After The Burn

by DimplesValntina

Adults Danny Desai and Lacey Porter work together at Desai Industries. Even though Lacey is attracted to her boss, Danny, she always keeps things strictly professional between them. Danny's actions bring them closer when he involves her into a bet that was engineered by his cousin and rival Charlie McBride. How will these circumstances affect the relationship of Danny & Lacey?

14. Chapter 14

After the Burn – Chapter 14

*Lovely Readers, as a 'thank you' for your patience, this will be the start of a 7 chapter multi-update (yes, 7)! Chapter 14 has a Recap below. I hope you enjoy! DimplesValntina

Recap:The Desai family owns Marrick Industries, an industry leader with various sides of business. Thus, it thrives in acquisitions to extend its expertise in a variety of fields. It is a family-led business where the youngest Desai executives (Danny, Cole, and Charlie) were raised in a competitive environment – under the thought that the competition would be healthy. The competition would be an instrument to teach the young ones to be the best at any endeavor while banding them together to represent a united familial front against any external threats.

Charlie McBride, an adopted member into the Desai family, has always resented his cousins – especially the most handsome and most praised Danny. Danny is usually the leader and winner of most competitions between the younger Desais. He has the nickname of 'The Golden Child'. Although cousins Charlie and Cole do attract their fair share of ladies, the ladies overwhelmingly flock to Danny more.

Lacey Porter, Danny's Senior Analyst, is desired by both Danny and Charlie. While she has nicely spurned Charlie's advances, she has always felt conflicted by Danny's attention (since he is her boss) and her attraction to him. Plus, Lacey's sister Clara had been traumatized by an office romance that ended badly. After Lacey reconciled her feelings about Clara's past, she and Danny agreed to explore this mutual attraction – to aim towards a middle ground between their previous dating philosophies: Danny's of the light and casual versus Lacey's long-term commitments.

Charlie devises a bet regarding an acquisition of a company (VanLandingham's). This company, headed by a conservationist, is coveted because of the rumor regarding an oil reserve somewhere beneath the land. If Marrick Industries wins that acquisition via Danny or Charlie presenting two different competing bids, then whichever specific Desai responsible for the VanLandingham business should be given a prize.

The prize is the position of President sometime in his lifetime – without any contest from the other young Desais. If Charlie is the winner of this contest, but Danny is elected President of Marrick Industries, then Danny has to forfeit and place Charlie as the President instead. Vice versa, if Danny wins this bet.

Charlie adds one more part to the bet. Lacey Porter will be the Senior Analyst for the winner of the bet. Goaded by Charlie, Danny accepts the bet.

At first resentful and then resigned, Lacey joined forces with her boss and her friend Cole Worthington (the other Desai cousin) to form Team Danny. Team Danny aims to beat Charlie (and his conniving analyst Regina Crane) in the VanLandingham acquisition.

Team Danny and Team Charlie have met their competitors during a boating excursion arranged by Gus VanLandingham, owner of the company that all want to acquire. However, Gus is a conservationist and a proprietor of his own family business. He is an ol' school conservationist who is very leery of big corporations and dislikes the crushing of smaller companies during acquisitions.

Each Desai team accurately predicts their strongest competitors and each seek to produce a proposal that will sway the conservationist and win the coveted VanLandingham's.

Let us re-join the story to see how our teams are progressing….DimplesValntina

The Teacher and the Apprentice…

Danny has suggested today's outing with Lacey. It is business-related. They are at a land development that has recently been completed by a construction company. Danny suggested this outing to access their creative flow.

When they park and walk around the parameter of the property, Danny asks Lacey to describe what she sees.

She replies "I see a development which has a new office structure erected but has flora surrounding it plus a man-made lake. The flora and other landscaping are for the beautification of this property and to entice bidders wanting to expand their business to this site and to this section of the city near the freeways. Yet, the outside décor is also for the future staff working here: it's a calming presence and may lull them into spending more time working at the office than they originally had planned."

