“Ms. Malone, I’m so glad I caught you. I have been asked to call you with a change of plans for today’s meeting with Mr. Noble. He seems to be running a little behind schedule and has asked that you meet him at a restaurant near your hotel as opposed to the office. He hasn’t eaten yet and would like to cover the meeting as well as lunch at the same time. I hope this isn’t an imposition for you?” the lady asked in a professional and polite tone.
“No, not at all,” Meg replied.
“Okay, there is a chauffeur outside your hotel. He’s driving a black limo; tell him your name, he’s waiting for you.” They ended the call politely, and Meg headed for the elevator, wondering how the hell they knew what hotel she was staying at. Frank must have told them was her guess.
On the way down, her mind started working overtime and admittedly she was still feeling a little anxious about the whole meeting thing. Once outside, she spotted the black limo parked at the curb. The driver stepped out to greet her when he noticed she was walking in his direction. He politely held the door open, “Ms. Malone?” he asked.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Please step inside, ma’am. Mr. Noble is running a little behind schedule today, and we need to be on our way.”
“No problem, I understand.” She took a seat in the back of the limo, adjusting her skirt so it wouldn’t wrinkle. She looked curiously out the window at the city coming into view as they took to the streets of Manhattan. Tall buildings came to life and she couldn’t help but notice how many people were hurriedly walking along the sidewalks and bumping into one another. Cabbies beeped at pedestrians while rushing to cross the intersections. Tour buses were crawling slowly in the right lanes while cabbies cut them off; it was pure and simple chaos Meg thought to herself. Toronto was busy but nothing compared to this.
Meg mentally prepared herself to answer any questions she anticipated Mr. Noble would have. Her thoughts then shifted to food when she realized how hungry she was after her workout this morning. She had skipped breakfast and settled for a coffee instead and now regretted it.
The limo pulled up to the curb on their right. She took note they were parked in front of Grand Central Station. Then felt silly when she realized how close her hotel was. She could very easily have walked the three blocks to get here. Well, maybe not in these shoes, she thought. The driver came around and held the door open. Pointing toward the entrance into Grand Central Station, he instructed Meg to go inside, walk down the flight of stairs through the main entrance and that would take her directly into the station. “Take the stairs going up, once inside to your left,” he said. “You will find the restaurant to your immediate right when you reach the top floor. The name of the restaurant is Michael Jordan’s. Let the maitre d’ know that you have a reservation under the name of Noble. Enjoy your day, Ms. Malone,” he said before turning to leave.
She thanked the driver and made her way into Grand Central Station. It was extremely busy inside. People stood about taking in the art work. The famous clock hanging high on the wall was a piece that Meg was sure everyone was familiar with from countless movies filmed right here at Grand Central Station. The architecture and details of the building were truly amazing, and she wished she had more time to look around.
She took in a deep shaky breath and recalled the driver’s instructions that would lead her easily to the restaurant. Once at the top of the stairs, she let the maitre d’ know she was here for a business meeting and that reservations were under the name of Mr. Noble. Meg was immediately escorted to her seat. He wasn’t here yet, she noted, which was great in her opinion. She needed a glass of wine to loosen up a little. Meg took a long look around and absorbed her surroundings. What if he doesn’t drink while doing business? On an empty stomach, she knew it would go straight to her head and decided to skip the alcohol for now. The waiter approached her table, placed a tall glass of ice water, and a glass of red wine in front of her. She looked at him curiously. Thinking he must have read her mind.
His voice was warm and friendly when he greeted her. “Ms. Malone, Mr. Noble sends his sincere apologies for running late. Unfortunately, he is stuck in traffic and asked that I make sure you were comfortable and well taken care of. This wine is our very best and exclusive to Michael Jordan’s restaurant. I do hope it’s to your liking. Mr. Noble asked that you sit tight until he arrives. We are expecting him within the hour,” he assured her.
