by Layla Hagen
During the drive to her apartment, I planned to mentally review the pitches. Instead, I found myself thinking about Tess Winchester.
The fire in her eyes and the passion in her voice were captivating even hours later. That protective look when she glanced at her sister got to me in a way I couldn’t explain. I could tell a lot about a person from their presentation. For instance, Tess wasn’t just involved in management decisions. Based on the things she referenced, it was clear she didn’t mind getting her hands dirty...and that led me right to dirty thoughts.
I started thinking about her in lingerie yet again, about the peek I’d gotten of her breast. She’d been cute, all nervous in the bathroom. She’d also been delicious at the lockers, where she challenged and teased, and I’d just forgotten about boundaries or common sense. If we were going to work with Soho Lingerie, I had to stop whatever this was.
I’d always been perfectly capable of separating my personal life from my business endeavors. It was one of my strengths, and I didn’t think anything could change that.
Tess Winchester was proving me wrong.
Chapter Four
Tess
I loved shopping. It helped me relax, and I definitely needed that. I’d been on edge all day yesterday, even after we left the auditorium following our pitch. Today, I’d been at the store all morning, then in a meeting with our website designer in the afternoon.
Right now, I was venturing around Nolita with a mighty shopping list. I never stuck to the list, though. Typically, I finished a shopping trip with at least three more bags than planned. So far, I picked up a scarf I thought Mom might like and a necklace for my niece Avery. It was a gorgeous pendant with a blue quartz. Honestly, the jewelry shop was so amazing that I had trouble leaving it. It wasn’t upscale or anything, but the pink velvet jewelry holders just made it cozy and gorgeous. I loved buying presents for my nieces and nephews the most. It was so easy to make them happy. And since my inner child was still very active, it helped me pick the right gifts.
We’d grown up in Boston in a huge house and had every convenience possible, until my parents’ marriage imploded and Dad’s business went bankrupt. After moving to a suburb of New York, we barely made ends meet. I learned not to ask for new things, because it made Mom sad. She would have given us the world if she could have afforded it.
I was immensely happy that I was in a position where I could afford buying anything I wanted not just for myself but also for my family. I just liked buying presents for no reason.
I loved that there were so many kids in the family. It all started three years ago when my brother Ryker started dating a single mom, Heather, who’s currently pregnant with their baby. My cousin Hunter was also married to our very good friend Josie, but they hadn’t had children—yet.
The family had grown fast when Skye got pregnant. In addition, her husband’s sister also had a ten-year-old daughter, Lindsay. I still hadn’t decided what kind of pendant to buy for her, though she loved just about anything I’ve given her. It had to be different than Avery’s, so each girl would feel special, but not different enough that they would fight over whose was nicer. There were so many options to choose from that I was slightly overwhelmed. In the end, I picked up one that had an identical teardrop shape but a pink quartz.
“Pack them both in pink paper please,” I told the sales associate. That was one thing the girls agreed on: pink was better than any other color.
“Right away.”
I was smiling from ear to ear as I revised my shopping list. All done. I felt wildly more relaxed than yesterday. One thing was still nagging at me, though. We hadn’t heard from Harrington & Co. yet; I checked my email every thirty minutes today to make sure. I was jittery every time I remembered not only my bathroom run-in with Liam but also the shameless flirting at the lockers. I hadn’t expected that!
Stepping out of the store, I glanced around, deciding what to do next. A cupcake shop caught my eye, and though I was more of a chocolate cake kind of gal, the pink sign and the fluffy pillows in the window display sold me on it.
My phone rang as I crossed the street. I transferred all my bags to my right hand, searching for the phone in my purse with my left. It was Skye calling, and I answered right away, hoping she’d heard something.
“We’ve made it to the next round!” she exclaimed.
“Awesome, I didn’t get to check my email yet. When is it?”
“They gave us three options to choose from. One is tomorrow, one Friday, and the third one next Monday. Always at seven o’clock.”
“I’m free for all of those, so you choose.”
“Okay, I’ll reply right away. Tess, I’m so excited. I wasn’t sure what to think when they just sent us on our way yesterday so quickly.”
“All of us had fifteen-minute slots, Skye. I think it just seemed faster because we’d been the ones presenting.”
“You’re right. Well, I worried for nothing, because we’ve made it. I can’t wait.”
“Hey, I’m just looking at a fabulous cupcake shop. Want me to grab some and stop by your place to celebrate?” There was no better way to celebrate good news than quality time with my sister, her husband, and my nephew.
“Oh, I can’t. We’re going over to Rob’s sister’s for dinner.”
“Just so you know, I’m pouting right now, but have fun.”
“Thanks, Tess. I’m so excited about this opportunity.”
I grinned. “So am I, Sis.”
One would think I would have taken that as a sign to ignore the cupcake place, but instead I went over to take a closer look at the display. And what do you know? They had a slice of chocolate cake on a golden platter. I couldn’t just pass that by, could I?
***
My excitement grew by leaps and bounds when they confirmed we were meeting them for dinner on Thursday. That whole day, I was nervous from the moment I woke up.
