by Layla Hagen
My face instantly heated. My mantra just changed from not ogling to not flirting back. But judging by that smoldering glint in his eyes, I was going to fail.
Chapter Five
Liam
Before coming here tonight, I’d been determined to be on my best behavior, and yet within minutes of seeing her, I was flirting.
I had to make an effort. A real effort.
“What made you decide to open an investment firm? Why not enjoy all that money you got when you sold the InvestMe app?” Tess asked.
The question was unexpected even though it was all out there for everyone to see. Our background was listed on the Harrington & Co. website, and information about our app’s sale was included.
I had to think about her question for a moment before I answered. “I received advice from some people I respect a lot to be mindful about the future, not just the present. And by people, I actually mean my grandfather.”
I’d thrown a huge party to celebrate the sale. My grandparents hadn’t come, insisting it was for young people, but they asked me to visit them the next day for lunch. I’d been too hungover to make it in time, only able to visit for dinner. Grandpa had taken one long look at me and told me I was getting one hall pass, that they hadn’t raised me to throw my life away and that they expected me to make them proud.
Tess smiled broadly, and damn, it was a good look on her. She lit up completely. I suspected that underneath all her fire and determination was a layer of warmth. The urge to find out slammed into me. Of course, I had no business finding that out. This was business, not pleasure. I didn’t mix the two.
Was this what working with her would feel like? A constant exercise in self-restraint? I was going to fail; I just knew it.
I cleared my throat, pointing to one of the tables.
Servers circulated with trays of drinks, and one approached us as we headed to the nearest table. Tess took a glass of water. I did the same.
“What do you do in your free time?” she continued.
I felt like I was in a college interview, but one I was especially interested in nailing. No pun intended.
“I go for a run.”
“Do you see your grandmother often?”
“Every two weeks.”
Her eyes widened a fraction of an inch, and her smile widened. That was clearly important to her. I was learning more from the questions she asked than she did from my answers. Not many people would even have the guts to ask about such personal matters.
She pressed her lips together. I was betting that not only did she have a whole lot more but that they were even more personal.
But I had my own questions too. I had a standard list of them I used for all business owners. Usually, I liked to go with that, but now all I wanted was to deviate from the standard and go as personal as possible.
“Why did you two decide to open up a business?” I asked, proud that I’d stuck to the list...for now. “Per your résumé, you were both in mid-management in your previous jobs. You’d done very well for yourself in the corporate world.”
Business owners usually fell into two categories. The first was young professionals, who were dissatisfied with their jobs, feeling like they could make more money on their own. The other end of the spectrum was those in very senior positions who had a lot of cash and wanted a change. Tess and Skye didn’t fit in either category. Tess was only one year younger than me and had been in a well-paid midlevel management position.
“We like working together, so that part was easy,” Tess said. “But I think the interest came about because I’ve always struggled to find the right lingerie for me. It’s a tricky subject, because it’s tied to self-esteem. Anyway, the right lingerie gives women confidence, and we love that we can do that for our clients.”
I liked the passion in Tess’s voice, and her body language. She fascinated me. There was no denying it anymore at this point. I just couldn’t look away from her neck. I wanted to nuzzle into her warmth; I wanted to kiss her hard and deep, pulling her bottom lip into my mouth. I barely kept from looking farther down. She was a gorgeous bombshell in her dress. The belt accentuated her curves, and it all messed with my focus.
Back to the list of questions, Harrington.
“Do you plan to keep it indefinitely or sell at some point?” I asked.
“We’re not planning on selling. Is that a problem?”
“Not at all. Just wanted to know where you stand on this.” I liked working with entrepreneurs who wanted to do this long-term. My colleagues often wondered why I didn’t ask about it directly in the initial application the business owners had to fill out, but it was such a personal yet important question that I wanted to look them straight in the eye when they answered. We needed time with each investment in order to make back our money, and a sale early on was not a good return for us. And knowing a client’s commitment meant they’d work damn hard for everyone involved.
I nodded, fighting to not fixate on her mouth as she brought her glass up to it. Behind the rim, I noticed the corners of her lips lifted.
“You’re trying to hide a smile,” I said.
“Guilty.”
“Why?” I moved closer to her, enjoying the way her pupils dilated.
“I thought tonight was about getting to know each other, but the questions you ask are very...stiff.”
She was challenging me in a way no one else dared, least of all an applicant. I realized she did things her way. I liked that.
“Would you rather I go back to telling you all the reasons I can’t stop flirting with you?”
Her eyes bulged. “Is there no middle ground?”
“When it comes to you and me, apparently not.”
She exhaled sharply. On instinct, I touched her lower back, leading her toward a darker corner of the room. I couldn’t miss the light shudder in her body. It made me want to pin her against a wall and kiss her until she was shaking.
“I have a list, Tess. Sticking to it is best for both our sakes. You have no idea just how personal I want to get.” I looked her straight in the eyes so she wouldn’t mistake my intentions.
