Sealing the Deal (Business and Pleasures)

by Valentina Lovecraft

  “So… I’m sensing you’re not happy to see me?” He questioned, arching an inquisitive eyebrow.

  Rin took a moment to swallow a mouthful of tea, then turned to face him. He looked so innocent she nearly laughed.

  “Jensen, I might as well come right out with it.”

  He remained quiet and gorgeous, which was helpful. She didn’t want him to gum up her annoyance with his sweet talk.

  “I generally have trust issues with men. You played a big part in that, but that’s neither here nor there.”

  She stopped to sip.

  “I have let myself get too attached to you, and I think it’s going to end badly for me,” she said, still plotting out what she was actually trying to tell him, she didn’t really want to mention her feelings about this afternoon.

  The calm drained away and he suddenly looked crestfallen. He opened his mouth to interject, but Rin continued.

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to see each other anymore.” Her heart screamed at her as she said the words.

  “Rin, before you continue can I at least tell you how I feel?” he asked, cool again, but sadness coloured his words. She sat back and looked at him properly. He had obviously not expected this as an outcome when he had turned up. She observed him objectively, his nearly shoulder-length hair, the designer stubble and square jaw, his full lips and chiseled features. She looked to his chocolate eyes last, and instantly they put their spell on her, and she forgot why she had wanted to push him away.

  “I don’t usually make much effort with women. I'm not the kind of guy to settle, so it’s always been easier to keep it simple and quick, and just move on.”

  He frowned then tried again.

  “Not that anything in the past matters now, I don’t feel like that with you. I… I’m always thinking about you. I had wanted to ask you before, last night actually, how you felt about…us.”

  He paused looking away.

  “You don’t want to see me anymore?” he asked quietly, and Rin felt like crying, but she held it together.

  “That’s not what I mean,” she said getting confused, she didn’t want him to think she wasn’t interested, but she really didn’t know what to do, about herself, about him. She wished she could pause time to have a real think before she spoke.

  “I, I don’t trust you. And I don’t want to get hurt,” she said feeling cruel, the prickle of tears burning behind her eyes.

  His expression changed, and conflicted briefly.

  “Why don’t you trust me?” he asked flatly. She considered seeing him with that woman again and the rage from earlier flashed before her eyes.

  “Two reasons, your reputation precedes you for one.” She said and paused.

  “Okay that’s something I’m aware of, but what is the other reason?” he asked and downed his coffee.

  “Today I saw you, you and some blonde woman. I saw you give her your card, and then I saw you hug. But I didn't stick around. I saw enough to make me reevaluate things.”

  She watched for his reactions, but he didn’t squirm or look uncomfortable. He didn’t give anything away. He just half smiled and twirled the empty cup on the work top.

  “So anything you want to add?” she asked beginning to get annoyed.

  “Ok, So I wasn’t going to tell you until next week, when I have sorted everything out, but I’ve just got the lease for a shop front, to use as a studio.”

  Rin frowned, a studio for what? How is this anything to do with that smoker bitch? She thought bitterly.

  “I have been pretty busy arranging stuff, but I still need a lot done, so I hired a PA to get the ball rolling. The blonde woman you saw me with earlier is my new PA; I have worked with her on another project when I lived in New York, I only found out she had moved to London a week ago.”

  He looked at her, and she saw a hint of pain flash over his calm demeanor. She hurt him with her mistrust.

  She was quiet for too long, but finally found her voice.

  “What are you using a studio for?”

  “It’s actually going to be a gallery too. I'm an artist. Since I returned home I haven’t had a chance to paint so I found somewhere that I could do that.”

  He didn’t look at her again, she could tell that her lack of knowledge translated as lack of interest in him, it had added to the sting of mistrust. She sighed. He hadn't done anything wrong, she was just freaking out.

  “I’m sorry Jensen. I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything."

  She rubbed a hand over her face.

  "Can we forget about all this? And carry on like before?”

  He looked at the hand she placed on his arm then back to the work top.

  “Yeah. sure,” he said avoiding her eyes and stood up.

  “I’ll let you get back to your bath.”

  He leaned over her and kissed her cheek bone before walking out her front door.

  Rin watched him leave, feeling crappy. She heard the front door close, then burst into tears.

  Chapter 9

  Jensen looked out across the city from his lounge window. He had just spoken to his sister and felt conflicted. She had called to catch up but had eventually spiralled into a rant over the shared responsibilities between herself and Rin. Nobody knew that he and Rin had been seeing each other. Anaise had caught them kissing at the wake, but had put that down to his habit of pulling any woman available in a crisis. She would not have been so caustic if she had had the first clue about his true feelings.

  It was late Friday afternoon, before the call, he had been hoping to see Rin. He had been hurt by her confession, but he didn’t blame her. He did have quite the back catalogue, but it still made his heart ache that she would jump straight to the wrong conclusion.

  Anaise had just informed him of her latest task for Rin, a meeting with a longstanding account, the illustrious French Jewellers ‘La Subjectivité.’ She planned to fly out with Rin tonight, but make an excuse last minute and leave Rin at the airport to take the reins.

