Chapter 23

The onlookers gasped, their surprise echoing through the room at the abrupt shift in atmosphere.

Even with William sitting right there, no one had ever witnessed anyone so daring-this woman had taken a leap without a hint of hesitation.

Everyone understood William's reputation: cold,detached, and wholly uninterested in romantic entanglements. Was she destined to be dismissed as abruptly as all the others?

But before anyone could draw another breath,William's voice cut through the tension-steady and calm, threaded with annoyance rather than anger."Exactly how long were you thinking of sitting like that?"

For a heartbeat, Stella froze,realization crashing over her as a hot flush swept up her cheeks.

She started to rise, only to feel an abrupt resistance that sent a jolt of dread straight through her.

Panic pricked her skin as she realized her dress had

somehow snagged on something, trapping her in place.

Any sudden movement risked making things even worse for her.

William arched a brow, the shift in weight on his legs drawing his attention.

Stella's entire face flushed with mortification. Even if her position wasn't as outrageous as before, it was still painfully awkward-all the more so because she'd come to have a serious conversation with him.

Struggling to regain her composure, she blurted out,"I'm so sorry, Mr. Briggs. This really wasn't intentional -my dress is caught. Just give me a second,please."

She fumbled to free the tangled fabric, but a mocking laugh sounded from above.

"Ms. Russell, you'll have to do better than that. If you're going to stage an act like this, at least put some effort into subtlety."

Irritation and embarrassment churned inside Stella."That's not what you think, Mr. Briggs. I didn't do any of this on purpose. I came here today because l wanted to talk to you about the exclusive project roster. You've insisted on reviewing every candidate yourself, and I'm hoping you'll consider giving me a shot."

Her plea made William's gaze drift to her cleavage.His eyebrows arched, dry amusement flickering in his eyes. "Is this your way of earning a spot on the team?"

Stella faltered, realizing just how condescending he was being.

She squared her shoulders, lips drawn into a thin line as determination flashed in her eyes.

"I'm serious about joining the project. I've published papers in national journals, and I have patents to my name. I've even conducted research on this project before-there's real value I can bring. And, Mr. Briggs,if you let me join the team,you'll have nothing to worry about. My focus will be on the work itself. I have the skills you're looking for, and..."

For the first time, her words seemed to stumble and fall flat.

Why did every encounter with this man spiral into confusion?

As soon as she tried to list her credentials, William's gaze flicked down to the woman perched awkwardly on his lap.

Stella's long legs stretched across his, sleek and

uncomfortably exposed.

He gave a faint, cutting smile. "Clearly, your talents stretch past what you let slip, Ms. Russell."

Before Stella could even process the jab, he rose smoothly to his feet, leaving her to slip from his lap in a graceless heap.

Flustered, she clamped a hand over her dress, heart thudding.

Yet the moment he stood, the supposed knot between their clothing unraveled easily, as if the whole ordeal had been a trick of the light.

With icy composure, William strode from the room,leaving Stella alone in the awkward silence.

Stella lingered for a moment, a sense of injustice prickling beneath her calm exterior.

She hadn't orchestrated the mishap,yet his accusation hinted she'd tried to leverage her appearance for a spot on the project.

Her jaw tightened as she debated her next move, then strode after him, refusing to back down.

William's long strides ate up the hallway, forcing Stella to pick up her pace, practically trotting to stay close.

"Mr. Briggs, those earlier incidents weren't what you think. I'm not after anything else-I just really want to be part of the project team. I hope you'll let me prove myself.l..."

She barely got the words out before William stopped short. Stella crashed right into his solid arm,thrown off-balance by the sudden halt-her sexy outfit doing nothing to disguise the impact or her embarrassment.