this afternoon,’ he said as she skimmed the first page. ‘If you’d like your lawyer to check it over—’
‘I don’t have a lawyer,’ she stated, then tapped the paper—savvy business girl now. ‘I want that first payment in my account before I sign.’
He shook his head. ‘That’s a substantial sum of money. You’re not the only one being cautious here.’ He spooned salad onto her plate beside the Brie tartlet. ‘What would set your mind at ease?’
‘I’m not sure anything will. And I’ll tell you why.’ She cut off a mouthful of the tempting tart in front of her. ‘I trusted a man,’ she began. ‘He was a lot like you.’
‘In what way?’
‘The kind of guy women can’t resist.’
One eyebrow lifted as he pulled his dinner roll apart. ‘You’ve resisted me. Quite admirably, I’d say.’
She felt a smile touch her lips. ‘You don’t want to know what I was thinking when I opened my front door earlier.’
His gaze clashed with hers and heat met heat across the table. ‘If it was anything like what I was thinking, we’re going to get along very well.’
An image of them plastered together against her front door, bodies slick with sweat, sent heat rippling like teasing fingers through her lower regions. She almost moaned aloud and her cheeks flushed and she reached for her water. They had more to discuss here than the business arrangements. ‘Umm … where was I?’
His eyes flirted, Wherever it is, I’d like to be there with you, but, ‘Mr Irresistible …’ was what he said.
‘Ah, yeah. Markos. Call him Mr Despicable.’ She cast her mind back to a time not so long ago. A time she’d rather forget but one she needed to remember, particularly given tonight’s circumstances and the mission in front of her if she chose to accept. ‘A friend’s family died in tragic circumstances while she was overseas and it made me think about how long I’ve been gone … I had some money saved up but I wanted to be able to have enough to show them I’d been successful …’
He watched her without speaking, and neither did she as the mains arrived and the waiter refilled their glasses.
‘Why?’ he asked when they were alone again.
‘My family judges success by how many letters you have after your name and your well-paid professional career. I judge success by happiness and how you live your life. It’s never been about money for me.’
‘And they just didn’t get you.’
But he did, she thought, relieved. ‘No. Maybe I was homesick after what happened with Ellen’s family and I just wanted to be the person they want me to be for once.’
He drank some champagne, then said, ‘Back to Mr Despicable …’
She forked up some of the flaked salmon. ‘You heard my story yesterday.’ She’d been so stupid, so naive. ‘“Prince” Markos turned out to be an evil sorcerer. The princess needed money and he was an acquaintance.
‘He offered her an investment that promised a quick return. He tricked the princess into parting with what little cash she had, then disappeared. I had barely enough to get me home, let alone a job or accommodation …’ Trust me, Chloe.
‘And you haven’t told your family you’re back yet.’
She shook her head. This man, however—rather, his offer—would change her life. Her boss trusted him so she was prepared to take the risk. The only way from here was up, right?
Chloe pushed her half-finished plate to one side, reached for the documents and slid them in front of her. The terms were mostly straightforward. She looked up, met his eyes. ‘This clause here …’
‘… is saying I won’t force myself on you. And the consequences if I did.’
He leaned in so that all she could see were his eyes. No bedroom heat in those brilliant blues right now but they were clear and honest and reassuring.
‘What we have is a business arrangement,’ he reiterated quietly. ‘We’ll need to share a room and act like newlyweds up to a point, bearing in mind that in Dubai public displays of affection are unacceptable. But trust me, Chloe Montgomery, winning this contract is worth more to me than—’
Sex. ‘You don’t need to spell it out, Mr Blackstone. I understand clearly.’ And a golden fortune in compensation if he breaks it.
So why did his matter-of-fact reassurance that she wasn’t at the top of his ‘to-do’ list somehow disappoint her? ‘For the record, if we were to …’ She trailed off, flustered as heat bled into her cheeks.
His