Deal of a Lifetime

by Rue Allyn

  “Call me Mike, please.” He stared down the V formed by the open neck of her modest oxford business shirt.

  “Mike, then.” Tam resisted the urge to clutch her shirt plackets together. Instead she withdrew a thick folder from her portfolio and passed the folder to Mike. “I’ve prepared this prospectus for your later reference, should you wish to review any of the points I’m about to discuss. First and foremost, I think Buddswell Snack Foods will benefit greatly by going with local distributors rather than a big national company, especially in the Four Corners states.”

  Mike raised an eyebrow. “I’m surprised you’d say that. Small distribution companies usually charge more for their services, claiming a degree of expertise over larger firms that I have yet to see. That’s why I usually trust my products to O’Neal Corp.”

  Con sat back in his chair and waited. Tam wouldn’t make a claim she couldn’t back up with evidence and sound arguments.

  “Let’s talk about the Four Corners area for a few minutes. Then we’ll get to O’Neal Corp.”

  “Okay.”

  “I’ve lived in Arizona most of my life. When I decided to open TLC Distribution, I spent a year researching the existing distribution market, looking specifically for underserved communities and gaps in distribution coverage. I then made it my business to increase services to those communities and fill those gaps.”

  She kept her demeanor calm and forthright, but Con knew her well enough to detect the rigid tension in her neck.

  “I hear what you’re saying, Tamsin, but what you describe is just sound business sense.”

  Con watched a smile light her face. His heart stuttered at the sheer, unalloyed beauty of her happiness.

  “Any business proposal needs to be based in sound business practices. TLC Distribution took a little over three years to corner those targeted markets. With roughly fifty percent of all start ups failing within the first three to five years, TLC’s rate of success is phenomenal. What you need to know most is that after all expenses, including overhead, TLC makes twenty percent more profit than O’Neal Corp. and my rates are lower. Further, nearly eighty percent of that profit is invested back into TLC Distribution.”

  Con jerked to attention. His brow lifted. “I’d like to see the proof that your profit margin exceeds O’Neal Corp.’s by twenty percent.”

  Tam was too well-mannered to smirk. “The proof is in the folder I provided to Mike. The difference arises because of TLC’s size and dedication to providing superior, efficient personalized service in specific markets. For example one traditionally underserved market in the Four Corners is the Native American nations.”

  “You managed to crack the Native American market?” Con was more astonished at that accomplishment than the profit difference between O’Neal and TLC. “I’ve been trying to outbid the major government contractors for years.”

  Mike nodded in agreement. “I’ve been trying to get my snacks into that market for some time now.”

  Tam settled back into her chair. Satisfaction lifted the corners of her mouth. “As I said, Mike, a local distribution firm can do a great deal for you. Because I’m local, I was able to go direct to the Native American nation councils and gain their support before approaching the Bureau of Indian Affairs.”

  Buddswell’s eyes narrowed. “Getting into the Native American market is attractive, but at what cost?”

  Con leaned forward. He badly wanted to hear Tam’s answer, and he needed to pay close attention to her body language. She was making huge claims. Any doubts she had would show only in subtle changes to the way she held herself.

  “I’ve included a theoretical cost breakdown scenario in the folder I gave you, but you know as well as I do that costs vary depending on how much product you want to provide, seasonal population migrations, and weather patterns as well as other factors affecting demand and transportation.” Calm and relaxed, she continued to speak to Mike as if Con weren’t even in the room.

  “So you’re not prepared to make a bid for the Four Corners distribution rights to Buddswell’s Snack Foods?” asked the former basketball phenom.

  Con tried to lock his gaze with Tam’s.

  Keeping her focus on Buddswell, she straightened in her chair and lifted her chin. “I am prepared to bid for those rights, but I would like to bid in open session, preferably with the largest company, O’Neal Corp., bidding first and the smallest company going last.”

  Buddswell settled back into the sofa cushions.

  She glanced at Con, an unmistakable challenge in her eyes and a small victory smile lifting her lips.

