Chapter 9
1172 Words
She didn’t know if it was because she was being yanked away from her comfort zone, but he was turning her off and on like a tap, and it unsettled her.
After Wesley, she decided on what she wanted in a man: someone down to earth, genuine, good natured, compassionate. A good man. When she finds that man everything will fall into place, and she was horrified that her boss could have the sort of effect on her. It didn’t make sense; she didn’t like the man.
“I think my opinion doesn’t count one way or another,” she said grimly “I can’t speak for everyone in my office, but no one expects you to swoop in and pay us a visit.”
“You certainly know how to hit below the belt, this your normal style when you’re with a man?”
“You’re not a man.”
Marco laughed, a rich throaty laugh, its bass note reverberating across her skin, and alighting her senses. She was in big trouble.
“Do well to enlighten me Miss Kingston on who I am.”
This wasn’t the light conversation he had in mind, but that wasn’t to say that he wasn’t enjoying himself.
“You’re … you’re my captor.”
“That’s not an answer if there was ever one, besides we’ve passed the whole kidnap situation.”
Hailey didn’t respond. He was being nice to her, teasing her, smiling at her even. She knew that he probably didn’t trust her. He wasn’t interested in having meaningful conversations, because he wasn’t interested in her and had no desire to find out anything about her except what might impact his business deal. He laughed about being called her captor, but he still called the shots, so what does that make him?
They had reached the kitchen and she turned her attention from him to the splatter of food in front of her.
“This is wonderful.” She ran her fingers over the counter. “Where is Camilla your chef?” she remained where she was, as he strolled to the fridge and extracted a bottle of wine and two champagne glasses.
He poured them both a glass and nodded to one of the upholstery chairs tucked neatly under the kitchen island. Hailey sipped her wine slowly; she wasn’t accustomed to drinking.
“Camilla has her own quarters at the back of the villa. I dismissed her rather than let her hang around listening to our conversation. She’ll find it a little puzzling but would have understood the meaning without too much trouble.
“It is rare for me to be in the villa, with just one guest. Under normal circumstances all the staff would be present, but since its just you and I only Camilla and a cleaner is required.”
“Does she know why I’m here?”
“She’s paid handsomely to do her job with no questions asked.”
“But wouldn’t she be curious?”
“I really do not care.”
“You might not care, but I don’t want her thinking I am one of your…”
“What?”
“I wouldn’t want her to think that I’m one of your conquests.”
Marco burst out laughing. When he sobered up, he stared at her coolly.
“What does it matter what my chef thinks of you? You’llnever lay eyes on her again after your stay here.”
He sipped his wine and looked at her over the rim of his glass. “Besides, I also fly Camilla to whatever country I find myself. She has seen enough of my women over the years to know that you clearly don’t fit the mould.”
Hailey stared at him in mortification, utterly embarrassed and insulted, because somehow, she thought just a little bit that he fancied her. That her precious virtue might be compromised because she shared a villa with him?
“Didn’t fit the mould?” she heard herself say unconsciously.
“Camilla has been with me for a very long time”, he said without discomfort. “She’s met many of my women over the years. I won’t deny you hold a certain appeal and I find you mildly amusing, but you’re not the kind of woman I go for, and she’s savvy enough to know that. Whatever she thinks won't be other that you’re her on business. I occasionally use this space when I’ve needed extreme privacy while dealing with complicated transactions, so I wouldn’t be surprised if she pins that on your presence here.”
You hold a certain appeal and I find you mildly amusing. Haileys brain clunked to a stop at that throwaway remark and was refusing to budge. Why did it make her feel so flustered? Hadn’t she, two seconds ago, resolved not to let him her to her? She wanted to be as calm and composed as he was, but her head was doing a terrible job at that, her thoughts were scattered all over the place.
Marco was sexy and powerful, but he was still a man, and male attention, in the wake of Wesley left her cold. So why was a sentence from a man who wasn’t interested in her made her tingle.
She said faintly “I didn’t realize men, had a type” which wasn’t what she really wanted to say, in fact what she wanted to say was “What’s your type?”
Rich men were always in the tabloids with women dangling on their arms like moppets, but she couldn’t recall seeing Marco amongst any scandal.
“All men have a type.” Marco informed her. He had a type,and he was clever enough to know why he had a particular type. He would never fall victim to manipulative women that ruined his father. he was in control of his emotions and destiny. He never had this sort of conversation with a woman before, but his association with women was mostly s****l connection, no strings attached. Hailey worked for him, and there was certainly no s****l connection there.
On cue, he gazed away from her face and stared at the swell of her breasts, and the lender fragility of her arms, she was small. A strong wind will knock her off her feet. She was the sort of women men felt the instinct need to protect.
It was a good time to remind himself she wasn’t the type of women he went for. She was too emotional, and the sort of woman to and commitment. He didn’t do emotions and commitment he needed to stay away from her. He didn’t want her to get ideas since they were few in the villa.
She was practically thrown into the world of luxury. He has experience with women whose brains become muddled in the presence of extreme wealth.
“Here’s my type” he murmured, refilling both their glasses, leaning towards her and she reflexively edged backwards, amused by it.
- Writer