Danny confirms "Exactly. Now, if you were to expand on that, how would you influence the productivity even more?"

Lacey answers "I would present the employees with something they could feel an emotional attachment…an investment towards the company. I would establish some sort of perks that would benefit them and ensure that they are willing to contribute their best efforts to making the company succeed."

Danny attests "Right again. Now, what would you do if you were a conservationist and wanted to apply these concepts?"

Lacey responds "I would give everyone a purpose to underline why their work was important. This purpose would, in turn, give the employees pride in their company. This would generate loyalty. Over time, I would expect that dedication to generate profits, which could be fed back into the company. The company could share some of those profits with the dedicated employees and then use the remaining excess for future business efforts."

Danny states "I have been thinking about VanLandingham's - how to appeal to him. When I reviewed their initial financial records, I saw they had decent profit margins and were doing well in the agricultural industry. They are in the top 10 percent in that industry and with the rumored oil reserve on their land, they could easily advance to the top 5% in that market. Sure a big surge of money invested into them via this bid would help them achieve that goal, but Gus' philosophy is sustaining things. Remember that boat outing he sponsored for the competing teams? Lacey, you mentioned that Gus had pride when he mentioned those buildings and structures along the river that he and his late wife saved and restored."

Lacey nods. She remembers. That was one of the things she liked about Gus during her interactions with him that day.

Danny gazes over the land development in front of them. He adds "That's why I brought you here today to this specific new development. Its potential can only be fully utilized if its value has more than a dollar component assigned to it."

Lacey's mind sees the correlation. She determines aloud "Present Gus VanLandingham with something that he can feel an attachment – that his company is investing some of its riches back into the community or environment – not in a one-time big effort, but something continual that gradually progresses into something greater."

Danny states "Precisely. If oil is found on the VanLandingham land, he wouldn't want the business to be ostracized as yet another traitor who uprooted the environment for a big payday. He would want 'big business' to appear as if it had a heart. To appeal to Gus, we need to build a bridge between a desire for big profits and a shift of public perception for this merger."

Lacey smiles. She validates "How we win is not only by the physical stats of how we can make VanLandingham's greater but also by how we can genuinely appeal to Gus by what he values most: the preservationist philosophy. He had such reverence at those things that he and his wife had restored. Let's work that into our proposal as our inspiration – that the boat ride was instrumental in the structure of our bid. We can build things into our model that would appeal most to Gus."

Danny smiles back at Lacey. He endorses "Excellent suggestion, Lacey. This way, we bring not only the competitive business edge but we have incorporated some of the VanLandingham ideas into our vision for the company after the acquisition. Actually, I already have some thoughts to use in our proposal. Let me reach out to a few contacts and see what I can find to help us add this element within our bid."

Danny is proud of Lacey. He states "Seems like the apprentice is learning at quite the rapid rate. Soon the student will outgrow the teacher."

He is glad that Lacey has not only the academic skill set for financial analysis, but she considers other aspects that drive business decisions. Sometimes, it isn't only about the fiscal numbers but also about the networking, the affiliations, and the perceptions surrounding one's business that guarantees success. Lacey was learning this well.

Lacey believes she is learning immensely under Danny's mentorship. She trusts his leadership for Marrick Industries. Moreover, Lacey feels that he respects her input. So, she feels compelled to try her best to guarantee that Danny beats Charlie in this competition. Therefore, she decides to share something that she finds peculiar.

As Danny turns to guide them away from the development site that served as their lesson today, Lacey stills his movement with a hand on his arm.

She states "Since you mentioned that boat outing, there has been something bugging me about that day. It is about the competitors…or particularly the differences amongst those specific competitors…"

Danny interrupts "You were thinking about our discussion of what teams were or weren't threats to our acquiring Gus' business. Yes, like I said that day, it is good to consider all their strengths and weaknesses. The more we know about them, the better we can forecast what approaches they will use for their bids to Gus."

