kissed Kate’s hand, though it hadn’t seemed to bother her.
As they continued down the receiving line, he discovered every man introduced to Kate was affected by her curvaceous figure.
He wanted to punch them all out.
As soon as they’d finished the introductions, he took her arm and pulled her in the direction of the serving tables. “Let’s get a drink.”
A waiter stepped in front of them with a tray. “Champagne, sir?”
Will grabbed two glasses and handed one to Kate.
She calmly set it back down on the tray. With a smile to the waiter, she said, “I’d prefer mineral water. Is it available?”
The waiter acted as if he’d been given a commission of greatness. “I’ll bring it to you personally, miss,” he assured her, a hungry grin on his lips.
She thanked him and he hurried away, an almost full tray in his grasp, ignoring the people who were waiting to be served.
“You’re dangerous,” Will murmured.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Try not to ask for any more favors. I’m afraid half the men in here will fall on their faces rushing to serve you.” He noted the flash of anger in her eyes with satisfaction. The more off balance she felt, the more outrageous she’d behave.
And the more upset his mother would become.
“Will! Where have you been lately, buddy?” a male voice called out.
Will turned to see John Larabee, Jr., an old school chum, approaching. He shouldn’t have been surprised. Jack had always chased the most beautiful women, and Kate was easily in that category.
