A Sweet Deal (Crimson Romance) (7 page)

“How very practical of you,” she deadpanned. What was he doing here? What were the chances that they were randomly assigned adjoining seats? That couldn’t have just happened.

“You disappeared this morning. Now we’ll have a chance to get to know each other.” His tone was light as he relaxed into his seat next to her. How was this so easy for him? Yvette didn’t know if she wanted to run away or straddle him in his seat.

The wild passion they shared seemed like an erotic dream in the cold light of day, and their morning encounter in the shower might as well have happened in another lifetime.

“Forgive me if I’m a bit confused, but I thought you wanted one night together with no strings attached. I don’t see how that includes sharing intimate conversations on this flight home.”

He sipped his drink and paused before responding. He looked down at his glass and shook it gently, the ice cubes clinking against the sides. “To be perfectly honest, I know that I should have changed my flight. When we get back to Philly, it’s in my best interest, and probably yours as well, to go our separate ways and pretend that last night never happened. I can’t see much harm in sharing a pleasant flight together, though. I really enjoyed our time together.” He raked his gaze up and down her body before meeting her eyes. “If I’m not mistaken, you did too.”

She struggled to remain calm and composed as she cast her gaze down at her lap. “Well, yes, I did too.”

Saying that she enjoyed their time together was an understatement. Sitting so close to him on the plane brought images of his hard, bronze body underneath the expensive-looking custom-tailored suit he wore. She caught the occasional whiff of his lush, warm scent when he shifted in his seat and fought the urge to bury her nose against his skin and inhale deeply. He loosened his silvery green tie and unbuttoned his top button before draining his drink. Her eyes were drawn to the hands that had touched every part of her just hours ago. Remembering how his expert hands felt sliding across her wet, soapy skin brought a hot flush to her cheeks.

She reluctantly turned her attention to the flight attendant’s safety instructions as the crew readied for takeoff. Richard was close enough to touch, but he maintained just enough distance to keep her guessing. Surreptitiously, Yvette studied his profile. This could be trouble.

Within no time, the plane was in the air, and they gave their lunch orders to the flight attendant. Then she angled her body to face him. “Can I ask you something? If you’re absolutely determined to refuse my company’s offer, then what’s the harm in being seen together?”

“It wouldn’t look good for me to be seen with you. I probably shouldn’t have even been with you last night. Out in the casino for everyone to see, at least.” His eyes sparkled with amusement.

“You don’t have shareholders, though, so what does it matter how things look? It’s not like you have to hide the fact that we’ve met from your father. He’s the only one who can greenlight the acquisition, and it seems to me like he’s trying to get you on board.”

“He is, and I’m lucky he’s still listening to me, but it’s not him I’m worried about. I can’t remember when I last spent time with a woman and didn’t see photographs or hear about it the next day. Any time I date someone, it’s news almost immediately, and tabloids rarely follow up to see if their information is correct. Morgan Enterprises doesn’t have shareholders, but our employees are sure to catch wind of it if I’m seen meeting with you. Some of them already know that Saffron wants to acquire us, and they panic. They worry about their positions with the company, and it fractures their focus. It’s not good for anyone.”

“I see.” It made perfect sense, but that didn’t dampen her attraction for Richard. She shifted in her seat, feeling uneasy.

He pulled a packet of candies out of his jacket pocket. “Would you like a Millie?” He held the packet out to her.

She had always loved Millies. The lemon- and ginger-flavored hard candies were the oldest and one of the bestselling products Morgan Confectioners produced. She accepted one from the packet and popped it in her mouth. “I do love Millies. I’d like to see something like them for Saffron, once we expand beyond chocolate.” She relaxed as the flavor filled her mouth. Like every other kid growing up, she had loved candy. When she was a teenager undergoing chemotherapy, though, there were days when hard candy was all she could tolerate. During the days when nausea was a constant companion, she went through Millies by the case. The lemon and ginger combination was a soothing balm for her then, and she still found a great deal of comfort in the familiar flavors now.

“They were my mother’s favorite. They’re named after her, you know.” Richard popped one in his own mouth and tucked the packet back into his pocket.

