Page 29 of A Billionaire for Christmas
Why did she sound as though she was standing trial in a small claims court? Any second now she’d be calling him M’Lud.
‘That’s good to know. I’m sorry for any offence taken.’
Molly felt slighted at his lack of contrition. ‘I’m sure you are,’ she said tightly.
‘Okay. Point taken. I guess I need to go big with the apology.’
‘No need. I’m quite indifferent to you now.’ Molly continued chopping her vegetables.
‘So it would seem. I have to say, you have a remarkable ability to turn yourself on and off like a tap.’
She went to the sink to retrieve her tomatoes to put a little distance between them. ‘I will be keeping myself to myself.’
‘Glad to hear it.’
He didn’t have to sound so pleased about it.
‘Especially as it’s our last night alone together.’
His words danced around in the air as she returned to the bench. He was leaning casually against it, causing her stomach to flutter.
Was his voice loaded with sexual ambiguity? Molly couldn’t tell as she gazed into his eyes. They twinkled with mischief.
‘Meaning?’ She really shouldn’t be encouraging him.
‘I feel partly to blame for this… this falling out. Let me make it up to you tonight. I don’t want to spend the entire week with you mad at me.’ He gave her a sheepish grin. ‘Have dinner with me.’
She raised an eyebrow. ‘Don’t you mean “cook dinner for me and stop sulking while you’re at it”?’
A small puff of laughter escaped Levi’s lips. ‘Yes. Please. And I promise I’ll be the most charming and attentive companion. I’ll even help you cook it.’ He blinked slowly, waiting for her to answer. He was like a magnet drawing her in. ‘It could be fun.’
‘If this is a pathetic attempt to flirt with me then you had your chance. Two chances, in fact,’ Molly said, tilting her chin defiantly. ‘Just because the Wi-Fi keeps dropping out, and you’re trapped in the house because of the weather, and your family aren’t arriving until tomorrow, doesn’t mean I’ll be your plaything, your entertainment for the evening.’
She wassoup for being his plaything that it was unnerving, and felt like a slight against all women everywhere. She really must put up a modicum of resistance. She stepped away from him.
‘What if I’m not playing?’ he said in a more serious tone.
Lies. All lies.
‘I find your attempts at sincerity incredibly off-putting and counterproductive.’
Levi took a step towards her, looking her up and down. Luckily, she had gone all out to cover up. ‘Funny, because I find those gigantic sweatpants you’re wearing enormously off-putting and counterproductive. Ditto the scarf and three cardigans. Are you sure you’re warm enough?’
And just like that, Molly was thrown back to the night he came to her rescue at the Cigar Lounge, him taking off his jacket and wrapping it around her. Their heated kiss in the lift. His hands wandering over her stockings, tugging at the bodice, the top of her breasts spilling out of the tight-fitting corset.
Levi seemed trapped in the same moment, his pupils dilating. ‘That was some outfit you were wearing the first time I saw you.’
Oh.
He was a very difficult man to stay angry with. That chemistry, that spark between them, that energy that seemed to ignite whenever they were within an inch of one another, exploded into the air. Molly threw a mushroom at him. ‘Why are you flirting with me when you have no intention of seeing it through? You blow hot and cold with the wind.’
Truthfully, they were as bad as each other.
Levi placed his hand on his heart, smiling. ‘Can’t a man get to know a woman without her always thinking it has to end in sex? If only there had been a global movement to shift the balance between the sexes.’
Away from his laptop, she had to admit, he was very amusing. ‘Okay. I’ll have dinner with you. Happy?’
‘And I promisenotto flirt with you. I’d hate for you to be in a permanent state of arousal. Anything could happen.’ Levi leaned across the counter towards her. Traces of vanilla and spiced bergamot filled her nostrils.
