The Billionaire's Mistress Complete Series: Alpha Billionaire Romance by M. S. Parker Page B
Authors: M. S. Parker
Ads: Link
flippant reply, something snarky.
Instead, her gaze slid away. “Excuse me?”
Hmmm…interesting. I'd been waiting to get some sort of reaction from her since the moment she walked in, and now I had.
“You heard me.” Smiling now, more comfortable that she wasn’t in control of the conversation, I leaned toward her. “Did you try it on?”
“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes and reached for her water. Her pretty mouth was damp when she lowered the glass, and I wanted to lick away the bead of moisture lingering on her lower lip, but she beat me to it.
Damn if that didn't send my blood rushing straight south.
“I can always have it checked for prints.” I studied the ring and flicked her another look.
“If you so choose.” She gave me a droll look. “If you’re done with me, your highness, I’ve got a life to get back to.”
Before she could stand up, I reached out a hand and covered hers with mine. “In such a hurry to be off? You’ve got the whole day off – with a nice bonus.”
She tilted her head to the side, studying me. “The whole day off. Is that how you see it, Mr. Lindstrom?”
“Well, you’re in New York…and you’re not working.”
“No. I’m not working.” She made a deliberate show of tugging her phone from her purse and studying the time before looking at me. “It’s well after one. I’d be coming up on the end of my shift if I was at home.” After she put the phone back, she looked at me again. “I don’t suppose it occurred to you that maybe I might have responsibilities that don’t particularly…coincide with the plans you had for me when you set this little deal up.”
Shooting for a grin, I shrugged. “I just needed the ring back, Allie. If you didn’t want the bonus…”
“You made it more than clear that I was the one you wanted to bring it back.” She looked mildly annoyed now. “Which meant you didn't even stop to think about how any of this would affect me.”
I’d gone and fucked up, and I hadn't even realized it.
As she crossed one leg over the other, I thought back to the call I’d made to the salon. Had I been that guy? The one who talked over what anyone else had to say because I was so sure what I wanted was the most important thing?
She continued, “See, my boss is a great guy – a little nervous, sure, but a great guy. Regardless, it was made clear enough that you wanted me personally to bring the ring back. Once I did that, you’d bring your not-so-insignificant patronage to his establishment. Alistair is a worrier. He would have made excuses for me because he knows I do have responsibilities, but he asked if I could make arrangements. All it would take is a few wrong words from you and his salon would have suffered for it. So I figured it out for him. Not for you.”
“Now wait a minute,” I snapped.
She arched her eyebrow and folded her arms under her generous cleavage. “Did you make it clear that he’d do well if he helped convince me to trot up here like a good little girl?”
Son of a bitch. “I made it clear that I’d appreciate it.” But maybe I hadn’t made it clear that it was no harm, no foul if she couldn’t. Carefully, I took a deep breath. “Maybe I wasn’t clear enough that regardless of what you chose to do, it was my fault the ring had been left behind, and I was the only one who’d bear the blame for it. I…apologize.” The word almost stuck in my throat. It wasn't one I used very often.
“Apologize to him. He’s the one worrying himself sick that you're going to ruin him.” She lifted a shoulder. “Unless that’s just not the kind of thing you do.”
She had a smirk of a smile on her face. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to kiss it off or just…no, I wanted to kiss it off.
I tried changing the subject, both so I could stop thinking about kissing her and so I could learn more about her. “You said you had responsibilities. Are you taking classes? Is there a second job?”
“I have a
Instead, her gaze slid away. “Excuse me?”
Hmmm…interesting. I'd been waiting to get some sort of reaction from her since the moment she walked in, and now I had.
“You heard me.” Smiling now, more comfortable that she wasn’t in control of the conversation, I leaned toward her. “Did you try it on?”
“Oh, please.” She rolled her eyes and reached for her water. Her pretty mouth was damp when she lowered the glass, and I wanted to lick away the bead of moisture lingering on her lower lip, but she beat me to it.
Damn if that didn't send my blood rushing straight south.
“I can always have it checked for prints.” I studied the ring and flicked her another look.
“If you so choose.” She gave me a droll look. “If you’re done with me, your highness, I’ve got a life to get back to.”
Before she could stand up, I reached out a hand and covered hers with mine. “In such a hurry to be off? You’ve got the whole day off – with a nice bonus.”
She tilted her head to the side, studying me. “The whole day off. Is that how you see it, Mr. Lindstrom?”
“Well, you’re in New York…and you’re not working.”
“No. I’m not working.” She made a deliberate show of tugging her phone from her purse and studying the time before looking at me. “It’s well after one. I’d be coming up on the end of my shift if I was at home.” After she put the phone back, she looked at me again. “I don’t suppose it occurred to you that maybe I might have responsibilities that don’t particularly…coincide with the plans you had for me when you set this little deal up.”
Shooting for a grin, I shrugged. “I just needed the ring back, Allie. If you didn’t want the bonus…”
“You made it more than clear that I was the one you wanted to bring it back.” She looked mildly annoyed now. “Which meant you didn't even stop to think about how any of this would affect me.”
I’d gone and fucked up, and I hadn't even realized it.
As she crossed one leg over the other, I thought back to the call I’d made to the salon. Had I been that guy? The one who talked over what anyone else had to say because I was so sure what I wanted was the most important thing?
She continued, “See, my boss is a great guy – a little nervous, sure, but a great guy. Regardless, it was made clear enough that you wanted me personally to bring the ring back. Once I did that, you’d bring your not-so-insignificant patronage to his establishment. Alistair is a worrier. He would have made excuses for me because he knows I do have responsibilities, but he asked if I could make arrangements. All it would take is a few wrong words from you and his salon would have suffered for it. So I figured it out for him. Not for you.”
“Now wait a minute,” I snapped.
She arched her eyebrow and folded her arms under her generous cleavage. “Did you make it clear that he’d do well if he helped convince me to trot up here like a good little girl?”
Son of a bitch. “I made it clear that I’d appreciate it.” But maybe I hadn’t made it clear that it was no harm, no foul if she couldn’t. Carefully, I took a deep breath. “Maybe I wasn’t clear enough that regardless of what you chose to do, it was my fault the ring had been left behind, and I was the only one who’d bear the blame for it. I…apologize.” The word almost stuck in my throat. It wasn't one I used very often.
“Apologize to him. He’s the one worrying himself sick that you're going to ruin him.” She lifted a shoulder. “Unless that’s just not the kind of thing you do.”
She had a smirk of a smile on her face. I couldn’t decide if I wanted to kiss it off or just…no, I wanted to kiss it off.
I tried changing the subject, both so I could stop thinking about kissing her and so I could learn more about her. “You said you had responsibilities. Are you taking classes? Is there a second job?”
“I have a
Similar Books
