Page 67 of Cruel Longing

“No. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the tech company. You were angry, love.”

I hadn’t released my hold on her waist. It felt too good holding her close. She didn’t wiggle away. We both wanted the proximity. We worked best this way. The merger was perfect in many respects. A true blending of Italian and Russian strengths. We would be unstoppable.

“Are we going to drink the champagne?” she asked.

“Are you going to agree that this is our new office space?” I taunted.

“I can’t agree to anything like that. You know we have to talk about it. Sort through it. I need to discuss it with Barbara. What does Viktor say?”

“He works for me. He does what I tell him to do.” Viktor was going to work a lot of overtime now that I was back.

Her lips brushed lightly over mine. “I don’t know if I can work with someone so bossy.”

I chuckled. “One mid-morning meeting and I think you’ll be begging me to boss you around that office every hour on the hour.”

She moaned slightly, more purr than whimper and our lips collided in a blistering kiss. She wrapped her free hand to my neck, carefully holding the champagne to the side. Our tongues twined. I moved my mouth against hers. Damn. She had already made me forget why we were here. She nipped and sucked at the corners of my mouth.

“Luka,” she whispered.

My hand rounded to her ass, squeezing her curves through the silk dress. “Mmm?”

“Give me the tech, and I’ll agree.”

I froze in mid-squeeze. I had a full palm of delicious Amara ass in my grip.

“No.”

She stepped away playfully, turning on her five-inch heels, drinking the champagne. I let go of the silk reluctantly. “I thought you wanted to merge everything?” she toyed. “Combine our assets.” She walked to the wall of windows. “You listed the distillery and the Vieux Carre. Why not add in what you have? I want the tech as part of the deal. Throw in the grapes in France while you’re negotiating.”

Damn it. She was going to force my hand. I strolled next to her. There were a series of barges pushing cargo along the river. From this far above the city we could make out small forms of tourists on the street.

Her green eyes tilted upward toward mine. “What? You don’t want to negotiate now? Too much risk? You don’t like giving up the most valuable asset you have?”

“The tech isn’t on the table, yet.”

“Ahh. I see.” She drank more champagne. “When exactly are you ready to add it to the deal? I don’t know that I’m interested in talking about any type of merger until I know the tech is safe.”

“You have stock in everything my father owned. You have enough.”

“And I want the tech,” she responded. “No tech. No deal.”

I was amazed at how quickly the hot and sexy woman could chill in front of my eyes. How did she do that? It was like she flipped a switch. I had to remember I knew her. I knew the vulnerable Amara. This was an act. A good one, but still an act that had worked on many men in this city.

“How do I get you off the tech?”

“You can’t.” She smiled.

I laughed. “Let’s see about that.”

Thirty

AMARA

Ieyed Luka. I wanted the tech. I wanted him. I wanted to keep the hold I had on the city. I wanted all of it. Why shouldn’t I have it? I’d fought and worked this hard to get where I was. Luka was back in my life. We could have all of this together. He was going to have to give in though if he wanted me.

He tugged on my hand, pulling me away from the champagne bucket. He led me through the unfinished space.

“What are we doing?” I asked. “There isn’t that much to see here. You don’t expect me to pick out paint colors, do you?”

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