Page 19 of Enemies with Benefits

Her eyes widened. ‘I don’t know what you mean, Jasper.’

‘Do you attend all your meetings dressed like that?’

‘You don’t like what I’m wearing?’

I gritted my teeth, knowing I was getting close to the danger zone. ‘We abide by a dress code here.’

Her smile. ‘Ah, but then I don’t work for you, do I, Jasper?’ she asked softly, but there was a hard glint in her eye, a stubborn flame flaring to life.

Before I could answer, my phone rang. I allowed myself a small smile as I met her gaze. ‘You’re right. You don’t work for me. But we’re working together and I expect professionalism, like being on time. I’ll let it slide just this once.’ I reached for my phone. ‘Yes?’ My PA relayed the information I wanted to hear, and I hung up. ‘Are you ready?’

She tensed. ‘Ready for what?’

‘I told you I rescheduled the videoconference. The Morocco team is waiting for us in the conference room. Since you made the effort to come all this way despite being late, I’m assuming you’ll join me?’

I watched her jaw drop, her whole act vanishing for a second before she composed herself. ‘Of course, lead the way. I hope they’re just as accommodating as you about my tardiness,’ she said, her voice saccharine sweet.

I managed to stop my teeth gritting as I rose, buttoned my jacket and rounded the desk. The last thing I wanted to do was to walk her through my open-plan office floor dressed as she was. Call me a chauvinist but having every guy out there wondering what she was wearing under that coat made my blood boil.

But...business was business. And I wasn’t about to let this deal fall apart over yet another hurdle.

I stepped out of my office, keenly aware that she was following, those sky-high heels perfectly displaying her spectacular endless legs with every step. Of course, as I’d feared, seemingly every male in the vicinity suddenly needed to be in the hallway leading to the conference room right at that moment.

Avid eyes gravitated to Wren, her sexily dishevelled state triggering more than one male fantasy. I hurried into the conference room, barely stopping myself from snarling at my own employees as I shut the door behind us.

Strolling to the head of the table, I grabbed the remote and flicked it on. The four women and three men who made up the Moroccan executive team stared back at us. Then, one by one, they switched their attention to Wren. Eyes widened, and wild speculation flickered across their faces.

I cleared my throat, rearranging what I suspected was a scowl into professional neutrality. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, my apologies again for the delay. Let me introduce you to Wren Bingham. As of today, she’ll be taking over Bingham Industries’ side of the project.’ I glanced at Wren, who’d taken the seat across from me.

She was staring at the screen with a sultry, faintly challenging smile. As I watched, she swivelled her seat towards the screen, dragging one hand slowly through her long hair before flicking it over one shoulder. With her other hand she waved at the team. ‘Hi, it’s lovely to meet you all,’ she murmured, right before she crossed her mile-long legs.

I didn’t need to be on her side of the table to know she was flashing more than a hint of thigh. The expressions on the screen—especially the male ones—telegraphed her effect on them, plain as day. Silence reigned in the room as their gazes flicked between Wren and me.

Bloody hell.

‘Wren?’ I prompted, aware of the bite in my voice.

She slanted green eyes at me and blinked slowly. ‘Yes, Jasper?’

‘Are you going to give the Bingham briefing? The team is pretty much on page as to where the Mortimer side of things stand. They need you to confirm the various timetables for delivery of phase two. You did get up to speed on where we are, didn’t you?’

Her eyes flashed irritation at me but she maintained her bored expression. ‘Oh... Right. Phase two...’ She didn’t say anything else, just continued to stare at me with those eyes.

‘Yep. Phase two. Don’t keep us in suspense,’ I taunted, ignoring the stares from the screen as our intrigued audience watched our silent battle, suddenly enjoying this tussle with her.

She shrugged, indicating she was going to do just as she pleased. That she was going to enjoy watching me twist in the wind.

After another stretch of mutinous silence, I swivelled my chair towards the screen. ‘My apologies, but I didn’t quite make a full introduction, did I? I should have mentioned that Wren has a master’s degree in Business from Oxford University.’

I felt her gaze sharpen on me. ‘She was recently featured in Business Tomorrow’s Young CEOs Under Thirty. She’s too modest to tell you herself, but she graduated at the top of her class and, according to one of her professors, she has one of the most brilliant business minds of her generation.’

‘Stop it,’ she hissed under her breath for my ears only.

I ignored her. She wasn’t going to win this game. ‘I tried to poach her even before she’d finished university but, alas, I lost her to another company. So I guess you can imagine how stoked I am to finally have her on board?’ I flicked a mocking smile her way before returning my gaze to the team. ‘The reason she doesn’t have any files with her this morning is because she doesn’t really need them. All the facts and figures she requires are right up there in that exceptional brain of hers. On top of her many accomplishments, she also possesses a photographic memory. I haven’t seen it in action myself but I’m dying to. Wren?’ I prompted again, finally focusing on her, the gauntlet writhing on the table between us.

Hellfire erupted from her gaze as her hands balled into fists.

I smiled inside, satisfaction eroding my irritation. She’d meant to test me by pretending lack of interest, boredom, even apathy. But the one thing Wren Bingham couldn’t do was let our audience walk away with the impression that she was dumb. I suspected, like me, she’d fought too hard for her accomplishments and her true place in her family to let herself be so easily dismissed.

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