Lacey frowns and hesitates to form her thoughts coherently. She looks at Danny as she says "I agree with what you are saying. However, my thoughts center on Gus. Like we have discussed, Gus is a long-time conservationist. Yet, look at the different bidders he has narrowed down in this contest to acquire his business. There's something that I find odd about this bunch of competitors. On one hand, you have 2 upstarts…"

Danny completes her sentence. He supplies "Shields & Felding with a large science and engineering background and Reid Innovations, trust fund babies with college degrees and only moderate-business success yet they have social media savvy."

Lacey continues "Right. Then, on the other hand, you have 2 well-established companies, not really well-known for conservation, but considered 'big conglomerates' and acquirers of smaller entities…"

Danny says "That would be us (Marrick Industries) and Schuler Dynamics. True, each are considered large corporations but VanLandingham's would be foolish not to contemplate what merging with either company would mean. Both companies have large monetary resources, business networks, and long histories of operating in highly competitive industries. Plus, each has managed acquisitions successfully in the past."

Lacey eagerly pounces what Danny has just highlighted. She uses her hands to illustrate.

She says "Yes, so you are dealing with two completely different camps of players: risky amateurs versus established pros with greater financial means."

Danny verifies "That assessment sounds right."

Lacey looks at him closely as she states what has been bothering her. She voices "Those groups are almost too radically different to really be equal opposition for this bid. Gus is a conservationist who seeks an acquisition – purportedly because no heirs want the reigns of his business. So why would he entertain the idea of upstart companies who will need a lot of transition time and guidance before he can properly hand the business over to them? Wouldn't he want a company already well-versed with mergers? Doesn't this competition feel almost too 'easy' of an obvious win for Marrick Industries or Schuler Dynamics? Or is there something else going on here?"

"What do you suspect?" Danny asks.

Lacey looks a little uncertain but she proceeds.

She shrugs as she answers "Maybe I am a bit of a conspiracy theorist here, but something seems amiss. Gus VanLandingham, although aging, seems too vital to just fade into the distance and sit at home once his business - his pride and glory – is sold to another. Danny, what would your own family do if there were no heirs interested in continuing the business as a family entity?"

Danny frowns at that question. His mouth opens to give a mirthless single laugh.

He then smirks and surmises "That wouldn't happen in our family because we have too many Desai heirs interested in maintaining the family business. You are groomed within this family where you are taught that one day, your skills will be needed in Marrick. Even if you want to pursue other desires, you feel indebted to your ancestors and want to preserve their legacy."

Lacey presses. "Danny, what if no heir wanted to continue? If Marrick had to be sold to an outside interest?"

Danny sighs. He considers "If none of us wanted Marrick to continue in familial possession? Well, Uncle Bill would stay 'in the game' until his last dying breath or until ill health forced him to resign. Even then, if he had to sell externally to someone without any Desai blood ties, Uncle Bill would still want to be involved in some capacity with Marrick – whether Product and Development or else on the Board of Directors. He would feel that he had some vested interest still in warranting the company upheld similar standards to what he held dear. He would want assurances that the reputation (that Marrick had earned) was maintained. Anything less would cheapen the business name and cheapen the Desai legacy."

Lacey paraphases her question. She inquires again "So, does it seem odd that Gus has such different competitors vying for this bid and that he is going to just walk away from it all?"

Danny eyes widen and his face displays that he recognizes what is occurring here. He shakes his head and gives a half-smile at Gus' craftiness.

He proposes what Gus' next moves may be. "That sly ol' fox is going to make last-minute stipulations that ensure he stays on in some capacity – after the sale of his business has occurred. What I have studied of him, leads me to believe that he will not want a day-to-day grind type of position. No, no…he would want more of an overseeing role instead."

