Chapter 4 Struggling business, Struggling Heart

Bethany turned her head and squinted into the dense forest that

surrounded them. With the helicopter gone she was suddenly aware of

the constant background noise that enveloped them. Jungle sounds.

Yelps, calls, shrieks, chirping and warbling. It was as if the whole forest

was alive. 'It sounds as though someone is being murdered out there.'

Laughter in her eyes, she looked back at him, seeking to build an

emotional connection and falling at the first hurdle.

There was no connection. No answering smile. And it was impossible

to know what he was thinking because his face revealed none of his

thoughts.

'You're afraid of the jungle, Miss Sinclair?' His tone was less than

encouraging. 'Or is it something else that is making you nervous?'

Something else? Like the fact that her whole life was on the verge of

being ground into the dust, perhaps, or the fact that she was alone in the

grand canyon with a man who obviously disliked the entire human race?

There were so many things to make her nervous she wouldn't have

known where to begin her list, but he wasn't exactly a man who invited

confidences so Bethany pushed away the mental image of the hyenas,

snakes and two thousand species of insect. 'I'm not nervous-'

'Is that right?' He watched her for a few moments and then narrowed

his eyes. 'Then let me give you a few more hints on how to do business

with me. Don't waste my time, don't lie to me and most of all, don't

cheat. They're the three things guaranteed to irritate me and I never say

yes to anything when I'm irritated.'

What did women see in him? He was wrapped in a cloak of cynicism so

thick that it didn't allow even the faintest chink of light to pass through and his eyes shimmered with an impatience that he didn't bother to

mask with the usual social pleasantries.

'I won't lie to you. I don't lie to anyone.' However, she hadn't been completely transparent with him either when she had requested his loan. She had chosen not to reveal certain details about herself. Discomfort and guilt trickled down her spine, but she reminded herself that there was no obligation in the contract for her to disclose her entire personal history. Besides, none of her past had any relevance to her ability to run her company; she had made sure of it.

Yet, despite rationalizing her actions, she couldn't help but feel a pang of betrayal that flushed her cheeks. His smile, brief and not particularly pleasant, confirmed that he had noticed her blush and stored it as ammunition against her. 'You're a woman, Miss Sinclair. Lying and cheating are ingrained in your Nature, and you can't change that. The best we can hope for is that you try to fight against thousands of years of evolution when you're in my presence.' He held the door ajar and stepped to the side, indicating for her to pass through.

For a moment, she stood there, gazing at him. 'Don't bully me, Mr. Jeffrey,' she said, her voice husky with a slight quiver. She mustered the courage to continue. 'My business is struggling, and I understand we have matters to discuss, but please don't attempt to intimidate me.'

Never again would she allow herself to be intimidated. 'Do I intimidate you?' she asked, suspecting that he probably scared everyone he encountered. 'I think you could at least make an effort to be a little more amiable.'

'Amiable?' he responded, his voice tinged with mockery. 'You want me to be amiable?'

She gathered her courage and held his gaze. 'I just don't understand why every business meeting has to be cold and impersonal,' she voiced her thoughts.

He took a step towards her, causing her to instinctively move backwards. 'You want to make it personal, Miss Sinclair?' His lashes lowered, his eyes grazing hers, and the air seemed to grow hotter and heavier by the second. 'How personal?' He continued to close the distance between them, making it difficult for her to catch her breath.

Though he hadn't touched her, her entire body seemed acutely aware of his presence, as if it had been dormant for years and was now springing to life. 'I simply believe that business doesn't always have to be serious; it can be enjoyable alongside hard work.'

"Is that so?" He scrutinized her for a moment. "Well, your perspective might explain quite a bit about your company's current financial state." He walked away, but it took her a few moments to regain her normal breathing and steady her racing heart.

She wanted to defend her company against his unflattering remark, but he didn't give her the chance. Instead, he casually strolled through the open door, leaving her to follow.

No wonder his wife left him, she thought gloomily as she trailed behind him, carefully closing the door behind her to separate herself from the surrounding jungle. Or Perhaps his arrogance and skepticism were a result of his wife leaving him?

Engrossed in her thoughts, it took her a moment to snap back to reality. When she finally cast a glance around, she was taken aback to find that they hadn't truly left the rainforest behind. It was seamlessly integrated within the Cabin.