“I would say that this is business,” he said. “That it’s not personal. But that would be a lie.”

      She swallowed hard. “Would it?”

      “Yes. I don’t need the money your home would bring in as a boutique hotel. I don’t need the money that would come in from buying Grey’s. But I don’t want my father to have it. And that’s where you come in.”

      “Me?”

      “It was a nice accident, seeing that your home was about to be foreclosed on. I thought I might be able to help you out. For a fee.”

      “A fee?”

      “There is no such thing as a free lunch. Or, in your case, a free manor home a reasonable commuter distance from the city.”

      “You must realize that I don’t have anything to give you,” she said, her heart sinking into her stomach at about the same moment the back of her neck started to prickle. He must know she didn’t have money. Which meant he must want something else. And that couldn’t be anything good.

      “I have a proposition for you.”

      She gave him a pointed glare and drew on every shred of strength she’d been building in herself for the past year. “If this has anything to do with filling the position in your life that my mother filled in your father’s you can take your proposition and shove it up your—”

      “I’d like you to be my wife.”

      About the Author

      MAISEY YATES was an avid Mills & Boon^® Modern^™ Romance reader before she began to write them. She still can’t quite believe she’s lucky enough to get to create her very own sexy alpha heroes and feisty heroines. Seeing her name on one of those lovely covers is a dream come true.

      Maisey lives with her handsome, wonderful, diaper-changing husband and three small children across the street from her extremely supportive parents and the home she grew up in, in the wilds of Southern Oregon, USA. She enjoys the contrast of living in a place where you might wake up to find a bear on your back porch and then heading into the home office to write stories that take place in exotic urban locales.

       Recent titles by the same author:

      HAJAR’S HIDDEN LEGACY

       THE ARGENTINE’S PRICE

       THE HIGHEST PRICE TO PAY

       MARRIAGE MADE ON PAPER

      Did you know these are also available as eBooks? Visit www.millsandboon.co.uk

      Girl on a

       Diamond Pedestal

      Maisey Yates

       www.millsandboon.co.uk

      MILLS & BOON

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      To my mom, Peggy,

       for always encouraging me to simply be me.

      And many thanks to Robyn, Gabby, Nicola,

       for giving me coaching on my Australian phrases.

      CHAPTER ONE

      BIRCH Manor was the last constant left. The only thing remaining in her life that had always been there. Everyone else, her mother, her piano teacher, her fans … they were gone. The house was all she had.

      Until the bank took it, at least.

      Noelle sighed and looked out the window, her stomach tightening as the glossy black Town Car drove through the open wrought-iron gates and around the circular drive, stopping in front of the door to the manor.

      She moved away from the window and hoped her guest didn’t notice the twitching curtains. It was too sad really, that she’d been reduced to this. Waiting for her home to be taken, watching for the financier coming to appraise the property. Waiting to be evicted. She had no idea where she would go.

      The check she’d gotten last week had come with a handwritten note informing her that this would likely be the last royalty check for the foreseeable future. The company wasn’t selling her old albums anymore, and several of her digital albums had been taken down from the big websites. No one wanted her music.

      Not that the royalties had been amazing over the past year. Hardly anything really, enough to buy a latté on the odd occasion. Now she wouldn’t even have that any more.

      Suddenly she wanted the hot, frothy drink so badly she thought she might cry.

      She was a sad case. Poor Noelle. She’d throw a pity party if she thought anyone would come. Well, the bank might if there was something to repossess. She laughed into the vast, empty entryway, then straightened her skirt and took her place in front of the door, not really sure why she was bothering to play hostess, only that it was reflexive. Her mother would have expected it of her. Demanded it.

      Of course, her mother wasn’t here.

      Noelle sucked in a sharp breath and reached for the doorknob. Her fingers tightened around it, waiting for the knock, and as soon as it pierced the silence, she tugged the door open. Her heart skipped, spinning a downward spiral into her stomach as she took in the man standing before her.

      Tall and broad, in a suit that was definitely not of the standard-issue, bank-employee variety, but quality, custom made and tailored to flatter his amazing, masculine physique.

      His lips curved into a smile, not a warm one, but one that she felt down to her toes. His eyes were dark, deep like chocolate, but without any of the sweetness. Her stomach tightened, a strong, sharp craving overwhelming her.

      For coffee. Still coffee.

      “Ms. Birch?” He had a nice voice too, rich and luxuriant, just like the suit. Why couldn’t it have been obnoxious? Nasal or high or something. But no, it was low and husky, smooth with a drop-dead-sexy Australian accent adding flavor to his words.

      “Yes. Are you …” She changed tactics mid sentence, decided to go for something more forceful. “You’re from the bank.”

      He stepped past her and into the house, his eyes sweeping the room, and her, in a dismissive manner. “Not exactly.”

      “Then why are you here?”

      “I came in lieu of the assessor. I’m interesting in making an offer on the property.”

      “It’s in foreclosure.”

      “I know. And I’m considering purchasing it before it goes to auction. I need to take a look and let the bank know what I intend to pay for it.”

      “Really? Why didn’t I think of that? I would have given them … well, I think I might have five dollars in my bag over there.” She gestured to the red purse hanging on its hook by the door. “Think they’d go for it?”

      “Not