by MK Harkins
The desire to touch her grew stronger as each second passed. Why? Why now? She’s certainly not like anyone I’ve ever been attracted to before. She’s not my type. Repeat. Not my type.
She broke her gaze away first and looked down at her notes. Even though her complexion was pale, I saw a little flush of pink staining her cheeks. She cleared her throat, looked up and asked, “Mr. Decker, I presume?”
I felt rather lightheaded, like I was thirteen again, experiencing my first crush. I needed to move, and now. But, I couldn’t. All I could do was nod.
I felt a slap on my shoulder as Todd joined the group. “Hey everyone! I guess you’ve met Braydon already. I’m Todd, director of creative development. It’s great to meet you.” He approached the table and did what I should have done; he greeted our guests with a handshake.
I walked toward the table, unable to take my eyes away from her. She kept eye contact, but I could tell she felt uncomfortable. She glanced over at the man sitting on her left. I wondered irrationally if it was her boyfriend. My hands clenched at the thought.
“Excuse me,” I said to the group, turned, and made my exit. I dodged into the bathroom and shut the door. I needed cold water…now. Todd entered the room as I splashed handfuls over my face and neck.
“What the hell was that?” he asked.
I jumped back, hitting my head on the stall door. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” I was sweating, and my heart was racing a little too fast.
His eyebrows squished together. “Why did you leave the room like it was on fire?”
“I must’ve eaten something bad for breakfast. I thought it might come back up.” I felt sick, but it wasn’t exactly how I described.
“Wow. You never get sick. Okay, I’ll go back and make your excuses.”
“No!” I shouted.
Todd recoiled in response.
“Sorry. I want to talk to them myself,” I said, trying to regroup.
“Ooookay.” Now he looked at me like I was crazy. Which I probably was.
“Never mind. I’m fine, really. Let’s go back in before they leave.” I led him back toward the conference room.
“What’s the hurry?” His stride was quick as he tried to keep pace.
“They’re probably wondering what happened to us.” I continued to walk ahead while Todd followed close behind.
We reentered the room just in time to witness a heated discussion between the woman I was staring at and the other guy, her boyfriend? Hell. I wondered if he wanted to rip my eyes out after the way I stared at her earlier. I couldn’t help it; there was something about her. I’d hoped splashing water on my face would shake me out of it. No such luck.
The earpiece I’d slipped in before entering the room allowed me to hear every spoken word loud and clear. For personal reasons, I wanted to hear the conversation between her and the other man. I usually reserved that tactic for negotiations, but in this case, my curiosity got the better of me.
I took a quick glimpse at her again and felt the same pull as before, maybe even stronger. What was wrong with me?
EIGHT
Jain
“This building is impressive.” I stood on the sidewalk, staring at the gorgeous structure we were about to enter. Everything about it screamed money, and lots of it. Tasteful and elegant, from the ornate façade to the doorman assisting visitors, it was grand and impressive. I felt a little intimidated, to say the least. I let my head hang back as I scrutinized the forty or so stories. Maybe the building was purchased with the intent to intimidate? I’d heard that venture capitalists liked to show the world how successful they were.
“It’s now or never.” Colin took my arm, guiding me in the revolving doors. Martin followed close behind. I noticed both men were wide-eyed, impressed as I was, taking everything in.
Both Colin and Martin were dressed in their finest suits. Colin always looked good, but I’d never seen Martin out of a lab coat. At fifty-six, he still retained his youthful body and striking good looks.
“These venture capitalists don’t do so badly for themselves,” Martin said in a hushed voice.
“I guess not.” I sucked in a huge, cleansing breath. “Let’s do this!”
I grabbed Colin by one arm, and Martin by the other, and marched right in like we were characters from The Wizard of Oz.
“We’re off to see…”
Colin gave my arm a shake. “Don’t you dare! This is serious.” His business-like expression cracked a little.
“We don’t want to go into this meeting feeling desperate,” I responded. “We need a little levity.”