She licked her lips, raising her glass to her mouth again as if it were a shield.
“Oookay. So, let’s get on with that list, then.”
I couldn’t help but lean in and tease her. “Not too stiff for you?”
“Liam...”
All I could think about was how good her full lips would feel against mine. But I pulled myself together, focusing on what I needed to do.
Once I was done with my questions, I was supposed to mingle with all the applicants tonight, but all I wanted was to find out more about this fascinating woman. I wanted to lure her to someplace where we could be alone.
Becca waved at me from across the room. She was looking at me with raised eyebrows, so I knew it was time to switch conversation partners.
“Tess, I need to catch up with the rest too. It was great talking with you.”
“Informative?” she teased.
“Very. Look, the servers brought food while we talked.”
I put a hand at the small of her back once more, guiding her to the buffet table. She straightened, licking her lips. Damn, the way she responded to the simple touch was driving me crazy.
“Wow, you went all out,” Tess murmured when we reached the table. She placed her purse on it while she grabbed a plate.
It was open, and her phone was right on top, so I didn’t miss the screen lighting up with a message from a guy named Kevin. I looked away, not wanting to intrude in her personal sphere, but I couldn’t miss some ridiculous heart-shaped emojis. Was she already taken? I didn’t like that at all.
“We wanted to make sure there was something for everyone. Have fun, Tess.”
I squeezed her arm before letting her go. I wasn’t usually a touchy person, but when it came to Tess Winchester, I seemed to want to do everything differently.
Chapter Six
Liam
“Th
is is fun,” Becca said a few days later. “Just wish we’d met like three hours later.”
David, Becca, and I were having breakfast on the rooftop of the brownstone. My intern Dexter was also here, but none of the other interns showed up on time. Yesterday, we went to dinner with the last bunch of applicants. After they left the restaurant, we exchanged impressions. Then we ordered some wine, and the evening got away from us.
“It’s going to be a long day,” I said.
Last night, we decided who we were going to sign on: Soho Lingerie.
“We need to let Soho Lingerie know. The lawyers already sent the contract. We should all double-check it,” I said.
David grimaced. “That’s something you usually do, Liam. The lawyers will just do their thing.”
I stared down at him until he held up his hands. “Fine, fine. I’ll look over the contract too.”
The lawyers were great at their jobs, of course. We had a standard contract, but they adapted it to every applicant’s business, personalizing it. I liked to double-check everything. It was a courtesy to everyone involved, and I insisted on it every time.
“God, can you imagine what life would look like with a more relaxed Liam?” David asked.
Becca narrowed her eyes as if considering it. “Honestly, no. He’s been like this since day one on Wall Street. Always tense and a stickler for rules. I don’t think he’s ever even wanted to break any.”
That statement had been 100 percent true until I met Tess. Something about her just made me want to disregard every rule. But Becca and David didn’t need to know about that.
“Are we already deciding who will be Soho Lingerie’s mentor?” Becca asked.
I shook my head. “Let’s wait until after the contract is signed.”
Sometimes deals fell through, and if that happened, we would need to approach our second most promising candidate. I didn’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of who would mentor them until everything was signed.
“True,” David said. “Well, since you’re a stickler for rules and are going to make me stay here until midnight if needed, I’ll get started on reviewing what’s been done on the contract.”
“Perfect.”
Becca groaned. “Why are you indulging him? He’s only going to get more insufferable.”
“That’s impossible.”
I threw my stress ball right at David. It bounced off him and smacked into Becca’s ear.
I fist-pumped the air. “Two in one shot.”
Becca laughed. “Fine, I’ll get started on the contract as well. But I’m claiming the rooftop for myself today.”
“Good for me. Dexter, come on. Let’s go downstairs.”
“Sure thing.” On the way to my office, he added, “I sure hope you get to mentor Soho Lingerie. That Tess is something else. I’m gonna ask her out as soon as the papers are signed.”
I froze midstep. Drawing a deep breath, I turned around slowly. “No, you’re not.”
“What?”
“Tess Winchester is off-limits.”
“There’s no ring on her finger.”
I stared at him, jamming my hands in my pockets. “She’s going to be a business partner.”
“There’s no clause that says we’re not allowed to ask applicants out.”
My jaw ticked. I just stared him down.
“Okay, boss. Got the message. I’m backing off.”
“Good.”
I stalked off to my office, fully aware that I was a hypocrite. It had been five days since I’d seen her at that dinner, and I still couldn’t stop thinking about her. I couldn’t take my eyes off that woman the whole evening. She was a sexy goddess and an awkward goofball rolled into one, and while I never thought I’d find the latter charming, I did.
She was so refreshing, so different from any woman I’d gone out with. It was also not a coincidence that I hadn’t gone on a date since the day I met Tess. I could chalk it up to my workload, but the truth was I only wanted to go out with her. And yet I couldn’t, especially now that we decided to take on Soho Lingerie.
