"Why don't I just go to one of your siblings instead?"
For the first time, her composure cracked. The color drained from her face for a split second, and her posture stiffened. She hadn't expected that — not from him. Her confidence faltered just enough for it to show in her eyes before she masked it again.
"I—" she started, but no clever line followed. She had walked into that one.
She had assumed Xavier would take the bait — or at least play along long enough for her to gain footing. Maybe she thought her charm would sway him, or that the weight of her name would impress him. But Xavier wasn't one of the men she was used to dealing with.
He leaned back again, relaxed, watching her with faint amusement. "You're good at this," he said quietly. "Really are. But you're used to people who want something from you — not the ones who already have everything they need."
