Tempting the New Boss(15)
“No.” She hesitated then said, “Does this approach usually work for you? Just putting it out there like that. Got sex? You know.”
“Why do you get to ask that? Isn’t that asking me about sex?”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t have.”
“That’s fine. I was simply pointing out the internal inconsistencies in your line of questioning. I don’t mind answering you at all. The fact is I believe in being straightforward about most things. Which reminds me, I know you’re a lawyer, like Shreeman was, but what do I need a lawyer on this trip for? Specifically, I mean. Not the social skills or whatever, although you have been very helpful on that score.”
“You’re negotiating a potential acquisition in London.”
“I know. But that’ll be just me and the other principal. Not a big side show like back in New York.”
“I’m along to hear the discussion so I can begin to draft the contract if it gets to that stage.” She added in an undertone, “I didn’t know letting you spend six hours between my legs on the way over was part of the deal.”
He arched an eyebrow.
“What, did I shock you?”
“You did if you thought I could last six hours.”
She shook her head. “I guess you are straightforward.”
Mason usually didn’t like talking to women. Well, to anyone most of the time, really. But for some reason he didn’t mind conversing with Camilla, in the limo, before the meeting, here in the plane. Maybe he thought it would end up with him getting between her legs. Or maybe he was just disappointed with the in-flight reading choices.
Or maybe… He, uh, he liked her.
The new boss didn’t seem to have asked if she was attracted to him in a sleazy way, just because he wanted to know. Despite moving on, his question hung there between them, and she couldn’t ignore it.
“As for your earlier question, biological attraction doesn’t have anything to do with it, Mr. Talbot.”
He did a double take. “That’s not accurate. Biological attraction is the basis for sexual relations.”
She went over to a metal cabinet near the cockpit door that had a bunch of drawers in it. After opening one, she saw packages of peanuts and chips and rows of candy bars. Passing on those, she tried another and found what she was looking for. A baby bottle of scotch was clearly called for. It wasn’t five o’clock where they’d come from, but it was where they were going. The sun was coming in a little dimmer now, too.
And as to Carly’s warnings? Her sister would certainly understand why Camilla was being driven to drink here. Anybody would. Carly was never going to believe this story. Actually, maybe she wouldn’t tell any of her sisters. It depended on whether she decided to keep the job.
But, hell, she had to keep the job! At least until she got another one. There was no grace period on her loans for bosses who were clueless about the basic fundamentals of the modern workplace. A compliment was awkward but fine. A raw invitation to fuck the big boss…for money…on her first day…was so not.
Even if she was a little tempted. Not the money part of course, but the—
Hold on, girl! She could almost hear Carly or any one of her other sisters, all of whom would be shocked down to their highlighted roots at the concept of sleeping with the boss. And don’t even start on her mother.
This was not a fantasy. This was real. Her career was at stake. Maybe even modern feminism.
She twisted the cap off the miniature liquor bottle.
Although it was kind of unfair to put the whole burden of modern feminism on her shoulders.
She poured the scotch into a crystal cut glass and held another bottle out his way. “Want one?”
“No. Alcohol destroys brain cells.”
“No problem there. I think you could use a few less.” She dropped his mini-bottle back in the drawer, closed it, and took a healthy first sip of her scotch. Actually, kind of a gulp. “I have to be honest here. I know the rich are different and everything, and eccentric is one thing, I mean I was starting to like you—”
“You were?”
“But now that you’ve crossed the line, I’m not sure how this is going to work.”
“What?”
“This. Us.”
“I thought you said we couldn’t have sex together.”
“Working! Working together, I mean.”
“Oh. Whatever.”
His casual dismissal annoyed her. “And I kind of resent it. This is my first day. Don’t they have HR training or something at this company?”
“Mmmm.”
He was looking at her with those really cute blue eyes and, goddamit, this was all reminding her that she’d had quite a dry spell herself. The plane took a little jolt, turbulence or something again, and she grabbed for the side of one of the seats, her drink spilling onto the aisle. He popped up to steady her, surprisingly gallant. With his big hands resting on the slight swell of her hips, his breath warm at her temple, she felt a twinge in the pit of her stomach. More minor than a thrill. Far from being turned on. But still it was there.