Danny details "Yeah, that's it. If he chooses either of those upstart teams (which have less of industry experience), then he can be persuasive that they will benefit from his knowledge and expertise…maybe he can gain a Chief Operating Role with them. If he chooses one of the rest of us (with the heavy business experience and resources), then he will have to negotiate for a less prominent role, but one where he can still wield some power. If I were him, with this group, I would ask to transition into a role…like a Board of Directors position."

Danny concludes "Either way, Gus wins something additional: his business is sold and he still maintains a hand in how the new owners run VanLandingham's. In fact, dependent upon whomever is the winner, he may change either the asking price or establish new parameters to the buy-out. If the new changes are not negotiated, then the sale would go to another competitor – who would more acquiesce to what Gus wanted. Well played, Gus, well played…."

Danny looks at Lacey as he adds "But he miscalculated that someone, like you, might question his true motives."

Lacey dismisses. She says "It was just my intuition, I guess. My gut just didn't feel that things were so 'cut and dry' here."

Danny gives a knowing indication as he points a single finger at her. He responds "Intuition is a force to be reckoned. Gus may be smart but as I get older, I am learning that women are not to be underestimated with their intuition (as my mother likes to remind me). Never doubt yourself. Voice your opinion. Today, you did a great job, Lacey." He compliments.

Lacey beams at Danny's approval. She blushes but she is pleased that she voiced her suspicions. She questions "Now, that we know Gus' probable future moves, what do we do about it?"

Danny says "Nothing overt. We go along as if we are none the wiser. We gather our proposal together. Cole has that research on Schuler Dynamics. I meet with him tomorrow regarding that. A few days later, I want to discuss what we think Charlie and Regina may present. I want you in on that meeting with Cole and me. That will help us safeguard our proposal as we anticipate any moves Charlie may make."

Lacey asks "Sounds like a solid plan. What's next after that?"

Danny says "Well, before any solid offer is extended to Gus, both Charlie and I will have to meet with a Senior Exec to outline our strategy and proposal. Since we are in competition, we have to pick a separate individual who will act as an independent advisor to assist us with the logistics of the finances in order to authorize the payment – if either of our bids win. My dad is our team's Senior Exec whereas Charlie's is Aunt Tara."

Lacey nods. She simply states "Okay."

Everything seemed to be headed in a good direction for Team Danny. They just had a few missing pieces in the research and then they could draft their bid proposal, present to Vikram, and receive feedback on their bid and guidance about the monetary offer. Afterwards, they could re-tool any kinks that needed addressing.

Danny grabs her hand and forces Lacey's concentration on him. He smiles as he recommends "Let's talk about something non-work related."

Lacey dimples show as she gives a grin. She curiously asks "Okay, what do you suggest?"

Danny gives a frustrated partial laugh/partial sigh. He raises his eyebrows and lifts one arm slightly he shrugs. He declares "I don't care – as long as we aren't discussing this bet."

He playfully tugs her along to walk besides him as they proceed to his car.

Danny demonstrates some restlessness as he adds "I feel like my whole world has been revolving around this bet – day in and day out. Yes, this bet is important, but it happened at the worst possible time. In a way, I can thank this bet for forcing us together more and forcing us to admit our mutual attraction. However, it feels like just when we finally have a shot to explore the possibilities between us, something is an obstacle to that yet again."

He explains "At first, it was this hidden barrier of what happened to your sister Clara and all my efforts were blocked by that."

Lacey murmurs "Plus, we both had different perceptions of what we were looking for with any romantic relations with the opposite s*x."

Danny agrees. "Yes, we had that as a hindrance, too."

As they arrive at Danny's car, Lacey stands an inch away from his body as she counters "But we have navigated through that gridlock to a better place."

Danny closes that inch between them and gently wedges Lacey's back against the side door and window of the front passenger side of the car. He gives her the softest whisper of a kiss before he rests his forehead against hers and closes his eyes.

