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Have a drink…thank him for his time.
Get the hell out of here!
“Water will be fine, thank you.” My own voice quivers slightly, betraying my nerves.
He nods once and crosses the room to pour me a glass. As he moves, I can’t help but take in every detail of his striking appearance. Even in the cold light of day, he’s hot enough to stop traffic. Anton Ulianov is a tall man, his broad shoulders and lean frame giving him an air of imposing strength. His dark hair is cropped short, framing a face with high cheekbones, full lips, and a strong jawline. It’s a face that is at once strikingly beautiful and unquestionably masculine.
But it’s his eyes that hold me captive. Golden flecks dance within pools of midnight, two bottomless wells of mystery that seem to see straight through me.
I swallow hard.
As he hands me the water, my mind flashes back to those hands exploring me. Of our night together. Memories of mind-numbing pleasure flood my senses, leaving me dizzy with desire. I take a shaky sip, trying to calm my racing heart. It won’t do to let him see how much he affects me.
“Thank you,” I murmur, setting the glass down carefully.
“Let’s get to the point, Ms. Jones.” His words are clipped and precise. I go stiff as I wait for him to mention what happened between us. He doesn’t. “I am willing to offer you a generous salary and benefits package, along with housing and other amenities. In return, I expect nothing less than complete dedication to the care and well-being of my son. Nikolai is a…sensitive child. And he has been through too much.” Something flickers across his face as he says it; the first sign of real expression I’ve seen since I arrived. “We’ll start with a trial period,” he continues, though I’m already shaking my head. “If all goes well, we can discuss a more permanent arrangement.” He eyes me curiously.
“I…uh…think this may be a mistake, Mr. Ulianov,” I say, sticking to formalities. It seems the safest option right now.
“What?” he says, tilting his head slightly. Surely he can’t be surprised?
I stand abruptly, clutching at my bag like a lifeline.
“You can’t really be considering this,” I finally drop the pretense of civility. This is too fucking much! “I mean, not after-“
“After what?” he raises an eyebrow. I don’t respond. “After I fucked you senseless…Sara?”
Oh, my God!
My face rushes hot in a second, and I’m back to my very first impression of the man. He’s clearly an asshole.
“Well…there’s that, I suppose,” I say sharply. What I really want to do is deliver a sharp slap to his smug face.
“You cannot look beyond that?” he asks.
“Are you serious?” I snap.
“Is this about the money?” he asks. “We can negotiate if that’s what you want.”
“It’s not about the damn money, you ass!” My palms are sweaty, and I wipe them on my jeans as I speak. “We…we have history. It wouldn’t be professional!”
“You are a strong believer in professionalism?”
Dear God, he’s a jerk. I shake my head as I stare at him. Then I’m on my feet and heading for the wide doorway. Footsteps ring behind me. I ignore them.
“I can’t do this,” I mutter, a second before his hand closes around my upper arm. I’m jerked to a halt. “Please, don’t make this harder than it needs to be,” I say quickly. “I’m grateful for your offer, but I can’t accept it.”
I stare up into his face. It’s a dangerous face, no doubt about that. Dangerous, and yet, undeniably attractive. But I know that I’ve made the right decision. I can’t stay here – not with him, not in this place. I need to get as far away as possible before it’s too late.
“Goodbye, Mr. Ulianov,” I say firmly, glaring down at where his hand continues to hold my arm, hoping he’ll get the point. “I can’t work for you. Not now. Not ever. Now, please… Let me go!”
Chapter 7
Anton
Fuck.
The woman in front of me is maddening. Impossible. And yet, she’s making my cock throb.
