Page 25 of Enemies with Benefits

Twenty minutes later, I leaned on the doorbell of the ground-floor maisonette in Fulham. Enough lights blazed within to make me comfortable she was home. Still, she kept me cooling my heels for a couple of minutes, during which time I wondered whether she was alone. What I’d interrupted.

‘Who is it?’ she said, her sexy voice coming through the solid wood.

‘You know who it is. I just saw you looking through the security glass. At least you’re not reckless about your safety.’

‘It’s almost midnight, Jasper,’ she replied after a short pause.

The possibility that I’d caught her off guard pleased me. Which went to show how pathetic I was in gaining this tiny upper hand. ‘Isn’t that your favourite time of day to talk business? I’m merely obliging you. Open the door, Wren.’

‘What could we possibly have to discuss that can’t wait?’

Her sheer gumption drew an incredulous laugh from me. I dragged my fingers through my hair. ‘I’m going to throw some names at you. Let me know if you’re interested in discussing them. Palmer Jones Plc. Winlake Hotel. Morpheus Tech—’

She yanked the door open, her eyes wide with alarm. ‘What did you do?’

‘Do I have your attention now?’

Her jaw clenched and alarm morphed into a scowl.

‘Invite me in, Wren,’ I suggested softly.

Her fingers tightened on the door for a few stubborn seconds before she nudged it open.

I entered, walking down polished floorboards and Venetian wallpapered walls into a large sitting room decorated in white with splashes of warm, earthy colours. Exotic artwork featured majorly and I fought the urge to ask about her taste in art. This wasn’t a social call.

‘I said what did you do?’ she repeated.

I turned to face her, noting for the first time what she was wearing. Her black satin, lace-edged top—clearly a nightie set designed to drive men insane—clung to her full breasts. The shorts skimmed her upper thighs, and even in the lamplight I saw enough bare skin to ramp my arousal through the roof. I dragged my gaze up past her face to the hair piled haphazardly atop her head. So far, I’d only seen it down, but she looked even more delectable in that slightly dishevelled, ready-for-bed state.

I tried to reel myself in. What the hell did she just ask me? Oh, yeah... ‘So far? Nothing. But I know they’re three of your top five clients.’

Her green eyes snapped with fire. ‘So what? You’ve proved you have a spy in my office. Bravo, Jasper. And what exactly are you accusing me of? I sent your boutique contracts back an hour ago. Did you check your email before you came storming over here?’

‘Yes, I did. And while I’ll forgive the odd typo or two, which wasn’t in my version, what the hell do you think you’re playing at, allowing your sub-contractors the option to trigger an extended delivery clause?’

She shrugged. ‘What can I say? I’m a generous boss. And that option was in exceptional circumstances only.’

‘Which every single one of them will take advantage of! Here’s a free tip, since you haven’t been CEO for long—soft-balling your contracts like that is a sure-fire route to driving Bingham’s out of business. Hell, even Perry knew that.’ I mentally kicked myself the moment her brother’s name fell from my lips.

She sucked in a quick breath and her lips flattened. ‘Don’t you dare say his name.’

I exhaled slowly. ‘I’m done fucking around with you, Wren. This nonsense stops now or, come tomorrow morning, I’m going after your top five clients. You don’t need me to tell you that I have enough personal resources to scupper every deal of yours, or, at the very least, stall it as much as you’re trying to stall mine.’

Her fists balled. ‘Get the hell out of my flat, Jasper.’ The words were low but pithy, her eyes burning with anger and pain.

‘I will, as soon as you give me your word that these shenanigans are over.’

Her chin went up. ‘Agree to a five-year deal instead of three and I’ll think about it.’

I considered it for half a second. ‘No. As much as you won’t like to hear it, it’s for your own good as much as mine.’

‘How utterly condescending of you,’ she tossed back at me.

I didn’t realise I’d been walking towards her until I caught the scent of her shampoo. Until I saw the tiny gold flecks in her eyes reflecting the lamplight. Her head was tilted up and I couldn’t help visually devouring the creamy smoothness of her skin.

‘I may not deem it good business sense to renegotiate now but I won’t deny you the option of doing so at a later date.’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Please, stop trying to wrangle yourself into those sheep’s clothes when we both know you and your family are wolves.’

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