Work Text:
Fucking bitch .
“Excuse me?” Christen shrieks, astounded by the question.
Christen Press was pissed. No, she was livid. She had never met someone so infuriating in her life and it was taking every ounce of her self control to keep her composure. Her face was burning red from anger and she was pretty sure her left eye was starting to twitch.
Breathe, Christen. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.
For the first time since she’s started regularly meditating, she’s struggling to control herself. She glares at the person who’s managed to unravel her. She hates her. No, hate is a strong word and Christen doesn’t hate anyone. She just really doesn’t like the girl.
I want to slap that smug smile off her stupid face. I bet she’s never had someone do that before. Christen’s angry, but she berates herself for allowing the violent thought to enter her mind. Okay, maybe I don’t want to slap her, but I wouldn’t mind if the waiter accidentally spilled hot soup all over her. It’d be a shame to ruin that perfectly tailored business suit that fits like a glove on-. No! Christen, stop. You do NOT want the waiter to do that and you most definitely do NOT think she looks good .
“I said, did you fuck me dad? Is that why he made the deal between our companies? So he could fuck you on the regular?” The woman opposite her asks with raised eyebrows and a malicious smirk.
Bitch.
Christen Press has worked hard for everything she’s gotten. Her ambition and determination has driven her to accept nothing less than perfection and success. For as long as she can remember, she’s dreamt of being the CEO of her own company. She’s gotten an A in every class she’s ever taken, but not without studying her ass off. She was president of three clubs in high school, the captain of her high school soccer team, and valedictorian of her class. Her focus was unmatched and her countless nights of sleepless studying paid off when she was accepted by Stanford as an information technology management major. She excelled there too, graduating in record time even when she decided to double major in computer engineering and join the soccer team. She’s worked too hard for everything she’s gotten to have someone question her intelligence and abilities. Nothing was given to her and it’s paid off because at the young age of 27, she’s the head of a multi-billion dollar company and one of the richest bachelorettes in the world.
She loathes that some people seem to get things without trying. Her struggles to achieve her dreams weren’t easy, so she despises when people are served everything on silver platters. It’s not fair and she thinks that there are far more talented and qualified people, like herself, who just don’t have the means. Not everyone is fortunate enough to grow up with a billionaire parents and inheritances worth more than ten times what the average person makes in their lifetime.
All things considered, Christen should have known she wouldn’t get along with the person in front of her. She knows that their partnership is vital to both of their companies, but the woman opposite her is insufferable. The dark brunette finds herself wishing that her usual partner hadn’t decided to retire and pass the company down to his daughter. She doesn’t know much about the girl, but her attitude and demeanor rub Christen the wrong way.
Maybe it’s the way the woman seems like she couldn’t care less and is so nonchalant about what they are discussing, or supposed to be discussing. Christen suspects that the woman was given the company because her father wanted to keep in the family and the girl has no idea what she’s doing. She’s probably never worked a day in her life. I doubt she knows what’s she’s doing .
But she couldn’t be more wrong. Tobin Heath is the youngest daughter of revolutionary business man Jeff Heath and his wife Cindy so she's grown up in the spotlight. But she's no Paris Hilton and has more going for her than her looks and daddy’s money. Her laidback persona is deceiving. Although she was raised by well off parents and has had access to so many opportunities, she knows the value of a dollar. As a little girl, she’d beg her father to bring her to his office and she learned the ins and outs of the company by the age of seven. She was her father’s little prodigy and the only one of her siblings who showed the promise and desire to run the company one day.
It’s not well known, but Tobin excelled in school too. She attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She majored in software engineering and helped develop quite a few items for her father’s company, Heath Technologies, while in school. Tobin was a natural negotiator and leader that was born to run a company. She was cunning, innovative and people respected her. Her personality was perfect for the job too. Despite her easy going nature, she knows what being the head of a company requires and she doesn’t take anyone’s bullshit. Her confidence and experience allows her to always have the upperhand in an situation. It also doesn’t hurt that she had her father show her the ropes throughout her entire childhood and she still has the luxury of being able to go to him for advice whenever she needs it.
