Emily, there you are. The auction is about to start. You have to get back up on the stage,” Jason said.

Emily nodded. Taking a deep breath, she walked to the front of the hall and climbed the steps to where Carrie was waiting. She thanked everyone for their attendance once again, told them she hoped they had enjoyed the drinks and canapés and then introduced their latest fundraising idea.

“Jason has just come back from a trip to England. He got this idea there and he thought it would be fun to introduce it here. The first dance will be opened by the couple with the highest bids. It doesn’t matter who bids—we will take money from either ladies or gentlemen. We aren’t fussy.” Laughter rocked the room. “Who will be first?”

“I bid a hundred dollars for a dance with Jason.”

Emily smiled at Daisy, their sweet PA who didn’t hide her interest in Jason. He’d admitted that he quite liked her too, but he wasn’t looking for anything serious at the moment. Carrie had said she doubted Daisy wanted more than a night either, since she was pretty flighty. But looking at Daisy now, Emily wasn’t too sure. The girl was so innocent-looking as she gazed up at Jason with wide, love-struck eyes.

“Five hundred for a dance with my beautiful wife.”

John Baker’s wife answered quite loudly. “But dear, you get that and more for free.”

The room burst into laughter again. The bids rolled in as everyone wanted to get involved in the fun.

“Ten thousand dollars for a dance with Miss Williams.”

She nearly collapsed. He couldn’t be serious, could he?

“Emily would be delighted to accept, wouldn’t you Emily?” Carrie answered for her, seeing as she was incapable of opening her mouth. She just stared across the room, her eyes caught with his. Conor was challenging her and how could she turn him down? Everyone there knew how much the foundation needed the money. She wanted to refuse, but he had her cornered. So she nodded in agreement.

Soon the bids were done and Emily made her way to the steps leading down from the stage. He was waiting and held out his hand to assist her. Why did he want to dance with her especially after she had been rude to him. She barely touched his fingers, she’d rather take a swim with sharks. But her dream, her vision depended on the success of this night and if dancing with him was the price to pay, she’d do it. She couldn’t afford to turn down $10,000. Even Nana must have had to deal up close and personal with those who didn’t believe in equal rights for women. She took a deep breath and held her head high. She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. He seemed to be highly amused as if he could read her thoughts.

He drew her closer as they took to the dance floor. She hoped it would be a fast song, but the band played a slow song. She raised her eyes in question at Carrie, but her friend looked as astonished as she was.

“I asked for my favorite song.”

“As Time Goes By?” she asked him in disbelief.

“What does that look mean? I happen to love old movies.”

She looked into his eyes. Was she being weird by thinking it was a bit creepy he picked the main song from her favorite movie? If it was his favorite, she should change hers. She didn’t want to have anything in common with this man.

“It is the perfect song to dance to with a beautiful woman.”

“Mr. Dunne, you may think you’re flattering me but I am not one of your airheads.”

“My what?”

“I assume you like your women to behave like dolls, look pretty on the outside and empty on the inside.”

“Wow, Ms. Williams, you need to put away those claws. I will have you know I am very choosy about whom I go out with. I admire brains over beauty.”

She wanted to believe him, but someone who made those types of games couldn’t hold those opinions.

“So tell me why?” he asked.

“Why what?”

“What set you out on this particular path? There are easier ways to make a name for yourself. I get that you’re trying to get your games visibility, but is all this necessary?”

“By all this, I take it you mean the foundation and the fundraising?”

He nodded, his gaze making her stomach twist with feelings she didn’t want to acknowledge.

“It is not a form of advertising, Mr. Dunne. Yes, I want my game and those of my developers to be successful. But more than that, I happen to believe some of the current offerings of games are harming the next generation and I want to do something to fix it.”

“Hence the Kickstarter funding campaign?”

She stiffened in his arms. Was he laughing at her?

“I admire your guts.”

What did he say? She couldn’t concentrate, he seemed to be nice but he was her enemy. What exactly did he hope to achieve by coming to the fundraiser? She kicked herself, realizing he was waiting for an answer.

“Thank you. I think.”

“Are you always this prickly, Emily Williams?”

She wanted to say no, but she didn’t like lying. Boys had always accused her of being standoffish. She didn’t believe in sleeping around. She felt it was important to share intimacy like that with your husband, not a series of casual strangers. Her views had been mocked more often than admired. People even accused her of belonging to a cult. But, of course, she didn’t. She just was a little old fashioned. Okay, a lot old fashioned.

