less imposing. ‘Please, take a seat,’ she offered with forced equanimity.
He didn’t answer, nor did he take up her suggestion. Just scanned the room like some sort of secret service operative and Lexi felt her pang of unease turn into a shiver of real dread. Should she be calling the police right now? Did the man have a gun thrust into the back of that expensive-looking suit?
Lexi gave herself a mental head slap. It wasn’t like her to overdramatise situations. Still … ‘I have to say you’re making me feel distinctly nervous.’
His eyes found hers again and a jolt of something other than fear shimmied through her. ‘I am Leo Aleksandrov.’ His tone told her she should recognise who he was but she didn’t. Her life was far too busy to read gossip magazines.
‘I can tell that’s supposed to mean something to me, but I’m sorry, it doesn’t.’
He shrugged. His first human movement. ‘That is of no consequence to me. Now, please—’ he inclined his head in what Lexi imagined was supposed to be a demonstration of politeness but just came across as an incredibly superior gesture ‘—I am short on time.’
She frowned. ‘What is your relationship to Ty Weston?’
‘Not your concern,’ he said, his nostrils flaring slightly as if the question was beneath him.
‘Actually, it’s very much my concern—’ Lexi barely controlled her growing annoyance ‘—if you’re serious about taking him with you.’
‘Did I not say I was short on time?’
Lexi’s eyebrows hit her hairline at his condescending tone. Just who did this guy think he was? ‘And did I not say I required more information from you? We don’t usually allow the children in our care to just go off with anyone who happens in off the street. There are procedures to follow. Forms to sign.’
He looked as if he hadn’t considered that. Then his eyes raked over her again and Lexi wished she was still wearing her professional suit from earlier. ‘I’d like to speak to the manager.’
She smiled, never more pleased at being able to utter her next words. ‘I am the manager.’
He stared at her and Lexi couldn’t drag her eyes from his intense blue eyes.
‘I apologise,’ he said finally, a mocking lilt in his voice that suggested otherwise. ‘It seems we are at loggerheads, Ms Somers—’
‘Miss.’
Now why had she said that? She preferred Ms!
‘Miss Somers,’ he intoned. ‘And while I appreciate your concern for Ty Weston’s welfare, I have permission from the boy’s mother to collect him this evening as she is apparently out of town.’
Lexi frowned at his use of the word ‘apparently.’ ‘I’m sorry, but it doesn’t seem as if she has informed the centre of this change. Do you have proof of this permission?’
He paused and his mouth quirked slightly upwards. ‘Alas, I left it back in my office.’
Lexi nodded, not at all convinced by what he was saying.
‘Well, alas, Mr—’ Damn, what was his last name again? ‘—you’ll just have to come back when you have your proof.’ She stood up. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me—’
‘You’re dismissing me!’ The shocked outrage on his ruggedly handsome face would have made her laugh any other time but right now butterflies were tap dancing in her stomach and making her feel strange.
‘Yes, I do believe I am.’
He planted his hands on top of the paperwork on her desk and leaned towards her. ‘Listen, Miss Somers, I’ve had just about as much as I can take of your obstinacy.’
‘My obstinacy?’ Lexi leaned back in her chair and tried to stare him down. Which wasn’t easy. In his anger his eyes had taken on a cold precision that could cut through lead. ‘That’s rich.’
Maybe she should call the police.
Some of her nervousness must have shown because his eyes narrowed. ‘I can assure you this is all completely above-board.’
‘Then you won’t mind if I contact Amanda.’
He straightened up and pulled at his cuffs. ‘Please do. And if you get through pass the phone this way.’
Frowning even harder Lexi collected Ty’s file from the corner cabinet, conscious of his eyes on her the whole time. Ignoring him she returned to her seat and dialled Amanda Weston’s mobile number.
After a minute the phone clicked over onto voicemail and Lexi left a brief message asking her to call and hung up.
‘She’s not available,’ she said a little unnecessarily, given he had heard her message.
The man, Leo Alek-someone, didn’t seem surprised.
Just then another parent arrived at the gate to be buzzed into the centre and Lexi rose to her feet. ‘If you’ll excuse me, I need to attend to someone else and while I do I’ll double check with my colleagues as to whether Amanda passed on a message about you.’
She headed towards the door and felt his body move infinitesimally, as if he planned to follow her.
‘I wouldn’t,’ she warned him coolly, heart pounding a mile a minute. ‘We have panic buttons carefully placed throughout the centre and if you follow me I’ll set one off.’
He stared at her for a long moment and then smiled.
Lexi’s breath caught at the dazzling effect of that smile. Then it turned lazy as he noted her reaction. ‘You’re bluffing, Miss Somers.’
Yes, she was. They had one panic button in the centre and she had no doubt he’d be on her before she could even instruct someone to activate it.
‘Follow me and find out,’ she dared, wondering at the husky challenge in her voice. Something about this man’s inherent sense of authority, that came with being super rich, or super famous, rubbed her up the wrong way.
He cocked his head, his eyes running over her as if she was a delicacy he wouldn’t mind nibbling. Heat constricted her throat and when his gaze dropped to her chest her breasts seemed to expand and tighten in a completely visceral response that was as shocking as it was unexpected.
His eyes, no longer icy, met hers and lust, the like she had never experienced before, exploded deep in her belly as she registered the inherent interest he didn’t have the good manners to hide. ‘Don’t be long.’
Don’t be … Lexi stalked out of the room.
Had she ever met a ruder, more charismatic man in her life?
CHAPTER TWO
LEO watched the petite brunette sweep out of her office as if the hounds of hell were after her, her ponytail bobbing behind her head like an overwound pendulum.
Run, angel, run.
He smiled to himself, unable to take his eyes off her trim figure.
He shouldn’t have goaded her like that but he couldn’t resist the way her exotic golden eyes had sparkled at him crossly and the way her creamy skin had flushed pink.
She’d had the strangest effect on him the minute she’d come striding through the door like some field marshal about to do battle. Her heart-shaped face tipped at an angle that said she could easily take on Alexander the Great and win.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t the strangest effect. Maybe it was a purely sexual one, but it had hit him from left field because she wasn’t his usual type. Too uptight—despite the Snow White attire—and too small. Delicate even. Her waist appearing so slender he could wrap his hands around her without any trouble at all. He liked his women a little taller, a little