Privileged Love

by Ja'Nese Dixon

  Liam had me tongue-tied, and his outright dismissal hurt my feelings. They ask me to do one thing, and I tanked. Maybe I'm not cut out for business either. Then something Liam said comes to mind, You don’t make a billion dollars from nothing without being an ass Miss Price.

  I don't want to be an ass, but it felt good to stand toe-to-toe with him. To not be run over. Yes, I fumbled, but my father always says, "The first no is merely an opportunity to re-saddle and ride it again."

  I always thought of it as cowboy logic. But today, it makes total sense. This was no different than getting tossed off a horse. In which case, I’d stand up, dust myself off and get right back on.

  This is my chance to show myself I’m a real partner in Platinum Prestige and not just because Hunter is my friend. I sit up. It’s time I get back on the horse.

  “Charlee, I’ll see you at S&J.” I grab my purse.

  “Nooooo.” She runs into the living room half-dressed. “I’m going with you.”

  “I have to do this on my own. But stay near the phone, just in case he has to call security or something like that.” There’s a slight chance that Liam and I could combust.

  “Can you please record it?”

  “No! You make me so sick. I love you.” I kiss her cheek.

  “Love you too. And, Harper”—Charlee grabs my hands—“you can do this. Hunter always says you bring up our average. It’s because you’re the voice of reason, you’re honest to a fault, and your heart sees the best in us all.”

  “I can’t go in there with my soft heart.”

  "Yes, you can. Just be yourself." She hugs me. "I think Liam is bringing out a tougher version of you and I can't wait to meet her. Minus that nasty tongue." She wags a finger.

  “Bye, Charlee and thank you.” I roll my shoulders back. I’m so nervous but what do I have to lose. I freeze at the thought. “What if I fail again?”

  “Just take a deep breath and speak your heart.”

  I nod. “What if he sets me off again?”

  Charlee shrugs. "Trust your gut. As long as you don't drop an f-bomb I think it's repairable. And you have to live a little Harper." Her eyes twinkle with humor.

  "Okay. I'll call you as soon as I leave." I hug her once more moving towards the door on weak legs. "And don't tell Hunter," I call back.

  “I won’t. Now go on, Baby Hunter.” She snaps her fingers rolling her hips. “Take your cussing tail back over there and get us a jet.”

  “I’m not listening to you.”

  “You don’t have to. Your vajayjay hears me and Liam loud and clear.”

  “Why do I listen to you?”

  “Because where you are the voice of reason, I’m the voice of your naughty fantasies.” She laughs. How does she come up with this stuff? “And I expect all the juicy details tonight.”

  “Charlee, you really need to find a hobby or something. See you later, love you girl.” I toss a finger wave, leaving before she adds anymore of her naughty fantasies to my head. I drive back to WEJ. I sit in the car saying my spiel several times. I step out only after running through it three times without stumbling.

  I walk up the wide sidewalk towards the twenty-story building. The sun is setting, and I glance at my watch. It's almost six. He's probably gone for the day.

  I stop as a few people walk back towards the parking garage. I can’t chicken out. If he’s gone, fine. But I didn’t come all this way to turn around.

  You can do this, Harper.

  I enter the building, signing in at the security desk. Then I head back to his suite. This time there’s a woman behind the desk out front with a salt-and-pepper pixy cut and bright eyes. Wait…I saw her when I charged out earlier today.

  “Hi, I’m—”

  “You’re Harper Price. I’m Glenda, it’s nice to meet you.” Her smile is warm and genuine.

  I accept her outstretched hand. “Nice to meet you too. Is Mr. Walsh available?”

  “Yes, head on back.” She nods her head towards the closed door.

  "Thank you." I take a deep breath, panic is about to get the best of me. I grip my bag like a comfort blanket and take a tentative step.

  “Miss Price, his bark is bigger than his bite.”

  "I'm sorry, Miss Glenda, but I don't believe you." I chuckle. She laughs, and her smile makes me feel at ease. "Do you have any advice?"

