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Eldon paused in the middle of the sitting area, one hip jutting forward as he lifted his left hand, palm upward, as though giving her the floor.
“I was listening,” she excused her nonparticipation, still watching him carefully as she moved into the sitting area.
“Have a seat, please. ” He gestured to the sofa with an outstretched hand. Piper perched on the edge nervously as he remained standing.
“Would you like coffee? Or perhaps tea?” he asked, still standing with one hip jutting slightly forward, the position, as well as her own, ensuring her a perfect view of his thighs, should she want to look.
She didn’t.
“No, thank you. ” Clearing her throat and glancing around the room she wished she could push back the panic attack still threatening to shorten her breathing.
She hadn’t had one for years, not since arriving in Kentucky, actually. Now her insides were shuddering, her throat tightening, the unreasoned fear rising inside her like a fast-moving sickness.
“Why not?” The hand he had been extending went to his hip in a classically feminine gesture of irritation that did little to ease her apprehension.
Blinking back at him, she fought to come up with an answer other than the fact that the thought of anything in her stomach made her want to throw up as the panic built inside her.
“Tea,” Eldon stated, finally shifting his stance and brushing the thin strands of white-blond hair back from his rodentlike face. “You look like the tea sort. ” Shifting his attention from her to the door, he yelled, “Broecun!”
The door opened.
His expression as impassive as moments before, the bodyguard, butler, whatever the hell he was, stepped just inside the room.
“Mr. Vessante?”
“Have Leda bring in a pot of tea, please. ”
Cold, cold brown eyes flickered over her for the briefest moment before he backed out of the doorway, closing the doors behind him.
Piper tightened her grip on her portfolio.
Eldon moved closer, taking a seat on the sofa with her. It placed him far too close to her.
“Shall we talk terms then?” he asked, the ice blue of his gaze suddenly hardening.
“Of course. ” She nodded.
She’d just as soon get this done and have it over with. Lifting the portfolio closer, she was suddenly stopped by the touch of Eldon’s hand on her wrist.
Her stomach tightened as dread began to wash over her.
“I don’t need to see the designs. They’ll be accepted if you play the game properly. ”
Ahh.
Her stomach pitched alarmingly.
“Excuse me?”
His smile was oily and far too sinister.
“I think you heard me perfectly, actually,” he said softly. “We’ll enjoy a nice cup of tea; then we’ll retire to my suite. Be a nice little fuck until I grow tired of you and we’ll see about that show you want so badly. ”
This wasn’t happening.
This couldn’t be happening.
“Are you insane?” Had she really said that aloud?
