The Billionaire's Saving Grace: A contemporary romance Read online

  What was this shit?

  Fuck not being personal.

  How had he gone from being a beautiful gentleman to her one minute, and then this ruthless businessman?

  “Nate, why are you being so rude all of a sudden?”

  His eyes narrowed and the people around her continued to stare, their eyes boring into her with the weight of heavy fists. She didn’t look away from his flint gaze, her anger giving her a strength that was foolhardy.

  “Rude? I’m here to raise money and for no other reason. I’ve thanked you for your paltry contribution, what else do you want, Emily?”

  What else do I want? You’re fucking kidding me!

  “Have you two met before?” Kristy’s voice rose high around them and they broke off their visual battle to stare at Kristy.

  Nate cocked his head. “Pardon?”

  “You called her Emily and no one introduced her. Plus, she called you Nate.”

  Emily crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips together, a shiver wracking her once overheated frame. She wasn’t answering that question.

  “We met out in the foyer for a moment.”

  You mean I met Dr. Jekyll. You must be his evil twin.

  “Oh.”

  Kristy nodded and stepped closer to her, sliding her hand into the crook of Emily’s elbow. Kristy tugged at her so Emily let her arms drop, her friend pressing herself against Emily in a beautiful show of support.

  Emily’s jaw clenched into place as anger pooled in her gut like a lead weight.

  “We both love working at the center, Mr. Johnson and admire what you’ve done to give women who are in dire straits a place they can call home for a short amount of time.”

  Emily nodded to agree with her friend, tugging up her lips in a semblance of a smile. She may be so confused she could barely speak, but that didn’t change the fact that no matter what sort of guy Nathan Johnson was in real life, his work with Eleanor’s House was incredible. Her mind whirled with all sorts of questions. What had happened to the man she’d seen out in the foyer? The gentleman who’d been kind and thoughtful and genuine? Why was he suddenly attacking her? Her lack of experience couldn’t possibly be such a concern in a volunteer environment? She had to speak up.

  “I love it too, Mr. Johnson, and hope you will rethink your position on me working there. There is nowhere I’d rather volunteer my time and would do anything for the women who stay there.”

  Was this all just an act? Even the kindness he showed the women she cared for? Pain rolled in her belly, clenching down.

  I’m going to be sick!

  “We better keep moving, Nathan. Lots more handshaking to do.”

  The blonde, who Emily had barely noticed standing there, spoke directly to Nate and he nodded, heading off to the next group without even a glance back in her direction.

  Emily turned away and swallowed hard, putting a hand to her mouth to keep herself from screaming out loud.

  “You look like you’re about to internally combust. Let’s go stand over there.”

  Emily allowed herself to be dragged to the corner where the food was. She picked up a cream puff and stuffed it into her mouth. She chomped on it and swallowed it down.

  “What happened, Em?”

  She pointed to Nathan Johnson, a man that up until five minutes ago, she’d admired with everything she had inside of her. How wrong could she be about a person? She should have known better than to be swayed by a handsome face and pretty manners. Ugh, she was disgusted with herself, too.

  “Do you see him? Just look at him.”

  Kristy glanced that way and shrugged. “Yeah, so?”

  Her stomach rolled but she forced herself to take some steadying breaths. She couldn’t seem to get control of her breathing. He was only one man, but he had the power to take away something she held so dear to her heart. She couldn’t let that happen.

  “I thought Nathan Johnson was a philanthropist. A good man who believed in doing the right thing, for the right reason. But he practically told me I wasn’t good enough to work at his charity and now he’s schmoozing all those rich people for their money when they’ve never even set foot in the place before! If the reason he set up Eleanor’s House was for the power, then I think I better find a new charity to start supporting.”

  She was properly panting now and she could barely stop herself from screaming aloud. Kristy gasped and poked her in the ribs, the sharp pain making Emily step back and glare at her friend.

  “Hey!”

