Page 10 of Terms of the Flight

I cleared my throat and licked my lips. “No, I’m fine. I would like to get right to it if you don’t mind.”

He nodded and took a bottle of Fiji from the fridge before gesturing with his hands toward the seat in front of his desk. Then he took the one across from me. I hadn’t noticed the folder in his hands when we first walked in there.

Not until he flipped it open and went through the many pages of my personal information did I understand why. I don’t know why it made me feel naked. It wasn’t as if the other agent wasn’t getting ready to do the same damn thing. It was because it was him, simple as that.

I rubbed my now moist hands against my black slacks. Then I glanced around the room at his many plaques and degrees. He even had pictures of him with an older couple I assumed were his parents, since he looked like the perfect mixture of them both.

He’d clearly inherited his father’s height, jawline, and complexion, while the color of his eyes, his smile, and thesmooth texture of his hair came straight from his mother. I smiled, noticing just how much love was all over his walls. It made me relax.

I cleared my throat. “So, do you usually take on loan meetings with women by yourself?” I asked.

He finally looked up at me from going over the documents in front of him with a lift of his brow. His face gave away every emotion he felt—I wondered if he knew that.

“As opposed to what else?” he asked.

I rolled my eyes. “You know in this day and age you need another person in the room when you’re of the other sex. People will say anything, and then you have a lawsuit on your hands.”

He chuckled and closed my folder, then leaned back in his chair. Then he stroked his chin with a tilt of his head. His scrutinizing glare caused me to adjust how I was seated. But I held his stare, not allowing myself to back down.

“Well, Ms. Mathers, do I have something to be concerned about with you?” he asked, and leaned forward, still holding my stare.

“Uh, no?—”

“I can get you a buffer if you feel you can’t handle being alone with me,” he interrupted, then leaned forward to pick up his phone.

My hand shot out, stopping him before I could stop it. Mine now covered his, stopping him from lifting the phone from the base. The heat of his skin against my own caused me to pull my hand back like I had been burned.

“Sorry, you don’t need to do that. Can we get started?”

He smirked at me with a nod, then flipped the folder open once more.

“As I looked through your folder, I noticed you don’t have much collateral. What would make us feel secure with giving you this amount of money?” he asked.

His expression was now a lot more serious than it had been moments ago. I released a breath and pulled my shoulders back so I stood taller.

“My sales reports should be reason enough, and my projections. I know if I had enough capital, I could make a big difference with my business. I sell out anytime I do a drop—it’s just not enough to really take the risk I need.”

He nodded, then closed the folder with a release of a breath. He clasped his hands in front of him, then tilted his head to the side for a moment.

“When I spoke to you on the plane, I heard your passion for this loud and clear. I want to be able to give you this loan, but it wouldn’t be a sound decision, especially for the amount you have down. I can give you five thousand, but your interest rate would be crazy high. Which wouldn’t be a help to you. I don’t want to discourage you, but I don’t think any bank would give you the amount you’re looking for.”

My heart beat erratically in my chest as I repeated the words he had said over again in my head. I wanted to be pissed, but I couldn’t. I knew what he was saying was true. The reason I had come to Blackwell Bank was because they usually took a risk on smaller businesses.

I pushed my chair back from the desk and started to stand.

“Thank you for taking the time to look over my proposal. Can I think about the five-thousand-dollar offer?” I asked.

He shrugged. “You can, or you can have a seat and listen to the other offer I have for you.”

I slowly sat back down and nodded for him to continue. The least I could do was listen if he was trying to find another way to help me.

“Now, allow me to speak straight through. I might answer any questions you may have by the end of my speech.”

I nodded and waited.

“Now, I know this isn’t normal practice, but I have a personal dilemma that I think you could be very helpful with. I have a wedding I am supposed to be attending in the next two months. I need a date?—”

“I know damn well you aren’t trying to offer me money to fuck with you?” I asked, with wide eyes and a little more bass in my voice than usual because he had me fucked up.