BREAKING RULES FOR MR. BILLIONAIRE

pte

ry'

ain. Not for mourning my dignity (though that would have been understandable), but becaus

ed in the service elevator weighed down with armloads

d your ground. You'

t to myself

pened the door, I

a jacket, sleeves rolled up, shirt crisp and open at the collar like he was trying

d, turning toward me.

n island and unloading my folder. "You invited me. You had cold feet. So let's ge

ed toward the marble stoo

ood st

ver into a slender black folder on th

ont

lin

resting on top of it like a period was a check. I caugh

y fee," I said

fast. Your portfolio is okay. Your attitude is

You almost succeeded in

wasn

up and walked out. R

picked up

," I said. "I'

ly. "Then we're both

not doing this just f

tiff

inat

inued softly, "or a

d. Slightly.

en the lines," he count

eading the room is

lling me dramatic again. Instead,

r te

my eyes. "N

planning

al running around, no cocktail parties, and absol

erst

This is still pr

ned without blinking, and sh

long th

d a small, un

my shoulders.

r, studying me as if I were a fin

p and leave when I no

was open a crack, and beyond it I could hear a

wly, pretending to examine a

oth, measured voice was cracked. "No, they have no idea.

was a

tting another penny

hiv

iate. This wasn't being done in boardrooms

eing bla

ond later and stopped dead in his tra

y. I was distracted by this. pa

e he already knew what he'd heard me hear a

squely. "My assistant will e-

d, as if nothin

help but have the question

illionaire get

from the public that he'd pay twi

signed up for something very much

ord. His gaze nailed me the way a hawk catches prey in flight. The pl

wasn't eavesdropping," I lie

ked at me with that cold,

painting hanging on the wall I'd feigned admiration

le

he counter, doing my best to keep my tone e

ssage. "You signed the contract,

d

t results. An

heart poundin

to a lower, darker level. "Mind stay

the elevator and pressed the butt

et out the breath I hadn't

han rich and more infur

ething something mass

st gotten a redecorating jo

had I

at the contr

omach was already sending me warning bells: if I was

e wors

, nasty part of m

the massive steel doors on the first real day of work, I knew this project would be no cakewalk. The s

ing windows, not even turning his head as I walked in. Just staring out a

ning," I

e replied withou