Page 25 of Worth the Risk

The long, shaky breath I took was filled with him. Hell, his scent invaded me everywhere, including places I desperately wanted him. ‘No one calls me Leonora.’

‘Then I’m honoured that you grant me that privilege.’

Oh, God.

Right. Business. ‘I wanted to know more about your client. His needs.’

‘Anything with a fast engine to get Vadim from the yacht to a casino or nightclub when we dock will suffice. And several bucketloads of caviar—he consumes the stuff like it’s oxygen. Any other form of entertainment he will provide for himself.’

‘Is there anything else—’

‘Enough about Vadim, I want to talk about me.’

‘What about you?’

He leaned closer, his mouth hovering tantalisingly close. ‘I lost a huge sum of money five minutes ago.’

Heat billowed through my body. ‘You knew what you were letting yourself in for.’

He winced. ‘Ouch. Have a little mercy, Leonora,’ he whispered.

God, the way he said my name. Where was the mercy there? ‘Fine, I’m sorry you lost a shitload of money. Now, can we get back to—’

‘Who was he?’

‘Pardon?’

‘You said you knew what it felt like. So who let you down?’ he demanded, that edge back in his voice.

I swallowed the boulder wedged in my throat. ‘I’m not in the habit of divulging my personal details to my clients, Mr Mortimer.’

His mouth twisted. ‘Don’t give me that Mr Mortimer bullshit. We’re past that. Just as we’re past all that surface stuff, regardless of how much you want to cling to it. You watched me almost lose control in the shower this morning because you’re so fucking sexy I can’t think straight around you. Then the next time I see you, some idiot with wandering hands and busy lips is all over you. I lost our little bet, which means you can walk out that door any minute. But before you do, I want to know you a little better, and not just as a damned client. So let’s have a simple conversation, shall we?’

It was too much. He was too bloody much.

‘Simple? You think prying into a painful subject like that is simple?’ I said through numb lips.

He stared at me for a charged second, then he grimaced. ‘Fuck. Any chance that little shitty outburst can be slotted under a misdemeanour?’

I wanted to hold on to the pain and anger mixing inside me but hell...the way he was looking at me...

I dragged my eyes from his, although I felt the steady pressure of his gaze as I walked over to the bespoke bar equipped with a stunning array of liquor. ‘Drink?’

He gave an abrupt nod.

I poured a shot of whisky, added two cubes of ice, then fixed a rum and Coke I didn’t really want for myself. If he was surprised I knew his choice of drink—courtesy of a little internet research this afternoon—he chose not to comment.

I held out the glass, trying not to ogle his sexy body as he came towards me. He took the drink from me, and I clinked my glass against his. He sipped his Macallan without taking his eyes from me. I followed suit, licked a drop of Coke that lingered on my bottom lip.

Then a fiercely important question burst from my lips. ‘Who was the brunette from this morning?’

His throat moved as he swallowed. ‘A Russian translator I hired to do some work while I’m here. Are you going to leave, Leonora?’

I didn’t answer immediately. I let him wait while I took another sip. Then I set my glass down and stepped up to him. He stilled, his eyes watchful as I reached out and toyed with the top button of his shirt. ‘Maybe. I haven’t made up my mind yet. But I know that I don’t want to talk about my ex-fiancé, who ran off with another woman two weeks before our wedding.’

He inhaled sharply. ‘Jesus. I’m—’

I surged onto my tiptoes and silenced him with my mouth. In the last twenty-four hours I’d let things slip to Gideon about myself I hadn’t told anyone in years. This man was unravelling me in ways I didn’t like, even while he reeled me in with his insane magnetism.

One kiss. That was all I wanted. One kiss and I’d remove myself from his orbit before he delved deeper into places I didn’t want him to go.

Except, the moment the gap closed between us and I felt the bold imprint of his cock against my belly, I knew I was sunk.

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