Acquire Your Touch

by Hadley Raydeen

  “Of course not. I don’t think about that loser anymore. He has moved on, living his best life with his Avatar looking girlfriend. I saw they recently got their names tattooed on each other. How lame?”

  “Savvon! Stay on task. Who gives a shit about what’s his name. You worry about you. To get over someone sometimes means getting under someone else.”

  “No, it does not!” Savvy laughed, standing and collecting some of her things. It was time to call it a day. If she was going to go to this dinner, she needed to get out of here.

  “What are you doing right now?” Trish asked.

  “I’m about to leave.”

  “Oh, good. Hurry up, so we can raid your closet for something sexy to wear.”

  Only an hour later, she stood barefoot in her room, staring blankly at her closet, hating every stitch of clothing she owned.

  “You want some more?” Trish asked, pouring wine into Savvy’s half-empty glass before she had the chance to answer.

  “I guess that is a yes,” Savvy muttered, turning back to her closet.

  “You need a little vino in your life,” Trish said, taking a seat again. “Hurry up and find something to wear already. What time is he expecting you?”

  “Good Lord, Trish. Do you ever give it a rest?”

  “How long have you known me?” Trish retorted.

  “Touché,” Savvy said, tossing through the clothes in her closet, yet again. “What exactly does one wear to impress or convince… or do what exactly? What is this? Just dinner? A date? Work? Can I even trust this guy?”

  She didn’t know if he only wanted to talk about coming up with a business plan to staff his company. Or, if they would also discuss the amazing chemistry they had and the sparks that flew between them with just one touch...

  Trish’s words broke into her thoughts. “This sexy man goes out of his way to have some sort of date with you, and you acting like he is an ax murderer. Tell me, Savvon, will you have him sign a waiver before dinner?”

  “Don’t be crazy. I’ll play it cool.” She picked up the glass of wine Trish just topped off and took a healthy gulp.

  Trish rolled her eyes. “Do me one favor.”

  “What's that?”

  “Go there tonight, have fun. Get to know the man behind the ‘amazing touch’, but tough-guy exterior, and see if he gives you a peek in. What makes him tick? Why is he such a billy badass when it comes to business?”

  “I can do that.” Savvon nodded, needing Trish’s pep talk.

  “And, if he wants to have wild monkey sex with you, let him do that too.”

  “Patricia!”

  “What!?”

  Chapter 15

  By 7:50 he was pacing the length of his deck in the back of his house waiting for his grill to heat. She would be there in ten minutes. This woman, he barely knows, was coming over, and he was cooking dinner for her. The thought was completely out of character for him. He never got too involved with anyone. He didn’t have the time for it. But, she was different from the women he usually used as a temporary distraction; he could tell. She was sophisticated, educated, and not just downright sexy; she was a classic beauty, with rich, smooth skin and kissable lips and a body that wouldn’t quit. He shook his head at the thought. No, she made him stop and take notice. The very idea of that turned him on. He was used to taking charge everywhere in his life, but for her, he’d be willing to let her dominate in the bedroom… what in the world was he even thinking? This was about work…but who was he fooling, if it could be more he wouldn’t turn it down.

  He had her coming over to his house for God's sake to talk about work.

  Yeah, okay, Nate. You can call it that if you want.

  He looked down at his clothes. He didn’t want to be overdressed in his own home, and risk looking like a damned fool, so he opted for a pair of khakis and a polo shirt—nice but not over the top.

  He was working on his second bottle of beer, almost ready for the third, to help loosen his tongue. Tristan had told him he’d needed to work on his ‘smooth’ tonight with her. Whatever that meant. He’d rather keep his wits about him and not come across like he was running game. The woman was gorgeous, yes, had his attention, most definitely, but at the end of the day, she still had work to do for his company, and he wouldn’t let her make a fool out of him.

  He had just thrown the steaks on the grill when he heard his doorbell. He looked at his watch. If nothing else, she was prompt. But there was a whole lot of else about her. He already knew. A whole lot of more he wanted to know besides the business side of things.

  But before he could get to know more about her personally, there were some things professionally he needed to get to the bottom of. How in the world did she know Eustace? That was something that had been nagging him since their earlier meeting.

  He shut the lid on the grill and closed the space between his back deck and front door in record time. He couldn’t find any of that out if he didn’t open the door and invite her in.

  She stood outside the split level, immaculate landscaped home in an upscale neighborhood not far, but far enough, from where she lived. The comps of these houses were a little too rich for her pocketbook and probably double, if not triple, what she was paying for her apartment on a monthly. She took a quick pic of the house and sent it to Trish along with the address just in case…

  She tapped out a quick message

  Bitch, come save me if I send the S.O.S.

  Trish quickly responded.

  You are paranoid. You’ll be fine. And that house is sharp! What the hell kind of money is this guy making at Big Dogs? Damn!

  Focus, Trish!

  Savvy wanted to stomp her foot. Her life could be on the line, and her best friend was focused on the curb appeal and value of a home.

  Just make sure to compliment him on the house. You know your ass sits up here and watches HGtV with me too. Don’t act like you aren’t looking at this house like it’s on House Hunters…

  Bye, Trish.

