Who Knew a Food Fight Could Lead to More?
She threw two more eggs at him, but they flew by him and landed on the floor. "Stay back!"
"You're having fun." "I am not!" she fibbed.
"I see a smile forming on your lips. You like getting messy."
"Are you crazy? I have to clean myself and the kitchen "I told you I have the kitchen covered. And I'll be happy
to take care of you too."
She knew she couldn't hold onto the sprayer once he grabbed it. He was too strong for her. She shrieked as he sprayed water all over her.
He stopped and stared at her. "Aren't you going to run out of the kitchen?"
She hesitated. If she did that, she would get the living room messy.
As if he could read her mind, he asked, "Can I do anything I want to you in this kitchen because you refuse to get the rest of the cabin dirty?"
She struggled to make her wet feet move but her mind refused to go. She was covered in wet flour. It felt like paste. How could she leave a trail of this awful stuff on the floor so she could get to the shower?
"I'm getting closer," he warned her, stepping towards her.
She anxiously looked at the doorway. She turned to the eggs and threw one at his chest. Before she could throw another one at him, he took her in his arms and kissed her.
Excerpt:
Ryan Jackson and Jacob Hackman finished giving their presentation to the two Intensity cologne executives. Ryan thought it went well, but now it was up to the executives to determine whether to accept or reject the commercial idea.
The blinds were drawn over the large three windows of the room, but Ryan took a moment to peek through them to see the hustle and bustle of downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The February sun melted the snow into piles of slush as cars drove on the streets. He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart before turning his attention back to the executives.
His dark brown hair was neatly trimmed. His face was clean shaven, and his dark blue eyes matched his dark suit. His six foot frame was slender and well-toned. However, despite the fact that he looked his best, he felt uneasy because one of the executives from Intensity was a woman. The man would be impressed with the facts and figures of the presentation, but what would the woman think?
The man said, "In your presentation, you outlined the dance number you want to use. It is apparent that the men in the commercial are actively leading the dance. Is there a reason for this?"
Ryan nodded. "Our research shows that men like to pursue women. They like a challenge, so they lead the dance. Though the women are coy, they let the men win. So this speaks to the man's urge to be dominant in a relationship."
"We are not saying that women aren't equal to men," Jacob quickly added. His dark face revealed a warm smile. "But there are differences that exist between men and women."
"What appeal does this commercial have for women?" the female executive asked. "Why should a woman buy this for her boyfriend or husband?"
Jacob spoke up. "That is why we have the dancers wear formal clothes. Women are romantic. They love to dress up and go dancing. I also think that women want to be pursued, though not aggressively. The way the men approach them in the commercial is not demanding and the women are treated with respect."
She nodded, obviously content with the answer.
Ryan silently thanked Jacob for his quick thinking. Jacob was ten years older than him and was happily married with three kids. If anyone knows how to handle women, it's a married man.
The male and female executives quietly consulted each other while Jacob helped Ryan take down the charts for their presentation. Ryan's father, who was the president of Jackson Advertising Firm, sat farther down the table. He offered Ryan an encouraging smile.
Finally, the woman spoke up. "We will take the account.
Only, let's leave out the narration at the very end."
Ryan's father stood up and shook their hands. "Thank you. We will be in touch with you as we film the commercial. We should begin our first shoot next week."
The male executive smiled. "We're looking forward to it."
After they left, Jacob breathed a sigh of relief. "Did you see the look on her face when you were talking about men's need to pursue women? I thought we lost the account."
Ryan sighed. "Are women repulsed by being pursued?" "No but they don't want to be sex objects. They want to be treated like human beings."
"You did a fine job," his father said. "In fact, I need to talk to you alone when you finish putting your things away."
After his father left the room, Ryan turned to Jacob. "Do you think the only reason I have this job is because of my dad?"
Jacob shook his head. "No. You are creative."
"Yes but you know how to handle the women clients better than I do."
"It comes with the territory. I ask my wife for her opinion on a lot of things and she's not afraid to tell me the truth, whether it's good or bad."
He supposed that did give Jacob the advantage. Who would understand women better than a married man? "Perhaps you should be the vice president."
Jacob crossed his arms and smiled at him. "How can you be so confident when you're in front of a group of people?"
He shrugged. "I guess it comes from years of pretending to be something I'm not. I have to act like I enjoy talking to clients I can't stand."
"We can't like every client who walks through the door." "I'm relieved to know I'm not the only one who has difficulty with some of the clients."
"Do you also hate going to the business parties?"
