Five Dates with the Billionaire - Alyssa J. Montgomery Page 0,35
not least, I think you’d make the experience enjoyable for me.’
Connor swore under his breath. ‘You make me feel like a bloody gigolo.’
‘I’m sorry. That’s not my intention.’ She took another spoonful of her dessert. ‘Think about it. What I propose finishes when we arrive back in London.’ When he didn’t respond, she took a sip of her iced water and willed herself to continue. ‘We go back and it will be as though nothing happened. Miss Simms and Mr Stewart, with nobody being any the wiser.’
‘You really think you can do that?’
‘Can’t you?’
‘It’s too calculated, Mia. If you were experienced you’d know that even short affairs aren’t so cut and dried—particularly when those involved have to see each other in the work environment on a regular basis.’
‘Because I work for you, it’s even more important that this is cut and dried.’
His inner conflict was reflected in his expression. ‘I’ve never approached an affair with an absolute end date in mind.’
‘Oh, come on, Connor. You know you’re not going to marry your lovers and, from what I’ve heard, they last for a couple of weeks at the most.’
He shook his head. ‘Because the only thing we have in common is physical attraction.’
‘He came and he conquered.’
‘Mock me all you like, but when I embark on an affair I don’t go into it thinking the woman will be out of my bed in x number of days.’ He drank some iced water then put his glass on the table so firmly the liquid sloshed over the rim. ‘It’s an organic thing. It simply runs its course.’
Oh boy. Mia’s self-respect told her she shouldn’t have to fight so hard to get Connor to take her to bed. How could she convince him her didn’t need to be so considerate of her? She took a deep breath, then launched, ‘I’m going to ask you three questions.’
‘Mia—’
‘Question number one. Am I the love of your life?’
‘Oh, for God’s sake!’
She arched an eyebrow at him. ‘We both know the answer is a resounding no. Question Two. Are you going to be heartbroken at the end of four days when we return to London and go our separate ways?’
He crossed his arms over his chest. ‘You know that’s a no.’
‘Exactly. No to both questions from both of us. But here’s a question I’d answer yes to. Question Three. If we don’t have sex, will you be left wondering how good it would’ve been?’ When he remained tight-lipped, she said, ‘I will be. I’ll always wonder and every time I see you at the office, I’ll wonder what it would’ve been like to have had you as my lover.’
‘Damn it!’ Indecision clouded his eyes. ‘This attraction between us isn’t going away.’
Was that resignation mixed with his irritation?
‘It doesn’t matter how many times I tell myself all the reasons we shouldn’t take this further,’ he continued, ‘the more time I spend with you, the more I want to make love to you.’
‘Isn’t it better to get it out of our systems now than have it continue when we have to see each other at work?’
His lips firmed and he sent her a searching look. ‘Are you absolutely certain this won’t follow us back to work?’
‘Yes.’ A fling was all she could have.
In an ideal world—or the world of her dreams—Mia would have a romance of mutual love where she and her lover could lay firm plans for the future. In Mia’s reality, the brief affair she wanted to embark on with Connor was tailor-made.
‘Because I’ll have moved on, Mia,’ he warned her harshly.
‘You don’t pull any punches, do you?’
‘I don’t want you getting hurt. This isn’t a game you’re used to playing.’
‘I’m a big girl, Connor. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself and moving on too.’
‘To another lover?’
It was doubtful, but she forced herself to say, ‘To another temporary lover if, and when, the opportunity presents itself.’
The penetrating look he sent peeled back the very layers of her soul and Mia steeled herself not to betray any indecision.
‘I don’t understand you, Mia. You say the right things but it feels like you’re trying to convince yourself as hard as you’re trying to convince me … that marketing oversell you mentioned.’
She pressed her lips together and simply shook her head.
Every instinct told her he was caving.
She was absolutely ready for this.
A sexy-as-hell man whom she liked and respected was about to make love to her with no expectation from either of them that this would lead