I didn’t have any meetings, so I worked from home. Sitting on my couch in yoga pants and a baggy T-shirt, I tinkered with a spreadsheet with budget projections throughout the day. I wasn’t very productive, though.
I kept trying to imagine how the evening would go. What would they want to talk about? Our designs? Our detailed plans for the company’s future? Potential questions popped in my mind faster than I could come up with answers.
I pressed a palm to my chest, breathing in deeply. I needed to relax so I could be at the top of my game this evening. I crossed my legs at my ankles, rested my hands on my knees, and closed my eyes. I tried one of the meditation techniques my yoga instructor recently taught me—visualizing that I was at the foot of a very old, very large tree and its majestic crown was sweeping in the wind. I’d been successful during the yoga class. I could have sworn I felt a light breeze on my skin.
I grinned. Yeah, I wasn’t seeing any trees in my mind right now. Instead, I was seeing a pair of gorgeous blue eyes. Liam Harrington’s eyes were definitely closer to aquamarine. I could visualize the rest of him in perfect detail too. Everything from his sharp jawline to those defined arms had registered in my memory. The man was seriously delicious. I could map his body with my mouth for days.
Still grinning, I opened my eyes. Well, I wasn’t relaxed by any means, but it was fun.
I can’t ogle him tonight, I reminded myself. I just had to make a good impression, that was all. I was hoping the hot energy between us at the locker before I left was just because of my wardrobe mishap. I was really, really hoping that, because if the man pinned me with those sinfully blue eyes again, I might combust. Just at the thought of it, I swear my panties felt on fire.
Half an hour before Skye was supposed to arrive at my place, I dressed up in yet another power outfit. This time, it was a black wraparound dress with short sleeves that I paired with dark green stilettos with silver heels and a matching clutch. I also wore huge round silver earrings. My hair fell to my shoulders in delicate waves, all accomplished with the use of a curling iron. I ran a hand through
it so the blonde strands would pop out more.
By the time Skye got here, I was downright jittery. The venue for the dinner was closer to me than to her, so we decided to meet at my place and head out together.
She was wearing a gorgeous cream-colored silk dress and a black cashmere coat. I put on a matching coat; we bought them together as a present to ourselves when we’d hit our most recent milestone: one million products sold.
“Uh-oh,” I exclaimed, pointing at her face. “I see worry everywhere. Don’t. We’ll kick ass.”
Skye pouted. “I’m really hoping so. How come you’re not worried?”
I laughed. “I am. I’m just better at hiding it.”
With a sigh, I took my sister’s hand between my palms, looking her straight in the eyes. “Sis, you have to promise to keep me in check.”
“Tess, that’s not possible.”
“You know I can get overexcited about things sometimes.”
Skye wiggled her palm from between mine, then cupped my cheeks with both hands. “You do everything on a grand scale. I don’t think you even know how to do things differently.”
She had a point. I celebrated good news exuberantly and generally liked to make a huge fuss about everything. Once when our brother Cole came back from an overseas trip, I waited for him with a Welcome Home sign at the airport. I’d wanted to buy balloons, but Skye and Ryker talked me out of it.
“Just no bathroom incidents and we’ll be fine,” Skye said with a smile.
I groaned. “Don’t tease me about that. I’m trying to pretend it didn’t happen.”
“Wait a second...you’re blushing. You like him, don’t you? Liam?”
Why deny it?
“Well, he’s superhot. But I’m just going to ignore it. Or try to.”
“Why?”
“Because if they’re going to invest, it’s best to not mix things. With my bad record at dating, it could turn into a disaster.”
I could write a whole book on bad dates. One that stuck in my memory even today was this guy Lloyd. I caught him asking for the waitress’s number. When I challenged him, he said he wanted to have a backup in case I didn’t go home with him. Guess who didn’t get laid that night. That’s right, Lloyd.
And then there was Francis, who was trying very hard to find out how much I was making at my job and how big my apartment was, because he wanted to make sure I wasn’t looking for a sugar daddy.
“Oh. Okay. Good point.”
“So yeah, tonight is all about making a good impression.”
People who didn’t know me sometimes thought I was strange. But I had to say I was a little concerned about me tonight, whether I was going to say the wrong thing or give off a weird vibe. I usually didn’t care, but this time, I wanted to make a good impression. If this dinner didn’t work out, we’d have to go back to searching for another partner, and we were running out of time.
“Just be yourself,” Skye said. “If they don’t like that, we know they’re not right for us.”
I gave my sister a quick hug, grateful that she just embraced my crazy-pants personality. I knew how much she wanted this partnership, so I was determined not to screw anything up. I rubbed my hands in excitement as the car slowed down, smiling at my sister as we hopped into the Honda.
“Okay, let’s show them we’re everything they didn’t know they want and need.”
Skye laughed. Even the driver chuckled, looking at us in the rearview mirror.
A while later, we arrived at The Edge, one of the posher restaurants on the Upper East Side. I tugged at my dress as I got out of the car, and then we carefully climbed the stone steps to the entrance. I’d heard about this restaurant but had never been inside it. Right next to the entrance was a high round table with a Please wait to be seated sign on it. There was a smaller card with the words Ring the bell if this is unattended. Skye touched the vintage brass bell, and a blonde server hurried toward us right away.
