Scandalizing the CEO--A Workplace Romance

by Yvonne Lindsay

  He lifted the lid, exposing boneless chicken thighs in a rich, mushroom gravy. The unadulterated groan of anticipation that came from her next made even the hairs on the back of his neck stand to attention, along with another regrettably more visible piece of his anatomy. If she could elicit this kind of response from him just by lusting after some meat and potatoes, what would she be like when it came to more physical pleasures? Keaton slammed his thoughts closed on that question before he could get himself into serious trouble. Only a few months ago he’d been engaged to be married. His reaction to Tami had to be purely physical because he certainly didn’t know her well enough to have formed any kind of connection the way he had with Honor. But then again, he’d never reacted to Honor this way, either. There’d never been that rush of arousal like he’d just experienced. And that had been exactly what had driven Honor into his brother’s arms, he reminded himself.

  Thankfully, Tami was busy inspecting the final chafing dish, which was divided into two sections—one with honey-and-garlic-glazed carrots, judging by the smell, and the other with steamed broccoli florets.

  “This is all for us, right?” she said with a wicked gleam in her eyes.

  “We are the only ones here right now.”

  “Then let’s do it justice.”

  She took two plates from the warmer and began to dish up vegetables for the two of them. He took the hint and did the same with the meat and potatoes. Soon, their plates were equally laden. How on earth would she put all that away? he wondered. Actually, more to the point, how was he going to put it all away? He shouldn’t have worried. It seemed he was as starving as she’d professed to be.

  Keaton found himself mesmerized by the way she ate, with neatly proportioned mouthfuls on her fork being drawn to her mouth with elegant movements. From what he could tell, she applied herself to everything with care and attention to detail as well as a fair dose of enthusiasm.

  When she looked up, she caught him staring. Her eyes flared slightly and a tinge of pink touched her cheeks.

  “Do I have gravy on my chin?” she asked. She picked up her napkin and dabbed at her mouth.

  “No, no. Sorry, I didn’t realize I was staring,” he said apologetically.

  “Is the meal not to your liking?”

  “It’s great.”

  “Then why are you letting your food grow cold?” she said with a teasing note to her voice. “Didn’t your father ever warn you not to let your meal get cold?”

  “No,” he said with a chuckle. “Did yours?”

  Tami nodded. “And if I didn’t eat every bite, he made the housekeeper serve it to me again at my next meal. One learns a certain level of compliance at an early age when faced with that.”

  While her words were uttered lightly, as if her childhood had been some kind of joke, she’d given him an unwitting insight into her background. Clearly discipline had been a feature in her childhood. Was that why she was so determinedly carefree now? Keaton found himself wanting to know more but schooled himself to keep his curiosity in check. Theirs was a working relationship. He didn’t need to understand everything that made her who she was. He just needed her to do her job. That was all.

  Once they were done, Tami pushed her plate to one side and leaned back in her chair.

  “That was so good, I feel like I could climb a mountain tomorrow.”

  “Don’t joke, we may well have to.”

  She leaned forward and gave him a reassuring pat on the hand.

  “And if we do, we’ll do it. Together, okay?”

  The moment her fingertips touched him he felt a zing of electricity up his arm. Note to self—avoid touch, he thought. As fleeting as it was, the contact unsettled him. Maybe it was just all the stress of everything else that was going on. Or maybe it was just Tami, that little voice whispered.

  But then his rational mind asserted itself. His reactions to Tami were an aberration. That’s all it was. He was under a lot of stress with the company and with the need to rebuild trust within that company, not to mention within his own mind. He needed to cut himself some slack on his physical reaction to a woman who appealed to him. It was an instinctual response—that was all. Nothing he needed to worry about or act on. And he needed to know he could trust her. If completing this course of activities in the next few days would make that clear, it would be worth every last second of physical torture.

  Wouldn’t it?

  * * *

  Tami watched Keaton from across the table. His face, normally devoid of emotion, currently appeared to reflect a major internal battle. Today she’d discovered he was a firmly closed book when it came to sharing thoughts and feelings. Even tonight, he’d let her do most of the talking. Not that she had a problem with that—after all, jabbering on came all too naturally to her. But sometimes it was important to listen, too, and from that, to learn.

  Clearly, her touch just now had unsettled him. She made a mental note to hold back on her instinctive need to physically connect with other people. She was a toucher—she hugged, she patted, she kissed. It was part of who she was, but that would have to change, especially around her new boss.

  If she could hazard a guess, she’d say he’d been badly hurt somewhere along the line, and as much as she barely knew him, it made her heart ache to think that someone would close themselves off that much to the possibility of receiving warmth from another human being. She suspected that beneath the closed-door vibe Keaton gave off all the time that he was, deep down, a really nice guy. Tortured, very probably, but she suspected that he had a good heart even if he acted as if nothing really touched him deep down.