In a low voice he concurs "Yes, we have. Yet, there is one more obstacle. There is this bet, driven primarily by my zealous cousin to rule the world and those within it."

Lacey takes her hand, places it on Danny's jawline and gently pushes his head back so she can peer into his eyes. She teases "The whole world? I know Charlie is ambitious, but…"

Danny grimaces as he concedes. "Okay, maybe not the whole world – just yet – but Marrick. Charlie wants to win the ultimate competition with me for all the Marrick 'marbles' in the future…"

Danny looks pointedly at Lacey. He lifts her chin with his pointer finger and thumb.

He states "…and for you – as his Senior Analyst for now…with the hopes of something more down the line. With the latest obstruction, I just want a little time away from this…"

He explains "Sometimes, it feels like the more time elapses, this town is never going to see me in another light. I'm never going to have quite the normal life. With this family and in this town, I am always the 'Golden Child'…the one expected to win. Sometimes, I feel as though I brought it on myself – always rising to the high demands of a very competitive family. Other times, I feel as though I had no choice in the role society has cast upon me. However, I refuse for that to be true. "

Lacey has always seen Danny's strength but she has never witnessed his vulnerability until that moment. At that moment, she understood the weight upon his shoulders. She wanted to alleviate some of that pressure and give him encouragement.

Lacey reaches up and places a palm on each side of Danny's face. She looks at him sincerely as she proclaims "For what it's worth, I believe you. You refuse for that image to define your entirety. You are more than a bloodline and more than an important society surname. Regardless how others view you, I believe you will be able to define your own destiny – whether with Marrick or not. Well, that's how I feel about it – if it matters…" Lacey's voice trails off.

Danny inaudibly swallows past a lump in his throat. He is emotional as he nods and manages to speak "It matters."

He is compelled by his emotions to express his gratitude of what Lacey's words mean to him. He gathers her close to him in his arms and he plants a kiss on her. He places his left hand partially framing her face and partially cupped underneath her chin to angle Lacey's face away from him so that his lips can graze her neck. His lips pepper her skin in a trail upward as he explores the sensitive tendons there just below her ear. As Danny returns a trailing path back down her neck, he opens his mouth more to apply heated pressure until his mouth settles into a sweet spot in the corner of her neck. He nuzzles her there.

Lacey gasps at the onslaught attention that Danny bestows to that particular section. Her mouth remains parted as she receives immense pleasure from this simple but concentrated contact. Her instinctual reaction is to tilt her neck more to grant Danny further access. Her hands, sandwiched between their two bodies, grip the front of his suit jacket lapels.

When the pressure Danny exerts on that erogenous zone of the neck, Lacey wants more contact. Her hands move from the chest portion of Danny's jacket to grip him more firmly. One hand grips his side underneath his jacket while the other slides, on top of the jacket, up Danny's back to simultaneously bring him closer to her as she moves forward more to meet Danny's body. Danny gives his assent to her actions by his responsive groan.

Lacey can now feel the heat emanating from him through their clothing. Her nostrils smell the light cologne he is wearing. Her ears hear the pitch in his breathing. Her other senses detect that he is just as affected by her as she is by him. This excites her and this instance feels intoxicating with Danny.

Although her mind issues a dull warning that this moment could get out of hand, Lacey ignores that thought. She is unwilling for these sensations, caused by this interlude, to stop. So, she just enjoys and responds to this man.

Lacey whispers an almost breathless "Danny…"

Something snaps within Danny as he abandons the spot on her neck. Lacey utters a slight protest until Danny's lips returns to her own lips. This time, the kiss is more urgent as Danny angles his head, wraps his arms around her, and leans more into Lacey. His senses are heightened by Lacey's responses. He registers a deep moan from her which prompts Danny to tighten his embrace more…deepen his kiss more.

What was meant to express gratitude for Lacey's support, sharply escalated into something else. Perhaps the intensity and out-of-control spiral of the kisses and touches were inevitable; however, this was not anything Danny had planned. If he had planned such a passionate interlude, he would have orchestrated something with more finesse…more romance with some subtlety.

