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He seemed to take a little pity on her. ‘I’m not working with Cade or Adam on this,’ he said. ‘We each want it for our own reasons. Fortunately we’ve worked out a way to settle which one of us is going to get it.’
‘Really?’ She was sceptical. ‘You’re such arrogant control freaks I’m astounded that you’ve found a way to do that.’
The smile that slowly creased his face was devilish. ‘Well, we billionaires tend to nail creativity.’
‘Oh?’ She wasn’t going to inappropriate places in her head again.
‘Yeah.’ He watched her closely. ‘We’ve made it the prize of a bet.’
‘Abet?’ She gaped. ‘What are the terms?’
CHAPTER SIX
ZANEDREWAsharp breath and brazened it out. ‘We did actually discuss that article this morning. The guys don’t like the attention it’s bringing to business so we’ve made a bet to date only one woman over summer.’
‘And that’s, what—a challenge for you?’ she asked caustically.
Amusement rippled within him. He liked sparring with this grown-up, salty Skylar. ‘Very, as it so happens.’
A storm gathered in her eyes. ‘You’re seriously deciding about the fate of a company and all its employees by betting about yoursex lives?’
‘Datinglives,’ he corrected her facetiously.
And actually it was adisaster, because he wasn’t going to be able to go anywhere without being photographed alongside someone. He needed a force field around him so no unintentional contact could be misinterpreted.
‘No way was this Adam Courtney’s idea,’ Skylar analysed quickly.
‘He only agreed because he thinks he can easily win,’ Zane conceded with a grin.
‘AndCadethinks he can beat you.’ Skylar studied him. ‘Only a bunch of jerks could sort out a business decision based on their sex lives.’
He felt heat rise even though he was wearing only a thin T-shirt and shorts. ‘No one should be writing any stupid articles about our sex lives. We’re entitled to privacy as much as anyone else. There’s nothing wrong with enjoying the company of other adults and we shouldn’t have to moderate our behaviour because of some judgmental hack journalist.’
‘Yet you’ve created a bet requiring you to do exactly that,’ she pointed out.
He gritted his teeth. ‘It was a vehicle to settle the dispute.’
‘It was a whim.’ She watched him. ‘It wasyouwho suggested it, wasn’t it. The onetheythink is least likely to succeed.’
Yeah, that too.
‘You really enjoy acting on the spur of the moment,’ she said. ‘You like spontaneity.’
He felt the edge of spontaneity now, heaven help him. ‘And you don’t?’
‘Not...often. No.’ She coloured slightly. ‘Are you going to keep your vow?’
‘I keep my word. Yes. I’m allowed one woman for the duration.’
‘Allowedone woman,’ she echoed. ‘Gosh, how magnanimous of you. It’s just so marvellous that one lucky female doesn’t get to miss out on your attentions.’
He laughed lightly at her false gushiness. She was right, of course, it was ridiculous. ‘Glad you agree given the female is you.’
‘What?’
‘We slept together after the timer had started.’
She stared at him. ‘Which means...’