The CEO's Dilemma ; Undeniable Passion

by Lindsay Evans

  She needed Keith’s strong arms wrapped around her body, his touches and kisses making her forget.

  “Come on.” Rita reached for the top button on his shirt. “You keep coming by. I’m sure you don’t do this for everyone else.”

  Keith placed a hand over hers, stopping her. “Rita, not like this.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because right now, you’re upset. If I sleep with you, I’ll be taking advantage of you. And once it’s over, you’ll come to that exact realization and hate me.”

  She tried to undo the button. “You kissed me the other day.”

  Keith tightened his grip on her hands. “I’m not after a roll in the hay.”

  Rita tried to pull her hands free, but he wouldn’t let them go. So she did the next best thing she could. She pressed her body against his and tipped up on her toes and kissed the underside of his chin. “I promise,” she whispered, “that I’m taking full responsibility for my actions as an adult.”

  A groan rumbled in Keith’s chest. He wanted her, she could tell.

  She kissed his skin again, then moved her lips to the base of his neck.

  Deftly, Keith turned her in his arms so that her back was facing him. “Rita, we’re not doing this.” He walked with her into the living room, where he finally released her hands and deposited her on the sofa.

  Rita looked up at Keith, who was standing tall above her, and giving her a look she couldn’t quite read. God, was it pity? She hoped it wasn’t pity.

  Her sanity returned, hitting her hard. She covered her face with her hands. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry.”

  “I’ve made a fool of myself.”

  “No, you haven’t.”

  “I just threw myself at you like...like some freak.”

  “You didn’t just throw yourself at me. You’re hurting.”

  “Please don’t make excuses for me.”

  Keith sat on the sofa beside her. “That’s the last thing I’m doing. And the truth is, your actions aren’t completely illogical. What you said about me kissing you...about me stopping by often... I haven’t done a great job at hiding my attraction to you. I guess I haven’t managed to be as professional as I normally am.”

  Rita pulled her hands from her eyes and looked at him cautiously.

  He gave her a little smile. “So I can’t fully blame you.”

  “Still, this is not who I normally am.”

  “It isn’t?” he asked, a hint of disappointment in his tone. Then he chuckled softly. “I’m just kidding. Did you leave the dinner before you got to eat?”

  Rita nodded.

  “So you must be hungry. Why don’t I take you out?”

  “You don’t have to.”

  “You’re upset. I don’t want you to be upset. So let me take you somewhere and we can enjoy a meal and I can take your mind off of things. And afterward...” He let the suggestion hang between them.

  Rita had sobered from her moment of insanity, and yet her heart began to pound at that unspoken suggestion. What was wrong with her? Yes, Keith was nice. But super attractive men like him weren’t her type. He was the kind of guy who had women by the truckload throwing themselves at him. She didn’t go for guys whom other women were constantly chasing.

  And yet, as she looked at him, she couldn’t help thinking that he was seriously irresistible.

  “All right. Let’s do it. What should I wear?”

  “You look fine as is.”

  “So we should just go now?” Rita asked.

  “There’s no time like the present.”

  * * *

  Ten minutes later, they were at an Italian restaurant named Giuseppe’s. Like most of the places in this town, it was a gem of a spot. A mom-and-pop type restaurant, small in size but big in character. In St. Louis, places like this boasted polished marble and statues. They were grandiose and stunning, but lacking inherent warmth.

  This place didn’t have more than ten tables on the inside and four on the patio, yet it had all the quaintness of what Rita imagined she would find in Tuscany or Florence.

  “Keith!”

  At the sound of the man’s voice, Rita looked in that direction. A robust man with a large belly was making his way over to their table.

  “That’s Giuseppe,” Keith explained.

  “Buona sera,” Giuseppe said as he reached the table.

  “Good evening to you, too,” Keith said.

  Giuseppe took both of Keith’s hands in his and shook them vigorously. “I’m so glad you stopped by. It’s been a while.” His eyes shifted to Rita. “And who is this lovely lady with you?” His tone was ripe with suggestion.

  “This is Rita,” Keith said simply. “She’s in town for the duration of the summer. She’s renting one of my units.”

  The look that the chef shifted between them said he thought that there was a lot more going on than was being said.

  Rita offered him her hand. “Nice to meet you.”

  Giuseppe shook her hand as exuberantly as he had Keith’s. “Welcome to Sheridan Falls. Thank you for coming to my restaurant.”

  He was exceptionally warm, and already she felt better. Yes, she would still have to deal with her mother and what had happened earlier, but she could avoid thinking about that for the moment.

  “I’m looking forward to eating your food,” Rita told him.

  “You will love it. I assure you.”

  The hostess had led them to a table right by the window, so now Rita looked out and watched the passersby strolling leisurely, stopping to talk to one another. Everyone seemed so warm and welcoming. This small town charm was growing on Rita.

  “I suggest anything with the mussels,” Keith said. “They’re amazing.”

  “Ooh, I love mussels.”

  “Giuseppe’s are the best I’ve ever had.”

  “That’s some high praise.”

  “It’s not an exaggeration. And I’ve traveled to a lot of places.”

