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The meaning in his words hung in the air, unsaid, but clear. Brady Data Processing might soon be seriously looking at David Hutton’s firm as a potential acquisition. The thought of turning the tables on David nearly made Kalinda laugh. It was all she could do to maintain only a polite, amused smile.

„That’s enough business for tonight, David,“ Hut-ton’s wife was saying cheerfully, a fine-boned hand on her husband’s sleeve. „We really should leave these two by themselves. They’re probably taking an evening to celebrate their engagement…?“

„How did you guess?“ Rand said dryly.

„Yes, of course, my dear,“ David said absently, his angry gaze on Kalinda’s amused expression.

Her smile broadened as she politely inclined her head in farewell. There was so much David wanted to say and so little he could say under the circumstances. She saw it all in those handsome dark eyes. He was calling her every name in the book, frustrated, angry, and beginning to perceive his own potential failure.

Without a word he turned and walked stiffly away with his wife. Rand sat down slowly, his thoughtful gaze on his opponent Kalinda didn’t hesitate. Leaning forward, she hissed, „You might have warned me!“

„It was a spur-of-the-moment inspiration,“ he defended, his gaze swiveling back to her accusing features.

„The hell it was! You’ve been planning this all day. Why didn’t you tell me you were going to let David think we were engaged?“

„Because I thought I’d only get a lot of static from you,“ he retorted imperturbably, reaching once more for the wine menu as the wine steward approached.

Kalinda sat impatiently, one toe tapping the carpet in irritation as Rand deliberated with the steward. When they were atone again she resumed the attack.

„Aren’t you afraid you might talk yourself into a corner with lies like that one?“ she grumbled, wishing with all her heart it hadn’t been a lie; that Rand wanted to marry her, not just have an affair.

„1 have never talked myself into a corner I didn’t want to be in or couldn’t get out of if I wished,“ he declared emphatically, beginning to study the list of delicate salads on the front page of the menu.

„Well, that’s very nice for you, but what about me?“ she protested feelingly, annoyed at his casual arrogance. „Word of this so-called engagement is going to go around like wildfire. I have no desire to go through the process of being jilted again! It’s… it’s humiliating!“

Even as she spoke, Kalinda thought ahead to just what Rand’s announcement might mean. It was easy for him to use whatever tactics came to hand in this business battle, but she was the one who was going to be left to deal with the aftermath. And right now the aftermath of an affair seemed far more depressing than the aftermath of a merger action.

Rand set his menu down with care, eyes turning a little golden in the flickering candlelight as he caught her half-accusing, half-despairing look.

„Do you really believe I would deliberately humiliate you, Kalinda?“ he asked softly.

The simple question stopped her in her tracks, effectively cutting off the flow of angry words she had been preparing to launch as the full realization of her new predicament registered. It struck her very forcibly that this was the second time that day Rand had asked her for a show of faith. The first had occurred that morning when he’d asked her if she thought he’d let Hutton buy him off.

She eyed him thoughtfully, wondering why he was pinning her down like this. But forced to consider the question in depth, rather than in irritation, she knew there could be only one answer.

„No,“ she sighed, sitting back in her chair and lifting her chin with a regal air. „I don’t believe you would deliberately humiliate me, Rand.“

There was a long, weighty pause while the implications of her confession hovered between them. Rand’s eyes never left hers and she could have sworn there was the faintest of smiles playing at the edge of his mouth.

„So why,“ Kalinda went on steadily, needing to know the answer, „did you use that line on David?“

„Number one because it was effective…“

Kalinda said nothing, waiting for number two.

„And number two,“ he went on obligingly, „because I think the idea has a lot of intrinsic merit“

„Meaning?“ she challenged bravely.

„You and I make a good team, Kalinda,“ he began intently. „We work well together, we’re attracted to each other, we’re…“

„Is this a proposal?“ she gasped, horrified.

„If you like…“

„If I like! I have never heard such an unromantic, unemotional suggestion in my life! You might as well be proposing a… a merger!“ Kalinda felt like crying and heaving the crystal at him at the same time. How dare he sit there and calmly suggest a business arrangement?

„A friendly merger,“ he emphasized dryly, his eyes wary.

„Not so long ago you only wanted an affair!“ she reminded him tightly.

„There are other factors involved now, don’t you think?“ he asked reasonably.

„Business factors!“

„May I take it from your seething expression that you’re turning down my proposal?“ he inquired politely, his eyes enigmatic.

„You may consider the proposal hurled back in your teeth!“

„Then I’m off the hook? There will be no future accusations that I’ve deliberately humiliated you?“ he drawled.

She whitened, shocked by the twist in the argument Desperately she grabbed at her pride and her strength of will „You… you may consider yourself quite free,“ she muttered „You have, after all, given me my chance, haven’t you?“

He shrugged. „It wouldn’t have been a bad arrangement, Kalinda.“

„No wonder you call yourself a shark when ft comes to business. You can be quite cold-blooded, can’t you?“ she snapped, desperately using anger to shore up her willpower. She was deeply shocked at her desire to say yes to his proposal; to accept him on any terms.

Something in him hardened perceptibly. „I would think that ‘cold-blooded’ is the one accusation you wouldn’t make. You are, after all, in a position to judge the issue. Have I ever been cold toward you, Kalinda?“

She ground her teeth. „That’s got nothing to do with this!“

Suddenly a slow grin began to replace the firmly marked line of his lips and the hazel eyes softened. „Does it strike you that you’re on the verge of becoming slightly irrational in your arguments? It’s a good sign, actually. It gives me hope.“

Kalinda’s hands knotted the white linen napkin in her lap but her voice was properly flippant „A good businessman doesn’t rely on hope. He relies on facts and figures.“

„You’re wrong, you know. Business people are essentially optimists. Who else but an optimist would wager such vast sums of money on anything as tricky as competing in the national economic marketplace?“

„Are you going to argue with me all evening?“

„No, honey, I’m not I’m going to enjoy this evening and I’m going to do my damndest to see that you enjoy it, too!“

„Of course. We have an image to maintain, don’t we? As long as David and his wife are in the vicinity…“

„We shall do our best to appear the happily engaged couple,“ he concluded firmly.

And much to Kalinda’s surprise, Rand proceeded to do exactly that He was charming and attentive. He entertained her throughout the first course until she finally began to relax and respond to the intelligent, amusing conversation.