"'Ave you been summoned too?" Simone's lilting French accent never failed to make Emma smile. She shrugged her shoulders and grabbed the files and the flash drive containing her notes.
"Indeed, I have. I'd feel a damn sight better if I knew what happened to Shane. You haven't seen him, have you?"
"Non, I 'ave not. Though they say 'e 'as been in with the new boss all day."
"They do? Well, I guess that explains his absence."
An uneasy feeling settled in the pit of Emma's stomach, and every step carrying her closer to the conference room made that ball heavier. Emma was a great believer in listening to her gut, and hers churned like nobody's business right now. Something didn't add up here.
She pushed open the heavy door to the conference room and took a deep breath. Shane was indeed there, sitting in one of the plush chairs designed to make the room seem less like an office. He seemed engaged in a rather animated discussion with a silver-haired man who Emma assumed to be the new CEO. Liz sat on the other side of the room, for all intents and purposes looking as though she was sucking on a lemon. There was no trace of their former boss Richard, and Emma thanked the Lord for small mercies at least. The man had always given her the creeps, and had been a major reason why she'd chosen to hide rather than flaunt her curves at work this past year.
Shane looked up when she walked in, and Emma was grateful for the cover of the files she clutched to her bosom. They would at least serve to hide her embarrassingly obvious response to the heated promise in his gaze, as her nipples did their usual “try and punch a hole through her bra and poke eyes out” act. There was nothing at all she could do about the moisture coating her pussy lips, other than clench her thighs and pray they didn't want her to sit down, or hang around. This close to Shane, her body just had one thing on its mind, and that was to jump the man's bones.
Why today of all days, all the pent-up desires she'd been hiding chose to break through the surface and make themselves known to all and sundry was beyond her right now.
Just get through the next half hour without embarrassing yourself in front of the new CEO, and you'll be fine.
The mantra in her head flew out of her brain when the new owner of Langton Enterprises turned around and smiled at her.
There was no mistaking the family resemblance and the bottom fell out of Emma's world. Shane's smile was duplicated on this older version of him, and Shane senior stuck out his hand.
"Miss Mullins, I'm so glad to finally meet you. Do you mind if I call you Emma?" At her shake of the head he continued, "I've heard lots of good things about you."
Liz snorted in the opposite corner, a sound not unlike that of a horse, and most unladylike at that.
Shane senior ignored her and when Emma took his hand, it completely engulfed hers. He was just as tall if not slightly taller than Shane, and Emma marveled at the strong genes that produced such fine specimens of mankind. His handshake was as warm and friendly as his smile and immediately put her at ease.
"Sir," she said and his smile deepened.
"Call me Oliver. I don't stand too much on formalities, Emma, and something tells me I'll be seeing lots more of you, both in and out of the office." He nodded toward Shane and then turned his attention to Simone.
"And you must be Simone. Excellent work you've been doing with our French suppliers."
The petite, raven-haired beauty visibly relaxed when he lapsed into French, and Emma's ears pricked up when she heard her name being mentioned. Liz, too, stiffened and then she was there, yanking the files out of Emma's arms.
"You won't get away with this. I've spent too many years working my ass off to be replaced by the likes of you."
She hissed the words at Emma, but in the sudden stillness of the room they could be heard as clearly as if she'd been shouting them. Shane shot to his feet, but his father stopped him with a wave of his hand.
"Tell me what's in those files and how the results of the audit will benefit Langton Enterprises, Ms. Goven. After all, you were at pains to point out how Emma delayed your work, and that's why you didn't finish the audit, so I expect you to know them inside out."
Oliver Nevin winked at her, a mischievous move so like his son that Emma couldn't help but grin. Liz had just gone and hung herself. The woman wouldn't have the first clue about the contents of the report. Emma didn't doubt that she hadn't even looked at the summary page pinned to the top.
Sure enough Liz blanched, and Emma did a mental fist pump.
Gotcha, bitch.
"I … I … well, I—"
"—are done working from the horizontal position, Ms. Goven."
Shane's clipped tones focused everyone's attention on him, and Liz adopted her most haughty look. She bashed the files on the long, oval-shaped oak table dominating the room.
"How dare you. If anyone is sleeping their way to a job then it's precious little Emma here. I see it all now. Get chummy with the boss's son, so that she can take my place. I don't think so. I have rights, and I—"
"Forfeited them the day you stopped doing your work and abused your position as executive assistant. And for the record, Emma is not sleeping with the boss's son. She'd be sleeping with the boss, if she were sleeping with me, that is. Sadly, I haven't had that pleasure, yet."
The emphasis he put on yet did peculiar things to the rhythm of Emma's heart, even as her brain screamed at her to run. He'd lied to her, dammit. All this time, she'd thought he was a friend, and instead he'd been a spy in their midst.
Shane glanced at Emma and smiled. It didn't reach his eyes and Emma knew him well enough to see the tension in his face and shoulders. It deflated some of her own anger at his deception. Lord, the things she'd told him, the confidences she'd shared during their many lunches, and all this time he'd simply been staking out the place he'd already owned.
She was a goddamn fool, that's what she was. Thank heavens they hadn't actually done anything. She'd be as much of a fucking cliché as Liz had become.
