Page 25 of Tempting Mr. Knightly

“No.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you. Not because I was hiding it. Because telling you first would have made it about my offer, not about your business. The program evaluates the business, Lucy. Not the relationship between the nominator and the nominee.”

“We don’t have a relationship.”

Knox held her gaze and didn’t correct her. The word relationship sat between them with all its inadequacies on display, and her color deepened, and she squared her shoulders against the word, not the man.

“I came here to yell at you,” she said.

“You did yell at me.”

“I was going to yell more.”

“You’re welcome to continue.”

“You’re making it very difficult by being reasonable.”

“I apologize for the inconvenience.”

She stared at him. Her lips parted, then closed. She picked up the folder from his desk, tucked it under her arm, and took three steps toward the door.

She stopped.

“You reviewed my public filings.”

“Yes.”

“All of them?”

“The ones available through the city database.”

“And you concluded that my business was excellent.”

“I concluded that your business was significantly undervalued and your pricing strategy, while admirable in its stubbornness, was costing you approximately eleven thousand dollars in annual revenue.”

The silence lasted five seconds. She turned, her expression caught somewhere between anger and a rawness she was trying very hard to suppress.

“Eleven thousand.”

“Conservatively.”

“You calculated the exact amount my stubbornness costs me.”

“It was a rough estimate. The actual figure requires access to your full cost structure, which I don’t have, because I respect your boundaries.” He adjusted his glasses. “When they’re clearly stated.”

Her mouth compressed. Her shoulders trembled. For one terrible second Knox thought she was going to cry, and then a sound escaped that was not crying, not even close. She laughed, a single, sharp burst that she covered with her hand and then dropped because there was no point pretending he hadn’t heard it.

“You are the most infuriating man I have ever met,” she said.

“I’ve been told.”

“Stop being nice to me. I don’t like you.”

“Noted.”

“I don’t.”

“I heard you the first time.”