  “Know what you want and stand your ground.”

  “I think I can do that.” I smile back.

  “I think you can too,” she says.

  “Can you do me a favor?” I stare at the closed door.

  “Sure.”

  “If we start yelling, don’t call the cops. Just let us duke it out.”

  "Got it," she says around a hearty laugh.

  I reach for the door and lightly tap it.

  “Come in.”

  I enter. I hear him talking and realize he’s on the phone. His eyes widen then blaze into mine. Heat fills my body. I focus on putting one foot in front of the other. I motion a hand towards the chair asking for permission. He nods. I sit dropping my bag beside me.

  Liam is talking about gasoline prices and his eyes never leave mine. I want to look away but I can’t. I’m stuck. Stuck swimming in his eyes and my body is betraying me with every single second. I grip the arm of the chair for support.

  The caller is talking, and he's listening. He leans back tapping his finger as if he has a problem to solve. I slide my shoes off my feet, I have to get my body to relax and remember to breathe. But there is an invitation in his smoldering gaze that I can't deny. All I can think is Marry me. I took it as a joke. But he said it not in a rush and without humor. He doesn’t strike me as a jokester or the comedic type. He couldn’t be serious. Could he?

  “Miss Price. Thank you for coming back.” I blink. How’d I miss him closing out his call?

  My heart is racing, and I'm scared to open my mouth. I don't want to stutter or embarrass myself. And I don't want to…feel what I'm feeling. And I hear crazy Charlee in my head, Take a deep breath and speak your heart.

  “I came back to apologize and to ask for a second chance.” I exhale a sharp breath. I did it. Now to wait for his response.

  “I’m listening.” He stares back waiting in silence.

  I can do this. I'm a GIB. The guys need this, and they're depending on me to get it.

  “I’m new at this. And you’re making me so nervous.”

  His eyes sweep over my face, landing on my mouth. “You can’t tell me that, Harper. It’s Business Negotiations 101. Never let them see you sweat.”

  "You've already seen me sweat and swear. And I never swear. Not really, not like earlier. But you opened your mouth, and I opened mine and out it came." I place a hand over my heart. "Wow, I feel better already. It feels good to get that off my chest."

  Liam is shaking his head in disbelief, and I'm starting to feel like myself again. Then he smiles. Why did God give him the best of everything? He's rich, handsome, has beautiful teeth, a head full of hair, it doesn't seem fair.

  “What are you thinking, Harper?”

  “God must really love you.” He stares at me then bursts out laughing. He laughs so long I join him until Glenda steps into the room.

  “Yes, Glenda?” His eyes remain locked with mine.

  "I won. I'll see you tomorrow." I send a questioning glance his way. "It was nice meeting you, Miss Price."

  What’s that about? I look at Glenda. “Harper, please.”

  “Harper, I hope to see you again soon.” She says soon with such force that I look back at Liam.

  "I'll see you tomorrow, Glenda," Liam says.

  She waves and then we’re alone.

  “Continue, Harper, you have my undivided attention.”

  Chapter 4

  Liam

  “Did you hear anything I said?” Harper asks.

  I blink. "No, I apologize." I haven't been able to think straight since the elevator closed behind her and now here she is. She appears relaxed th
is time.

  “What part did you miss?”

  “All of it.” I’m ashamed to admit. “I can’t seem to focus with you around. Please give me the highlights.” I lean forward commanding my ears to listen.

  “I need to lease a plane. So instead of giving me a fast no, can you tell me what you need to reconsider?”

  "I need you to help me organize a roundtable." I thought about it earlier, and it would solve two pressing issues. One, I need a planner, and two, I want Harper Price at my side. The woman that has my heart screaming mine.

  “You want to hire us?”

  “No, I want to hire you.” Her eyes round and her kissable lips press together. She’s not saying no, which means she’s considering my request. I thought about my pushy offer earlier and realize I need to take Glenda’s advice. Hiring Harper will give us a chance to get to know each other.

