‘Me?’ she squeaked.
Alex nodded. ‘You. But in my experience familiarity always leads to contempt.’
‘So that’s why you want to go out with me. Thanks very much!’
‘Would you rather the attraction developed?’ he taunted. ‘I’m warning you, I usually expect a physical relationship from my women. I’m way past the hand-holding chaste-kisses age. So I’m hoping to kill this attraction towards you stone dead before it gets to the stage where I take you to my bed.’
‘I’d never allow it to get that far,’ Lauri told him coldly. ‘I suppose I can take solace from the fact that it shouldn’t take you long to get bored with me. I’m a little immature for your tastes.’
‘Your immaturity doesn’t stop you being downright rude on occasion,’ he snapped.
‘It’s because I am immature that I dare to be rude. If I was older I’d have more sense than to try and cross you.’
‘I’m glad you realise it wouldn’t pay to push me too far,’ he said grimly. ‘We’ll have dinner together on Saturday,’ he told her arrogantly.
‘And your car, what’s going to happen about that?’
‘We’ll forget about it. After all, it wouldn’t be very chivalrous of me to try and extract money from the girl I’m taking out.’
‘But—but we can’t just forget it,’ she protested. ‘It must be costing a fortune!’
He quoted a figure that made her gasp. ‘Do you have that sort of money?’
‘It’s really costing that much?’ she croaked.
He nodded. ‘Really.’
‘Goodness!’
‘Quite,’ he drawled. ‘Don’t tell me you’re speechless again?’
‘I don’t talk that much that a little silence from me should be treated with derision,’ Lauri snapped. ‘I don’t believe a word you say about being attracted to me, you’re much too mocking towards me for it to be true.’
Alex gave a husky laugh. ‘What do you expect me to do, grant you your every wish like some besotted idiot?’
‘Certainly not!’ she said disgustedly.
‘Thank God for that.’ His hand moved to ruffle her hair. ‘Be ready at eight o’clock Saturday night.’
‘But—’
‘No more objections, Lauren,’ he said impatiently. ‘Are you aware of the fact that your lunch-hour was just up?’
‘It can’t be!’ A hurried look at her watch confirmed that it was. ‘Oh dear, Carly won’t be very pleased.’
He quirked an eyebrow. ‘Carly?’
‘My supervisor,’ she informed him vaguely.
He nodded. ‘Carly Hammond. I’ll okay it with her.’
That he actually knew Carly’s full name came as something of a surprise to her. After all, he was a man with hundreds, if not thousands, of employees. But she certainly couldn’t let him ‘okay’ anything, even though she felt sure he would do it very tactfully.
Alexander Blair was a man who let very little stand in his way when he wanted something, and for the moment he seemed to want her. If she dared to admit it to herself she was secretly excited about the prospect of being escorted by such a man. Never in her wildest dreams had she ever thought such a man would show interest in her, and now that he had, for whatever reason, she knew she wanted to go out with him. She could still vividly remember that hard savage kiss he had given her in the lift—and she was wondering if it would ever be repeated! Besides, if she must qualify her actions any further, he was being very generous about the damage to his car. Not that she really needed any further excuse to agree to see him!
‘Lauren?’ he tersely interrupted her daydreaming.
‘Sorry.’ She gave him a guilty look, hoping he wasn’t able to guess what her thoughts had been. Those piercing blue eyes seemed to miss nothing. ‘I’ll make my own excuses to Carly, thank you.’