“You’re right. I guess I’m nervous. If they turn us down, I’m afraid we don’t have any more options. Braydon Decker was the only VC who agreed to a meeting. All the other calls have gone unanswered. We need to put on our A game.” Colin blinked rapidly, while he crossed and uncrossed his arms.
Colin had always been the goof between the two of us. To see him like this made me a little nervous. Why would they turn us down? We’re on the cutting edge of research. We had an impeccable reputation throughout the medical community. Everyone knew we were on the cusp of groundbreaking discoveries in the treatment and possible cure for ALS. They wouldn’t say no. Would they?
We entered the posh building and were greeted by a cheerleader-type receptionist. I mean, really? Did she have to bounce out of her seat, clap her hands together, and squeal our names?
“Hello! Good afternoon! Welcome to BCD funding. I’m happy to meet you. My name is Barbie.”
Oh, hell no. Colin, who had looked so serious a moment ago, bit his lip to keep from laughing. I, on the other hand, didn’t have the discipline. I attempted to stop the giggles that bubbled up from within me. Too late. Barbie’s head swung around, and her eyes narrowed slightly. Busted! I coughed to cover my faux pas. Colin helped by pounding me on the back, hard, much harder than necessary. I made a mental note to get him back later. I shot a peek at Martin, who gave me a ‘don’t you dare’ look. I’m not the jokester in the group. He should be keeping an eye on Colin. I hoped the rest of this meeting went better.
“Follow me!” Barbie rebounded back to her cheery disposition. She led us down a hallway so large, I was sure my entire condo could fit between each doorway. I could skip yoga tonight; this would be all the workout I’d need. I was tempted to ask Barbie how many miles it was to our conference room.
“Here we are. Would anyone like some coffee, tea, or water?” Her eyebrows raised in expectation. Each of us shook our head, likely too nervous to drink anything.
Disappointment flickered across her perfect features. She gathered herself and, in an overly enthusiastic voice, said, “Have a terrific meeting!” She gave a little wave, did an about face, and walked back in the direction of her reception desk. Hopefully, she’d get there by lunch.
“What the hell are we doing here?” I asked Colin and Martin. The fear I thought I’d contained came back with a vengeance. This was crazy. This Braydon guy ran an empire. Why would he have an interest in us? We’re small fries compared to the businesses he takes on. My earlier optimism seemed to have dried up.
Martin’s shoulders slumped. Oh no, I didn’t mean to be a downer. I thought the grandeur of the building might have thrown us off our game.
“Hey, don’t listen to me. These VCs are human just like us. They just happen to have more money. This building is…”
Colin finished for me, “Crazy, freaking huge?”
A giggle escaped me, “Yeah. That sums it up.” Colin reached over to ruffle my hair. “Stop that!” I pulled away, glared at him, and proceeded to read my notes. I knew I had to get my pitch just right. We all had our parts, but I didn’t want to lose the funding because I hadn’t prepared properly.
I was so involved in memorizing my speech, I didn’t notice when the room grew silent. Perfectly still. The atmosphere changed as well. It was lighthearted while we joked one minute then tense and silent the next. I felt the shift.
I
looked up to see what had changed, and I locked eyes with him. Holy Joseph. Good Lord. Sweet Jesus. Holy…I ran out of religious icons and decided to stop while I was ahead.
I hadn’t prepared myself for Braydon Decker. I’d heard all the stories of women throwing themselves at him. I’d thought to myself they were stupid, frivolous women. Who would ever be tempted by that man-whore? What self-respecting woman would ever be attracted to someone like that? Me! That’s who. Dear God, I needed help…like, right now.
He stood about six-foot-four. Slightly mussed, longish dark hair hit the perfect balance between wild and contained. Beautiful high cheekbones and the start of a sexy five o’clock shadow. Those were what I noticed first. He was stunning. I paused in that moment, torn between his two best features, trying to figure out which was more attractive, his eyes or his mouth. I’d always been a sucker for eyes that would crinkle when a man smiled or laughed. Staring intently at him now, I could see laugh lines, but I’d have to wait to see if his eyes did that crinkly thing when he came out of his piercing stare.
