"I hope you don't mind—-"
A full-fledged grin breaks over my lips this time, with how the billionaire has used Douchebag's favorite phrase in a mocking tone.
"—-that I got rid of him?"
I shake my head and say with sham solemnity, "Not at all, Mr. Verhaege."
Sky-blue eyes gleam down at me, and I'm startled to feel my heart actually flutter because of it.
Oh wow.
No man has ever affected me this way before, and it almost feels like I'm reliving a scene straight out of one of my books.
"You don't have to be so formal with me."
My toes curl at the huskiness of his tone, but I tell myself not to read anything into it. "Actually, I think I should, since you're sort of like my temporary boss."
"You may have been asked to vlog and review our product," he counters smoothly, "but you're not on our payroll, Francesca."
My eyes widen. "How do you know my name?"
"I read your file prior to the event..."
"Oh?"
"And I've been watching you since you entered the room."
Now that I absolutely don't believe, and the billionaire's lips twitch when I make a face at him.
"You don't believe me," he says in amusement.
I give him an angelic look. "Not at all, Mr. Verhaege. I think it's actually charming of you to say such a thing."
His eyes gleam again, but I pretend not to notice.
"Is that so?"
"Uh huh."
A wicked smile forms over his lips, and my heart flutters anew. Why can't I be indifferent to him like I have always been with other men?
"May I ask you a question?"
"Uh...sure?"
"Why did you call me Robocop earlier?"
Oh shit.
I'm done. I'm doomed. I'm fucked.
Mary is totally going to kill me if her boss finds out it's none other than his secretary who's called him that first, and then she's going to kill me again and again if he finds out that the reason behind it is less than flattering.
Death is certain if I blurt out the truth, and so I find myself uttering a lie without batting an eyelash. "It's because you look like him."
"Ah."
"It's a compliment," I add emphatically, "just in case you're wondering."
"Because you used to have a crush on Robocop?"
Now that he's mentioned it, I realize that he was right. I did have this little crush on Robocop when I first watched the movie, and a little laugh escapes me. "You know what? I really did."
"Then...does that mean you have a crush on me, too?"
My lips part in silent shock.
Oh my.
Did I really just hear that?
The billionaire's lips curve into a smirk, but somehow...it just makes him look all the hotter, which does not make sense. Cockiness has always been a major turn off for me, so why am I feeling the opposite right now?
"I, um, think I should go now, Mr. Verhaege." I don't wait for an answer, but just as I turn around to leave, the billionaire captures my hand, and his touch is like fire.
I can't help gasping even as he spins me back to face him, and I gasp again when he brings my hand to his mouth and nips my finger.
Oh my God!
I try yanking my hand out of his hold, but the billionaire still refuses to let go.
"It's punishment, Francesca."
The purr in his voice makes my skin tingle even as his words make me wrinkle my nose at him. "Punishment for what?"
"For refusing to call me Nicolaas...like I ordered."
He isn't smirking this time, but oh, the heat in his sky-blue eyes is just too much, and it's making my knees feel oh so weak under my dress.
"Why do you think you have the right to order me around?"
"Are you going to tell me I don't?"
Oh. My. Lord.
I feel like swooning when I realize this...
This is what it means to flirt, which I've never done in my entire life until today.
"I don't think you've noticed," Nicolaas murmurs under his breath, "but we've been drawing a lot of attention..."
His words startle me into looking around, and I'm not sure what to feel when I realize what he's said is true. Everyone is staring at us, and even worse, most of them also have the two of us in the backgrounds of their selfies and lives.
"Would you like to go somewhere private?"
A virgin I may still be, but I do write erotica for a living, and so I know how deliciously dangerous somewhere 'private' can be. The sensible part of me is insisting very loudly that I should say no, but...
Haven't I always secretly wished for a man like Mr. Verhaege to come into my life and make me forget every rational thought?
I've never been tempted to take any kind of risk because I have Kevin, but if I let this opportunity go without doing anything...won't I end up torturing myself with what-ifs for the rest of my life?