The two women are complete opposites, yet both possess qualities needed in their line of work. Christen is high-strung and borderline OCD. She strives for success, but her love for her work hasn’t left much room for anything else. Tobin, on the other hand, goes with the flow and is the definition of organized chaos. She loves what she does and always wants to improve her company, but she’s learned from her dad how to balance work with family and friends.
Both women are have learned that to make it in this industry, especially as females, they can’t stand for any bullshit. Their approaches are different though. Christen isn’t afraid to use her looks to get what she wants, but she’ll always back it up with her smarts. She’s friendly, but don’t be fooled by her innocent smile. She knows what she wants and she always gets what she wants. Tobin has been trained in the art of business. Over the years, she’s built countless relationships by accompanying her father to meetings and banquets, so her reputation and connections precede her. Her personality draws people in and her seemingly effortless style is intriguing to those she doesn’t know and soon they too fall victim to the Tobin charm. But Tobin is a calculated individual; she’s always thinking ahead and there’s always a method to her madness. She knows what she’s doing and who she’s dealing with.
So she knows exactly what she’s doing right now. She knows that she’s getting under her new partner’s skin and it’s completely on purpose. It’s a test. As much as she loves her dad, she hasn’t agreed with all of his decisions as the CEO of HT. Now that’s she’s taken over, she wants to reassess each of the company’s connections to make sure that none of them are liabilities. She knows her dad is grossly in love with her mom and has never used sex to make business deals. This is purely to get under Christen’s skin and make sure she’s what Jeff Heath raves about. And selfishly, Tobin enjoys the way the girl’s face flushes when Tobin pushes just the right button.
“Absolutely not! I would never! He would never! He’s like a father to me and oh my God, gross! How dare you accuse me of something so vile! I’m not above flirting with people. But I would never actually do anything. Especially with a marriage man who has children. I am not a homewrecker,” Christen glares at Tobin, appalled at the accusation.
Heath Technologies has been working with PressPlay ever since the young mogul had started the latter company two years ago. HT provides the software and parts for all of electronics that PP draws up. The profits for both corporations have skyrocketed since they joined forces, but Tobin knows it doesn’t hurt to make sure that it will continue in the future.
She’s enjoying this meeting. They’re tucked away in a private section of the five star restaurant and Tobin’s relishing how uncomfortable the younger woman is because the dim lighting is hitting Christen in a way that makes her look like a rosy-cheeked angel. Tobin has interrogated her new partner relentlessly; no topics have been off limits. Her questions range from professional, “What is your company projecting for this quarter’s profits?” to completely improper, “Have you ever had sex with an employee?”
It pisses Christen off to no end and makes her squirm, which Tobin takes delight in. Normally, Tobin is very charming and can smooth talk anyone, but for some reason she’s finding she prefers to annoy the woman sitting across from her because Christen just looks too good when she’s angry.
“Fine, fine! I believe you. Just thought I’d ask because we could definitely continue that part of the relationship too,” Tobin tells her, licking her lips.
“Yeah, no thank you,” Christen wrinkles her nose. Tobin laughs and decides to give Christen a break and brings up the topic they were supposed to be meeting for.
“So, I think the new battery we’ve developed is gonna work really well in your products. It’s smaller, but it’s far more powerful and longer lasting,” Tobin informs her in a tone so businesslike, Christen has to blink a few seconds to register that it’s the same woman.
Christen’s relieved at the safe conversation, “Did you bring it? I’d like to test it.”
“Yeah, I brought it,” Tobin nods, but she makes no motion to grab it. Instead she just picks up her glass of wine and takes a sip.
“Can I see it?” Christen asks like she’s talking to a child.
“Hmm, it depends on what you have to trade,” Tobin leans back smirking.
Once again Christen feels the urge to slap the older woman. Seriously? Is she five?
“Can I see the battery?” Christen repeats, completely ignoring Tobin’s request.
