Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105850 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“We’re both adults. I believe we can make that work. With regards to laundry, the housekeeper will handle mine, including dry cleaning. She’s also there to do yours, but if you prefer to do your own, then it can be done on days she isn’t there.”
“Perfect. I’d prefer to do my own.” I didn’t like strangers touching my panties.
He flicked at the piece of paper. “What’s this about the TV?”
“Ah. Downtime. If you have anything you watch, you—”
“I don’t.”
I paused. “You don’t?”
“I don’t watch TV.” He looked over at me. “Why are you looking at me as though I’ve kicked your cat?”
“You don’t watch it at all? Not even Netflix or movies?”
“It’s little more than background noise to me. I’d rather read or work.” He leant back on the sofa, raising his eyebrows. “The same goes for days off. I don’t really take them, and if I do, I visit my family. You’re under no obligation to account for my time during that period.”
Wow.
He really did lead a one-dimensional life.
“I suppose that makes things easier,” I said slowly. “And the last item on the list…”
“I don’t take women back to my own home, never mind one I would be sharing with you. In fact, I’m quite insulted that you’d think I’d do something like that.” He eyed me.
“No, no! I—” I pressed my fist to my mouth, blushing. “I thought it would be best to be on the same page regarding such a personal manner.”
“We should notify the other person if we won’t be returning home,” he summarised. “Are you that interested in my sex life, Miss St. James?”
My cheeks burned. “No! I just thought that… maybe… it would be courteous to let the other person know if such a situation arose. So they don’t worry. Call and interrupt. That kind of thing.”
He tilted his head to the side, keeping his grey-blue eyes fixed firmly on me. “I see. Did you add this for your benefit, then? Do you plan on staying out all night?”
“No!” The word exploded out of me, and I grabbed the file from the table and used it to cover my hot face.
This bastard.
This. Bastard!
He chuckled, and I peeked out over the top of the file. His lips were turned up at one side into a bemused smirk—the kind that had the imaginary Chloe in my head hitting him with a box file.
“I believe that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you this flustered, Chloe.”
“This is a very personal discussion!” I squeaked out, using the file to fan my face. “It’s certainly not something I’m comfortable talking about with you.”
“Then why bring it up?”
“You know very well why!”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t ask.”
It was official.
I was going to murder him before my resignation was ever accepted. Would I last a week in the same house as this man?
I took a big drink of my water and gulped it down, then drew in a deep breath to regain my composure. “I have no desire to field calls from women who think you’re interested in them, sir,” I said honestly. “I think that debacle with Emily Grandstein has cured me of that forever.”
“Is that the only reason?” He raised his eyebrows.
“What other reason would there be?” I coughed and reached for my water again. “Well, if we’re both in agreement regarding it…”
“As you said before, this is a business trip. I have no intention of wasting my time with such frivolities.”
That might be the first and last time I would ever hear a man in his early thirties refer to sex as a ‘frivolity.’
“It looks like that’s everything on the list.”
I glanced at my watch. “Yes, it is. You have a meeting in fifteen minutes with Ms Sayuri Hitoshi, the CEO of Hitoshi Industries, and her translator Mr Haruto Tachibana.”
“Do you have the—”
“Right here.” I whipped out the brief notes on the meeting and handed them across the table to him. “You read those, and I’ll clean up here.”
A knock sounded at the door. “Mr Black? Miss St. James?” Daniel’s voice echoed through it. “Ms Hitoshi and Mr Tachibana are downstairs in reception.”
“Never mind. You read those, Daniel can clean up, and I’ll go and greet them,” I said, shutting my laptop and grabbing my things before running to the door. “Daniel, can you get rid of that mess, please? Oh, sir, your tie is wonky,” I called over my shoulder on my way out. “Melody, please be ready to bring some tea. Do I have anything on my face?”
She blinked at me. “No, you look perfect.”
“Excellent.” I put my things on my desk, smoothed out my skirt, and headed for the doors. “Make sure there’s no sign of your lunch by the time we get back.”
“You’re like a whirlwind,” Melody said, gathering her and Daniel’s rubbish from lunch.