  “So, if I help you plan this roundtable, you’ll consider leasing a jet to us?”

  “I’ll consider it. But you have to pull it off.”

  “What makes you think I can do it?”

  "Can you do it, Harper?" I search the depths of her eyes seeing determination. Earlier she fumbled but she came back, and that says a lot about her.

  “Yes. Granted, I haven’t organized a roundtable before. You’ll have to be patient, I’m sure. Can you do that, Liam?”

  “What happened to Mr. Walsh?”

  "It went out the moment you called me Harper." Her slow smile is sexy as hell, and for a second I wonder if I've lost my mind. How am I going to work with her here?

  “I can do it. You’ll need to work here with Glenda to get caught up. The roundtable is scheduled less than six months away. Expect long hours. Is it a deal?”

  “I’m off the market, Liam.” Her back is stiff, closed off. But her eyes hold the same sparks from earlier.

  “Are you married?”

  “No.”

  “Dating anyone?” I smile.

  “No.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “The answer is still no.” Her tone is airy and low. “I’m not here to apply for a job. I’m here about leasing a plane.”

  “Right. My planes, my terms.” I sit back letting my words sink in. I need the luck in my Irish blood to get this woman to see what I see. “And I’ll sweeten the pot for you. When you accept, I’ll grant you three wishes.”

  “Three wishes for planning this roundtable of yours?” I hear the slight quiver in her voice. “What if I want to reserve a plane exclusively for Platinum Prestige for a year?” There you go, Harper. I love the challenge in her tone.

  “I’d grant your request.”

  “Why, Liam?”

  I search her eyes wishing I had a better answer than my gut is telling me to do it, or that my mother told me one day I’d find her. I find it ironic that I’m nearly begging Harper to take the job that my canned planners begged to keep. So to keep from coming across as an arrogant ass, I say, "I'm still trying to figure it out."

  “Are you always so impulsive?” Her eyes squint as if suspicious.

  “No, this is the first time.” I smile. I plan to tilt the earth to make this woman mine. But I can’t tell her. I sink farther into my seat aching to touch her ebony skin.

  I see her chewing on the inside of her jaw. I remain quiet. This is a sweet deal. I’m out of my mind to propose it. But I’ll do it to figure out why Harper. She’s beautiful, but there’s something about her.

  Then out of nowhere, she says, "What does Business Negotiations 101 have to say about this type of deal?"

  I drop my head to hide my smile. “Your goal is to always make the deal work for you. Bad deals pave the road to mediocrity. Fair deals, ones where all parties believe they have won, are the equivalent of finding a pot of gold, Miss Price.”

  Are you my reward after all I’ve endured?

  She nods. “I’ll talk with my business partners. I’ll call you tomorrow with my decision.”

  By nature, I expect the best but plan for the worst and since most people find it hard to deliver unfavorable news face to face. "How about you meet me here at eight?"

  Harper stands, tossing a bag over her shoulder. She extends a hand in my direction. I glance over at the calendar. Today is St. Patrick's Day and I'm hoping for a little luck. Don't think I've ever needed it before. My refusal to ever go back to living a life of poverty pads my resolve with enough fuel to outwork my competitors. And my resolve is the only luck I need, in business. But something tells me I’ll need more to stake any claim on Harper.

  “Do you believe in luck or fate?”

  "I used to. But I've experienced too many broken promises and grand carriages morphing into rotten old pumpkins."

  I'm sucked into her kind eyes. Those types of eyes would make her a target. Eyes filled with curiosity and wonder and heat and I want her, in every way a man could want a woman…in my life and in my bed. And this reality shakes me to my core. She'll be a delightful reward.

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Harper.” Lucky me, a little voice in my head confirms, and it's a done deal. I close her small hand in mine.

  “Do you feel that?” I’m pleased when she nods. The current between us could power Las Vegas. It is unmatched. It’s raw and hot and blue lightning. “Harper, I plan to get to know everything there is to know about you. Deal or not.”

