Chapter 3

Deciding from the doorway that we were alone, Prigozheva dropped the little fur coat from her shoulders, laid it on the nearest chair, and wasted no time playing the fatal seductress. Pulling the door shut behind her, she smiled languidly and, swaying her hips, slowly headed in my direction, her heels first tapping over the parquet and then crushing the pile of the expensive carpet.

Like a cat, she circled the conference table in a wide arc, came closer, and leaned one palm on the chair, never taking her eyes off me the entire time and allowing herself to be thoroughly inspected.

Mmm, not bad. Her shoulders were a little sharp and her gaze was mercenary, but Valerka's lover was in far better shape where curves were concerned than she was in professional analytical skills. That I acknowledged objectively. Just as I acknowledged her bold determination to get what she wanted today. I cannot say that determination surprised or touched me; the brunette had been seeking meetings with me persistently for a long time. But there was something to look at.

Convenient. And no Rooster, either. With women like this, one could save a great deal of time and avoid preambles, moving straight to business without words. When they offer themselves to a specific man, they are never mistaken; they calculate everything in advance. And in Prigozheva's face, beneath the layer of skillful makeup, I saw not a shadow of doubt. She had already calculated everything, made an advantageous offer, and now intended to get me. If not all of me, then at least to tear off as large a piece as possible.

I was sitting in the office alone, which meant I was waiting for her. She had come, so why drag out the time?

Everything was transparent and clear, except that I had no intention of being the catch, no matter how skillfully I was being hunted.

"Well, good evening, Andrey Igorevich," the brunette purred sweetly, stopping and taking a seductive pose in front of me. "Or will you allow me simply… Andrey? Here I am, just as I promised."

I was still angry with my secretary, so I pressed my mouth into a hard line and tightened my jaw, expecting every second that Rooster would kick up under the desk and give herself away. But the Redhead suddenly went quiet and still, and I was able to part my lips. Though only after making the brunette withstand my direct gaze in silence for several seconds, eventually shaking her confidence.

Just what I needed. Even if I had entered the game second, I had no intention of playing by her rules.

"I see," I finally lifted one corner of my mouth, smirking at the guest rather than smiling. "Of course, Nelly. A beautiful woman like you may do anything!" I said, and to confirm my words, gave the woman who had entered an interested, assessing look.

She did not delay her answer. Laughing in relief, she came closer and perched one hip on the edge of the desk, revealing the lace of thin stockings in the high slit of her skirt. Casually, she ran her hand over the exposed knee.

I would not be surprised if this beauty had no underwear at all beneath that skirt.

"You cannot imagine, Andrey, how pleasant it is to hear such a compliment from a handsome, worthy man who excites the heart and keeps one awake at night. But you know everything yourself, don't you?"

"What exactly?"

"That I am not indifferent to you, and have not been for a long time."

Prigozheva tilted her head to her shoulder and ran her palm over her bare neck, never taking her intent eyes off me as she waited for an answer. Her fingers slid under her blouse, baring her collarbone as she carefully tracked my attention.

I tried to make my Adam's apple jerk very naturally.

"I guessed," I admitted the obvious. "Your attention, Nelly, is hard not to notice and appreciate properly. But work takes all my time, you understand… And I am very uncontrolled when I want something. Especially…" I held the pause and leaned meaningfully toward the brunette. "When I want a woman! So I constantly have to control myself. Like now, when the object of my desire is so close that I can barely keep myself in hand!"

I had no doubt that Kupriyanov's accomplice would take my words personally. She did. She reacted according to the situation: breathing openly, smiling in satisfaction, leaning toward me with her breasts. Understanding that her moment had come.

"Oh, Andrey, you cannot imagine how badly I want this! Our intimacy! Believe me, no less than you do! I will never believe you live by work alone. What about pleasant moments, darling? Spicy and frank ones? You must be tired."

"True. But that sounds intriguing. Go on…"

"Life is so boring without them, and I am tired too of carrying out your orders, Mr. Director!" the seductress continued. "I intend to carry out your desires! And if you want," Prigozheva lowered her tone to a whisper, adding breathiness to her voice, "then your fantasies too! Only not here." She boldly touched me with her palm, breathing heavily. "Your office is gorgeous, but there are much more comfortable places to spend time together. What do you say, Andrey? O-oh," she suddenly marveled pleasantly, feeling my chest and widening her eyes, "what firm muscles you have, dear boss! I am sure they are as firm as everything else!"

Only about sixteen inches separated our faces now, and I warned the beauty, unhooking her grasping fingers from my tie:

"Careful, Nelly… I might be more than those sharp little teeth of yours can handle."

"No man has ever driven me as wild as you, Andrey! I will be a generous gift for you, you'll see! I already want it terribly!"

Hmm. I had to lift an eyebrow to clarify what exactly she wanted.

"Your coffee—hot and strong!" Reaching for her blouse, Prigozheva decisively undid the top buttons, baring breasts in black lace lingerie. Leaning lower, she licked her lips; lipstick flashed on her teeth. "My throat is dry with thirst. I would not mind tasting it right now. On this desk! You like me, Andrey, say it…"

How well I understood her. My throat had gone dry too. So dry I could not even breathe, but not because of the sight of Valerka's bed warmer practically melting in front of me. Because of what Rooster was doing to me under the desk. More precisely, what our fingers were doing. Mine, buried in her hair—it turned out the Redhead's hair was soft, and the nape of her neck tender and hot; unable to stop myself, I was stroking it, apparently ruining her hairstyle. And hers, as if burning through the fabric of my trousers where she clutched my thigh tightly.

Listening to the conversation, Rooster slid her cheek upward along my leg, clinging with one hand to my knee and with the other high on my thigh, and I swear, right then she was tormenting me with the nearness of her lips and the heat of her body. Making every thought fly to hell and leaving me wanting only one thing…