Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,16
for dinner? Thanks very much, but that’s no compliment.’
‘That’s not what I said.’
‘I wish I could say I felt the same way.’ She obviously wasn’t listening to him. ‘Sadly, I don’t think there’s a stylist I could send you to who’s quite perfected the art of personality transplants and that would be the only thing that’d make this evening any more enjoyable for me.’
Far from being insulted, Connor was amazed. Nobody had ever told him off so spectacularly and he’d never imagined in his wildest dreams that Miss Mouse from marketing would be the one to do it. ‘You really didn’t put Gran up to arranging these dates, did you.’
‘I’ve been telling you that all along.’ Her words were delivered with a ferocious glare but her stiff posture signalled her unease.
‘If you’re nervous, there’s no reason to be.’
‘Huh!’ she scoffed. ‘You can treat me with disdain and insult me all you like, but you don’t scare me.’
Connor winced inwardly at her summary of his treatment so far. ‘Mia, I didn’t say these dates were a good idea. I was only talking about your makeover.’
‘I don’t want to be defined by the way I look. Appearances aren’t everything.’
‘Of course they aren’t.’ He knew all too well that appearances were often deceiving.
Rachel had taught him that.
However, there were obvious differences between his ex-wife and his employee.
Rachel dressed to highlight her assets and Mia downplayed her physical appeal.
Rachel had agreed with everything he said and Mia challenged him at every turn.
The two women were chalk and cheese.
‘You’re said to be London’s most eligible bachelor, but that doesn’t impress me. I don’t care how good looking you are. No amount of money would ever induce me to put up with a man who’s so insulting.’
‘About that—’
‘I’ve always admired your business acumen and the way you put yourself out to support worthy charities, but now I know I don’t like you, so I can’t think of a single reason I’d want to spend one evening with you, let alone five.’ The quick rise of her chest said that she’d only paused because she’d run out of breath. ‘I’m here under sufferance and only because I adore Violet.’
Her outburst had brought more colour to her cheeks and her blue eyes sparked with enmity just as they had this afternoon.
‘Is there anything else you’d like to get off your chest?’
The look she shot him told him she suspected a double entendre, but it hadn’t been his intention. She was so stressed and hostile he imagined she’d worked herself up tighter with every minute that’d passed this afternoon and every alteration the stylist or Gran had made to her appearance.
‘That’s it. For now,’ she told him sternly.
Great. Maybe now I’ll be able to get my apology in!
‘You’re quite a novelty. I’ve never met a woman who’s disliked me.’
‘Novelty?’ Her head thumped back against the plush leather head rest. ‘Thanks so much. You keep those compliments rolling and I’m certain to join your fan club by the end of the night. I might even run for club presidency.’
Oh hell. He’d voiced his thoughts without thinking and she’d found offence in them again. But as much as he was kicking himself, it was impossible to keep from chuckling. Her animosity radiated from her and it stirred something indefinable in him.
It was refreshing.
A challenge.
A challenge?
Whoa. This is not going anywhere, he reminded himself sternly.
The duck may have turned into a graceful swan, but Mia Simms was his employee. And, if that wasn’t reason enough to ensure he only appreciated those killer legs from afar, he also refused to be manipulated by his grandmother. He wouldn’t see Miss Simms again after the agreed upon five dates. He would not, under any circumstances, launch into an affair with his grandmother’s friend.
Another look at the firm set of Mia’s mouth told him that even if she thought he was good looking, he was probably the last person she wanted to jump into bed with.
Just as well. Her antipathy would cool his libido.
Yet… She definitely intrigued him. Suddenly the dates didn’t seem quite as onerous as he’d first expected—and not simply because she looked great. No, he found he enjoyed her verve and was looking forward to unravelling the mystery of Mia.
Clearly, she had no interest in impressing him. She wasn’t falling over herself to pay him compliments or to have him flatter her which made her stand out from his other dates.
This woman had drawn battle lines in the sand and she was amazing.