No, this particular moment with Lacey is raw instead. Her compassion had been the catalyst. Both his mind and body are responding to her. His mind connects to the empathy Lacey offered with her caring words. His body bonds with the comfort and temporary escape that her embrace grants. It was natural; it was instinctual. It was welcomed.

Later, Danny can examine if this flood of emotion is because he is not used to the slower 'middle ground' approach with a woman – where a more tangible connection is explored. Later, Danny can evaluate if this response would have been triggered by anyone else's kindness besides Lacey's (although he doubts that). Much, much later, Danny can analyze this situation from a detached view. However, for now, he just wants to feel…feel connected to someone who understands him…someone who recognizes when he needs reassurance – perhaps before he could guard that vulnerability.

So, Danny maintains this closeness for a while longer. One minute, he is pressing his body more into Lacey's as she moves one hand from his back and entangles one hand into his hair. Her other hand moved from his side to around his waist, underneath his jacket. She wants this closeness just as much as he does. Adversely, the next minute Danny is left disoriented as Lacey suddenly wrenches her mouth free.

With gulps of air into her lungs, Lacey says "Danny, we can't. Not like this…not here. I'm sorry, but I can't."

Danny allows Lacey to place her palms against his chest and force a few inches of space between them. He nods silently and takes one hand away from her body. He wipes a hand down his face. He doesn't say anything. Instead, he wonders 'What happened?'

Daniel Desai is normally so in control of his emotions. He prides himself on not being a hot-head like Charlie. Although he is impulsive at times, he still is the master of the situation and can switch from spontaneous to rational quite quickly. At least, this is usually the area that he can fully operate and control.

Until Lacey forced the halt to that intimate moment, Danny was completely unaware of his surroundings. He looks at her to gauge her feelings. He can tell she is just as shocked by her reactions as well. Her face shows confusion at how things intensified so quickly.

Danny took a moment to survey their surroundings quickly. Had anyone spotted them? No one was in the area. Although they were outside in the public, they were in a relatively semi-abandoned place. However, the highway was nearby and anyone could have been driving by to view the new development – just like they had.

Moreover, Danny wouldn't have been surprised if some teenagers or college students hadn't used this location as a make-out spot. H*ll, if anyone has seen them a few minutes ago, the onlookers would have accused Danny and Lacey of trying to recapture their youth escapades – where impulses and recklessness overrode sanity.

As they both tried to calm their still rapid breathing and cool their body's responses to unsettled resolution, Danny finds his voice first.

He looks at Lacey appealingly as he apologizes. "Sorry, Lacey. I didn't mean for that…"

Danny stops. He doesn't regret what happened. He wanted that kiss to happen. He wanted to express how he felt at her generosity towards him at that instance. He needs to approach this conversation differently. He tries again.

He clarifies "I wanted to kiss you… but that got out of hand rather quickly."

Lacey shakes her head. She states "No, it was both of us. We each got carried away. It's just that this is not the right area for things to get out of control."

"Um, let's get out of here and go to somewhere decidedly more public – with plenty of other people in attendance." Danny suggests.

Although his body disagreed with what he was verbally stating, Danny knew it was best at this moment to cool things a bit. Both he and Lacey could certainly feel that boundaries were going to be broken soon enough. Yet today, emotions were too off-kilter and they needed to discuss how any more intimacy affected this tentative 'middle ground' where they were.

"Yeah, let's go somewhere else." Lacey agrees.

They drive to a simple restaurant for a bite to eat since their business day has been concluded. They discuss other topics besides the bet. They discuss other topics besides what happened at the new land development. Although enjoyable, they discussed everything under the sun – except the glaring elephant in the room. Although each recognized a deeper discussion about today would need to take place soon, neither wanted to tackle that subject just yet.

