Catching the CEO (Billionaire's Second Chance)
Page 5
But here was a man she should fight against, and what did he do? Offered her the most honest conversation she’d had in months.
Don’t get drawn in. None of this can last.
For a night, however, it felt so good to simply have some company that understood the aspects of their jobs no one else could.
The waitress arrived with their meals, and she leaned back. The crepe before her smelled amazing, and she had to acknowledge whatever else he was, Damien could pick a tasty restaurant.
“Bon appétit,” she said, reaching for her fork.
She ate a few silent bites, savoring her food.
“Worth the tension?” he asked.
“Definitely. I might keep you around just for your food connections.”
“If I had a nickel.”
She laughed, enjoying herself more than she should.
“Boston seems very far away this week,” he said.
She nodded. “I love coming to this conference. I always leave with good ideas, and the time-out from reality can do a person good.”
“I’ll have to come again next year.”
She glanced up at him. Going to the same event every year could get complicated fast.
Hell, going to one event together had gotten complicated fast.
A self-deprecating grin tipped his lips. “Or maybe not.”
“Well, we’ve lasted two days without ripping each other to shreds. Surely we can survive a couple more.”
“Aren’t you the optimist.”
“We’re small fish in a big pond. I have to be.”
He inclined his head, cutting into his duck. “Why don’t you want to sell? Not that I’m asking again,” he said, holding up a hand in peace. “I’m just wondering. Your life must be exhausting.”
She paused, thinking over her answer. “How do you sell something someone you loved gave literally everything they had to?”
“But it wasn’t your dream.”
“It is now.” A bittersweet smile curved her lips. “I know you’ll come after us eventually. And who knows. With your influence and reputation, you’ll probably win.”
There was no pleasure in his face as he watched her.
“I’m not naive,” she said. “I just…I’ll hang on as long as we can. I might surprise you all.”
“Maybe you will.” He reached for his wine. “I almost hope you do.”
She raised her own drink to him. “To paths not yet traveled.”
“Look at you. Finding a toast we can agree to after all.”
Don’t smile. Don’t enjoy. He might be your downfall.
But if he was, what a way to go.
Chapter Six
Caitlyn glanced up at the full moon overhead as they left the restaurant. There was no denying she’d enjoyed the time they’d spent together. Too much, probably. Now that they were about to head back to the hotel, she realized she didn’t want the evening to end.
You’re twisted.
Yes, but she’d decided to lean in to the odd little date they’d found themselves on.
“I can call the car,” Damien said, coming up beside her. “Or…”
“Or?”
He gestured down the street. “We’re close to the water. Want to check out the boardwalk?”
I shouldn’t. A romantic stroll along the river had complicated written all over it.
“Okay,” she said before she could reason herself out of it.
“This way.”
It didn’t escape her notice that with any other man, she would have reached out to hold his hand in a situation like this.
This is a dangerous game.
One they’d been playing for a while. She remembered the first time she’d seen him during a meeting he’d had with her father. He’d been going head to head with her dad, both men rising to their feet as they argued. And though she was loyal to her family, her attention had been fixed on the enemy CEO. There’d been no denying the inconvenient flutter of attraction at the way he commanded the room.
The first time they’d faced off after her takeover, she’d doubted her ability to stand as strong as her dad. But then Damien had looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes that had nothing to do with his desire for her company, and she’d known it wasn’t all in her head. That unspoken attraction had made every corporate fight more exciting. Not to mention more frustrating.
Yet here they were. Despite all the arguments. All the competing campaigns. She should be pushing him away on principle.
Not enjoying an evening stroll.
What am I doing? She gripped her purse strap a little harder as if keeping her hands occupied would stop the urge to touch him.
Together they navigated the few streets that separated them from the boardwalk. As they walked, she tried to think of a neutral topic to bring up. Instead, she could barely concentrate over the pounding of her heart. Anticipation swirled through her, though she wasn’t even sure what she was hoping for.
Aren’t you?
Turning a corner, they saw the water stretching out before them.
“Pretty,” she breathed, taking in the wooden path built around the harbor. A few strangers meandered around the walk, but it was surprisingly empty. Their own little world.
“I don’t come out here often,” she said to break the silence. “Usually I stay closer to the conference.”
“Then this will be a nice change for you. Something to remember me by.”
“Going somewhere?”
He glanced down at her. “I meant a positive memory. You know, instead of us always being at each other’s throats.”
She smiled. “It’s kind of nice when we’re not trying to one-up each other.”
He glanced down at her. “Think there’s any hope that’ll return with us to Boston?”
“Do you?”
He stopped, leaning up against the rail of the boardwalk. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if it did.”
“We can’t be friends and enemies at the same time.”