  Jac Babineaux, the owner of La Subjectivité, was notorious for his short temper and general rudeness, the reason why Anaise was keen on avoiding him. He had been one of his father’s first exclusive contracts when the company was still in its fledgling years, they had always had a good working relationship, but now he was gone, Monsieur Babineaux wanted to sound out the replacements. If he had not have been so close with Rin, he could probably sympathise with Anaise's feelings, but he had heard about Rin's successes from both his father and sister long before he had met her, which was why she had been chosen. He knew that by now Anaise should have gotten over the co-chairmanship and was just being a brat.

  He sipped his coffee and debated on what to do, if he alerted Rin, Anaise would know that he had gone behind her back. If he let Rin go to Paris alone and unprepared, it would reflect badly on the company, Anaise was not thinking past her own gratification here, she was literally willing to affect their business. Furthermore, and most important to Jensen, Rin would no doubt be upset. He couldn’t stand idly by knowing that.

  Chapter 10

  Sighing and pacing Rin was getting nervous. She had picked up the envelope containing the tickets and was waiting near the check-in desk as Anaise had asked her to, she knew they were meeting a client in the morning, but she had no idea who. Anaise had been in such a rush when she had phoned, instructing her to ready an overnight bag and meet her at the airport with the tickets. She was already an hour and a half late though, and if she didn’t check in soon they would not make the flight.

  Phoning Anaise for what seemed like the thousandth time, she left yet another message on the answer phone, at a loss at what else to do. Should she just leave without her? As that thought crossed her mind, she heard fast footsteps approach from behind.

  “Hey Red! Fancy seeing you here!” Jensen strode towards her. He wore an Italian charcoal suit with a pale grey shirt and silk tie in a matching colour. He looked a million dollars, and Rin was speechless for a few s
econds, then she noticed he had a case with him.

  “What the? Did you know I was here?” she asked, unwilling to believe it could be coincidence.

  “Yes, Anaise got called away, something about a massive misunderstanding with some client files, she didn’t call you?”

  Her frown answered his question.

  “Well, I’m here in her stead. You are meeting with Jac Babineaux, the owner of La Subjectivité. You will need to bring you’re A game. He's a ball breaker,” he said plucking the tickets from her hand and marching to the desk. Rin gasped. She had heard about him, how she had not met him in all her years at the firm perplexed her.

  “Wait a minute, you mean to tell me, she sent you, rather than any of the other staff, any of the long list of brown nosers that would kill for this opportunity to meet a big player. She sent someone who doesn’t even work, at the company?” she replied skeptically, fixing him with the look.

  He meekly avoided replying by taking charge of checking their bags in and hurrying her to the gate.

  “You are correct, there are plenty of company men willing to be here beside you, but you are forgetting, that I am Michael's only son. I’ve already met this guy, and I will not allow you to travel to Paris, the city of romance, with any other man.”

  Rin smiled to herself as they went to board the plane, she couldn’t argue with that logic.

  The flight from London to Paris was short. Rin soon realised that she had no idea where they were booked to stay but that didn’t matter. She was the chairwoman. It was nothing to charge another room to the company and Jensen knew of an extraordinarily expensive hotel that overlooked the Place de l’Etoile and the famous Arc de Triomphe.

  Rin had been on countless business trips, but this was the only time she felt like an excited schoolgirl on her first trip away from home. Staying in Paris in such decadence with the most gorgeous man she had ever laid eyes on was surreal and delightful. The bonus of not having to share this trip with Anaise, her not so best friend, was a massive relief.

  The only issue was the weird atmosphere that crept in every time there was silence. Rin had not brought up the trust issue or even spoken to Jensen since he had left her house. She had dialed his number into her phone countless times, but her thumb would hover over the call button until she lost her nerve again. She owed him an apology. She was still not convinced that she should continue seeing him, but the idea of not being around him anymore terrified her.

  Chapter 11

  The room was enormous, furnished in ornate rococo designs with a dark wood four-poster bed. Rin investigated the bathroom and to her excitement discovered a corner bath.

  Jensen had visited friends staying at this hotel when he was in Paris a few months ago, but had not stayed here himself, he had chosen this one for Rin as the decor and the views were beautiful.

  He had decided that he would use this weekend as the opportunity to sound out Rin's true feelings.

  He had orchestrated the perfect setting for the answer he wanted, out of coincidental timing and placement, it had to be a sign!

  “Did you bring anything less formal to wear?” he asked as she re-emerged from the bathroom. He eyed her appreciatively, she looked stylish but severe in the form hugging black cowl necked jacket and pencil skirt. She wore heels of at least 5 inches high, and he could tell from the whisper of her steps, she wore stockings.

  “I think so, but I packed in a hurry. I was looking for something in particular, but I’m sure I put in a handful of non-work items, the mess I’ll be coming home too! There are clothes all over my room now!” she replied, delving into her case. With a sigh of triumph she straightened up holding a silky item in forest green.

  “What did you have in mind?” she asked checking her wrist watch.

  “If you’re hungry there is a bistro down the street, if not there is a bar downstairs?” He offered, looking to the clothing in her hand and hoping she would put on another show for him.