“Are you here for the Harrington & Co. dinner?” she asked breathlessly.
“Yes,” I answered.
“Perfect. The dinner is in the room to the left.”
“Thank you,” Skye said.
“Chin high, shoulders straight,” I told my sister with a grin. She grinned back. That had been my motto ever since kids gave her a hard time in school, and it stuck.
“What’s our tactic? Divide and conquer, right?” she asked.
“Definitely. We need to talk to all three.”
“I’ll leave Harrington to you.” She’d dropped her voice to a whisper, wiggling her eyebrows. I didn’t get a chance to reply before we stepped inside the room.
It was beautiful, if a bit dark. The walls were painted a modern concrete gray, and the light fixtures were vintage brass with yellow light bulbs. It was a very interesting mix, sort of The Great Gatsby meets modern-day New York.
There were about a dozen high round bar tables scattered around the room, and everyone was standing around them. The chatter was audible even over the faint jazz music. Although the room was crowded, I immediately spotted Liam. It was impossible not to notice him. His presence was just too intense and larger than life. Everyone in the group he was talking to stood a few feet away, as if too intimidated to get too close.
At that moment, he turned around, zeroing in on me. The second our gazes crossed, I felt rooted to my spot.
He headed our way, and that sensation of being tied to him by an invisible cord intensified with every step he took. I was tempted to avert my gaze, but that was just impolite. My breath caught and my palms became a little sweaty just as Skye shook hands with him.
“Welcome, Skye. And Tess.”
He reached for my hand, and the second we touched, it was as if electricity traveled throughout my body. An inexplicable urge to be closer to him slammed into me. That time, I did avert my gaze. I swear I noticed him smile at my shyness out of the corner of my eye.
Rebecca immediately joined us, and Skye started a conversation with her, moving deeper inside the room.
Divide and conquer. That’s right. I was here to impress, not melt in a puddle just because I was standing within touching distance of the hottest man on the planet.
I had no idea when I upgraded him from hot as hell to hottest man on the planet, but I had a hunch it happened in the few seconds it took him to cross the room. In my defense, in the dimly lit room, his gorgeous eyes popped even more. And he was wearing a white shirt that fit him far too perfectly for my peace of mind. I could vividly imagine all those muscles hiding underneath the fabric—and all the ways in which I’d show my appreciation for them.
“It’s not as crowded as I expected,” I said.
“We’ve divided the applicants in three groups, so not everyone is here tonight. We wanted to get a chance to really interact with everyone.”
“That makes sense.”
He flashed me his dimpled smile again, and I had to remind myself not to ogle him.
“Between you and me, I was mostly looking forward to seeing you,” he said in a conspiratorial tone.
I swallowed, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. “Liam! Is this you trying hard to behave?”
“This is me trying very hard,” he said with a mock serious expression. “But as you can see, I’m failing already.”
I breathed in and out quickly, feeling lightheaded. How could a little flirting affect me so much?
“Well, let’s see if I can keep you on the straight and narrow,” I said boldly, hoping he couldn’t tell just how much I liked his flirty side. “Give me a rundown of what’s going to happen.”
“Tonight is all about getting to know each other,” he said after a few seconds. “It’s important in a collaboration for the parties to click. From your pitch, I could tell you’re very passionate about what you do and that your business is very personal for you. I like that. Always gives business owners the motivation to go the extra mile, even when things are tough.”
I nodded, happy he noticed
and appreciated that. “It is very personal. It’s something my sister and I built together. We’re very close. Our whole family is.”
“I can imagine that.”
“Are you close to your family?” I had no idea why I asked that. It wasn’t relevant, and yet I wanted to know the answer.
Liam’s smile grew more pronounced. “That’s very personal.”
Damn, I knew I overstepped. “I thought that was the point of tonight. Getting to know each other.”
He laughed. “True, but I can’t say I saw that question coming. And to answer, yes, I’m close to my grandmother.”
He didn’t say anything about other family members, and even I knew it was impolite to press on the topic.
“Come on, Tess. I can tell you want to ask more. I have nothing to hide. What else do you want to know?”
A million questions popped into my mind. I wanted to know the type of person he was in his private life. Did he cross the street at a red light? Was he the type of person who saw a homeless person and thought they were just too lazy to work? Or would he give them a few dollars? I didn’t know why the answers mattered, but they did. I wanted to know about his character.
Before unleashing my crazy on him, I had a confession to make.
“In the name of complete honesty, you must know something about me: I’m inappropriate 99 percent of the time. I talk too much, ask too many questions, and require way too detailed answers.”
Liam chuckled, and the low rumble almost made me swoon. “Good to know. Go ahead. I don’t mind.”
I smiled back. Clearly, he was trying to put me at ease, but he had no idea what he was getting himself into. I eyed him intently, trying to figure him out.
“Give it a try. I don’t bite, Tess. Unless you insist on it.”
Holy shit. Liam wasn’t only trying to put me at ease, was he? He was openly flirting with me. Did he have any intention to behave at all?
