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“Are you normally gone for days at a time? Is it something I should get used to?”
He arches an eyebrow at me before answering. “My business is international, so I travel a lot.”
“That doesn’t answer my question, Mr. Black.”
“Yes, Rebecca, for some trips I am away for a couple of days at a time, for others it can be a week. Depends on the business meeting and its location.”
“Now that I am living here with you, will you try to be home more?”
“I’ll try to get all my work done in one sitting so I can come home for a few days at a time instead of coming and going so often,” he replies.
I sip my water before asking my next question. “I was wondering what it is you do for a living? You’d have to be pretty wealthy to just wipe a fifty-million-dollar debt.”
The water he is pouring stops flowing, and his gaze meets my own for a moment before continuing to fill his glass. “Are you asking me about my net worth or my job?”
“Both,” I state.
“I’m a leader in technology. I create it. As for my net worth, it’s a hell of a lot more than your family’s.” He lifts an eyebrow in my direction, inviting me to continue. If I don’t get it out now, I may not get another opportunity.
“I was thinking a lot about you choosing me as payment over the money you were owed, and I have a proposition. I have a couple of properties of my own I could sell—”
“Stop!” His voice is full of authority and I pity anyone else who has ever been on the receiving end of it. It also makes me weak at the knees, imagining him commanding me whilst we are being intimate, and I feel a gush of heat below. “I have told you before that no amount of money will buy you back from me.”
“Surely you have an amount you would take. What about double what you’re owed?”
“That’s enough. I’m only going to tell you this one more time. The entire world could put all their money together and offer it to me and the answer would still be no.” I snap my mouth shut; he can’t be serious. “This afternoon you told me you were going to stay. What’s changed between then and now?”
I know I should keep my mouth shut, but I’ve never been that girl. I speak even when I shouldn’t, and nine times out of ten it makes things worse. “Well, for one, the fact that you act indifferent to me.”
“Indifferent, you say? And how have you come to that conclusion?” he asks.
“Just earlier, you knew what I was offering, and you didn’t even consider it.”
He brings both his hands down hard on the table making the cutlery jump and clatter on the table. “And because I don’t just want a quick screw with you, you call me indifferent? You have no fucking idea what you are talking about,” he spits back at me, his voice dangerously low.
“Who said it would be quick?” I shoot back because I can’t leave well enough alone.
Thelma chooses this moment to come through the door with our meals. Either she is completely oblivious to the tension that could be cut with a knife between us or she chooses to ignore it. She places a silver dining trolley at the end of the table before walking back out and closing the door behind her.
It’s not wise to push him like I am. He is a powerful man, no doubt one who is used to being in control. And here I am pressing for something I’m not even sure I should be wanting. And yet with him, I feel the sexual chemistry between us; it’s a living organism and I want him like I’ve never wanted anyone before. But there is time; I’m not going anywhere after all.
“What do you think Thelma has prepared us for dinner?” I ask. Relief washes over his face that the topic of conversation has been closed for now.
“Whatever it is, it will be delicious,” he answers. I stand up and take the two largest cloches off our main meals and place one plate of beef wellington and vegetables in front of Alexander, before taking the other plate and putting it down in front of my place.
We lift our cutlery and eat in silence, sneaking the occasional look at each other. Once finished, I collect both plates and return them to the trolley, then uncover the only remaining dish, revealing a bowl of fresh assorted berries.
I place them between us and pick a fresh strawberry from the top of the dish. “Thank you for dinner, Mr. Black. I’ll see you tomorrow.” As I walk away from the table, I hear his deep voice.
“Goodnight, Miss Kennedy.”
~ Chapter Eight ~
Alexander
I’m awoken the next morningby my mobile phone ringing. I sit up in bed and reach for it on the bedside table and answer it. Harold’s voice comes through immediately. “Sorry to wake you, Mr. Black, but Richard Lexington is insisting on seeing you.”
I swing my legs over the side of the bed and go straight to the bathroom, turn the tap on, and watch the water circle the drain. “What does he want?” I ask, not at all impressed with someone like him daring to visit me at home. Especially since the woman I have here is exactly the type to pique his interest.
