Simmering anger in my veins burned hot, my patience slipping from my control no matter how hard I tried to keep hold of it.
‘That promise was one I made to my father,’ I said icily. ‘Are you seriously thinking you can use that to get me to do what you want?’
The smooth golden skin of her cheeks reddened. ‘That’s...not what I meant.’
I took a step towards her, unable to stop myself. ‘Or perhaps you expect me to give you something for nothing. Is that how you think life works?’
She blinked and stepped back. ‘No, I don’t think—’
‘Perhaps you expect me to hand it to you on a plate?’ I took yet another step, forcing her back again. ‘That after years of treating me like your worst enemy, suddenly I have something you want and you think I’m just going to give it to you?’ My voice had got colder, deadlier as I kept walking forward, something inside me taking immense pleasure in her hurried retreat. ‘No, Poppy. That’s not how this is going to work.’
I didn’t stop, answering only to the fury that burned hot inside me, continuing to pace forward, forcing her backward until her spine hit the door, leaving her with nowhere to go.
She made a soft sound, her eyes wide as they looked up into mine, her full red lips parting. Something was glowing in her gaze, a golden spark, and the pulse at the base of her throat was beating fast and getting faster.
Was she scared? Had I frightened her? Or was it something else?
Mesmerised despite myself, I stepped even closer, looking down into her beautiful eyes.
Jesus. Was that—?
I never got a chance to complete the thought because Poppy raised her hands, her palms connecting with my chest, and I found myself being shoved back hard.
A tense silence fell.
She’d never touched me before and I’d certainly never touched her. And that had clearly been a good thing, because the heat of her palms and the pressure of them on my chest was echoing throughout my entire body, stealing my breath. Stealing my control. Making my cock get even harder.
Her expression was tight with anger, her shoulders rigid, eyes glittering, delicate fingers curled into fists.
I’d crossed the line by getting close to her and I knew it, and suddenly I was even more furious than I’d been a second ago.
This was her fault. How dare she touch me? How dare she get me hard? In my own goddamned boardroom. How dare she drive me to the edge of my control so that I made stupid decisions? Such as forcing her up against that fucking door.
‘What?’ I snapped before I could stop myself. ‘You don’t like being cornered? Well, neither do I. You want that reference then working for me is the only way you’ll get it, understood?’
The fury in her expression burned hotter.
‘You bastard.’ Her cheeks were a deep red, her eyes molten. ‘Next time you pull a move like that one, I won’t just shove you, I’ll call the damn police and have you arrested for harassment.’
‘And next time you use the promise I made to my father purely to push me, I’ll make sure to tell Liz that under no circumstances should she employ you in any capacity whatsoever.’
The look in her eyes blazed and she took a couple of steps towards me. And for a second I thought she was going to come at me, and I honestly didn’t know what I would have done if she had. Whether I would have taken her down onto the floor and had her right then and there or called Security to have her thrown out. It was a toss-up.
Luckily I was saved from finding out because right at that moment the door of the boardroom opened and Ajax, my oldest brother, walked in.
He stopped dead as soon as he noticed Poppy, looking from me to her and then back again. ‘Am I interrupting?’
‘No,’ I snarled.
‘Yes,’ Poppy snapped. ‘Your brother was in the process of harassing me.’
Ajax’s light blue eyes—disturbing in contrast to his black hair and eyebrows—narrowed. At me.
Furious, I simply stared back, not even bothering to speak. Ajax knew Poppy and I hated each other, just like he also knew I would never hurt or harass a woman ever. So why the hell he was looking at me like that I couldn’t imagine.
‘You two should really stay clear of each other,’ he said at last. ‘Either that or you should just fuck and get it out of your system.’
Poppy blinked in outrage and opened her mouth, probably to say something she’d regret.
Luckily for her, I got in first. ‘So?’ I said, ignoring my brother. ‘Are you going to take the job or not?’
Her gaze burned into mine. ‘I’d rather die.’
‘Fine. Suit yourself.’ I lifted my chin in the direction of the exit. ‘There’s the door.’
Her jaw was tight, every inch of her vibrating with fury.
She’d never looked more intensely fuckable and I was very conscious of Ajax’s gaze and the amusement in it.
Of course he knew exactly what my problem was.
‘Enjoy finding someone who’ll put up with your bullshit,’ Poppy spat, tossing her head and turning on her heel.
‘Enjoy not getting that internship,’ I snapped back, gritting my teeth against the urge to go after her and haul her into my arms, show her a few things that would make her change her mind.
‘I don’t need that internship.’ She pulled open the door. ‘And I don’t need anything from you.’ Then she walked through it and slammed it shut behind her.
‘Still a hit with the ladies, I see,’ Ajax murmured.
Rage and thwarted lust boiled in my veins, no small part of that rage directed at myself for being stupid enough to lose my temper with her.
Because I had lost my temper. Something that almost never happened. What was it about Poppy bloody Valentine that got under my skin so easily?
Turning, I stalked over to the windows that looked out over Sydney’s blue harbour, trying to get a grip on myself.
If I’d been in my own office, I’d have sat down at my computer and played around with my stock portfolio, because numbers always had the ability to calm me.
There was nothing irritating about numbers. They were clean. They were honest. There was no subtext to them. And, best of all, they were absolutely devoid of any emotion.
‘What do you want?’ I kept my gaze on the view, not bothering to moderate my tone. ‘I’m not in the mood for a meeting.’
‘No kidding. What the hell happened?’
‘Nothing I want to talk about.’
‘You know I’m right.’ Ajax’s voice sounded closer. ‘You should just fuck her already.’
‘I wouldn’t fuck her if she was the last woman on earth.’
He laughed. ‘For a man who’s all about the truth, you sure do a lot of lying to yourself.’
Another thing to hate about her. The way she made me lie.
Keep blaming it on her if it makes you feel better. But you know it’s your own weakness you’re pissed off about.
I thrust my hands in my pockets. ‘Tell me what you want, Ajax.’
He ignored me. ‘What’s all this about a job? You hiring Poppy now?’
‘Lisa left last week and I need a temporary replacement until I have time to find someone more permanent.’
‘That’s