Page 14 of The Charmer's Gambit
This just happened to be the first time I saw him hitting on a woman other than me, which meant my earlier thoughts about his flirtation being harmless were right. The man didn’t need to offer a woman a job in exchange for some midnight company. A little bit of wine and his charming self did the trick just fine. I’d seen the look in their eyes; all three of those women would have accompanied him upstairs if he asked.
To live a life of leisure. . . That thought took on a whole new meaning when Will opened the door to his presidential suite. Not the penthouse, but pretty damn close.
“Holy wow,” I breathed, taking in the floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Lake Michigan. I slipped out of my shoes, leaving them by the door, and padded over to admire the view. The lake glistened in the evening sun, taking on an endless appeal that stole the air from my lungs. I loved this city, but sometimes it suffocated me. This view reminded me of the world beyond it, giving me a sense of hope.
Will’s reflection appeared in the window as he wandered up behind me with two glasses of wine. I considered refusing on principle, but I loved a good red. Besides, it’d been a long few days and I could use the drink. “Cabernet Sauvignon?”
“Yes, with black cherry notes and a splash of plum.”
I shook my head as I turned to accept a glass. “A simple yes would suffice.”
“What would be the fun in that?” He tapped his drink against mine. “To new partnerships.”
Sure. “Cheers.” I took a sip and fought a moan. Dear God, the man knew his wine. “This is delicious.”
“I know.”
I grinned over the rim at him. “Cocky.”
“I prefer ‘confident.’?” He took another sip, eyes smoldering as they danced over me. “Did Janet follow up with you about getting started?”
“She called me around six to say I could do a preliminary review of the materials, but that’s it.” Until he signed on the dotted line, I couldn’t offer any legal advice or start researching on his behalf, but I was allowed to look over whatever documents he wanted to share.
He gestured toward the living area I ignored in favor of the view. It was twice the size of my apartment’s common room and had a full kitchen off to the side that overlooked a dining area with a table set for eight. A hallway trailed off to the right, leading to a few bedrooms and bathrooms.
I folded my legs under me on the oversized couch while he took the chair and swapped his wine for a laptop. He hadn’t changed out of his business attire yet, leaving him in black slacks and the same white shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows.
His exposed forearms flexed as he typed, alluding to the ample muscle beneath his clothes. Those long legs were all strength, and the way his belt cinched around his lean waist suggested his familiarity with the gym. Or maybe he acquired his figure after long hours at the vineyard. He had the hands of a man who worked hard, not that of an aristocrat. I noticed that the first day we met. His palm had felt rough and masculine against mine, not soft and satiny. It didn’t match the charming persona, or the entitlement attached to his last name.
“All right, this should be enough for you to get started.” He set the laptop on the table between us. “I’m going to order some dinner. Any preferences?”
“Not really.” I hadn’t eaten much all day—a side effect of stress and not sleeping well. That made nearly finishing this glass of wine dangerous, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. I set the glass aside and picked up his computer to review the contents on the screen. “What am I looking at?”
“The property in France that I’m acquiring. There are a few others, but this is the most imminent, as they want an in-person meeting in just over a month.”
“Where are the others?” I asked more out of curiosity than anything else.
“Various places, none of which are set in stone yet, so let’s focus on the French vineyard first.”
“You’re the boss.” I regretted it the second I said it. Grimacing, I met his amused gaze.
“Client,” he corrected. “But feel free to address me as ‘sir’ anytime, darlin’.”
I snorted. “Not going to happen.”
His pupils dilated as he studied me. “We’ll see,” he murmured in a tone that lacked his usual teasing quality. It was low and alluring and touched me in all the right places. Oh, I liked that voice far too much, as well as the look that came with it. Confidence smoldered in his chocolate irises and curled his lips into a seductive smirk that had me clenching my thighs.
Shit.
Maybe meeting in his suite was a bad idea. I always seemed able to ignore my attraction to him when in the comfort of my own space, like the apartment or the office. But here, in his space, with his spicy scent seducing my senses, I felt hypnotized by his presence, by the way his thumb swept over his bottom lip as he studied me, by the heat flaring in his eyes.
Look away.
I focused on the website he pulled up, and started reading in French. It was all gibberish, not due to a lack of understanding, but due to my brain forgetting how to read. Each word sounded wrong in my head. I couldn’t even translate the company name.
Yes, this is a great start.
Pull it together, Dawson.
