The Elliotts: Mixing Business with Pleasure

BILLIONAIRE’S PROPOSITION

LEANNE BANKS

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

BRENDA JACKSON

CAUSE FOR SCANDAL

ANNA DEPALO

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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About the Author

LEANNE BANKS, a USA TODAY bestselling author of romance and 2002 winner of the prestigious Booksellers’ Best Award, lives in her native Virginia with her husband, son and daughter. Recognised for both her sensual and humorous writing with two Career Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKclub, Leanne likes creating a story with a few grins, a generous kick of sensuality and characters that hang around after the book is finished. Leanne believes romance readers are the best readers in the world because they understand that love is the greatest miracle of all. Contact Leanne online at leannebbb@aol.com or write to her at PO Box 1442, Midlothian, VA 23113, USA. An SAE (with return postage) for a reply would be greatly appreciated.

One

“I have an announcement to make,” Patrick Elliott said to the roomful of Elliotts, interrupting the roar of conversation among the nearly fifteen present for the New Year’s Eve celebration. Patrick had stipulated that only family members and spouses attend the gathering.

The announcement must be big news, Gannon Elliott thought as he stood next to his brother Liam. Curious, Gannon studied his grandfather as he held court across the den of the family home in the Hamptons. The Christmas decorations would come down tomorrow, but tonight the lights on the trees twinkled in three of the rooms on this level of the nearly eight-thousand-foot turn-of-the-century home. The house his grandmother had lovingly furnished had provided a haven for the Elliotts through the births and, tragically, through the deaths of children and through the ever-increasing power and wealth of Patrick Elliott and his heirs.

Gannon’s Irish-immigrant grandfather might be seventy-seven, but he was still sharp as a razor. He made dominating the magazine-publishing world look like a piece of cake, with magazines that covered everything from serious news to celebrity watching, showbiz and fashion.

“But it’s not midnight,” cracked Bridget, Gannon’s younger sister, in response to their grandfather. “You have the night off, Grandfather. Did you forget it’s New Year’s Eve?”

Patrick’s eyes sparkled as he wagged his finger at her. “How could I forget with you here to remind me?”

Grinning, Bridget dipped her head and lifted her glass in response. Gannon shook his head and took a swallow of whiskey. His brash sister always seemed to be stirring the pot when it came to their grandfather.

Pausing for a moment, Patrick glanced at Maeve, his petite wife of more than fifty years. Patrick might be the workaholic lion who had built a publishing empire, but Maeve was the one woman who could soothe the savage beast.

The love and commitment emanating from both their gazes never failed to humble Gannon, arousing a gnawing sensation in his stomach, a vague dissatisfaction that he refused to explore. He mentally slammed the door on the feeling and watched his grandmother Maeve, love shining in her eyes as she nodded at his grandfather.

Patrick looked back at the family assembled by his invitation. “I’ve decided to retire.”

Gannon nearly dropped his glass of whiskey. He’d figured the old man was so wedded to his conglomerate that he would spend his last moments on earth making another deal. Murmurs and whispers skittered through the room like mice.

“Holy—”

“Oh my God.”

“Do you think he’s sick?”

Patrick shook his head and lifted his hand in a quieting motion. “I’m not sick. It’s just time. I have to choose a successor, and because all of you have performed so well with the various magazines, the choice is difficult. I’ve decided the only fair way to choose is to give each of you an opportunity to prove yourself.”

“What on earth is he doing now?” Bridget whispered.

“Do you know anything about this?” Gannon asked his brother Liam, who worked for the conglomerate rather than one of the individual magazines. Everyone knew Liam was the closest of any grandchild to Patrick.

Liam shook his head, looking just as stunned as everyone else in the room. “Not a clue.”

Like the rest of the family, Gannon knew that the four top magazines were headed by Patrick’s sons and daughter. Gannon’s own father, Michael, was editor in chief of Pulse magazine, a publication known for cutting-edge serious news.