Meg thanked the kind waiter for the wine and engaged in a nice long sip. The moment the texture hit her tongue, she thought she had died and gone to heaven. She decided it would be best to take her time and enjoy the velvety smoothness of the dark liquid. If she drank too quickly on an empty stomach, she knew the rest of the afternoon would be very interesting indeed.
She checked the time. Oh dear God, in half an hour or less I am going to be sitting across from some stuffy NY suit. The reality of the situation sank in real fast then. Frank is relying on me to make this sale a success and answer any questions without hesitation. “Hesitation will only make you look as though you are hiding something or that you have no clue what you are talking about,” she recalled Frank telling her. “Keep your answers short, Meg, and to the point.”
Meg knew it was important to focus and confidence would be a definite key to making this meeting as seamless as possible. The fact that she might be out of a job soon played wearily on her mind. Meg didn’t realize her eyes were closed until the waiter approached the table. “Are you okay, Ms. Malone?”
She cleared her throat. “Yes, sorry. I guess I was deep in thought there for a moment, but I’m fine. Thank you for your concern.”
“How is the wine? Would you like me to top it off for you?”
“It’s wonderful, thank you, but I’m not so sure that topping me up is such a good idea. I’m afraid I’m on an empty stomach and this is already going to my head,” she laughed lightly. “But can I ask you something?” Not giving him the opportunity to answer, she continued, “My guess is you have reserved the rights to this wine? And if I were to inquire about purchasing a bottle, I am most likely out of luck, is that correct?”
He chuckled. “Yes, Ms. Malone. I’m afraid we do reserve the rights to the wine you seem to be enjoying so much, but let me see what I can do to get you a bottle before you leave. It’s not customary for us to sell it,” he winked at her before continuing. “We’ll have to keep that between us.”
“Do you mind telling me how much a bottle would cost? My curiosity is getting the better of me.”
“Why, yes, absolutely,” he replied with a kind smile. “One bottle is six hundred dollars. Would you like me to go ahead and put one aside for you?”
Meg’s mouth dropped and her eye’s flew open. “Ah, thank you, but that won’t be necessary...maybe next time though.” She smiled at the waiter. Who am I kidding!
He returned the smile, making sure not to embarrass her; he leaned in and in a low voice he whispered, “Not many customers purchase the entire bottle, so don’t be embarrassed, my dear, but do enjoy the glass and savor that taste. It’s a wonderful wine.”
“Thank you, sir. I will be sure to sip slowly and enjoy every last drop,” she winked in embarrassment.
“You’re not from New York, are you?” he asked, more of a statement than a question.
“No, I’m American. I grew up in Wisconsin, before moving to Canada to attend university there.”
His eyebrows shot up in interest. “Oh? Where in Canada?” he asked.
“Why do you ask, have you been?” Meg replied, curious as to why it seemed to intrigue him.
“Yes, as a matter of fact, many times. I happen to have an aunt that moved there years ago when she married a gentleman from Canada.”
“Where exactly in Canada does she live?”
“She lives in Toronto, in the downtown area. I used to visit her every summer as a young boy. I have many fond memories from when I was there.”
“That’s great,” Meg responded thoughtfully. “It i
s a beautiful place and full of a variety of different cultures. I live in the downtown area myself, and I’m pretty happy there.”
“Well, enjoy your afternoon, Ms. Malone. If you need anything at all, just look my way and I will be right over.” He winked at her reassuringly.
“Thank you, I appreciate your kindness and will certainly let you know if I need anything,” she assured him. The waiter nodded politely before walking away.
Meg sat back and took a long look around. She quickly discovered the attraction of Michael Jordan’s restaurant. Surprisingly enough, one would think with an open concept settled above the hustle and bustle of Grand Central Station that it would be filled with the loud sounds of people and trains coming and going. But despite the openness, it wasn’t noisy at all.
