Chapter 8
Liam
The first thing I did upon arriving at my office the next morning was download the document Tess had sent me on my computer.
I’d only read her email last evening, asking for a face-to-face meeting.
I stared at the PDF, scrolling to the end of it.
Sixty-five comments. They were roasting our ass worse than anyone we’d done business with.
I tapped my fingers over my desk. I had a bad feeling about this. Mentees who wanted to negotiate every line of the contract were a time-suck. But I wasn’t prepared to let go of Tess without a fight.
“Not of Tess, of Soho Lingerie,” I corrected myself. This was about bringing in another solid company for our portfolio.
There was no time to go through all the comments, but I started reading them anyway. At five to eight, Dexter poked his head inside the office. I hadn’t even heard him come in. The brownstone had been empty when I arrived at seven.
“Liam, Tess is here.”
“Just Tess?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, show her in. Thanks.”
I stood up, pacing around my desk.
When Tess stepped into my office, I couldn’t help drinking her in.
Her body was just perfection. She was wearing a black skirt and white shirt that were snug around her generous curves.
Is she wearing one of their sexy-as-hell designs?
I couldn’t ignore the way her curves looked in her pencil skirt or how damn attracted I was to her.
This was one of the reasons why I kept my personal life separate from business. Yes, personal chemistry was necessary for a good business relationship. But when I said chemistry, I meant being on the same page, not wanting to kiss her until she moaned every time I saw her.
But I wasn’t going to fight my attraction to her any longer. I already knew I wanted her. “Good morning, Tess. Is Skye joining us too?”
“No. She was supposed to, but her son wasn’t feeling well this morning, so she went to the doctor with him.”
“I hope it’s nothing serious.”
“She doesn’t think so.”
“Let’s sit. Do you want any coffee? Water?”
“I’m good, thank you. Let’s get straight to it.”
She’d barely sat down when she took a stack of papers out of her bag. A second later, I realized it was the agreement with all sixty-five comments. She wanted to go through every point in person.
This woman was killing me.
“I want us to clarify the points I marked,” she said the second I sat down.
“Tess, going through all those comments will take hours. I only have forty minutes.”
She stared at me, pressing her lips together. “Then why did you agree to this meeting?”
“I hadn’t opened the document when I replied.
I assumed there were a few big things you wanted to negotiate.
I like discussing delicate issues in person.
I told you we don’t invest in companies; we invest in people.
We believe in interpersonal relationships, in building trust and having the right chemistry. ”
I was sure that would earn me points, even charm her a little. It didn’t. She glanced down at the stack of papers.
“Well, personal chemistry or not, a contract is what dictates the terms of a collaboration.” She tapped her pen against the papers, looking back up at me. Her eyes were full of fire and determination. She wasn’t going to ease into this.
I pinned her with my gaze, letting her know I could play just as tough.
“Those are standard terms in this industry but also negotiable.”
“That’s exactly what I’m here to do. Negotiate.”
“Tess, I’ve read the first twenty comments. Your position isn’t that of someone who wants to negotiate. It’s of someone who doesn’t want an investor at all.”
She straightened up, rolling her shoulders. “I just want a fair deal,” she said after a beat.
“You think I’m out here to scam you?”
Her determination faltered for the first time, vulnerability replacing it. I was on to something that explained her overly defensive behavior. I wanted to get to the bottom of this.
Every instinct in me wanted to move to the other side of the table and sit next to her, to touch her and reassure her in every way possible, but I didn’t want this to turn personal. Not yet, anyway.
“No, I don’t think that,” she replied softly.
“Talk to me, Tess. Did someone try to scam you before?”
She sighed, crossing her fingers in her lap.
“In the early days, yes. And then a few years ago, an investor was interested in us. He pulled out at the last moment, and we’d already promised our suppliers that we were growing our business, and as such, they prepared for more orders. Needless to say, it gave us headaches.”
And no doubt it left them with a sour taste too.
“Tess, I’m not here to make false promises or scam you.”
“I think you’re out to maximize your profits.”
“Everyone who pursues business is. Profit maximization does not come at the expense of the entrepreneurs.” I looked her in the eyes. “Tess, why don’t we schedule another meeting, one where I can allot a few hours and where Skye can attend as well?”
“Okay.”
“Also, I’ve noticed that some of your comments are about legal lingo. I can give you the number of our lawyers, or you can ask one you trust. That way, we save time and focus on the important points.”