“I will choose from the editors in chief of our most successful magazines. Whichever magazine makes the largest profit proportionally will see its editor in chief take over the reins of Elliott Publication Holdings.”

Complete silence followed. A bomb wouldn’t have been more effective.

Three seconds passed, and Gannon saw shock cross the faces of his uncles and cousins. He looked across the room at his father, who looked as if he’d been hit on the head with a two-by-four.

Bridget gave a sound of disgust. “This is insane. How can it work? Do you realize that since I work for Charisma I’ll be working against my own father?”

Liam shrugged. “Is that any worse than pitting brother against brother, brother against sister?”

“Shane against Finola?” Bridget added in disbelief about their aunt and uncle. “They’re twins, for Pete’s sake. Someone has to talk to Grandfather and make him see reason.”

Finola stepped next to Bridget and shook her head at her father. “He won’t be changing his mind. He’s got that ‘till hell freezes over’ expression on his face. I’ve seen it before,” she said with a trace of bitterness.

“It’s not fair,” Bridget said.

Finola had a faraway look in her eyes. “He has his own definition of fairness,” she said softly, then seemed to shake out of her split-second reverie. She smiled at Bridget. “I’m glad I have you on my team.”

Gannon had never been one to shirk a tough fight and he wouldn’t shrink from this one either. “May the best Elliott win,” he said to Finola, although he knew the stakes were damn high. “Talk to you later,” he said to Bridget, Liam and Finola, then moved toward his father immediately confident that he would do anything to help his father make their magazine, Pulse, the top dog at EPH.

He was an Elliott, born and bred to compete, excel and win. Every Elliott in the room had been raised with the same genes and high expectations. It was in their blood to fight and win. Shrewd as always, his grandfather had known that fact when he’d issued the challenge, Gannon thought. Regardless of who won—and Gannon was damn determined to make sure his father was the winner—Patrick had just assured a banner year of earnings for each magazine and Elliott Publication Holdings.

His uncle Daniel stopped him on the way to his father. “You look like a man with a mission.”

“I think we all are,” Gannon said wryly and squeezed his uncle’s shoulder. “The least he could have done was pass out a year’s supply of antacid with this kind of news.”

Daniel chuckled and shook his head. “Good luck.”

“Same to you,” Gannon said and walked the few feet to where his father and mother stood.

Twirling his glass of brandy, his father met Gannon’s gaze. “I should have known this earthquake was coming.”

“Who could have predicted this?” his mother, the most easygoing person he knew, asked. She met Gannon’s gaze and smiled. “I see you’ve already recovered and are ready for the game.”

“It’s in my genes,” Gannon said with a nod to his father.

“You have some ideas already?” his father asked, clearly pleased.

“Sure do.” Gannon knew the first person he wanted on the Pulse team: Erika Layven, the woman he broke up with over a year ago.

Erika Layven reviewed the layout for the April issue of HomeStyle magazine with a critical eye as she took another sip of instant hot chocolate with marshmallows. Wiggling her sock-clad feet beneath her desk, she studied the spring-flower theme of multicolored roses, sprigs of lavender and cheery pansies. A huge contrast from the gray, bitter-cold January late afternoon she glimpsed outside her fifteenth-story window in Manhattan.

The weather made her feel cold and old. The recent report from her doctor hadn’t helped much either. Add to that the New Year’s Eve party she’d attended with a forgettable man and the more forgettable kiss at midnight and she could feel downright morose.

If not for the pansies, she told herself and straightened in her chair. She had a bunch of reasons to feel good. As managing editor of Elliott Publication Holdings’ new magazine HomeStyle, she had the opportunity to help create a vision and make it come true. She had power. She had influence. She had a dream job. If she felt herself missing the rush she’d felt when she’d worked for Pulse, she pushed it aside. This was better, she told herself. In this world, she ruled.

