Free Everything You Need: Everything For You Trilogy Book 1 by Orla Bailey

don’t really object to the idea, in principle.” Who am I kidding? I’ve imagined doing exactly that – and a whole lot more – with Jack Keogh, for years.
    “I’m not sure I’m clear about your answer. I want you to be completely transparent about what you’re agreeing to. You may be relatively new to all this but clarity is a cardinal rule in business.”
    Business? Jack abandoned me, untouched, an innocent little virgin. Would it be better to finally get him out of my system, once and for all or would I be opening myself up to the miseries of hell once more?
    He waits without a shadow of embarrassment, devoid of all contrition. The fact I haven’t said no immediately must scream to him I’m considering it. The thought embarrasses me no end. But, oh yes, I’m considering it. And my body’s way ahead of me. My breasts ache. I feel a wild throbbing deep down low. I imagine, fleetingly, sliding off my seat, shimmying my tight skirt up around my hips and straddling his lap here and now. I’m almost certain he wouldn’t refuse me. He’d trail his fingers across the soft skin of my inner thighs, moving upwards… Stop!
    There’s no way I’m going to humiliate myself over Jack again.
    He smiles. Can he read my body as easily as my mind? I’d put money on it. A whole business worth of money.
    My belly quivers at the possibility of him finally on top of me, naked. I can’t help imagining him, weight resting on his forearms as he rears above me holding my gaze the way he does now, pressing his hips into mine with each long, thick, delicious stroke. His lush lips, hot and greedy drawing on my tender, swollen flesh.
    I want what he’s long denied me. I want to make love with him. “I want your business.” I blurt out my answer hoping I’ve voiced the correct thought.
    “Clarify.”
    Do I know exactly what I’m agreeing to? I do. Oh God, I do. I hope I do. Again that little flutter of anticipation and doubt, rides low in my belly. “You’re asking if I would stay the night with you.”
    “Just so.” He nods. “To get me to reconsider.”
    Only reconsider? I have to be careful. He’s already pointed out my lack of business sense.
    “I agree to stay with you from dinner until breakfast, if you give fair consideration to CaidCo continuing to handle Zee-Com’s advertising account.” He opens his mouth to speak but this is my turn. “And listen to our proposals. Judge them on their merits.” I won’t have anyone thinking I’ve slept my way to success. All I want is a fair chance.
    “You mean, not dismiss your ideas out of hand, once I’ve had my wicked way with you.” Jack waggles his eyebrows at me like some operatic version of Bluebeard.
    I don’t find his theatrics quite as amusing as he clearly does. This only means one night of hot, illicit sex to him. Can I believe he hasn’t noticed that I didn’t exactly agree to have sex with him? I’m just leaving the door open.
    “Exactly.” I can play his cold, hard game too.
    “If you have dinner with me tonight, Miss Caid, and stay with me until breakfast then I promise I will listen to your proposal and give it my full and fair consideration. Will that do?”
    It suddenly seems too easy; him, too casual about the whole thing. Where is the catch? Is there a catch? Perhaps he makes deals like this with women he fancies all the time. But what do I have to lose? It’s only one night. It isn’t as if I’m some timid virgin any longer. In fact the way he looks at me, makes me feel more like a negotiating call-girl.
    I ignore the warning pulsating round my belly, swallow hard and stick out my hand to shake his. “Agreed.”
    Jack seems to find this highly diverting. His eyes shine like pure Arctic waters.
    “Tabitha.” He takes hold of my hand to shake on the deal. But swiftly spins it round, slowly raising it to his lips as my stomach roils. He presses a soft kiss against the sensitive skin of my inner wrist hinting at the suppressed restraint