Conquest of the Heart

by R. J. Dillon

  “So you’re saying that everyone I’ve been with wanted to be persuaded?” He continued to look at her dead on. He never took his eyes off of her, and could tell she was annoyed. That’s just the reaction he was going for.

  “Yes. Do you think those women out there don’t drool over you? You’re a damn good looking man! Plus you’re loaded – even better!” she exclaimed. She was standing now, walking around the office.

  “You’re attracted to me for other reasons?” He smiled deviously, trying to trap her.

  She just glared at him, not taking the bait. “If, I was attracted to anyone, it wouldn’t be for money. Good looks, maybe.” ‘Asshole, never,’ she thought. “There’s more to a person than just their body or their bank account.”

  “You’re right, there is.”

  “If you know that, then why do you insist upon treating women the way that you do?” She stood with her arms crossed and her eyebrows raised, waiting for an explanation.

  “There’s always more to a story than what you can visibly see.” He stood to face her.

  “Humor me.”

  He avoided the subject. “Do you want to go out with Carter?”

  She threw her hands up in the air, pushing past him. Now disgusted, she said, “Gavin, I just want to work. I’m not here to sleep with anyone. I’m just here to work.” She plopped down on her couch, covering her face with her hands in frustration.

  Gavin smiled, quite satisfied. He just needed to know she didn’t want Carter to pursue her. He also wanted to see how she reacted to his poking and prodding in her business. She still got quite worked up when he talked about his desires for her, and she was greatly concerned about his behavior. He was curious as to why.

  “Why do you care so much what I do? Why does it bother you so much?”

  “I care about the reputation of this company.” She was still sitting on the couch.

  “My actions are not public knowledge. I don’t sleep with every woman that moves, as you’ve so incorrectly assumed. I’m pretty particular about who I like, and trust me, that’s not every woman in this office. There are a very select few.” He waited for a response. She just huffed and sat backward on the couch, resting her head on her hand and looking off to the side.

  “Why does what I do bother you so much? Did it ever occur to you that lately I would not be doing what I’m doing if it wasn’t for you?

  “Excuse me?” she looked at him, not liking where this was headed.

  “I would stop what I’m doing if you would just give me what I want. Until then, it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”

  “So, I could be like your head bitch or something?” she asked, appalled.

  He looked down, shaking his head. “That’s not what I’m implying.”

  “You know Gavin, I’m growing weary of this conversation. I think we should both probably get back to work.” She got up from her couch and walked over to her desk to sit down.

  He didn’t back down. “I’m not going to stop just because you might be a little perturbed. You misunderstand my point. I’ll leave you for now. Have a good afternoon,” he said, grinning as he turned to go to his office.

  “Batard incorrigible,” she sighed. (Incorrigible bastard.)

  He stopped. “Cussing me out in French only turns me on.” He continued toward his office.

  Faith laid her forehead on her desk, shaking it from side to side, whimpering from exhaustion.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  The following morning, Faith came in early to review her notes for the meeting about Denver. She had stopped to get coffee, so she would be alert since she hadn’t been sleeping well. She put her coffee on her desk, sat down, and read over her outline. She double-checked the contact names and phone numbers, verifying that they were current. Once satisfied, she began to work on next week’s cities. Had Gavin left her alone yesterday, she would have completed two more outlines.

  She couldn’t drink her coffee on an empty stomach, so before she took in too much, she decided to have a cup of yogurt and some fruit. After she ate and had gotten a little more work done, she decided to relax on the couch for a little while before others began to arrive. She wanted to clear her mind, and escape to a place far away. Her sabbatical was disturbed by a familiar voice. ‘Aahh, hell, it’s too early for this,’ she thought. Her eyes were still closed, and she didn’t get up.

  “Good morning,” said Gavin.

  “What are you doing here so early?” she said, still not moving, her eyes remaining closed.

  “Same as you probably. I wanted to get some things done before it got too busy around here.” He walked over and sat down next to where she was lying. As soon as she felt him next to her, she sat up, stood and walked to her desk. She was still ‘perturbed’ as he had put it.

  He watched her walk away from him and realized he needed to stay clear of certain subjects this morning. He sighed, got up and walked to her desk.

  “I’m sorry for upsetting you yesterday. That wasn’t my intent. Please know that I would never think of you as you suggested.”

  “Uh huh,” was all she could muster.

  He tried to change the subject. “Since we’re both here, would you like to start working on pulling the data for next week’s meetings?” He stood there, waiting for her to respond.

  “I’ve had my coffee and my breakfast, and I’m afraid I still don’t have the energy for you this morning. I prefer to wait until this afternoon to continue working on those.” She looked up then, cracking more of a smirk than a smile.

  He nodded. “Alright. I’ll leave you to it, then.” He turned and walked out and down to his office.

  She looked down and continued with what she was doing. Faith knew that later in the afternoon he’d be pouring on the pressure, and wanted her morning to be quiet.

  As time grew closer for the meeting, Gavin decided to call Carter to his office to see if he was prepared for the meeting. Carter knocked on the door.

  “Come in,” said Gavin.

