A few hours later, Wang Li’s secretary emailed with the date and location for the meeting. Yes! Toni was proud of her accomplishment and rushed to Douglas’ office to give him the good news, when she remembered that she’d resolved not to like him.
She slowed her steps, wiped the smile from her face and because Abby’s desk was empty, she simply approached the partially open door and knocked.
“Mr. Armstrong?”
“Come in.”
She pushed the door open, but hesitated to enter the room. “I just wanted to let you know that we have a meeting with Mr. Wang Li and his wife two days from now. For dinner.”
“Really? When did that get scheduled?”
“When I called him and scheduled it.”
A scowl crossed his face for a millisecond, but then he put on his business face, “Thank you. That sounds like a wonderful idea.”
Toni raised a mental eyebrow at the veiled compliment. Did he just compliment me?
“Come in and have a seat. There’s no reason to hang out in the doorway.”
Toni stepped inside his office, making sure the door stayed open. She needed an escape, just in case. She didn’t trust herself in his presence.
When he rose and gestured towards the chair sitting in front of his desk, she took a seat and then waited for him to seat himself again.
“So, tell me more about Mr. Wang Li. I assume there’s a reason you scheduled a dinner date with he and his wife?”
Toni nodded. “Things work differently over here. Mr. Wang is of Chinese heritage.”
“And that is important why?”
“The Chinese like to do business with people they know. In this instance, Mr. Wang needs a chance to get to know you so that he is comfortable with you handling the construction of his building.”
Douglas interrupted her. “But we already signed the contract.”
She couldn’t hide a smile. “See. This is the first mistake foreigners usually make. A contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written until the two parties get to know and trust each other.”
She expected him to get angry at her, like her clients normally did, and give her a lecture in contract law, blah blah blah. But much to her surprise, he didn’t.
He kept quiet for a long time and when he talked again, he fired questions at her. She startled for a moment. Mr. I’m-Perfectly-Capable asks me about my opinion?
Toni answered them all, to the best of her knowledge, and was amazed at how perceptive he was. She’d expected him to challenge her, but instead, he listened and seemed receptive to her suggestions.
“So, can you put together a lead sheet? Just the basic facts about Wang Li. I want to study up on him before our dinner meeting.”
She looked at him with wide eyes, but nodded, “Sure. I’ll have something for you before the end of the day.”
“Thanks.”
Toni stood up and left his office. Maybe he’s not that bad after all?
Chapter 5
Toni returned to her office and put together the information on Wang Li and his wife. It took her twice as long as it should have because she was all keyed up from seeing Douglas again. Her knees felt weak and her heart rate still hadn’t slowed down. She felt her pulse beating in her temples and that made it hard to concentrate on business stuff. That and the constant flashes of his gorgeous body in the pool going through her mind.
She dropped her head into her hands. Something must be done. I need to get a handle on him.
When she finally finished up the lead sheet, she tried to bury herself in the company books once again, but couldn’t concentrate if her life depended on it. Her mind kept wandering. While she was excited to be starting a new project, she felt that emptiness creeping in once again. She felt like she was missing something, but what? Maybe I should take an adult time-out. A sabbatical so I can decide what to do next with my life.
She had been slightly unfulfilled for a while now. She knew she couldn’t travel for the rest of her life; and someday soon, she’d have to get a ‘real job’ and stay in the same place for more than a few months. Once she became more stationary, then she would allow herself to think about a boyfriend. Then again, maybe she’d just stay single. Her track record with relationships was horrible.
After another thirty minutes of fruitless labor, she realized she was getting nowhere. She sent a text to her friend, Tricia, and smiled when the response arrived within seconds.
Drinks?
Heck, yeah!
Where?
I’ll meet you outside your office.
Toni closed her phone and then signed off her computer. Now she just had to get out of the building without seeing Douglas again. She peeked out her door and when Abby wasn’t at her desk, she skirted around her desk and then took the service elevator down to the street level. She felt silly sneaking out of work, but she’d had enough of that brand of distraction for one day.
“Hey, Beautiful,” Tricia waved to her as she stepped out into the hot, humid air.
“Hi,” Toni told her, giving her a hug.
“Tough day?” Tricia asked, looking Toni over.
Toni schooled her features. “No more than usual for the first day. How about we go drink some tea?”
“Tea?” Tricia asked in mock horror. “No! We’re going to the newest cocktail bar on this end of Kuala Lumpur.”
“Cocktail bar?” Toni asked.
“Yes! You’ll love it.”
Toni wasn’t sure she agreed, but she allowed Tricia to hook her elbow in her own and pull her along the crowded sidewalk. The cocktail bar was a short distance away. It was still early in the evening, so they had no problem finding a nice secluded booth in which to catch up.
She had met Tricia on her first visit to Kuala Lumpur, and since Asia Bank’s main office was based out of the bustling city, Toni came back once every few months. They’d soon become best friends and Toni always made time to get together with her when she was in town.
Tricia was half Chinese and half American, and so full of life sometimes Toni got exhausted just listening to her talk about her escapades. She liked to party, and she made a point of meeting and knowing everything and everyone important in the city.
