Once bitten, twice shy.
“Thank you for the segue,” he says. “On Monday, I brought your organization to my team’s attention. After some research, discussions, and brainstorming, we created the following proposal.” He flips the packet on the desk in front of me to the next page and looks at me, pleasure softening his hard features as he announces, “CD Enterprises proposes that up front, we donate one and a half million dollars to Corporate Cares.”
Holy shit! I try to stifle the words from tumbling out of my mouth. Pride is evident in his eyes as he watches me pensively, quietly gauging my reaction before continuing.
“In addition to the immediate funds, we plan to devote a portion of my car’s graphics in the upcoming season to promote your cause or mission, if you will.” He sees the confusion and questions forming from the expression on my face and puts his hand up to halt me so he can finish. “We plan on using this advertising spot to entice other companies and race teams to add to the sponsorship. My team will get them to commit to paying a set dollar amount per lap my car completes or a blanket sponsorship.”
I widen my eyes in disbelief; this could bring in a staggering amount of money for the company. I glance over to Teddy, who is so excited he is fidgeting in his chair, a huge grin on his face. I look back to Colton and my eyes meet his, emerald to amethyst, warring between gratitude and confusion. Why us? Why our company?
He smiles softly at me as if knows what I’m thinking and is acknowledging my dilemma. Accepting the donation means I have to accept his date. He continues, “We’re ironing out the details as to whether we offer the sponsorship per race or over the whole season. My team in working on that as we speak, seeing as we only have a little under three months until the first race to get as many corporate sponsors as possible.”
“Isn’t that unbelievable?” Teddy bellows from beside me.
I turn to him and smile sincerely before turning back to face Colton. “It’s very generous on you and your company’s behalf; I’m just a little baffled as to why us. Why Corporate Cares? What’s the connection?”
The corners of his mouth turn up, his elbows propped and fingers steepled on the desk in front of his chin. “Let’s just say that you can be very persuasive, Ms. Thomas.” He holds my stare as I inhale a sharp breath of air. “I think I’ll enjoy working with someone as passionate and,” he looks away, finding the word, before bringing his eyes back to mine, “responsive as I found you to be on Saturday night.” He keeps his face impassive although his eyes are anything but as his tongue darts out to lick his lower lip.
Despite the blood draining from my head at his words, I can feel the flush spread over my cheeks and down my neck. He senses that I get his insinuation for the humor in his eyes is unmistakable. The corners of his eyes crinkle to express his amusement. I squirm under his gaze wishing to be anywhere but here at this moment.
Like in his bed, under him, with his fingers dancing across my skin and his lips possessing mine. What the fuck? It’s bad enough he’s in my face, now he’s corrupting my thoughts. This is not good. Definitely not good.
I suppress my anger at the nerve of Colton. I can’t believe he’s just said this. Is referring to my indiscretion in front of my boss really that necessary? How dare he come in my office and provoke me. Remind me of something I’m not proud of. Something I’m not going to forget anytime soon.
“Responsive,” Teddy says, rolling the word over his tongue in thought, “That is a great way to describe my Rylee here!” He pats me on the back and pride fills his voice for he is completely oblivious to the concealed message that Colton is rather audaciously sending me. “Always going above and beyond.”
Colton shifts his eyes to Teddy, who is unaware to the unspoken sexual tension in the room. “It is, indeed. And a very hard quality to find in someone,” he nods, agreeing with Teddy. “I watched her in action on Saturday night and was quite impressed.”
I’ve had enough of this, yet I don’t want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he’s gotten the rise out of me I know he was hoping to with his comments. I don’t want to work with this man, but let’s face it, Corporate Cares has no other option to make all my blood, sweat, and tears over the past two years come to fruition. He’s stepping up to the plate, even if it is some misconstrued, vindictive way of getting back at me for not wanting him or his wanton ways.
I have to think of this collaboration as a means to end. My boys and the many others who can benefit deserve this new facility. I just don’t realize how much this statement, a means to an end, will become my mantra once I realize the fine print of the agreement.
“So Mr. Donavan—”
“Colton, please,” he reiterates.
“Colton, I understand the premise,” I state primly, wanting to get this conversation back on track, “What exactly is my involvement in this whole collaboration?”
“Well, Ms. Thomas, I won’t need much from you from a business standpoint for I have a team that is very experienced in this type of thing. Obviously though, I’ll need you to be the point of contact for their questions and other miscellaneous things.”
It is the miscellaneous other things he has in mind that worries me. “So why—”
Colton holds up a hand to stop me again, and I am getting rather annoyed at this habit of his. “As I discussed with Teddy, the contract between our companies for the donation is contingent on several factors.” He pauses, squaring up his papers on the table before him. He looks up, his attention focused solely on me. “For the next several months and into the season, I will need a representative of Corporate Cares with me on numerous occasions.”