  Con bent his head in concession and acknowledgement. Lord she was as cool-headed as she was passionate. She’d done what he believed she couldn’t do—make a convincing case for open bidding and at the same time advance her own proposal. It was genius, sheer genius. Desire stirred, and he shifted to ease the fit of his slacks.

  “Ha-ha.” Mike barked a laugh. “That’s downright funny.”

  Didn’t Mike see the beauty of Tam’s approach? Con frowned. He wanted to leap to Tam’s defense but resisted the impulse. She was doing fine on her own.

  Tam narrowed her gaze on Buddswell who finally looked at her face instead of her chest. “I’m very serious, Mike.”

  “Well it’s a bold move, and one I’d love to see, but I don’t think any of your competitors would agree.”

  Tam batted her eyelashes. “I didn’t realize that Buddswell’s allowed other businesses to dictate its policies.”

  Mike frowned. “Within the law, I don’t allow anyone to dictate how I do business.”

  “Then if you want to make the bidding open, why can’t you?”

  Her carefully casual tone was Con’s only clue to the excitement he knew coursed through her veins. He felt the same excitement when negotiations became challenging. He swelled a little with pride at Tam’s show of confidence.

  “I darn well can, if I choose, but I’m not letting you sucker me into anything. I’ll consider it seriously, if you’ll agree to be my date on tomorrow’s tour of the resort’s new tramway and the following luncheon at the opening of the Top of the Mountain restaurant.”

  Chapter Five

  Tam stopped herself from declining the invitation outright. Asking her to be his date instead of simply joining his party sent a clear message that Mike wanted more from her than a business proposal. In exchange for considering her suggestion, he wanted her sexual favors. She held her gaze steady and strangled the outrage clawing at her throat. Difficult as it was, she kept a blistering scold tightly behind her clenched teeth. She had more at stake than halting Mike’s blatant chauvinism and teaching him a lesson. Tam cast a quick glance at Con. He still smiled, but the smile didn’t meet his eyes. In fact his gray-green stare had a steely glint. Her gaze shifted back to Buddswell. On his face, a stadium-lights grin gleamed with unholy glee.

  “That’s a flattering invitation, but I’ve already committed myself to do the tour with friends.”

  Mike leaned forward, putting his hand on her knee. “Surely your friends would understand that you want to take advantage of every opportunity to influence my decision.”

  Tam was certain they would understand a great deal more if she canceled to be with Buddswell and if there had been any friends. She’d lied hoping to derail Mike’s plans to maneuver her into having sex. She removed his hand from her knee and opened her mouth to make further excuses. She felt Con shift closer. His arm settled around her waist, tugging her to his side.

  “Tam’s trying to save us all embarrassment, Mike. I’m the group of friends she just mentioned.”

  A few of the bulbs in Mike’s gigawatt smile blinked out. “Tam, you were so adamant I should make Con leave you had me completely fooled. You should have told me you and Con were an item.”

  She nearly bit a hole in her cheek to keep from blasting both of the male idiots in the room. She managed a toothy grin for Mike’s benefit. “You’re just as surprised as we are, but then I didn�
��t expect to see Con here. As you noted at the start of this meeting, I’m somewhat reluctant to reveal a relationship that’s still in the early stages, especially with a competitor.”

  “Well, even if you’re just thinking about being together, Con will have to join the party with you.”

  Tam was torn. Being with Con might just be worse than fending off Mike for several hours. The only factor keeping her silent was the knowledge that they’d be in a large group of people. Con might be able to irritate her, but he couldn’t try to seduce her with people around, whereas Mike had the resources available to get her alone, and that was equally bad.

  Regardless, Buddswell needed to know what kind of woman he was dealing with. She couldn’t do that if she hid behind the nearest alternative set of testosterone-laden shoulders. She extracted herself from Con’s grip as smoothly as she’d earlier removed Mike’s hand from her knee and settled an indulgent smile on her face.