Why was he staring at me like that? I dared my eyes to take in his mouth. Bad idea, because his lips looked kissable. Soft and full, they’d be almost considered feminine if everything else about him weren’t so rugged. He was all man. Gorgeous beyond description.
He looked right at home surrounded by all the opulence. His suit was designer, tailored precisely to fit his muscular frame. Dark blue with a gray tie, my favorite combination.
Everything from head to toe was my favorite, but I had to get past this if we were to secure funding. Business. Right. That was why we were here.
After completing my top-to-bottom evaluation, he still hadn’t moved, or made a sound. He was still staring right at me. Oh, hell! Why? I turned toward Colin. I hoped he’d let me know if I had some leftover breakfast or something on my face. His eyes widened; he appeared just as clueless.
Finally, the spell was broken when another man entered the room. He slapped Braydon on the shoulder and introduced himself to each of us. His name was Todd, and he seemed friendly. Why hadn’t Braydon introduced himself? He was still standing in the same position. Staring. At me. But why?
He must think I’m a freak; that’s why he was staring. My face started to warm as I looked away. God, I wished I was invisible right now. The chairs that had felt plush and comfortable a minute ago now felt like metal bleachers as I squirmed. Time to face the music.
“Mr. Decker, I presume?” I asked.
He blinked, seemed to realize where he was, then said, “Please excuse me,” before he turned and walked straight out the door.
Todd took a double take. “I’ll go check on him. Sorry for the delay. I’ll be back in a moment,” he said and made a hasty exit.
“What the heck?” I questioned.
Colin grabbed both my shoulders. “He was totally into you!” He whispered in my ear so Martin wouldn’t hear.
I pulled away and pushed his shoulder. “Shhh. Don’t be ridiculous. He was probably staring out of disgust.”
Martin leaned closer. “What’s going on? What are you two talking about?”
“We were just commenting on how bizarre Mr. Decker’s behavior was.” Which wasn’t the entire truth, but it was close enough.
“He looked like he saw a ghost,” he observed.
I thought of my pale make-up and realized he wasn’t that far off. I leaned over to Colin. “This is a mess. What do you think happened?”
His mouth tilted up on one side. “You happened.”
“Quit with that. That’s not possible. Do you think..?”
Right in mid-sentence, the door flung open and slammed against the doorstop, making a pinging sound. I jumped in my seat. Braydon and Todd re-entered the room.
Braydon cleared his throat, avoiding my questioning gaze. “I’m sorry about my abrupt departure. It seems I ate something this morning that didn’t agree with me. I’m Braydon Decker. I’m happy to meet with you today.” He nodded and took a seat at the conference table a good distance from us. He began to organize our paperwork.
I leaned over to Colin and whispered, “Oh great, I made him sick.”
Braydon’s eyes zipped to mine. Apparently he had supersonic hearing.
Colin leaned back over to me. “Shh. Remember, you’ll need to work with him if they take us on.”
“How am I supposed to work with him?” I made sure my voice was just above a whisper so no one else could hear me. Braydon was still busy with the paperwork, and Todd was talking to Martin. Good, I could get this off my chest.
“He’s just so…attractive. Did you see his eyes? I think they’re silver. You know I’m a sucker for eyes.” I thought about moving closer to him, so I could have a better view. “Colin, we need to get out of here before I make a fool of myself.”
Just as the words left my mouth, I saw a small smile form on Braydon’s perfectly sculpted lips. Holy hell, had he just heard that? No, that would be impossible.
NINE
Braydon
She thought she made me sick? Why would she think that? She wasn’t like the flashy blondes I typically preferred; she was just a little plain. She intrigued me on a different level. Her expressions, the way she moved, her apparent insecurities. She was complex in a way that made me want to find out why. Who is this girl? More importantly, why did I want to know?