  Savvy pocketed the phone and took in the exterior of the split level He must be doing very well for himself. The lawn was well maintained, and she heard a dog barking and children playing down the street.

  A single man living in a family neighborhood.

  She smiled.

  Okay, he couldn’t kill her when there were dogs and children nearby. Trish was right. But, she’d keep the S.O.S option opened, just in case.

  She reached out and pressed his doorbell, and only waited a minute, before he opened the door and left her speechless.

  This was the first time she’d seen him without dress clothes. He had on a pair of khakis and a light blue polo shirt. Simple enough, but the contour of his chest was more visible through this shirt. She could feel her heart pounding against her chest.

  She watched his Adam's apple bob as he looked her up and down before he spoke, “Hello, Savvon.”

  The way he said her name…

  “Hello, Nathan.”

  He watched her bite down on her lower lip as she said his name and his green eyes lingered there for a beat, not saying anything immediately. When he spoke, his words were husky, and his eyes hooded, still lingering on her lips. “Come in.”

  She stepped into the house, taking in the masculine tones and open space of his great room and kitchen.

  “Your house is great,” she commented, looking around.

  “Thank you. I’ve been here for about three years.”

  “Really? You didn’t grow up in this town?”

  “Well, I’ve been here since college, but I just moved into this house three years ago. I’m actually from Phoenix.”

  “Oh wow, a far way from home…”

  “Yes. I had to explore the possibilities in the east. You know?"

  “Absolutely...”

  She stared at him, not knowing what in the hell he was talking about. What would bring him east? She wanted to know, was it a love or family or something he was seeking… His answer was vague, but
everything about him had been so far. Tonight, she wanted to get to the bottom of it.

  “So, why don’t you come out back with me. I’m grilling steaks; don’t want those to burn. She followed him through the house and out the sliding glass doors to a deck the length of the house, decorated with lounge chairs and regular chairs and a massive grill. She could smell the steaks the moment they set foot on the deck.

  “That smells amazing. I’m famished,” she said, shutting the door behind her.

  “Well, let’s get you fed, then. How do you like yours cooked?”

  “Medium is fine for me.”

  He glanced at her. “Okay, coming right up. There is a wine cooler, right here, if you want to put your wine in.”

  “You have a wine fridge on your deck?” She laughed.

  “I have friends over all the time. My friends, who are married, when they bring their wives, they enjoy wine out here while we toss the ball around out there in the yard or whatever.” He shrugged.

  She watched him talk.

  “What?” He smiled.

  “That is nice of you to think about your friend’s wives.”

  “It’s not a big deal, really.”

  She smiled at him. “No wife for you?” It slipped out before she could contain herself.

  He looked at her over his shoulder as he flipped the two filets on the grill and shut the lid.

  Closing the distance between them, he took the bottle of wine from her hands, not losing eye contact. “Do you think I’d disrespect a wife by having a beautiful woman over for dinner while she is nowhere in site?”

  Savvy’s cheeks warmed. He had a point, but she had to ask. She did not want to have impure thoughts about another girl’s man, and she’d been having those thoughts even more so since he walked in the office earlier today.

  She realized she must look like a deer in headlights the way the corner of his sexy mouth twitched up into a grin. "It’s okay, Savvon. It was just a joke. You don’t have to worry, I don’t offend easily."

  This guy was gonna be a treat to work with. “Well, that is good, since I didn’t say anything offensive. It was a simple question.” She jutted her chin out, standing by her words. Was he looking for an apology?

  His sexy grin turned into a full watt smile. “You are certainly right. You did not. And to answer your question, no, I am not married.

  She didn’t want to feel relief, but it’s exactly what washed over her when he revealed there was no Mrs. Philips. But, sure, he had to be dating someone with his looks and success. It was a guarantee females were throwing themselves at this man. She wouldn’t push the girlfriend issue though. That seemed a little crazy for something that was meant to only be a business dinner. Besides, he hadn’t shown he was interested in anything besides a professional relationship anyway.

  Trish is the one that pushed off her number on the poor man. He simply took it to be polite, right?

  Get out of your head, Savvy; this is exactly what you said you wouldn't do.

  She returned her attention to him, smoothing a hand along her hair, that she decided to wear back in a bun.

  He gave her a knowing look as if he could read her mind and could sense her unease. All teasing left his tone when he spoke, and she saw something flash in his eyes.

  “You look lovely this evening, Savvon,” he said looking over her simple, black dress and matching strappy sandals.

  She dropped her hand from her hair and met his gaze. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

  He let his watchful, green eyes linger just a second longer before he cleared his throat and turned only slightly. “There are wine glasses next to the fridge in the chiller would you like a glass before dinner?”

  “Yes, please. Are you going to have some?” she asked, keeping her tone even. She didn’t mean for her voice to sound so husky and breathless, but that is exactly how she sounded—like a freaking phone sex operator. Trish was probably somewhere doing a shimmy and shake knowing her best friend's flirtatious side was coming out against her will and would surely claim she taught Savvy well.