Emma crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Shane, a move not lost on his father, who chuckled softly and said something to Simone that made her, too, laugh.
"Hah, so you say. Who is actually going to believe that? She's nothing but a hussy, and you will not get away with this."
Emma crunched her teeth together and balled her hands into fists to stop herself from swiping that infuriating grin off the other woman's face. Before she could say anything at all, however, the door opened and two burly security guards stepped up to Liz on either side.
"I told you this morning, we would see who would be escorted off the premises," Shane said. "It looks to me as though you're the one who's leaving. My father is not the CEO. I am, and as such it gives me great pleasure to tell you this. You're fired, Ms. Goven. Your desk has already been cleared and these two gentlemen will see you to your car."
He ignored her furious screech and handed her a plain paper envelope.
"This contains a check, payment of three months’ pay in lieu of your notice. Not that I need to pay you anything under the circumstances, but I'm not an ogre. I would remind you of the confidentiality clause you signed and which forms part of your employment contract. Should I find that you have not respected that clause, my lawyers will destroy what is left of your career. Do we understand each other, Liz?"
Emma swallowed nervously and licked her suddenly dry lips, as she watched Shane in action. This man was a stranger. A sexy as hell stranger, admittedly, but nonetheless he made her nervous in a way the old Shane had never done. She'd lusted after him, but she hadn't felt that intense pull that made every cell in her body yearn for this man.
"Yes, we do." Liz finally said the words needed and Shane's harsh expression softened slightly.
"Take her away, boys. Dad, Simone, would you give me some time alone with Emma, please? I fear I have some explaining to do."
Oliver laughed and took the files off the table.
"Good luck with that. Your girl here looks just like your mum
used to before I got the third degree. I'll take these and sort through them. Though what I've seen of Emma's work so far, I'm sure it will be all fine."
"Of course it will, Dad. Emma is extremely good at her job. I told you that."
"Aye, so you did. Best convince your girl to stay then."
"I'm not his girl, or anyone else's for that matter and how you expect me to stay after all this … these lies, is beyond me."
Shane sighed and his dad simply patted her shoulder.
"Ah, the hotheadedness of youth. Let him explain, Emma, and if you still want to walk after that, I will personally write you a reference. For what it's worth, Shane wanted to tell you the truth, but this is business. Affairs of the heart have no place in business. Now the takeover is completed, however…" He grinned and Shane groaned out loud.
"Dad, please."
"What, son? Your mom and I have been telling you for ages that you need to settle down, and I've never seen you in this much of a tizzy over a woman before. Don't disappoint me now. I'd hate to lose that bet I have with your mother."
He smiled as Emma's mouth dropped open and then they were alone in the conference room. An uncomfortable silence settled between them when the heavy door clicked shut. Shane cupped her shoulders from behind, making Emma jump as he gently massaged her tight muscles. For a man as tall as him, he sure could move quietly when he wanted to. Then again Emma's heart was beating so fast, the blood rushing in her ears, that she probably wouldn't have heard a herd of elephants approaching.
The rational side of her brain screamed at her to shake his hands off, preserve what was left of her dignity, and walk out of there, but that side of her brain seemed to have lost control of her body completely. Every stroke and knead of Shane's talented fingers seemed to draw a path of need straight to her clit instead. It took every ounce of willpower she possessed to not lean back against him, and let him do with her whatever he might want to.
"I'm sorry, titch. I wanted to tell you before, but the right time never presented itself." Shane's whispered words in her ear sent her pussy into spasms of delight, as he lifted her hair off her neck, and delivered little butterfly kisses along the sensitive patch under her ear. Her breaths hitched and his lips curved into a smile against her damp skin.
"Don't touch me. I'm not that damn easy." Emma's protest halted the magical movement of his long digits, but instead of taking his hands off of her, his grasp on her tightened. Emma gasped as he pulled her back against him until the full force of his erection dug into her lower back. His heat branded her and her traitorous body responded instantly to his nearness. Her nipples chafed against the confines of her bra, her breasts tingled with need, and her internal walls clenched and unclenched as her pussy prepared itself for his cock. The hard ridge digging into her back seemed huge, and Emma bit her lip to stop herself from moaning out loud. It would be so easy to just give into this insane attraction between them, but, dammit, she wanted more. She wanted it all.
"I mean it, Shane. Let me go. I will not be your next conquest." From somewhere she found the strength to yank herself out of his grasp and to step away. She could breathe easier now that she'd put some distance between them.
"I would never presume—"
"Spare me, Shane." She interrupted him and spun around on her heel to face him. "This is me, Emma. I've had too many of your conquests screech at me over the phone to believe I'd ever be anything else to you."
Shane flinched and reached for her but Emma put her hand up to stop him and took several steps away from him. He frowned, but didn't pursue her, and Emma gave silent thanks for that. If he chose to press the point she would be putty in his hands.
"You're wrong, you know."
The quiet words settled perilously close to her heart, and stalled the words of denial bubbling on her tongue. When she didn't reply he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, as though frustrated.
