Sparks virtually flew off her. In another time, Draco would’ve enjoyed stoking that fire just to see how high her conflagration burned. It’d been far too long since any emotion besides bitterness, guilt and the rigid control he’d put in place ruled his life. Anything beyond that was a luxury he could ill afford.
It was the same control that dictated he take hold of this situation before it blew up in his face. He’d allowed his suspicions about Nathan Daniels to go unquestioned for far too long as it was.
He straightened. ‘Come with me.’
‘Where are we going?’ the question was snapped back immediately.
‘My office.’
‘Uh...sir?’
He turned to his security chief.
‘We need the lady’s full name in order to log her into the system.’
Draco raised an eyebrow at her.
Her mouth pursed, bringing his reluctant attention back to her plump lips.
‘It’s...my name is Arabella Daniels,’ she muttered reluctantly.
It took less than a second for Draco to place her. Arabella Daniels had once been a promising cross-country skier until she’d abruptly changed disciplines to become a ski jumper. Although she’d remained in the top ten for the last few years, the twenty-five-year-old woman had never risen above fifth in competitions. Probably due to her off-piste antics.
His mild shock subsided into a heavy dose of distaste, but he kept his expression neutral as he dismissed his men and strode to his office.
He waited until she entered, then activated the privacy setting on his windows. Once the glass was frosted, he perched at the edge of his desk and watched her pace warily in front of him. The burn in his groin as he followed her lissom figure made him kick out a chair.
‘Sit down.’
‘No, thanks. I thought you had an important meeting? Or was that just a fib rolled up as an insult?’
‘It wasn’t a lie. But the party concerned will understand. I tend to surround myself with reasonable, rational individuals.’
She paused in her pacing, her eyes narrowing. ‘Is that supposed to be some sort of dig?’
‘I know who you are, Miss Daniels.’
‘Well, since I told you my name, I should hope so. I wouldn’t like to think you were thick or anything, seeing as you seem to be the head honcho in this glass playhouse.’
‘So the rumours are true.’
‘What rumours?’ she asked, her expression growing more wary.
‘You take pride in being deliberately offensive and exhibiting wild behaviour.’
‘And you don’t seem to like being told things the way they are. In fact your actions reek of more than a touch of melodrama. Why is that? Are you overcompensating for something?’ Her gaze conducted what started off as a mocking perusal. But a trace of heat flared up her cheeks when her eyes dropped below his belt.
When her gaze darted away, Draco allowed himself a stiff smile. ‘I’ve never needed to overcompensate for anything in my life, Miss Daniels. If I had time to waste and felt so inclined, I’d give you a demonstration.’
‘You assume that I have the time to stand around listening to your rubbish. Keep your veiled threats, ask me what you want to know and let us both get on with our lives.’
‘You seem a little off balance. Is it because you feel out of your depth?’ he drawled.
She jerked the hair band from her hair. Thick, silky jet waves fell over her shoulders and down her back before she started combing her fingers through the tresses.
‘Why would I feel like that? Just because you’re being disgustingly unreasonable—’
‘Or is it because you don’t find me as gullible as you do the men you like to associate with?’
‘I don’t know what you think you know about me, but if these absurd questions are why you brought me in here—’
‘You like to dominate your men, do you not?’
She tossed her head. ‘Only when they beg me to. Do you want me to dominate you? I’m fresh out of horse whips but I’m sure I can get inventive with a pair of boot laces.’
His gaze dropped to her knee-high boots. ‘I’m sure you can, in the right circumstances, but I’ll pass.’
She wrinkled her nose and Draco’s temperature rose, along with his irritation. ‘Why? Because you always wait for the right circumstances? How boring. Giving in to your impulses might just surprise you.’
Draco bared his teeth in a smile that had been described by the tabloids as his dragon smile. He knew its effect well enough to know it’d made its mark when her agitation escalated.
‘I find that people like you easily confuse the reckless with the impulsive. Personally, I find the wait builds the anticipation.’
Her gaze held his for one bold heartbeat, then she glanced away. Although she engrossed herself in his office decor, Draco was certain she wasn’t as bored with him as she pretended to be. The colour in her cheeks was more pronounced and the pulse beating at her throat had increased. His own blood thickened as he followed her figure. He assured himself, now he knew who she truly was, this mild fascination with her would swiftly abate.
‘Well, as interesting as this all is, I’m one hundred per cent sure you know very little about me. And I have to insist you either get on with your ever-so-important questioning, or tell your guards to return my things.’
‘You’re attempting to compete in the Verbier Ski Championships this year. Shouldn’t you be training instead of making an exhibition of yourself and taking extended lunches?’
She inhaled sharply and turned towards him, all pretence at being bored vanishing from her expression. ‘You know who I am?’
‘I make it my business to know people like you.’
‘What do you mean, people like me?’
‘Reckless athletes, who try to buy their way into the big leagues.’
She stalked to where he leaned against his desk, her whole body bristling with anger. ‘How dare you? That’s a ridiculous and totally unfounded allegation.’
‘I know enough. The rest I don’t intend to bother myself with.’
Her hands clenched. ‘Just who the hell do you think you are?’
‘I’m the man who intends to make sure all the sponsors you’ve been chasing the last month drop you from their books. People like you paint talented and dedicated sportsmen and women in a bad light, not to mention your reckless behaviour on and off the ski slopes needs to be stopped once and for all. You have three measly sponsors left, who probably, mistakenly, think your notoriety will bring their products the attention they crave. Perhaps I’ll let you keep them.’
Her eyes had been widening with each condemnation. Slowly, shock replaced her anger. And this time, when she looked around at the trophies and pictures that decorated his office, her interest was genuine.
Draco knew the moment the penny dropped.
Her lustrous hair flew as she whirled back to him. ‘You’re Draco, the super-agent.’
‘I’m Draco Angelis, yes.’
She swallowed. ‘You represent Rex Glow.’
‘Your former sponsors? Yes.’
She inhaled sharply, but the next question wasn’t what Draco had expected it to be. ‘And my father works for you?’