His jaw clenched for an infinitesimal moment, then he did something unexpected. He pressed two fingers against each temple and rubbed. The sigh he emitted was filled with thick weariness.
‘This deal should’ve been done months ago. I don’t mind the challenge of a difficult deal if it’s warranted,’ he murmured, surprising her further by admitting to being anything other than omnipotent. ‘But I’m bored by the games the Ishikawas have suddenly decided they want to play.’
‘I don’t think—’
Cool green eyes met hers. ‘Yes, I know what you think. But I’m bored nevertheless. Boredom makes me...unpredictable.’
He was skimming the real issue behind his acerbic attitude. What she wasn’t sure of was whether the real reason, somehow, involved her. Just as she was certain he wouldn’t answer if she probed further.
She needed to leave this office. Go find Margo and get the HR papers signed. The earlier she got to work, the quicker her last ever commission for Jameson would be done. Then she could truly put the past behind her.
So why was she picking up a sleek bottle of mineral water from the coffee tray and holding it out to him?
Alejandro looked from the bottle to her face. A face she willed with everything inside her not to redden again.
When he didn’t take it, she set it down in front of him. ‘Try drinking some of this instead of guzzling down gallons of caffeine. It might ease that tension headache you’ve got going on.’
He ignored the bottle. ‘I don’t anticipate adding nursemaid to your list of duties. The ones I have in mind for you will be quite involved. Let’s concentrate on those, shall we?’
‘Duly noted. You can be assured that if I happen to be around when you’re struck by lightning or a murder of crows decide to use you for pecking practice, I’ll continue on my merry way.’
The smile that twitched his mouth was a shade warmer than the last one. Elise found herself wondering what a genuine smile from him would look like and abruptly stepped back.
Turn around. Go.
She headed for the door.
‘Miss Jameson.’
It wasn’t a request. It was an order couched in psuedo-reasonable, even tones.
Keep walking. She took another step.
‘Elise.’
She froze, the sound of her given name so unbelievably sensual coming from his deep, slightly accented tones, that she couldn’t suppress a gasp. She slowly turned around.
He was no longer massaging his temples. But he’d wrenched the top off the water bottle, the tip of it poised an inch from his lips.
‘One last thing. My company isn’t the place to find your next boyfriend or a husband. As long as you’re contracted to work for me, you’ll practise a zero-fraternisation policy. I find that petty lawsuits are best avoided that way.’
‘Are you speaking from personal experience?’ she asked before she could stop herself.
His fa
ce tightened into a rigid, forbidding mask. Hell, she’d struck another nerve. God, what was wrong with her?
‘That is not your concern. Just be sure to let Grandma know you’ll be disappointing her for a while longer where potential wedding bells are concerned, would you?’
Elise turned back around, too filled with roiling emotions to trust herself to speak.
Keep walking.
CHAPTER THREE
IS THERE SOMETHING about me that rubs you the wrong way?
Of all the words she could’ve chosen.