  People like Keaton Richmond were a challenge and she like nothing better than to draw wounded souls to the lighter, more joyful side of life. Everyone deserved happiness, right? Well, maybe not the pond-scum-sucking douchebag who’d abused her trust and stolen the charity’s money. But Keaton Richmond looked as though he carried the responsibility of the entire world on his shoulders. She wished she could have met him under other circumstances and not as a spy planted in his camp because, as things stood now, she would end up being yet another reason for him to remain cautiously shut down and that hurt. And beneath the hurt lingered a burning anger, too. If it wasn’t for men like Mark Pennington and her father, people like her could simply be, and not be abused as tools for others’ advancement. She was being forced to act contrary to everything she’d sworn to stand for and it hurt, not just on a moral level but on a deep emotional level, too. The sooner she got through this, the better.

  From this point on she’d do her best to keep things businesslike. No more probing questions about him personally. Just take every opportunity to probe for information her father would find useful. Which reminded her, she needed to touch base with him tonight. He’d be expecting her call. Suddenly the meal she’d just eaten sat very heavily in her stomach.

  Tami startled as she realized that Keaton was talking to her.

  “I’m sorry, I was away with the fairies for a moment there,” she apologized. “What did you say?”

  “I was asking you if you’d like some dessert.”

  The last thing she wanted right now was more food, but if they didn’t continue eating right now, they had very little reason to stay here at the table and talk—and she’d have less opportunity to probe him for information about Richmond Developments, too. Maybe dessert would sweeten up Keaton and encourage him to open up a little more. Maybe then she might learn something that could be useful to her father.

  With her stomach groaning in protest, she answered, “I never say no to dessert.”

  Keaton rose from the table and cleared their plates.

  “Oh, wait, let me do that!” she blurted, rising from her seat.

  “It’s no bother. My mom always taught us to do our share. I’ll be back in a moment,” he said, and disappeared through the double doors to the kitchen.
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  When he returned, he held two servings of tiramisu centered on plates artfully decorated with perfect balls of vanilla ice cream and shavings of chocolate. Despite her earlier reservations about consuming more food, her mouth watered at the sight of her favorite dessert.

  “They really go to a lot of effort, don’t they?” she commented.

  She lifted her spoon and sliced into the dessert, then brought it to her mouth to taste it. She closed her eyes and moaned in delight.

  “Oh, my. That’s so good.”

  Tami looked across to Keaton, who sat frozen with an odd expression on his face.

  “Are you okay?” she asked in concern. “Don’t you like tiramisu?”

  “I do, in fact,” he said in a stilted way. “But perhaps not as much as you apparently do.”

  She gurgled a laugh. “Oh, the moan? I’m sorry if that unsettled you. I spent my entire childhood being forced to conform to other people’s expectations. I resolved that from the moment I was responsible for myself I would embrace everything without reservation, at least once. You should try it. It’s very liberating.”

  He stared at her for a moment before tasting his dessert.

  “Mmm, very nice.”

  She laughed again. “Is that the best you can do?”

  He tasted another spoonful and added a sliver of ice cream sprinkled with shaved chocolate, then nodded.

  “It’s good. What can I say?”

  “Well, I guess it’s a start,” she conceded. “But to be honest, I wasn’t just talking about trying the dessert. I meant embracing life and to heck with what others think.”

  He gave a derisive snort in response. “I don’t have that privilege, Tami. I have a business to run and many egos to pander to.”

  “Does that make you happy?”

  “What, pandering to other people’s egos?”

  She nodded.

  He looked out the window for a moment, clearly formulating his answer. “I do what I have to, to get the results we need. Sometimes I even succeed. Success gives me pleasure.”

  She had no doubt he was playing down his level of achievement. It seemed to her that it was important to him to deliver on his promises, and that his striving for perfection drove him harder than was probably healthy. But she’d noticed he didn’t answer her question.

  “But does it make you happy?” she persisted.

  “Of course it does.” His answer was short, almost snappish, as if he didn’t really like having to face the truth about whether something gave him joy or not. “Not everyone has the luxury of pursuing happiness with every breath.”

  Tami blinked in surprise. “You think it’s a luxury?”

  “Isn’t it?”

  “No, of course not. It’s what we do anything for. It’s intrinsic to our well-being.”

  “I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on that.”

  “Okay,” she ceded, then decided to take the bull by the horns. She’d felt her phone vibrate in her antique beaded evening bag, which she’d kept in her lap while they’d been at the table. No doubt her father was growing impatient. “How about we talk about work, then. That’s why we’re here, after all.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  “Well, if we’re going to work together, I think you need to open up a bit more, to be honest. I know Richmond Developments is primarily involved in construction and that you’ve recently begun to explore repurposing old buildings in ecofriendly ways to create microcommunities within a larger area. It sounds like a very interesting field to be involved in with the juxtaposition between old and new. Tell me more about what’s coming next. What’s the first project we’re going to be working on together?”

  Keaton played with his napkin before refolding it meticulously and placing it back on the table.

  “Okay, since you’re determined to discuss work, I’ll do it, but I don’t have to remind you about the confidentiality agreement you signed on starting with us, do I?”

