Read Online Bought: A Billionaire Romance by Sadie Keynes - Free Book Online Page B

some surprise in her voice.
    “I am. She knows the numbers better than anyone so I want her by my side in that meeting. You know, in case the Chinese throw some technical questions at me I can’t handle.”
    “Questions that you can’t handle? That doesn’t seem very likely,” says Mira
    “She’s got an incredible head for numbers. I need her there in case there’s something that has to be calculated on the spot. I don’t want anything to hold this deal up. What’s with all the questions anyway?”
    “No reason. Just seems like she’s getting different treatment from most new employees,” says Mira.
    I immediately see where she’s going with this. Mira’s opinions on my love life and her willingness to share them is one of the things that makes having her as my secretary a curse.
    Then again, how many other secretaries would be forthright enough to question my actions? I should probably be thankful there’s someone around to make me question whether I’m making my decisions with my head or with my dick.
    “How many times do I have to say it? There’s nothing going on between Clara and me.”
    “I know. What I’m saying is that I think it would be best if you kept it that way. I know you struggle with that sometimes.”
    “Well that’s not really any of your business, Mira,” I say bluntly.
    “It will be my business when I have to deal with yet another employee coming to me in tears because she walked in on you with another woman.”
    “That was…regrettable and I did apologize to you and to her.”
    “I’ve been talking to Clara,” Mira continues, “and she’s a really nice girl. She cares about her work. Just…don’t mess her around is all I’m saying.”
    “We’ve already agreed that we’re going to keep things purely professional,” I say.
    I hope that will be enough to get Mira to give me a break on this.
    “I know I’ve made some mistakes in the past,” I continue, “but I was younger then. The money, the status, the power, that was all new to me and I was kind of in love with it.”
    “Well, alright then. You’re a grown up and you’ll just do whatever you want regardless of what I see. I’m not your mother anyway.”
    She could have fooled me with the amount of motherly advice she seems determined to give me.
    “Anything else?” I ask.
    “I’m going out. Do you need me to pick you up a sandwich or something for lunch?”
    Sometimes having someone to mother you isn’t all bad.

Chapter 19
Clara
    I pull another dress from my closet, cram it into my almost overflowing case and try the zipper. It closes, just.
    “How many weeks are you going for?” asks Kelly.
    Kelly is lying on the bed, watching me pack and being of no help whatsoever.
    “I know, I know,” I reply, rolling my eyes, “it’s only one night but I just don’t know how I’m going to want to dress when I’m there.”
    “What’s the weather like in Beijing this time of year anyway?”
    “Hot. I think. I don’t know, I just kind of assumed it would be hot. Do you think I should take a jacket or something? What if it’s cold?”
    “I think you’re freaking out a bit.”
    She’s probably right. I’ve got at least a week’s worth of clothes jammed into this suitcase for a one-night business trip. All I should really need is something smart for the meeting and something casual for the evening.
    “Are you taking something sexy to wear for the evening?” asks Kelly.
    “Kelly. It’s a business trip. Nothing is going to happen. We’ll probably go to the meeting and then back to the hotel, get dinner and go to bed.”
    “Straight to bed just like that? You work fast, Clara Young.”
    “ Separate beds. In separate rooms,” I clarify, “And then we’re flying back the next morning.”
    “Beijing. The Paris of China. Most romantic city in Asia. Anything could happen.”
    “How do you come up with such bullshit?” I ask.
    “What shoes are you taking?” asks Kelly, ignoring the