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Which, roughly translated, meant that the only thing that was negotiable was the venue. And after what had happened that afternoon there was absolutely no way she’d choose to be alone with him.
Her blue eyes sparked angrily. ‘So in other words I have no choice at all.’
He dismissed her accusation with a careless lift of those broad shoulders. ‘If that’s the way you choose to see it.’
The waiter brought more drinks at that moment and she sat down again, fuming, watching while he fussed around Zander, checking that he had everything he wanted.
When they were finally left alone Zander took a mouthful of coffee and pulled a face.
‘The coffee is disgusting,’ he said mildly. ‘I shall be glad to be back in Greece.’
‘So go,’ she suggested sweetly and he smiled.
‘I intend to. But before I go, I have work to do. And so have you.’
She returned his gaze coldly. ‘I already told you, I’m not interested.’
‘Really?’ He leaned back in his chair, totally relaxed and in control, his eyes not leaving her face as he suddenly produced some papers. ‘A list of your clients, Lauranne. Amazing how many of them bank with me.’
Lauranne felt her face drain of colour. She’d forgotten just how diverse his business interests were. Or perhaps she’d never really known. ‘You wouldn’t—’
He smiled. ‘Oh, but I would, agape mou.’
Her heart was thumping hard against her chest and the dampness of her palms had nothing to do with the warmth of the summer evening.
Saying no to Zander was like trying to stop an approaching tidal wave by raising a hand.
‘Why would you possibly want me to work for you?’
‘Because I need to change my public image. And I need to do it fast.’
She gave a humourless laugh. ‘You mean people are finally finding out what you’re really like. The ruthless businessman routine wearing a little thin, is it, Zander?’
His gaze didn’t flicker but she saw a dangerous glint in his dark eyes and felt a shiver of apprehension.
Whatever she thought of him, Zander was a formidable opponent and she’d be a fool to underestimate him.
‘I can’t help you.’ She stiffened her shoulders and forced herself to look him in the eye. ‘My job is to discover and reveal the softer side of people, to make them seem more human, more approachable. But we both know that you don’t have a soft side, Zander. You’ve earned your reputation for being ruthless and unemotional and there’s nothing I can do to change that.’
He looked at her, his gaze impassive. ‘So you don’t mind if Tom loses the business?’
She swallowed hard, studying the man who had dominated her whole life since the day she’d met him. ‘You’d really do it, wouldn’t you?’
‘I want you to work for me, Lauranne.’ He gave a dismissive shrug. ‘If that’s what it takes—’
She gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘And you want me to persuade people that you’re soft and caring?’
‘I’m a businessman. Soft and caring aren’t qualities that would benefit my business,’ he said dryly, ‘but I want you to show a more human side, yes. And I’m willing to forget the past, if that’s what’s bothering you.’
She looked at him incredulously, fighting an impulse to slap his face. He obviously thought he was being generous.
‘You’re unbelievable, Zander.’ She gave a humourless laugh, her fingers tightening on the arms of her chair. ‘You threw me out and you wrecked my career and you expect us just to carry on as if nothing had happened?’
He gave a casual shrug of his broad shoulders. ‘I’ve moved on.’
Moved on.
She looked at him helplessly, stricken by his careless dismissal of what they’d shared. If she’d needed any evidence that their relationship had meant nothing to him then she had it now. If only it were that easy for her. ‘Why are you doing this?’ Despite all her efforts, her voice shook. ‘Why me, Zander?’