  “Then I will have something with mussels. Is there one thing in particular you suggest?”

  “Giuseppe makes a really great dish with mussels and calamari. Why don’t we order two different things, and we can share. Is that okay?”

  Suddenly Rita was imagining Lady and the Tramp when the two dogs were sharing a strand of spaghetti. She could easily picture herself and Keith doing just that, and as the strand of spaghetti disappeared, their lips would meet and they would share a kiss...

  Rita suddenly swallowed, then cleared her throat. She needed to move her thoughts in a different direction. “So,” she began. “You were lucky enough to travel to a lot of places because of football. Have you traveled extensively overseas?”

  The waiter arrived then with a pitcher of water. He filled their glasses, and Keith ordered two glasses of red wine.

  “I’ve been to much of Europe. Australia. Tokyo. The Caribbean. I haven’t been to Dubai yet, but that’s on the list.”

  Rita sipped her water, then lowered the glass. “World traveler. Very nice. I’d love to travel more. I’ve been to the Caribbean. And I went to Europe once, to Spain.”

  “Barcelona?”

  “Madrid. Right after college. It was spectacular.”

  “I’ve been there, too,” Keith said. “It’s an incredible city.”

  “I’ve also been to a few other states,” Rita went on. “And now Sheridan Falls.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Giuseppe walking toward their table. He was carrying a plate.

  Rita shot a glance at Keith as the chef put a plate of bruschetta on the table. “Special delivery from my kitchen to you,” Giuseppe said.

  Rita glanced down at the appetizer, which smelled delicious. “We didn’t order this.”

  “Eat,” Giuseppe said. “You will love i
t.”

  “It’s the kind of thing he does,” Keith explained. “He’ll bring you out a sample of food. On the house.”

  “Really?” Rita had never heard of such a thing.

  “Please.” Giuseppe grinned brightly, gesturing toward the food. “Enjoy.”

  As he walked away, Rita picked up a piece of the crispy Italian bread covered with diced tomatoes and herbs. “That was very nice of him. I could get used to Sheridan Falls.”

  “So our town is growing on you?”

  Rita shrugged. “Maybe.” She tasted the bruschetta. A mix of delicious flavors exploded on her tongue. “No, wait. With food like this, yes. Definitely.”

  Keith snatched up a piece of the appetizer and took a bite. He moaned happily. “It doesn’t matter where I’ve traveled,” he said after he swallowed. “I always miss Sheridan Falls.”

  “So there’s really no place like home?” Rita said.

  “Chicago’s a great city. I lived there for a few years. Vibrant, lots to do. Gorgeous lakefront. However, the traffic was a nightmare. The roads were always busy. If I wanted to go enjoy the lake, so did half the city. You’d go there and not be able to find a quiet spot to really enjoy yourself. To hear yourself think. Then it hit me one day. Sheridan Falls had a beautiful lake where I could always find some quiet. Parking was never an issue. Heck, the lake is walkable from many of the homes here, plus the cost of owning a house on the lake won’t bankrupt you. So I moved back here. And I haven’t been happier.”

  “I guess I should explore more of this town then,” Rita said.

  He spread his arms wide. “You’ve got a personal tour guide with me.”

  As Rita looked at Keith, her heart began to accelerate. He was so darn attractive and so nice. Everything about him was appealing.

  Which was exactly the reason she needed to stop spending time with him.

  Rita had learned the hard way that a man could seem awesome in the beginning, and still turn around and break your heart.

  And the last thing she wanted was to get involved with anyone, much less a man who no doubt could have his pick of women. Gorgeous men like Keith typically left a trail of brokenhearted women behind them.

  Rita may have lost her senses for a moment when she’d thrown herself at Keith, but she had regained her sanity.

  No more spending time with him. No more allowing him the opportunity to get into her heart.

  Chapter 9

  The next morning came the call Rita was expecting, but dreading. Her mother’s face appeared on her ringing phone just after ten o’clock.

  Rita swiped to answer the call. “Good morning, Mom.”

  There was the slightest of beats. “You forgot the bracelet your father gave you.”

  So her mother was beginning with a benign comment. “That’s right,” Rita said. “I did.”

  Her mother sighed. “I want to be angry with you,” she began. “And I am. But maybe...maybe I pushed things too soon.”

  Those were not the words she’d expected to hear from her mother. She’d expected a tirade, but not this. “I’m sorry,” Rita told her. “It’s true, I wasn’t really ready. I arrived at the dinner and everything just overwhelmed me. But I should have kept my cool.”

  “No, I’m the one who’s sorry. I know you’re not very good at holding in your emotions, and I know how much you’ve been hurt because of your father. I just want you to be able to see that your father has changed. I want it so badly that I’m not thinking about how hard it is for you to process and deal with.”

  “What did my father say about what happened?”

  “To give you your space. That I shouldn’t force the issue.”

  “Wow.” Rita was impressed. She’d expected him to be angry, perhaps to the point where he didn’t want to see her again. She hadn’t expected him to be understanding.

  “In fact, it’s because of him that I’m not more upset right now,” her mother went on. “I was so embarrassed, Rita. The way you behaved in front of everybody...”

