beside Wolfe. “Thank you again for offering your services.” She stuck out her hand.
He hesitated, as if anticipating she’d jerk her hand away at the last minute and start laughing. Then he shook her hand with a firm grip, letting go so quick she wondered if her palm was sweaty.
“Welcome.”
“How long have you worked for Sawyer?”
He shifted his feet. “Why?”
She shrugged. “Just wondering. Purity means everything to him. If he trusts you to have a hand in it, he must believe you’re good.”
Wolfe looked over his shoulder at Sawyer speaking with Tanya. “I have a photographic memory,” he grudgingly admitted. “And a weird thing for figures. We met in New york and he asked me to come work for him.”
His jaw unclenched and blue eyes softened a shade.
Interesting. They cared about each other. Saving the rest of her questions for later, she nodded. “I’d love for you to come to La Dolce Famiglia and meet some of my team. I have a specified list of things to get moving, and someone who can add without his fingers would be a huge asset.”
His lip quirked. “Cool.”
“See you later.” She turned on her heel and headed toward the door when her name rang through the room. Her feet stuck to the carpet at the commanding tone, and her belly flipped and sank low. She turned her head. “yes?”
Sawyer pinned her with his hot gaze. “Stay, please. I need to discuss something with you.”
She opened her mouth to tell him no, but he’d already turned to finish his conversation with Tanya. Julietta was tempted to walk out, but she figured she’d let him win this round. He quickly dispersed the other conference members and Wolfe, shut the door, and pressed a button on his desk.
The door slid closed without a sound and locked them in.
oh, no. Not again.
Temper flowed hot and clean through her veins. How dare he do that intimidation thing with her? She wasn’t his lackey, and he had no right to order her around. She tilted her chin and marched toward him. “The magic lock thing is a nice touch, but it doesn’t work on me.” Who cares if she lied? “Next time ask me nicely to stay. I don’t take well to being bossed around.”
He smiled and shifted his hip so he was leaning against his desk. With a lazy, assessing air, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and shrugged out of it. The crisp white shirt pulled against his broad chest, and the red tie just made him look hotter. “Funny, I disagree. I think what you’ve been missing is a man who will tell you what to do. What he wants. And how he wants it.”
The air whooshed out of her lungs. The room tilted, then steadied as his meaning finally penetrated her ears.
Had he gone pazzo ? “Have I just dropped into a badly directed porn movie? Listen, I’m not one of these repressed feminists who needs the right man to unlock her hidden desires. Been there. Done that. Now, unlock the door or I’ll spring a lawsuit on you so fast your head will explode.”
He shook his head and grinned. “This is completely separate from work and you know it. I thought you were braver than that, Julietta. Don’t try to hide behind our contract.”
She sputtered with outrage. “you’re pinning this on me? oh, that’s priceless. Let me try to be crystal clear. you kissed me last night. I allowed it. Fireworks didn’t explode, the earth didn’t tilt on its axis, and now we’re moving on.
How about you tuck your ego back in your pants, and we put the episode behind us? Maybe you can target evelyn— she looks like she’s into that tantric thing, which might be a real hoot for you.”
A delighted laugh broke from his lips. The cool sophis-tication she prided herself on slipped under her scrambling fingertips and left her with a hot mix of emotions she didn’t know how to handle. “Damn, you’re perfect for me. okay, let’s get past the slow getting-to-know-you phase and get to the good stuff.” Suddenly, his relaxed demeanor changed.
As if a switch had
He hesitated, as if anticipating she’d jerk her hand away at the last minute and start laughing. Then he shook her hand with a firm grip, letting go so quick she wondered if her palm was sweaty.
“Welcome.”
“How long have you worked for Sawyer?”
He shifted his feet. “Why?”
She shrugged. “Just wondering. Purity means everything to him. If he trusts you to have a hand in it, he must believe you’re good.”
Wolfe looked over his shoulder at Sawyer speaking with Tanya. “I have a photographic memory,” he grudgingly admitted. “And a weird thing for figures. We met in New york and he asked me to come work for him.”
His jaw unclenched and blue eyes softened a shade.
Interesting. They cared about each other. Saving the rest of her questions for later, she nodded. “I’d love for you to come to La Dolce Famiglia and meet some of my team. I have a specified list of things to get moving, and someone who can add without his fingers would be a huge asset.”
His lip quirked. “Cool.”
“See you later.” She turned on her heel and headed toward the door when her name rang through the room. Her feet stuck to the carpet at the commanding tone, and her belly flipped and sank low. She turned her head. “yes?”
Sawyer pinned her with his hot gaze. “Stay, please. I need to discuss something with you.”
She opened her mouth to tell him no, but he’d already turned to finish his conversation with Tanya. Julietta was tempted to walk out, but she figured she’d let him win this round. He quickly dispersed the other conference members and Wolfe, shut the door, and pressed a button on his desk.
The door slid closed without a sound and locked them in.
oh, no. Not again.
Temper flowed hot and clean through her veins. How dare he do that intimidation thing with her? She wasn’t his lackey, and he had no right to order her around. She tilted her chin and marched toward him. “The magic lock thing is a nice touch, but it doesn’t work on me.” Who cares if she lied? “Next time ask me nicely to stay. I don’t take well to being bossed around.”
He smiled and shifted his hip so he was leaning against his desk. With a lazy, assessing air, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and shrugged out of it. The crisp white shirt pulled against his broad chest, and the red tie just made him look hotter. “Funny, I disagree. I think what you’ve been missing is a man who will tell you what to do. What he wants. And how he wants it.”
The air whooshed out of her lungs. The room tilted, then steadied as his meaning finally penetrated her ears.
Had he gone pazzo ? “Have I just dropped into a badly directed porn movie? Listen, I’m not one of these repressed feminists who needs the right man to unlock her hidden desires. Been there. Done that. Now, unlock the door or I’ll spring a lawsuit on you so fast your head will explode.”
He shook his head and grinned. “This is completely separate from work and you know it. I thought you were braver than that, Julietta. Don’t try to hide behind our contract.”
She sputtered with outrage. “you’re pinning this on me? oh, that’s priceless. Let me try to be crystal clear. you kissed me last night. I allowed it. Fireworks didn’t explode, the earth didn’t tilt on its axis, and now we’re moving on.
How about you tuck your ego back in your pants, and we put the episode behind us? Maybe you can target evelyn— she looks like she’s into that tantric thing, which might be a real hoot for you.”
A delighted laugh broke from his lips. The cool sophis-tication she prided herself on slipped under her scrambling fingertips and left her with a hot mix of emotions she didn’t know how to handle. “Damn, you’re perfect for me. okay, let’s get past the slow getting-to-know-you phase and get to the good stuff.” Suddenly, his relaxed demeanor changed.
As if a switch had
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