Tricia ordered for them both, and the waitress delivered two fruity concoctions that at first sip, numbed her tongue and made her eyes water.
“Good?” Tricia asked, sipping her own drink.
“Strong,” Toni replied.
“So, tell me what has you strung so tight,” Tricia invited.
Toni shrugged her shoulders, not sure how much she wanted to reveal about the workings of her mind this day.
Tricia looked at her and Toni knew she was about to get one of Tricia’s famous lectures on what she needed in her life. “You need to get yourself a man.”
Toni shook her head, but Tricia waved her hand and continued, “You’ve been single for much too long. I’m not suggesting you go looking for a man to marry, but finding yourself someone to snuggle up and have some fun with. Yeah. That’s what you need.”
“I don’t need a man,” Toni insisted.
“So, just how hot is the new boss man you have to keep under control?” Tricia asked her, raising only one brow.
“Scorching hot.” Toni clapped her hand over her mouth; she had so not meant to say that!
“Tell me more. What’s his name?”
“Douglas Armstrong of Stronger Constructions.”
“Douglas. Strong name. You should go for it.”
“No!”
“Why not?”
Toni searched for a reason, “Because…because…well, he’s my client.” Because I’m way too attracted to him. That’s why!
“Come on, don’t be so old-fashioned. Did you know that over half of the couple’s first hooked up at work?”
“I’m not trying to hook up with Douglas,” she said exasperated, but then continued in a calmer voice. “To tell you the truth, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately.”
&nb
sp; “About?”
“Life in general. I can’t keep living out of a suitcase forever.”
Tricia grinned at her. “Good girl. I’ve been telling you that for ages. Why don’t you take some time off? You work too much. Go on a vacation or take a sabbatical and figure out what you want to do next.”
Toni was amazed at how closely Tricia’s suggestion matched her own thoughts of earlier. Maybe after this project is finished I’ll do that. I’ll take a sabbatical and figure out what I want to do next. I’m only twenty-nine. That’s a good age to make some major changes.
When she came home later that night, she fell fast asleep, confident that things would somehow work out – after this project.
***
Douglas woke up the next morning and quickly gathered his workout clothes. He couldn’t wait to get to the gym and pool. On the way up, his pulse sped up and he broke out in sweat even before leaving the air-conditioned elevator. What if Toni is up there? What if she’s not?
He’d never felt such attraction to a woman before. It was disconcerting. He didn’t need a distraction; he needed all his focus for the job at hand.
The last night, he’d had a hard time getting her off his mind, finally coming to the decision he didn’t like her. Her job was to second guess all of his decisions and make him look like he wasn’t able to handle his position. It doesn’t matter. You’re here for business, not for love. Remember?
While working out vigorously to get her out of his system, he thought about his first day on the job. And just like that, she was in his mind again. Try as he might, he couldn’t get her out of his head.
He’d decided to not like her, but then he had to give her credit where credit was due. She had already organized a meeting with Wang Li, the man who was paying for and would own the Wang Li Tower. The richest man in Malaysia. How did she get a meeting set up with him so quickly?
He pretended to be irritated or angry at her taking things into her own hands, without even consulting him first, but he couldn’t. Shit! He actually admired the fact, that despite his opposition to her presence, she hadn’t been the least bit intimidated by him. She had dug in and got things going. No doubt she was organized, and had done this a time or two before. She seemed to have a plan of attack already in mind for his project and he found it hard to be upset by that.
But, Toni could have at least asked me about the meeting. What if I wasn’t available tomorrow night? She didn’t even have the courtesy to check with me. Okay, that was a thought he could work on to conjure up the rage against her he needed to really really dislike her. He put more weights onto the bench press. A good workout always helped to clear his mind. Clear her out of it.
But then it occurred to him that a man like Wang Li probably set the meeting time and place. Not her. So how could he be angry with her?
He continued his strenuous workout with a hundred pushups and even more sit-ups. His abs burnt like hell and when he had to pause to catch his breath, he was bathed in sweat and realized he still hadn’t pushed the frustration or confusion away. That woman really got under my skin!
Grabbing his towel, he enters the changing area to take a shower and turns the water to ice cold. Maybe this will help get my mind back to where it belongs.
The cold shower did its trick and he felt much better after rinsing off his sweat – until he stepped out of the changing room to glance out the glass partition wall. His body instantly responded when he saw Toni in the pool. His arousal made him feel like a school boy again. He dropped his towel in front of his groin, mentally cursing the thin work out shorts he favored. They did nothing to conceal his erection.
Realizing there was no way he could speak with her without her witnessing exactly how turned on he was, he fixed his eyes to the floor and rushed for the elevator. He didn’t stop to greet her, or even acknowledge the fact that she had obviously seen him working out.
When the elevator arrived, and the door closed, he finally breathed a sigh of relief. And then he cringed. It’s going to be nothing short of a living hell to work with her if I get a hard-on every time she gets near me. Now I have something new to worry about.