He reached out, his hand catching hers as he tugged her a step closer. “Says who?”
“Damien…”
He pulled her another step forward.
Step back. Walk away.
Except her body was rooted to the ground, unable to escape his light hold.
“Besides, I never said I wanted to be friends.”
“What do you want?” The question was half taunt, half curiosity.
The small grin that curved his lips was her only warning before he used her hand to pull her off-balance before spinning her back against the rail. He leaned forward, gripping the bar on either side of her to effectively trap her between his arms.
Her heart fluttered as she stared up at him. Doing her best to appear unaffected, she arched a brow.
“You have an interesting way of dealing with your rivals,” she said.
“Usually I skip the taking-them-to-dinner part.”
“Guess I should feel special then.”
His gaze dropped to her lips. “I’d love to make you feel all sorts of things.”
“Trust me, I can beat you in this arena, too.” Unable to stop herself, she slid her hands up his chest to twine around his neck.
“You’ve known me long enough to realize I never walk away from a challenge.”
“Yes,” she agreed, “I have.”
His gaze was knowing when it met hers. “Playing with fire, aren’t you?”
“Here’s hoping I don’t get burned.”
“No promises,” he said, right before his mouth claimed hers.
I hope you know what you’re doing, an inner voice whispered.
Not a freaking chance.
But that didn’t mean she was going to step away.
Tilting her head to the side, she flicked her tongue out to tangle with his. Though she could barely believe what they were doing, she wasn’t going to turn down this opportunity. How often had she found herself wondering what his lips would feel like?
That’s clearly not going to happen any time soon.
Which meant she needed a plan in the meantime.
Enjoy him. Make out like teenagers, but when you say goodnight, make sure you’re in your own room. Alone.
Not a bad idea. A little indulgence without any lines being permanently crossed. They could come back from a kiss or two easily enough.
Sleeping with him would be another matter.
“You feel so good,” he whispered in her ear.
“Back at you.” She threaded her fingers through his hair in the way she’d pictured doing during one boring meeting two months ago. It seemed inconceivable she was able to do so now.
Leaning back, she looked up into his gray gaze, one that she’d seen go arctic in a heartbeat. But right now, there was nothing cold about the weight of his stare.
Instead the heat in those eyes took her breath away.
“The way I see it,” he said, “we have two choices.”
“Which are?” Her voice was a breathy rasp.
“We could pretend this didn’t happen and go back to our lives tomorrow.”
“Or?”
“Or we could go back to the hotel. Let’s see if the chemistry we have when we fight in the boardroom translates into the bedroom.”
A tremor shook her. She wanted to leap at his offer and drag him back to her room.
Bad idea.
But so utterly tempting.
She cupped his face, taking a second to touch him the way she’d dreamed of. Her fingers ghosted along his jaw, traced the bow of his lips. Pulling him down to her level, she kissed him lightly.
“There’s a third option,” she breathed against his mouth.
He sighed. “I’m not going to like it, am I?”
“We go back to our lives with the memory of the one night we weren’t on opposite sides. It might make us…” She searched for the right word before shrugging. “Kinder to each other.”
“Kinder.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m not sure that word is in my family’s vocabulary.”
She smiled. “Lucky for you, it’s in mine. I’ll teach you.”
His gaze dropped to her mouth. “You can teach me anything you want, cupcake.”
…
With a teacher like her, he’d be an excellent student.
One who’d love to return the favor.
He had some tricks up his sleeve he’d jump at the chance to show her.
She laughed at his words. “You’re going to turn over a new leaf and play nicely with others?”
“No,” he replied. “Just you.”
Any other business rival he’d crush without thinking twice about it.
The smile slipped from her face, and he had the ridiculous urge to say something, anything, to bring it back.
“For tonight,” she said. “But what about tomorrow? Next week? Next year? You won’t be able to keep handling Brooks Corp with kid gloves and we both know it. This is a bad idea.”
“We’re not clairvoyant. Who knows what the future holds?”
She arched a brow. “Do you really think there’d ever come a day where you were capable of putting a woman before the good of your company? Because I’m not sure I could do it, and my lab is half the size of yours.”
Putting a woman first? No. Not ever. His father had drilled the dangers of love into his head too deeply for that. This was the price of success. If he wanted to create an empire that overshadowed what his father and grandfather had been able to achieve for him, he had no time for the softer emotions.
It was a decision he’d made the day he took over the reins of Reid Enterprises. Not once had he ever regretted the limitations it placed on his personal life.
Not until now.
Caitlyn watched him with her clear, open gaze. One that saw to the heart of every matter with startling accuracy. When she slowly shook her head, he wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“We can’t be together, and I’m not a one-night-stand sort of girl. Let’s leave it at that and not ruin an otherwise fun evening.”
