Any other woman would have resembled a dour old schoolmarm, but on Alex the effect was… distracting.
Lucien cleared his throat. “I take it you just delivered some bad news to Mr. Farnsworth?” he asked in an attempt to make conversation, as it appeared Alex was in no hurry to do so.
“Not that it’s any of your business,” she scolded without looking up. “But no, I wouldn’t say that.”
“Really? The man looked like you had just killed his dog.”
Alex finally met his gaze then and, as her deep brown eyes stared at him intently from behind her spectacles, Lucien regretted engaging her in conversation. He crossed his legs but that provided little relief.
“Did he?” She seemed genuinely surprised. “Huh. I can’t imagine why.”
Lucien shifted in his seat. “Well, what did you say to him?”
As she said, it wasn’t any of his business and certainly not related to their arrangement. And yet he couldn’t contain his curiosity. It was also preferrable to have something to focus on besides his unruly cock.
Alex shrugged, bewildered. “I simply gave him my notes on a project he is working on. Nothing out of the ordinary.”
Lucien’s mouth curved. “I see.”
Alex huffed. “This isn’t a nursery school. It is a place of business,”she said with a frown, tapping her desk for emphasis. “And I’m not one to sugarcoat things,especiallywhen it is clear that the other person has not put in very much effort.”
“You don’t need to defend yourself to me,” Lucien said, raising his hands. “It’s perfectly reasonable to have high standards.”
But Alex did not take this as the intended compliment. “I hold everyone to the same standards I set for myself,” she said coolly. “Now if you’re done inquiring about the emotional state of my colleagues, I’d like to get started. Idohave other appointments today.”
“Right. Of course.” Lucien cleared his throat. “But first please allow me to apologize for being late. I got lost on the way over, and the morning rush slowed me down even more.”
Alex steepled her fingers. “I see. And where are you staying?”
“Hackney.”
She sat back in her chair. “Well, no wonder. That’s very far. You should have found something closer.”
Lucien’s jaw tightened. If only it were that simple. “I’m staying with a friend.” He would not add that he couldn’t bloody well afford anything closer.
But Alex simply shrugged again. “Suit yourself. But most of our activities will take place around here or closer to Mayfair.”
Lucien nodded. He assumed as much. The city’s elite tended to congregate in a rarified enclave of neighborhoods. Anything else was considered déclassé.
“And if you do get tired of the travel, I can find something for you. A flat in The Albany, perhaps?”
He smiled tightly. The Albany was one of the most sought after addresses for wealthy bachelors. And far,farout of his budget. But like hell would he admit it. “Perhaps.”
She took off the spectacles and rubbed the bridge of her nose. For a very brief moment she looked tired and Lucien wondered if she had come to the office even earlier than eight. Just as he began to feel a touch of sympathy for her, Alex set the spectacles aside and straightened in her chair. Back to business.
“Now then, I’ve taken the liberty of drafting a proposal for you.” She passed him the papers she had been reading. “Have a look. I’m sure I missed some details, but the most important pieces are there.
“Thank you,” Lucien said, amazed. “You didn’t need to do that.”
But she swiftly brushed off his appreciation. “It’s best to move things along.”
Lucien held back a frown. “Right.” God forbid he mistake her business acumen for something as pedestrian as, say, thoughtfulness. Then he skimmed through the pages but came to a halt at a very large number. “Is… is this the initial investment?”
It was more than double what he and Rene had barely managed to scrape together in Paris.
Alex looked concerned. “Is that not enough? I might have been too conservative. We can certainly increase the amount if—”
“No, no,” he said quickly. “I think this is manageable.”
