Chapter 4 IV

"Miss Smith?"

She jumped slightly, desperately hoping he hadn't noticed her embarrassing reaction, but the harsh rasp of his deep, masculine voice was enough to snap her out of her dreamy contemplation of his masculine attributes. She thought, "So much for being calm and professional," and what a waste of her plan to ignore him. His physical presence and star-like appearance drew attention to him, making it challenging to recall that this man was known to be cruel and cold-hearted as she stood there staring.

She didn't believe it was a favorable combination of character traits. Looking into his deep-set, cynical eyes, she immediately realized that his pilot had been truthful about one thing: this man was no angel. There was something about his cold scrutiny that made him more menacing and intimidating than all of the jungle predators combined.

As she moved toward him, holding her briefcase in one hand and looking for the safety of the rough rope handrail in the other, she couldn't help but notice that Kyle Walsh would have been attractive to women even without the aid of billions of dollars. His blue-black hair was swept back from a face that was as tough as it was beautiful. His bronzed skin had a golden sheen that suggested he was of Irish descent, and the soft fabric of his casual shirt clung to his broad, powerful shoulders.

Elsa waited to see how he would respond to her arrival, but he said nothing. His eyes, which were so mournful and somber, displayed no signs of welcome, and his mouth remained devoid of a smile. The way he looked at her made it seem as if he were as unfriendly as he was handsome, and she felt like sprinting back up the walkway and jumping into the departing helicopter.

She knew it was impossible, but she would have thought she had somehow offended him if she didn't know any better. How on earth could she have offended him? He hadn't even seen her before. His animosity was a reflection of his personality rather than their relationship. He just didn't like people, and it was evident that he was not going to make an exception for her.

Elsa firmly reminded herself that it didn't matter. She didn't need his approval; she just required his agreement not to withdraw his funding. With that in mind, she took the final few steps until she was standing directly in front of him. "Mr. Walsh, it's an honor to make your acquaintance."

His impatience shone in his sparkling eyes as his mouth tightened. "Miss Smith, this isn't a children's party or a social visit. I don't expect or want pleasantries or small talk. I have no regard for the weather or your journey's course. If you find this approach to business challenging, you should leave immediately."

Despite her growing dismay, Miss Smith had also wished him a happy afternoon, trying to conceal it. Suddenly, she wanted to do exactly as he said. She stared into his dark, deadly eyes but realized she couldn't leave as the helicopter had flown away, and her briefcase held everything she needed. People relied on her.

"I can provide facts and figures," she said quickly, hoping he wouldn't notice her shaky legs. "My briefcase holds all the documents you'll need to help you choose. I thought you might reconsider withdrawing the funding after seeing the figures and our future plans."

"I've already made up my mind. My response is no."