tails into the waistband of her skirt. "I haven't been manhandled like this since high school," she snapped at him while he playfully tried to "help" her. "Will you stop this! I swear, you're acting more like an adolescent than a grown man."
Jared's grin was a little too disconcerting. He reached over and flicked a stray hair away from her mouth, only to linger and trace the moist outline. Alex watched him with stormy eyes, wondering what would come next. She was fighting an inner battle to reach out and trace the enticing shape of his mouth. If she didn't do something soon, she would be lost to this sensual onslaught.
"If you don't keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Temple ton, I will personally break your arm," she said softly but firmly, leaving him in no doubt that she might not think twice about it.
"You're a hard woman, Alex Page." He slowly drew back his hand, not worried about her threat. "I can only hope that the mountain air will clear your mind and give you a better perspective on things." He allowed his finger tip to trail over her cheek, then he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Alex took several deep breaths to combat the anger coursing through her body. She couldn't remember ever feeling as irate as she was at that moment. Jared hadn't called her back there to discuss business with her; he only wanted a little playtime. Well, he found out soon enough that she was the wrong one to try. She only hoped that he'd keep his hands to himself for the balance of these meetings or she'd be sorely tempted to carry out her threat. A few moments later, a now composed Alex re turned to the front of the jet. Chris turned and threw her a friendly grin.
"Boss give you all the dos and don'ts?"
"You could say that," she replied dryly.
"Madame Page, please join us." Rashid gestured from the round conference table he shared with Jared.
Alex noted that the only chair left was next to Jared, a fact he was well aware of, judging by the gleam in his eyes. Pasting a falsely bright smile on her lips, she took the empty chair and deliberately turned away from him to converse with Rashid in an animated fashion. What galled was that Jared easily saw through her guise.
"Yes, I agree with Alex." He spoke up, determined that she wouldn't forget his presence. He leaned forward and firmly planted his hand on her knee, stroking her skin.
Two can play at this! She fumed at this blatant attempt to display ownership. Still talking and not sparing a glance in Jared's direction, Alex brought her boot heel down on his foot just above the toes. She had to give him credit. A brief glance showed that his expression hadn't even changed under her punishing boot, although his hand remained on her knee just under the hem of her skirt. Alex merely leaned forward and put all her weight on the one foot. A moment later Jar ed's hand slowly removed itself from her knee, and just after that she lifted her foot.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Templeton?" she asked, gaz ing at him with false concern.
"Not a thing, Mrs. Pag e. " He clearly admired her subtle retaliation.
There wasn't time for further word games, as the an nouncement came forth that they would be landing soon.
Alex was the first to disembark the jet at the tiny air port.
"I feel like the lead man for a bunch of gangsters," she muttered to herself as several men approached the jet.
"Hello, Tim," Jared greeted one of the men who looked as if he had just stepped off a western movie set with his dusty boots and jeans, faded wool shirt, and Stetson in one hand.
"Mr. Templeton." His lined, weather-beaten face was creased in a broad grin. He glanced curiously at Jared's party, in particular, Alex.
Jared made the necessary introductions and seemed to take great pleasure in explaining Alex's function.
"Well, hell, Mr. Templeton." Tim scratched the gray strands of hair on his head. "Who's gonna protect the lady?"
"You don't need to worry about me." Alex smiled, used to this
Jared's grin was a little too disconcerting. He reached over and flicked a stray hair away from her mouth, only to linger and trace the moist outline. Alex watched him with stormy eyes, wondering what would come next. She was fighting an inner battle to reach out and trace the enticing shape of his mouth. If she didn't do something soon, she would be lost to this sensual onslaught.
"If you don't keep your hands to yourself, Mr. Temple ton, I will personally break your arm," she said softly but firmly, leaving him in no doubt that she might not think twice about it.
"You're a hard woman, Alex Page." He slowly drew back his hand, not worried about her threat. "I can only hope that the mountain air will clear your mind and give you a better perspective on things." He allowed his finger tip to trail over her cheek, then he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.
Alex took several deep breaths to combat the anger coursing through her body. She couldn't remember ever feeling as irate as she was at that moment. Jared hadn't called her back there to discuss business with her; he only wanted a little playtime. Well, he found out soon enough that she was the wrong one to try. She only hoped that he'd keep his hands to himself for the balance of these meetings or she'd be sorely tempted to carry out her threat. A few moments later, a now composed Alex re turned to the front of the jet. Chris turned and threw her a friendly grin.
"Boss give you all the dos and don'ts?"
"You could say that," she replied dryly.
"Madame Page, please join us." Rashid gestured from the round conference table he shared with Jared.
Alex noted that the only chair left was next to Jared, a fact he was well aware of, judging by the gleam in his eyes. Pasting a falsely bright smile on her lips, she took the empty chair and deliberately turned away from him to converse with Rashid in an animated fashion. What galled was that Jared easily saw through her guise.
"Yes, I agree with Alex." He spoke up, determined that she wouldn't forget his presence. He leaned forward and firmly planted his hand on her knee, stroking her skin.
Two can play at this! She fumed at this blatant attempt to display ownership. Still talking and not sparing a glance in Jared's direction, Alex brought her boot heel down on his foot just above the toes. She had to give him credit. A brief glance showed that his expression hadn't even changed under her punishing boot, although his hand remained on her knee just under the hem of her skirt. Alex merely leaned forward and put all her weight on the one foot. A moment later Jar ed's hand slowly removed itself from her knee, and just after that she lifted her foot.
"Is something wrong, Mr. Templeton?" she asked, gaz ing at him with false concern.
"Not a thing, Mrs. Pag e. " He clearly admired her subtle retaliation.
There wasn't time for further word games, as the an nouncement came forth that they would be landing soon.
Alex was the first to disembark the jet at the tiny air port.
"I feel like the lead man for a bunch of gangsters," she muttered to herself as several men approached the jet.
"Hello, Tim," Jared greeted one of the men who looked as if he had just stepped off a western movie set with his dusty boots and jeans, faded wool shirt, and Stetson in one hand.
"Mr. Templeton." His lined, weather-beaten face was creased in a broad grin. He glanced curiously at Jared's party, in particular, Alex.
Jared made the necessary introductions and seemed to take great pleasure in explaining Alex's function.
"Well, hell, Mr. Templeton." Tim scratched the gray strands of hair on his head. "Who's gonna protect the lady?"
"You don't need to worry about me." Alex smiled, used to this
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