  “You wanted to see me?” Carter asked. He’d hoped that the rift that had started between them had died down.

  “I’d like an update on your progress for the promotional aspects of the reviews that we did yesterday, and today.”

  “Sure.” Carter began to list the number of high profile figures in both Nashville and Denver that could be involved in sales and advertising campaigns for potential clients. He also shared his ideas on where and when promotional campaigns could be held to introduce new products and more.

  “Good job. Make sure you’re prepared to share all of this in the meeting. Adrian will be in attendance.”

  “Oh, damn. I’m not good at speaking with him around.”

  “It’s not an official presentation. Faith will be doing that. Consider what you will be doing a ‘knowledge share’ of sorts. You’ll be among peers, not complete strangers.”

  “Okay.” He paused. “Hey, are we good, man? I mean, I really don’t want to lose you as a friend over a woman.”

  Gavin just looked at him. Carter shook his head and said, “Okay, okay. I really don’t think I can stay away from her. She intrigues me. I just want to get to know her. Maybe be friends. That’s all.”

  Gavin finally spoke. “You and I both know that for you it’s more than that. I can’t discuss this right now. Let’s get to the meeting.”

  As they gathered their things, they saw Faith heading toward the elevators to go to the conference room. They both watched her. She purposely stood with her back turned to them as she waited. When she got on an elevator, and was no longer in their sight, they looked at each other.

  Carter went to speak, but Gavin cut him off. “Not right now.”

  They left and headed in the same direction as Faith.

  At the meeting, Faith shared her outlines of Denver with the group. Adrian sat amongst them, rather than in the back, so he could participate.

  “Denver, or the Mile High City, is populated by more the six hundred
thousand people, with over two and a half million people in the metropolitan area. The lower Downtown area, or LoDo, has grown from what used to be strictly a business district to a highly desired residential district.” She continued with her presentation for the next half an hour. As before, in addition to Adrian, they were impressed with the work she had done.

  When Faith completed her segment, Carter and Gavin stood to share their findings for both Nashville and Denver. They discussed the pros and cons of expanding only to Denver, since they had already talked about Nashville. Gavin did as he had done the day before, and set up a grid with one side for ‘Pros’ and the other for ‘Cons’.

  “Downtown Denver is definitely an ideal place for a business. There are several desirable locations, with quick access to sports venues and business clients,” said Faith.

  “It’s also a place where entertainment can happen throughout the year. The ski resorts attract thousands of skiers each year. Colorado itself is a very active state, and they are host to numerous cultural events each year. Many of those events occur in the Downtown Denver area, where the Convention Center is located,” added Adrian.

  “I see you’ve done your homework, too, Adrian,” commented Gavin.

  “I know a thing or two,” he smiled as they continued.

  “Colorado in general is filled to the brim with recreational activities. It’s a total sports haven with every major sport represented by the Broncos, the Nuggets, the Rockies, the Avalanche, and the Rapids. They also have other professional sports teams for arena football, lacrosse and rugby. Plus, it is home to many corporate headquarters like Coors, Qdoba, Chipotle, and Noodles & Company. Denver is jam-packed with opportunity.” Carter commented.

  They continued to list the pros and cons for moving to Denver. Adrian was thrilled to be a part of a discussion like this again. It had been a long time. He was happy to see that Gavin and Faith were getting along. Little did he know that Gavin was pulling his usual stunts. He wanted to keep an eye on the two of them, so as he was sitting there, he wrote a note to himself to have Agnes report their activity to him on a weekly basis.

  So far, Denver had more pros than cons. There was a good chance that it would make the cut, but they had at least eighteen more cities to go through. Preparing for each meeting was going to require a lot of work, possibly extra hours. For Gavin, that meant more time with Faith. He was looking forward to it. Each time they were together, he learned a little more about her. He also managed to irritate her to no end. He figured there must be a reason behind that, and he was not going to give up until he found out what it was.

  “I think that’s good enough, don’t you all think?” asked Gavin.

  They all agreed.

  “Alright. Again, good job everyone. Tomorrow, we’ll talk about Jacksonville, and cover the agenda for the cities we’ll need to prepare for next week. Adrian, do you have anything to add?”

  “I concur with Gavin. You have done an excellent job with all of this. To hear that you might finish earlier than originally anticipated is an added bonus. I would like to participate from time to time as these meetings are happening. It was a good feeling for me to be included and involved in a project again.”

  “I will make sure that Agnes is aware of that and have her add our upcoming meetings to your calendar where you are available. Faith, Carter, do you have anything else?”

  They both shook their heads no. Gavin thanked everyone and concluded the meeting. Everyone gathered their things and returned to their offices. Adrian walked with Faith in the direction of their offices.

  “So how are things going? Are you resting?” he asked.

  “I’m getting some sleep, but you know how that goes. It’s been a little rough getting into a routine, but things are starting to settle down.”

  “Promise me you’ll let us help if you need anything.” He looked at her with conviction.

  “I promise, I will,” she said as she touched him gently on the arm. They kept walking and talking.

  “Now, how are you and Gavin doing?”

  As she they walked into her office, she answered, “Gavin is special.” She smiled.

