Bought: A Billionaire Romance Read Online Free PDF Page B

tonight?”
    “You read my mind.”
 

Chapter 10
Kyan
    I find myself checking my watch again. 8:15am. Assuming she’s exactly on time and not early she’ll be here in fifteen minutes.
    “Who is this girl again?” asks Mira, my secretary.
    “Name’s Clara. She’s the one who’s coming from Greene Earth as part of that deal. Fresh out of school but great with numbers.”
    “Oh? Is that all?”
    Mira has been with me since the very beginning. Her pleasantly round face has been a part of every weekday morning for me for years. Even though she’s not the most efficient worker, and probably not really cut out for the world of high-stakes finance, she’s become a kind of good luck charm for me. That, and she can see straight through me.
    “Is she pretty?” asks Mira, “she must be to have you this agitated.”
    It can be good having someone older and unafraid to say what’s on their mind around. Sometimes. I’ve never asked Mira how old she is but she is one of those people that I just can’t imagine as having ever been anything other than middle-aged.
    “Mira, when have you known me to ever lose my composure over a pretty face?”
    “I haven’t. And I’ve seen you with some very pretty faces in my time. Who was the last one? The princess?”
    “Amalia? Technically not a princess, just a member of the royal family, but yeah she was really something. Shame we just didn’t have enough in common to make it work.”
    “Shame you couldn’t stop chasing other girls you mean.”
    Mira’s bluntness is both a blessing and a curse to me. Still, she keeps me honest. Or as honest as I’m going to get anyway.
    “So I suppose this Clara must be something special then,” continues Mira.
    “What makes you say that?”
    “The fact that you’ve spent the last fifteen minutes checking your watch and pacing up and down this room. I’ve lost count of the number of times you’ve checked your tie is done up properly and your hair is still perfect.”
    “Haven’t you got some filing to do or something?” I say with a smile.
    “Fine, I’ll leave you to it then,” says Mira moving toward the door.
    I sit down at my desk and take a deep breath. I grab the mini basketball I keep on my desk and throw it against the wall a few times to distract myself.
    Why the hell are you so nervous? You’ve met presidents and kings and you’re nervous about Clara’s first day? Snap out of it! I tell myself.
    It’s 8:29am and Mira buzzes through to me on the intercom.
    “Clara Young to see you.”
    “Send her through.”
    A few moments later Clara breezes through my office door. She’s wearing a black blazer and pencil skirt which shows off all her curves. I can’t help but look her up and down, my eyes tracing the outline of her breasts and hips right down her legs to the high heels she’s wearing.
    “Hello? Earth to Kyan,” says Clara and I snap out of it.
    “Good, I can see you read the part in Mira’s email about the dress code. And you’re on time. Your first day and you’re already doing better than you were at Greene Earth.”
    “Very funny. Have you got any work for me or you just going to stare at me all day?”
    Boy did I mess up with this one. Normally the newbies are eating out of my hand, awed by everything about me. With Clara though? Not so much. I know she’s going to resist me every step of the way, but that just makes the chase more fun.
    “Mira’s got all the files Greene Earth sent over after we signed the contracts yesterday. I need you to look through them and model the profitability for the portfolio we’re going to be sending out. Remember to build in headroom for unforeseen events, shocks, and price changes. You know the drill.”
    “Yes sir!” says Clara sarcastically.
    As she turns to leave I feel the need to say something more.
    “Clara, wait.”
    I stand up and walk toward her and she turns to me with deer-caught-in-the-headlights eyes. For all her attitude she’s still only just