Alek’s eyes darted to the up-and-down motion of her breasts as she deeply breathed through her anger at him. His desire stirred. This woman who defied him with such fire and authority was not the mousy little Alessandra of the past. This was a different woman. And he wanted her with an intensity that surprised him. He bit back a smile as he calmly unbuttoned his blazer and reclaimed his seat.
Aldrich gave them both stern looks as he took his seat. He had been with the conglomerate since the early days and both thought of him as a family friend. It was respect for him, his position with the company and his friendship with their fathers that stopped the sparks flying between them.
“Do you both have companies in mind set up for an acquisition to become a subsidiary of ADG?” another of the board members asked.
“Yes. My team and I have been narrowing the field for the past couple of months in preparation for this being my first major act as co-CEO. As shown in the reports I gave you all, we have a strong contender,” Alessandra said.
“Alek?”
“Yes.”
“Liar,” she mouthed at him.
That tongue on the dip of her bottom lip thing is really hot.
“I believe it would only be viable to explore one of these suggestions at this time,” Aldrich said, looking from Alessandra to Alek. “The majority vote of the members of this board would constitute the breaking of a...tie.”
Alek’s and Alessandra’s eyes locked across the distance.
He blinked and looked away from her. A craving to kiss her wouldn’t release him.
Aldrich cleared his throat. “I suggest you both present your full proposals at next month’s meeting and we will hold a vote to settle the matter once and for all.”
His fellow board members gave approving nods.
“Fine,” Alessandra said, picking up her pen to rotate it between her slender fingers.
Alek remained silent. He was stunned the board was even open to her proposal. And in truth, during her presentation they had been attentive. Respectful, even. It’s time to get more acquainted with Miss Dalmount.
Over the rim of round, bright red spectacles, the board’s secretary, Iris Dennis, eyed the board members from her seat next to Aldrich. “Shall we move on? The meeting does coincide with the thirtieth Jubilee celebration next month to be held at the Lake House. The meeting will be that Thursday and we have confirmed use of a conference room on-site. I would like to quickly review the final preparations for the events that weekend.”
Alek tilted his head in acquiescence to Iris as he continued to watch Alessandra closely and find that he liked the look of her. She was stunning. Sophisticated and polished. Poised. She had this subtle sexy that was understated and made a man want to see more. He wanted more.
* * *
“I would like to make a formal offer to buy you out, Alessandra.”
Long after the board meeting had ended and the members had left the conference room, Alek and Alessandra remained in their seats at opposing ends of the table. Moments ticked by and silence reigned.
Alessandra took him in. His low-cut hair, his handsome face, and the broadness of his shoulders in his tailored suit that he wore with such ease that she was sure he owned a hundred or more of them. Physically, everything about him intrigued her. Traitor.
“It’s time you realize that there is a woman—a qualified woman—sitting at the table in the boys’ club, Alek,” she finally said, tapping the tip of her nail against the top of the polished wood conference table. “No more running to London to hide from the truth.”
Tap-tap-tap.
“And do you like being in the company of men, Alessandra, pretending to be one of the boys?” he asked.
Alessandra arched a brow. “Are you questioning my femininity, Alek?” she asked, her voice soft but with an underlying steely edge.
He shook his head and turned his lips downward. “No, of course not,” he said, rapping his strong knuckles against the table. “Femininity has nothing to do with sexuality.”
Alessandra sighed and leaned back in her chair as she tilted her head to the side to look at him. “Perhaps having women with more looks than intellect fawning over you has distorted your idea of women and what we want, Alek. But please let’s be clear that, although I completely understand why a woman would want to be rid of men in every way, including sexually, I am not a lesbian.”
“You’re not?” he asked in feigned surprise.
She rolled her eyes. “Surprise, surprise, Mr. I Can’t Keep My Personal Life Out of the Tabloids. Not every straight woman flings herself at your feet. Some of us have more discretion—and taste.”
Alek leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin. “Perhaps if you stopped playing businesswoman and focused on finding a life of your own, you wouldn’t have time to watch mine.”
Alessandra fought hard to keep her composure. Gone was her nervousness, replaced by the fire and indignation his attitude evoked. She enjoyed their banter. She even felt rallied by his challenge. “And perhaps your life entails such a long string of women because you’re incapable of satisfying one well enough to stay around,” she said, and then offered him a tip of her head. So there.
Alessandra rose and gathered her files and folders before turning to walk to the door without another look at him.
“Perhaps if you were my type I would show you how well equipped I am at satisfying a woman.”
She froze just as her hand closed around the cool brass of the doorknob. She released a short breath as if a pressure valve had been briefly turned. Allowing herself a five count, she turned and walked the length of the spacious conference room to stand before him. She reached down to grip the back of his chair, bringing their faces just inches apart. His face within a lick of her oxblood-tinted lips, she said, “Physically I am your type, Alek. I am very much your type...and you know it. Humph, it’s only my brain and my backbone that you think are a turnoff.”
His face was a mask of boredom, but his eyes dipped down to her mouth, and Alessandra saw it. Her breath caught and she rose, backing away from him at the truth of her words in his eyes. She knew desire when she saw it. She turned and quick-walked to the door, trying to hide how much he flustered her.
“Qui s’enfuit maintenant?” he asked smoothly in French.
He must have known she spoke it fluently. “Who’s running away now?” he’d asked.
Me. I’m running. Running fast and hard and not stopping one damn bit.
Alessandra didn’t stop her hurried steps until she had left the room and pulled the door closed behind her. With her heart beating rapidly, she licked the dryness from her mouth and allowed herself a moment to press her back to the door as she fought hard to reclaim the coolness she had become known for in the last five years.
Making a pained face, she raised her free hand to lightly knock her wrist against her forehead. “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” she admonished herself in a whisper.
The man was a chauvinist who made it clear he wanted her out of the company in which they equally owned the majority of shares. He had no respect for her. No desire to work with her or even be around her.
The doorknob turned against her buttocks a moment before it was opened from behind her. Alessandra’s face filled with alarm as she felt her body free-fall backward.
She felt Alek’s large hands wrap around her upper arms. The thin material of her shirt did nothing to protect her from the warmth of his touch as he kept her from hitting the floor. Her head landed on one of his