  “You don’t mean that! Pro bono work is your life.”

  Emily frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “No, it’s not.” She had lots more in her life than that, especially her responsibilities to her mum. That was the number one priority and as long as she kept that going well, she’d be fine.

  “Yes it is, and you know it. You do seventy-hour weeks at your job and then volunteer all weekend. I haven’t seen you do anything else in two years and even before then you were bugging me to volunteer. Just because the guy who pays the bills is a jackass,” Kristy waved her hand in the direction where Nate was still kissing people who had too much money, “does not mean you stop doing what you love.”

  Hot tears stung the backs of her eyes and Emily blinked rapidly. Nausea roiled in her belly and she grabbed a chocolate dipped strawberry, biting into it to stem the tide of tears. She was livid.

  “I... but...” she took a deep breath, the air shuddering through her chest as she exhaled once again. No words would do justice to the emotions rolling through her at this moment, and Kristy didn’t need to know her long sob story. “You’re right. I love my work there and I can’t let a prick like him stop me from doing what makes me happy.” And it did. Volunteering at Eleanor’s House lessened the guilt she felt about not being able to help her mother when she was younger, and it paved the way to a better future. She slept well at night knowing the world was a better place because of her.

  “So if that means kissing his ass to keep your position, you’ll do it?”

  Emily huffed and let a soft laugh escape her. She wasn’t sure she’d go that far, but she’d definitely fight for what she needed.

  “Maybe a little.”

  Kristy threw her head back and laughed, then grabbed a pretty looking hors d'oeuvre. “That’s the spirit. Now, who shall we meet next?”

  Chapter Two.

  Nate chuckled and lifted a glass of water from the silver tray the waiter carried.

  “You’re too generous, Mrs. Thomas. Thank you very much.”

  The old crone’s wrinkled cheeks glowed beneath the praise and she handed him a check from her silver purse.

  He took it and passed it directly to Martine, his executive assistant and the most organized woman he’d ever hired. “I’ll make sure to put the receipt in the mail.”

  After all, the main reason most of these people donated money was for the tax benefits and that didn’t bother him one whit, as long as they kept giving their money to his charity.

  “You really are a saint, Nathan Johnson. Of all the things in the world to raise money for, domestic violence against women is so out of your orbit.”

  Nate grimaced out a smile and thanked the woman again, moving on to the next couple and the next couple. Endless chatter, thanks and smiles.

  “Almost there, Nathan. One more thing to do and then you’re done.” Martine’s voice in his ear made him straighten up to his full height, the heaviness on his shoulders lifting with her words.

  He approached the stage and stepped up to the podium, the band quieting down on a descending scale until they were impossible to hear. The crowd in the room stopped talking, turning towards him en masse.

  His heart clenched in his chest as he pulled out the prepared speech he’d written from the inside of his jacket, his other hand going into his pocket to search out the safety pin he kept there.

  Empty. Bugger. That woman.

  He bit his bottom lip and focused on the words written on t
he cards in front of him. Soon he would be able to support Eleanor’s House one hundred percent. No more need for nights like this.

  “Thank you, everyone, for coming this evening, and for your generous contributions to Eleanor’s House. I will personally make sure that every cent raised here tonight goes towards the housing, food, counselling, child care, financial support, legal aid and job assistance that the women we help need.”

  He paused and a round of applause followed.

  His eyes strayed away from the jewels and furs on the women in front of the stage to a single woman at the back of the room, her black dress being held up by one of his safety pins.

  Emily’s arms were crossed and her eyes blazed in her head, yet even with the straight lips and lifted chin, she was still charmingly beautiful. She had a great body for a short-term lover and he was in need of something new.

  “I must leave shortly for the airport, but please continue bidding on our silent auction items and I will personally notify all the winners on Monday. Until then, thank you again for your support and I hope to see you all again next year.”

  The applause was louder this time and as he stepped off the stage, Martine wrapped her hand around his elbow and gently guided him towards the exit as she always did.

