Page 11 of The Powerful Boss She Craves

Hopefully, this third reset would be the charm.

‘Seven hundred and fifty thousand pounds and nothing will happen.’

Ella jerked her head up to see Micah Le Roux leaning his butt against the door of her hatchback, its cherry-red paint glinting in the sun. Designer sunglasses shielded his eyes from the still potent late-afternoon sun and she could see the streaks of deep gold in his hair. Earlier she’d given him thirty minutes to vacate her office and then had spent the rest of the afternoon reading up on him online. She now knew his tan and streaked hair came from spending as much time as he could outside and that he spent his free weekends running triathlons, sailing or doing adventure-trail running.

He adored his family—his twin, Jago, and his much younger sister, Thadie, socialite and social media influencer, the mother of the twin boys she’d seen on his screen. According to the all-knowing Internet, he wasn’t dating anyone at the moment and didn’t do serious relationships. Micah Le Roux liked variety and wore his single status like a badge of honour. He liked red wine, lived in his wing of the famous, historical family mansion in Sandhurst and had been voted as one of the most influential men under forty on the continent.

And he was standing by her car, waiting for her. Ella’s heart bounced around her ribcage and she felt her breathing turn shallow and her skin prickle with awareness. What was it about this man that caused her brain to stop working and her joints to liquefy? She’d dealt with many wealthy, good-looking guys but no one had made her feel so off-balance, so aware, so feminine, as Micah did.

‘What do you think, Ella?’ Micah asked as she used her car’s remote control to unlock it. She walked past him to open the boot and tossed her bag inside, scowling at her seldom-used gym bag. His muscled, fit body was a reminder that she needed to start exercising again...

Holding her phone and her car keys in one hand, she slammed the boot lid closed and cursed when it didn’t catch. She slammed it again, harder, taking some of her frustration out on the car.

Ella joined Micah by the driver’s door. ‘I’m not interested, Micah.’ What a lie; of course she was interested. And scared.

‘Except that you are.’ She started to protest and stopped when he held up his hand. ‘I saw it in your eyes; you want to help me. And the additional money interests you too.’

Ella wrinkled her nose. Of course it did; she wasn’t a saint.

Micah leaned his hip into her car again, his eyes connecting with hers, so deep and such an incredible shade of blue.

‘You’re scared to be alone with me,’ he murmured. ‘I’m sorry it took me so long to figure that out but I got there in the end.’

Ella’s head shot up at his sympathetic statement, her gaze flying across his face, trying to see if he was mocking her. No, he looked and sounded genuine.

‘I need your help, Ella, but I understand why you can’t trust me or the situation,’ Micah softly stated. ‘You have every reason to feel that way. But Idoneed your help.’

Frustration passed through his eyes. ‘I don’t know how to reassure you except to tell you that I’d never hurt you, or any other woman, and that you can trust me. You’re my employee, and I never play where I work.’

Ella felt herself wavering, wanting to believe him. But that could be her insane attraction to him clouding her reasoning.

‘I instinctively trusted you earlier, Ella, when you told me about Pillay. Can you not do the same for me?’

She considered his words. He was right. He hadn’t hemmed or hawed, he’d listened and sprung into action. He hadn’t changed his mind upon hearing who had accosted her, even though Pillay was part of his A-list social circle and she was sure they’d met.

Could she trust herself, trust her gut feeling that Micah would never make an unwanted advance? Would she miss out on a huge opportunity because she was five per cent scared, maybe even less?

‘I believed you. Can you do the same for me?’

Micah believing in her was huge, a balm to her battered soul. After so many defeats and disappointments, she was intensely grateful to be taken seriously.

So grateful that she could kiss him...

Ella sighed. That wasn’t breaking news. She’d wanted to kiss him from the moment she laid eyes on him again a few hours ago. But kissing wasn’t on the agenda, and if she accepted his offer she would be there to work, not play. Pity, she thought. In another life, at another time, if she’d been someone different—someone confident and self-assured—Micah Le Roux, she was sure, would be a fun way to pass some time.

‘Well? Do you? Trust me, that is,’ Micah demanded, and she heard a hint of impatience in his voice.

She did. She knew she did. Her gut had never yelled this loudly before, so she nodded. ‘Yes, I do.’

‘Thank God,’ Micah muttered.

Ella smiled at him. ‘You know, all the articles about you all mention how charismatic you are, how you can charm anyone, anywhere. I think that’s true but I don’t think that’s who you really are. I think you are more impatient and demanding than most people realise.’

Micah’s eyes widened in shock, and his mouth fell open. Then he laughed, a deep belly-laugh that raised the hair on her arms and created heat between her legs. If his smile was potent, then his laugh was dazzling and delightful on a million different levels. She wanted to dance in it, roll around in it, wrap herself up in it...

‘You’re right. I am all those things, and most people never suspect that. How did you?’

She didn’t know how to answer his question, she just did. To her, it was as obvious as his blue eyes and his wide shoulders.

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