“We have a lawyer in the family. I’ll arrange for that.” She nodded, rising from her chair.
I wasn’t ready to end this.
“Tess, I have a proposition for you. Let’s grab breakfast together. No talking shop, just getting to know each other.”
“Why?”
“I want you to trust me, and we’re not going to get there just by negotiating.”
“Well, that’s true. This is going even worse than I imagined.”
“How did you imagine it?”
“Never mind.”
“Tess, every time you do that, you make me even more curious. You know that, right?”
She gave me a small smile, and I took that as a good sign that we were moving from enemy territory to a more neutral place.
“You were saying about breakfast?”
“I know a few great places nearby.”
She nodded, placing the stack of papers in her bag.
I led her out of the office right away, not wanting to give her time to reconsider. Putting a hand at the small of her back, I guided her down the corridor.
“Wait, didn’t you say you only have forty minutes?” she asked.
I leaned in, bringing my mouth to her ear, clamoring to be closer. “I’ll clear my schedule for you, Tess.”
“Ah, you’ll clear it for breakfast but not for discussing the contract?”
“As I said, it’s best if Skye is here too when we go through it. For breakfast, however, I want only you.”
She turned her head, looking straight at me. “But?—”
“No but.”
“If you have work?—”
“I’m taking the morning off, and we’re going to eat breakfast. No discussion.”
She chuckled. “And you think this is the way to convince me you’d make a good business partner?”
“What is the way, Tess? Tell me.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered, pressing her lips in a thin line.
The urge to kiss her just slammed into me. I barely kept from leaning in even closer. That was not the way to win her trust.
On the way out, I stopped by Dexter’s desk.
“Dexter, cancel my next meeting.”
His jaw dropped, but he had the good sense not to contradict me.
Once we stepped outside the brownstone, I mentally reviewed the nearest eateries.
“I know a place with great cheese. Your favorite food, right?”
Tess sighed. “Liam, charming me is not on the table.”
“We said no talking shop, so charming you is absolutely on the table. How else can I win you over?”
I was far too close again, touching her lower back.
Tess drew in a sharp breath, pointing at me. “You’re flirty again.”
“Yes.”
Her mouth formed an O, and it took all my willpower not to lean in even closer. What was it about Tess that made me so impulsive? I was calculated and liked to plan everything, yet I canceled a meeting at the last minute without a second thought.
“Don’t. It can get messy.”
“I agree. But I can’t stop myself. Every time I see you, I tell myself I’ll do better. And every time, I fail.”
“Liam…” She shook her head, glancing around. “So, where’s that breakfast place?”
“Come on, I’ll show you.”
After a five-minute walk, we reached a small restaurant that could only seat about ten people at a time.
David, Becca, and I were regulars here. Besides the great food, the vibe was also relaxing with armchairs next to floor-to-ceiling shelves full of books.
I led Tess to a round table in one of their nooks.
We had complete privacy here. She hesitated, looking down at her feet, fidgeting in her spot.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Okay, so I’ve thought about it. Charming is on the table. But nothing else.”
“Are you sure?” I teased.
“Yes. This is about establishing trust, and?—”
“I meant are you sure you can keep it to just being charming? What if your inappropriate side kicks in?”
“Liam…”
“You’re lucky I find that side of you adorable.”
She blushed but held my gaze, as if determined to make a point. After a few seconds of eye contact, she looked down, twiddling with the strap of her bag.
I spoke in her ear. “Sit down, Tess. Let’s order food.”
I didn’t want to make any promises, because I was sure I’d break them all. Outside the confines of the office, it was even more difficult to keep this insane attraction in check.
I heard her sharp intake of breath before she sat in one of the chairs. I sat in the other and ordered my usual selection when the waiter came.
Tess asked for a cheese platter and some special coffee with many extras.
“Let me just check on Skye,” she murmured once the waiter left, typing on her phone. “She was supposed to be done by now. I really hope it’s nothing serious.”
Damn, this woman was too sweet.
After a moment, her phone chimed, and she focused on the screen. She smiled from ear to ear, sighing. “Yes! She just typed back. Doctor confirmed it was just colic. He’s okay, just cranky.”
“Is he your only nephew?”
“Yes. I have a niece named Avery and also another niece, the daughter of my brother-in-law’s sister.”
“I’m losing track.”