Uncontrolled Spin: The Power and Danger of Spin ("Un"missable Series Book 1) (29 page)

Sean raises an eyebrow and challenges, “Well then, let’s compare. How much do your dress, jewelry, shoes, and purse cost?”

Jessica does a quick calculation, wincing at the comparison. This particular dress is eight hundred dollars, her matching gold and emerald necklace and earring set ran about two thousand dollars, and her shoes came to three hundred.

She smiles apologetically at Sean and says, “Right around three thousand dollars.”

Sean smiles and replies, “Well, there you have it. I would have to have thirty-one drinks to match what you are wearing.”

Jessica smirks and attempts to turn the tables. “But that’s not really a fair comparison. I
have
to wear clothes. You don’t
have
to drink eight-hundred-dollar scotch.”

Sean retorts, “Point well made, but you don’t
have
to wear three thousand dollars’ worth of clothing either.”

Jessica nods and laughs. “Okay, point taken.”

Their conversation is light over dinner and dessert. Each of them asks the other why they aren’t involved with someone. Jessica explains about the last guy she dated again, while Sean replies that he experienced a possessive and jealous woman once. Both of them relate similar difficulties with the time they give to their work as an issue in their previous relationships.

After dinner, Sean drives Jessica back to her office and walks her to the door.

She clears her throat. “I had a delightful evening,” she says, and Sean agrees.

He extends his hand to shake hers, but she ignores it and steps in to hug him. Sean leans in to kiss her, and when he does, he unconsciously laces his fingers through her hair. Jessica gives a pleasure filled moan as they kiss. Sean releases her hair and pulls back. Both are surprised by their reactions, and Jessica regains her voice first.

“I just want you to know, you can definitely kiss me like that again, sometime soon.”

Sean smiles, his hands still on her waist, “You should count on it.” He gives her another hug, says goodnight, and watches her walk back into her office.

On the drive home, Sean can’t stop thinking about kissing Jessica, and how the feel of her in his arms really turned him on. He decides it was a great evening and he truly enjoyed her company and conversation. He arrives home without a clue in the world how he navigated the streets of San Francisco.

Jessica walks into her office and sits down at her desk, unable to remain on her feet. Without thinking about it, she calls Bonnie. Bonnie answers, sounds like her normal chipper self, and asks how Jessica is doing. Jessica tells Bonnie she isn’t really sure.

Bonnie’s voice fills with concern. “Oh no, honey, what’s wrong?”

Jessica replies, a little confused, “Nothing bad. I just had an absolutely wonderful first date with Sean, and I’m not sure how I feel now.”

, “Oh, girlfriend, you must give me all the details,
now
!”

Jessica relays the evening in chronological order, including the kiss. After she finishes describing everything and how she felt, Bonnie says, “So when are you two going out again?”

, “I don’t know. The next date will be up to Sean, I guess, since I forced this one, on Wendy’s insistence.”

Bonnie laughs. “Isn’t she terrific? I know she can seem a bit annoying at first, but she really grows on you. I just wish she and Mark could have worked out their differences while he was alive.”

Jessica smacks a hand to her forehead and says, “Oh man, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be indelicate talking about Sean…”

Bonnie scoffs. “Don’t be worried about every little thing. I miss Mark terribly, and I have good days and bad days, but he’s gone and I have to go on living. That’s what Mark told me he always wanted for me, should something ever happen to him. I don’t think I’ll ever marry again, and I’m certainly not interested in dating anyone right now, but I’m so happy for you. I’ve always thought you and Sean would be a good fit for each other.”

Jessica says admiringly, “You are an amazing woman.”

Bonnie chides, “Yes, I know, and don’t you ever forget it, because I know I’ll need your strength sooner or later.”

“Well, you know I’m always here for you.”

“I’m so thankful for that.”

When Jessica walks into work the next morning, Nate wants all the details of her date. Jess admits that Nate helped her out quite a bit with the choice of clothing, describes the delightful conversations they had, and then explains about their kiss. She also explains she was stunned by her reaction to Sean grabbing her hair during their kiss and how much it turned her on.

She says, “No one has ever done that to me before, but I really enjoyed it.”

Nate listens very patiently to Jessica with a growing grin on his face, and when she finishes he asks, “So when are you two getting back together again, because it sounds to me like you both are very passionate individuals. When, or if, you have sex, I bet it will be mind-blowing for both of you.”

“How can you possibly know that?” Jessica asks.

Nate just laughs, “Based upon what you told me about your and Sean’s reactions, that’s how. Both of you have been free of any relationship entanglements, and both of you sound like the pent-up sexual emotion inside you guys is going to erupt like an old, dormant volcano. When it happens it’s going to be hot, hot, hot! Just mark my words, Jess.” He winks and leaves her considering sex as hot as lava.

CHAPTER 18

PLAYED

L
ater in the day, Jessica receives a desperate phone call from Ricardo wanting to know why Beauty Boutique Clothing has suddenly changed its mind on executing the lease agreement, especially since he agreed to all the conditions she laid out during their conversation in Brazil.

