I knew Titan well enough to understand how important work was to her.

She gave workaholic a whole new definition.

It wasn’t about money. It was about respect and power. She needed to keep her status as the richest woman in the world because of the prestige it provided her. It changed the landscape of female empowerment, and she took it upon herself to be that champion.

I understood all of her businesses because I’d watched them grow from the ground up. So I was the best one to manage them in her absence. I didn’t tell her what I was doing before I did it. Knowing her, she would tell me not to worry about it because I had my own businesses to handle.

So I would just do it anyway.

I went to her main office, which was just a few blocks from her penthouse. I checked in with Jessica at the front and told her I would be running the company in Titan’s absence. She didn’t bother checking with Titan because she knew I had the authority to do it.

It would make more sense for Diesel to be handling this since he was marrying her. But I knew he didn’t care about work right now.

Titan was the only thing he cared about.

I sat in her elegant office, a new vase of flowers on the corner of the desk even though she wasn’t there. The white wood of her desk was smooth to the touch, and her white Mac sat exactly where she’d left it. The gray couches on the white rug complemented the matching walls on either side. Her office looked more like a living room in a Pottery Barn catalogue.

She had great taste.

I answered her emails, looked through the reports that came across her desk, rearranged her schedule, and handled her meetings.

Jessica knocked before she walked inside. “Titan has a meeting with Ms. Alexander in thirty minutes.”

I looked away from the screen and gave her my attention. Jessica was a young redhead, someone Titan described as amateur but full of potential. From the strong way she carried herself and her eloquence, she’d obviously grown a lot working under a powerful woman like Titan. Now her confidence was unmistakable. “What is it regarding?”

“Ms. Alexander owns one of the biggest solar companies in the country. She specializes in green and renewable energy, and I believe Titan is interested in buying her out, but I’m not completely sure. Since Titan is unavailable right now, perhaps I should reschedule.”

This wasn’t as straightforward. I could handle the meeting, but I needed to know exactly what Titan wanted before I acted on her behalf. It would be wrong to take charge of the situation when it wasn’t clear. “Let me call her.”

“Alright.” Jessica walked out.

I called Diesel.

He answered immediately. “Hey, what’s up?”

“How’s she doing today?”

“She’s good. Ate all of her breakfast.”

“Because you made her?” I teased.

Diesel didn’t rise to my humor. As long as she sat in that hospital bed, Diesel wouldn’t be in a good mood. “Maybe. Are you coming by?”

“Actually, I need to talk to her. Can you put her on?”

“Hold on.” Diesel transferred the phone to Titan.

She spoke with her deep and powerful voice. “Hey, Thorn. What’s going on?”

“Long story short, I’ve been taking care of stuff for you at the office.”

“You have?” she asked in surprise.

“I know you’ve been thinking about work the whole time you’ve been in that bed. Let’s not pretend otherwise.”

Her long pause was a confirmation of my accusation. “Well, that’s not all I’ve been thinking about. But you didn’t need to do that, Thorn. I appreciate it more than I can say…but you still didn’t need to worry about it.”

“I don’t mind. You would do the same for me.”

“Of course.” She was obviously touched by what I’d done. When she said very little, her stretches of silence spoke louder than words. “I know you have your own company to take care of. I’ll be back on my feet soon. I always have Diesel too.”

“Don’t worry about it. I can handle it. Diesel shouldn’t have to worry about it either.”

“Well…thank you.”

“No problem. But I do have a question.”

“Fire away.”

“I have a meeting with someone named Alexander in, like, twenty minutes. Apparently, she has a solar company you’re interested in. I know you’re expanding your projects in solar energy, but I’m not sure what you want from this person.”

Titan immediately switched into her executive role. “I want to buy her out. Offer whatever is necessary to acquire it. With her technology and expertise, I know I’ll be able to grow my company exponentially and be the leading solar technology company in the country. I’ll be able to monopolize the market. Ms. Alexander is a brilliant woman who’s not only scientifically inclined, but she has a strong business presence. Don’t underestimate her.”

“She shouldn’t underestimate me either. But are you certain you don’t want to reschedule and handle this yourself?”