  “Oh the bar sounds like a good idea. I'm really not hungry, just give me a minute.”

  She picked up her little velvet makeup bag and disappeared back to the bathroom closing the door behind her.

  Jensen pouted, realising there would be no striptease.

  Killing time he glanced in the mirror, he had not put enough product in his hair to keep it out of his face, it was getting to that length where he thought about chopping it all off. He located his comb and smoothed his hair back, wondering whether to change as well, but he was in a £10,000 custom-designed Italian suit. He may as well wear it tonight. He did look damn good if he did say so himself.

  He wandered how long it would be until the conversation continued from the previous night, she had been working hard to pretend it hadn’t happened, but he knew she was still bothered. He certainly was. It was quite obvious that she tried to keep him at arm’s length, but to find out she didn’t trust him stung.

  When she reappeared from the bathroom, Jensen had to compose himself. She wore a tight exotic green silk dress that clung to her curves, accentuating her valley of cleavage and shapely butt. She had unclipped her hair. It was straight and sleek today and seemed much longer than her usual bouncy curls.

  “You look beautiful,” he said.

  “Thanks, your looking pretty hot yourself.” She smiled.

  “Hey have you seen the view? Come out on the balcony.”

  He opened the glass doors. The room looked over a length of green and had a perfect view of the Arc de Triomphe. The balcony was encased by fancy wrought iron framework. She followed him outside to the small area, large enough to fit a little table, two chairs and a potted tree. Rin looked out at the French city and breathed deep in response to its beauty. Jensen took her hand. She didn’t turn from the view but smiled.

  “Rin…”

  He stopped to find the words.

  “You said you didn’t trust me. I want the chance to earn that from you.”

  She looked at him briefly before she blushed.

  “I’m sorry that I said that.”

  She down looked at her feet. He didn’t want to make her feel bad. He took a step closer and faced her.

  “That’s okay. I know my past is an issue, but there is nothing I can do about that now. Rin, I came here with you because Anaise was setting you up for a fall.”

  He stopped to let her react. Her face contorted for a second then her jaw clenched and she muttered something prolific.

  “She obviously doesn’t know I’ve been seeing you, or she would not have mentioned it to me. However, the point is, I’m only concerned with you. The company is none of my business, but I didn’t want you to be tricked into making a bad impression in front of the client.” He knew he had to find out if she was really interested now or lose his nerve again. She turned her crystal eyes to his.

  “I want to prove myself to you… I don’t know how yet, but you are all that I want.”

  He watched her, wondering if he should say more. She took a deep breath and stared at the horizon.

  “What are you asking?” she said slowly, her expression was unreadable. He swallowed, trying to ignore how nervous he suddenly felt before continuing.

  “I’m asking you how you feel, about me?” he replied, searching her face for the answer.

  “How I feel? I feel bad that I said I didn’t trust you…”

  She took a breath and closed her eyes.

  “When you left the other night I was really upset, until then I always thought it was dangerous to see you, you know, for the connotations it would have at the company… and that I generally don’t have the time for relationships. But, watching you walk away made me realise…”

  She blushed and dropped her eyes to the ground. Jensen smiled to himself.

  “I don’t want it to end, I guess I like you more than I let on.”

  She smiled sheepishly but couldn’t make eye contact.

  “You like me huh?” He teased, earning a half-hearted shove.

  “Well t
hat’s awesome, because I like you too!” He laughed, relieved.

  “Let’s go get drunk!”

  Chapter 12

  The bar was quiet. It was a large lounge room, with a grand piano on a shallow podium at one end, there were exquisite overstuffed couches arranged in small groups for social parties, and the walls were adorned with oil paintings that appeared to be centuries old.

  They had been sat at the bar drinking expensive concoctions for the last hour. Rin was starting to giggle a lot, the first sign of the drink’s effect.

  “Hey Jens, do you think this place has a pool?” She asked, her cerulean eyes wide with ideas.

  “I don’t know. You want to go swimming?” He replied, surprised at her question. She slid off the bar stool, cupping her glass in one hand and clasping his with the other.

  “Come on, let’s go and explore!” She pulled him up and exited the room through a door by the piano.

  Wandering through hallways and peering into darkened function rooms, they eventually descended to the lower levels. Jensen was about to suggest returning to their room when Rin opened the last door of the long hallway.

  “Ah ha!” She cried.

  The door opened to an ambient blue light and the warm haze of familiar chemicals; she had found an indoor pool. The pool itself was kidney bean shaped and there was a glass roof that revealed the stars in the night sky. The only light in the room emitted from the underwater pool lighting, it was inviting.

  Rin clattered noisily in her heels to the water’s edge and dipped her hand in.

  “It’s warm… I’m going in!”

  She smiled a wicked grin at Jensen and began to unfasten her shoes.

  “You don’t have anything to swim in!” Jensen laughed. He didn’t want to get wet, but he knew she would end up convincing him. He casually sipped at his bourbon and leaned against a pillar enjoying watching her. She didn’t undress seductively this time, but it was still a show to Jensen.