“Your mother’s name was Millie?” She raised her eyebrows. As much as his family history had been public knowledge, she could not remember learning his mother’s name.

“Well, Millie is short for Amelia. My father always called her Millie, and she loved these candies, so he named them after her. It was the first candy Morgan ever sold.”

“Made with love, I guess. Maybe that’s why they’re such a success.”

“Morgan products are more likely to have a story than not. We don’t just mass-produce things without putting thought into the entire line. That’s why I’m so hesitant to partner with other companies or allow any of our divisions to be bought out by bigger corporations. Morgan isn’t just a job for me.”

“It’s your life, your legacy. I see that, but surely exploring other options doesn’t mean you don’t care for the company.” Back on familiar ground, her confidence returned. If she focused on business, on her work, she could ignore the hypnotic green of his eyes.

“If we sell a division to Saffron, then that sets a precedent. Every other division or product line will be seen as up for grabs at worst, and at best it makes us look weak. This company means more to me than anything. My father built Morgan Confectioners from the ground up. The fact that I’ve been on board to see the rest of Morgan Enterprises come to fruition has been the greatest gift, and I don’t take it for granted.”

“I remember reading a story in a magazine about the first candy shop your family opened. There was even an old picture of all of you. You were such a cute kid.”

“Any time you wonder if there’s a chance that I’ll change my mind, think of that picture. That’s how I see all of Morgan Enterprises. It literally represents everything I love, and I won’t discount it. My brother and I spent our childhood in that shop. He’s moved on to other things, but I’m not letting it go for anything.”

She knew that Michael Morgan started the candy company from scratch, but it wasn’t as though he were a bootstrap entrepreneur. The Morgans started out with plenty of money. He just managed to hit on a brilliant business idea at the right time. The family fortune went back much further than Michael. If the entirety of Morgan Enterprises folded, they would likely still be quite comfortable financially. Richard’s passion for the family business was unexpected. She had him pegged as a savvy businessman, someone who protected his wealth, but this went further than money. Sussing out his true motivation made her job even harder. Saffron had nothing besides money to offer, and it was becoming clear to her that Richard Morgan was not a man who could be bought.

“If Saffron acquired your confections division, I would do my best to maintain the standards of quality and innovation your brand is known for. With Saffron’s funding and focus behind the line, it could only get better. I can absolutely promise you that I’d do everything in my power to make it as painless as possible for you to let it go.” It was a small concession, but it was all she could offer. Her mission wouldn’t change just because she understood his hesitation.

“I plan to do everything in my power to prevent ever having to rely on that promise.” Richard was calm, pleasant enough, but the steely look in his eyes told her she’d be in for a fight if she moved forward. “Once we land, it’s back to business as usual as far as I’m concerned.”

“So we’ll go our separate ways and pretend this weekend never happened?” It would be a shame to never again find her way into Richard’s bed, but it was for the best.

“I don’t see any way around it. We want different things and as appealing as I find you,” he swept an open gaze up and down the length of her body, “we have to keep our distance. That’s all there is to it.”

“Well, then it was fun while it lasted. Just know that I’m not going to stop trying to get what I want.” Her determination was rock-solid, but she softened her tone with a smile. “I’m sure you understand.”

“I do, and I’m sure you understand that I won’t give an inch on this.”

She finished her drink and gave him a cool smile. “Then I guess we’re on the same page.”

Her acquisitions team sat around a mahogany conference table, the air conditioning whirring softly in the background and very nearly lulling Yvette to sleep. Nothing had been the same since that one crazy night three weeks ago. Anything could set her imagination off, the mention of Las Vegas, seeing Morgan Confectioners candies on store shelves, catching the scent of soap. Soap. If she closed her eyes, she could almost feel his hands on her, sliding over her curves, covering every inch of her body in that shower. Steam floated around them as hot water pelted her back, exotic fragrances swirled around them in the thick air.

“Yvette?” Her department head’s voice drifted into her consciousness, clearing the steam and toppling her out of her little fantasy. The woman at the head of the table stared at her over the tops of her eyeglasses, an annoyed look on her face.

