Animal Instincts Read Online Free Page B

is on line one.”
    Royce rubbed a hand down his suddenly wearyface. “Will you excuse me for a moment?” he said to me. “I have to take this.”
    “Of course. Should I wait in the lobby?”
    “No, stay where you are.” He picked up the phone and swiveled his chair so that I saw only its back and the top of his dark head. “Do you have the figures yet?” Pause. He growled low in his throat. “That’s why you called? Yes.” Pause. “The one.” Pause. “Yes. Glad.” Pause. “You know I’ll do what it takes to win.”
    Glad about what? Win what? Man, listening to a phone conversation when you could only hear one side of it sucked. Bigtime.
    “I’m in a meeting right now.” Pause. “Yes.” Pause. “Goodbye. Idiot,” he muttered. He spun around and replaced the phone, his gaze on me, going all intent again. “Sorry. I’m in the middle of an acquisition, a merger of sorts.” He waved his hand through the air. “Anyway, I wish I had more time to meet with you today,” he said, with what sounded like genuine regret in his voice, “but unfortunately, I have appointments lined up all morning and I can’t get out of them. Why don’t I call you in a few days and we’ll set up another meeting?”
    At his words, a fine mist of red shrouded my vision. Yet despite my anger, my first instinct was to politely accept his offer and leave. Just like in the lobby, however, I squashed the urge to capitulate. I would not be a doormat. Not anymore. I’d spent cab money, had my purse stolen and had waited for over an hour. I wasn’t leaving without finishing this meeting.
    My fists tightened on the armrests of my chair. I’m a Tigress. “Mr. Powell, we haven’t gone over a single detail yet.”
    “I want you to call me Royce, remember. Mr. Powell makes me sound like my father. And we’ll have to go over the details another day.”
    “Royce.” Be strong. Assert yourself. “I waited out there for over an hour.”
    “I only learned of our meeting a few moments before you stepped inside my office. I apologize for any inconvenience you’ve suffered.”
    Inconvenience? That red mist shrouding my vision became a boiling inferno. His apology didn’t bring back my jacket or my favorite tube of lipstick. Teeth grinding together, I said, “Can’t you spare ten minutes? That’s all it will take. I have a list of questions—”
    “My mother’s visit threw me off schedule, and I’m afraid I can’t even spare five.” O-kay. Message received. Obviously, he was giving me the brush-off. He wasn’t going to hire me and was eager to get rid of me. I found myself reaching out and lifting a notepad from the edge of his desk. I began itemizing my time, my purse, my lipstick (with twenty dollars extra tacked on for sentimental value), a new pair of shoes and, what the hell, a dry-cleaning bill.
    “What are you doing?” He tapped the shattered edge of a pencil against his knee.
    “I generally build the meet-and-greet into my original costs, but I’m making an exception for you. Here’s my invoice for today’s meeting.” I ripped off the paper and handed it to him.
    His eyes gleamed with curiosity as he read it. That curiosity was quickly replaced by amusement. “Lipstick?”
    “My purse was stolen outside the building and my favorite tube was inside.”
    He frowned, losing all hint of amusement. “I’ll have security look into it. That will not happen again.”
    “Thank you.”
    Pause. Then, “Is it okay if I mail you a check?” he asked.
    “Yes.” Like I’d ever see the money. “Of course.”
    “I’ll make time for you another day, you have my word. In fact, I’ll devote a full day to you and the party.”
    Liar, I wanted to say. “Fine,” I said, giving up.
    Exhibit A, my inner Tigress said. You’re a weakling. Fight. Make him talk to you now. Don’t let him kick you out like this.
    “I’m so glad you’ll make time for me,” I added, ignoring my Tigress. “That’s great. Wonderful.” I