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“Amy, you can't know how much it means to me for you to be here tonight.”
His soft, genuine expression of gratitude sent a flutter through me. I caught myself having first-date jitters all over again. This was supposed to be a simple business transaction, but nothing with this man was simple. The look in his eyes was hard to decipher.
Those eyes fell to my chest for a moment as his wicked smile returned.
I clenched my thighs together to ward off the tingling. “And it means a lot——” I started before being interrupted by our waiter again.
He was back with our wine, which he poured with a flourish before disappearing again, no doubt to reappear at the next inconvenient moment.
“I was going to say, thank you for the investment. It means a lot to everybody in our company.”
From a business perspective, it was bad form to admit how desperate we had been, but on a personal level, I needed to thank him. We were going to be faux-dating for a while, and I had to get used to telling him what I thought, without the company-to-investor filter in the way.
He raised his glass to me. “To our joint success.”
“To success,” I said as we clinked glasses and each took a sip. “Maybe now would be a good time for you to fill me in on your plan, and why you need my help.”
Wonderful-smelling garlic shrimp arrived before he could say anything.
Liam took a deep breath. “Honestly, we have profit and growth targets we need to hit. We were hoping to merge your company in to hit those targets.”
I waited for the punch line. I still didn’t understand why he needed my help.
“Springbok Foods is the objective now.” He let the words hang there for a moment.
Springbok was larger than we were, and since we didn't directly compete, I was only peripherally aware of them. “And how do I help you with that?”
The waiter reappeared and took our orders for dinner.
After he departed, Liam took another sip of wine before answering. “We had some preliminary discussions with them earlier and ran into a something of a snag. It's a family-run business, and a bit unique. Hubricht Schmulian doesn't think I'm the right person to sell to.” He swirled his wine around. “He thinks I've been…shall we say…too cavalier in my social life. He believes strongly in his version of family values. If we can convince him that I've settled down and I'm not the playboy type that he thinks I am, we have a shot at completing the deal. It sounds odd, I know, but that's the reality of the situation.”
I caught a giggle mid-throat. “So, convince him you don't do things…things like Tuesday night?”
He stifled a laugh. “Something like that.”
Now I understood his predicament. He had to lie his ass off, and he needed a girl to do it with.
“But why me? You must have a hundred women in your little black book you could call.”
A frown appeared. “Not even close.”
“Then thirty or forty.”
“Try zero,” he said, peering into his wine. The sparkle had left his eyes.
Something I'd said had upset him.
“Amy, trust me when I tell you I think you're very special. That’s why I’ve picked you.”
He picked me.
His voice conveyed nothing but sincerity as the blush returned to my cheeks. This man had a way of saying the most charming things at the most unexpected times.
I swallowed hard, once again caught in the gaze of the lion. “So, how long have we been dating?” I asked as soon as I regained control my vocal cords.
“How about six——no, let's make it seven months,” he offered.
“Okay, so around Christmas time then,” I replied.
