The second my fingers touched her soft skin, I imagined placing my lips along the tender spots of her wrist. I wanted to feel her pulse with my mouth, to feel every slight reaction she gave at my touch. My fingers latched on to her hand, and she gave me as firm a shake as I gave her.
The second our hands broke apart, the images faded from my mind. I saw beautiful women every day, so Ms. Alexander shouldn’t impress me. She was certainly stunning, but not the most beautiful woman in the world. I turned off my attraction the instant it occurred, knowing this was only about business. She had something that I wanted—and I was going to get it from her. “The pleasure is mine, Ms. Alexander. Have a seat.”
She sat in the cushioned armchair in front of the desk, a chair that was far too comfortable for a business meeting. All the furniture in my own office was wooden because I didn’t want anyone to stay for too long. “I hope Ms. Titan is doing alright. I’ve seen the news.”
“She’ll make a full recovery.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” She crossed her legs and rested her folder on her lap. “And it’s nice of you to help her out.”
“Of course. She’s my…” I trailed away when I realized I couldn’t say what I wanted to say. I had to pretend she was my ex-fiancé, a woman I’d loved and lost. I had to keep up the pretense to this woman, even though she must find it strange that I was there. “It’s no problem.”
Ms. Alexander maintained the same expression, her thick lips painted red with her lipstick. She had thick eyelashes, olive skin, and she possessed self-assuredness no matter what her position was. She wasn’t afraid to make eye contact with me, and stretches of silence didn’t seem to bother her. Most importantly, my solid stare didn’t unnerve her either.
I was the one with the agenda, so I started the conversation. “Ms. Titan is impressed with your innovative work. Your work with solar energy is nothing short of remarkable. You’ve made tremendous leaps in such a short amount of time.”
“Thank you. That’s a compliment coming from someone like her.”
I wanted to ask how old she was, but since it was rude and irrelevant, I didn’t. Just because she was young didn’t mean her achievements were questionable. I could probably find all my answers once I Googled her after she left. I hadn’t had the forethought to do it before. “Titan thinks your company would aid her own work with solar energy.”
“I know it would.”
Perhaps this acquisition would be easier than I thought. Maybe Ms. Alexander wanted to be bought out. She’d made her fortune, and she would get another fortune from Titan. She could retire and live out her life quietly—and very comfortably. “Which is why she’s prepared to buy your company—and make you a handsome offer.”
It was the first time her expression changed. The soft smile evaporated from her lips, and her green eyes slightly narrowed on my face. She didn’t hide her displeasure at my words, being utterly transparent with me. “I’m not interested in selling my company.”
Then what did she think this meeting was for? “If you aren’t interested in selling, what are you interested in?”
“A partnership.”
That answer told me everything I needed to know. My first impression of her was completely wrong. She wasn’t the simple type, the kind of woman who just wanted her money and a comfortable life. She was ambitious, driven, and fierce. She wanted more than just her company. She wanted to grow, and she was looking for a powerful partner to help her get there. This was just the beginning for her. She had her entire life ahead of her, and she wanted to make her mark on the world. It made me respect her more. “Your ambition is respectable. Titan is the richest woman in the world because she never stopped. She grew one company then started another. There’s a lot you can learn from her. But she’s not looking for a partnership. I suggest you take her offer and walk away a very rich woman.” I grabbed the notepad, scribbled down the offer, and then pushed it toward her across the desk.
She didn’t even glance at it. Her gaze was focused on me, a natural light burning in her eyes. They had a gentle smolder, a fire of ferocity that she didn’t let kindle. It was a controlled burn because she was completely in control of her emotions. “My company isn’t for sale.”
She was either very brave or very stupid. She had no idea how much money was on the table. Titan wasn’t the kind of person to lowball people. She had a strict code of ethics, and she’d never been interested in getting ahead by ripping people off—especially another woman. “I suggest you look at the offer before you turn it down.”
“There’s not enough money in the world to make me change my mind.”
Damn.
“I want a partnership with Titan. I’m the engineer of most of my products. I have a big vision for the future of renewable energy. I’m interested in changing the world, making a difference for all of humanity, not filling my bank account with more money than I’ll ever need. I need Titan to help me grow, for us both to be extremely rich, and for both of us to change the world. The one thing I don’t need is her money—I have plenty of that.”
My hand immediately gripped the armrest of the chair, not because I was irritated, but because I found her directness sexy. There were lots of women working in corporate America, but none like this. Not only was she beautiful, but she knew exactly what she wanted. She liked money just as much as the rest of us, but she also wasn’t obsessed with it. She knew her worth, and Titan would respect her for
