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Her small, even white teeth sank into a full bottom lip more suited to a woman who was actually a flesh-and-blood human being than an icicle. Too bad all of those just right, “take me to bed” curves were even more deadly in person. As in “take me to bed right now.” Because Quinn Davis was the epitome of a five-letter word he didn’t normally care to use.
The smile faded from his lips. “Just how much of an underdog is De Campo?”
“Who said you were an underdog?”
“My position on your priority list,” he said roughly. “If I were to rank it, I’d say Silver Kangaroo is your first choice, followed by H Brands and Michael Collins.”
The flush that darkened her cheeks told him he was dead-on. He sliced his hand upward to push his hair out of his face, remembered he’d had it all chopped off and dropped it to his side. “Why are we even here if you aren’t going to give us a chance?”
“You do have a chance.” Her eyes flashed a taunting emerald. “Tell me why I should choose you, Mr. De Campo. I’m all ears. Wow me.”
He could think of a multitude of ways to wow this one, most of which could never be done in a boardroom...starting with shutting up that smart mouth of hers.
He bit his tongue and used reason instead. “You’re big on Silver Kangaroo. I get that they’re a hot brand, winning awards, but so are we. In fact, De Campo is doing things no one else is, as you know, with the Malbecs and Syrahs in Napa. Warren is big on made in the U.S.A. There’s your angle.”
She lifted a delicate shoulder. “I’m more interested in choosing the right brand. Made in the U.S.A. is nice to have.”
“Good,” he agreed. “Then I’m sure you know you’ll get more personal attention from us than the big brands. How much love and devotion will Michael Collins or H Brands give you?”
“A lot, they’ve promised.”
He lifted a brow. “You can see through a lie, can’t you, Ms. Davis? Ultimately, the reason you should choose us comes down to a partnership. We’re in the restaurant business. Our restaurants are hugely profitable. We can help you. Guide you.”
Her gaze glittered. “I run a national chain of restaurants. I’m sure you couldn’t have missed that fact.”
“Fast-food restaurants,” he qualified. “It’s a very different industry.”
The warning in her eyes intensified. “Not so different, Mr. De Campo. But you make a good point. You’re a competitor. Why should we fatten your pocketbook, open sesame on our trade secrets so you can kill us later?”
He shook his head. “De Campo isn’t interested in luxury dining. Our restaurants service the trendy, hip crowd. It would be synergy, not competition.”
“What’s to say you won’t expand? You’ve opened five restaurants this year.”
“It’s not in our plans. We know where our niche is. Allow us to partner with you, share what we’ve learned.”
Her gaze hardened to a chilly, wintry green. “I don’t want your advice, Mr. De Campo. I want your wine.”
Damn, but she was a pain in the butt. “Riccardo and I had dinner in your Park Avenue restaurant this week. We wrote down a list of ten crucial mistakes you’re making that would put you back in the black. You may want to hear them given our restaurants have a profit margin unheard of in the industry.”
Her gaze flickered. Bingo. She crossed her arms over her chest. “Go on.”
“Put us through to the next round and I will.”
Her brows tilted. “What if you don’t make it? You have an opportunity now to make your case.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
“Ah. A gambler too.”
“Always. Tell me something, Quinn. You don’t like being underestimated, do you?”
“Not particularly, no.”
“Thought so. Funny then that Daniel Williams thinks he has you tied up tighter than tight.”
“Excuse me?”
“I think his exact words were ‘I’ve got that filly tied up tighter than tight, De Campo.’”
“Filly?” The full force of that green gaze sank into him. “He said that?”
“Just now, in fact. Ask him. And while you’re at it, you might want to find out where he’s staying. I could have sworn I saw him walk out of the hotel across from yours tonight. The one with the three-word name that is not the Luxe brand.”
Quinn’s mouth dropped open. She stood there gaping at him, then apparently realized what she was doing and slammed it shut. Matteo flashed her a grim smile. “Appearances are deceiving, aren’t they? You think I’m a playboy? You think I manipulate with my charm? Sure I do. I appreciate women. I appreciated you the moment I saw you and I know the feeling was mutual.” He lifted his shoulders in a careless shrug. “But the thing is, you aren’t my type, Quinn. I prefer the warm, affable ones over the ice queens. So perhaps you can tuck away your claws and play fair. Judge De Campo on our track record, not your misguided presumptions of who you think I am. Or this chemistry test is going to be a joke.”
He walked after that, afraid if he said anything else he would sink De Campo’s chances.
If he hadn’t already.
Quinn followed him back to the others. Gut churning, he grabbed a drink from the tray of a passing waiter. What in God’s name was wrong with him? Hot-headed was not an emotion he would normally have associated with himself. Reckless at times, yes. But that woman was impossible. And his career depended on her.
He watched her interact with the others, visibly cool with Daniel Williams now. At least he’d made her think twice. If he’d guessed right, the Silver Kangaroo CEO’s arrogant words would make a woman like her crazy. And maybe it would make her do exactly the opposite of what she’d been planning. Backed up by the sound reasoning he’d provided.
* * *
The thought he might have once again destroyed the biggest opportunity in De Campo’s history kept him awake for much of the night as the monogrammed Luxe Hotel sheets stared him in the face. Eventually he threw them aside with a curse and got out of bed for a 5:00 a.m. run before his flight.
It would be a couple of days before he learned the fallout of his actions. Quinn had said they’d be informed the beginning of next week.
The only thing he knew for sure right now, he thought, grimacing and picking up his pace into a flat-out run through the park, was that he, the master of charm, had not only failed to ace the chemistry test, it had been an adjunct failure of epic proportions. Quinn Davis might actually hate him after last night.
CHAPTER THREE
MATTEO HAD JUST stepped into his loft after his flight back to New York when his phone buzzed in his pocket. Riccardo no doubt, looking for the full debrief.
He dropped his bag on the entryway floor, pulled out his phone and checked the caller ID.
Quinn.
His chest tightened like a vice. Fast. Too fast?
“Quinn.”
“Congratulations, Mr. De Campo.” Her tone was brisk, businesslike. “De Campo has made Luxe’s short list of two.”
He let out his breath in a long, slow exhale. Relief mixed with the sweet taste of victory, a heady cocktail that made his blood surge in his veins. “No doubt it was my sparkling personality,” he offered dryly.
“No doubt.”
The wry undertone in her naturally husky voice made him smile. He leaned back against the foyer wall and ran his palm over the stubble covering his jaw. “I am thrilled, of course, that you picked us. Grazie.”
“Thank my new head sommelier for swinging the vote. One taste of Gabriele’s Malbec and she was onside.”
“Remind me to thank her.”
“I think the better route would be to keep you well away from her.”
He lifted a brow. “Why would you say that?”
“She isn’t as jaded about men as I am. I’d prefer not to have a train wreck on my team.”
“I think you overestimate my allure, Ms. Davis.”
“I think I don’t. Thank you for the perfume, by the way. You didn’t need to do that.”
“I thought a little piece of Tuscany was apt. You like jasmine then?”
“I do.”
“Good. It’s one of the world’s great scents.”
“I assume this is one of your techniques? Plying women with expensive perfume?”
“One of the more rudimentary ones, yes,” he admitted. “I also know my way around a kitchen. You’d be amazed how impressed women are by a man who can cook.”
“I can only imagine.” There was a pause. “I have no doubt about your...capabilities in any department you choose to apply yourself in, Mr. De Campo. Would next week suit to visit your Tuscan operations? I’d like to do that first, then show you two of our Caribbean properties we’re reopening in St. Lucia so you can get a feel as to where Luxe is headed before we do the pitch in early August.”