A knock sounded at her door and she glanced at the frog clock on her desk. It was after five-thirty on Thursday night. Most employees had left for happy hour.

“Yes?” she called.

“It’s Gannon,” he said, then unnecessarily added, “Gannon Elliott.”

Erika’s stomach jumped into her throat and she took a full moment to catch her breath. What did he want? Pushing her curly hair from her face, she pulled together her composure. “Come in,” she said in as cool a voice as she could manage.

The door opened and Gannon—six-foot-two, black hair, green eyes and killer body—filled the doorway, filled the room. She steeled herself against him and strictly instructed her hormones to behave, her palms to stop sweating and her heart to stop racing.

Idly wishing she’d kept on her boots so she could meet him almost eye to eye, she stood in her sock feet behind her desk. “Gannon, what a surprise. What brings you here?”

“Hadn’t seen you in a while.”

Your choice, she thought but took a different tack. “I’ve been very busy with HomeStyle.”

“So I hear. You’re doing a fabulous job.”

“Thank you,” she said, unable to fight a sliver of gratification. Gannon was tough. He’d never been given to flattery. “It looks like Pulse is full of excitement as always.”

He nodded. “What did you think of the series we ran on fighting Internet viruses?”

“Excellent,” she said. “I loved the day spent with an Internet security soldier. Fascinating.” She paused a half beat. “I would have added a fraction more human interest.”

His mouth lifted in a half grin. “That’s one of the things I always admired about you. You see the good in an article but are always looking for a way to make it better.”

“Thank you again,” she said, feeling curious. “You still haven’t told me why you’re here.”

He glanced at her bookcase and tilted his head sideways to read a few titles. “How much do you like it here?”

Confused by his attitude, she studied him carefully as he lifted her frog clock from her desk. He wasn’t acting normal. Although she wasn’t sure what normal was for Gannon. Their relationship had clouded her instincts where he was concerned.

“What’s not to like? I get to help rule,” she said and smiled.

He glanced up and met her gaze and she felt a mini kaboom go off inside her. He chuckled. “That’s one way of looking at it.” He returned her frog clock to her desk and reached for her mug, lifting it to just below his nose. He smiled. “Hot chocolate with marshmallows. You must not want to stay up tonight.”

Erika’s stomach twisted and she felt her sense of humor wane. Gannon possessed all kinds of insider information on her because they’d been lovers. A fact she had tried hard to forget during the past year. “A good night’s sleep keeps me sharp.”

He nodded and paused thoughtfully. “Do you miss Pulse at all?”

The blunt question surprised her. “Of course I do,” she said. “The fast pace, always being on the cutting edge. There was an adrenaline rush every day.”

“And you don’t get that here,” he concluded.

“HomeStyle provides a different kind of satisfaction.”

“What if you were given the opportunity to come back to Pulse with a promotion and salary increase over last time?” he asked.

Erika was taken off guard again. The prospect of being inside the best newsmagazine in the world provided a potent lure. There was nothing laid-back about Pulse. Working for that magazine had demanded the best of her mental and creative energy. It had forced her to grow. She’d been surrounded by brilliant, ambitious people.

And she’d gotten involved with a man who had ruined her for other relationships.

She pushed her hair behind her ear and looked outside the window as she tried to form a response. “It’s tempting,” she admitted.

“I want you back on the Pulse team,” Gannon said.

“Tell me what it would take for you to make the move and I’ll make it happen.”

Erika gaped at him in shock. When the faintest gossip had surfaced about her relationship with Gannon, he’d stopped everything between them cold and had begun to treat her as if she were just another team member. His behavior had knocked her sideways enough that she’d known she couldn’t work with him anymore. The position at HomeStyle had offered a haven from him, and she was slowly getting over him.

“I need to think about this,” she finally managed.

He blinked in surprise and she felt a sliver of satisfaction. Gannon was accustomed to hearing yes, not maybe. She saw his jaw clench and felt another dart of surprise. What was going on here?

