“You two know each other?” asked Mr. Howard, pointing between her and me.
“Hardly,” she said with an exasperated laugh, looking over her shoulder at me. “This is the asshole who—”
“Gabriella…” he said in a warning tone.
Now I knew her name. It suited her.
Her mouth snapped shut and she turned her head back to Mr. Howard, who looked at her with a judging raised brow. She put her hands on her hips, but I could tell she was losing her ground. Her defeat was clear.
“This is Chandler White,” said Mr. Howard, gesturing to me. “He has owned a handful of Fortune 500 companies, earning them enough recognition and profit to land inFortunemagazine more than once. He has saved three failing businesses from going bankrupt, and catapulted each of them to success, earning them the highest figures they had only dreamed of…”
It was reallyfour, but I wasn’t about to interrupt this listing off of my accolades.
I stared smugly at the back of Gabriella’s head from my seat, leaning back and fighting the smile that was about to spread across my lips. I wasn’t going to lie, it felt good to hear all my accomplishments listed off. Theywereimpressive, and I had worked my ass off to achieve them. That was why I was here at this meeting.
It felt even better to hear how good I was in front of my new friend, Gabriella, who now had a confused expression on herpretty face as she turned to glance in my direction, listening to my impressive résumé. Mr. Howard was still rattling things off when he stood up and rounded the table. Her eyes followed his every move as she turned her body to face me again as Mr. Howard came up behind me and placed a firm hand on my shoulder, giving me a pat. I looked up into the old man’s face, which looked at me proudly, before looking back at her. She looked on in silent mortification.
“You’re a hard man to strike a deal with, Mr. White, but I’m glad I brought you on board.”
I looked back up at Mr. Howard, who gave me an assured nod.
“Happy to be here, sir,” I said, returning the nod.
It had been a long negotiation process. I wasn’t one to give in so easily. I liked to be courted, but I also liked to see a business deal from every single angle. Dissect it. Manipulate it to benefit me. Business was very much like getting into bed with a woman, although usually they spread their legs before I even asked. I guess business was like getting into arelationshipwith a woman, for the average guy.
Not me. I could easily be in a relationship. Women often tried, hoping to spend the night after sex or suggesting dinner again after I had already seen them the night before. I usually was one and done, unless they really impressed me. A flick of the tongue. A bite of the lip. A sweet taste as they rode my face. It was rare, but I had taken the same woman to bed more than once.
Anyway. Back to business. Getting into business with someone was like dating for the average guy. You had to wine and dine a woman. You had to work for it. You had to make yourself seem worth it. But you also had to play the game. You couldn’t betooavailable.Tooeager. It was a delicate balance that I had perfected.
I made Mr. Howard work for it, and in turn, he did the same to me. I hadn’t expected any less. He was one of the biggest billionaires on the East Coast, above me by a slim margin. That was why I was here. He was the best of the best, but I didn’t let him know that right away. I had to play hard to get, and that was exactly why I was here in this boardroom. It had worked.
I watched as Mr. Howard walked back to his seat at the head of the table. He smoothed his suit before he sat down, commanding the room with just one look. I admired his power. It was the same power I emulated. I knew I had gotten into bed with the right businessman.
“Now, let’s go around the room and make introductions,” said Mr. Howard, turning to his left. He began rattling off names of the men around the table and I did my best to memorize them, even though they all looked the damn same. I found it hard not to be distracted by Gabriella, who, out of the corner of my eye, I saw had now taken the seat beside Mr. Howard. She sat rigidly, her hands folded overtop of each other on the large glass table. She was looking down, thoughts clearly swarming her brain. I wondered what she was thinking. I still wondered who she was. Why she was here. I also wondered why I cared so much.
Maybe it was because she was out to get me after one shitty chance encounter. Or maybe it was because I kept envisioning her soaking wet blouse.
Names continued being rattled off and I gave a nod of acknowledgment to each board member around the table. They were men of all ages. Some were younger, and some had probably been here for years and years. Yet every single one looked at me with the same intimidated expression. I liked the feeling. It was one I had felt often.
As the introductions rounded the table, almost coming to an end, I realized I was about to find out who Gabriella was. I straightened up in my chair slightly, eager to get a small morsel of information about her.
“And last, but certainly not least…this is Gabriella Howard.” Mr. Howard motioned toward her with his hand, a look of pride on his face.
My mouth dried out as I replayed his words in my head, and I tried to swallow.
“My daughter,” said Mr. Howard as he placed his hand on hers briefly.
She was hisdaughter?
The same woman I had told she couldn’t afford my dry cleaning bill was a billionaire’s daughter. I was such a dumbass. I mentally slapped myself. Me and my stupid mouth.
Things rarely surprised me, but this had me reeling. I kept it together as I gave her the same nod I did everyone else. She looked completely disinterested, her lips curling up in distaste. As I looked at her now, I could see the resemblance between her and her father. The same hazel eyes, olive skin. She was obviously a much prettier version, but I could see it plain as day as they sat next to each other. I knew he had a daughter based on what I read up on him, I just didn’t realize she was a sex pot.
She would be a whole lot prettier if she wasn’t glaring at me. When she finally looked at her father, settling into her seat, the top button of her blazer came loose. I could see the white blouse was still slightly damp against her skin, the top of her ample breasts barely visible. I licked my lips as if I were in some sort of drought. I had an overwhelming desire to get to know her in ways she would never let me.
Maybe that was the reason. She was hard to get. Stubborn. Borderline bitchy.
A challenge.
