“What do you want from me?”
“I want you back.”
He’d broken his “no office affair” policy once and lost his best assistant. Now rich businessman Ayden Stewart needs Maya Richardson back…at any price. Taking the job, Maya tells herself the years apart have cooled their chemistry. So why are they breaking rule number one again...and again? Ayden makes her want what she can never havereal love. Will it be different this time?
“Why do you want me back?”
“You’re the best assistant I ever had.”
“You want me back so I can be your shadow, following you around, be at your beck and call. Well, I’m not your pet, Ayden.”
“I never thought you were.” And he sounded offended that she thought so. “And I’ve never treated you like one. You’ve always been a valuable employee.”
Maya shook her head. So he was just going to act like it never happened? That they’d never seen each other naked? That they hadn’t slept together on the thick white rug in front of his fireplace?
“You should go, Ayden.” She pushed at his rock-hard chest, which was darn near impenetrable, and walked to the door.
“Why?” He grasped both her hands in his. His eyes were fire when he said, “You haven’t even heard me out.”
“Why should I, Ayden? I left for a reason and you damn well know why.”
* * *
At the CEO’s Pleasure is part of the Stewart Heirs series from Yahrah St. John.
Dear Reader,
At the CEO’s Pleasure is the first book in a compelling new series titled The Stewart Heirs. The idea for the trilogy came from watching episodes of the ’80s soap opera Dynasty and the current presidential drama. I wondered what it must be like for Trump’s oldest children when he started a new family and had other children.
Our hero, Ayden Stewart, is the eldest son, the black sheep, whose father, Henry Stewart, abandoned him and his mother to start a new family. Ayden has become successful in his own right, but is looking for his father’s approval, which he never gains. Instead, he’s drawn to his capable assistant, Maya Richardson, who shares his feelings of being an outcast in her own family after her sister slept with her boyfriend. I hope you root for these two lost souls coming together to not only find an off-the-charts chemistry, but a love for the ages.
Want to know when Fallon Stewart’s story will be released or learn about my other books? Visit my website and sign up for my newsletter at yahrahstjohn.com, or write me at [email protected].
Enjoy,
Yahrah St. John
Yahrah St. John
At the CEO’s Pleasure
Yahrah St. John is the author of twenty-nine books. When she’s not at home crafting one of her spicy romances featuring compelling heroes and feisty heroines with a dash of family drama, she is gourmet cooking or traveling the globe seeking out her next adventure. St. John is a member of Romance Writers of America. Visit www.yahrahstjohn.com for more info.
Books by Yahrah St. John
Harlequin Desire
The Stewart Heirs
At the CEO’s Pleasure
Harlequin Kimani Romance
Cappuccino Kisses
Taming Her Tycoon
Miami After Hours
Taming Her Billionaire
His San Diego Sweetheart
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To my agent, Christine Witthohn, for her hard work in helping me move to the Desire line.
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Epilogue
Excerpt from The Rancher’s Bargain by Joanne Rock
One
Ayden Stewart stared out at the Austin city skyline from the fiftieth floor of Stewart Investments. It had taken him fifteen years since graduating from Harvard to build his company, but at thirty-six, he’d finally achieved his goal. And he’d done it all on his own. Without the help of his father, Henry Stewart, a rich man who’d never bothered to acknowledge his eldest son’s existence, not after his second wife had given him two heirs for his own company, Stewart Technologies. It was just as well. He’d long ago stopped looking for love and acceptance from his old man.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
“Come in.” His office door opened and his assistant, Carolyn Foster, walked in. The statuesque blonde wore pregnancy well; barely a baby bump could be seen in the smart attire she wore.
“Do you have a minute?”
“Of course,” Ayden responded, moving away from the window. “What can I do for you?”
“I have some not so pleasant news to deliver,” Carolyn said.
“Oh, yeah? Whatever it is, just give it to me straight, no chaser.”
“Very well...” She paused for several beats. “I won’t be coming back after my maternity leave in a few months.”
“Excuse me?” This couldn’t be happening to him again.
“I’m sorry, Ayden—really, I am—but my husband and I have been trying for some time to start a family. And, well, I just want to enjoy the time with our first child because I’m not sure when we might have another.”
Carolyn would make a fantastic mother because she was already putting her child first. It made Ayden think of the only person who’d ever cared one iota about him, who was gone, taken away too soon. His mother Lillian Stewart-Johnson, God rest her soul, had passed away several years ago from a heart attack. He suspected his mother’s illness had been caused by years of stress and abuse at the hands of his stepfather Jack Johnson. Jack was a habitual smoker and a mean drunk.
Ayden had focused hard on his studies, so he could get the hell out of the house. And he’d been lucky. In junior high, his teachers recognized his high IQ and had helped Ayden receive a scholarship to a prestigious boarding school in the East. From there, his grades helped him get into Harvard and he’d never looked back.
