Page 29 of Enemies with Benefits

‘You’ll find out in the morning. In the meantime, fix the contract. Bring it with you tomorrow.’

I chose a silent glare as my answer.

He crossed the room to where I stood, gazed down at me long and contemplatively enough to make me tense against the urge to fidget.

‘We both know you’re better than this, Wren,’ he murmured. ‘There’s absolutely no shame in proving me right. And who knows? You might get a nice surprise when you turn up tomorrow.’

When...notif. His confidence would’ve been insulting had I not spent the last two weeks and most of today confirming what I knew in my gut but hadn’t been ready to admit.

I held my breath as he raised his hand, trailed his finger from my jaw to the lower lip that still tingled with the need to repeat that kiss. His eyes burned hot and heavy into mine for another moment before, gritting his teeth, he walked out of my living room.

A moment later, I heard the door close behind him. A breath shuddered out of me. I didn’t exactly call it relief because that knot of hunger was still lodged in my belly, intent on reminding me how long it’d been since I’d had good sex. Or any kind of sex, for that matter.

It was only when I realised I was listening out for the sounds of his car leaving my quiet street that I sank onto the sofa. Head buried in my hands, I tried to breathe through confusion and need. Through all the reasons I’d allowed Jasper into my personal sanctuary. I wasn’t melodramatic enough to fear that I’d never sit on my sofa without imagining him there wreaking sweet havoc on my body, but I suspected the experience wouldn’t be easily dismissed.

Growling with impatience and frustration, I jumped up again, resolutely keeping my gaze averted from the wide expanse of the sofa as I left the room. Half an hour later, I conceded that I wouldn’t get to sleep without expelling the sexual energy coursing through my blood.

As I reached for my vibrator, I cursed Jasper Mortimer loudly and succinctly. Then ruthlessly used his image to find a quick, semi-satisfactory but thankfully mind-numbing release.

I stepped out of the cab and paused on the pavement, tilting my head up to stare at the majesty that was Mortimer Towers. During my previous visits I’d used the barrier of righteous indignation to ignore its grandeur and, while I couldn’t predict what would happen in the next hour, I instinctively felt today was...different. That it wouldn’t be so bad to admit the masterpiece building that had won a clutch of accolades was worthy of them.

Or perhaps it was because I’d accepted on some level that the man I was dealing with was a lot more powerful than I’d given him credit for, and that power could irreversibly impact Bingham’s.

Certainly, my visit to my company’s archive department yesterday had uncovered the worst of my fears. Perry had been playing fast and loose with several contracts and had ‘misplaced’ important documents that could have severe repercussions on our business relationships.

That shocking discovery was the reason I’d buried myself in the basement of Bingham’s till late last night. I was still staggered by how much Perry had been allowed to get away with by the board.

But truly, when it came right down to it, I wasn’t surprised. The board was made up of the extended Bingham relatives and cronies who’d trusted Perry simply because he was male, and a Bingham. There’d been little to zero oversight and no one had dared to question his way of doing business. Just as long as he’d managed to keep the company just above the red and they collected their fat bonuses come Christmas.

Which reminded me...no Christmas bonuses this year.

I sucked in a deep breath, lowering my gaze to the glass doors that led into Jasper’s domain. After a restless night that my vibrator had done very little to cure, I’d given up on sleep at five o’clock. The boutique contract was fixed and an email sent to the subcontractors apologising and withdrawing the clause I’d inserted in the last-chance hope that it would frustrate Jasper into releasing me from the contract.

We both know you’re better than this...

Perhaps more than anything else that had happened in my flat last night, those words had made the most impact. Because Jasper was right.

Despite my attempts to aggravate him into dropping this deal, a significant part of me had cringed at the depths I was sinking to; the mockery I was making of my own hard-won achievements.

I hadn’t quite decided what the new course of action in fighting him would be but I most certainly wasn’t going to lie down and let him walk all over me.

Heat caressed my neck and flowed up into my face at the sexual connotation of my thoughts. I’d been more than prepared for him to do exactly that on my sofa last night. Firming my lips, I attempted to push the memory out of my head as I strode towards the lift.

His receptionist greeted me when I stepped out on his floor.

‘Good morning, Miss Bingham. Mr Mortimer is waiting for you in conference room six. He says you’re to go straight through.’

I told myself my escalating heartbeat was because I was irritated that he’d assumed I would turn up this morning. Not because I wanted to see him again. Not because the smell of his aftershave on my skin and the rasp of his stubble burn on my inner thighs had made me groan into my pillow more than once last night.

And most definitely not because he knew that two of the three company names he’d thrown at me last night were threatening to pull out of their deals with us.

Struggling to empty my mind of the challenges that awaited me back at Bingham Industries, I took a few calming breaths. I’d need optimal mental dexterity to survive this meeting with Jasper.

Running a hand over my stylish skirt suit, I strode down the wide hallway, pinning a cool, professional smile on my face as I passed his executives. I was absolutely not going to wonder how many of them had seen my trench-coat-and-promiscuous-heels performance. I’d been forced into a corner, and doing something was better than doing nothing and letting Jasper win.

What if it was all for nothing?

I mentally shrugged, gritting my teeth when I noticed that conference room six was the last one down a long hallway. Had Jasper orchestrated this walk of shame so his employees would see me? Was he that petty?

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