A Seductive Proposal by Caris Roane Read Free Book Online Page A

see my property. It’s not for sale. There would be no point.”
    “Okay.” He sipped his cabernet.
    “Okay? Just like that?” His sudden acquiescence set warning signs flashing in her head. What was he up to?
    He settled his elbows on the table and clasped his hands together. He looked at her, his gaze level but his eyes hooded. “I’ll offer five million.”
    She nearly choked on a mouthful of carrots. She’d had the property appraised and because it existed outside of Sedona proper, halfway to the Verde Valley in fact, it wasn’t considered prime real estate. “That’s more than twice what it’s worth and you haven’t even been inside yet.”
    “I drove by yesterday. Five million will do quite well.”
    The chicken lost some of its savor. “Quint, this dinner has led you to a misapprehension. The vineyard isn’t for sale. You could offer six and I wouldn’t sell.”
    He took another sip of wine and narrowed his gaze once more. He was assessing her now, weighing, analyzing and measuring. “Are you that attached to a property that you admit you had no connection to until a few months ago?”
    “The truth is, I don’t know yet.”
    “Well, think what you could do with the money. You could move to France for a year or more. Tell you what, let’s make it seven.” He narrowed his gaze once more and sipped his wine.
    “Seven?”
    Oh, God, seven.
    When she’d inherited the winery as her cousin’s sole heir, she’d also inherited a tidy two million dollar nest egg. As it turned out, her cousin had been a miser and what should have been spent on the winery over the years had been put into CD’s and left there.
    Aghast at the state of her family’s legacy when she first toured the winery, she’d spent a full million to refurbish the vineyard, the house and the winery proper. In addition, she’d hired a manager well-versed in viticulture to tend the grapes and make wine for Red Canyon Vineyards.
    Quint’s offer astounded her. Seven million for a property she had refurbished for little more than a tenth of that figure? She didn’t know what to say.
    He remained silent. He ate his steak in slow measured bites and sampled his cabernet in equal degrees of quiet observation.
    She glanced out the window.
    The restaurant fronted a courtyard emblazoned with colorful Mexican tiles. She could hear the splash of water from the large central fountain. The sycamore trees stood like proud guardians in the summer air, the leaves dancing in the breeze.
    She settled her elbow on the table and let her chin rest in her hand but she still looked outside. “Seven,” she whispered. “That would be something.” She would be a fool to turn down seven.
    “It could mean a different life,” he suggested, “or the one you have but better.”
    She turned to him and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Quint. Even though I don’t yet have a meaningful connection to the winery, I just know this isn’t the time for me to sell. Red Canyon Vineyards is part of my family history. My ancestors were winemakers in Germany before they pioneered in this area. Besides, I haven’t even moved in and I’m looking forward to furnishing my new house.
    “Maybe I’ll feel differently at some point down the road, but I don’t want to sell to you or anyone right now.”
    “I may not be willing to offer seven million in the morning.”
    She chuckled. “I can’t say that I care. Maybe I should but I don’t.”
    He sipped his wine again. “Would you at least show me the property? Maybe I’ve got the wrong view of this.”
    She searched his eyes. Did he believe what he said or did he use this kind of ploy to keep a deal in play? No doubt the latter.
    “I don’t think it’s a good idea.” She resumed eating her dinner. She didn’t want more memories of him, especially not at her winery. The taste of the chicken, however, distracted her from the stress of the conversation. The chef was a genius.
    He cut another thick slice of filet.