  “I’ll see you in the morning.” Harper slips her hand away from mine and turns towards the door.

  “You did good tonight, Harper.”

  She turns back, her face bright. "Thank you, Liam. Good night."

  “I’ll walk you out.” I motion towards the door.

  “That’s not necessary.”

  “It is, especially if I have a chance at convincing you to help me.”

  She chuckles. “Do you ever give up?”

  “Not when I want something.” Her eyes betray her as they move from my eyes and settle on my mouth, causing my chest to expand.

  “How about we change the subject? Tell me about this roundtable.”

  We walk and talk. I tell her about the roundtable at the beginning of the summer and the tasks left to do. The details are essential but her getting used to me is the goal. A man like me takes up space, I'm intense. I'm always on. My world is small, yet vast, it thrives in the details. And I want what I want when I want it. This is something Harper will have to learn about me, and in exchange, I'd gladly give my woman the world.

  “This sounds like an ambitious undertaking.”

  “It is. But I think it’s what we need to make WEJ known internationally.”

  We stop beside her car. "I honestly never gave all of this much thought. I assume you're competing with other private carriers for privacy, exclusivity, and flexibility. And then there's probably pricing with the commercial carriers."

  "Yes, there's more, but you're on the right track." I lean against the hood. Her mind is sharp, and we haven't covered the specifics yet.

  “Why would your competitors be willing to meet with you?”

  "Great question. We can actually help each other. Think of it like a union. We can work together to ensure our rights are heard. There are also a few carriers that we pass business back and forth with as needed."

  For a moment we’re both assessing the other. “I’ll let you go. I have a meeting. Thanks again for hearing me out.”

  “You’re welcome.” I scramble to think of a reason to make her stay. But I’m drowning in her eyes again. I figure it’s best to let her leave since we’re not at each other’s throats and pacing is as important as the details. “I’ll see you in the morning.” I close the door behind her. “Drive safely.”

  Harper pulls out of the parking lot, and I'm not confident she'll accept my proposal—either of them. I head back inside, prepared to work late. The marriage proposal slipped out, her fiery pushback had me wanting to see how far I could take it—and her. I growl to relieve the tension of waiting. I want Harper to say yes. I believe she’ll say yes. Wh
y shouldn’t she? I made one hell of an offer. But I have a Plan B in motion, hence the stack of resumes I’ll review just in case she doesn’t return tomorrow.

  I enter my office, dropping in the chair behind my desk with images of Harper sashaying off, the fullness of her hips, and the beauty of her smile. I type "Platinum Prestige" in a search engine, rolling closer to my desktop.

  “What do we have here? An elite concierge service company.”

  The website is in maintenance mode. But the temporary visual is striking. Ten women, dressed in black suits. I recognize a couple. I press play on the trailer, and it opens with Hunter Preston with flashes of the others. Each talking about the brand, how it started, and then Harper smiles at the camera. Then my growing curiosity mixes with my simmering attraction creating a heated hunger for the lovely Miss Harper.

  I submit a query in the form, curious to see how they’ll respond. I close the browser with more questions than answers. Why didn’t I get her number? I could always call James. I toss that thought aside. It’s best to not involve her father, this is between Harper and I. The idea of pursuing and winning over Harper appeals to the man in me. I want her plain and simple. And I intend to get her.

  I shake my head and realize it's best to call it a night. Might as well grab some dinner and come back early tomorrow. I can't focus, and it's all because of a curvy bombshell named Harper Price.

  Chapter 5

  Harper

  “Are you here for speed dating?” I smile at Yuki, the hostess and one of the owners of S&J.

  “I should say no, but I’m Charlee’s wingman tonight.”

  “You’ll be all right. The ladies are sitting, and the guys are walking from table to table. Do you want to take notes?” She holds up a brochure.

  “Yes, god help me if I forget to rate one of the guys for her.” We share a knowing laugh. This is one of our regular hangout spots. The owners and staff know us well, and they’re one of our clients. Yuki adds my name to the list and gives me a name tag.