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It took a full second for the penny to drop, and when it finally did, the look of scandalized shock on her face was everything he had hoped for, and he smiled. "What an enchanting novelty you are, Ms. Jones." Her stony silence in response was also what he expected, and his smile widened.

She really would be the best diversion he’d had in years.

Gazing at her with veiled lids, he murmured silkily, "If you're free, I'd like to take you out for dinner tonight."

He saw her face resume a blank expression at the invitation, and he instinctively knew that it was to hide the way the gears of her mind were working furiously to come up with a plausible excuse. If it had been any other woman, he would've thought of it as nothing but a devious, calculating ploy to have him crave for the unattainable.

But with the girl in front of him...

"I'm sorry," Pippi said finally, "but I don't think I'm your type, and it would hurt me to see you bored with my company after just a few minutes." She had thought long and hard about the best way to refuse, and in the end she decided that the safest thing to do was to appeal to the man's ego.

"I appreciate your attempt at tact—-"

Pippi watched a smirk unfold over the billionaire's lips and knew right away that he had completely seen through her.

"But I know when I'm being blown off."

Bollocks!

Pippi frantically sought for another way out of her predicament. She thought of asking the most obvious thing (why was a man like him wasting time on a girl like her?), but no more than a second had passed when she realized how pointless that was. Why he deigned to notice her now was immaterial. The more important thing to do was finding a way to change his mind.

"I just want a simple life, Mr. Simonides." Deciding she had nothing to lose, she simply stated the truth and laid all her cards on the table. "And getting involved with you - in any way - is just too much of a risk for me."

The silence that followed was nerve-wracking, and Pippi found herself holding her breath. Acheron Simonides might be many things, but he had always been fair and honorable. Hopefully, those two traits would make themselves felt today and subsequently persuade him to act in her favor.

"Point taken, Ms. Jones."

Thank You, Lord!She felt slightly dizzy with relief, but just as she allowed herself to breathe again, she heard him say decisively, "We'll protect your privacy by having dinner at my place instead."

Dinner? With him? At his place?Her mind became a complete blank.That would...work, wouldn't it?But then she saw the wayhewas still smirking and shook the traitorous thoughts away.Oh, for the love of God, Pippilotta Jones, stop acting like a shameless hussy where this man is concerned!

Acheron saw the girl open her mouth, and knowing she only intended to refuse him, he said softly, "Don't answer me with what you think you should say, Ms. Jones."

And in a blink of an eye, the chair between them was suddenly out of the way, and Pippi suddenly found herself being backed against the wall as he advanced like an unstoppable force of power, heat, and seduction.

"Answer me with what youwantto say."

He looked down at her and her breath caught. With his too-gorgeous face filling her vision, it was easy to imagine how it would feel to have her life revolve around a man like him.

Heaven and hell, she thought helplessly, but more than that, it would mean losing complete control - and that scared her above most.

"I can't," she choked out.

"Why can't you? We both know you want to."

She shook her head. "I don't—-" His body moved an inch closer, and it made her wish she could melt into the wall. "Please, Mr. Simonides—-"

Acheron relished the way his blood heated at the husky plea in her voice. "I like the sound of you begging, Ms. Jones."

Pippi almost threw her hands up in despair. So on top of being the most seductively beautiful man alive, this man turned out to be a sadist as well? "I'm not—-" She choked off when his hands slammed against the wall, and she found herself trapped in the most deliciously agonizing way possible.

Lud, lud, lud, this could not be happening to her. It just couldn't!

His head started to lower, and she panicked, the words flying out of her mouth. "I'm scared!" It was a brainless, last-ditch effort to save herself from being consumed, and she squeezed her eyes shut, knowing how stupid and hopeless an attempt it was.

She waited with bated breath, dreading the inevitable, but the moments passed, and -nothing?

Pippi slowly opened her eyes.