Chapter 4
Isla
At first I thought I had to be imagining it.
Was that really him?
Was Adam Forde really on my floor, making a beeline right for my cubicle?
It sure looked that way.
I could tell that everyone was trying to look calm and composed and most importantly, busy. And, of course, the women around me were all taking sneaky little glances, trying to make eyes with the handsome CEO.
But the closer he got, the clearer it became that I was the only one he had his eyes on.
Finally, he was right in front of me. He slipped one hand into his pocket like had before, that amazingly sexy half-smile on his lips.
“Ms. Marten,” he said. “Could I have a moment of your time?”
I could see that everyone around me was doing their best not to look like they were paying attention. But they most definitely were. I didn’t blame them. If one of my coworkers had done something to attract the attention of the man in charge, I’d sure as hell be curious about it.
“Of course, Mr. Forde,” I said. “Whatever you need.”
“Come with me,” he said.
He turned and was off, and I hurried to his side as quickly as my mismatched-shoe-clad feet could carry me.
“So, Mr. Forde,” I said. “What’s up?”
I scolded myself internally for stepping over another boundary. First I’d tried to get him to give me some kind of special assignment, and now I was talking to him like he was a friend.
“I mean, what can I help you with?”
We arrived at a small meeting room and he opened the door for me, letting me go in first. Inside was a small, round table, the window looking out onto the building next to ours.
“Have a seat,” he said, extending his hand toward one of the open chairs.
He didn’t need to tell me twice—the faster I was seated, the faster I could hide my shoes underneath the table. He didn’t appear to have noticed yet, and I wasn’t about to let him if I could help it.
He took the chair across from me, his gorgeous green eyes locked onto mine. I felt thrilled and scared at the same time, just like I had in the elevator earlier in the day. I barely knew the man, but he certainly had quite an effect on me.
“You mentioned before that you were interested in taking some additional assignments, if any occurred to me.”
I cleared my throat and sat up straight.
Come on, Isla, I said. The time for being nervous is over. Show him that you’re a serious, capable employee.
“That’s right,” I said. “And I meant it.”
“Great,” he said. “Because one’s come up. One that I think you just might be perfect for.”
I was very, very intrigued.
“But there’s a catch,” he said. “It’s an immediate job. And by ‘immediate’ I mean tonight.”
What? A job tonight?
“As you know, Corliss has manufacturing plants all over the globe. One of these plants is located near Rio de Janeiro, in Brazil. Over the last year, since before I became CEO, we’ve been having issues there—productivity matters. Edward Corliss and I spoke about the situation, and he believes that the best course of action is to have someone go down there and take a look around, find out what’s happening.”
“Like an investigation?” I asked.
“Right,” he said. “Something like that. I didn’t have any pressing plans over the holiday break, so I volunteered to go down there and check things out. Naturally, I asked my project coordinator Sandy to come with me, but it slipped my mind that she already had plans for the holidays.”
I swore I could feel my heart stop as I realized where this was going. He wasn’t going to…was he?
“I need someone to go with me,” he said. “And I think that someone ought to be you.”
Ho-ly crap. I couldn’t believe it. The freaking CEO of the company was asking me to go with him to Brazil—just me and him.
“Me?” I asked. “I mean, why?”
I regretted the question as soon as it’d come out of my mouth. It sounded like I was second-guessing his judgment. But if he’d taken offense, he didn’t show it in the slightest. I wondered vaguely if there was anything I could say to disturb his cool. Adam seemed to be one of those types who was positively unflappable at all times.
“Our meeting today,” he said. “If you want to call it that. We only spoke for a few moments, but I got the sense that you’re the type who’s willing to go above and beyond the call of duty, ready to make a name for herself.”
I said nothing, letting him go on.
“And there’s the matter of the work I’ve already seen you do,” he said. “It’s excellent, so I know you’re qualified in that capacity. I want to give employees like you a chance to shine, to show they’ve got what it takes to move up in the company, if that’s what they want.”
“It’s definitely what I want,” I said, trying to restrain my eagerness.
Another one of those gorgeous half-smiles.
“That’s exactly what I was hoping you’d say,” he said.
He raised a finger.
“Now, I don’t want you to think that you’re obligated to do this. I understand that it’s holiday break, and more than that it’s very last-minute. If you didn’t feel up to it, I wouldn’t hold it against you in the slightest. And there’d be a generous bonus in it for you, if that sweetens the deal.”
“I’ll do it.”
Truthfully, I would’ve agreed even without the bonus.
He raised a thick, dark eyebrow.
“Is that right?” he asked.
“It is. I mean, I don’t really have anything going on over the break, and I’d love to have a chance to prove myself and help the company at the same time.”
“You’re sure? I want to make sure that you’re not feeling any pressure or obligation.”
I shook my head.
“Nope—just ready to do it.”
The smile on his face made it clear he was pleased.