As the song went on, the silence between them was less uncomfortable. In fact, she was relaxed while dancing with him even though she loathed everything he stood for. Playing her part as a genial hostess was easier than she thought. But that scared her.

“A kiss is just a—”

She glanced up at him.

“Sorry, I love to sing but I am tone deaf.”

“Well, I won’t argue with you. Let’s just say it’s good you’re not dependent on your singing for your career.”

He laughed. It was a nice sound.

“So how did you end up in gaming? Is that what all your businesses are involved in?” she asked.

“No. Never played a video game in my whole life. Wouldn’t know how to start.”

She looked up at his face, wondering if he was joking.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes.”

She could tell he was telling the truth. There was something about the way he said it. Puzzling, like him. He wasn’t a bit like she had expected. She imagined the owner of Sunny Studios to be older, larger and have an unfortunate taste in flowery shirts.

“So, then, why Sunny Studios?”

“The company was making a profit and looked like a good investment. The price was right, so my business bought it.”

So he wasn’t much different after all. It all came down to the mighty dollar. “Do you usually buy businesses just because the price is right?”

“Back to being prickly again, I see.”

She stared at him, something telling her he wasn’t comfortable with his decision.

“No. I don’t. Not usually,” he said after a pause. “This time I was distracted.”

There was something about the look on his face that made her want to know more, but the song had ended.

“Thank you for the dance, Mr. Dunne.”

“Do you think you could call me Conor, Ms. Williams? I always thought the Americans loved the Irish. I was assured of a very friendly welcome.”

She forced a smile. He was trying to be nice. It would be rude to tell him to beat it so she said, “Emily. My name is Emily. Thank you, Conor. It was…interesting to meet you.”

“How about coffee tomorrow?” he asked just as she was about to walk away. She looked at him.

“I’m sorry, but I’m working.” As if she would have coffee with him. Not if he were the last man on earth.

“An hour for coffee won’t hurt, or is that your way of telling me to get lost?” he asked.

She got the feeling he was baiting her as his eyes glittered with amusement. She hesitated, biting her lip wondering what his game was.

“Do you always bite your lip when thinking about coffee? I’ve forgotten my checkbook. I can give you the check at the coffee shop.”

“No rush, you can drop the check into the office sometime next week.”

“My checkbook gets upset if it doesn’t have coffee. Please?”

She laughed in surprise at his teasing while wondering what he was up to. What could he achieve by meeting her in person? Did he think she was going to spill the secrets of her game plan?

“Come on, Emily. A coffee. You can take it as an opportunity to educate me and collect your check.”

“Are you laughing at me again?”

“Never. I simply wish to see you for coffee and talk to you a little more about your project.”

She wasn’t sure whether he was being sincere or not. Looking at him, she thought he could be. If you could ignore the fact he owned Sunny Studios, he seemed like a nice, decent man. Would he hold back the check if she refused? Somehow she didn’t think he would.

“Yes, but only because we need the check. Eleven at the coffee shop in the plaza.”

He ignored her comment about the money. “Do you want to meet there or should I pick you up from your home or the office?”

“No, there is fine, thank you.”

“Until tomorrow, then, Emily. Good night.”

She stared after him as he walked away, resisting the urge to ask him why he had come to the fundraiser. He must have known his company wasn’t welcome although he wasn’t the ogre she’d thought he’d be. It bugged her she couldn’t work out what he was up to.

“I’m glad I invited him. I wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do but I had a gut feeling he could be helpful. Getting him on board with our ideals would be a major coup.”

Emily swirled around to correct her friend. “Have you lost all sense? He owns Sunny Studios. The vilest operation on this planet.”

Carrie just laughed. “Emily, face facts. He may own your most bitter rival, but he’s too drop-dead gorgeous to be totally evil.”

“Don’t be silly, Carrie. You can’t judge someone by their looks.”

Despite her protests, Emily’s face grew hot. Carrie was right. He was gorgeous and friendly and polite. He hadn’t moved his arm a millimeter when he held her. No accidentally touching her body or other stupid moves that a lot of the men she had met from the entertainment industry tried. But she knew better than to be swayed by a handsome face. Conor Dunne was up to something and she was going to figure out what it was.