Page 50 of The Billionaire's Wake-up-call Girl

Well, hedoesown them.

His voice gets that velvety rumble. “Tell me,” he says.

Something shoots through me.

“I can’t,” I say. I was supposed to be hanging up by now.

“Tell me over dinner tonight.”

My heart nearly leaps out of my ribs. “What?” He wants to take me out? I imagine him in a candlelit restaurant. His icy gray eyes. That short, thick hair, just the beginnings of curls that he must contain at all costs. And that lab coat.

“Let me take you out. Tonight.”

“Are you serious?”

“I’m always serious.”

I smile, because he really is always serious. “You don’t even know what I look like.”

“I don’t have to know what you look like,” he says.

“Risky.”

“I always know what I want. I enjoy you. What do I care what you look like? I’m a chemist. I care about chemistry.”

If I didn’t know him to be such a power-mad jerk, I’d think that was halfway cool. Then again, maybe he simply loves a challenge. Going for the unattainable. “Not gonna happen.”

“Why? Is it because you aren’t single? Because you don’t like men?”

“So those are the only two choices? I must be married or not into men if I won’t go out to dinner with you? Because otherwise, wild horses wouldn’t keep me away? Is that what you’re thinking? Because any single hetero woman would totally say yes?”

“Pretty much.”

I snort.

“It’s just a fact.”

Because you’re a handsome captain of industry,I’m about to say mockingly. And then I realize heisa handsome captain of industry, and most single hetero women probably would say yes.

“Well, you’ll have to find one of those other legions of women to ask.”

“I want it to be you. Think of a restaurant. Any restaurant in Manhattan. The best restaurant you’ve never gotten a chance to go to.”

I twist in the covers, tempted for one reckless second. “Do you not have enough romantic challenges in your life? Is that it? So you have to see whether you can land the strangely resistant wake-up-call girl? Is this your version of the Iron Man or something?”

“Anywhere. Anytime,” he adds. “Trust me, you’ll want to say yes to this.”

“Arrogant much?”

“Not arrogant. Just realistic.”

I sigh dramatically. “You don’t quit, do you?” I shouldn’t be smiling. I shouldn’t be enjoying this.

“Pick a night.”

“Let’s see. Let me get out my social calendar.” I pause and wait. “Oh my god! I have the perfect spot for you. How about…nowhere and never. Would nowhere and never work for you?”

“That won’t work for me, Operator Seven,” he says in the low voice that he seems to reserve for stern displeasure. “Try again.”

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