Growing up, Ayden had developed a thick skin. He’d had to in order to live in the Johnson household, and not just because of the bruises, but because of the lack of love or affection. He’d learned he didn’t need either. If he hadn’t met his roommate, Luke Williams, in boarding school in the ninth grade, who knows how long Ayden would have gone without any real feelings. Ayden’s goal had been to save his mama from working two jobs to support Jack’s pack-and-bottle-a-day habit, but it had been useless. By the time he’d finally started making enough money, his mother was gone and he was all alone in the world except for Luke, his closest friend. Why had his mother let men bully her all her life? First, Henry had intimidated her into a small settlement, cutting her out of her rightful shares in Stewart Technologies. Then, Jack spent the little money she had received. Why hadn’t she fought for the child support she was entitled to?
“I imagine there’s nothing I could do to change your mind?” Ayden inquired. He knew it was a long shot, but he couldn’t understand why anyon
e would throw away a good-paying job in order to stay home and change poopy diapers. Carolyn’s departure was going to leave him in quite a pickle. One he hadn’t been in since a certain uptight but beautiful assistant had left him five years ago.
“No, there isn’t,” Carolyn said, “but we can find a replacement. You always said you never thought you’d find someone as good as Maya and look what happened—you hired me.”
He would never forget the day, ten years ago, when Maya Richardson had walked through his door looking for a job. She’d been a godsend, helping Ayden grow Stewart Investments into the company it was today. Thinking of her brought a smile to Ayden’s face. How could it not? Not only was she the best assistant he’d ever had, Maya had fascinated him. Utterly and completely. Maya had hidden an exceptional figure beneath professional clothing and kept her hair in a tight bun. But Ayden had often wondered what it would be like to throw her over his desk and muss her up. Five years ago, he hadn’t gone quite that far, but he had crossed a boundary.
Maya had been devastated over her breakup with her boyfriend. She’d come to him for comfort, and, instead, Ayden had made love to her. Years of wondering what it would be like to be with Maya had erupted into a passionate encounter. Their one night together had been so explosive the next morning Ayden had needed to take a step back to regain his perspective. He’d had to put up his guard; otherwise, he would have hurt her badly. He thought he’d been doing the right thing, but Maya hadn’t thought so. In retrospect, Ayden wished he’d never given in to temptation. But he had, and he’d lost a damn good assistant. Maya had quit, and Ayden hadn’t seen or heard from her since.
Shaking his head, Ayden strode to his desk and picked up the phone, dialing the recruiter who’d helped him find Carolyn. He wasn’t looking forward to this process. It had taken a long time to find and train Carolyn. Before her, Ayden had dealt with several candidates walking into his office thinking they could ensnare him.
No, he had someone else in mind. A hardworking, dedicated professional who could read his mind without him saying a word and who knew how to handle a situation in his absence. Someone who knew about the big client he’d always wanted to capture but never could attain. She also had a penchant for numbers and research like no one he’d ever seen, not even Carolyn.
Ayden knew exactly who he wanted. He just needed to find out where she’d escaped to.
* * *
“Aren’t you tired yet?” Callie Lewis asked Maya Richardson after they’d jogged nearly five miles in the muggy San Antonio weather. They’d met up at 6:00 a.m. after Maya had stumbled out of bed, placed her shoulder-length black hair in a ponytail, and put on her favorite sports tank with built-in bra and running shorts.
“No. Not yet.” Maya hazarded a glance at Callie. Her friend was five foot two and nearly two hundred pounds, and had been following an intense exercise routine to lose weight. She’d already lost fifty pounds and Maya was trying to encourage her. They’d been best friends ever since Callie had defended Maya from bullies in the fifth grade, so Callie’s well-being was important to her.
“Well, I need to stop a sec,” Callie paused midstride. She limped over to a nearby bench and began a series of stretches.
“Okay, no problem.” Maya jogged in place while she stretched.
“What’s got you all riled up?” Callie asked. “You’ve been on edge for a couple of days.”
Maya stopped jogging and stood still. She’d been trying to outrun the past, which was impossible, but she was giving it the old college try. “I received an invitation from Raven and Thomas for Nysha’s baptism.”
“You received what?” Callie’s brown eyes grew large with amazement.
“You heard me.”
“I just can’t believe your sister and that sleazy husband of hers had the nerve to send it. Not after what they did to you.”
Maya shrugged. It had been five long years since she’d felt the sting of Raven’s betrayal with her boyfriend, Thomas. If anyone had told her that her baby sister would steal her man and marry him, she would have called them a liar. Maya and Raven had always been so close. When their father had left their mother, it had broken up their family, leaving her mom Sophia alone to support them. It hadn’t been easy especially because her mother favored Raven.
“How can you be silent about this?”
“Because... I’ve made my peace, Callie,” Maya replied. “I had to. They got married, for Christ’s sake. I didn’t have much choice.”
“You didn’t go to their wedding.”
“How could I? Back then it was all too fresh.”