“That’s fair enough. I’ll drop by to talk with you tomorrow after work.”

“Sorry. Can’t do,” Erika said. “I have an appointment out of the office at four-thirty. I’m not coming back in.”

He gave a slow nod, as if she were trying his patience. “Okay, are you working this weekend?”

“From home.” She glanced at her calendar. “Tuesday would be best.”

“Monday, after work,” he said in a brusque voice that had frightened the life out of more than one intern.

The tone unsettled her enough not to push further. “Monday after work,” she confirmed.

“Good. See you then,” he said, holding her gaze for a couple of seconds too long. A couple of seconds that sucked the oxygen from her lungs before he turned around and left her office.

Erika immediately sank into her chair and covered her face with her hands. “Damn him,” she whispered. He still knocked her sideways. She scowled. She didn’t like it. Didn’t like it at all.

But part of her response was understandable, she told herself. Preparation was key with Gannon. She absolutely couldn’t fly by the seat of her pants with that man.

Erika rubbed her knees and paused for a breath after ten games of one-on-one. She’d had her lunch handed to her during the last six games. Looking at the fourteen-year-old responsible for pounding the living daylights out of her via a basketball, Erika shook her head. “You could show a little pity for the elderly.”

Tia Rogers, the pretty but lanky girl with chocolate-brown eyes who Erika was mentoring, shrugged as she walked to the side of the basketball court Erika had reserved for their use. Since she’d been promoted, she got dibs on the EPH gym.

“You ain’t old. You just sit on your butt too much in that fancy high-rise office.”

“Aren’t old,” Erika automatically corrected, though at the moment thirty-two seemed over the hill. “Getting paid to sit on your butt isn’t all that bad. And I don’t just sit on my butt,” Erika said. “By the way, how’s algebra?”

Tia made a face. “I don’t like it.”

“What’d you get on your last test?”

“B minus,” Tia said.

“It’s going up. That’s the right direction.” Erika patted the girl on the shoulder and scooped up both their coats from the bleachers. A group of men immediately took their place on the basketball court. Erika led the way to the elevator. Tia was quiet on the ride down.

“I need an A,” Tia finally said in a glum voice. “I need all As if I’m going to get a scholarship to college.”

“You’ll get a scholarship,” Erika said, waving at the security guard before the two of them stepped out into the cold night.

Tia swore and spit as she stepped outside. “How do you know?”

Erika swallowed a wince. She was supposed to inspire Tia and help polish her mentee’s rough edges. Tia, who lived with her aunt because her mother was in prison for repeated drug violations, had been chosen for the mentor program because she worked on the school newspaper. “Ditch the spitting and swearing.”

“Everyone else swears and spits,” Tia said in a challenging voice.

“Everyone else isn’t you. You’re different. You have talent, brains, common sense and, most importantly, you have drive.”

Tia met her gaze with wide brown eyes filled with hope but tempered with skepticism. It was Erika’s job to help give the hope and drive she glimpsed in the young teen a bigger edge in the battle.

“Is that what got you your fancy job in the office you showed me a couple weeks ago? I hear you always need a connection.”

Erika exhaled and her breath created a visible vapor trail. “I’m working for a company where most of the executives are related and I’m not part of the family.”

Tia smiled. “So you’ve had to kick some butt, too.”

“Metaphorically speaking,” she said as an image of Gannon’s backside slithered across Erika’s brain. She’d had a tough time totally banishing him from her mind since his surprise visit yesterday. She still didn’t know what she was going to do about Pulse. She lifted her hand to hail a taxi.

“My aunt keeps asking me why you don’t have no man.”

“Why I don’t have a man,” Erika corrected.

“S’what I said,” Tia said and climbed into the taxi that stopped by the curb.

Erika climbed in beside her and gave the taxi Tia’s address. “I don’t have a man because—” She broke off. Why didn’t she have a man? Because Gannon had ruined her for other men. “Because I fell for someone and he dumped me.”

