Page 36 of Worth the Risk

She rewarded me with the faintest blush and a little pleased shiver without losing the professional smile. ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mr Mortimer.’

‘Of course you don’t.’ I poured another glass of wine and offered it to her. ‘Here, have a drink.’

She grimaced. ‘No, thanks, I don’t drink when I’m on duty.’

‘There’s a difference between having a glass of wine at a business lunch and getting pissed, Leonora.’

The look she gave me told me she was remembering how our last business meeting had ended. All the same she nodded and accepted the glass. ‘Thank you,’ she said, her voice a shade huskier than before.

My gut clenched against its erotic effect. ‘Not at all.’

The arrival of waiters bearing ice buckets of champagne put an end to my wayward thoughts.

Once we were seated, she turned to Vadim. ‘We should be docking in Montenegro by sunset. Are you planning on going ashore? If you need recommendations for restaurants or nightclubs, I have a list for you.’

Vadim swigged a mouthful of champagne before answering, ‘Spacibo, Leonie. Maybe you will like to come out with us this evening?’

‘Thanks, but no. It’s my day off tomorrow, but I have a ton of work to do so I’m clearing the deck so I’m free to enjoy it.’

‘Ah, you work too hard.’

Leonora’s smile thinned a fraction. ‘I’m ambitious. I make no apologies for that.’

Vadim nodded. ‘Da. But what about other things in life? Look at me. I have my family. Gideon, too, da? What about your family, Leonie?’

She tensed. I would’ve been irritated by Vadim’s prying had I not been keenly interested in her answer. ‘My mother lives in England with my grandmother. My granddad passed away two years ago. I don’t have any sisters or brothers.’

‘And your papa? He’s dead also?’

Her long lashes swept down, veiling her expression, but I still caught the flicker of distress in her face. ‘Not quite.’

The Russian frowned, like me, pondering that she’d left unsaid. ‘Being far from them is hard, no?’ Vadim pressed.

She shrugged a little stiffly. ‘I see them a few times a year. I fly home every few months and they come and see me.’

Vadim opened his mouth again. I stepped in. ‘You wanted to ask a question about the boat?’

‘Da, da. Your boat. It’s beautiful. But the price is too high for my blood. I think perhaps we can come to some agreement.’

Leonora sent a stiff smile Vadim’s way. ‘You’re not bartering for a piece of meat, Mr Ilyev. This is a superyacht with a fixed price tag. You’ve taken the tour and you know no expense has been spared. I’ll make you a promise, though. If you make a serious offer, I’ll take it back to my consortium and we’ll seriously consider it.’

‘Or you can let this one go altogether and consider a less expensive toy?’ I threw in.

He smiled a little philosophically. ‘Maybe...maybe.’

He grilled Leonora about the boat through the rest of the meal. A meal she picked at, while her wine went untouched.

By the coffee stage, I’d had enough. ‘Ilyev. You’ve had three tours of the yacht. The stats aren’t going to change. If you need specific workings of the yacht, speak to the captain.’

Beside me, Leonora let out a sharp breath. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ she demanded fiercely under her breath.

‘Saving you from bullshit,’ I muttered.

‘I don’t need you to run interference—’

The hand I placed on her thigh halted her words. She masked her tiny jump by shifting sideways, attempting to dislodge my touch. I grasped her tighter, slid my hand under her skirt to grip her bare flesh.

Tense seconds passed in silence. She met me stare for stare as her hand dropped to grip my wrist. Heat spiked through me as her nails dug into my skin.

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