  “Con’s the one trying to prevent embarrassment. Mike, the implications of your invitation to be your date are inappropriate and insulting as well as unworthy of a man widely known to advocate fair play. The same is true of Connor’s misguided and unnecessary attempt to protect me. I’d love to join your group tomorrow, but I cannot do so as anything other than a business associate.”

  Mike’s smile winked out completely. “Guess she’s put us soundly in place. You’ll both join my party as business associates, of course. We’ll leave around eleven.”

  Con looked at his watch, stood and helped her from the couch. He took her portfolio in one hand and her elbow in the other. “We’ll be there. Now, Tam has a lunch meeting in about ten minutes. Why don’t I come back in a half hour and go over the contents of that prospectus with you?”

  Mike stood too. His smile returned, but anger gleamed in his eyes. “Oh, I don’t think that will be necessary. Having you here at this meeting gave me a pretty good idea of what you think about a working relationship between Buddswell’s and TLC.”

  Who is Mike upset with, me or Con? Tam cast a sidelong glance at her ex-lover.

  “I’ll be happy to consult with you on this topic any time.” Con’s tone was cordial. However, his thin-lipped expression bordered on grim.

  Beneath the polite words, those two idiots were still posturing over her like lions over a juicy lamb. Each of them deserved a punch in the nose. If she’d cared about Mike’s feelings for her she would have hit him. Mike mattered only in business. Con was a different story. The only thing holding her back from doing him bodily harm was a refusal to sink to his level. Fuming inside, Tam allowed Con to guide her toward the door.

  Mike moved to his desk phone and pushed a button. “I appreciate your offer. Let me buzz my secretary to show you out.”

  Tam waited until she and Con were yards down the hallway leading back to the main hotel building before she blasted her interfering companion. “What do you think you’re doing? I never agreed to go on that tour with you,” she hissed, aware of people passing by.

  “I was saving your butt from having to play lunch to Buddswell’s appetite for women.”

  “I saved my own butt just fine, no thanks to you. You let that territorial streak of yours run rampant and embarrassed all of us. You and Mike were squabbling over me like schoolboys over the last sweet. Well, I’m not his sweet…or yours!”

  Con gripped her shoulders, pulling her with him to the side of the hallway. “Damn straight,” he growled. With some effort he released his hold. Temper blazed in his eyes. “You aren’t his sweet, but you are mine, Tam, whether you believe it or not.”

  “You placed me in an impossible situation and forced me into bluntness that could hurt my chances for any contracts. Is that what you wanted? To eliminate the competition?”

  Arms folded, she waited. Her foot beat a tattoo against the carpet.

  Hurt mixed with anger flashed in his gaze. Then he cleared his expression, save for a tightness in his jaw. “You should know better. That’s twice now you’ve accused me of being underhanded. While I admit my actions may have been wrong. My motives are beyond question.”

  People passed behind her in the hallway, but she gave all her attention to the man with his back against the wall. Still furious, she drew herself up, defying his claim of innocence. “I’m not so sure. You’ve made very clear that you want everyone to think we’re an item when we aren’t. You think you’re the big strong man protecting his woman from other predatory males. You gave away such rights when you allowed an employee access to your personal messages and gave her implicit approval to end our relationship. That you imagine otherwise makes everything you say and do suspect. So let me repeat. I. Am. Not. Yours!” Ignoring the flash of surprise joining the anger in his eyes, she took a step forward and poked an index finger at his broad chest.

  “Ow.” He rubbed the spot.

  Taking another step, she jabbed at his chest again. “I’m a big girl and don’t need protecting.”

  “Stop that.”

  Another poke and step followed hard on the second. Save for the differences in their heights they were nose to nose.

  “Tam, I’m warning you.”

  Three people emerged from the offices, headed toward Con and Tam.

  “I need to attend that tour and luncheon, or…” She spread the fingers of both hands, set them on his chest and pushed.

