The Negotiation
New York Times, USA Today & Wall Street Journal bestselling author
Sandi Lynn
The Negotiation
Copyright © 2016 Sandi Lynn Romance, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used factitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Photo & Cover Design by: Sara Eirew @ Sara Eirew Photography
Models: Marie-Lise Therrien and Vincent Moreau
Editing by B.Z. Hercules
Books by Sandi Lynn
If you haven’t already done so, please check out my other books. They are filled with heartwarming love stories, some with millionaires, and some with just regular everyday people who find love when they least expect it.
Millionaires:
The Forever Series (Forever Black, Forever You, Forever Us, Being Julia, Collin, A Forever Christmas, A Forever Family)
Love, Lust & A Millionaire (Wyatt Brothers, Book 1)
Love, Lust & Liam (Wyatt Brothers, Book 2)
His Proposed Deal
Lie Next To Me (A Millionaire’s Love, Book 1)
When I Lie with You ( A Millionaire’s Love, Book 2)
A Love Called Simon
Then You Happened
The Seduction of Alex Parker
Something About Lorelei
One Night In London
The Exception
Corporate A$$
A Beautiful Sight
Second Chance Love:
Remembering You
She Writes Love
Love In Between (Love Series, Book 1)
The Upside of Love (Love Series, Book 2)
Sports:
Lightning
Table of Contents
Books by Sandi Lynn
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
About The Author
Prologue
Age 7
“You look pretty, Mommy. Where are you going?” I asked, as any seven-year-old would, sitting on the edge of her mother’s bed and watching her get ready to go out.
“I’m going out on a date.” She turned to me and smiled as she made up her lips with a red color that brightened her pale skin.
“Can he be my daddy?”
She set down the tube of lipstick, walked over to the edge of the bed, and placed her hand on mine.
“No, sweetie. Remember what I told you. Mommy doesn’t need a man in her life to complete her. Companionship is a good thing; relationships are not. They only complicate your life in a way that takes away your independence, your freedom, and your self-worth.”
****
Age 10
“Francesca will be here soon, Emily.”
“Who are you going out with?” I asked as I sat on the edge of her bed.
“His name is Xavier and he’s a nice man.” She smiled.
“If he’s so nice, maybe he can be my daddy.”
“Emily, we’ve been over this a billion times. In order for someone to be your daddy, I would have to form a relationship with him and that’s something I’m not willing to do.” She smiled as she tapped me on the nose.
“But why?” I innocently asked.
“Because relationships are doomed before they even start. We’ve been over this before. No good comes from a long-term relationship. Happily ever after is a myth, my darling daughter. You need to remember that.” She placed her finger under my chin. “We Wade women do not let others, especially men, control or wreak havoc on our emotional state.”
****
Age 13
“I’m sorry, Gerald, but you need to leave now and please don’t call me again,” my mother spoke as I listened outside her bedroom door.
“This is how you respond to me telling you that I love you?” Gerald’s voice raised.
“You don’t love me. We only went out a few times. I told you from the start that I wasn’t looking for anything long-term.”
“But, Karen, it doesn’t matter how many times we went out. I fell for you the moment I laid eyes on you and I thought you felt something for me too.”
“Well, you thought wrong. We’ve served our purpose to each other and now it’s time for you to go.”
“You are a cold-hearted bitch, Karen. I’m sorry I wasted my time on someone like you.”
I could hear his footsteps approaching the door, so I ran back into my room, climbed into bed, and pulled the covers over my head. The hinges on the door lightly creaked as it softly opened. Before I knew it, my mother was sitting on the edge of my bed and carefully pulled the covers from my head. I stirred and opened my eyes to see her looking down at me as she brushed away the strands of hair from my face.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as I stared into her watery eyes.
“Nothing, sweet pea. I was just making sure you were asleep.”
“Is Gerald staying the night?”
“No.” She softly smiled. “He won’t be coming around anymore, Emily.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted a part of me that doesn’t exist. We do not change who we are to make someone else happy, darling. Remember that. Go back to sleep.” She gently kissed my head.
****
Age 16
I was sitting on the couch watching a movie when my mother strolled in around one a.m.
“How was your date with Cecil?” I asked as she plopped down next to me.
“It was fine, but I don’t think we’ll be seeing each other again.”
“Why? He seems like a really nice guy.”
“He is, darling.”
“Then why would you stop seeing him?”
“Because he wanted to claim me for himself. He wanted us to be exclusive and he told me that he was in love with me.”