Music played low in the background, a little jazzy for her liking but definitely suitable for the ambiance it set within the restaurant. Most people appeared to be leaving after finishing their lunch, likely heading back to their office for the afternoon. The chair she settled in to on the balcony gave her a direct view of Grand Central Station. She absorbed the interesting pictures that were hung about the restaurant. Meg expected to see a variety of pictures with Michael Jordan playing basketball. Oddly enough, there were only two. The other pictures were interesting. The rustic wheels of a train etched in black and white spread across the top of the wall; the picture was broken up into three separate pieces and hung above two private booths tucked away behind the wall. The restaurant was trendy and upbeat, suitable for a business meeting she thought to herself.
Chapter 9
Meg stared silently ahead and fidgeted nervously with the napkin in front of her. A tall dark-haired man stood before her. He seemed to have come from nowhere. He removed his suit jacket and carefully draped it over the back of the chair directly across the table from her. Slowly, he pulled out the chair and took a seat. The tall dark handsome suit settled halfway in just before extending his long arm out to greet Meg in a firm handshake. Meg leaned slightly forward to take his hand and returned the firm grip. His hand was large and covered hers entirely. “Sorry I’m late,” he said, offering her an immediate apology. “My previous engagement went on a little longer than expected, and I’ve been stuck in traffic for the past hour, but that’s New York for you,” he looked at her and grinned. Perfect white teeth displayed against his dark golden skin. He exhumed confidence, and immediately Meg sensed his powerful presence within the room. She was taken aback by his good looks. She swallowed hard and her mouth went completely dry. He’s fucking gorgeous. Dressed in a very expensive black business suit, Armani no doubt, Meg almost swallowed her tongue as she watched him closely.
His strong muscular form was well defined under the white crisp dress shirt he sported. She eagerly took in every single detail all the way down to his narrow waist. Well, as far down as she could go before the table cut off her view. No doubt the man works out vigorously. There was no way in hell shoulders like his came naturally. Her mind quickly filled with wicked thoughts of him draped over her body. She might not be experienced, but she was definitely in tune with her body parts. How the hell am I going to make it through this conversation when all I can think about is what he could do to me? And I would let him.
His face was clean-shaven, eyes the color of the sky on a clear sunny day, with long dark eyelashes bringing out a vibrant shade of blue. His eyelashes were long and thick and it almost appeared as though he were wearing eyeliner. But there was definitely nothing feminine about this man. His lips were perfectly chiseled. Meg pinched herself under the table. This can’t be real. He’s a dream, and I need to wake the hell up. Even his bone structure was perfect and outlined his beautiful masculine face. Thick dark curls hung just above his broad shoulders with a few loose curls that hung low over his eyebrows. This man had the undeniable look of sin and sex and was, without a doubt, the most breathtakingly beautiful man Meg had ever seen. He wasn’t at all what she expected. She squeezed her thighs together to ease the tingling sensation and her toes curled painfully in the stilettos she was wearing.
After holding her breath for what seemed like forever, she exhaled slowly, letting go of the pent up desire that coursed through her body within the two short minutes of meeting him. Her hand still trembled slightly from his touch when he shook her hand. An undeniable jolt of electricity worked itself through her body without warning. She sat back and stared in complete awe before realizing she was openly gawking at him. Embarrassed, she looked away for a moment, but only for a moment. She couldn’t look away for long. The sight in front of her was far too inviting. I can’t wait to tell Sarah about this.
She drew in his masculine scent, the combined smell of fresh air and the unquestionable muskiness of a man and expensive cologne was driving her wild. Her face flushed and she felt a pool of desire fill her panties, her nipples went on high alert and were sensitive against the material of her bra. Shit, I hope my nipples are behaving and not giving away the exact thoughts that are going through my head. For God’s sake, get a grip, Meg.
* * * *
Meg figured if she didn’t manage to pull this deal off successfully, she definitely intended to enjoy the view and that was a given. She watched intently as the tall dark handsome gentleman sat back and studied her.
