Cockblocked by my COO, that sounds like the title of a Reddit post.
“What,” I snap, not bothering with pleasantries.
“Seth, we have a situation.” Allen sounds stressed, which is unusual for him. “The Beijing deal. Zhang is pulling out completely. Says he's going with our competitor unless you personally fly there and convince him otherwise.”
My stomach drops. The Beijing deal. Nine months of negotiation. Two hundred million dollars. One of the biggest opportunities we've had in years.
“When does he need an answer?”
“End of week. Seth, I know what the doctor said, but this is-”
“Let him walk.”
Silence on the other end.
“What?” Allen finally says.
“Let him walk. If he doesn't trust our team enough to close the deal without me holding his hand, then he's not the kind of partner we want anyway. Two hundred million dollars be damned.”
Jennifer is watching me, her hand resting on my chest. I can feel my heart beating hard against her palm, and cover her hand with mine, holding her there.
“Seth, this is two hundred million-”
“I know what it is. And I'm telling you, let it go. Make a counteroffer if you want, but I'm not flying to Beijing. I'm not leaving.”
Not now and not ever. Forget a heart attack; if I leave Jennifer, I leave my heart with her.
“Okay,” he says slowly. “Okay. I'll handle it.”
“I know you will. That's why I hired you.”
I end the call, toss the phone aside, and look at Jennifer, who's staring at me like I've grown a second head.
“You just walked away from two hundred million dollars,” she whispers.
“I walked away from a bad partner and a deal that would have required me to go back to my old life.” I cup her face. “I told you. I'm not going back. Not for any amount of money.”
“Seth...”
“Jennifer.” I pull her closer until our faces are inches apart. “Do you understand what I'm saying? I choose this and you. I choose to live. Some deal in Beijing isn't worth dying for.”
Her eyes are shining with unshed tears. “You're sure?”
“I've never been more certain of anything in my life.”
I kiss her then, deeply and desperately, and I forget all about deals, money, and everything that used to matter.
This is what matters. She is what matters.
CHAPTER TEN
JENNIFER
As Seth kisses me, I realize this is it, no more holding back, no more taking things slow. This is real. The need between us is too strong, and honestly, I don’t want it slow anymore. I want this man more than I’ve ever wanted anything else before in my life.
This amazingly brilliant man that I never in a million years dreamed I could have. He’s every wish and fantasy I ever wanted and more. I’m a fan of romance books, and who doesn’t want the fairy tale of a rich and handsome man sweeping in and completely upending your life in the most amazing ways?
The reality of it is so much better because it’s not picture-perfect. It’s flawed, like we all are. Seth is a workaholic who is bound to slip up and go back to his ways from time to time. I’m a simple woman trying to work with what I've got. We’re not perfect people, but it certainly seems we’re perfect together.
