‘I want your company to honour its agreement and pay me what I’m owed.’
His face hardened into a taut, formidable mask of disdain. ‘You came after me because of money?’ His sneer had thickened.
Ruby couldn’t really dwell on that. She needed to state her purpose and leave this room, this suite. He was close, so tantalisingly close, the warmth of his skin and the spicy scent of his aftershave made stringing words together an increasingly difficult task. He smelled like heaven. And she wanted to drown in it.
‘Prize money, yes.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘But why come after me? Why not go after the man I’ve put in place to head NMC?’
‘You think I haven’t tried? No one would take my calls.’
‘Really? No one in a company with over a thousand employees?’
‘No. Trust me, I have the phone bill to prove it.’
‘Well, clearly, I need to hire better staff.’
‘I don’t like your tone,’ Ruby snapped. She sidled towards the edge of the bed.
He caught her and placed her back in front of him, keeping her captive with one large hand on her waist.
‘What tone do you mean?’ Silver eyes gleamed with cynical amusement.
With every breath she took, the imprint of his hand seared her skin. ‘You obviously don’t believe me. Why would I travel thousands of miles unless it was because I’d hit a brick wall?’
‘Or you’d hoped an extra tight dress and body that won’t quit would get you an even better deal?’
The image his words conjured up made blood leach from her face. It was one she’d vowed never to portray. ‘I understand you don’t know me, Mr Valentino, but I’ve never used sex or my sexuality to further my career. You can be as offensive and as delusional as you want. The simple fact is Nigel Stone never took my call in the two dozen times I tried to reach him.’
His eyes narrowed at her furious words but he kept silent.
‘We can resolve this very quickly. Call him now, get him to talk to me. Then I’ll get out of your hair.’
‘It’s Saturday morning back in the States. I make it a point never to disturb my employees during the weekend.’
Anger stiffened her spine. ‘Yeah, right.’
His cynical smile widened. ‘You don’t believe me?’
‘I believe you do exactly what you want when you want. If it suited you, you’d be on the phone right now.’
His shrug outlined sleek muscle beneath his skin. He moved with an innate grace that made Ruby’s pulse race shamefully. ‘Fine. I admit I ride my employees hard when I have to. But I also recognise their need for down time the same way I recognise the need for mine.’
‘You’re telling me you need your beauty sleep to function?’ she snapped.
‘Down time doesn’t necessarily mean sleep, amante. Tonight, I was counting on wild, unfettered sex,’ he delivered smoothly.
She flung herself away from him, from the temptation his words dredged up inside her, before that Trevelli gene she so feared could be fully activated.
Far too often since she’d clapped eyes on him, she’d found herself imagining what sex would be like. Her roommate had referred to the best sex as sheet-clawing, toe-curling. At the time Ruby had silently scoffed at how anything besides the best, decadently prepared dessert would feel that great.
Now she couldn’t stop herself from wondering...
Disgust at herself propelled her off the bed. She refused to sink into the quagmire of rampant promiscuity.
Her feet hit the luxurious carpet, bringing a much-needed return to reality. She darted out of the door and hurried along the long hallway towards the main suite doors.
With relief, she grasped the door handle and yanked it down. Nothing happened. She pulled harder.
Glancing around wildly, she spotted the electronic panel and pressed the most obvious-looking button.
Nothing.
‘You can’t get out unless I allow you out.’
She whirled. He casually leaned one shoulder against the hallway wall. The sight of him standing there, looking sexily tousled and half naked, made panic flare anew inside her.
‘Then let me out.’
‘I could. But once I do, any hope of a discussion about why you’re here ends. My company, if it’s liable as you say, owes you nothing the minute you walk out of here.’
‘That’s preposterous! I signed a contract. You signed a contract. You can’t just back out on a whim.’
‘Think about it, Ruby. You’ve travelled thousands of miles to get my attention. I intend to give you that attention. Do you think it prudent to walk out now, when you could be so close?’
‘I...’ She sucked in a breath as overwhelming feelings swamped her. ‘Why can’t we discuss it now?’