“Very good,” he said. “I’m extremely pleased to hear that.”
He stood up.
“I’ll make arrangements at the airport and have a car sent to your place at around six. In the meantime, feel free to take the rest of the day off to get ready.”
I was already excited, doing my best to keep it all in check.
He started off, but right as he reached the threshold of the room he stopped, glanced over his shoulder, and smiled.
“One last thing,” he said. “The plane doesn’t have a dress code, but you might want to pick out a pair of shoes that matches for tonight.”
The flash of his smile was the last thing I saw before he was gone.
I couldn’t help but laugh—so much for him not noticing my little wardrobe malfunction!
But I was too excited to be that worried about it. This was a huge opportunity for me, a chance that could forever alter the trajectory of my career, and I was more than ready to get started.
Chapter 5
Adam
It took everything I had to keep myself together as Isla stepped out of the luxury car I’d had sent to bring her to the airfield.
She was dressed for comfort, but it didn’t matter—she was radiant. She wore a pair of dark jeans that hugged her hips and legs perfectly, along with a light, button-down blouse that gave her an almost ethereal air. Her auburn hair hung loosely on her shoulders, gleaming in the day’s fading light.
Employees are off-limits, I had to remind myself as she approached.
In that moment I briefly thought back to the conversation I’d had with Edward when he’d brought me on, about my “playboy ways,” as he put it, and how that if it was going to be CEO material, I had to put them behind me.
“Listen,” he’d said. “I get it. Back when I was in my twenties, I was something of a skirt-chaser too.”
At the time I’d been surprised to hear that. Edward was objectively a handsome man, but as
long as I’d known him he’d always been cool, calm, in control—never one to be controlled by his passions. The idea of him as a young man out on the town seemed bizarre to me.
“Is that right?” I’d asked.
“It is,” he said. “I remember when I made my first million, back when I was twenty-five—and this was back when a million went a lot further than it does today—I couldn’t stay away from girls. And they had a hard time staying away from me, too.”
A small smile—rare for Edward—formed on his face. I had the impression a little nostalgia had set in.
“Anyway,” he said, coming back to the moment. “Acting like that, it’s fun. But it’s a young man’s game. Someone your age and in your position should strive to conduct himself in a more…professional manner.”
“I get it,” I said, agreeing.
“I don’t think you do,” he said. “This is a different time we live in. Nowadays, even the slightest whiff of an indiscretion between a boss and a subordinate could be enough to not only ruin your career, but to also leave a black mark on the company.”
The smile was gone. Edward was as serious as a heart attack.
“If you’re going to be CEO,” he said, “I’m going to need your word that you’re going to put your playboy ways behind you. You have something of a reputation, Adam, and a reputation is something that will stick with you for a long, long time. For good or for ill.”
Isla’s bright, beaming smile snapped me back into the present moment.
“Hey!” she said, just as chipper as she’d been earlier that day.
“Good to see you,” I said.
Her big, dark eyes tracked to the plane behind me, the company jet that we’d be taking to our destination.
“Is…is this us?” she asked as one of the pilots took her bag.
“This is us,” I said. “The flight’s long, but we’ll at least be able to travel in style.”
She seemed in total disbelief. I was halfway charmed by it.
“I’ve never been on a private plane before,” she said. “Hell, I’ve only flown, like, three times in my life.”
“You’ll get used to it quicker than you think. Come on.”
Together we approached the plane and headed up the small staircase that led to the door. I kept my eyes on Isla as we entered, eager to see her reaction to the interior.
It was just what I was hoping for.
“Ho-ly…” she said, her voice trailing off as we stepped inside.
She walked further into the cabin, eyes wide, taking it all in.
“This…this is really nice.”
“Nice” was probably an understatement. The Corliss private jet was one of the most luxurious planes that I’d had the pleasure of traveling on. The cabin was decorated in a sleek, modern style and had just about every amenity one could want while airborne. There was a full bar, Wi-Fi access, large-screen TVs, couches and chairs for lounging, and even a small kitchen. There was even a pair of small bedrooms in the back if one wanted to sleep through the flight.
“Glad you like it,” I said. “But I have to warn you—once you fly like this you’ll have a hard time going back to coach.”
“Then I’ll just have to become rich enough to earn one of these for myself,” she said with a grin.
“Good attitude,” I said.
It was. Her peppiness and ambition were already giving me a sense of admiration for her. She reminded me a little of how I was when I was that age, hungry and ready to take on the world.
She continued her self-tour of the plane, and as she did the pilot’s voice came over the intercom, letting me know that we were ready to get moving.
“Come on,” I said, gesturing toward a pair of seats. “Plenty of time to enjoy the plane once we’re in the sky.”
The engines started up as the two of us sat down and buckled up. Moments later we were taxiing, and soon we were taking off. And as we did I couldn’t help but watch Isla out of the corner of my eye. She had a big, happy smile on her face, one that let me know she was more than thrilled to be on the plane.
