Saved by the Rancher - By Jennifer Ryan Page 0,119
and a quick hug for support. A minute later, he showed Cameron onto the jet. Jenna waited in front of a small table near the rear of the plane.
“Thanks, Jack.” She winked before he turned and left her with Cameron.
“Thank you for meeting me, Cameron.” She shook his offered hand. “I know it’s a little cloak and dagger bringing you here in secret, but it was necessary. Can I get you anything?”
“I’m fine, thanks. I am curious why you asked to meet. Ben said something about an offer I couldn’t refuse. I found that intriguing, since we’ve never met, even though we serve on the same board. I’ve often wondered why you never attend any of the meetings in person. Your insights into business and making deals are quite astounding. I enjoy watching the Merricks’ faces when your points or ideas go against them.”
She was a beautiful woman, distracting. To say her request to meet intrigued him wasn’t giving justice to his curiosity. She’d been married to David Merrick and the marriage ended in scandal. He wondered if there was any grain of truth to the gossip, or if the press put a spin on things.
She kept well-informed about the company. When she voted it was always in favor of whatever was good for business, and not necessarily what the Merrick clan wanted. She wasn’t afraid to use her vote to go against them, as he’d done countless times.
Her keen business sense interested him. A very successful businessman, he could read most people easily. She was anything but easy to read. He noted the bruises on her neck, the cut above her eye, and the way her voice wasn’t quite the sultry sound he usually heard on conference calls. He wondered what happened to her.
“Let’s sit. What I have to tell you is difficult to reveal, but it’ll all come out today in the papers and at the board meeting. I want to prepare you for what’s to come.”
“Will you meet with the other board members, or is this courtesy reserved for me?”
“Just you. See, once I tell you my story, I’m going to make you an offer I hope you won’t refuse.”
“All right. Let’s hear the story so we can get to the offer. You’ve made the anticipation more than I can take. I don’t get many offers from beautiful women, and I find myself quite enjoying the anticipation.”
She couldn’t help but laugh. Cameron was one of the most handsome men she’d ever seen. Women probably threw themselves at him on a regular basis. It was a wonder there weren’t women beating down the jet door to get to him. His smile hinted at mischief, but under the surface he too seemed sad. She wondered about that, but let it pass.
Dark hair, cut short, of course, for the business world he moved in set off his shrewd silver-blue eyes. His tanned and lean frame told her he spent time outdoors. Not one to spend his life stuck in his office. Tall, maybe six-two, his broad shoulders and strong thighs couldn’t be hidden behind the cut of his well-tailored suit. He had great hands, strong with long fingers.
“I’m sure plenty of women try to snag you—often. However, I like your get-to-the-point attitude. I’ve found over the years that you have a great head for business and an even better sense of future trends. You’ve made quite a name for yourself running Ortel. I hope you’ll find my offer will further your career ambitions and ultimately benefit both of us.”
“Go on. So far you have my attention.”
“Let’s start with why I haven’t been to any of those board meetings. You know, of course, that I was married to David and the marriage ended very badly. That part came out in the press. What no one knows is the divorce came about after a particularly bad incident where David threw me down the stairs, and I lost my baby.”
“My God. I’m so sorry. I remember the stories in the papers. Sounds like you made David pay for being a bastard. You got half of his share of the company and a large cash settlement as I recall.”
“That’s right. What you don’t know, what nobody knows, is that for the last few years David has been hunting me all over the country, despite all my efforts to remain hidden. When he finds me, he terrorizes me and sometimes inflicts as much pain as possible before returning to his plush life here in San