He wanted to argue, but there were no words. She was right. They had to make a choice between what they wanted and what their roles as CEOs entailed.
And she was making the right decision for both of them. All he had to do was shut up and let her.
“If I wasn’t a Reid,” he said instead, “would that make a difference?”
She exhaled slowly. “In my decision to sleep alone tonight or my attraction to you?”
“Either.”
Her hands slid over his shoulders as she used him for balance, rising to her tiptoes. “Yes, to the first part of that question, no to the second,” she said before she kissed him.
With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her. What was it about her that made him as excited as a teenager? Making out in a public place wasn’t his usual style. He was never this unsophisticated. This impulsive. But for the shot at another few minutes in her arms, he’d throw everything else to the wind. What did he care who noticed them? Caitlyn was the only thing that mattered right now.
He ran his hands over that delicious red dress of hers, wishing it wasn’t in his way. With anyone else it would have been child’s play to take control. Seduction was easy when he didn’t care about the outcome. But Caitlyn mattered in a way she shouldn’t. And because of it, he was off-balance.
Her lips left his as she dropped back down to her usual height.
“We should go,” she said. “Before we cross too many lines.”
I want to cross every line with you.
But she was right. They didn’t have the luxury of giving in to private urges with the public pressure on them. Reluctantly, he took a step back.
Wrong way.
With the distance between them, he saw the way her cheeks flushed. Her hair was mussed with tendrils hanging around her face. But it was the frustrated desire in her eyes that eased a tension within him he hadn’t even been aware of.
It’s not just me.
Whatever else became of them, at least he had that. They were caught together. And despite both their brainpower, it seemed neither had a way of getting them out of this mess.
“Come on,” he said. “Let’s head back.”
The instinct to reach out a hand to her was so strong that just this once, he allowed the impulsive gesture.
Caitlyn hesitated before slipping her hand into his.
As they walked back toward the restaurant, he tried to ignore how comfortable it felt holding her hand.
Or how empty it would be when she walked away from him later.
Chapter Seven
“How’s the conference going, honey?”
“Great, Mom,” Caitlyn said into the cell phone. She sat at one of the outside tables, picking at the lunch plate in front of her. The morning had been filled with back-to-back workshops, and she didn’t want to waste her short lunch break being cooped up inside when the sun was shining.
“It’s good for you to get away for a breather,” Teresa said.
“So long as the company doesn’t crumble in my absence.”
“Please, your father and I are capable of stepping in when we need to. Retirement doesn’t mean I lose all those years of experience.”
“You’re amazing, as always. How’s Dad doing this week?”
Teresa paused. “He gets tired easily these days. You know that. But I think the sunshine has been good for him. We’ve spent our days out in the garden lately.”
Her throat tightened up. “Good. I’m glad he’s enjoying himself.”
Who knew how many more months that would be true? The cancer might be slow moving, but it wasn’t going to magically stop. Her father was terminal, and the best they could hope for now was that he had more good days than bad.
“How are the works
hops this year?”
“Not bad,” she replied, glad of the subject change. “A couple have been incredible, and a few were pretty basic. The usual mix.”
“I always felt that way about conferences, too. But at least you get a chance to network.”
“Exactly,” she said, thinking about the “networking” she’d done the day before.
She hadn’t seen Damien yet this morning, and she was glad of the absence. It gave her time to think.
She could picture her mother’s horror if she slipped and told her who she was at the conference with. Like her and Damien, there was no love lost with the older generations of their families, either.
She’d probably come get me herself and drag me back to Boston.
Not the worst idea, really.
“You’re coming back on Friday, right?”
“Yeah. I might skip the closing address and just head for the airport in the morning. Get ahead of the rush.”
“Come over on the weekend. I think hearing about your trip would be good for your father.”
“Of course. I’ll bring some souvenirs back for you guys. Any preferences?”
“Just you is more than enough.”
“I’ll be there Saturday night, then. Any errands you need me to run on my way over? Dad has enough meds?”
“We’re fine, honey. I promise. Don’t worry about us. Just enjoy your conference and learn lots.”
“I will,” she promised.
“Love you. Have a safe flight home.”
“Love you, too.” With a heavy heart, she disconnected the call. She’d have to find something special to take home for her parents. Her mother put on a brave face, but she knew being her dad’s primary caregiver was not always an easy task.
Tossing her phone into her purse, she finished the last of her lunch and made her way over to the trash cans.
“Caitlyn.”
Turning, she saw Spencer striding for her.
“Hey,” she said, dusting off her hands.
“I was hoping I’d run into you again. Headed back in?”
“Yeah. I’ve got a project management seminar on the third floor.”
“I’ll walk you back.”