  Hot color flooded her cheeks. “Of course not,” she spluttered, hoping he’d take it that she was insulted by his insinuation, rather than internally squirming with guilt.

  She was no Mata Hari, that much was clear. To her relief, Keaton didn’t seem to notice her reaction. He leaned back in his chair and began to talk, outlining a prospective contract the company was relying on to drive them through the next five years. By the sound of things, it would be huge, involving both housing and commercial interests, and for the first time it would amalgamate both arms of the businesses his father, Douglas Richmond, had established. In fact, from her research, it seemed that DR Construction and Richmond Developments had historically been rivals and she got the impression that the two families and companies merging effectively hinged on the success of winning the project.

  Tami leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, as he expanded on the plans the company had for the development.

  “That sounds incredible,” she enthused. “But what about low-income families? Do you have anything to offer them?”

  He frowned a little. “Generally our complexes cater to upper-middle and high-income families. It’s where the money is, to be blunt. And if we develop the commercial interests around the housing complexes the right way, it’s where they’ll continue to spend their money, too.”

  “I can see the logic in that, but don’t you think you have a duty of care to those who aren’t as fortunate?”

  “Richmond Developments, through our charitable trust, is an active supporter of several charities. Giving back to the community is something my mom has always been passionate about and it’s something we take very seriously.”

  He looked affronted and Tami hastened to smooth the waters again.

  “Yes, I’d heard that. You know my last role was with a charity and we worked in conjunction with other charities, some of which I know Richmond supports generously. But throwing money at a problem is only one aspect of solving that issue. Everyone is entitled to some pride. A lifetime of handouts is galling to a lot of people. I know—I’ve worked with them. Sure, there will always be those that take the easy ride, but there are more that genuinely want to get ahead, but life keeps treating them like some kind of Whack-A-Mole, keeping them in the dirt all the time. If there were better employment opportunities, childcare, low-rent accommodation and low-cost housing with low-interest finance available to more people, there’d be a chance for them to genuinely take charge of their lives and get ahead. And it’s an opportunity for these families to show their kids that life’s not all about hard graft and still failing.”

  “It’s a good point, but it’s not what Richmond Developments is known for.”

  “You’ve already shown you can diversify your portfolio with the renovations you’re doing so successfully now. Why not become known for even more things that help build communities and pride in those communities at the same time. There are plenty of people out there who’d jump at the opportunity to work on a home that they could eventually buy for their family. You’d not only be providing homes, but job security along with a huge dose of goodwill for the firm.”

  “Right now we’re sticking to what we know while we work to rebuild confidence in our business.”

  He shut her down so effectively, she knew that to belabor the point any longer would be a waste of time. But she couldn’t resist one more poke at the tiger.

  “Maybe it’s something Richmond Developments could consider for the future?”

  “Perhaps.”

  She looked at the half-eaten tiramisu on her plate. She really couldn’t force down another bite, as delicious as it had been. An unexpected yawn caught her unawares and she covered her mouth with her hand.

  “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “It seems as if I’ve hit my limit for today. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll head up to bed.”

  “No proble
m. We have an early start and a full day tomorrow. I’ll be heading up shortly, too.”

  She rose from the table and clutched the beaded bag in her hand. It vibrated again, letting her know she hadn’t yet responded to however many messages had been left on there.

  “Okay then, I’ll see you tomorrow morning at breakfast. Six?” she asked.

  He inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement and turned his attention to the darkness outside. Tami turned and walked away. She stopped at the door and hesitated. Looked back. He was still in the same position, and in that brief unguarded moment he looked so very lonely. So isolated. It made her heart ache. Every nerve in her body screamed at her to stop and go back, but her brain very firmly instructed her that would not be a good idea. He wasn’t ready to let down his defenses and he wouldn’t welcome her probing behind them. That much was very clear.

  Five

  “No! I won’t do it.”

  Tami was emphatic and on the verge of tears, something that made Keaton feel intensely uncomfortable. He didn’t do tears. Not his mom’s, not his sister’s, not anyone’s. Tears were a reflection of unbridled emotion and that made him squirm.

  “Come on, it’s perfectly safe,” he coaxed.

  She shook her head, crossed her arms and took several steps away from the platform erected at the edge of the sandstone outcrop.

  “No.”

  “You came on the plane,” Keaton reasoned. “We flew far higher than this.”

  “With metal tubing all around us, and engines propelling us forward and we had seat belts and a pilot. This,” she said, flinging her arm out toward the zip line that extended from their location to some point in the distance they could barely see in the foliage on the other side of the canyon. “This is sheer madness.”

  Keaton looked at her. She was genuinely frightened. No, judging by the fresh perspiration that soaked the armpits of her T-shirt and her rapid breathing, terrified was probably a better word for it. To be honest, he was surprised. She’d been so intrepid on their hike to get to this point on the cliffside. Her interpretation of the instructions had occasionally been a little offbeat, but they’d made it to their destination in good time and, on the way, it had been an interesting insight into how her mind worked. He felt his lips twist into a rueful smile. Worked? Bounced around like a high-density rubber ball, more like.