  “Well done, although you could have said more.”

  Hardly necessary.

  “I don’t think so. I’m known for my short speeches.”

  They stepped up to the exit and Martine pulled him to a stop, tugging on his tie as she always did. He wasn’t sure if she saw herself as a friend, an employee or his honorary sister sometimes. “You could always say something personal you know, so people don’t think you’re such a pompous ass.”

  Nate reached out and squeezed her chin, moving her face from side to side. “Now why on Earth would I do something like that?”

  “Oh, because then that gorgeous little solicitor wouldn’t have been giving you the death stare.”

  Nate’s gut tightened and he turned around, assuming from Martine’s tone that he would see Emily standing there behind him. But when he saw nobody relevant, he turned back to his assistant.

  “And again, why would I want to do that?”

  Martine crossed her arms over her chest, her bright green eyes challenging him to answer. “You went to a lot of trouble to piss her off, Nathan. Any particular reason?”

  One of the waiters came by with his briefcase and coat, which he took with both hands. “You mean other than the fact that she’s not qualified to volunteer at the center and she’s some do-gooder that hasn’t known a minute’s trauma in her whole life?”

  He grimaced and rolled his neck, a feeling of dirty water washing over him, making him shudder. When he’d first seen Emily out in the foyer he’d had an instant response to her, an unusual one, actually. Rather than just assessing her looks and seeing how quickly he could lure her into bed, he’d enjoyed her smile. Only one other woman had affected him in a similar way, and that affair had turned into the most dangerous of his life. He’d never put himself in a situation like that again. A woman such as she was poison to a man like him.

  He’d known he’d have to find a way to separate himself from her so that he didn’t fall for her obvious charms. When he’d found out she wasn’t a young heiress and instead a pro bono solicitor, his belly had twisted inside him like she’d thrust a knife in his guts. Women like that were not meant for him. He couldn’t trust himself around them, and they were too nice to be hurt by him.

  He’d done the right thing. Better to cut her off early.

  “Yeah, I know who she is Nathan, but you usually take advantage first. Take ‘em home and then at least have the decency to send them on their merry way in a taxi. You didn’t give this one the time of day unless I missed something and you managed a quickie in a coat closet? Ah, I didn’t mean that.” Martine held her hands up and chuckled as she stepped back.

  Nate unlocked the clamp on his jaw and growled away some of the anger vibrating through his bloodstream. Emily wasn’t that sort of girl and Martine should know that.

  “No. I haven’t had her, Martine. Only met her for a minute.”

  “Then what’s with the prick mode and then the overreaction?” She frowned and scanned his face. He looked away. He paid Martine well because she was so adept at reading him, but the woman was far too perceptive for his own good sometimes.

  He lifted his gaze and glared down his nose at his diminutive assistant.

  “What’s with the third degree, Martine? Since when do you care how I treat women?”

  “Emily Sanders isn’t exactly any woman, Nathan.”

  He put his briefcase down and pulled on his suit jacket. “What do you know about her?”

  “I know everything, you know that.”

  Nate stared at her long and hard. He had little sway over this tiny female, but just trying was usually enough to get what he wanted.

  She grinned and relented with a wink he knew too well. She was enjoying this.

  “She’s a saint, really. She’s from a lower class background, no boyfriend, single mother family. She works hard, got amazing grades at University, and spends every spare minute she has in some charity or another.”

  Then his instincts had been on the money. A bloody saint with a passion that would rouse the worst in him.

  “Like Eleanor’s House, I suppose?”

  “Yes. The supervisor there said she’s unstoppable when it comes to getting the best outcome on her cases.”

  I don’t want her around. I don’t care how good a solicitor she is.

  “She doesn’t suit the center. You know I prefer people with personal experience working there.”

  Martine continued as though he hadn’t spoken, “She’s kind and most of all, she brings a ray of sunshine into their lives. Oh...”