She paused as she considered it. “I won’t be out of here for a few more days, and even then, I’ll probably be in bed for a while. I don’t think it’s the best time for me to handle such a big task, but I also don’t want to put it off either. I have no doubt you can handle this. I’ve learned everything from the best—and the best is you.”

I couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across my face. “Alright. I’ll bring this home for you.”

“Thank you, Thorn. But remember what I said, don’t underestimate her.”

“Have you met her?”

“No,” Titan answered. “But her reputation precedes her.”

---

Jessica spoke through the intercom. “Mr. Cutler, Ms. Alexander has arrived.”

“Send her in.” I was familiar with Titan’s projects and goals. She viewed solar energy as the future of all business. By converting to a power source that didn’t cost money, she would cut her business expenses all over the world. Her entire buildings were going to run on the new form of energy, which wouldn’t cost her a dime. According to her books, it would save her nearly ten million dollars every year. By making the energy source more affordable, it would be an incentive for other businesses to convert. If she were the only company in power, she would get all the business—from the entire world. She’d even convinced me to change all my offices and factories to solar, and that construction would begin soon.

Jessica opened the glass door and allowed Ms. Alexander inside.

The second she stepped into the office, I couldn’t hide my surprise.

She was not what I pictured—at all.

I’d expected a middle-aged woman, someone who wore glasses to go along with her nerdy appearance. I didn’t expect her to have any confidence or social skills at all. But the woman I saw looked nothing like that.

She was young.

Younger than me.

She had jet-black hair, which was long and thick. It reached just past her perky tits. Her pink blouse fit snugly around her chest, stretching slightly over the womanly curves. The blouse hugged her slender waistline, curving inward until it disappeared under her skirt at her hips. A gold necklace was around her throat, a circular pendant in the center.

Her black skirt reached just above her knee, hinting at her toned legs underneath the fabric. Her heels were sky-high, but she handled them like sandals on the soft sand of some beach. She held a folder in one arm, a rose gold watch sitting around her wrist.

She stopped at my desk, staring at me like she wasn’t nearly as surprised to see me as I was to see her.

I forgot to rise from my chair, thrown off by the gorgeous woman who had just stepped inside the office like she owned it. I got to my feet, straightened my tie, and stared at her face without blinking. In fact, I hadn’t blinked once since she’d walked into the office. There was too much to look at.

She extended her hand and wore a soft smile on her lips. It wasn’t the wide and flirtatious one women sometimes flashed my way, the kind that was so big it compensated for their nervousness. Hers was absolutely confident, indifferent to my opinion of her. “Mr. Cutler, it’s a pleasure.”

The second my fingers touched her soft skin, I imagined placing my lips along the tender spots of her wrist. I wanted to feel her pulse with my mouth, to feel every slight reaction she gave at my touch. My fingers latched on to her hand, and she gave me as firm a shake as I gave her.

The second our hands broke apart, the images faded from my mind. I saw beautiful women every day, so Ms. Alexander shouldn’t impress me. She was certainly stunning, but not the most beautiful woman in the world. I turned off my attraction the instant it occurred, knowing this was only about business. She had something that I wanted—and I was going to get it from her. “The pleasure is mine, Ms. Alexander. Have a seat.”

She sat in the cushioned armchair in front of the desk, a chair that was far too comfortable for a business meeting. All the furniture in my own office was wooden because I didn’t want anyone to stay for too long. “I hope Ms. Titan is doing alright. I’ve seen the news.”

“She’ll make a full recovery.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” She crossed her legs and rested her folder on her lap. “And it’s nice of you to help her out.”

“Of course. She’s my…” I trailed away when I realized I couldn’t say what I wanted to say. I had to pretend she was my ex-fiancé, a woman I’d loved and lost. I had to keep up the pretense to this woman, even though she must find it strange that I was there. “It’s no problem.”

Ms. Alexander maintained the same expression, her thick lips painted red with her lipstick. She had thick eyelashes, olive skin, and she possessed self-assuredness no matter what her position was. She wasn’t afraid to make eye contact with me. Stretches of silence didn’t seem to bother her either. Most importantly, my solid stare didn’t unnerve her either.

