“Oookay. So, let’s get on with that list, then.”
I couldn’t help but lean in and tease her. “Not too stiff for you?”
“Liam...”
All I could think about was how good her full lips would feel against mine. But I pulled myself together, focusing on what I needed to do.
Once I was done with my questions, I was supposed to mingle with all the applicants tonight, but all I wanted was to find out more about this fascinating woman. I wanted to lure her to someplace where we could be alone.
Becca waved at me from across the room. She was looking at me with raised eyebrows, so I knew it was time to switch conversation partners.
“Tess, I need to catch up with the rest too. It was great talking with you.”
“Informative?” she teased.
“Very. Look, the servers brought food while we talked.”
I put a hand at the small of her back once more, guiding her to the buffet table. She straightened, licking her lips. Damn, the way she responded to the simple touch was driving me crazy.
“Wow, you went all out,” Tess murmured when we reached the table. She placed her purse on it while she grabbed a plate.
It was open, and her phone was right on top, so I didn’t miss the screen lighting up with a message from a guy named Kevin. I looked away, not wanting to intrude in her personal sphere, but I couldn’t miss some ridiculous heart-shaped emojis. Was she already taken? I didn’t like that at all.
“We wanted to make sure there was something for everyone. Have fun, Tess.”
I squeezed her arm before letting her go. I wasn’t usually a touchy person, but when it came to Tess Winchester, I seemed to want to do everything differently.
Chapter Six
Liam
“This is fun,” Becca said a few days later. “Just wish we’d met like three hours later.”
David, Becca, and I were having breakfast on the rooftop of the brownstone. My intern Dexter was also here, but none of the other interns showed up on time. Yesterday, we went to dinner with the last bunch of applicants. After they left the restaurant, we exchanged impressions. Then we ordered some wine, and the evening got away from us.
“It’s going to be a long day,” I said.
Last night, we decided who we were going to sign on: Soho Lingerie.
“We need to let Soho Lingerie know. The lawyers already sent the contract. We should all double-check it,” I said.
David grimaced. “That’s something you usually do, Liam. The lawyers will just do their thing.”
I stared down at him until he held up his hands. “Fine, fine. I’ll look over the contract too.”
The lawyers were great at their jobs, of course. We had a standard contract, but they adapted it to every applicant’s business, personalizing it. I liked to double-check everything. It was a courtesy to everyone involved, and I insisted on it every time.
“God, can you imagine what life would look like with a more relaxed Liam?” David asked.
Becca narrowed her eyes as if considering it. “Honestly, no. He’s been like this since day one on Wall Street. Always tense and a stickler for rules. I don’t think he’s ever even wanted to break any.”
That statement had been 100 percent true until I met Tess. Something about her just made me want to disregard every rule. But Becca and David didn’t need to know about that.
“Are we already deciding who will be Soho Lingerie’s mentor?” Becca asked.
I shook my head. “Let’s wait until after the contract is signed.”
Sometimes deals fell through, and if that happened, we would need to approach our second most promising candidate. I didn’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of who would mentor them until everything was signed.
“True,” David said. “Well, since you’re a stickler for rules and are going to make me stay here until midnight if needed, I’ll get started on reviewing what’s been done on the contract.”
“Perfect.”
Becca groaned. “Why are you indulging him? He’s only going to get more insufferable.”
“That’s impossible.”
I threw my stress ball right at David. It bounced off him and smacked into Becca’s ear.
I fist-pumped the air. “Two in one shot.”
Becca laughed. “Fine, I’ll get started on the contract as well. But I’m claiming the rooftop for myself today.”
“Good for me. Dexter, come on. Let’s go downstairs.”
“Sure thing.” On the way to my office, he added, “I sure hope you get to mentor Soho Lingerie. That Tess is something else. I’m gonna ask her out as soon as the papers are signed.”
I froze midstep. Drawing a deep breath, I turned around slowly. “No, you’re not.”
“What?”
“Tess Winchester is off-limits.”
“There’s no ring on her finger.”
I stared at him, jamming my hands in my pockets. “She’s going to be a business partner.”
“There’s no clause that says we’re not allowed to ask applicants out.”
My jaw ticked. I just stared him down.
“Okay, boss. Got the message. I’m backing off.”
“Good.”
I stalked off to my office, fully aware that I was a hypocrite. It had been five days since I’d seen her at that dinner, and I still couldn’t stop thinking about her. I couldn’t take my eyes off that woman the whole evening. She was a sexy goddess and an awkward goofball rolled into one, and while I never thought I’d find the latter charming, I did.
She was so refreshing, so different from any woman I’d gone out with. It was also not a coincidence that I hadn’t gone on a date since the day I met Tess. I could chalk it up to my workload, but the truth was I only wanted to go out with her. And yet I couldn’t, especially now that we decided to take on Soho Lingerie.
I sat down in my chair, but instead of reading the contract, I searched for Tess’s number in their application and punched it in my phone. Our interns were always tasked with contacting the applicants we selected, but this time, I wanted to do it myself.
I sent Dexter a short email, informing him that I’d break the good news to Soho Lingerie. He’d probably think I was doing it because of his earlier comment. I was pissed at Dexter, yeah, but I wanted to be the one to tell Tess the good news. I wanted to be the first one who heard her reaction.
Tess didn’t answer right away, and when she did, she sounded breathless.
“Hi!”
“Tess, this is Liam.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t find my phone. Searched the whole back room for it only to find it under a pile of panties.”
I barely stifled a groan. An image popped in my mind of Tess trying on panties. Damn, I couldn’t start our conversation like this. I had to pull myself together.
“Not my panties. They were...doesn’t matter.”
“Tess. Good morning to you too.”
“Sorry, I’ve only had one coffee, so I’m rambling even more than usual.”
She was adorable. I could picture her blush as she spoke, the way she’d try to avoid looking at me if I were in front of her.
“No problem. It was an interesting conversation starter.”