“Okay. So what’s wrong with that? I really like him, Mom.”
“My sweet girl. What have I taught you from the time you were a little girl about relationships?”
“I know, but—”
“No buts, Emily. Do you want to become someone else’s plus one? Do you want to give them power over you to either make you over-the-top happy or destroy you emotionally? Do you want to feel your heart break over someone you thought you knew, but in the end, you didn’t even really know them at all? Do you want to wak
e up someday next to the same man you’ve been with for years and wonder if there’s someone better out there? Romance dies, darling. Jokes are no longer funny, conversations become stale, sex will become routine and mechanical, and the person who you once were will no longer exist. And when the relationship ends, you will have to rediscover who you were in the first place. Because, make no mistake, darling, a person will change you. Love doesn’t last. It’s not possible. Men stray and when the going gets tough, they run to seek comfort in the arms of another who is new and unfamiliar to them.”
“You sound like a man hater, yet you date so many different men,” I spoke.
“That’s because each new man is exciting and they serve a purpose. Why settle for one fish when you can have an ocean full anytime you want?” She smiled.
“I guess.”
“You come first, Emily. Never forget that. You will be successful, determined, and have the fulfilling career you always wanted. Men get in the way of that and I know you would never allow a man to deter you from your dreams.”
“Aren’t you lonely?” I asked as I laid my head on her shoulder.
“Not at all. I have you and I have plenty of men to occupy my time and needs. Remember, women are a man’s weakness. We have the bodies they crave, the vagina they want to bury their cocks inside, and the breasts their mouths desire. We make them feel good, and in return, they make us feel good. It’s purely physical, and as long as that’s all it is, life is good and uncomplicated.”
Chapter 1
I was there when my mother took her last breath; the day cancer claimed her life. I remember it as if it was yesterday and not two years ago.
“Hey. Are you okay?” Katie asked as she walked past me with an armful of clothes.
Snapping back into reality, I nodded my head.
“I’m fine. I was just thinking about my mom.”
“That’s right. Today’s the anniversary of her death.” She pouted. “I’m sorry, Emily. She was such a great woman. Man, did I respect the hell out of her. Strong, independent, and a woman of many talents. She’d be so proud of you right now.”
“Thanks. I stopped by the cemetery this morning before coming to the shop and put some roses down. She would be proud of me. Wouldn’t she?” I gave a small smile.
Katie set the clothes down on the white chair that sat in the middle of the store and hooked her arm around me.
“She would be very proud. She knew opening up this shop was always your dream.”
I was the proud owner of a boutique on East 9th Street called Emily’s Edge. My shop ranged from vintage clothing, couture, American labels, and up and coming designers. I wanted a store that housed a little bit of everything. Kind of like a one-stop shop. Any style and any occasion could be found at Emily’s Edge. I opened the store about six months ago after a yearlong process of planning, designing, and making sure it was everything I wanted.
Fashion had always been my passion. I loved clothes, fabrics, accessories, and I had a talent for styling. After graduating high school, I attended NYU where I obtained my BBA, then I went to Parsons for two years and received an AAS in Fashion Marketing. After Parsons, I was hired by Bloomingdales, where I worked for two years as a buyer for their women’s casual clothing.
My mother owned her own insurance company, which she started when I was three years old. Before she passed away, she sold it to a colleague of hers who had worked for her since the day she opened the doors. She knew insurance wasn’t my thing and she didn’t want me to feel pressured with having to take over her company. She made sure I was set money-wise and she told me to follow my dreams.
I didn’t let anyone deter me from my dreams of becoming a successful businesswoman. Especially men. I dated, a lot. A few dates here and there, casual sex, and plenty of one-night stands. I wasn’t looking for a relationship because they were taboo. But I did like the companionship of men as long as they didn’t become attached. Any sign or showing of feelings on their part and they were kicked to the curb faster than I could say, “It’s over.” My mother was right all those years that I was growing up. From the time I was a teen, I’d watch my friends get their hearts broken beyond repair by a guy. I’d watch them change, not only in style but in personality as well. They put their boyfriends first and let their friendships drift away as if they had never meant nothing. I’d sit up endless nights with my roommates crying on my shoulder about how they caught their man with another girl or how they were just broken up with because their partner told them that they didn’t love them anymore. It was nothing but a clusterfuck of emotions and a position I was never going to put myself in. Like my mother, I was never going to let someone have that kind of control over my emotional state and wellbeing.
“By the way, how was your date last night?” Katie asked.
