She set his glass down on the desk in front of him and moved behind it, settling into the chair before taking a sip of her drink and lifting her eyes to his.
‘Before we get started, I think we should set some ground rules,’ she began. ‘If I am to do this for you, there is to be no crossing of lines. I am excellent at what I do, and I’ll find you the right homes, but that’s where our connection ends.’
He nodded as he listened, his hands folding into his lap as he sat back in his chair, giving the impression of being completely at ease. ‘I understand your need to lay it all out there in black and white.’
‘Good.’
‘But let me also be clear, I am employing your services because I know you to be great at what you do. My decision to set up a home for myself here is about being closer to my sister and my growing business interests. It’s not some made-up ploy to make you spend time with me.’ She gave a satisfied smile and he added, ‘Not entirely.’
Her eyes widened, her sharp intake of breath barely discernible. ‘I—’
He held up his hand to interject, his smile cocksure. ‘Make no mistake, I will purchase two homes through you, but also know this: I want you and I intend on having what I want.’
‘Well, really...’ she blustered, her cheeks flushing, her tongue flicking out to nervously wet her lower lip, teasing his restraint.
‘You can relax, Zara,’ he assured her softly. ‘I’ll wait for you. You can decide when this line you have drawn is safe to cross and when you do, I’ll be ready.’
Her eyes wavered, her jaw clenched tight and he had the feeling she was grinding her teeth as she worked for an answer. He took pity and bent forward, releasing her gaze to lift up his glass for a drink.
‘Now we’ve got that covered,’ he said, settling back, ‘shall we begin?’
* * *
Forty-five minutes later, she’d worked through her standard Q & A—something she knew by heart and could do in her sleep, which was lucky because her brain was still clawing its way back from his ‘I want you and I intend on having what I want’ declaration.
Having what I want. Of all the cocky, arrogant, self-assured, pig-headed things to say. And what had she done to dissuade him? A big, fat nothing. If her body hadn’t been so on fire at the prospect, she would have thrown back his behaviour the previous night and lain all the anger at his door. Instead she was annoyed at herself. For being so easy where he was concerned.
She looked at him now as he scanned the document she had filled in and waited for his affirmation that all was in order. She used the time to calm the nerves that were mounting by the second now the Q & A was done, their business for the day complete. Would he leave quietly? Or would he push again? And if he did, was she ready for it?
He flipped the pages back in order and his amber eyes lifted to her, their depths searing her across the desk and thickening the air around them.
You’re far from ready.
‘Anything amiss?’ She sounded cool and professional, everything her body was not.
‘It’s perfect,’ he said, holding her eye as he passed the document back to her. ‘When can we begin?’
‘I believe I can get something in the diary for later this week—if that fits with you?’
‘Also perfect.’ He pushed up out of his seat, his sudden movement jarring her into the same. ‘I’m assuming that’s all you need for now.’
‘It is,’ she said simply.
Was that it? Was he leaving so easily?
Disappointment landed deep in her gut and she smoothed a hand through her hair as she rationalised it away—you don’t want more.
‘In that case, I won’t keep you any longer.’ He gave her a grin that reached all the way to her toes, heat whipping through her. ‘Call me when you have something.’
‘I will.’ It was all she could manage, afraid that any more would give too much away.
She watched him turn and walk to the door, her breath hanging in her lungs.
And then he stopped, his head turning to look at her over his shoulder. ‘Oh, and congratulations, by the way.’
Her breath escaped. ‘Congratulations?’
‘On Julia—she rang me earlier to say she’s placing an offer.’