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crew and dive team, and the outcome of his little side dealings.
    Instead of sitting, she rested her hands lightly on the back of the chair. Nick could almost feel those long red nails scoring his back as he pumped inside her. Thank God nothing of his thoughts showed in his expression. His body approved the thought, however, and he was damned grateful he was sitting behind his desk.
    “Thanks for your hospitality, but I have to run,” she demurred, her sultry gaze matched her sultry smile. I’m female–you’re male, that look said. Her husky voice stroked his ego and libido both. Exactly as it was supposed to, he had no doubt. Unimpressed, he didn’t bat an eyelash. Zane, his younger brother, a born flirt, could charm a snake into making itself into a pair of shoes without breaking a sweat. Nick had plenty of practice not caving to a winning smile.
    The princess knew to the last eyelash flutter exactly how sexy, desirable, and beautiful she was. He was completely, utterly unaffected—Who was he kidding? He’d have to be made of stone not to be affected by her blatant sensuality. Didn’t mean he had to take the bait and act on it. But, damn, she was making him work for sanguine.
    “Sit anyway,” he suggested silkily, his tone making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion. “We’re not royalty, but we’re civilized people on the Scorpion .” He eyed her steadily, trying not to notice the curve of her cheek, or how the sunlight, shining through the window at his back, put her in a spotlight of gold. Everything about her was vibrant and vivacious and so fucking alive it hurt his eyes.
    Her crimson lips tightened just a fraction at his subtle dig and he could see her inner conflict. Add that the princess didn’t like being told what to do to her not liking to be told no.
    After a brief hesitation, she sat down, sliding one silky-smooth leg over the other. A barely there sandal, with ridiculously inappropriate high heels, dangled from her red-tipped toes.
    Smoothing her hair back with one slender hand, she gave him a steady look from those big, guileless brown eyes. Her hand dropped to her lap. “I’m sure you’re a busy man, Mr. Cutter.” A hint of annoyance lay just beneath the surface of the words. “If you’d cut the check, I’ll be on my way.”
    She had sexy feet and it took a moment to gather his thoughts enough to return his attention to her face. She smiled sweetly, showing almost straight white teeth. Her eyeteeth were a little crooked, taking her exotic beauty to an all new level; a difference that Nick was hard pressed to identify.
    The small imperfection was probably charming to another man. But he didn’t have time to be charmed. He had plenty enough distractions in his life already. He wished she’d leave so he could remember to breathe.
    He wasn’t enchanted by her smile. Or her bare toes. Or— He found his gaze fixated on her silky legs for the second time, and dragged his attention back to her face. Where it belonged. “Check?”
    Her smile slipped. “The refund of my brother’s investment?”
    He’d seen feet before. Plenty of feet. He’d felt the drum of heels in the small of his back, he’d felt soft soles surrounding his dick—
    Don’t go there.
    The fact that he liked her feet was his problem. Which made it hers by default. His eyes narrowed. “The salvage operation is still ongoing, Princess. The artifacts have to be taken to Cutter Cay for cleaning and appraisal. After that, the Spanish will get their take. I suspect Portugal is going to want a finger in the pie as well. We’re talking months, if not years, before there’s a return on the king’s investment.”
    That smile melted, and she straightened in her chair so subtly that he wasn’t sure she realized she’d done it. Shoulders settling as if gearing up for a fight, she said crisply, “I wasn’t asking for a ‘return,’ Mr. Cutter. I want a refund. ”
    “Impossible.”
    She blinked. “Impossible?”
    “The