  “Has he made advances toward you, or is he behaving himself?”

  “I’m convinced Gavin doesn’t know how to behave when he’s not working. He has been relentless when it comes to his advances. It can be quite exhausting. It’s only been three days,” she smiled as she walked around her desk.

  “If you ever need me to step in, just let me know. I can put an end to his actions. Remember, I have the final word around here.”

  “No, no. I’m okay. I just didn’t expect so much so soon. Don’t you worry. Faith has it all under control, okay?” she said reassuringly.

  “You just make sure you come to me if you get in over your head,” said Adrian, touching her nose like he would a daughter. With that, he walked out and down the hall to his office.

  Faith just smiled. She was glad that she had Adrian here with her. He had always been like a second father to her. Determined not to go running to him crying wolf, she was going to have to try and get Gavin under control herself. Just then, Gavin popped his head in. ‘Speak of the devil,’ she thought.

  “Wanna grab lunch?” Gavin asked.

  “I’m never going to get a chance to eat the frozen entree that I brought,” she said.

  “Come on. I’ll be nice, I promise.” He was smiling as innocently as he could.

  “Are you just trying to beat Carter to the punch?” she questioned.

  “I am doing no such thing. Carter is not a prisoner. He’s free to go to lunch with whom he pleases. Except for you,” he joked. “I’m just kidding.” He wasn’t, and he had already resolved that issue. “Will you join me? Please?”

  “Stop begging, you’re pathetic. Alright, I’ll go,” she said, rolling her eyes. She grabbed her purse from her drawer and walked towards him and the door. “People are going to start talking. We’re spending way too much time together,” she said as she passed him.

  He just grinned. Everything was happening just as he intended.

  As they exited the building, Faith asked, “Where are we going?”

  “I thought we could go to Café du Soleil. They have a great atmosphere.”

  “Okay. Don’t think for one minute that just because we’re going to a French restaurant that I will lighten up. I know you’re always up to something.”

  “I promised to be nice, and I will. I wolf out in the office.” Gavin was up to something. His goal today was to find out why Faith was so uptight. He was going to need to spend as much time as he could with her to figure it out.

  When they arrived at the restaurant, Faith was impressed with the atmosphere. Gavin was right. It reminded her of home and it helped her relax a bit. Only a bit.

  They were seated at a nice, private table in the corner. Gavin had called ahead and requested this. He was a regular at this restaurant, so they knew who he was. Faith, unsuspecting, followed.

  Gavin pulled her chair out for her, and she said, “I would like to remind you that we are not on a date. We are two colleagues out for lunch. You didn’t have to pull my chair out for me.”

  He eyed her playfully, “If I have to be nice, so do you.”

  She huffed. “Alright.” She was like a spoiled little girl. “I don’t have to like it.”

  He laughed as he sat down. She was quite cute when she was forced to do something she didn’t want to do.

  Gavin already knew what he wanted, so he just sat back and people watched as Faith glanced over the menu.

  As Faith decided, the server came to them and asked, “Preferez-vous le francais ou l’anglais?” (Do you prefer French or English?)

  “Francais s’il vous plait,” said Faith. (French please.)

  Gavin was hoping this would happen. He sat, enjoyed, and got horny. Faith had forgotten that he was aroused by her speaking French. He was hoping for that as well. If she remembered, she might stop.

  “Que
voulez-vous a l’ordre,” asked the server. (What would you like to order?)

  Faith looked at Gavin and translated, “What would you like?”

  “I’ll have the Classic Hamburger,” he said. They already knew what he wanted, but it was exciting to him that Faith took charge. Good thing there was a table covering him up, because his manhood was beginning to stand up and take notice.

  “Le monsieur aura le hamburger classique et je vais avoir la poitrine de poulet grille avec a la mozzarella fumee,” she said as she handed the server their menus. (The gentleman will have the Classic Hamburger and I will have the Grilled Chicken Breast with Smoked Mozzarella.)

  “Quelque chose a boire?” asked the server before leaving. (Anything to drink?)

  “Do you want something to drink?”

  “Just water,” Gavin said, trying to get comfortable. He would calm down when Faith was focused on him, and not her enticing French words.

  “L’eau sera belle pour nous deux. Merci.” (Water will be fine for both of us. Thank you.)

  As she finished ordering, she turned her attention back to him. He was just looking at her, smiling.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing. Just enjoying the view,” he winked. “It’s nice to get out of the office, yes?”

  “It is, but I’ve been out almost every day. There is work to be done.”

  “You need to take your breaks. If you don’t, I’ll be forced to ask you out to lunch every day. But that wouldn’t bother me,” he said, watching her intently.

  “You can ask, but it doesn’t mean I’ll say yes. I get my breaks in. I plan to start working out, and I’ll be planning some lunches with Lauren.”

  “Good to hear. I don’t want you overworking. We don’t like anyone in the office doing that. If C&A is to be an ideal place to work, we need to reinforce the fact that work will be there tomorrow.”

  “You really care about who works for you, don’t you?” Faith was now returning the stare. This was the side of Gavin she liked.