LITMIR.BIZ

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this how late you’ll be coming in from now on?”

      Every nerve in her body fired at the combo of his jaw-dropping beauty and his teasing remonstration.

      Before she could consider a comeback, he uncoiled to his formidable height, approached in that indolent predator’s prowl, his lips twisting. “I didn’t expect you to change to partner mode that quickly. But then you never do anything I expect. I like it. Immensely.”

      Forcing herself to move as he came to a stop before her, she unhooked her backpack and circumvented him. Without looking back at him, she started emptying her station, every nerve jangling in alarm as he came closer.

      “Are you doing what I think you’re doing?” When she didn’t answer him, he harrumphed. “I enjoy your unexpectedness up to a point. That point is when you use it to deprive me of it. This, Dr. Accardi, I won’t sanction.”

      Packing her last article, she yanked the zipper closed, then looked up. Though she’d braced herself, she felt gut-punched to behold his gorgeousness up close, now smoldering hotter with disapproving authority. Forcing steadiness into her stance, she pulled an envelope from her backpack’s outer pocket, and thrust it out at him.

      It was déjà vu when he glowered at it, but when he raised his eyes, there was no questioning. He knew what that was.

      “I’m not accepting your resignation, Dr. Accardi.” His lips crooked into that smile that had her insides liquefying. “Not to mention it would take far more than a piece of paper now to terminate our partnership.”

      Grinding her teeth at the throbbing between her legs, she thrust her other hand palm-up at him. This time, he raised a questioning eyebrow, making her want to yank that regal head down and bite that perfect wing of provocation.

      “My three hundred dollars, please.”

      “Buying back your shares?” At her nod, he laughed, and her legs almost gave out. “You think your money spent a whole night with me and remained the same?”

      Images bombarded her, of spending a whole night with him and being changed forever. Even if he hadn’t meant for her to think that, she did. The man was sex personified. She had to face the fact that she’d walk out of here, never to see him again, and would forever pleasure herself to his memory.

      Gritting her teeth, she kept her hand outstretched. “My money, please. This is no longer remotely funny.”

      “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had. And I don’t have your money on me. I don’t walk around with three hundred thousand dollars in my pockets.”

      Her mouth dropped open. “Not even you can multiply stock by a factor of a thousand overnight!”

      “You’d be very impressed by what I can do over the course of one night.” Her blood boiled over before he added, “But you’re right. I was exaggerating. Your money is now around thirty thousand dollars. Still don’t have that much on me.”

      “Keep it, capital and investment. Consider it my contribution to whatever good science you develop.”

      She had to get away from him. If she succumbed to him in any way, the damages he’d cause her would be worse than his wiping out three years of her work. This man could end her peace of mind. Could turn her into one of those women who groveled at his feet. It was getting harder with every breath to resist his spell and it wouldn’t take him long to cast it fully over her. And while others seemed thrilled to be enthralled, it would destroy her.

      But when she tried to walk around him, he blocked her, mischief frolicking in his eyes.

      Stopping, she clutched her backpack harder. “Listen, Dr. Balducci. Enough, okay? I don’t want to work for you, and I sure as hell am not your partner. Accept my resignation and give me what I ask for in this letter. I only ask for my rights.”

      “I don’t care what you think your rights are.” He silenced her protest by stepping closer, until the heat of his body and breath singed her. “I don’t need to read this letter to know that you make a habit of shortchanging yourself. I, on the other hand, offer you what you really deserve.”

      That had her heart stuttering. “I only deserve to be left alone to continue my work. I never asked for anything more.”

      “And if I consider granting you this?”

      And that had her heart skipping like a pebble over water. “Y-you would?”

      “I would. On the condition that you become my partner.”

      She coughed a mirthless laugh. “I’m not even partner material for an ice-cream stand. I know nothing about running a business. If you’re doing this to stop me from leaving for some reason only you’ll ever know, I assure you, you don’t need to bribe me with any bogus executive position I have no wish for and would be useless at. I’m probably the only person you’ll ever meet who considers such a promotion a terrible fate and not a reward. But I’ll gladly stay if you let me continue my work.”

      “So you’re fine with me as your boss? You’d stay in spite of all your vigorous objections to me and my methods?”

      “As long as you leave me alone, professionally and personally, I don’t care if you’re developing immunizations to sunlight for vampires and to silver for werewolves.”

      His lips split in such an exuberant smile, dazzling her with a flash of white teeth and searing charisma.

      She was trying not to hyperventilate when he made it impossible, reaching out and slipping the backpack off her shoulder, his long, strong, capable fingers sliding against her flesh, making her core clench with violent need.

      “Until we come to a new agreement,” he said, “put your personal effects back where they belong.”

      She clung to the backpack as if to a life raft. “What new agreement? We didn’t have an old one.”

      “Then we’ll make a brand-new one from scratch.”

      With the utmost gentleness, he insisted on tugging the backpack out of her white-knuckled grip.

      Letting it go felt as if she were lowering her last shield against him.

      After placing it on her workstation, he faced her with a grin that had her swaying like a building in an earthquake. He leaned his hip on the desk, folded his arms over his expansive chest.

      “Now that that’s taken care of, there’s something else I require.”

      “What’s that?” she croaked.

      “You. For dinner.”

Four

      “You want to have me for dinner?”

      Lili hated that she’d squeaked. This man kept yanking at her composure. It was a matter of time before he snapped it.

      “I meant I want to take you to dinner.”

      Her insides tightened more at his forbearing tone. “My IQ might be selective, but even I got that. Don’t be—”

      “—redundant? Yes, I know how you hate that.” His gaze took on a new level of intensity. “But the other meaning is also right. Though I’d rather have you for dessert.”

      More convinced he’d decided to go all out having fun at her expense, she hissed, “Spare me the clichés, Dr. Balducci. And stop looking at me like that.”

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