Charlie encounters his own surprise…

Charlie meets with Van Landingham's granddaughter, Leslie. She inquires on why she should entertain this meeting with him…unfair advantage to his cause and all.

Charlie knows she is ambitious. Gramps is ol' school. While Gramps does think she is intelligent, he doesn't know if Leslie can lead his company. He also doesn't know if others will follow her lead. She isn't forceful or dominant.

Charlie knows a thing or two about forcing others to accept his qualifications. He can help Leslie – impart wisdom to her and help her win. All she has to do is to "talk up/recommend" Charlie to Grandpa – above the others who are campaigning and pitching for his business.

"I like your style, Charlie McBride. You don't hold any punches. You're cocky. You're quite the salesman. Yet, there is something about you that keeps things from being a turn-off. It is a quite interesting mix that you've got going on there." Leslie flirts while she has a chuckle.

Charlie adds "Oh, and that's just the surface. Once you get to know me better, you will see that I am more than just this handsome face."

Charlie grins like a Cheshire…all charm and appeal with just a little mischief underneath.

"See, I would have given you a compliment on the superficial part of you, but I didn't want you to become too conceited." Leslie says.

Charlie flirts "Ha! Oh, didn't you hear? Men love whenever a beautiful woman compliments them. Me? I am no exception. I'm human, too. I become that schoolboy with his chest puffing out with pride at the girl who has noticed him above all others."

"The Desai men seem to have cornered the market on looks. You and your two cousins are heartthrob material for sure." Leslie admits.

At the comment, Charlie tenses a little on the inside – nothing noticeable on the outside. He hadn't wanted any comparisons to the other Desai team presenting to the VanLandingham's. While Charlie feels that he could physically compete on the attractive scale with Cole, he could admit that Danny was the far more handsome of the trio.

He concedes "Sure, we Desais grow up with a healthy dose of self-esteem concerning our looks, but we try to stay humble."

"No competition for women?" Leslie asks.

Charlie momentarily wonders if she has heard anything regarding Nicole and him and why Nicole and Danny ended their engagement abruptly.

Charlie pretends to consider her question. He purses his lips, nods his head, and then he smiles. Charlie employs the patent Desai charm that he easily inherited, even though he wasn't blood-related. He acquired it just as naturally as those born directly into this family.

Charlie replies "Competing for women? Do you know how many families have been torn apart over that sort of thing? I try to stay away from that Greek tragedy thing. Those things are best left in the past."

He squints and puts a faux grimace on his face. He attests "No, no, that's not my style."

He shakes his head, licks his lips, and then tilts his head to look at her directly.

He asserts "Call me selfish, but the woman I choose? Well, that woman will have no eyes for anyone but me."

He puts his elbows on the table as he rests his lower arms upon it so that he can bend closer towards her.

He lifts his eyebrows and states confidently "You see, I can rouse her, satisfy her, and fulfill her. I can challenge her or she can challenge me – hey, I'm liberal that way. "

He gives a single laugh with a big smile. Leslie can't help but smile at his remark.

Charlie sits back straighter in his chair as he adds "It won't matter because at the end, I pursue all methods to ensure that the woman has no mistakes concerning her decision. Both her mind and her body will know which Desai they craved. So, competition? No. Oversell? H*ll no."

He lifts an eyebrow as he continues "Assertion? Yes. The proof to support that assertion? Now, I don't kiss and tell, but any woman who chooses this particular Desai has no complaints. Let's just say that I live up to their selection and to their expectations…every single time…guaranteed."

***LovelyReaders, thank you for reading.

You will notice the tv Twisted "Easter egg" of the "For all it's worth…" (Lacey) and the "It matters" (Danny) moment was the tip-of-the-hat to the graveyard scene after Tyler's party. The other tv Danny moment here was him leaning his head against Lacey's, like the ending outdoors scene of the Homecoming episode.

Now, Cousin Charlie is quite confident in his skills, isn't he?

