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He scanned the updated terms with record speed from beneath dense, dark lashes silhouetting against his perfectly structured cheekbones.
She snapped her gaze away when she found herself staring with renewed awe at his masculine beauty. She had no idea what was going through his mind as he read her conditions. Not even a flicker of emotion passed over his features.
He raised his head and slid the new contract toward Charles. “Everry Place?” he asked his legal adviser. Was the man so rich he didn't even know how many companies he owned and whose lives they were destroying?
Charles flipped through his tablet. “Ah, that would be Infinity Construction. Your new acquisition. They’re doing a project for Macaulay and Hawkins.”
Hunter nodded once and then sat back in his chair. His gaze roved over her all over again. Shockingly, a slight grin softened his gorgeous face for just a second.
“What makes you think I'll even consider this offer, Ms. Reid?”
She had prepared for him to ask that question, exactly, and had the perfect response.
“A man in your position doesn’t get to where he is without hurtling through an abundance of obstacles. And I'm also sure you’d never back away from one either. Especially one delivered by someone, almost half your size.” She continued her suave facade by adding what she hoped was an innocent smile. “In fact, I think you are driven by a tremendous desire to conquer everyone and everything around you. Consider me your challenge, Mr. McLeod.”
His biggest challenge yet, since losing wasn’t an option for her. Too much was at stake.
He set those magnificent, smoldering eyes on her, and she faltered despite her previous declaration of fanfaronade. Yes, he brought out all the big words inside her.
“Then, I accept.”
Wait, what?
She desperately needed him to accept her offer; that had been the whole plan, but he did in fact, actually flummox the heck out of her.
She had basically taken his offer to buy her virginity and turned it on its head with a challenge, instead. If he wanted her body, buying it would be too easy for a man like Hunter McLeod.
Her contract stipulated that he work for it.
As in, he’d need to coax her, tempt her, and seduce her into sleeping with him, and he had one month to do so.
If he failed to win her over to his side of the bed, he lost the game, and Everry Place would stay intact, as would her virginity.
If she caved under him, he would have won, and she would be left with nothing—not Everry Place and not her virginity.
If he thought he was going to win though, he hadn’t met her parents. Those two people had made sure she not only grew up with a severe trust complex when it came to other people but had also made her sick with worry that she was just like them and wouldn’t know how to remain faithful to one person only.
Well, after her experiment with Hugh Blankshaw, she could safely say that it was the former that had disturbed her more; she just couldn’t trust anyone to be faithful to her because they were all like her parents.
It didn’t matter that she had the ability to remain loyal until her last breath if she gave her word since the other person would just end up cheating anyway. Case in point, Hugh. Nope, she and her virginity were better off alone until the dawn of eternity.
She wasun-seduce-able.
“Hunter,” Charles said after reading the contract. “This is going to cost you several hundred million in the long run compared to the ten million dollars that were initially offered to Ms. Reid.” Even as Charles issued the warning, his tone remained devoid of reproach. He could have easily been informing Hunter of the state of the weather outside. In fact, Kensley detected some amusement attached to the lawyer’s tone.
What exactly did he find amusing? Her, her new offer, or Mr. McLeod actually accepting her offer, she couldn’t tell, but the older man’s eyes twinkled, nonetheless. And now all eyes were on her.
She had to stay cool, calm, and sophisticated—basically, call on her Ice-Maiden routine and give the show of a lifetime.
“But only on a few conditions of my own,” he drawled softly.
“I'm listening,” she said, although her heart had run off in the opposite direction without her, leaving her struggling to keep her breathing under control. Whatever his conditions, it would not bode well for her.
“You abide by my rules for as long as our contract is in place.”
“I see. And if I misbehave, you'll what? Spank me and send me to my room?”
“Yes,” he said succinctly.