  “I’ll just finish my beer while I watch the steaks.” He stepped away from her and over to the fridge.

  “Wait.” She reached for him, catching his arm, which flexed instinctively at her touch. She could feel the corded muscles there as he looked down at her darker-toned skin atop his tanned forearm. She snatched her hand away as if he’d burned her. “I can pour the wine, while you…check the food," she croaked.

  “You're a guest in my home, Miss Stevens…”

  “Savvy, please call me Savvy. And, I know I'm a guest, but I don’t mind opening the wine.”

  He stepped aside without another word. She walked passed him to the fridge, highly impressed with the setup he had out here on this deck.

  This was some HGTV dream home type stuff for sure. She reached into a cooler and pulled out a frosty stemmed glass and reached for the corkscrew on top of the fridge. Turning back to him, she almost ran smack into his brick-wall-like chest.

  He lifted a hand to her elbow steadying her—neither of them oblivious to the closeness of their bodies. He looked down between them, and she saw him bite his bottom lip only briefly before letting his hand fall away.

  "I just wanted to hand you this," he said holding up the bottle of wine. "Those steaks are sizzling don’t want them to char on one side."

  “Yes, of course,” she said taking the wine from him. “Can I help you make anything?" she asked, using the corkscrew on the wine and long poured the vino in the chilled glass. She was not being stingy with this. She needed to cool down because the grill wasn’t the only thing sizzling. Was he even aware of how he was staring at her Was he doing this on purpose? Yea, it’s been a while since she’d been on a date. Hell, to hear Trish talk about it, dinosaurs still roamed the earth, but she knew when there was a little something-something and that, friends, was a spark.

  “The salad?” he asked, knocking her, once again, out of her internal monologue. She raised the glass to her lips, parched for more reasons than one.

  “Come over here, Savvon.” He waved her to the opposite side of the deck, closer to where he stood at the grill. He opened the door to a larger fridge packed with beers and food items, including ingredients for a salad. He turned, placing lettuce on a table near the grill for prep. “Can you help me dice?” he asked, pulling out a drawer under the prep area and handing her a knife. He also set a large bowl to the side. “We can throw everything in there.” She sipped her wine and watched him pull out tomato. “What’s your fancy? Cucumber?” he asked sticking his head back into the fridge.

  She set the wine glass on the prep table and turned to the sink by the grill. “Cucumber is

  fine,” she answered, sticking her hands under the spray to wash.

  He placed the cucumber on the table and began working on the tomato.

  "Tell me about you, Savvon.” He glanced at her. “I know that is so cliché, but really, we see each other yesterday in the grocery store, then we find out we will be working together. I think I should know a little more.”

  She smiled and thought about his question. “I’m from here. I have two sisters and a brother. My mom and dad are still married which is odd since so many people’s parents are divorced nowadays. I graduated with a bachelors in Human Resources management. I’m working on some certifications, a PHR, eventually an SPHR—”

  “Whoa,” he stopped her. “I assume those are important?”

  She nodded. "They won’t hurt my resume. It stands for Professional in Human Resources and Senior Professional. But honestly, I love my job. I get to meet new people and help them find their careers. I’m the happy side of HR with all the hiring, none of the firing. I just don’t…”

  He stopped chopping and looked up at her. She met his gaze, green and intense hanging on to her words, urging her to continue talking.

  “You just don’t, what, Savvy?”

  He’d used her nickname, and she couldn’t help but
think how she liked the sound of the word on his lips. She wanted to hear him say it under different circumstances besides chopping vegetables and talking about work, per usual.

  She broke eye contact first; falling under his hypnotic stare wasn’t gonna do anything but have her throwing her panties at this man.

  She cleared her throat and finished her thought. “ I just don’t necessarily love who I work for.” This wasn't something she should be telling a client, especially since he’d just contracted them to hire his talent. “I apologize that was completely inappropriate."

  “No need for apologies. It’s a fair statement,” he interjected. “Is it because of the stupid rule?”

  “Rule?” she asked, looking at him quizzically.

  “Yes, no fraternizing with clients, when Melanie clearly has done quite a bit of fraternizing.”

  “Oh, that rule… well, rules sometimes are meant to be broken, Mr. Phillips.” She tried to keep her tone low and even, but it still came out just as breathy as before.

  He looked up at her. Their eyes met and a flash of amusement and something else she couldn’t quite put a finger on crossed his features. The corners of his delectable mouth turned up into a devilish grin. “Are you a bit of a wild child, Savvon?"

  “Who me? Never.” She kept a straight face, but he was giving her that knowing grin. She scooped up the cucumbers she'd chopped and tossed them in the bowl before reaching for her glass of wine, taking a long sip. He did not take his eyes off her, and she was just as brazen with her challenging stare over the rim of her glass.

  “Why did you agree to come over tonight?” He finally asked, tossing tomatoes into the bowl.

  “I want to know more about your company and what type of hiring needs you have.

  He took a sip of his beer and opened up the grill, pulling two filets from the slats onto a serving tray and placed a lid over them to let them rest. He turned the burners off on the grill before he turned and acknowledged what she said.