Free Some Like It Ruthless (A Temporary Engagement) by Megan Bryce

carefully.
    Tanner said, “I do have a project I’m working on. Could use some capital at decent terms.”
    Jackson nodded. “I’d love to hear about it.”
    The man Tanner had been waiting for rushed in, looking around frantically. He saw Tanner and relief crossed his face.
    “Sorry I’m late. I had a visit from your sister-in-law.”
    Gary Irvine ordered a stiff drink and shuddered. “Engaged to Cole Montgomery. The devil must not have been available.”
    Jackson leaned toward him. “Is she looking for blood?”
    “Montgomery is. Sat there the whole time looking like he wanted to rip my head off and eat it.” He muttered, “Do yourself a favor. Don’t look at her legs.”
    Jackson said, “Come on. What did they want ?”
    “Better terms. A reduction in payments.”
    Tanner said, “Margaret will fix cash flow first. She’s been cutting expenses.”
    The men looked at him and nodded.
    Tanner said, “And then she’ll be looking for new revenues. She won’t let Cole stomp on you if she can use you.”
    Gary said, “Think she can stop him?”
    Tanner thought back to finding the two of them in the pool. The rage in Cole’s eyes when Tanner had interrupted them. Hard to tell if it was the interruption or if it was the who was interrupting them.
    Maggie had told Tanner once that she had Cole in their corner and look what had happened with that. Tanner wasn’t at all sure Maggie could keep Cole on a leash.
    He shrugged. “It’s your best bet.”
    Someone came and tapped Tanner on the shoulder. “Buy you a drink, Tanner?”
    He looked down at lovely amber liquid. He pushed it towards Gary and ordered a tonic water.

    Maggie sat back, stuffed. Bacon for breakfast, a huge salad for lunch. And now Cole was ordering dessert with a look in his eye that said she’d be eating it whether he had to spoon it down her throat or not.
    He looked like he was looking forward to it.
    She turned her phone back on, surprised to see five messages waiting for her. She listened, her smile growing wider and wider with each message.
    She turned her phone back off, thinking she’d just let everyone wait a little longer. She said, “I’m not sure we actually need to go see anyone else today.”
    “No more bankers? I only got to scare one.”
    She patted his hand. “We’ll still need to work out terms. But it seems as if the news is spreading.”
    “We need to see at least one more. Hammer it home.”
    She laughed at his eagerness and when the waitress placed a large brownie sundae between them, it turned into a groan.
    Cole grabbed a spoon, dipping into the ice cream, the brownie, and taking a large bite. He scooped a slightly smaller bite and brought it to her lips.
    His other hand reached under the table and grabbed her knee, his fingers sliding under the hem of her skirt. He murmured, “Open up.”
    She opened her mouth, slowly sucking the ice cream off the spoon. She murmured, “Oh, Cole. You’re the one who’s going to have to stand up when I’m done having my way with this ice cream.”
    He scooped another bite, eating off the same spoon.
    He said, “Yep. Should’ve thought this through.”
    He dipped the spoon back in and held it to her lips again.
    She put her hand on his thigh and squeezed hard. She whispered, “If I eat one more bite, I will vomit.”
    He whispered back, “Sounds sexy. I’ll make you a deal, Empress. One last bite, one more banker to really get this weekend started, then we go back to my place and take a nap.”
    She laughed and he slipped the spoon between her lips.
    She swallowed, seriously worried it might come back up.
    She finally said, “One more banker and then you can go home and take a nap, old man.”
    “I said we.”
    “I will be returning phone calls.”
    He dipped the spoon in again and held it to her lips. She leaned back and shook her head.
    He stared at her a long moment before eating it himself.
    He said, “If we’re not going to take a nap, what else are we going to