“Yeah, as soon as you give me something in return,” Tobin replies coolly.
Clenching her jaw, Christen closes her eyes in exasperation. I’m dealing with an imbecile. This is ridiculous. When she opens her eyes, she decides to be the bigger person and gives in.
“What do you want?” Her tone is cautious and Tobin senses the warning in it, but she doesn’t care.
You , Tobin thinks, but she knows that’s too much because they are still partners. She even briefly thinks about saying “your panties” just to really piss Christen off, but she figures that’s just asking for Christen to terminate the relationship between their companies. Plus, Tobin’s not even sure if the woman she’s having dinner with is even gay, so she plays it safe. Well, safe compared to her initial thoughts.
“I don’t know yet, but when I think of something I’ll let you know,” Tobin knows it’s a bitchy answer and she tries to hide how pleased she is with how close Christen looks to losing it. Christen is scarlet now and it’s the most beautiful sight Tobin’s ever seen.
“So for now, let’s just say you owe me, okay Peaches?” Tobin tilts her head as she proposes her agreement.
“No. I shouldn’t have to owe you anything, we’re partners for crying out loud! You should be letting me see and test it for nothing because that’s what it means to be partners ! And don’t call me that, my name is Christen ,” the younger woman huffs.
“But this is so much more fun and I don’t know if I trust you yet,” Tobin smirks again and Christen thinks it might be a permanent fixture. “I think it suits you so well though. You’re so cute when you blush, so I’ll stick to Peaches.”
“It doesn’t matter if you trust me or not, your father did and he decided to work together. Stop acting like a child and just let me see the damn battery.”
“First of all, my father isn’t here and he’s not in charge of the company anymore. I am.” She leans closer so their faces are inches apart and continues, “Second, I don’t like it when people tell me what to do, so you might want to reword that into a a request instead of a demand, Peaches.”
Tobin’s tone is sharp and almost taunting. She swallows, slightly nervous and intimidated. Christen’s always prided herself on being able to hold her own amongst even the most prominent figures in the business world, but she’s never felt smaller than she does in that moment sitting across from Tobin Heath. It’s then that she realizes why Tobin was the Heath that took over HT and she regrets questioning the competency of the new CEO.
“S-s-sorry,” Christen cringes at her stutter and she curses the woman who’s too close for comfort for making her feel this way. “I, um, may I please see the battery?”
She’s rewarded with a smile and she briefly acknowledges how good the older woman looks with a genuine smile instead of that frustrating smirk.
“Sure,” Tobin says and Christen breathes a sigh of relief. The woman with the darker hair isn’t used to having someone else in charge; it makes her feel weak.
“But you have to promise that whenever I think of what I want in return, you have to give me it,” Tobin remedies her answer.
Christen sighs. She should have known it wouldn’t be that easy.
“Fine,” is her reluctant reply. She just wants to see the battery and test it out so they can end this stupid dinner and she can go home to her dogs and be as far away from this aggravating woman as possible.
Tobin reaches into her purse and Christen perks up. However, her excitement dissolves into confusion when she sees that Tobin has pulled out a pen and small notebook instead of the battery.
“What are you doing?” She’s semi-intrigued as she watches Tobin open the notebook and start to scribble something. There’s no response, so Christen just waits for her to finish writing. She takes a big gulp of her white wine because her patience is wearing thin and she hopes the alcohol will loosen her up enough for her to tolerate Tobin for the rest of the dinner. When she thinks about how the night has gone, the gulp turns into the rest of the cup.
As soon as she polishes off her glass and places it back on the table, Tobin slaps the notebook down in front of her.
“What is this?” Christen asks as she reads Tobin’s messy scrawl.
“A contract,” Tobin replies smoothly. It’s her turn to pick up her glass of wine. She swirls around her cup, keeping her eyes on Christen as she takes a slow sip. Christen watches and her eyes are drawn to the way the woman licks her lips afterward. It’s so sensual and causes Christen to do the same.