  Con stood firm as the tenuous hold he had on his emotions broke. He’d had enough. He grabbed her wrists and anchored her hands behind her with his arm around her waist.

  “…I’d skip the entire thing just to avoid being—”

  He pulled her against his body and kissed her.

  “Mmpfh.”

  He plundered her mouth, invading her soft warmth before she could think to resist.

  Tam went rigid.

  She’d pushed him too far. She was his, and he would prove it to her. All that stuff about not needing him, not being his, would change as soon as she came to her senses.

  He licked at the sensitive corners of her mouth and nibbled along her lips, then soothed the small bites with infinite tenderness until her body went limp. Until she sank into him. Until she kissed him back, taking every ounce of pleasure he had and returning it tenfold.

  “Mmm.”

  The peaches-and-ginger scent of her filled him. He swallowed her sigh and released his hold on her wrists, allowing his hands to drift over her body, every touch aimed at reminding her they belonged together, in bed, in business, in life.

  Her arms circled his neck, her hands thrust into his hair, her lips held his mouth to hers.

  His hands settled on her bottom where a gentle squeeze inspired her to rub her hips across the erection aching beneath his trousers.

  Filled with need, he groaned. He wanted to haul her down to the carpeted floor in a mindless mating. The carpet! That single thought forced him to lift his head.

  He sucked air into his lungs.

  Her beautiful blue eyes stared up at him. She lifted on her toes reaching for his mouth.

  A smatter of applause stopped her.

  Con stared over her head.

  Still clinging to him, Tam looked over her shoulder.

  Two women and one man stood across the hall clapping. The man, who wore an ugly tie decorated with smiling chili peppers, aimed a phone straight at Tam.

  “Oh no.” Tam dropped her arms, snatched her portfolio from where it had fallen, and fled down the corridor.

  Con let her go. Baring his teeth, he zeroed in on Chili Pepper Guy, then crossed the hall in two strides. He grabbed the man by the lapels and shoved him against the wall. “Delete that picture now.”

  Owl-eyed and mouth open, Chili Pepper Guy frantically punched buttons on the phone. The two women huddled to one side. Con gave all three his best icy glare. “Now tell me that I’m not going to see that picture on the internet or anywhere else.”

  Chili Pepper Guy nodded.

  “Excellent,” growled Con. He swept his glance at the three of them.
“You work for Buddswell?”

  All three heads nodded.

  “My good friend Mike would be very unhappy to hear rumors about any of his guests. He might even fire employees who spread gossip. Do you understand me?” Con made good use of a quietly threatening tone.

  Again three heads bobbed.

  He released his grip on Chili Pepper Guy but held the stare. The man sagged against the wall.

  “Let’s all hope I don’t have to talk to Mike.”

  “No, sir, er that is, yes, sir. You won’t have to speak to anyone.”

  “Good.” Con straightened his tie, spun on his heel, and left.

  ****

  Tam spent the rest of the afternoon mortified at how easily she’d given in to Con’s kisses and in dread of being identified as the woman making out in a public hallway. Fear of ridicule kept her so tied in knots she didn’t even object when Con joined her at lunch and remained by her side. Not until the dessert course at dinner did she realize no one mentioned the couple making love outside Buddswell’s offices. Nor did she hear her name on anyone’s lips other than Con’s.

  He apologized several times in moments when no one else was near, but she dismissed his attempts to smooth over the incident, knowing she was just as guilty of crossing the line.

  The minute dinner was over, she made her excuses. “I’m sorry to leave, but I’ve acquired a headache. I’m going to retire early. I want to be well rested for tomorrow’s tour.”

  The people sharing their table murmured polite concern and goodnights.

  Con caught her hand, halting her progress from the room. Worry frowned on his forehead. “Do you want help?”

  Tam shook her head, withdrawing her hand. “I just need a hot bath and some extra sleep. Please stay and enjoy the evening’s activities.”

  “Promise you’ll call me, if you change your mind.”

  The corners of her mouth lifted. “I promise, but I won’t need to.”