The Boss's Proposal Read Online Free PDF Page B

is a little over-the-top.”
    â€œPrince Muhammad Akbar Al-Aswari is a real, actual, flesh-and-blood sheik. And I don’t recall ever telling you that was my name. You just assumed.”
    â€œYou signed that name on the auction sheet.”
    â€œI represent some of his business interests and occasionally operate in his name. Like when I’m buying a painting I know he’s going to like.”
    Her brows lowered. “Bad enough you stole my painting for sport but you bought it for some person halfway across the world who’s never even seen it?”
    He reached out to toy with her earring. “Who knows, I may keep it just for the memories.”
    Max batted his hand away as the elevator doors opened. “So why the whole masquerade once you realized what I thought?” she demanded as she stalked across the broad flagstone lobby toward the coffee bar in the corner. “Why not say who you were? Or is that just how you get your kicks?”
    â€œI was there in what you would call an unofficial capacity. I figured I’d hang around, see what I could learn.”
    â€œAnd what did you learn?”
    â€œA lot.”
    â€œAbout the project?”
    â€œAbout you.”
    â€œReally.” She turned to face him. “Well? Go on, amaze me.”
    â€œAll right.” His teeth gleamed. “You start out measured. You have a strategy, or you like to think so. But you let your temper get the best of you. You get so focused on your opponent that you forget to win.”
    Her amusement at his initial words turned into annoyance. “You should be careful about making snap judgments. Iced coffee,” she added to the girl behind the counter, then turned back to Dylan. “You can get in a lot of trouble that way.”
    â€œOnly if you’re wrong.”
    It was that note of laughter in his voice that got her. “You want to know what I learned at the auction?” she challenged. “You’re not above fighting dirty to get what you want. You’re also lucky, but you can’t depend on luck all the time. It’ll turn on you, especially when you get cocky.”
    â€œYou decided all that at the gala?”
    â€œThat’s right, during the gala, when you were busy trying to hit on me.”
    â€œFunny, I had the distinct impression that it was a mutual effort,” he said.
    Max picked up her drink and walked away to the little shelf that held sugar and cream. “I might have been interested in passing, but only because I didn’t know who you were. Now that I do, it needs to stop.”
    â€œReally.”
    Max tore open a packet of sugar and dumped it into her cup. “We’re going to be working together. That means that we act like professionals and get the job done. That means no more games. No more stunts like in the elevator.” She turned from the counter to find him right behind her. The breath backed up in her lungs. “You’re in my way.” It took work to keep her voice steady.
    â€œI intend to be,” he said. “Get used to it.”
    He was trying to provoke a reaction, Max told herself, trying her best to ignore the fact that he was doing a damned good job of it.
    â€œI know how to build a proposal,” he said. “I’ve been winning contracts since before you graduated from the U of O.” His mouth curved as Max’s eyes widened in surprise. “Oh yes, I’ve checked. I’m very thorough. And I’m good. We’ll win this project, I’ll make sure of that. I might even refrain from touching you during business hours. As for what happens when we’re off the clock, well…”
    And whether it was the heat in his eyes, the nearness of his presence, the memory of his touch, Max suddenly had a very vivid picture of what could happen off the clock.
    Get a grip, she told herself as she looked at that mouth. This was not about the personal. If she kept control, it could