“Wow,” Tia said. “Why’d he do that? You’re pretty for an older lady. You got it going on.”

Erika groaned at the reference to age. “Thanks, I think. Why’d he dump me? I guess he didn’t think I was the right woman for him.”

Tia swore again. “You should teach him a lesson. Go get you another man. A better man.”

“Yeah,” Erika said, thinking she’d been trying to do that for a year now.

An hour later Erika walked into the Park Slope brownstone she owned and immediately stepped out of her shoes and into her bunny slippers. She looked down at the pink furry footwear and smiled. They always made her smile.

Making a mental promise to wash the clothes in her gym bag, she left the bag in the hallway and headed for the kitchen as she glanced through her mail. Bills, bills … She paused at the postcard that featured a Caribbean cruise and felt a longing for hot weather, sunshine, an icy margarita and the sound of steel-drum music.

Sighing, she dismissed the mini fantasy and used her remote to turn on the sound of Alicia Keys while she poured herself a glass of red wine. She picked up her phone and listened to her messages.

The first was from one of her best friends, inviting her to visit a trendy new bar. The second was her mother checking on her. Erika bit her lip in response to that. Her mother had called her at a weak moment and Erika had told her too much about the results of her doctor’s visit. The third message was from Doug. Doug the dud, she added. A nice enough guy. He was just so boring.

The call-waiting beeped as she listened to his message and she automatically picked up. “Hello?”

“Erika, I wondered when I would hear your live voice again. How are you, sweetheart?”

Her mother. Erika winced. “I’m sorry, Mom. I’ve been very busy at work and I took on a mentoring project with an inner-city teenager. How are you? How’s bridge?”

“Your father and I came in second last night. We host tomorrow night. What is this about mentoring an inner-city teenager? Darling, you don’t really think that will take the place of having your own child, do you?”

Erika’s chest twisted. “No, but it’s a good use of my energy right now.”

“Honey, if you would just make a little effort and be more open-minded, I know you could find a man in no time. Then you could have both the husband and the baby you want.”

Erika squeezed her forehead. “I’ll make a deal with you, Mom. I’ll go out with two men next week if you stop asking me about this for the next week.”

“I’m just thinking of your well-being. You’ve always wanted children.”

“I know.”

“You just kept putting it off,” her mother added.

“Mom,” she said, and Erika couldn’t keep the warning note from seeping into her voice.

Her mother sighed. “Okay. Two dates, two men next week. I’ll say a prayer and make a wish on a star.”

Erika felt her heart soften. Her mother did love her. She just felt the need to interfere sometimes. “I love you. Have fun tomorrow night.”

Clicking off the phone, she set it down and smiled, picturing her parents and the house in Indiana she’d left behind when she moved to attend college in the East.

The town of her childhood had often felt sleepy to her, the pace hadn’t been fast enough. She’d wanted more excitement, more action, more challenge.

She remembered the smell of the cholesterol-laden, but delicious home-cooked meals that had greeted her every time she returned home, and the scent of chocolate chip cookies every time she left again.

She remembered making crafts with her mother on rainy days and the countless times her mother had sat with Erika while she’d done her homework. Her father had taught her to play basketball and encouraged her to relish her height instead of being afraid of it.

She’d always known she had the best parents in the world. She’d also always known that she would need to leave in order to really fly.

And she’d certainly learned to fly. At least professionally. In the back of her mind, she’d had a mental plan. Graduate from college, get on a career track that would take her to the top and along the way she would squeeze in finding a husband and having a baby.

Before she’d even graduated from college, Erika had wanted a child, but she’d told herself not to get caught in the trap of getting married and having a baby before establishing her career. It was all about discipline, she’d said, but many times she felt a strong longing on rainy days to make crafts with a child of her own, to nurture and love a human being and experience the wonder of helping a little someone become the very best person they could be.