All heads at the table snap to Sophia at her final statement. “How did you know about that?” Rich growls at her, causing me to bow up at him to protect her.
“It’s her job to know that, Rich. As it’syourjob to know that lowball amount you offered us is an insult. Our final offer is on the table. If you didn’t believe my company is the best at this,youwouldn’t be here at this table right now. If we didn’t know that this relationship would be mutually beneficial,wewouldn’t be here. The terms are reasonable considering what you’re asking in return. Now, if we can have your answer, we can conclude this meeting,” I growl back at him.
Rich looks at his Chief Financial Officer, who has been reading the contract terms and stipulations during my rant at Rich, for his input. Without uttering a word, the CFO simply nods his head and pushes the contract back to Rich. I can tell that Rich is stalling as he picks it up to read the same words again. He knows he should sign it but he can’t stand to feel like he’s lost the game. I know the feeling—we’re all very competitive.
“I will have my legal team look over this contract and get back with you tomorrow, Powers,” Rich finally states.
Sophia and I rise from our chairs and she asks, “Do you still want us to tour your facility, get a feel for the internal requirements?”
“No, no need,” Rich says, sounding like a petulant child.
We say our goodbyes to everyone and Rich has his secretary walk us out. Tucker is waiting at the curb with our car as we exit the building and Sophia looks stunned. “How did he know to come get us so soon?” she asks.
“I sent him a text from the elevator,” I say with a shrug.
“So, he just waits around for you to need him?”
“Yes, unless I’m sure I won’t need him for a considerable time,” I explain, confused that she’s asking so many questions about my head of security.
“Don’t you ever want to drive?”
“I do most of the driving at home. When I travel, I like to have a driver for convenience.”
Sophia nods and doesn’t question me further, so I guess my answer satisfied her curiosity. She’s very different than anyone I’ve ever dated before. She’s not accustomed to money or having the ability to splurge on the luxuries. I find myself getting more and more wrapped up in her and I know she is in me, too. Her eyes tell me without saying a word. Her body tells me without making a sound. Her interactions with other men make it clear that she’s not interested or available.
“I predict Rich will call later today and demand another meeting sometime tomorrow. It’ll be a time that is most inconvenient for us, so he can punish us in his passive-aggressive way, but he will accept it in the end,” I say to her as we get in the backseat. “You did great in there. I’m very impressed, Sophia. You really did your homework.”
“It’s my job,” she says and tries to act indifferent, but I can tell she’s uncomfortable with praise. “I only did what you pay me to do, Dom. It wasn’t anything special.”
“It was special,” I retort sharply. “Your research and forethought made it much easier for us to have a successful negotiation. Actually, it wasn’t a negotiation at all. You pretty much nailed him to the wall and gave him no room to argue. That was awesome to see,” I praise her.
“I’m glad I pleased you, Dom,” she replies sincerely. Looking at me intently for a moment, she continues, “I know you’ve been taking it easy on me and I really do appreciate it. Iamtrying and Idowant to please you.”
Leaning over to kiss her, I can’t resist, “Youdoplease me, Sophia. Enough that I may even indulge and enjoy a cupcake again tonight.”
She blushes with embarrassment but can’t hide her smile. That word has stuck between us, has a special meaning now, and allows us to share our own private joke. That’s the part that makes it more meaningful—it’s only between the two of us. It’s ours, as a couple, and it creates an intimate bond between us. Sophia leans in closer and lays her head on my shoulder. After kissing the top of her head, I whisper softly to her, “My Angel,” and she snuggles in even closer.
Tucker drops us off at the hotel and we wind our way through to our private cottage. Once inside, I wrap my arms around Sophia from behind and pull her close to me. “We have plenty of time now, love. What would you like to do while we’re here?”
Sophia leans her head back on my chest and wraps her arms around mine. “I don’t know. I’ve never been here before. We could go back to the beach and swim in the ocean.”
“Get your bathing suit on this time,” I joke. “I’m not swimming in all my clothes again, no matter how much you beg.”
She turns quickly in my arms to face me, her mouth gaping open and her eyes narrowed in mock anger. She’s trying hard not to laugh, to pull off her mad-at-Dom look, but she just can’t bring herself to do it. “Youare the one who pickedmeup and charged into the water!”
I shake my head in confusion, “I would never do something like that, Sophia. I don’t know why you’d want to make up lies about me like that. That hurts.” I somehow manage to keep a straight face as she comprehends my words.
“You – you…Dom…that’s just mean,” she finally says in exasperation but I see a smile playing at the corner of her mouth. “Maybe I should put you on a dessert-free diet now. No cupcake for you!”
“I’m afraid that doesn’t work for me, Sophia,” I respond, menacing but playful. “You see, youagreedto never withhold your body from me, unless Ialsoagreed to it. And since Idon’tagree to it, I can have all the cupcake I want!”
“I did, didn’t I?” she says with a laugh as she takes a couple of steps back from me. She thinks she’s clever and I let her think she has a head start on me. “You’ll have to catch me first, though!”
