Everything You Need: Everything For You Trilogy Book 1 by Orla Bailey Page B

turned away from me.
    “I’m here because we made a deal.”
    “Yes. The deal.” He rolls the words round his tongue contemptuously and stops what he’s doing for a moment to scrutinise me. He huffs out a half-laugh. “Still the same young woman I remember. Ambitious. Determined. Suspicious of everything and over-reactive. A little too scared of yourself. Of life. Yet here you are. I have high hopes for you, Tabitha Caid.”
    “You think you know me but you don’t. I’m not that pathetic child anymore.”
    His eyes lift. “Indeed.”
    I feel my temperature rising. This is not personal. “The deal?”
    “I rather hoped we could enjoy a pleasant evening together. Can you believe that simple truth?”
    “I thought I was here so you could… enjoy me.” I can’t look him in the face.
    He laughs. “Spontaneous. Just blurting out whatever’s on your mind.” He doesn’t refute my accusation but a faint smile teases at his lips as he lowers his voice. “I do enjoy you. Just being with you. I’m not going to jump on you, Tabitha. Is that what you think? It doesn’t work that way.”
    I feel embarrassed and gauche. The opposite of everything I claim to be.
    “Please answer my question, Tabitha. Is that what you think of me?”
    He manages to make me feel like a fool. Have I presumed he wants something he doesn’t, yet again? My voice is hesitant, unsure. “Something like that.”
    “Then you can relax. I don’t need to jump on women.” There’s a note of quelled irritation in his voice. Jack holds the cork and twists the bottle with controlled and exacting force. The two part company with an explosive pop.
    I flinch even though I anticipate it. “No. I expect not.”
    He barks a harsh laugh at my agreement, my reaction. “Why are you here, Tabitha?” Jack concentrates on pouring the foaming liquid into a pair of crystal flutes, waiting for my answer.
    “Our deal,” I remind him.
    “You’ve pointed that out already.” He sounds even more annoyed with me. “Then perhaps we should get straight down to business.” He turns and faces me, a glass in each hand.
    I try hard to stop my hand trembling as he hands one over and sits beside me. Close beside me, his thighs touching mine. I swallow a huge gulp of Champagne.
    “We haven’t negotiated any specific terms beyond having dinner and breakfast together but you clearly think we have. You have so much to learn about bargaining.”
    He stares at me so absorbedly I believe he might still jump me despite his declaration. I take another large guzzle. Why must his eyes be so Arctic blue? I swallow more Champagne and he removes the glass from my hand when I try to down what remains completely. He puts it on the table beside his, as yet, untouched drink.
    It seems I need to make my position clear. “Will you let CaidCo have a shot at keeping Zee-Com’s advertising account?” I annoy myself for making it sound like a child’s game of marbles.
    Jack exhales slowly. He won’t be deflected or rushed. “Are you hungry? I’m hungry.”
    I stare at him. I understand my part of the bargain well enough without innuendo.
    “Hesitant to your soul.” Jack looms over me until I think he plans to kiss me. I react, prepare. Stiffen my spine and soften my lips. He halts, hovering above me, and I’m not sure how I feel about that.
    I give him the benefit of the doubt. “I haven’t eaten much today.”
    “Then drink up. We won’t delay dinner any longer.” He tosses back his entire glassful in one go and waits while I take the final sip of mine to finish it off.
    “I can see I’ll have to get a whole lot more Champagne down you before you’ll relax around me,” he observes.
    I’m not sure how I feel about that either.
    Jack lifts the empty glass from my hand and wedges both flutes upside down into the crushed ice between the bottle and the bucket. He scoops up the whole lot in one arm and holds his other out for mine.
    “The table’s ready, Tabitha. Come.