Jessica tells him, “You didn’t sound too enthusiastic about our offer, so I browsed elsewhere.”

Ricardo protests, “That may be true, but you also understood everything I told Lidia, Juan, and Hugo when we thought you couldn’t understand us, didn’t you?”

“Yes, I did, but any type of lease arrangement of this proportion needs to begin as a win-win agreement. If the Beauty Boutique begins its relationship with you on a bad note, for example if you feel like you were forced into the deal, then when issues do arise, you’ll be less likely to work with us. I’m simply looking at other options that have a better chance of a mutually supportive relationship.”

Ricardo asks, “Is there any possibility of changing your mind?”

Jessica replies with an emphatic, “No. I am sorry.”

Ricardo says in a cold voice, “I’m sorry to hear this decision is final. Maybe when this new location doesn’t work out for you, we will renegotiate terms more favorable to
me
.”

The line goes dead, and Jessica pulls the phone away from her ear to stare at it.
How rude,
placing the phone back in the cradle.

Ricardo calls Sean next. “What the hell happened, Green? I thought we had a deal!”

Sean grimaces. “Slow down, Ricardo. What happened?”

“Ms. Silva,” Ricardo replies, disdain dripping from his voice, “has just refused to sign our lease agreement after I met every term she asked me to meet. This is unacceptable. Now I must scramble to see if I can come up with another alternative to alleviate some of the stress that comes with owning a building without any tenants lined up—”

Sean interrupts to ask Ricardo if he had ever considered selling the building.

Ricardo snorts. “Not without a tenant in the place. To do so with an empty building would reduce the price of the property substantially.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you can hold the empty building for the long term then.”

Ricardo admits, “I thought I could, but after Mr. Stevens death, Hugo is very concerned Global Metal Refining will cancel his contract and not look favorably on any future bids. It puts extra pressure on me to find a tenant, because I may need to seek additional funding soon.”

, “I understand. Global Metal Refining was my largest client, and I, too, fear the same response from the interim CEO. You know, I will be at the Stevens’ villa with Mrs. Stevens and Ms. Silva in a week. Perhaps we can meet, put our heads together, and come up with a new solution that would work to take some pressure off you?”

Ricardo agrees and asks Sean if he thinks Ms. Silva might change her position.

, “I seriously doubt it. I’ll level with you… the three of us are coming to Brazil to view land close to the new Nike factory for Mrs. Stevens to buy and, eventually, build another factory to perfectly suit Beauty Boutique Clothing. Ms. Silva would be able to lease long term on very favorable conditions, since Mrs. Stevens has substantial cash to invest. I must remind you, Ricardo, that Mrs. Stevens and Ms. Silva have been lifelong friends, so Jessica pretty much has backing to do whatever she wishes. Including not hiring SGM for the marketing or anything else drastic.”

Ricardo responds grudgingly, “I will make all the time you want available in order to solve what might rapidly become a difficult predicament for me.”

Sean tells Ricardo he looks forward to working with him in a week.

After they hang up, Sean calls Bonnie. He tells her that the plan is right on track and relays the facts of the conversation he just had with Ricardo.

Bonnie tells Sean, “Excellent. Jessica telephoned about an hour ago informing me of the conversation she had with him, also. From what you both have told me, all I have to do is remind Hugo and Ricardo that between you, me, and Wendy, we still have controlling majority in Global Metal Refining and the three of us are in agreement on basically everything. What I need you to do next is get in touch with Hugo and set up an appointment between you, me, and him. Tell him of my environmental preferences, and mention I would like to discuss his future with Global Metal Refining. This should be enough to pucker his sphincter and gain us the leverage we need with Ricardo.”

Sean says incredulously, “Bonnie, you are evil, but I really like what you seem to have learned from Mark. This is a brilliant plan.”

Bonnie chuckles, “That is a true compliment coming from you.”

Sean grins, “Well, I’m glad, because it’s also a sincere one.”

Bonnie, Jessica, and Sean arrive at the villa mid afternoon on Monday. The staff is prepared for their arrival and has lunch ready on the veranda, complete with mango margaritas. The food, as usual, is fantastic. Everyone decides to relax by the pool and once again share wonderful memories of Mark. It is decided that Bonnie and Jess will spend the next day shopping while Sean meets with Ricardo. On Wednesday, Hugo is scheduled to come to the villa to meet with Bonnie and Sean.

The next morning, Jess and Bonnie are up early and out the door for their shopping excursion while Sean prepares for his meeting with Ricardo. When Ricardo arrives, Sean once again has the meeting on the veranda. They enjoy a leisurely breakfast and, over coffee, Sean explains the circumstances of Mark’s estate and the need for Ricardo to tread very lightly around Bonnie, not only for himself, but also for Sean and Hugo.

Having concluded his spiel, Sean says, “On a lighter note, Mrs. Stevens has authorized me to offer fifteen million U.S. dollars, in cash, to purchase the old Nike factory. She feels bad for pulling your only tenant prospect away from you, and she wants to make up for it. She has decided, if you agree, to make it a center for environmental studies surrounding issues specific to the Brazilian rain forest.”