Normally, I wouldn’t have heard her comment, but the earpiece I usually reserved for eavesdropping came in handy. The device was used for intense negotiations when discussing mergers and acquisitions. Todd and I would leave the room and listen in to find out what their bottom line was. It saved us hours of negotiations. It wasn’t the most ethical approach, but it had served us well on many occasions.
He’s just so attractive came through my earpiece loud and clear. I had to force back a smile. I busied myself with their paperwork, but the words echoed in my head, which gave me an intense satisfaction that I couldn’t completely remove from my face.
Todd sat down next to me and took the reins. I was still tongue-tied.
“It’s great to meet all of you,” he said. “We’ve looked over your business plan, pitch deck, and PowerPoint presentation, and we’re impressed.”
He gave my leg a kick under the table to signal it was my turn to speak, to let them down gently. I sent him a quick glare and hoped no one else noticed.
“Yes.” I cleared my throat. “We’ve gone into all your financials, and I think your company would certainly benefit from our services.”
Todd interrupted. “But, unfortunately, we’re tied up for at least ten months. All of our other commitments are solid with binding contracts.”
All three faces fell, but Jain’s stricken expression made my gut twist.
“We can fit them in, Todd.” Had I just said that?
Todd’s head whipped around, his eyes wide, almost bulging.
I continued. “I know time is your enemy. If something isn’t done soon, you’ll have to shut down operations. If that happens, it would be almost impossible to acquire funds. I recommend a fundraiser, followed by an influx of fluid stock options offered to the most active venture capitalists in the medical field.” Now that I’d blurted it out, I was glad I’d said something. I would hate to see a top-notch research facility close down, one that was trying to find a cure for such a debilitating disease as ALS.
Todd spoke slowly. “That is true.” He paused and turned toward me again. I thought he was trying to decipher if I’d gone completely mad or not. “Braydon and I will need to put our heads together to find out where we’ll find the time. Like I said, we’re overbooked.”
I smiled at Todd. “Don’t worry, Todd. I can make this happen.”
As Todd and I were playing our word volley, Jain studied us, her head moving back and forth, as if watching a tennis match. Her eyes filled with moisture, and she shook her head in apparent relief. She placed her hands under her eyes and wiped away the silent tears.
Colin leaned towa
rd her and whispered in her ear. “It’s going to be okay, sweetie.”
She shook her head and closed her eyes. “Sorry, it’s just that…”
Colin reached over and held her hand. “I know.”
It appeared they had a close relationship. I’d heard Jain talking about me earlier, so I was almost positive it wasn’t a romantic one.
“We have one of our fundraisers coming up at the Paramount Hotel in a few weeks,” I told her. “It would be a good idea if you came and observed. We’ll start planning soon, so you’ll need to get an idea of what we do.” My direct gaze into her eyes didn’t waver.
She shifted in her seat. “I don’t do parties,” she answered. The two men on either side of her looked like they were tempted to tie and gag her.
Colin spoke first. “Of course we’ll come. Including Jain.” His eyes dared her with an oh-no-you-don’t look.
An internal war swept across her expressive face. Battle lost. She nodded at me. “Yes, thank you for the offer. We’d love to see one of your events in action.”
A sense of genuine relief, warm and smooth, worked its way through my body. For a moment, I enjoyed the feeling. Then I didn’t. I hadn’t felt anything like this since I was fifteen.
Why was this happening to me? Maybe seeing Angela again had stirred up old, repressed feelings. I wasn’t sure about the reason, but I detected something different about Jain. Maybe even special.
Her work was her passion, obviously. We had that in common, and I found it intriguing. I hadn’t met a woman in what seemed like forever who was passionate about anything except for her nails and idle gossip. Perhaps it was the people I usually surrounded myself with, the movers and shakers of the world, including their spoiled daughters.
I grabbed a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped my brow. Todd, once again, was eyeing me. This time, the corner of his mouth crooked up in a half-hearted attempt to conceal his smile. The bastard. He reveled in my discomfort.
