Page 15 of Arrogant Heir

Not that I concern myself with day-to-day operations. That’s what managers are for. They know to only disturb me with matters no one else can make a call on. Those situations are rare, and Rochester Media runs like a well-oiled machine, and I am untroubled by the daily minutiae.

But now I’ve been thrown into the trenches with this book writing business, and I won’t deny it irks me. I much prefer solitude when I work and am used to sitting at my desk all day doing what I excel at.

‘Go ahead,’ she says, her caramel eyes examining me expectantly. Her pale cheeks are now slightly flushed and are the only clue that perhaps she is affected by my presence, after all. I know I unnerved her in our initial meeting, clown that I was.

‘I don’t want us to start off with you assuming I’m sexist, Ms Jackson. If you knew me at all, you’d know that I’m fond of women. Love them actually, so accusing me of being sexist couldn’t be further off the mark. It’s simply that I work best with men in this type of endeavour and confess I have been known to find women distracting.’ I smile my most charming smile.

Two dots of pink appear on her cheeks.

Her eyes narrow and flash before she says, ‘Right. Well, I can assure you that you don’t need to worry about medistractingyou, Mr Rochester. I too have my preferences and although I have no problem working with men, I have a strict client-at-arm’s-length rule. In fact, if you didn’t have a three-month deadline and my staying on site wasn’t a non-negotiable, I would decline to live in. Maintaining our distance is better, so as I say, there’s no need to worry about me distracting you with my annoying female tendencies.’

And then she smiles innocently as if she didn’t just fire a rocket at me.

My mouth falls slightly open. I can’t remember the last time anyone spoke to me like that.Man or woman.She can’t be faulted for her manners. Her response is delivered with poise. Such poise that a rush of something that feels remarkably like lust floods through my lower body. I shift in my seat and return her bold stare, unblinking.

She then drops her eyes demurely, raises them again and smiles the sweetest of smiles. ‘I’ve read the papers, Mr Rochester. I’m aware of your reputation with the opposite sex.’

And as elegantly as that, she strikes my soft underbelly with her sharp blade.

My jaw tightens. ‘That was a misunderstanding,’ I say, losing my cool. ‘Part of what my grandfather wishes to achieve with this book is to improve my reputation. Although my siblings already lead various parts of the Rochester empire, I am the official heir and when he dies, the keys to the castle, as it were, will be in my custody. For that reason, it’s critical I lose the playboy image, and we’d like you to help us with that. The bloody press fabricated most of the nonsense, but I admit when I was younger, I made a few missteps along the way.’

She nods. ‘I get it.’

Studying her face, I feel that somehow she really does. I have no clue why I believe her.

She proceeds to lead the session, which is another first for me. When I do one-on-ones, Ialwayslead. But the petite gazelle has me under her spell and I sit in my chair and watch her do her thing.

She’s wearing glasses today and a crisp white shirt, and honestly looks as though she made an effort to look as unsexy as possible, which unfortunately has exactly the opposite effect on me. The cooler and more business like she is, the more my loins burn, which I’m aware is not ideal when I’ve just declared my need to lose the playboy image.

She’s talking and I’m half-listening, which is rude, I know, but she’s caught me off-guard. Model types usually catch my eye when we’re at the club, and this sassy little redhead with the glasses wouldn’t typically draw my attention at all when I’m out on the prowl. I’m puzzled by my visceral reaction to her.

I need a fuck. I’ll text Seb and Caspian later and see if they’re up for a night out. It’s long overdue.Based on my reaction to the gazelle, it must be longer than I realised.The three of us go out together, although Caspian recently made an interesting arrangement with a woman he likes.

The press goes wild for us when they spot us out, which is why we attend only the most exclusive by-invitation-only clubs. Caspian is the one with the connections on that front, so I leave that to him. Now I’ve decided it’s time for a hook-up, I make a conscious effort to concentrate on what she wants from me.

She asks, ‘Were you able to prepare notes for the first chapter content?’

I’m even more erotically charged now, and the throbbing in my trousers is distracting.

Sheisdistracting me!

I’m relieved I’m firmly behind my desk and she can’t see the effect she’s having on me. I confirm I did prepare, feeling like a naughty schoolboy handing in his homework.

She asks me to call her Jamie, and I’m impressed by her ability to lead me effortlessly from one point to the next as we talk about the content of the first chapter. I know a pro when I see one, and as she starts and stops her recording, I grudgingly admit that she’s excellent at what she does.

Maybe working with a female writer isn’t so bad, after all.

If I can only get my hard length under control, it might even be enjoyable. I shift in my seat again. This unexpected attraction to her will pass once I’ve been out and had some fun.

It always does.

CHAPTER12

Jamie

Sitting down, I tuck the chair into my newly appointed writing table overlooking the pond. It’s not just any old writing spot—Arthur Rochester wasn’t joking when he said he thought the cottage would be an excellent location for me to work. I’ve been busy writing the first chapter of the Rochester book since the session with Damian finished.

He was acting oddly today, staring at me with those intense green eyes, as though he were trying to steal my soul. It’s an unusual dynamic between us—he brings out my feisty streak, and I can’t hold myself back from rising to his challenges.

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