Total pages in book: 66
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 320(@200wpm)___ 256(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“I know you’re hoping to keep giving me the cold shoulder until I lose interest in you, but I’m telling you now it won’t work.”
Ha. Ilse was privately taken aback by the words, but she only let her lips purse in reaction, determined to treat him with indifference.
“Secondly, I’d like to be fair and honest with you, so I’m letting you know that Gloria’s given me a rather nice advantage.”
Ilse swung her seat around, head whipping to where her boss’ office was, and through the glass wall, she saw Gloria seated on her executive chair. The older woman beamed at her, which Ilse replied to with a scowl. Gloria, you traitor!
The billionaire walked around her table, and his powerful form suddenly blocked her line of sight, leaving her nothing to see but him.
“I’m not finished.” He suddenly bent forward, his hands settling on the armrests of her chair once more, but this time the position also had his hard body inches away from hers—-
Aaaah. In a panic to get as far away from him as possible, Ilse tried to push her chair back, but the billionaire only retaliated by pulling her seat closer, his strength easily overpowering hers.
The scent of his cologne struck her nostrils, and Ilse bit her lip hard.
Dear Lord, how can You let this happen?
Why did the billionaire have to smell as good as he looked, too?
His head moved even closer, and she stiffened as she felt his breath tickling her ear when he whispered silkily, “Do you want to know what my advantage is?”
No. Yes. No. Ilse no longer knew what to say.
“Say yes, babe.”
Her eyes widened.
B-babe?
How did he—-
The billionaire chuckled when he felt Ilse stiffen, saying wickedly, “Yes, babe. I know a favorite erotic romance of yours had you wanting to have a boyfriend who can call you babe, and it will be my pleasure to do so.”
GLORIA, YOU TRAITOR!
“And that’s not all I know, I’m afraid,” the billionaire murmured silkily. “I’m guessing you haven’t researched anything about me—-”
Ilse’s teeth gnashed. He was right, and it was all Gloria’s fault!
“But that’s okay. I’m more than happy to fill you in about myself.” He tipped her chin up. “The first thing you should know is that I graduated from Oxford...”
He...did?
“With honors,” he continued without even an ounce of modesty.
He...had?
“That’s not all.”
It...wasn’t?
“What I’m additionally about to tell you,” he murmured under his breath, “will probably turn you on—-”
This time, she could no longer keep herself from reacting, and she demanded in an outraged tone, “Excuse me?”
But the billionaire only gazed at her with hooded lids. “I only said that to give you fair warning in advance.”
“Y-you—-”
“One of my secret hobbies, babe, is reading books. All kinds of books.”
In the act of yelling at him for once again acting like an arrogant asshole, Ilse snapped her mouth shut instead. The billionaire didn’t seem the type to lie about himself, which meant—-
He truly liked to...read?
Ilse wetted her suddenly dry lips.
A gorgeous man such as Jaak de Konigh...actually liked to read?
“And lastly...”
Goodness gracious, there was more?
The billionaire moved in for the kill.
“I’m fluent in five other languages.”
Ilse’s legs snapped together.
Shit, oh, oh, shit.
Because the billionaire was right, damn him.
What he did have to say turned her on.
“And now that I know how to seduce you...”
The billionaire’s mouth touched her ear, and Ilse’s eyes squeezed shut as her entire body burned.
“Be ready, babe.”
Chapter Four
Ilse’s cellphone started to ring at exactly five o’clock, and without opening her eyes, she blindly groped for her phone on the bedside table, swiping and punching the screen randomly until she was able to answer the call and put it on loudspeaker.
“Rise and shine, babe.”
Ilse’s heart skipped a beat even as her mind fought against the cobwebs of sleep. Who was calling her—-
The realization came to her.
Jaak de Konigh.
“What time is it?” she asked groggily.
“Five?”
Eyes still closed, she demanded in a mumble, “And you’re calling me now why?”
“Gloria told me you often worry about not being able to get up on time in the morning, so I thought I’d make myself useful.”
Right.
Her boss really had a big mouth...
And Ilse started to slip back into unconsciousness.
The billionaire gazed at his cellphone in amusement. “Ilse?”
An incoherent mumble.
“Shouldn’t you start moving?”
“Vijf minuten.”
The billionaire smiled. Five minutes. He ended the call, thinking that morning might just become his favorite part of the day if it was the only time he could hear Ilse acting spoiled and childlike.
Heading back to his hotel suite’s walk-in closet, the billionaire finished changing, his movement swift and efficient as he looped a crimson tie around his neck and secured it with a perfect knot.
By the time he called Ilse again, exactly five minutes had passed, and he was on his way down in the elevator. She answered his call on the third ring, her semi-incoherent grumble leaving the billionaire torn between amusement and arousal. That she wasn’t a morning person was cute, but it also made him wish he could see her now. He pictured her lying on his bed, with her dark brown hair fanned across his pillows, and the thought was enough to have his cock stiffen behind his pants.