Chapter 6
Toni had been thinking about what her friend Tricia had said the night before. Had she been too long without a man? And, what would it hurt if she flirted a bit with Douglas?
She had discarded those thoughts; that was just not her style. And he’s not my type. She huffed a laugh at herself as she called herself a liar. Who was she kidding here? Douglas was the hottest guy she’d ever seen. And that tattoo he had on his back was killer. It was hidden completely when he was dressed in business clothes, but she’d seen it yesterday in the pool and it propelled him from scorching hot to out-of-this-world-hotter-than-hell hot.
His tattooed dragon reached from one shoulder to the other, and when he’d been swimming, it had appeared to move with every stroke of his muscled arms. She’d caught herself watching, fascinated. Not that she’d let him know that. Ever.
Staring at him seemed to be her newest hobby, just a few moments ago she’d done it again; fascinated when he did pushups. She’d come from the locker room and passed the glass wall to the gym on her way to the pool not knowing he was inside. She hadn’t meant to spy on him, but she was so mesmerized by his movements, she’d been momentarily frozen in place.
Even though he’d been wearing a tank top, she couldn’t make out the tattoo between his shoulders and found herself disappointed. But she quickly took solace in looking at the terrific rest of him.
His tight tank top dripping with sweat clung to his equally dripping body so that she saw every movement of his strong back muscles. His biceps moved and he continued to push his body up and down. Her mouth hung open, while she was drooling over the spectacle in front of her for several minutes.
When he suddenly stopped and turned to do sit ups, her momentary paralysis disappeared as she quickly fled and jumped into the cool water. It was embarrassing enough to drool over him, she didn’t need him catching her doing so.
Unfortunately, the cool water hadn’t helped much. Her stomach was tight and her body felt like going up in flames; she felt a hot moisture between her legs that had nothing to do with being immersed in the pool.
She caught another glimpse of him when he emerged from the locker room and she held her breath. Please don’t come into the pool! When he didn’t, and rushed to the elevator as if the devil was chasing him, disappointment spread throughout her body and mind. What the hell is going on with me?
Toni emerged from the pool, grabbed a towel and returned to her apartment, to shower and get ready for the office. She didn’t dare to shower in the pool area, afraid he might show up again.
Even though she had decided to dislike him, he was a joy to work with. After the disaster of their first meeting, he had actually listened to what she had to say. And he seemed willing to implement the suggestions she’d already made.
But he never agreed to her suggestions without first asking her for the reasons and challenging her to come up with a better idea. It had bothered her at first, but she’d soon recognized that her brain geared into overdrive when he challenged her that way. He didn’t do it to be an ass, but to get the very best results.
She almost enjoyed their little banter – almost. When she made several suggestions that morning, he continued to push her to come up with better ideas; she had to hide a grin. Douglas Armstrong, I have you figured out.
He was a great boss and as far as she could judge, all of his employees liked him. He had a certain way to get the best out of everyone. After witnessing his working style, she easily understood why he had such a good name in the industry. He treats his people well. I like that. Oh no, I don’t like him. At all. Never.
In the afternoon, he proposed to visit the construction site for the first time. Did she hear right? None of the other company bosses she’d worked with had ever done that. Not in the early stage anyways, the workers had barely broken the gro
und for the cellar, there wasn’t much to be seen yet, just dust and gravel.
He must have noticed her shock because he asked, “Afraid to leave the safe confinement of your office?”
Hell she was! She’d been to plenty of construction sites, and she’d show him how afraid she was! “Off course not. Mr. Douglas. I was surprised. My former clients usually didn’t do that in the early stages of the construction work.”
He approached her and his masculine smell hit her right into her stomach. Her legs turned to mush and she had difficulties steadying herself. For a short moment, she saw something deep and soft in his eyes, but they quickly turned to business mode, when he said to her, “Please call me Douglas.”
Her throat was dry as sandpaper and she had no idea how she managed to press an, “Okay, Mr. Douglas” from her lips.
On the way to the construction site she questioned him about this little field trip, and he answered with an innocent face. “I’m a hands-on guy, I like to get my hands dirty. There’s nothing like being right where the action is.”
I’d love you to get your hands dirty with me. Heat coiled low in her belly and she had to suck in tiny breaths, while her mind took a little side trip. Stop it! He’s your client. You don’t even like him. Remember? You don’t even like him.
At the site, Douglas greeted and spoke with all of the workers, further surprising her. In Asia, she was used to the important people not treating the ‘lower’ ranks well. Those who owned companies and had money didn’t associate with those beneath them.
She personally hated that aspect of this culture, but this is how all their Asian customers behaved. Surprisingly, most of her US customers acted the same way once they knew it would be tolerated.
One more reason to like Douglas. He’s such a fine man. Hey, I’m not liking him. This is just business. Remember?
Chapter 7
Douglas was going over some papers when Toni appeared in his door. Like always, his heart took a jump when he saw her. He’d tried his best to ignore is attraction for her, but his body wouldn’t listen to him.
Surprised by Love: A Contemporary Romance (The Armstrongs Book 4) Page 3