I was the one with the agenda, so I started the conversation. “Ms. Titan is impressed with your innovative work. Your work with solar energy is nothing short of remarkable. You’ve made tremendous leaps in such a short amount of time.”

“Thank you. That’s a compliment coming from someone like her.”

I wanted to ask how old she was, but since it was rude and irrelevant, I didn’t. Just because she was young didn’t mean her achievements were questionable. I could probably find all my answers once I Googled her after she left. I hadn’t had the forethought to do it before. “Titan thinks your company would aid her own work with solar energy.”

“I know it would.”

Perhaps this acquisition would be easier than I thought. Maybe Ms. Alexander wanted to be bought out. She’d made her fortune, and she would get another fortune from Titan. She could retire and live out her life quietly—and very comfortably. “Which is why she’s prepared to buy your company—and make you a handsome offer.”

It was the first time her expression changed. The soft smile evaporated from her lips, and her green eyes slightly narrowed on my face. She didn’t hide her displeasure at my words, being utterly transparent with me. “I’m not interested in selling my company.”

Then what did she think this meeting was for? “If you aren’t interested in selling, what are you interested in?”

“A partnership.”

That answer told me everything I needed to know. My first impression of her was completely wrong. She wasn’t the simple type, the kind of woman who just wanted her money and a comfortable life. She was ambitious, driven, and fierce. She wanted more than just her company. She wanted to grow, and she was looking for a powerful partner to help her get there. This was just the beginning for her. She had her entire life ahead of her, and she wanted to make her mark on the world. It made me respect her more. “Your ambition is respectable. Titan is the richest woman in the world because she never stopped. She grew one company then started another. There’s a lot you can learn from her. But she’s not looking for a partnership. I suggest you take her offer and walk away a very rich woman.” I grabbed the notepad, scribbled down the offer, and then pushed it toward her across the desk.

She didn’t even glance at it. Her gaze was focused on me, a natural light burning in her eyes. They had a gentle smolder, a fire of ferocity that she didn’t let kindle. It was a controlled burn because she was completely in control of her emotions. “My company isn’t for sale.”

She was either very brave or very stupid. She had no idea how much money was on the table. Titan wasn’t the kind of person to lowball people. She had a strict code of ethics, and she’d never been interested in getting ahead by ripping people off—especially another woman. “I suggest you look at the offer before you turn it down.”

“There’s not enough money in the world to make me change my mind.”

Damn.

“I want a partnership with Titan. I’m the engineer of most of my products. I have a big vision for the future of renewable energy. I’m interested in changing the world, making a difference for all of humanity, not filling my bank account with more money than I’ll ever need. I need Titan to help me grow, for us both to be extremely rich, and for both of us to change the world. The one thing I don’t need is her money—I have plenty of that.”

My hand immediately gripped the armrest of the chair, not because I was irritated, but because I found her directness sexy. There were lots of women working in corporate America, but none like this. Not only was she beautiful, but she knew exactly what she wanted. She liked money just as much as the rest of us, but she also wasn’t obsessed with it. She knew her worth, and Titan would respect her for it.

But Titan had her own interests—and I had to protect them. “I respect your decision, but I won’t change mine. As much as Titan is interested in your engineering, she’s interested in being the sole enterprise in this country. Take the money, make a counteroffer, or walk out as her competitor. But let me warn you…you don’t want to be her competitor.”

Ms. Alexander didn’t shift her position in her chair. With a straight posture and poised shoulders, she held herself like a queen. If a tiara were on her head, it would be sitting perfectly straight. Her tanned skin looked great with that pink blouse, and the classy watch on her wrist gave her another touch of elegance. She had the most beautiful poker face I’d ever seen, and now she used it against me. Her expression was no longer transparent, her thoughts an empty black hole of mystery.

My hand continued to grip my armrest, anticipating what she would say. Would she stick to her guns and walk away? Would she leave such a fortune sitting on the table? Or would she come to her senses and realize this was the best option she was ever going to get?

She broke the silence with her beautiful voice. “Thank you for your time, Mr. Cutler.” She rose to her feet and approached my desk. “But I’m not interested in anything less than what I came here for.”