Christen snaps out of her daze and looks back down at the “contract.” As much as Christen thinks it’s stupid, she can’t deny that Tobin is a damn good business woman. The first rule is never agree to anything without a contract, so she has to give the woman her props.
I, , promise to give Tobin Heath whatever she wants in exchange
for her letting me see the battery from Heath Technologies. I will not deny, refuse, or
ignore any request no matter how crazy it is.
Signature: Date:
“This is so dumb, but I respect it,” Christen tells her as she takes the pen from Tobin. She prints her name on the first line and then signs and dates it to confirm the agreement. She hands the notebook and pen back to Tobin, who’s very pleased with herself.
After putting both items back into her bag, she holds out a hand for Christen to shake, “Nice doing business with you, Peaches.”
“I mean, partner ,” she amends when Christen scowls at the nickname.
Christen just stares at Tobin’s hand, making no motion to shake it. Tobin’s not deterred and being the stubborn woman she is, she just keeps it held out. When it becomes painfully obvious they won’t be getting anywhere until Christen shakes Tobin’s hand, the young entrepreneur gives in.
Satisfied, Tobin finally reaches into her expensive bag that Christen had previously noted. She was a bit surprised when she saw the Birkin bag earlier because Tobin doesn’t seem like the type of woman who cares much about designer hooplah, but she’s continuously been surprised all night by said woman.
Tobin hands the small, compact chip to Christen and explains the new features, “It’s half the size of what our last one was, but it has twice the power and lasts about 2.5 times longer.”
“Nice, it looks like it will be perfect for the new model PressPhone that’s coming out at the end of the year. It’ll probably take about a month or two for trial experiments to make sure it’s working properly and for adjustments.”
Tobin nods, “Sounds good. We also think we found a way to make your electronics more durable with a new material we’re developing, but it’s not quite finished yet. If it turns out to work, your things will be virtually indestructible, waterproof, and scratch resistant.”
Now Christen’s impressed, “Really? How? Your dad and I never talked about that.”
“It’s kind of hard to explain and also a little boring, so I’ll spare you. But it’s still pretty early in development. I just wanted to let you know it’s in the works,” Tobin informs her. “I know my dad didn’t mention it because he didn’t know. I thought it would be better, so I started experimenting and researching ways to make it happen. If we can figure it out, it’ll be groundbreaking.”
“That’s….really cool,” Christen tries to hide her surprise. She underestimated Tobin’s abilities as both a business woman and engineer. And she concludes that the older woman isn’t so bad when she’s not actively trying to piss her off.
“Yep,” Tobin tells her, leaning back in her seat. It’s gotten very formal and civil and Tobin feels like she’s losing her edge that’s kept Christen off balance for the entire night, so she decides to reestablish herself.
“So Princess,” she starts as she smirks, “what were you like in college? I know you went to Stanford, got any crazy stories? I bet you were a firecracker. How many guys wanted you? How many of them did you get with? You seem like a wild one.”
It’s personal and way over the line, but Tobin does not care. She moves to lean on her elbows as she waits for a reply. Christen is far less amused and she’s back to thinking that the woman staring at her is the devil himself.
“That’s none of your business,” she responds lamely. It’s the best she can come up with because for some reason Tobin makes her incredibly uncomfortable. “And don’t call me that I don’t like nicknames. God, Princess is even worse than Peaches.”
“Ooooh, so you are a freak then huh, Peaches?” Tobin’s smirk is wide as she decides that she also likes Peaches better.
“No,” Christen is really not sure how to deal with this woman, “can you just please stop? We’re here for business, not a personal powwow.”
Tobin raises an eyebrow, “Powwow? Seriously?”
“What? It’s a great word! What would you prefer I use?”
“I don’t know. Get together? Dinner? Date?” She watches Christen’s reaction closely at the last option and is pleased when she sees the woman’s cheeks turn a bright red.
“Those aren’t any better,” Christen replies, trying to hide her face.
“Really? I think they’re pretty great, especially the last one.”
