Page 28 of A Billionaire for Christmas
‘So, what were you smiling about?’ he asked again.
Molly’s cheeks burned.You. I was thinking about you.
‘Nothing. No one. Not a thing,’ she yelped in a high-pitched voice, standing up, ramrod straight.
‘Okay, weird. Well, sorry about the mess I left behind me,’ Levi said, indicating the dishes and pans and trail of food littering the workspace. ‘You were right about the eggs. I apologise.’
Molly ignored him.I should think so.
‘And I think it might be better if I just let you cook for me instead.’
Presumptuous.
‘I’m very busy.’ Levi pointed to his laptop. ‘I don’t have time for cooking, so it’s probably for the best.’
Arrogant.
‘Are you still in a mood with me? Because, in all honesty, I need you to be more professional about it. About what happened between us. Or rather what didn’t happen between us.’
The cheek of him to rub it in like that!
‘Let me guess,’ she said. ‘You dated someone who worked for you, and it went sour?’
‘Something like that but throw in destroying family relationships and an ugly lawsuit and you’re almost there. Everyone wants something from me. And it’s usually money. I tend never to trust anyone.’
‘I wouldneverever do anything like that!Never!How dare you!’
‘I didn’t say that.’
‘You didn’t have to!’ She threw the poor cherry tomatoes rather violently into the sink to wash later.
‘Can you at least look at me while I’m talking to you?’ he commanded, his voice rising. She heard the annoyance in his tone. She was really getting under his skin.
Excellent.
‘Molly, look at me. I’m trying to apologise. I’m sorry, okay? Where are you going? Come back here. Don’t walk away from me while I’m…’
10
REVENGE, A DISH BEST SERVED BOLD
Molly slammed her bedroom door and sagged against it, inhaling deeply. If that man thought a simple, half-hearted apology would cut it then he was sorely mistaken. She would prepare his meals and leave them out for him as she was being paid to do but anything else, any further interaction, was out of the question. She was not a woman to be toyed with. He had been very rude, leaving her spreadeagled begging for sex. Not once but twice! And to basically accuse her of having an ulterior motive for seducing him. She quickly dismissed the notion that she had, in fact, originally tried to seduce him to tick off her list. They’d moved past that with his incessant rejections. This was about dignity and pride. He might be rich, with an excellent portfolio of land and property and an expert command of how business worked, but he clearly had no idea how women worked.
Miraculously, Molly managed to keep busy the whole day and more crucially, kept her clothesonand her eyesoffLevi, who had, rather distractingly, decided to work on his laptop from the lounge, in front of the roaring fire, while she prepared vegetables and starters for their evening meal across from him in the open-plan kitchen. Toby had messaged again to confirm that they would definitelynotbe arriving tonight as originally planned. She flicked her eyes over to Levi. He was deep in thought. The 5G signal had been off and on all afternoon, causing him no end of frustration. Disappointingly, she found herself yearning to take his mind off his troubles as she deftly chopped, poached and steamed her way through the afternoon, every nerve ending aware of him until she could bear it no longer. She would need to have another word with herself. Levi was forbidden fruit in every sense, and he was right about her having a crush on him. She must find a way to quash it. Besides, she was still furious with him. Her brain just needed to keep reminding her heart.
As though catching her thoughts, he put his laptop aside and strolled over. ‘I can’t concentrate with you constantly ogling me,’ he said wryly.
‘I’m not ogling,’ Molly retorted. He really was an insufferable big head.
She stiffened as he stood next to her. All the hairs on her arms prickled. The electricity between them was palpable.
‘Is that so?’ Levi scratched his chin playfully.
‘You seem to be having an about-turn on our agreement to stay away from each other. Well, it won’t work.’
‘You’re still annoyed with me because I wouldn’t have sex with you?’
‘No. And… yes. But it was more the way you rejected me.’ Molly would have to be the grown-up here. ‘I’m disappointed with the lack of empathy and the accusations surrounding my intent, which by the way was completely innocent. And furthermore, you have no reason to be concerned because those feelings are very much non-existent now. There will be no repeat of the… unwanted advances. You are quite safe.’