Well, there are 6 more chapters for you with this multi-update. With gratitude for your continued support, may I present a Chapter 15 Preview below. It's quite entertaining…DimplesValntina

Chapter 15 Preview!

Nicole doesn't take the blatant hint to leave Charlie alone. She questions "How was your little tête-à-tête with Leslie VanLandingham? That was her, wasn't it? I was going to come over to say 'hello' but it appeared that you two were engrossed in conversation."

Charlie deadpans "Good that you didn't – since your presence wasn't wanted."

Charlie opens his mouth in surprise as if he just remembered something important. He lifts a finger in the air (to signal that he suddenly remembers that detail).

He utters "Aw, yes, I forgot that you tend to not notice things like that – when people obviously don't want you around." He puts down his hand and smiles as he finds amusement at what he just said.

Nicole makes a face at his remark. She gives a head toss and there is a gleam in her eye. She widens her eyes and opens her mouth in feigned innocence – just before she retaliates.

She retorts "Hmmm, do you mean like how Danny's analyst doesn't want your presence around her?"

Charlie snorts at her snide comment before Nicole adds "Lacey seems to be spending quite a bit of time with Danny, doesn't she? I saw her eating with Danny the other night. It didn't seem to be a business thing – it seemed quite personal. Could it be that things are progressing for those two?" Nicole raises one eyebrow as she questions.

Charlie is proud of himself for not snatching onto the bait she is dangling. At that moment, the bartender provides him that scotch. He thanks the server and turns back to Nicole. He takes a gulp of the liquid before he responds to Nicole.

Charlie is very calm as he says coolly "Yes, that would be the previous time you ran into me. Funny, you have that habit of just appearing when least wanted."

Before Nicole can respond, he continues "Yes, Danny and Lacey are finally dating in the open. Well, I am sure you aren't surprised. After Lacey was hired, the rumor mill surely gave you the word that someone more beautiful and smarter than you was now working for Danny. Therefore, this beautiful, smart woman would be spending a lot of time around Danny."

Charlie narrows his eyes and whispers in a faux shock "Nic, I'm sure you had to be 'oh so curious'. Who is this woman? What does this mean for the very-available Danny?"

His voice returns to normal tone as he adds "Of course, you would investigate things – just to see for your own eyes – find out the details. How did this Lacey look and what was the true relationship between her and Danny? No, no…you don't have to bother denying it; I know you would do such a thing."

Nicole interjects "I am far too busy to be concerned over trivial things like that. Danny and I are both free to pursue other people. I'm a very confident woman; I don't envy other women."

Charlie raises his eyebrows as he inquires "So, there is no connection that around the time of Lacey's hire, you decided that you were done tucking your tail between your legs? After all, family and close friends had done a great job keeping secret the real reason for your and Danny's dis-engagement. You decided you would embrace the big social scene as you once did before. So, it was just merely coincidental that you now appeared at many events where you thought Danny would be. But, wait…the once-smitten Daniel wasn't remotely interested in rekindling anything with you. Sure, Danny was dating around – as were you – but hmmm, could Danny's disinterest in you mean that he was pining and waiting for his analyst to come to her senses and give him a chance?"

During this exchange, Nicole's facial expressions have transitioned from unassuming to gloating…then from cockiness to agitation. Now, from her venomous glare to her tightened jawline, Nicole exhibits extreme displeasure…maybe even a little rage.

Good, he now had her full attention. Charlie decides to go in for the kill.

*Dear Readers, I hope you enjoyed that sneak peak. Hmmm, looks like Danny's ex, Nicole, decided to tangle with Charlie. Yep, Charlie is decidedly different in his interaction with Nicole versus Leslie.

Nicole and Charlie's conversation doesn't look all warm and chummy. As we all know, if you try to stir up trouble, then you'd better be prepared for the consequences.

See you at Chapter 15 to find out how who wins this round of verbal sparring! DimplesValntina