“Ha, as if. Trust me you are so not my type,” Christen retorts, feeling a surge of confidence.
“What is your type then?” Tobin asks, leaning towards her.
Just like that, the confidence is gone. The close proximity is enough to make Christen feel like a little school girl.
“Uh, um. Someone who is nice, good looking, smart, hardworking, respectful, family-oriented, romantic. Oh and they have to get along with my family and dogs,” Christen lists her requirements.
“Hmm, sounds like I’m exactly your type, Peaches. You just described me to a tee and I’m sure I could get along with your family and dogs perfectly well.”
“No, you are none of those things I just described and I’m sure my family would hate you and my dogs wouldn’t like you either,” Christen denies.
“Yes, I am. And how do you know they won’t like me? I’m a great catch and people find me to be quite the charmer,” Tobin tells her smugly.
“Because you’re a...a…” Christen’s not sure how to describe the woman.
“A what?” Tobin presses.
“A dick.”
Tobin bursts out into laughter, “I’m a what?”
“A dick,” Christen declares seriously.
“How am I ‘a dick’?” Tobin questions with a smile.
“You-you’re so frustrating! I don’t understand you. One minute you’re being perfectly civil and normal talking about business and I think you’re kind of charming. But the next you’re asking me all these inappropriate questions and trying to piss me off!”
“Ah, so I make you uncomfortable?”
“Yes! I don’t get why you’re trying to get under my skin, it’s infuriating and totally unprofessional.”
“So would you rather I try and get under your clothes? I’m sure you’d feel a lot better if I helped you relieve some of that tension,” Tobin’s smirk is back and so strong that Christen has to grip the edge of the table to keep herself from doing something she regrets.
“You are unbearable,” she says through gritted teeth. “You will not be getting under anything of mine. Not now, not ever.”
“Aww, Peaches! Don’t be like that,” Tobin pouts. “You’re hurting my feelings.”
“Good. I wouldn’t want to get your hopes up for something that’s never going to happen,” Christen snarkily replies with a glare.
“Ouch, I’m feeling some hostility here. Did I hit a nerve?”
“No, this is stupid. I’m getting the check and I’m leaving,” Christen motions for the waiter.
“But we haven’t even had dessert yet! Unless you want to go back to my place and we could both eat some,” Tobin offers, the sexual innuendo lingering in the air.
“Oh my God! You are intolerable! Do you ever stop?” Christen throws her hands up in astonishment.
“I mean, I can go for a pretty long time. My stamina is imPRESSive, if I do say so myself,” Tobin says wiggling her eyebrows.
Christen just stares at her, “Did you just make a sex joke and a pun of my name?”
“It was pretty good, huh?”
“No. No, that was awful. Please never do that again. Can’t we just end this discussion?” She asks as the waiter places the check on the table. Before she can reach for it, Tobin’s got it and is pulling out her credit card.
“I can pay for myself,” Christen tells her indignantly.
“Don’t worry about it, Peaches. You can pay for our next date,” Tobin waves her off. She can’t help herself though, so she adds, “Or you could treat me to some dessert.”
“This. Is. Not. A. Date.” She punctuates every word to try and get it through Tobin’s head.
“Oh it most definitely is. We’re at a five star restaurant in a private candlelit section, there’s wine, and I’m paying for you. Face it, honey, I’m wining and dining you.”
“I never agreed to any date, so it is not a date. And I wouldn’t date you, much less have sex with you!”
“Why? Do you prefer dick?” Christen winces at how blunt Tobin is.
“No. Maybe. I don’t know.”
“So you go both ways?” Tobin asks, intrigued.
“No.”
“Then what you you mean you don’t know?”
Christen stays silent. Tobin just stares at her, waiting. Tobin tilts her head as she observes the younger woman closely. Suddenly, her eyes widen and she lets out an incredulous laugh.
“No,” Tobin states. “No way.”
“What?” Christen questions annoyed.
“I can’t believe it!”
“What?” Christen repeats.