“Including what happened between you and Ayden?”
Maya rolled her eyes. “Let’s not talk about him, okay?”
“Why not? If I recall what you said back then, it was the best sex you’d ever had in your life,” Callie said, making air quotes. “Yet after your night with him and his failure to acknowledge what happened, you quit your dream job.”
Maya sighed heavily. She wished she’d kept that secret to herself. Five years ago, for better or for worse, her life had changed. She’d accepted it and moved on.
She began running in place again. “C’mon, my muscles are starting to tense up. We have to finish our run.”
“You go on ahead,” Callie stated. “I’m going to sit this one out. I’ll call you later.”
“Sure thing.” Maya jogged off in the opposite direction. As she did, she thought back to that horrible night.
She’d been working late because Ayden needed a presentation for the following day. She’d picked up takeout to bring to her boyfriend, Thomas. Using the key he’d given her, she’d opened the door to his town house and found it dark. It was surprising, given his car was sitting in the driveway. After placing the bags on the kitchen counter, she’d heard voices.
Who was visiting Thomas? It was well after eight o’clock, so Maya had walked upstairs to investigate. She’d never forget the sight that greeted her: her baby sister, Raven, on top of Thomas as they writhed on the bed. Maya had screamed bloody murder. Raven had rushed off the bed to the bathroom while Thomas tried to cover himself with a sheet as he’d attempted to explain. What was there to discuss? She’d caught him banging her sister. Maya had rushed out of the room, damn near falling down the stairs and losing a great shoe in the process to make it to her car. Fumbling with the key, she’d eventually started it up and was pulling off when Raven came running out the door in Thomas’s shirt calling after her. The whole incident had been humiliating.
How long had their affair been going on?
How long had both of them been laughing behind her back?
Maya ran harder. Faster. But she couldn’t outrun the memories. They must have really thought she was a fool for believing his lies that she was the kind of girl he wanted to marry. Her mother was right. Raven was the beauty in the family.
That was the state she’d been in when she’d arrived on Ayden’s doorstep. Maya hadn’t known where else to go. Callie lived in San Antonio and Maya had just lost her sister to a man she thought she loved. Over the five years of their working relationship, she and Ayden had shared some personal stories, especially when he’d told her about his past; she’d hoped he could lend her an ear now when she needed someone to listen.
Ah, Ayden. He’d been her secret crush for years before she’d met Thomas. When she’d started working for him, Maya had thought the sun and moon hung on the green-eyed devil, but Ayden hadn’t seen her like that, like a woman. All he saw was a smart, efficient PA who did his bidding—which included making reservations for his dates with beautiful women, and sending them expensive flowers or trinkets as a parting gift when he was done with them. And yet, she’d chosen to go to Ayden, the man who didn’t believe in love and thought it was a hoax meant to sell greeting cards.
That night, he’d offered her comfort. A shoulder to cry on. Comfort in ways she’d
never been able to forget. Initially, he’d been shocked by her disheveled presence on his doorstep, but as soon as he’d seen her puffy, red-rimmed eyes, Ayden had immediately taken her into his embrace and closed the door behind him. He’d sat her down on the couch and listened as she’d told him of Raven and Tom’s betrayal, of her failure. No one was ever going to love her, want her. She was a nothing. A nobody. A plain Jane that no man would ever be compelled to marry. Ayden had refused to hear of it. Had told her she was wrong. He’d stroked her hair and told her everything was going to be all right. With tears in her eyes, she’d glanced up at him, and then she’d done something desperate. She’d kissed him.
The surprising thing was he hadn’t pushed her away. Instead, he’d kissed her back. One thing had led to another and the next moment, she and Ayden were making love on his bear skin rug on the floor of his living room. To this day, Maya had never been able to fully understand what had happened. One minute, he’d been consoling her and telling her she was beautiful and worthy of love, and the next, she’d been wrapped in his arms having wild, passionate sex.
It had literally been the most exciting sexual encounter of her life. Maya had experienced true bliss and one hell of an orgasm, but as soon as it was over, Ayden had pulled away. What she’d thought was heaven on earth had soon turned into a nightmare. Ayden told her he hadn’t meant for it to happen. Maya had been crushed for the second time in one night. She’d dressed as fast as she could and had left to lick her wounds in private.
She’d relived that moment many nights since, wondering how their relationship had taken such a turn. Maya had always harbored feelings for Ayden in the past, but she’d never thought for a second that they were reciprocated. She’d eventually come to the conclusion that he’d made love to her out of pity because she’d been so pathetic. Knowing how he felt, Maya couldn’t face Ayden again and had tendered her resignation.
Looking back, Maya realized that she’d been more upset over Ayden’s rejection than Thomas’s. Sure, she’d been hurt by Thomas because she’d loved him, but it had been her sister stealing her man that hurt the most. She’d never forgiven Raven, and they hadn’t spoken in five years. It was Ayden who’d really broken her heart.
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