"It's because you mean something to me that I never made a move." He smiled grimly at her sharp intake of breath, and took a step toward her before he seemed to realize what he was doing. He ground his teeth together, and balled his hands into fists.
Again an uneasy silence fell between them, until Emma couldn’t stand it anymore.
"You expect me to believe that bull? For all I know this is your modus operandi. Did you get a kick out my cluelessness as to who you really were?" He shook his head and threw her such a heated look that Emma swallowed hard, and took several more steps away from him until her back hit the door. Still, he didn't move, just watched her with a quiet intensity that made her hormones do the samba.
"Emma, let me get one thing straight. You're right, this is my modus operandi." He paused when she couldn't keep in her whispered I knew it. Tears pricked the backs of her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to stop them from falling. She would not be such a girl, she wouldn't. So what if her heart was breaking in two. She'd known this, hadn't she? She should have just walked on out of here and spared herself the heartache.
"Are you listening to me, Emma?"
"What?" she asked and pressed back against the door, as he suddenly filled her vision. Hands braced either side of her head but he didn't touch her, although he was so close they were breathing each other's air. Every feminine cell in her body whimpered in need. He was so not being fair. She couldn't think clearly when he was this close to her.
"I said, this is my modus operandi in business, titch. I infiltrate the companies we take over, to get a real feel for them. You learn a lot when you work on the ground. You get to know the politics, the weaknesses and strengths of the business. You see who the real workers are. Who you want to keep on to push the company forward, and who you will sack because they're useless. It's a very effective way to make our takeovers as smooth and as efficient as they can be. We buy companies that have potential. Potential that, for whatever reason, they haven't reached yet, and we make them strong by employing the right people for the job. Then we sell that company for a much higher price than we paid for it. Like my dad said this is business. My emotions are never involved, or at least they hadn't been until I walked in on my first day and I saw this pretty little blonde trying to kill herself on top of a ladder."
He smiled down at her, and Emma couldn't help but smile back at him.
"I was perfectly safe. You're exaggerating as usual." Or at least she had been until he spoke to her, and her befuddled brain made her miss a step on the way down. She'd ended up in his arms, and had endured a lecture on the safety of ladders.
Shane raised an eyebrow at her and shook his head.
"You were trying to kill yourself, and what's more, none of the others were helping you."
"Yes, well…" Emma had to concede that point to him, and he grinned at her. This was an old and frequent argument between them, and one she never won.
"The point is, you surprised me that day and trust me, that doesn’t happen often. When you fell into my arms, as corny as that sounds, the world seemed brighter. Every day since, you've made work a pleasure. Did I realize I was falling in love with you?"
He smiled at her shocked exclamation and kissed her nose again, and rested his forehead against hers.
"I guess the answer to that is a hell, no. But, you, Emma, have a way of getting under my skin, and the more you did, the less able I felt to tell you how I really felt. I know you hate liars and even though I never lied to you, I guess I lied by omission, and I'm sorry."
He pulled away and looked so utterly miserable that Emma simply had to hug him close.
"It's okay. I guess I get why you didn't tell me. It would have changed our friendship, and the less people that know, the less risk of exposure, and you needed to be incognito for this to work, right?"
Shane exhaled against her neck, and she grinned at his hoarse reply. "Right. So, am I forgiven?"
"That depends," she said and he tensed and pulled away to study her.
"On what?" he asked.
Emma couldn't suppress her grin as the long
buried imp in her made its re-appearance.
"On what these dirty things are that the CEO intends to do to me. And he's definitely not an old coot, by the way."
Shane's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest as his lips kicked up in a sinful smile that made delicious anticipation unfurl in her lower belly.
"Hmm, yes, I do recall such a conversation in the elevator this morning. So, Miss Mullins, do enlighten me. What are you willing to do for your CEO?"
Chapter Three
"Whatever it takes to get the job done, Mr. Nevin, of course." Emma warmed to this game and batted her eyelashes for good measure, as she pushed her arms together to enhance her cleavage.
Shane's eyes darkened and his gaze zeroed in on her boobs.
"I see," he said. "But that really doesn't tell me much. I'll need a practical demonstration of your skills, Miss Mullins. I will only employ those devoted to their job, and willing to follow orders."
He smiled as he said the words, but his voice had dropped an octave and with all his attention focused on her, Emma found it hard to breathe all of a sudden. Somehow she sensed that this was more than a simple game for Shane, and his next words confirmed her suspicions.
"If I'm going too fast, now is your time to tell me, titch. Otherwise I'll expect obedience from you, while we're in a scene."
"Scene?" she asked, and her whole body tightened in need at the images that immediately battered her brain.
Shane smiled again and cupped her face. He ran his thumb over her mouth until she opened for him and he bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. A sigh escaped her at the contact and Shane slipped inside and took charge of the kiss in such a way that left Emma in no doubt as to what he meant. Arcs of electricity darted between them, and she kissed him back, as their tongues dueled and parried. Every time she thought to gain the upper hand, Shane pulled back, only to attack her mouth again, until she clung to him, gasping for breath. He ground his erection into her belly and ran his hands slowly down her sides until he cupped her ass.
The Takeover (Romance on the Go Book 0) Page 2
