Who exactly are you?

Arielle’s POV

The moment the conference room doors closed behind us, Ethan let out a long breath. “Thank goodness everything went smoothly”

“Yeah” he stared at me

“Were you even listening?” he asked “your eyes were on Alexander, right from when he walked into this office” I kept walking

“Was I?” I suppressed my smile

“Please tell me you weren’t actually flirting with Alexander Pierce.”

“I wasn't”

He caught up with me “Arielle” I glanced at him

“What?”

“Was he the reason you asked me to bring you along to the meeting?” I didn't say anything and kept on walking.

Ethan stopped walking. I took another two steps before realizing he wasn’t beside me anymore.

I turned around.

“ You know I took a big risk by doing that” he continued

“I know” I kind of feel bad. I was basically using him to get what I want. “And I'm grateful” He stared at me for a moment

“Arielle, will you tell me what’s going on?”

“Nothing is going on” I smiled

“ You quit your job, and asked me to get you a job in my Company, a week after I told about my upcoming deal with Pierce Enterprises” We continued toward the elevators. “ Then you asked me to take you with me for the meeting. All your attention was on him.”

“Trust me Ethan, I would never do something that will destroy you”

“I know that. You were practically undressing the man with your eyes.”

I laughed. “That’s dramatic.”

I pressed the button. “Actually,” I said casually, “I was thinking about something.”

Ethan glanced at me. “That usually worries me.”

“Can I take over this contract?” He frowned.

“What?”

“The Pierce contract. I want to handle it.”

“That's exactly what I was saying. You like him don’t you?”

The elevator doors opened. We stepped inside. Ethan pressed the button for the lobby.

“I mean he's attractive” I answered “ Can I?”

“You weren’t even supposed to be in that meeting.”

“I know.”

“And now you want to take over the entire project?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

I looked at the numbers glowing above the elevator doors. “Because I think I can handle it better.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the one you’re getting.”

He sighed. “Arielle, this isn’t a small project. Pierce Enterprises doesn’t play around. If something goes wrong, they’ll bury us in legal paperwork.”

“I won’t let anything go wrong.”

He studied me. “You really want this?”

I turned toward him. “More than you know.”

The elevator doors opened. We stepped into the lobby. Ethan reached for his phone.

“I’ll talk to the board.”

“Don’t.”

He looked at me. “Don’t what?”

“Don’t make it sound like I’m asking for it.”

His eyebrows lifted.

“Then what do you want me to say?” I smiled.

“Tell them I'm the most suitable candidate for the job.”

He laughed under his breath. “You’re unbelievable.”

Maybe. I had spent too many years waiting for an opportunity like this.

And Alexander Pierce had just handed me one.

Ethan started walking toward the exit.

“One condition.” I followed him.

“What?”

“You stay professional around Alexander.”

I stopped. “Why?”

“Because I saw the way you looked at him.” I smiled.

“And?”

“And men like Alexander Pierce aren’t the type you play games with.”

My smile faded slightly. He had no idea. I wasn’t playing a game with Alexander Pierce.

I was looking for something. And if taking over his project was the only way to get close enough to find it, then I would take the project. No matter what it cost me.

* * *

Alexander’s POV

The car door slammed shut behind me. I leaned back against the leather seat.

“Company.”

My driver nodded and pulled away from the building. I stared out the window, watching the city blur past. I should have been thinking about the contract. The figures. The negotiations. The next steps.

Instead, one woman kept forcing her way into my thoughts. Arielle Sinclair. I scoffed under my breath. Her audacity. I could still see that smile. That fucking smile. The way she had looked at me across the table as if she had every right to challenge me. As if she wasn’t sitting in a room filled with executives who would rather cut off their own hands than make eye contact with me.

And then there was the way she’d deliberately brushed her knee against my chair. I had noticed. Of course I had noticed.

I hadn’t built my company by failing to notice things. But I had chosen to ignore it. Until she did it again.

I closed my eyes briefly. What kind of woman did that? A woman who wasn’t intimidated. Or a woman who was pretending not to be. Either possibility irritated me.

I opened my eyes and looked at my reflection in the tinted window. “You've been staring at me for the last twenty minutes” My jaw tightened.

She had looked completely unbothered when I’d called her out.

And how would you know that, if you haven't been staring as well, Mr Pierce?

I almost laughed.

Nobody spoke to me like that. Nobody sat across from me, flirted shamelessly, invaded my personal space, and then looked at me like they were waiting to see what I’d do. She hadn’t been nervous. Not even when the entire table went silent. If anything, she’d enjoyed it.

I dragged a hand over my jaw.

There had been something deliberate about her. Every movement. Every look, every smile, she wasn’t careless.

She knew exactly what she was doing. That was what bothered me.

Outside, the city continued moving around me. I leaned back again.

Arielle Sinclair. Who exactly are you?

And why do I have the feeling that our little meeting had been anything but accidental?