French company we’re negotiating with believe you didn’t speak the language is all part of your strategy, isn’t it?” “Wine?” Jonas lifted the long-necked green bottle a waiter had recently delivered and motioned to her with it.
“Jonas?”
He cocked his head to one side and nodded. “I can see you’re learning.”
Stephanie ate another pink shrimp, and discovered that some of the flavor had returned. “You devil!”
“Stephanie, business is business.”
“And what is this?” The chardonnay was excellent, and she took another sip, studying him as she tilted the narrow glass to her lips.
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“Our dinner. Is it business or pleasure?”
The crow’s-feet at the corners of Jonas’s eyes fanned out as if he were smiling, yet his mouth revealed not a trace of amusement. “A little of both, I suspect.”
“Then I’m honored. I would have assumed that you’d prefer to escort a much more mature woman to dinner.” She felt the laughter slide up her throat, but suppressed it with some difficulty. “Someone far less emotional than a younger woman.”
“I believe it was you who commented that age has little to do with maturity.”
“Touché, Jonas, touché.” Stephanie raised her wineglass in salute and sipped the wine to toast his wit. She felt light-headed and mellow, but wasn’t sure what was to blame: Jonas, her fatigue, or the excellent wine.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. The two of them together, enjoying each other’s company, bantering like old friends, applauding each other’s skill. She imagined that Jonas was about as relaxed as he ever allowed himself to be. As little as two hours ago, she would have thought it impossible, to carry on a civil conversation with the man.
“I’ll admit that the pleasure part comes from the fact I knew you wouldn’t be simpering at my feet,” Jonas commented, breaking into her thoughts.
“I never simper.”
“You much prefer to challenge and bully.”
“Bully? Me?” She laughed a little and shook her head. “I guess maybe I do at that, but just a bit.” She didn’t like admitting it, but he was right. She was the oldest of three girls, and did have a tendency to take matters into her own hands. “While we’re on the subject of bullies, I don’t suppose you’ve noticed the way you treat people?”
“We weren’t discussing me,” he said dryly.
“We most certainly are.” She flattened her palms on either side of her plate and shook her head, unwilling to alter the course of the conversation. “I’ve never known anyone who treats people the way you do. What I can’t understand is how you command such loyalty.”
He arched both eyebrows expressively, and his mocking gaze swept her with mocking thoroughness.
Stephanie ignored him, and continued. “It’s more than just money. You pay well, but the benefits leave a lot to be desired.” She mentioned this because the girls from the office had.
“Is that a fact?”
“You’re often unreasonable.” She knew she was pressing her luck, but the wine had mellowed her.
“Perhaps,” he admitted reluctantly. “But only when the occasion calls for it.”
For all the heed he paid her comments, they could have been discussing the traffic. “And I’ve yet to mention your outrageous temper.’’
“I wasn’t aware that I had a temper.”
“You demand as much from your staff as you do yourself.”
“As every employer should.”
Despite the fact he didn’t seem to find their conversation the least bit amusing, Stephanie continued. “But by far, the very worst of your faults is your overactive imagination.”
His gaze flew to hers and narrowed. “What makes you suggest something so absurd?”
Stephanie knew she’d trapped him, and she loved having the upper hand for the first time in their short acquaintance. “You actually believed I was meeting someone last night.”
“With your own mouth you admitted as
“Jonas?”
He cocked his head to one side and nodded. “I can see you’re learning.”
Stephanie ate another pink shrimp, and discovered that some of the flavor had returned. “You devil!”
“Stephanie, business is business.”
“And what is this?” The chardonnay was excellent, and she took another sip, studying him as she tilted the narrow glass to her lips.
He stiffened. “What do you mean?”
“Our dinner. Is it business or pleasure?”
The crow’s-feet at the corners of Jonas’s eyes fanned out as if he were smiling, yet his mouth revealed not a trace of amusement. “A little of both, I suspect.”
“Then I’m honored. I would have assumed that you’d prefer to escort a much more mature woman to dinner.” She felt the laughter slide up her throat, but suppressed it with some difficulty. “Someone far less emotional than a younger woman.”
“I believe it was you who commented that age has little to do with maturity.”
“Touché, Jonas, touché.” Stephanie raised her wineglass in salute and sipped the wine to toast his wit. She felt light-headed and mellow, but wasn’t sure what was to blame: Jonas, her fatigue, or the excellent wine.
She couldn’t believe this was happening. The two of them together, enjoying each other’s company, bantering like old friends, applauding each other’s skill. She imagined that Jonas was about as relaxed as he ever allowed himself to be. As little as two hours ago, she would have thought it impossible, to carry on a civil conversation with the man.
“I’ll admit that the pleasure part comes from the fact I knew you wouldn’t be simpering at my feet,” Jonas commented, breaking into her thoughts.
“I never simper.”
“You much prefer to challenge and bully.”
“Bully? Me?” She laughed a little and shook her head. “I guess maybe I do at that, but just a bit.” She didn’t like admitting it, but he was right. She was the oldest of three girls, and did have a tendency to take matters into her own hands. “While we’re on the subject of bullies, I don’t suppose you’ve noticed the way you treat people?”
“We weren’t discussing me,” he said dryly.
“We most certainly are.” She flattened her palms on either side of her plate and shook her head, unwilling to alter the course of the conversation. “I’ve never known anyone who treats people the way you do. What I can’t understand is how you command such loyalty.”
He arched both eyebrows expressively, and his mocking gaze swept her with mocking thoroughness.
Stephanie ignored him, and continued. “It’s more than just money. You pay well, but the benefits leave a lot to be desired.” She mentioned this because the girls from the office had.
“Is that a fact?”
“You’re often unreasonable.” She knew she was pressing her luck, but the wine had mellowed her.
“Perhaps,” he admitted reluctantly. “But only when the occasion calls for it.”
For all the heed he paid her comments, they could have been discussing the traffic. “And I’ve yet to mention your outrageous temper.’’
“I wasn’t aware that I had a temper.”
“You demand as much from your staff as you do yourself.”
“As every employer should.”
Despite the fact he didn’t seem to find their conversation the least bit amusing, Stephanie continued. “But by far, the very worst of your faults is your overactive imagination.”
His gaze flew to hers and narrowed. “What makes you suggest something so absurd?”
Stephanie knew she’d trapped him, and she loved having the upper hand for the first time in their short acquaintance. “You actually believed I was meeting someone last night.”
“With your own mouth you admitted as
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