How to Seduce a Billionaire by Portia Da Costa Read Free Book Online Page B

today by really being “nice”, has he? It’s all an act.’
    ‘Well, we’ll soon see … Incoming!’ Emma’s eyes were bright and her face pink … and suddenly wreathed in her best ‘pulling’ smile.
    Oh no!
    But, it was
oh yes.
Ellis McKenna slid into the spare seat at their table of four with a belated, ‘May I join you?’ Setting his cup in front of him, he grinned as if he completed their chatty foursome every day.
    Jess couldn’t speak, but at least she wasn’t the only one. The others were gaping at their new companion, as subject to the ‘dazzle’ effect as she was. Although perhaps for not quite the same reasons.
    Ellis took a sip of what looked like jet black coffee and said, ‘Not bad … not bad at all.’ He took another sip, and then lounged back in his chair, beaming at them. ‘Seems a decent canteen. The only shortcoming I can see is that there’s no hot chocolate on the menu, but that can be rectified.’
    Did you just wink at me? Oh you, devil, how could you? Stop it!
    ‘So, ladies, what do you think of the food? How’s that tuna thing?’ He nodded to the food still on Jess’s plate. ‘Nothing wrong with it, I hope? Nothing I need to look into?’
    ‘It’s excellent, actually.’ It was normally one of her favourites, but a certain person had put the kybosh on her appetite. ‘I’m just not particularly hungry today.’
    ‘And why is that? Nerves about meeting the big horrible ogre who’s just bought the company?’
    Pam and Emma giggled. How the hell could she give them a ‘cool it and behave look’ without him noticing? They were exchanging looks and Jess had seen that secret code, and been part of it herself, when one or other of them had fancied a new male employee, and set their sights on the guy, here in the canteen. The look meant it was time to scuttle off and leave the field clear to the one who hoped to ‘click’.
    ‘No, not that at all.’ Jess paused to deliberately stab up a tuna chunk, convey it to her lips, and then chew. It tasted of nothing. ‘I think you’ve proved to us all that you’re not an ogre, so there’s nothing to be nervous about.’
    It was Ellis’s turn to laugh. ‘Now that’s a shame. Obviously rumours of my power and awesomeness have been grossly exaggerated. I’m crushed.’
    ‘Look, it’s been lovely meeting you, Mr McKenna,’ said Pam, already on her feet, ‘but I’m a dutiful employee and I have some stuff to catch up on …’ She grabbed Emma’s elbow. ‘And so has Emma. Please excuse us.’
    Emma clearly didn’t really want to be excused, especially as she was sitting right next to Ellis, their bodies almost touching, but she complied with a smile, and ‘Catch you later’, then followed the other girl away from the table.
    ‘Nice girls,’ observed Ellis, leaning forward again, eyes alight. ‘Very tactful … very perceptive.’
    ‘Yes, they are nice. They’re my friends. And we were enjoying our lunch together.’
    ‘I’m sorry …’ Oh, what an obvious, big fat lie. ‘But I wanted to continue our conversation and I thought this would be less conspicuous than summoning you upstairs again.’ His long, slightly tanned hands were on the table now, just inches from hers. Oh God, he wasn’t going to try and grab her, was he?
    ‘What do you mean, less conspicuous? Everybody’s looking at us, Mr McKenna, in case you hadn’t noticed?’
    It was true. Everyone in the immediate vicinity appeared to be hanging on their every word, some blatantly, and some trying for at least a semblance of stealth.
    ‘I tend to have that effect,’ he said with a lift of his dark eyebrows, ‘but you’re right. This is quite a public place for the kind of questions I’d like to ask you. What say we go out for lunch? You’re not really eating that, and I know several places not too far away where the cuisine might be a bit more tempting. How about it?’ He looked as if he might reach out and take her hand, but Jess hid both