Maxwell looked up at her with a grin on his face. He knew she was itching to lay it out on him, and she probably would have done that if not for the company they have at the moment. He couldn't pinpoint the main reason why he always wanted to rile her up. He had no intention of overthinking when it came to this woman, who was about as off-limits as a leper with painful boils all over.
"It must have something to do with the way her eyes fired up in the most glorious shade of amber that I had ever set my eyes on," he thought fleetingly even as he rubbed his finger above his upper lip, his grin becoming fuller when she looked over at the patrons of the Seashore, who were at the moment not hiding the fact that they did not appreciate her raised voice.
He almost laughed out loud at her ingrained good breeding when she realised that she was making a scene, and she sent a vague smile in the direction of those people before sitting hastily.
"Woah, woah," Maxwell said in exaggerated surrender as he raised his hands and lurched back as if trying to escape her eyes when she pinned a cold glare on him.
Her lips firmed, and he quickly took his mind off what he would like those lips to firm against as she seemed to take in a deep breath, though imperceptible, before she said in the most controlled voice he had ever heard from someone who was probably boiling to have him maimed, "Is everything a joke to you, Mr. Rohan?"
"Not at all, Mrs Lanoth." Maxwell deliberately responded in the same vein. "For example, it is no joke or lie that you are looking dashing this evening," he said deliberately.
She did look mighty fine. Maxwell couldn't think of a time when she had not looked great to him. The woman was so beautiful. Thomas was the greatest fool he could think of and the most unscrupulous bastard he had ever met.
Her chest heaved in anger, and he smartly turned his eyes away from that tantalising movement that had the capability of spiking his overactive imagination when it came to this woman. He fixed his smile on his face as he looked back into a pair of amber eyes that were enough to scramble a guy's brain.
"Get it together, Max," he scolded himself, even though he was sure that he would probably not listen. The girl was too damn hot for her. And he was no saint.
"I think I made a mistake in coming here," she said through gritted teeth, and she reached for her bag.
Maxwell acted instantly as he picked up the designer bag from the table, quickly putting it on his side of the table. "I don't think so, CEO Lanoth," he said with a chuckle evident in his tone as he saw her look around to see if people saw what he just did.
Maxwell did not care. He had the most fun of his life. He knew that he had serious issues to solve with her, and he shouldn't rile her up. Yet, he couldn't resist the temptation. He had a good guess of the reason why she was out here to see him as well, and he wouldn't mind taking his time. He might even let her sweat a bit.
Yeah, this was all going to work out in the end. Everyone was going to leave the table with what they wanted, but in the meantime, what harm could there be in having some fun?
She leaned forward and the end of her held-back chestnut hair swung forward, teasing her collarbone in a way he would have. "Give me my bag, mister," she said in a restrained tone.
Maxwell only smiled as he leaned forward, amused when she refused to move back, even though their foreheads were almost touching like two battering rams about to have a go at each other without having care as to who would be bruised.
"No, madam. I did not come out here only to go back with unfinished business," he said in an even tone. Funny how different lighting had the capability of changing eye colour. He thought that her eyes were more opaque, with a greenish tinge in the alcove light used in the restaurant, than the amber that he knew them to be.
"This ridiculous place was your idea," she hissed.
"And this meeting was yours," he countered.
"Ma'am, what would you like to have?" One of the waiters asked her, and he could see her eyes automatically go to the lady's starfish uniform before she shook her head with a polite smile.
"No, I am fine. I will be leaving soon anyway."
"No, she wouldn't," Maxwell added deliberately as the waiter turned away.
"Yes, I will." she must have chosen not to take note of his jibe again as she turned to the waiter, who was still hesitating because of Maxwell's words, and added firmly, "I am fine, thank you."
"I will have a plate of escargot, tuna tartare, shrimp scampi, and some lobster rolls, my dear," he said to the waiter with his eyes on Reyona's. Then he deliberately added, "I wouldn't want to offend CEO Lanoth's delicate sensibilities now by ordering a tantalizing meal of octopus now, you know."
The waiter nodded with a smile and left after saying, "I will be back soon."
Maxwell was disappointed when she did not comment on what he said to the waiter. She merely looked at her watch before saying.
"I am aware that you are a powerful shareholder in Multilinks and Co. I know that you are aware of the bid we just had at the company and I" she said without.
"Oh, you mean the bid you were coming from when you accused me of stalking you?" he said with deliberateness as he scratched his head as if trying to remember "Yes, I remember now. How could I forget that?" he added meaningfully.
"Sorry about that," she added briskly. "I just want to be certain that you wouldn't be petty enough to want to use whatever it was you think we need to sort out against the company. Whatever issue you have with me is personal, whereas that bid was the hard work of everyone and my employees all put a lot of time and hard work into that bid."
Maxwell leaned back in his chair with his eyes narrowed on hers. He steepled his fingers together and gave her an accessing look.