Propositioned by the Billionaire by Lucy King Page A

auction you’re going to have at your charity event. So good luck with that.’
    Alex went very still. Good. She hoped he froze to the spot. She slapped her notebook against his chest barely noticing it fall to the ground. She didn’t care if she never saw him again, the arrogant, patronising jerk.
    She turned on her heel but then stopped suddenly and whipped back. ‘And just for the record, those donations? Three quarters of them came from women.’
     
    Oh, hell.
    Alex watched Phoebe storm off into the house and called himself every name under the sun. He wanted to hit something. Hard. Preferably himself.
    He bent down to pick up the notebook and flicked through it as he straightened. Page after page of handwriting detailed each donation, the estimated value and the contact details of the donor.
    He totted up the total. Phoebe hadn’t just completedhis challenge. She’d raised double the original target. Dammit, he was impressed. So what on earth had prompted him to attack her like that?
    Alex thrust the notebook into his pocket and strode after her. He took the stairs two at a time and found her in the guest wing, whirling round the room like a dervish, flinging things into her bag and muttering furiously under her breath.
    He stopped in the doorway. ‘Phoebe.’
    Phoebe spun round. Her cheeks were red and her chest was heaving, but she didn’t stop moving. ‘Go away.’
    Alex had no intention of going anywhere. The need to finish what had started beneath the pergola clawed at his stomach. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘I shouldn’t have implied that you’d sell yourself to bring in business. It was a careless thing to say and totally unfounded.’
    ‘No,’ she said. ‘You shouldn’t. So why did you?’
    He ran his hands through his hair. ‘I was angry.’
    ‘About what?
    ‘That dress would tempt a saint.’
    That stopped her in her tracks. She stuck her hands on her hips and glared at him. ‘So now it’s my fault?’
    He frowned. ‘Were you aware of the looks you were attracting?’
    ‘The only looks I noticed were the filthy ones you kept flinging in my direction.’
    ‘You smiled at and talked to everyone yet you avoided me. All night,’ he ground out.
    Phoebe’s lip curled. ‘You sound jealous.’
    Alex blinked and felt faintly stunned. He’d never experienced jealousy, but it certainly explained a lot. ‘You’re right. I was.’
    Her eyes flashed. ‘Again, not my fault.’
    ‘Why were you avoiding me?’
    ‘I wasn’t,’ she snapped, but her gaze slid away and he knew she’d been doing exactly that. ‘I had little time and a long list of people to talk to. I couldn’t afford to waste a second.’
    ‘Is that the only reason?’
    ‘What other reason would there be?’
    ‘Perhaps I distract you.’
    ‘Don’t flatter yourself.’ She swivelled round and stuffed the rest of her things into her bag.
    ‘Where are you going?’
    ‘To catch the boat.’
    ‘Don’t.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘Stay here,’ he said. ‘With me.’
    Phoebe froze. ‘Why would I want to do an insane thing like that?’
    Alex took a deep breath and started towards her. ‘Because I think you want me as much as I want you. If I’m right then it’s tearing you up as much as it’s tearing me up. I don’t know about you, but I can’t take it much longer.’
    For several long seconds absolute silence hit the room and then the air began to vibrate with electricity. Phoebe stared at him, her eyes darkening and her breathing quickening. For a moment Alex thought she was going to hurl herself into his arms and adrenalin and lust surged through him.
    But her face suddenly went blank and the shock of it nearly winded him. ‘If you’re after a bit of attention I suggest you cuddle up to the blonde,’ she said acidly.
    Bewilderment sliced through the heavy beat of desire. ‘What blonde?’
    ‘The one surgically attached to your arm.’
    The penny dropped and Alex felt like punching the air with relief. Phoebe was