“You had another date last night?” Evelyn spoke as she walked into the shop.
“It was nice, and yes,” I looked at her, “I had another date.”
“Same guy as a few nights ago or a different one?” Evelyn asked.
“Same guy as the other night and his name is Cliff.”
“Have you slept with him yet?” Katie asked as she hung some blouses on the rack.
“Nope. But I think tonight is the night. I’m horny and we’ve been on three dates already, so I think it’s time.”
“So what’s his story?” Evelyn asked.
“He’s been divorced about a year because his ex-wife cheated on him and he’s a real estate agent.”
“Does he know you’re not looking for anything serious?” Katie said.
“Yes. I made that very clear the first night we went out. He said he was just getting back into the dating game and he wasn’t looking either. So, we’re just enjoying each other’s company.”
“Is he the one you met on Match?” Evelyn asked.
“One of the ones I met on Match.” I smirked as I rested my elbows on the counter.
“Good luck.” Katie smiled. “I hope the sex is everything you want it to be. Unlike the past few guys you slept with,” she spoke with a twisted face.
“Ugh. Don’t remind me.” I shuddered. “It’s sad when you have to finish the job yourself after they leave.” I rolled my eyes.
Both girls busted out into laughter.
Katie Collins was my best friend and assistant manager. We met sophomore year in high school and had been glued to each other’s side ever since. She attended NYU with me for the first year and then decided that college wasn’t for her. Since she liked retail so much, she decided to make a career of it and work at Nordstrom as a sales associate. She didn’t mind because she was on a mission. A mission to find a rich man to marry who would take care of her financially. She had been in a relationship for the past nine months with a man named Alex. He didn’t have much money, but she was okay with that because he was on his way to becoming a lawyer. She was a beautiful girl who stood five foot five with long auburn hair, jade eyes, and an overflowing personality that people loved.
Evelyn Rose was another friend of mine who was an up and coming designer. The two of us met at Parsons and had been close ever since. She’d been trying to break into the design business and she was the reason I decided to help out struggling designers and carry some of their lines in my store. Men loved her five foot four stature, lean-as-fuck body, long black hair, and baby blue eyes.
Chapter 2
Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped my long blonde highlighted hair in a towel, slipped into my robe, and started getting ready for my date with Cliff. As I was applying my makeup, a text message came through on my phone from him.
“I can’t wait to see you again tonight. I hope you had a good day.”
Looking down at the message, I sighed.
“Looking forward to our date.”
He replied with a smiley-face emoji, which drove me nuts. If there was one thing I hated more than anything in the world, it was those damn emoji’s. Rolling my eyes, I finished putting on my face, dr
ied my hair and threw some loose curls at the end, slipped into my little black dress, sprayed on some Joe Malone perfume, and went into the kitchen to pour a glass of wine before he picked me up.
The doorbell rang, and when I opened it, he was standing there with a bouquet of yellow roses. Suddenly, a sick feeling took over in the pit of my stomach.
“Wow, you look amazing. Not that you don’t always look amazing, but tonight, you look extra amazing.”
“Thanks.” A small smile graced my lips.
“These are for you.” He handed me the roses as he stepped inside.
“Roses. Wow. They’re beautiful. You shouldn’t have, but thank you.”
“I was walking by the florist earlier and saw them in the window. They made me think of you, so I had to buy them.”
“Why would yellow roses make you think of me?” I asked as I placed them in a vase of water.
“Because they’re bright like the sun and that’s what you remind me of.”
Either Cliff was being serious or he was just trying to make sure he got laid tonight. I was going with he wanted to get laid. He took me to Daniel for dinner and dropped a ridiculous amount of money on food and drinks. When we reached my apartment building, he placed his hand on my cheek and brushed his lips against mine.
“Was that too forward?” he asked.
“No, not at all. Would you like to come up for a drink and maybe have sex?”
He let out a deep breath. “Thank God you asked. I was hoping we’d have sex tonight. I really want you.”
As soon as we stepped inside my apartment, I kicked off my shoes and led him to the bedroom. Instantly, his hands were all over me. Up and down my body, grabbing onto my breasts and kneading them through the fabric of my dress while his mouth devoured my neck. I brought my hands up to the buttons of his shirt, unbuttoned them, and slid it off his shoulders. His body was okay. I liked my men a little more built, but he wasn’t all that bad. He reached around and unzipped my dress, letting it fall to the floor as he lightly grabbed hold of my shoulders and stared at my body.