about the design that I was hoping to show you.”
“I’ll be there.” Antony’s tone was still clipped. He seemed to be glaring at Ross.
Ross cleared his throat. “Great. I’ll just make sure the legal team is apprised of our deal.” He lifted the contract. “I think the arrangements down here are going to work out well. This will be a brand new chapter for Shark.”
“I’ll want copies of those pages,” Ella said.
“Excuse me?” Ross did a double-take.
“Copies,” Ella repeated. “Of those pages.” She smiled. “You’ll bring them back, won’t you?”
Ross darted a glance at Antony. A glance that said… Um, you cool with that?
“Bring Ella whatever she wants,” Antony ordered.
She could hear the click of Ross’s throat as he swallowed again. “Right. Will do.” He clutched the papers tighter then hurried for the door. It shut with a bare whisper of sound.
“You can let go now,” Ella said. She was highly conscious of the way his fingers pressed against her skin. “No one is watching. The show’s over.”
His chair swiveled toward her. “Everything I do with you isn’t for show.”
“No? I thought we were supposed to be putting on an act. You know, the new lovers who just can’t keep their hands off each other.” She tugged free of him. Then just made herself comfortable by hopping up on his desk. When she slid onto the desk, her skirt hiked up.
His gaze immediately dropped to her thighs. His Adam’s apple bobbed. His jaw hardened. She was also sure that his gaze grew a bit darker. All interesting signs.
Antony rose from the chair. His hand flattened near her thigh as he pushed down against the surface of the desk. “Are you playing with me, Ella?”
“I’m playing the game you created.” She hadn’t been able to sleep well during the night. Either she’d been thinking about the man who died beneath her hands, or she’d been thinking about Antony. The way he made her feel. The way his mouth sent lust blazing through her. The way he’d offered…
To give her anything she wanted.
But just what did she want?
Him.
Yet Ella feared that taking what she wanted might just wind up costing her far too much.
“Ross wanted you.”
Well, that statement was certainly growling and angry. “Just noticed that, did you?” She put her hands behind her and leaned back a little. “Here I thought super spies were supposed to have great observational skills. So much for knowing everything about me.”
“He asked you out.”
“Ah, so you did know a few things.”
“Did you ever go out with him?”
“You mean you don’t know?” She feigned surprise.
“Ella…”
“When you get annoyed, your voice gets all growly and rough.” She would not tell him that it also got sexy. That was need-to-know info. He didn’t need to know it.
“I’m not annoyed.”
“No? Then what are you?”
He put his left hand near her other thigh. Now he had a hand on either side of her legs, effectively caging her in as he leaned toward her. The light glinted off his glasses. “I’m jealous as fuck.”
This was a side of him that she had never seen.
Her hand lifted and pressed to his jaw. A line of stubble coated his skin. She’d been surprised that he hadn’t shaved it that morning. Surprised, but not disappointed. She kinda liked the rougher look on him. Kinda? Okay. She thought it was hot. “Do you really think you have a right to be jealous?”
“When it comes to you, baby, I don’t think.”
“You always think. Your mind is always spinning. It never stops. You’re always plotting and planning. And you—”
The door opened behind her. “Hey, boss, there was one line that you missed—”
Antony slowly glanced over her shoulder.
Ella barely breathed. Well, this scene would certainly make Ross believe they were involved. And, fun fact about Ross…the man was an extreme office gossip. He loved nothing more than to hang around the breakroom and share his stories. They were in a new building, still getting things set up for Shark’s Atlanta office, and the crew there was skeletal, but Ella had zero doubt that Ross would still be sharing this tale with anyone who would listen.
She was sure that had been Antony’s intent all along.
You are such a sneaky bastard.
“Leave it,” Antony ordered curtly. “I’ll sign it and bring it to you. I’m busy now.”
“Right. Yes. Sorry. Uh, leaving it.” The door shut.
Her hand still pressed to Antony’s cheek. “I suppose you think that was clever.”
His gaze dipped back to her.
“You didn’t forget to sign the line, did you?”