Had she fallen asleep? Was she drooling? Did she make an embarrassing noise? She refilled her glass with ice water and took a long drink, determined to wake up and focus. She straightened her charcoal pencil skirt over her thighs and sat up straight as she turned her attention to the table.

Clearing her throat, she attempted her most professional, competent tone. “I’m sorry. What was that?”

Her co-workers tittered, and a hot flush crept into her cheeks. A quick swipe across her face assured her that she hadn’t been drooling. Summoning her inner professional, she faced the department head and listened intently. “Yvette, I was just asking you for an update on the Morgan Confectioners progress. The last time you briefed us, you’d met with Michael Morgan, but that was before the conference. Anything new to report? Have you made any headway?”

Anything new? You could say that. “I was able to meet Richard Morgan informally in Vegas, but he’s adamantly opposed to our proposal. I believe that he has a great deal of influence over his father’s decision-making, but ultimately, Michael Morgan still has the final say. At this point, we might consider reviewing our strategy to strengthen our position. It doesn’t seem likely to pass if Richard has anything to say about it.”

“Have you made contact with anyone at Morgan since your meeting with Richard?”

Yvette hesitated. Not only had she agreed that she and Richard would keep their distance, but after hearing him speak so passionately of his devotion to the company, she wasn’t as inclined to absorb it into Saffron. He cared for Morgan Confectioners in a way nobody else ever could. It was part of his history, a tie to both his childhood and his mother, something knitted into the fabric of his soul. Trying to convince him to give it up now felt wrong and ugly—almost predatory.

“I sent brief notes to both Michael and Richard to thank them for meeting with me and to keep the door open for future discussion.” She scanned her calendar. “Let’s see, that was a little over three weeks ago, and I haven’t heard from either of them. It’s my opinion that we need to revisit our game plan. Any further attempts to engage them will likely be seen as intrusive. They have our complete offer. If I contact them again before they respond, I’ll just be repeating myself.”

Her boss’s eyes narrowed. “So what you’re telling me is that it’s been almost a month since you’ve made any kind of progress on this account?”

Yvette shifted uncomfortably, but spoke firmly. “I felt that until we have something new to discuss, continuing to contact the Morgans would not be well-received. I think it would be wise for me to meet with the mergers and acquisitions team to freshen our strategy before approaching them again.”

“Very well. I’d like to see something on the calendar immediately. The longer this drags out, the less likely we are to come to an agreement.”

“I also think we should have a tentative list of alternative companies ready for research, should the Morgans ultimately turn us down.” Yvette would do her job, would approach this assignment with the same professionalism as any other account, but she knew more about the players than usual. How much could she reveal about Richard’s motivations without compromising herself?

The department head looked irritated, but agreed. “Fine. Compile it and send it to my office. I’ll keep it until our attempts with Morgan Confectioners are exhausted.”

Grateful to be out of the hot seat, Yvette gathered her files and calendar, ready to disappear into her office. The hint of a nagging thought persisted, but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Tate, her assistant, met her in the hallway as she left the meeting, pressing message slips into her hand and briefing her on new developments. She listened with half of her attention, searching her brain for the source of the nagging thought as they strode down the hall towards her office. He continued to talk and set a stack of folders on her desk as she sat down.

“Would you bring me a coffee? I’m never going to make it through the afternoon at this rate.” She smiled up at Tate from her desk chair, determined to focus. He nodded and disappeared from the doorway, leaving her alone in the silent office.

Soft sunlight filtered in between the slats of her blinds, and the muted chatter and bustling of a busy workday beyond her walls floated through the room. Yvette had created her office space with such care, wanting to project an image that was both professional and welcoming. Some of her male colleagues decorated their offices as though they were reliving their college days, with basketball nets attached to doors and toys littering their shelves. She wondered how something similar would go over in her office, if she hung posters reflecting her teen interests or had dolls perched on her shelves. The playing field would never be level, and she had to make her peace with that, had to protect her professional image in a way her male colleagues didn’t. Her office space urged people to come in, to sit and stay while she worked her magic. The artwork was pleasing, soothing, and her candy dishes were always full. The plush chairs sitting opposite her desk tended to lull visitors into relaxation while she spoke, making them more amenable to her requests.