Attraction (Love & War, Part I) by Katrina Liss Read Free Book Online Page A

Tell your boss you can't make that meeting, or perhaps you'd
rather my PA call him and explain the situation.”
    She was
getting a little annoyed with him. She gathered her wits and spoke
her mind, as tactfully as she could.
    “ Excuse me for a moment, Mr Gates. I'm not a member of your
staff to control. I make my own arrangements,” she stated firmly
but politely.
    He broke into a wide grin at her outspoken reply. Her
breathing picked up at the sight of his perfect teeth, breaking
through like a string of glowing pearls. Her eyes zoned in on his mouth.
    Calm down
girl, cool it...
    “ I can be very controlling. But for your information, you're
not being subjected to much of it at this moment.”
    She raised her
eyebrows. She was surprised by his admission, although he didn't
seem to be apologising for his behaviour much, if at all.
    “ So what's the reason for tonight's pressing engagement, and
where do you want to go?” she asked in her usual forthright
manner.
    “ It's purely personal interest and we're going to have dinner
together at an Italian restaurant, unless you have another
preference?”
    “ You're taking me on a dinner date?”
    “ That's the plan.”
    “ Can I ask why?”
    “ I find you intriguing and beautiful.”
    No, this can't
be real...can it?
    She pinched
her leg hard, under the table and it hurt like hell.
    Pain like that
means real...
    “ Really?” she said as calmly as she could, trying to keep her
expression as serious as his.
    “ Mmm, very beautiful, in fact,” his penetrating gaze bored
deeply into her head.
    He pushed his
file to one side and leaned forward, his forearms resting on the
table, as he examined her closely. She was feeling incredibly
uncomfortable under such obvious and intense scrutiny but she
managed to maintain her poise and stared back. His eyes wandered
slowly all around her face as if he was imagining touching or
licking it. His tongue ran over his lower lip subtly. She was
hypnotised by his sensual gaze, entranced by the flick of his
eyelashes. Heat began to rise alarmingly fast within her.
    After a few,
but seemingly endless seconds of his silent erotic appraisal, she
had to stop him. She'd had enough of his blatant sexual
harassment.
    “ Would you please finish this unwelcome evaluation,” she
requested in a cool tone of voice, glaring at him.
    “ Beauty like yours takes a long time to appreciate, I'll have
some more later,” he replied calmly, unruffled by her look and
reprimand.
    She couldn't
stop a small laugh escaping. She couldn't believe Ashton Gates was
appreciating her beauty, so openly and thoroughly, within ten
minutes of her arrival in his office. Actually, on second thoughts
she could believe it only too well. After all she knew about him,
this was probably something he did every day. Of course she wasn't
stupid enough to believe he was really interested in her, other
than superficially.
    “ You've forgotten to say how impressed you are with my
intelligence, that'll definitely win me over,” she added with a
straight face.
    “ Your IQ isn't the reason I want more of your company this
evening.” His eyes held hers and she exhaled a long slow quiet
breath.
    Jesus
Christ...come on Nicole, get a handle on this.
    She decided to
play along with him, but to approach it all in a semi-business-like
manner. He was a major client of her company and she couldn't
afford to offend or upset him.
    “ I guess I can fit you in my busy schedule, if you can fit me
in yours,” she conceded. “I'd be delighted to accompany you to
dinner, Mr Gates. I hope it will further our understanding of each
other,” she offered sweetly.
    “ I'm all for that, and call me Ashton,” he replied with a sexy
sweep of his eyes up and down her body.
    “ Thank you, Ashton, for the generous invitation.” She smiled
openly at him and received a beautiful blaster in return. He really
had the most amazing, gorgeous smile, to complete the amazing
gorgeous face. And when he smiled