The elevator jolted back into motion, tossing Emma off balance.
Kell grabbed her and steadied her.
A spark arced between them. He wanted to deny it, but there it was in spades as he touched her. Her scent was sweet and flowery, not at all like what heâd expected.
Enemy, he thought, but it was too late. He wanted to kiss her. Had wanted to since the moment heâd started staring at her lips.
Playing fast and loose with her emotions and her future didnât seem like a very sound business idea, but it was just one kiss. Surely, he could have that. A prize heâd earned by working hard to overcome his enemy.
He lowered his head slowly toward hers, waiting to see what sheâd do.
* * *
For Her Sonâs Sake is part of the Baby Business trilogy: One hostile takeover, two feuding families, three special babies
One
Emma Chandler forced a smile as she packed up her Louis Vuitton Neverfull bag and walked out of the boardroom with her head held high. It was bad enough to be in the lair of her longtime family rival Kell Montrose. That was stressful on its own. But to see her younger sisters paired up and happily in love with Kellâs cousins, Dec and Allan, who were also Montrose heirs, was another stab to the heart.
A wave of loneliness washed over her. She should give up trying to keep herself on the board at Playtone-Infinity Games and let Kell win. Except that wasnât her style. But no matter how hard she tried to fight it, it looked as if she was on the way out of the company that sheâd poured her life into for the last four years.
The hostile takeover had been a surprise, but to be honest, sheâd known for a long time that Kell Montrose intended to find a way to make Infinity Games his own and then tear it apart. It didnât matter that her grandfatherâthe man Kell had hatedâwas dead and buried or that the company had floundered a little under her guidance. Sheâd hoped somehow to find a heart and soul under Kellâs solemn exterior. Someone she could negotiate with.
Instead sheâd found a man bent on revenge, and her two sisters despite their best intentions, had fallen in love with the enemy. They had also proven themselves indispensable and secured their positions at the newly merged company. They were all finding their own place except her. She, of course, had the same chance to prove herself but she knew she was the one Chandler that Kell hated the most.
The one whoâd witnessed his humiliation at the hands of her grandfather. The one Kell wasnât going to keep around any longer than he had to. The one who had exactly forty-eight hours to come up with a kickass idea or she wouldnât blame him for showing her the door. She thought she might have one but wasnât sure heâd give her a fair shake.
When the elevator opened, she got on and reached for the Close button. She wanted to be alone. But just as the doors started to slide shut a big masculine hand wrapped around the edge and kept them open.
She groaned inwardly as Kell stepped over the threshold and into the elevator. She hoped her forced smile would stay in place. After all, how long could it take to reach the lobby? Five minutes?
âFeeling like the Lone Ranger?â he asked.
His eyes were a silvery-pewter color that always fascinated her. They were gorgeous, she thought, but icy and intense as well.
âNot at all. Why would I?â she asked. Sheâd always been able to play it cool and intended to do that now.
âYour sisters have come over to the dark side. Iâm going to finish bringing the last vestiges of Infinity Games under the Playtone umbrella soon.â
He deserved his moment to crow, but that didnât mean she had to stand here and listen to it. She reached for the buttons again to open the doors and get off but it was too late. The elevator started moving.
âYou okay?â he asked.
His face was angular, all strong jawbone and a very stubborn chin. His hair was thick and a warm, dark brown color that was almost chestnut. He wore it longer on the top and parted on the side. It was thick and curly and she almost wanted to touch those carelessly styled curls of his.
She looked up into his silvery eyes and saw a hint of humanity there. âIâm fine. I just donât like elevators. I should have taken the stairs.â
âAnd then you could have avoided me.â
âThat would be a plus. I get that you hold all the cards but donât write me off yet.â