Be Mine. Victoria Dahl
gain weight.”
Emily thought about stabbing Parker with her fork but decided it would be too overt. Subtlety is the key here, she thought.
“I’ll see you at two, Ms. Tate,” Parker said, and moved on to the table the waiter was patiently holding for him, George toddling along in his wake.
“I thought you were going to stab him with your fork,” Jane said. “Bad move, careerwise, although as your friend I would have been touched.”
“I’ve got to stop hating him.” Emily stabbed an egg roll instead. “I’ve got to work with this overbearing, egotistical control freak.”
“See?” Jane said. “Already you’re speaking of him with warmth.”
* * *
THE UNDERWEAR WAS made of hot-pink lace embroidered with silver thread, and Jane bought it. The bra was just two large pink lace roses stitched into demi-cups, held in place with tiny pink satin ribbons, and the bikini was a strip of the same roses and ribbons. It was silly and luxurious and sexy and fun.
“Ben is going to love this,” Jane said. “Why don’t you get some and try it on Richard?”
“Richard who?”
“Parker,” Jane said patiently.
“He’d never go for it.” Emily looked at the price tag. “It’s not cost-effective. There are small countries that don’t spend this much for defense.”
“Defense is not what I have in mind.” Jane looked at herself in the mirror. “I’m planning on surrendering almost immediately and being invaded shortly thereafter.”
Emily sighed. “Sounds like fun.”
Jane pounced. “You buy some, too.”
“Why? There’s no one interested in invading.”
“Wrong. Croswell down in R & D still speaks of you with passion.”
“Croswell was a mistake.” Emily picked up a pink-and-silver lace bra and looked at it longingly. “If he tries to invade, I’m defending.”
“Then go back to plan A. Richard.”
Emily looked at the pink-and-silver lace and thought of Richard Parker. If he’d just keep his mouth shut, she thought, I could stand it. In fact, I’d be very interested. That long lovely body. Those crazy blue eyes. That classic, chiseled, supple mouth.
That mouth. The one that kept opening and accepting his expensively shod foot. “No price too great to pay for Paradise.”
“Hardly underpaid.”
“Not even if he was unconscious.” Emily put the underwear back. “Let’s go. I have a meeting at two.”
* * *
“I’VE LOOKED AT YOUR preliminary ideas,” Richard the Hun said. “You’re not being cost-effective.”
“Already?” Emily tried to stay calm. “I’ve barely started.”
“Rubies.” He tossed a folder across the table to her.
“Look, we marketed Paradise with diamonds. Very classy stone. But this new stuff is for a younger hotter market. So rubies. Still classy, but hotter.”
“Fine.” He shrugged. “Use paste.”
“This is for photographs.” Emily folded her hands calmly and clenched them until her knuckles went white. “We’re not studding the bottles with them.”
“Can you rent them?”
“Loose stones? I don’t know.” Emily tried to consider it, but she was against it. “We might be able to buy and resell. I don’t know much about gemstones.”
“Well, I know a little, and what you’re suggesting would tie up half your budget.”
“Gems are a good investment.” Emily deliberately unclenched her hands. “We wouldn’t lose money.”
He shook his head. “We’re not in the gem-investment business. Rent them.”
Emily shook her head. “We might need the same stones back again for later pictures. We couldn’t be sure we’d get them. Plus, we often use them in special displays at openings and benefits. We did this with Paradise, and it was very successful.”
He leaned back in his desk chair and looked at her steadily.
“Are you really serious about this, or is this just something you’re going to fight me on?”
Hasn’t he been listening to me? Emily thought. Do I sound like I’m playing games? “I’m serious. And I never fight just for the sake of fighting.”
“That was a business lunch today?”
“Jane knows more about this company than you or I do.” Emily clenched her hands again. “When you’ve been here a little longer, you’ll know that. I consult with her often, and I value her opinions highly. So, yes, that really was a business lunch.”
“Pink lace underwear?” He smiled at her dryly.
He would overhear that comment, she thought. Emily smiled back sweetly. “I told her you wouldn’t think it was cost-effective.”
“I don’t look at everything in terms of cost, Ms. Tate.” His eyes dropped almost involuntarily to the open collar of her blouse.
Emily raised her eyebrows at him, and he flushed. He looked good flushed. What do you know, she thought. He’s human. There may be hope. “I’m sure you don’t, Mr. Parker. And I’m hoping you’ll see that in the case of the rubies, cost-effectiveness simply doesn’t apply. We’re selling emotions here, the sizzle not the steak.” She leaned across the desk to him, suddenly earnest, trying to convince him. “You can’t sizzle with paste, Richard. You need the real thing.”
His eyes had widened a little at her use of his name.
“All right.” He cleared his throat. “I’ll take it under consideration. Now, the next item...”
Emily worked with him for another hour, politely agreeing on a few things she didn’t care about, anyway, leaving the others open for further discussion, trying to build a foundation of compromise so that when she came back for real money, for rubies and whatever else she wanted, he’d be used to negotiating with her, not flatly dismissing her. From the look in his eyes, he had a fairly good idea of what she was doing, but he was patient with her. Toward the end, Emily realized her plan wasn’t working; any compromising had been done by her, not him. Richard liked saying no or yes and moving on.
When she stood up to go, Richard pushed back his chair and stood, too. “We’ll have to meet again. We haven’t accomplished much.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Emily tried to smile warmly but her lips were tight. “I think we’ve established a very creditable working relationship.” She held out her hand. “Please call Jane if you need any information. She knows exactly what’s going on.”
He took her hand and held it for a moment, and she tried to ignore the warmth he generated there. “I’d rather talk to you. I like to go straight to the person in charge.”
“Then definitely talk to Jane.” Emily pulled her hand away. “She’s been running my life since high school.”
“I thought I sensed a lot more there than just boss-and-secretary.” He came around the desk and walked her to the door.
“We’re partners.”
“I envy you. I’ve always worked alone.” He stopped by the door. “Would you consider having dinner with me tonight? To go over some of these points again? Maybe in a...warmer atmosphere, we could get closer on some of these disagreements.”
He smiled down at her, and Emily was