Ouch. She wasn’t budging. “All that from two meetings.”
“Three.”
“Three,” I repeated. “I don’t remember a third.”
“You wouldn’t. What a shame. It was quite memorable.”
Now she had me both intrigued and confused. Where the hell had we met before and why in God’s name couldn’t I remember? I made a point never to forget a pretty face and hers was… Spectacular. “Why don’t we at least continue on a first name basis. Agreed?”
Her exhale was as sexy as everything else about her. “Agreed. Where are you taking me? And so you’re aware, I didn’t agree to dinner.”
“You will.”
“So sure of yourself.”
“That’s what is necessary in my world, Vanessa. If weakness is shown on any level, vultures swoop in.” What I was telling her was the truth, which was likely one reason behind my father’s demand.
“Everyone has at least one weakness. I take it women are yours?”
“Not necessarily. They are a… pleasure. Call them a stress reliever.”
She burst into laughter. “Let me get this straight. You need a stress reliever after you dismantle a company, fire employees, destroy families, burn bridges, and fill your bank account? You expect me to believe that?”
She was right that up until now that’s exactly what Elliot Enterprises had been about. “Do you need a stress reliever after spending a day finding the perfect model or actress for whatevergig you’ve been hired for? My guess is the answer is yes. We all do from time to time. You don’t like me.”
“You’re right. I don’t.”
“Why don’t you reserve your full judgment until you’ve spent some time with me. I promise you that I won’t bite. That is, unless you want me to.”
When I glanced in her direction, she was visibly tense. Even her hands were fisted. She finally laughed, albeit a bit more nervously. “I’ll do the biting like I’d be handling the whip.” She shot me another look. There was such total confidence in her, but something about the look in her eyes allowed me to see there was not only a softer side to her, but one eager to be tamed.
I’d keep that in the back of my mind.
“Where to first?” she asked.
“I’ll give you a whirlwind tour of our properties.”
“Oh, goodie. I’m glad I wore my decent shoes.”
Smirking, I glanced down at her feet. “Flat shoes would have been more appropriate.”
The comment made her highly uncomfortable. As she squirmed in her seat, my mouth suddenly watered. I should consider myself a very bad man.
Two hours later my predictions had come true. Her entire face was pinched and while she’d taken a few notes, she’d barely saidtwo words to me. Other than muttering under her breath several times her favorite words describing me.
Arrogant asshole.
I was beginning to think she believed that was my name.
A dark chuckle almost gave away what I was thinking.
“Are we finished yet? I do have other business to handle today and I have everything I need to make my decision.” Her words were made as a demand. They were also biting, which meant she’d rather do business with Attila the Hun than with me. But I wasn’t a quitter. I thought about what Michael had suggested. The project was intended to remain anonymous and yes, it was very personal. I don’t know why it was even important to me for Vanessa to believe I wasn’t such a bad guy, but here we were.
Although, the project in question was perhaps the only decent thing I’d ever done in my life. What the hell. At least by showing her, I could say I’d provided my best effort.
“One more place of business,” I told her.
“Fine. Let’s get it over with.”