I sat down in my chair, but instead of reading the contract, I searched for Tess’s number in their application and punched it in my phone. Our interns were always tasked with contacting the applicants we selected, but this time, I wanted to do it myself.
I sent Dexter a short email, informing him that I’d break the good news to Soho Lingerie. He’d probably think I was doing it because of his earlier comment. I was pissed at Dexter, yeah, but I wanted to be the one to tell Tess the good news. I wanted to be the first one who heard her reaction.
Tess didn’t answer right away, and when she did, she sounded breathless.
“Hi!”
“Tess, this is Liam.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t find my phone. Searched the whole back room for it only to find it under a pile of panties.”
I barely stifled a groan. An image popped in my mind of Tess trying on panties. Damn, I couldn’t start our conversation like this. I had to pull myself together.
“Not my panties. They were...doesn’t matter.”
“Tess. Good morning to you too.”
“Sorry, I’ve only had one coffee, so I’m rambling even more than usual.”
She was adorable. I could picture her blush as she spoke, the way she’d try to avoid looking at me if I were in front of her.
“No problem. It was an interesting conversation starter.”
She made a weird sound, as if she just swallowed her tongue.
“Good morning,” she said after a beat. “Can we have a do-over?”
“Not a chance in hell.”
“You like teasing me, don’t you?”
“Love it.”
I liked to make her blush too, but it was too early in the day for that confession.
“I have great news for you, Tess.”
“Oh my God, no. Can you wait for it until I’m with Skye? I had this whole thing planned where I shared this moment with her if it was good news.”
“And if it was bad news?”
“Umm...I’d process it and then find the gentlest way possible to break it to her.”
I was speechless, and that rarely happened.
“You can always message me when you’re with Skye, and I can call you again.”
I couldn’t believe I was entertaining this, but I didn’t like that she labeled me as stiff. I had this inexplicable urge to please her.
“No, that wouldn’t work. She’d be able to tell that I already know. I thought the calls were coming in the evening. I’m meeting Skye at six.” She sounded almost accusatory.
I laughed, leaning back in my chair. “Thought we’d switch things up, shorten the waiting time.”
“So we’re really in, huh?”
“Yes. We’re sorting out the contract, and we’ll send it to you this evening. You can take as long as you want to review it, and of course certain points are negotiable. If you’d rather not take the deal, we understand. But we hope you do.”
“Wow. Skye will be so happy.”
Something about that sentence bothered me. Wasn’t she happy? Didn’t she want this?
“I’m going to think about a cool way to break the news.”
“Are you going to celebrate?”
“Of course. In style.”
“What does that include?” I was going off record again, asking personal questions, things we usually didn’t discuss with our mentees.
“Champagne, of course, and a lot of food. I’m thinking a platter of French and Swiss cheeses.”
“So you like your cheese.”
“Oh yeah. I like even the lowly mac and cheese. As long as it’s creamy and chock-full of calories, I’m in.”
“And champagne? Any special kind?”
“Actually, yes. I like Bardoux’s Brut Traditionnel. It’s only produced in small batches, so I have to head over to Dumont Gourmet. Fingers crossed that I find it. I didn’t want to buy it before I knew if we’d be accepted. I
didn’t want to jinx anything.”
“I see you take celebrations very seriously.”
“Oh yeah. I even—” She stopped abruptly.
“You what?”
“Never mind.”
“Tess...”
“It was too outrageous to say out loud, even for me.”
“I’m even more intrigued. Tell me. I think you and I have been past outrageous since the first time we met.”
“I can’t believe you’re bringing that up,” she whispered.
I chuckled, imagining her all flustered and blushing. “I have a confession to make. I like teasing you, Tess. Making you blush. Even if I’m not there to see it. I can picture it in vivid detail.”
“You’re cruel.”
“No, just weak for you.”
“Oh, so you don’t flirt the panties off every woman you meet?”
“Only you. I promise you that.”
She cleared her throat. “Well, we’re going to collaborate, so we really should behave. Why don’t you tell me what the next steps are?”
She was right. I needed to rein myself in.
“We’ll be emailing you the contract today. We need to know within fourteen days if you want to move forward with the collaboration.”
“Okay. Thank you for calling to let me know. Have a great day.”
“You too. And Tess? Next time I see you, I’ll get you to tell me all about your outrageous celebrating habits. No matter what it takes.”
I heard her sharp intake of breath just before the call disconnected.
Instead of focusing on the contract, I opened Dumont Gourmet’s website on my browser, checking where the nearest one was and then ordering a bottle of Tess’s favorite champagne. I wanted to make her smile.
I had no idea how I was going to work with this woman and not make her mine.
Chapter Seven
Tess
“Wait, I didn’t order this,” I told the delivery guy from Dumont Gourmet. He stood in front of the store, holding a bottle of my beloved Bardoux’s Brut Traditionnel. I’d only looked online to see if they had it available and planned to pick it up later.
Dumont Gourmet was run by my brother-in-law’s sister, but she couldn’t possibly know I was planning to order it.