How far would you go to save your family business?
Jewelry designer and heiress Ruby Seaborn will do anything to save her familyâs company from financial ruin. And she means anything.
Including proposing a strictly business marriage to diamond-mine magnate Jax Maroneyâthe only man able to restore the Seaborn jewelry empire to its former glory!
She needs his money; he needs her socialite credentialsâitâs a win-win solution. And if they indulge in certain...fringe benefits of their marriage along the way, thatâs fine. Because luckily Rubyâs heart is as unbreakable as the precious gems she works with...isnât it?
âOkay, you want them to accept your business, and I want my family business to survive intact. Maybe we should brainstorm a solution to our problems?â
Jaxâs frown deepened. âWhy? As you pointed out, we barely know each other. Why the hell would I discuss my private business with you?â
Ruby stared at him, something tugging at the edge of her consciousness.
Heâd used the word proposal again... What if they could nut out a proposal to benefit them both?
The idea shimmered and coalesced, detonating like an ill-timed bomb and she gasped.
âWhatâs wrong?â
She glanced at his left hand.
âAre you married?â
âNo.â
âInvolved with anyone?â
His frown eased, that sexy grin back. âIf this is your way of asking me outââ
âIâm not asking you out.â
She placed her palms against his chest, slid them across to his lapels and tugged him closer.
âIâm asking you to marry me.â
CHAPTER ONE
JAX MARONEY had traded clear outback skies for this.
The exclusive enclave of Armidale, home of Australiaâs premier jewellers hosting Melbourneâs A-listers tonight, and heâd crashed the party.
Damn usurpers. They were more than rivals, they were the enemy. The enemy whoâd deliberately ignored him tonight; whoâd whispered and pointed and glared. The enemy heâd have to court to achieve his goal.
That irked. He didnât give a damn what they thought of him personally but the fact he needed these people onside in the business arena...
Regret pinched his gut, tempered by an ever-present slow-burning anger against the one person whoâd landed him in this predicament.
âCareful. Next time the door opens and the wind blows in, your frown will stick.â
Surprised anyone had approached him considering his determined distance from the rent-a-crowd at this shindig, he glared at the smart-mouthed blonde, dripping with enough diamonds to keep his Western Australian mine in business for the next decade.
âWhatâs it to you?â
She was undeterred by his surliness, her ruby-slicked lips curving into a teasing smile. âThe launch of a Seaborn spring collection deserves champagne and caviar and exuberance.â
She pointed at his forehead. âThat frown youâve got going on? Doesnât fit.â
âBecause most of the snobs here canât move their Botox-ed brows anyway?â
His derisive stare swept the designer-clad, immaculately coiffed, moneyed crowd who shunned him for the sins of his father.
To his surprise, her smile widened. âYouâre probably right but you should play nice.â
âWhy?â
âBecause the undercover security doesnât take kindly to brusque, boorish types just standing back and surveying. Theyâll think youâre a thief.â
Her brash glance swept him from head to foot and his gut inexplicably tightened.
When her defiant gaze met his, he swore he glimpsed heat. âOn second thoughts, maybe not.â
Against his better judgement, he felt compelled to match wits with the intriguing blonde. He wasnât used to people challenging him. In business or otherwise.
He liked his women transparent and uncomplicated. The bold blonde? Anything but.
He waved her away. âShouldnât you be mingling?â
âShouldnât you be smiling?â
His mouth twitched and she raised a fist in victory. âThere. Knew you could do it. Not so hard once you try.â
Nonplussed, he shook his head. âWho are you?â
She screwed up her nose and poked out her tongue in a mock scary expression.
âYour worst nightmare, Happy Face.â
The laughter spilled from his lips, alien and odd sounding. When was the last time heâd laughed?