  Her mouth dropped open and Nate busied himself with straightening his coat and picking up his briefcase once again.

  Yeah, she’s perfect. I know.

  “Oh, what Martine?”

  “That’s the problem isn’t it? She’s too good for you?”

  He tossed his head and lifted his chin.

  Not bloody likely.

  “Nobody’s too good for me. Didn’t you see me in Australia's Most Eligible Bachelors?” True, he’d been right down the bottom of the list, thanks to the fact he wasn’t uber-rich, but it hadn’t stopped over a dozen women calling him this week alone.

  She pushed him in the shoulder, her sharp nails digging into his skin even through the three layers of material. “You know that’s not what I mean, Nathan. She’s too innocent for you, isn’t she? Too nice. I’m sure that isn’t a problem you’ve come across before.”

  He rolled his eyes and changed the subject. This topic was growing tiresome.

  “Yeah, something like that. Listen, email me the list of all the silent auctioneer winners and I want all the financials for the extension on the center to look at before Monday.”

  Martine nodded, tapping the silver clutch which held all of the checks for the night. “Will do. And your schedule on Monday has changed quite a bit, so go over it if you have time.”

  He nodded his thanks and moved out the door into the foyer, coming face to face once again with the little angel herself, her face flushed from heat or too much alcohol, he wasn’t sure.

  Her eyes widened when she saw him and he instinctively stopped.

  “Good evening, Dr. Jekyll, I mean, Mr. Johnson. I do hope you let me stay on at Eleanor’s House. You have created an incredible women’s center there.” She did a little curtsy and his stomach gripped tightly. God, she was beautiful. He’d never seen a warmth like she possessed shine from a woman.

  Then her words sunk in and a reluctant smile spread over his mouth.

  Dr. Jekyll? Oh, clever girl.

  “I’ll think about it, Emily. Good night, Ms. Sanders.”

  His voice came out a little harsher than he’d meant but she didn’t falter, grinning at him as though
she didn’t care about the consequences. Her warm, brown eyes sparkled with mirth and she twirled a strand of dark hair around her finger, looking very similar to a teenager despite the elegant clothes and mature body.

  She nodded and waltzed past him, literally dancing her way back into the ballroom.

  A wave of longing passed over him like a heat wave in the middle of summer, prickling his skin and making his mouth run dry. He had spent his life running away from women like that. They needed so much more than he had to give, but there was something about her that just made him ache. If his rules weren’t so firmly ingrained, he may have been tempted to try a date. Just one.

  She’s dangerous. Don’t even think about it.

  Nate clenched his teeth, tightly gripped his briefcase and marched straight out into the freezing cold night.

  ****

  Emily fell into bed around midnight, her head spinning from far too much alcohol, and the balls of her feet throbbing from too much dancing. She’d spoken to so many incredible people and met the infamous Nathan Johnson himself. He may have threatened her pro bono work, the very glue that held her life together, but she’d spent the night convincing herself that she’d bring him around to seeing her side.

  Everything would be all right.

  Emily swatted the snooze button the next morning when the alarm blared at six am. She hated getting out of bed so early, but she had a few things to prepare for before she went to Eleanor’s House to volunteer.

  Her arms moved a little slower than usual as she got herself up and went about her normal morning routine. Despite her lethargy, her brain whirled through all the events of the night before at lightning speed. She still couldn’t believe she’d fallen for the act that “Nate” had put on for her. She’d believed him to be a decent guy and then when she’d found out he was Nathan Johnson the philanthropist, she’d honestly thought the man of her dreams had arrived. But he’d turned out to be no better than a snobby elitist with no true care for those he helped at Eleanor’s House.

  She got dressed, ate breakfast and ventured out into the cold morning air with no one to be seen up and down her street. It took her old car five minutes to heat up until she could comfortably drive, and as she sat there shivering her butt off, she questioned her sanity about buying a house first, rather than a new car like all her friends had.