still had the power to burn her raw.
Elise pushed the traumatic memory away and redoubled her efforts to focus. ‘If it’s not money, then it’s a competitor.’ He regarded her steadily. ‘But then you know that, too.’
He nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘So, the question is, what’s your competitor offering them that you’re not?’
‘Nothing,’ came the immediate, rigid reply.
‘Are you sure?’
One sculpted eyebrow rose. ‘Are you questioning the veracity of my due diligence?’
He was touchy. Extremely. Men like Alejandro Aguilar didn’t rise to lofty CEO positions of extremely successful corporations by being touchy. Men like him usually had rhinoceros-thick skins. Had she adversely demonstrated her wariness about being in the presence of another powerful man? Was she being overly sensitive?
The tense conversation she’d had with her mother before coming here had put her on edge. Marsha Jameson had wanted to spearhead the SNV commission herself, despite Elise having cultivated the initial contact with SNV’s PR department. Elise had stood her ground, a fact that hadn’t pleased her mother. It was another reason Elise had stopped herself from walking out of the door just now.
She wouldn’t...couldn’t blow it.
Inhaling slowly, she picked her way through the mine-infested landscape. ‘Of course not. But there’s nothing wrong with an extra pair of eyes.’ For some reason her statement brought an even deeper scrutiny of her face, his gaze holding hers with fierce control. She hastened to continue. ‘It is why you’re looking to hire an outside PR firm, isn’t it?’
He remained silent for a brief spell, his fingertips pressed together. ‘Your file says you specialise in US–Japanese commissions.’
‘Yes.’
‘This merger involves a Japanese company.’ He paused. ‘The Ishikawa Corporation.’
Elise’s heart missed a beat. The reason behind it was puzzling. It’d come sooner than expected, but he would’ve needed to trust her with some details in order to secure her help. That he’d done so mere minutes into the interview shouldn’t trigger such a response from her.
Yet the tiniest sliver of warmth curled through her.
To counteract it, she nodded briskly. ‘Give me an hour to do a little research...I mean a more personal research, and I’ll see if I can come up with something.’
His eyes narrowed. ‘You think an hour is all it’ll take to fix my problem?’ he taunted.
‘I won’t know until I try whether or not I can help you, Mr Aguilar. Let me try.’
‘You have half an hour.’ He nodded to the far side of his office, where two stylish studded leather sofas faced each other across a smoked-glass coffee table. ‘I’ll have Margo set you up with a laptop—’
‘There’s no need. I brought my own.’ Elise held up her briefcase and attempted a cool smile.
His scowl deepened. ‘I’d prefer it if those confidential details we spoke about don’t leave my building. Pass the test, and we’ll see about redressing your security access.’
The warmth evaporated. ‘Oh, right.’ She was irritated with herself for feeling stung by the implication that she wasn’t trustworthy. But then hadn’t she experienced a similar feeling towards him moments ago? Wasn’t she even now kicking herself for continuing to be mesmerised by the sheer depths of raw sensuality oozing from him?
‘Is that going to be a problem?’ he enquired.
Realising she’d been staring at him for a fistful of heartbeats, she pinned on another smile and rose. ‘Of course not. I’m ready when you are.’ She headed for the sofa to the sound of Margo being summoned, but the tingle between her shoulder blades and down her back indicated he was watching her. Keeping her movements fluid, she set her case down and removed her jacket before choosing the seat farthest from his desk.
Only then did she risk another glance in his direction.
His head was bent over a document, two fingers tracing the words downward as he speed-read. As with everything she’d noticed about him so far, the action was unmistakably absorbing. To the point where she was in danger of appearing like a hormone-engorged groupie at a rock concert!
She exhaled in relief when Margo knocked and entered. The laptop she set before Elise looked custom-made and top of the line.
After she departed, Elise opened it and stared down at the wallpaper that depicted the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range in Spain. In the middle of the screen, the SNV logo blinked its request.
‘Is there a problem?’ Alejandro asked coolly.
‘Yes. This requires a password.’
He rose with smooth animal grace, document in one hand and his tiny espresso cup in the other. Pausing at the tray, he refilled his cup, then crossed the room to her.
The notion that she’d unwittingly invited him closer sent equal amounts of chagrin and wariness coursing through her. Her senses jumped as he reached for the laptop. Elegant fingers flew over the keyboard and then he handed it back.
Expecting him to return to his desk, she stared dry-mouthed as he picked up the document and cup, relaxed against the sofa, and crossed one leg over the other.
Elise had always thought that men who sat that way were a little too in touch with their feminine side, but there was nothing even remotely feminine about Alejandro Aguilar as he lounged with almost predatory indolence and flicked through the papers in his hand.
‘Unless you intend to prise your answers from my subconscious, I suggest you get on with it, Miss Jameson.’
Heat flared into her cheeks for the third time in less than an hour, eliciting a thorough self-loathing for her inability to curb her jumpy reactions.
Dragging her focus back to the laptop, she settled it on her lap and went to work. Her initial searches produced run-of-the-mill information about the Ishikawa Corporation Alejandro most likely already possessed. She sent three quick emails to trusted sources in Kyoto and Osaka, delved deeper into the company history, then traced the genealogy of the founders.
Fifteen minutes later, a tiny spurt of excitement lanced her.
‘Found something you want to share?’
She looked up and found laser eyes trained on her. ‘What?’
‘You just made the universal feminine sound of excitement,’ he drawled, lifting his cup and draining it.
She tried to look away, but found herself unable to. ‘I’m not sure what that is, but yes, I may have found something.’
‘And?’ he pressed impatiently.
With effort, she refocused on the screen. ‘And I have another thirteen minutes until my time is up. So if you don’t mind?’
He