“You’re a virgin ,” Tobin concludes.
Christen is silent again, confirming Tobin’s statement. For some reason this new information only makes Tobin want to tease her more. She’s attracted to Christen and she wants her in every way, but she enjoys messing with the inexperienced girl. She’s also immensely surprised and kind of turned on by the fact that the beautiful woman in front of her is an untouched angel.
“How? Why?” Tobin inquires.
“It’s kind of hard to have sex when you’ve never been in a relationship,” Christen says, avoiding eye contact.
“Wow, so you’re a completely pure virgin? Have you ever been kissed?”
“No,” Christen’s answer is almost inaudible. Tobin only understands because she sees Christen’s lips move ever so slightly.
“Seriously? Not even a little peck?”
A slight shake of the head is her reply.
“Why? I’m sure there have been countless people, of both genders, that have been interested and willing.”
Christen shrugs, “I haven’t noticed. I’ve been focused on my career and accomplishing my goals.” She decides to change the subject when the waiter comes back with Tobin’s credit card. This is far too deep of a conversation to have with someone she met two hours ago. And she doesn’t want her business partner to know any more about her personal life. Christen already hates that Tobin knows this much about her and she knows nothing about the older woman.
“Are you ready to go?” Christen asks as she gathers her things. As many times as she wanted to storm out over the course of the night, Christen refrained from doing so because she didn’t want to be rude and cause bad blood between their companies.
Tobin knows that the younger girl has reached her limit and decides that she’ll back off for now, so she nods. They both head towards the exit and wait for their cars. It’s quiet outside and they both take a moment to let the cool air sober them up a bit.
Tobin’s driver is the first to pull up and her chauffeur comes around to open the door. Tobin turns to Christen and smirks, “Are you sure you don’t want to join me for dessert?”
“Maybe in your dreams.”
“Oh, trust me your blushing face will definitely be in my dreams tonight, Peaches,” Tobin winks at her.
“Goodbye, Tobin,” Christen tells her, holding at her hand to shake. “It was nice doing business with you. I look forward to our future endeavors as our companies continue this partnership.”
“As do I, but I don’t think it’ll be just a business partnership. And I think the handshake is a little too formal after that dinner, don’t you Peaches?.”
“We have a professional relationship and that’s all we’ll ever have. We are supposed to be formal, partner ,” Christen insists, emphasizing the last word.
“We’ll see,” Tobin says, stepping closer. “I don’t think that’s true and I don’t think you believe that either.”
“It is! I don’t mix business with pleasure. That’s a bad combination and it never works.”
“How would you know? You’ve never tried,” Tobin goads.
“I’ve seen it happen and I’ve worked too damn hard to risk it all for a stupid fling,” Christen throws back.
“So you are attracted to me?”
“No.”
“So if our companies were not working together, you wouldn’t consider being with me?”
“....No,” Christen hesitantly answers. And fuck if she doesn’t kick herself for it. Tobin’s smile is huge and Christen thinks her face might split in half.
“Alright, whatever you say,” Tobin accepts her answer because the reluctance is enough to satisfy her. “I’ll see you soon to discuss the results of the battery experiments and any developments I have on the new material.”
Sometime during the conversation, Tobin has managed to move close enough that Christen can feel her warm breath on her face. It smells like wine and makes Christen a little foggy, but she is able to reply, “Sounds like a plan.”
“The offer for dessert still stands,” Tobin breathes out softly.
“I’ll pass.”
“Fine, but if you change your mind, give me a call,” Tobin tells her.
“I won’t, but thanks anyway. Goodnight Tobin.”
“Goodnight, Peaches,” Tobin says and she places a soft kiss on Christen’s lips. It’s quick and it’s over before Christen registers what just happened. Before she can say or do anything, Tobin’s jumping in her car with a pleased smile.
She winks at Christen again as the door closes. Christen stands motionless as she watches the car drive away. She feels like her lips are on fire and she hates that Tobin’s able to make her feel this way.
Fucking dick.