Intimate Kiss (Bend To My Will #3) Read Free Page B

was tastefully wallpapered. It wasn’t exactly like home, but it didn’t have the pristine look that some offices had.
    While Jacob was going over some paperwork, Megan Giroux knocked then entered. His assistant was efficient, and that was what he liked about her. It was important to be able to depend on his staff. She had auburn hair and pale gray eyes. Although she was young and attractive, she wasn’t Jacob’s type, which was just as well. It wasn’t prudent to sleep with your secretary, despite what the movies portrayed.
    “I have the report you asked for,” Meg said.
    “Oh, good. Set it here.” Jacob patted the desk, barely looking up. He had a meeting in a few minutes and needed to get up to speed. A situation that concerned him had come up while he was away.
    Jacob took a few more minutes reviewing the information available, then went to the conference room to join the meeting. The room had plenty of windows offering a view of the city, and was decorated in a similar style to his office.
    Two of his staff sat at the long table, riffling through papers and making some notes. Zach Martel, the company president who answered directly to Jacob, had been with Rinaldi since shortly after Jacob had taken the reins. He was a native New Yorker who began his career in wine right out of college.
    Zach knew the industry from top to bottom, having been employed in upscale restaurants, then managing a wine shop on the Lower East Side before working his way up. The graying hair at his temples was evidence that he’d been around for a while. But the fact that Jacob was younger than he was did not affect their mutual respect.
    The other man was Grayson Landon, the general manager. He was originally from Canada, and had worked for another wine importer before Jacob recruited him. The sharp associate had a talent for developing brands, and Jacob was grateful for his loyalty. He was twenty-five, the same age as Jacob. Their birthdays fell in the same month, which contributed to the rapport they had for each other. But beyond that was their shared passion for the wine industry.
    Jacob nodded at his staff, then, taking his position as CEO, sat at the head of the table. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on the polished surface. “Zach…Grayson. Let’s get started.” He poured a glass of water from a pitcher on the tray in front of him.
    “Shall I fill you in?” Zach said.
    “I’ve read the reports,” Jacob said. “But detail it for me. I prefer to hear your take on it.”
    Zach sat up a little straighter, his tone now all business. “While you were away, some issues arose.”
    Jacob looked at his president. “Yes, and you were right to call me immediately.”
    “Although there is no shortage of good wine available worldwide, the importing business has become more challenging. That’s not new,” Zach said. “But since retailers can now have wine shipped directly, it puts the importer or middleman in jeopardy.”
    “Importers are being squeezed in all sorts of ways, but I believe we have proven our worth by adding value to the supply chain,” Jacob said, proud of his company’s achievement in that regard.
    Grayson jumped in. “We are one of the best at ferreting out less well-known vintners. Without us, there would be fewer new discoveries for wine lovers to enjoy. They wouldn’t be even aware of them, or have access to those wines.”
    “True,” Zach said, “and we have a good reputation for delivering such gems. But we are facing a new challenge.” Looking at Jacob, he said, “It seems that the competition is actively working to undermine our efforts.”
    Jacob frowned. “And this is the first you knew of it?”
    “In this way…yes.” Grayson rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ve been told by a number of our distributors that there is an active campaign for them to buy direct. The industry has been going that way. But to have so many of the companies we’ve dealt with for years swaying that way