Her smile was something else. The way it made her face light up locked in my attention every time. And I couldn’t stop letting my gaze get lost by her hair, the way the light played on it like I’d noticed back on the runway.
Focus, I told myself. She’s gorgeous, sure, but this is a work trip and nothing else. You’re doing this to raise your esteem in Edward’s eyes, not to tank it by going back on the understanding that we’ve come to.
The two of us watched the glittering lights of San Francisco disappear into the distance as the plane rose higher and higher in the night sky. It was an incredible sight. The city looked as impressive as always, and the full moon in the cloudless sky cast the bay in a shimmering, silvery light.
And it didn’t hurt that Isla had moved closer to the window to watch the view over my shoulder, the faint, floral smell of her perfume wafting around me.
Focus, I told myself once again. You two are going to be working very closely over the next few days. Get used to her being around now.
Once the city had vanished over the horizon, the plane leveled out and the pilot gave us the all-clear to get up and move around. I didn’t waste any time, quickly undoing my seat belt and making my way toward the bar.
“So,” I said. “Here’s the situation—the flight is around thirteen hours. You can stay up and watch movies if you like, but the smart thing to do would be to get some rest.”
“I’m down with that,” she said.
“And I have something of a tradition for long, overnight flights like these,” I said, my gaze turning toward the long row of bottles as I tried to find the perfect one.
“Oh yeah?” she asked as she kicked off her shoes and laid back on the couch, her hair spreading out. “What’s that?”
“I like to have one good, stiff drink as the flight gets going. Helps me adjust to the altitude and sleep a little better. Usually find that I wake up extremely refreshed. Care to join me?”
She pursed her lips together as she gave the matter some thought. Damn, even her trying to think was sexy and endearing in its own way.
“Yes,” she said. “I’m usually a wine girl, but something stiff sounds pretty good, actually.”
“Eggnog would be a little more appropriate for the season,” I said. “But it looks like we’re all out.”
“Oh,” she said. “Some eggnog with a splash of brandy. Okay, maybe more than a splash.”
It sounded really, really good. I made a mental note have my personal shopper stock up on some eggnog so it was waiting for me in the fridge when I returned. Sure, the season will have technically passed by then, but I wasn’t exactly a stickler for tradition.
“Oh,” said Isla as I poured us each a finger of whiskey. “Or maybe they have eggnog in Brazil.”
“Brazilian eggnog?” I asked. “Is that a thing?”
“It could be,” she said. “Maybe we can find out.”
More infectious enthusiasm—I loved it.
Once the drinks were ready, I stepped over to the couch and took a seat next to her. After the drink was passed off, I raised mine in the air.
“To a productive and interesting trip,” I said.
“Hopefully the good kind of interesting and not the bad kind,” she said.
“Good point,” I replied.
We tapped glasses and took our sips. Damn, the whiskey tasted as good as ever.
I let the drink play on my palate for a moment before swallowing and sitting back in my seat.
I regarded Isla for a time, watching as she continued looking around and taking in the scene. And I did my best to not be distracted by her beauty, as difficult as that was.
“Okay,” she said. “What is it?”
I was curious.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Damn—had I been busted?
“You’ve got something on your mind, like something you want to ask me.”
As I
considered it, I realized she was right. Not just about my attraction to her, which I of course would not be bringing up. But about her coming along on this trip.
“Yeah,” I said. “I wanted to just double-check that you weren’t put out by my request to come. I know this was last-minute and all.”
“No,” she said, sounding sure of her answer. “Like I said, I’m happy to do it.”
But then I was curious. Was it possible that, like Sandy, she’d had plans, but that she’d dropped them in order to come with me?
“Did you really not have anything planned over the break?”
I raised my palms, the index finger and thumb of my right hand wrapped around the glass.
“No judgments or anything like that,” I said. “I didn’t have anything planned myself. Just curious, is all.”
The brightness on her face faded, and an expression appeared that I hadn’t seen since we’d first met—sadness.
“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to pry.”
Isla took a sip of her drink and then shook her head.
“No,” she said. “You’re not prying. It’s just that…” She paused, as if not sure what to say next. “…It’s just that the holidays are kind of a lonely time for me.”
I turned my body toward her, letting her know without words that I was listening.
“Go on,” I said.
She took another sip, drumming her fingers on the side of the glass as she rested it on her leg.
“My parents died when I was a kid,” she said. “Car accident.”
“My God,” I said. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”
“Thank you,” she said, bringing her eyes up to mine for a brief moment before casting them down again. “And I…didn’t really have any other family—none capable of taking me in, anyway. So, I ended up in the foster system.
“From there I bounced from family to family, not staying at any one place for too long. God, I don’t even know how many schools I went to, how many friends I made just to lose them when I got shipped off to another foster family.”
“But you must’ve found a more permanent family, right? One that finally adopted you?”
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