She lowered her lashes for a brief moment, hiding
her expression but it wasn’t hard for James to figure out what she was
thinking. She regretted passing him over for his brother who had been in a more
secure financial position at the time. Now the tables were turned, and she
wanted to give him her lost little girl act. He didn’t buy it for a minute.
“It’s strange how we remember things
differently, Gillian. You couldn’t end things fast enough with me because you
believed my future was uncertain. I believe those were you words, weren’t
they?”
Her eyes suddenly welled with tears. “I
know what I said. And at the time I was under a lot of pressure from my
parents. You have to understand they had certain expectations of me. I couldn’t
disappoint them.”
James’ bullshit meter was on overload. He
wondered if she actually believed the lies she spewed. “So you disappointed me
instead. It’s okay, I’m well aware of how things are.
Anyway, we both know you didn’t make this appointment with me to rehash the
past. What do you want, Gillian?”
Gillian caught her bottom lip between her
straight white teeth. “James, can’t we at least be civil. We did mean something
to each other once.”
“Once, as in no more.”
She bowed her head with an exaggerated
sigh. In a movement that would have gone unnoticed by a less observant person
she moved her hand to her thigh and raised the hem of her dress ever so
slightly. “But there’s no reason we can’t rekindle that
friendship...didn’t you practically beg me to stay with you?”
Though that comment hit below the belt, he
maintained his composure. “We all make mistakes.”
“I’m offering you a chance to get in good
with the Alexanders . Isn’t that something you’ve
always wanted?”
“Apparently, not
as much as you, Gillian.”
She at least had the good grace to blush,
although he could barely tell beneath the artificial enhancement that lined her
cheekbones. “You never used to be so cold.”
“You never used to be this transparent.”
The little bit of patience he’d held on to was now nil. “I’m a busy man
Gillian, state your business otherwise this meeting will adjourn.”
She flinched, and was apparently surprised
her charms were no longer his kryptonite. As if to test out his reaction,
Gillian slowly ran her tongue across her lip and flipped her hair. James
remained impassive, unimpressed with her attempts to arouse him. A wave of
crimson colored her face briefly and she fidgeted on the sofa.
“Perhaps you’d like to take this seat. It
would be easier for you to discuss business if you’re facing me rather than
lounging on the sofa at the other end of the room.”
“Well, I was hoping you’d join me over
here,” she purred.
“Gillian, you’re really starting to bug
me.”
She huffed and puffed as she stomped over
to the seat he’d offered. She plopped down without the same panache she
displayed earlier. “I didn’t expect you to be so hostile.”
James glanced at his watch to underline
her time was running out. “I don’t have time to play catch-up. What the hell do
you want?”
“I...” She raised her chin defiantly and
narrowed her eyes. “I think you’ve punished us enough James. Call off your
dogs.”
He found it pathetic that the Alexander
men would send Gillian to plead their cases when she probably knew less about
running a company than the average laymen. For the first time since she’d
entered his office James found himself amused. It wasn’t because she had
swallowed her pride to ask him for help: it was that she had the nerve to. “To
what are you referring, Gillian? I work on specifics.”
Her fists balled at her
her expression but it wasn’t hard for James to figure out what she was
thinking. She regretted passing him over for his brother who had been in a more
secure financial position at the time. Now the tables were turned, and she
wanted to give him her lost little girl act. He didn’t buy it for a minute.
“It’s strange how we remember things
differently, Gillian. You couldn’t end things fast enough with me because you
believed my future was uncertain. I believe those were you words, weren’t
they?”
Her eyes suddenly welled with tears. “I
know what I said. And at the time I was under a lot of pressure from my
parents. You have to understand they had certain expectations of me. I couldn’t
disappoint them.”
James’ bullshit meter was on overload. He
wondered if she actually believed the lies she spewed. “So you disappointed me
instead. It’s okay, I’m well aware of how things are.
Anyway, we both know you didn’t make this appointment with me to rehash the
past. What do you want, Gillian?”
Gillian caught her bottom lip between her
straight white teeth. “James, can’t we at least be civil. We did mean something
to each other once.”
“Once, as in no more.”
She bowed her head with an exaggerated
sigh. In a movement that would have gone unnoticed by a less observant person
she moved her hand to her thigh and raised the hem of her dress ever so
slightly. “But there’s no reason we can’t rekindle that
friendship...didn’t you practically beg me to stay with you?”
Though that comment hit below the belt, he
maintained his composure. “We all make mistakes.”
“I’m offering you a chance to get in good
with the Alexanders . Isn’t that something you’ve
always wanted?”
“Apparently, not
as much as you, Gillian.”
She at least had the good grace to blush,
although he could barely tell beneath the artificial enhancement that lined her
cheekbones. “You never used to be so cold.”
“You never used to be this transparent.”
The little bit of patience he’d held on to was now nil. “I’m a busy man
Gillian, state your business otherwise this meeting will adjourn.”
She flinched, and was apparently surprised
her charms were no longer his kryptonite. As if to test out his reaction,
Gillian slowly ran her tongue across her lip and flipped her hair. James
remained impassive, unimpressed with her attempts to arouse him. A wave of
crimson colored her face briefly and she fidgeted on the sofa.
“Perhaps you’d like to take this seat. It
would be easier for you to discuss business if you’re facing me rather than
lounging on the sofa at the other end of the room.”
“Well, I was hoping you’d join me over
here,” she purred.
“Gillian, you’re really starting to bug
me.”
She huffed and puffed as she stomped over
to the seat he’d offered. She plopped down without the same panache she
displayed earlier. “I didn’t expect you to be so hostile.”
James glanced at his watch to underline
her time was running out. “I don’t have time to play catch-up. What the hell do
you want?”
“I...” She raised her chin defiantly and
narrowed her eyes. “I think you’ve punished us enough James. Call off your
dogs.”
He found it pathetic that the Alexander
men would send Gillian to plead their cases when she probably knew less about
running a company than the average laymen. For the first time since she’d
entered his office James found himself amused. It wasn’t because she had
swallowed her pride to ask him for help: it was that she had the nerve to. “To
what are you referring, Gillian? I work on specifics.”
Her fists balled at her
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