  “I know,” Rita interjected. She could just imagine her mother’s profound sense of humiliation in the aftermath of her behavior. “I really am sorry that I couldn’t keep it together.”

  “But your father is teaching me patience. As well as...what it feels like to be loved. Now I know you don’t want to hear that, or that you don’t believe it. But it’s true. Sweetheart, everyone makes mistakes. He’s not the evil man you believe him to be.”

  “You really call not being in my life a mistake? It wasn’t like it was a month or two and then he came to his senses. It was my entire life.”

  “Everybody deserves a second chance. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

  Rita rolled her eyes. But she couldn’t argue with her mother’s logic. Her mother always liked to come at major issues from a Christian perspective, and Rita knew that the words were true. No one was perfect. And yet the idea of simply forgiving her father wasn’t so easy.

  “Your father loves you. You might not believe it, and he may not have ever really shown it, but he does. That’s why this is hurting him so much.”

  The idea that her father had been hurt by her actions caused Rita to swallow painfully. He really cared that much?

  “But he understands completely, and he doesn’t expect you to just accept him with open arms. He suggested—and I agreed—that maybe you two ought to meet privately. I can be there if you like. But instead of having a big family shindig like I’d planned, which clearly didn’t go over well, why not meet privately to talk. Or yell, if that’s what’s necessary. But ask the questions that you need to ask.”

  Rita’s chest suddenly felt tight, like a vice was pressing against it. Why did the idea of talking to her father hurt so much?

  Because he had never been there in her life. She didn’t know how to even begin to talk to him. She didn’t know if he would behave the way she’d always imagined a father would, to look at her with kind eyes as she told him what was on her mind. To wrap his arms around her and hold her if that’s what she needed. Or if he would be defensive about the choices he’d made and expect her to move on.

  “A private talk sounds like a much better idea,” Rita said.

  “Great.” Her mother sounded relieved.

  “I’ll do my best, but I can’t make any promises.”

  “All I can ask is that you try. I know you’re able to do it, sweetheart. And hopefully the two of you can come to an understanding.”

  “Okay.” Tears blurred Rita’s eyes. “When do you think we should do this?”

  “How’s tomorrow morning?”

  Tomorrow... The scared little girl in her, the rejected little girl, wanted to put it off. But she knew she shouldn’t, and so she wouldn’t.

  “All right. Tomorrow’s good for me. Ten o’clock?”

  “Ten o’clock,” her mother agreed.

  * * *

  Rita knew that after the meeting with her father, she was going to need to do something to de-stress. She hoped that their talk would go okay, but a part of her was afraid that she would fall apart. However, for the first time since her mother had dropped the bomb about getting married, Rita was feeling a sense of resolve. It was time to face her pain and do her best to come to terms with it. Maybe it was the way she had behaved and the sadness she’d heard in her mother’s voice, or what her mother had said about her father understanding her bad behavior, but Rita was coming to the realization that it was time to truly try to see if she could forge a relationship with her father.

  She was here in Sheridan Falls, after all, and she owed it to herself to see if they could build something. If she tried and her efforts didn’t pan out, she could close the door on him forever without feeling any regrets.

  Rita thought about what Keith had said to her earlier. That being out on the water was a wonderful way to rel
ax. So she left her rental unit and got into her car and drove to the center of town. She had noticed signs advertising private boat tours, the ones Molly must have been talking about. Going out on the water for the afternoon, especially in this lovely summer weather, was no doubt the kind of activity that would calm her nerves. From her balcony, she had watched people sailing on boats daily and thought it looked so beautiful and peaceful.

  Rita looked out at the happy townsfolk as she got to the downtown area. People with frosty drinks and ice-cream cones and huge smiles. If only Rita’s own personal world could be as idyllic.

  She searched for the sidewalk sign indicating boat tours, and within seconds, she saw it. Rita quickly pulled into a parking spot and moments later, she was exiting her car.

  Door chimes sang as she entered Mike’s Bait and Tackle Shop. A silver-haired man who appeared to be in his fifties spread his hands on the counter and grinned at her. “Hello.”

  “Are you Mike?” she asked.

  “That’s me.”

  “I saw your sign outside. You offer boat tours.”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “Excellent. Is there any chance you have an availability tomorrow? Maybe around twelve or one in the afternoon?”

  Mike walked a few steps to the right and opened an appointment book. “Let me just take a look.” His finger scrolled down the page. “Yes, I can get you in at one. There are two evening tours, at five and seven.”

  “One p.m. will be perfect.”

  “Okay, one it is,” Mike said. “What’s your name?”

  “Rita. Rita Osgood.”

  Mike wrote that information down. “The fee is sixty-five dollars for the hour. Eighty for an hour and a half.”

  “An hour is plenty,” Rita told him. And then a thought occurred to her. “Will I be the only one on the boat, or will there be a group of us?”

  “At one, I have five other people scheduled. A group from Indiana.”

  So she wasn’t paying for a solo tour. That made sense. When she’d gone on a glass-bottom boat tour in the Caribbean, others had joined her and Rashad. It was just that she would be alone, while the others would have each other. She hoped she didn’t feel too awkward.