Thank you, God! He looked at the woman sitting across the table from him. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her if he tried. He thought for sure she would be much older and unattractive. He never would have guessed she would be this extraordinarily beautiful. Slowly he let his gaze sweep over her, until it wandered lower, where he stared appreciatively at her breasts. Although they were covered in the tight white blouse she was wearing, the swell of her breasts were perfect and his mouth watered at the sight of her. He shifted awkwardly trying to adjust to the hardness growing between his legs. He focused on her face again and noticed immediately he was caught red-handed ogling her, but he didn’t give a shit. He wouldn’t turn the same shade of red that appeared on her lovely face. She was either shy or felt the same immediate attraction he did. Her lips were sensual, and he was dying to bury himself in that mouth of hers. Get a grip, man. This is business. But he couldn’t stop the thoughts going through his head. Wicked thoughts of him doing all kinds of nasty things to her.
* * * *
The sexiest voice flowed across the table reaching inside her head after he cleared his throat. “Ms. Malone, finally we meet. I hope you enjoyed the wine I had delivered to you while you were waiting?”
Meg thought he looked a little perturbed with himself that he was running late. Now that he was here, she didn’t care, he was worth waiting for. Hell, if she knew he looked this good, she would have waited an eternity. Words, I need to form a coherent word here. “Oh, yes, it was heavenly.” Heavenly? For God sake, Meg, couldn’t you come up with a better word than heavenly. You’re going straight to hell for the thoughts going through your head alone at this very moment. “Thank you,” she managed to choke out and watched as his gaze roamed once again over her face and traveled down her neck. She wanted to know exactly what was going through that beautiful head of his. A light film of sweat covered her skin and she felt a flush of pink reach her cheeks again as they took one another in. There was a definite sizzle in the air between them. Her eyes drifted down to his hands and she took notice of how long and masculine his fingers were. They were perfectly groomed and a shiver ran through her at the thought of those hands slowly creeping up her inner thighs. There was no indication of a wedding band, and she wondered if he had a girlfriend. He tilted his head to the side and with a slight smile he asked, “Are you okay, Ms. Malone?” His voice was like raw silk, low deep and so God damn sexy. She snapped out of it when she realized he was talking to her. “Yes, everything’s fine, I umm, I’m sorry.” She straightened her posture, not quite sure what to say to him.
“Well, I don’t mean to embarrass you, but I have to admit, it’s a pleasure to meet you and if you don’t mind my saying so, i
t’s a delight to be in the presence of such a beautiful woman. I don’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable in any way, but it’s usually a man sitting across the table from me doing business. I have to admit, this is a welcome change.” His smile was warm and sincere and yes, a little playful.
Holy shit, the man has a way with words, even if he is feeding me a line of crap because he had me waiting for so long. What is that slight accent I detect? A little bit of New York mixed in with a hint of Boston or maybe Native Californian? God, he’s so dreamy. I hope he talks a lot because I could listen to that voice all afternoon. Meg thanked him for the compliment before she continued. “I like the restaurant, looks like a lot of business meetings take place here. It was pretty busy when I walked in. But it seems the lunch rush has subsided.” Meg smiled, giving him her most charming smile.
The dimple in her right cheek gave her the most adoring look. He wanted to reach over and touch her face, to see for himself if her skin was as silky as it appeared. “I like it here, the service is phenomenal and the food is good,” he responded.
Oh God, keep talking.
“I hope I haven’t left you waiting too long, Ms. Malone?”
Meg shifted slightly in her seat at the dull ache between her legs that refused to go away. Call me Meg or Meggie. Ms. Malone seems old and far too businesslike. She could imagine her name falling from that delicious mouth of his. Ummm “Not too long,” she lied. “I finished the glass of wine you sent over when I first arrived, but I have to confess, I drank it rather quickly. The taste was amazing and I’ve never tasted anything like it.”
“Good, I’m glad you enjoyed it. It happens to be one of my favorites,” he admitted and winked in her direction.
I am so screwed. Everything he says and does has an effect on me, making my insides melt.
He eased back into his seat, “Shall we get started?”
Meggie's Secret Page 11
