The CEO's Little Surprise
“Get dressed and let’s eat something,” he suggested, shocked at the roughness of his voice. He’d like to chalk it up to the explosive encounter on the vanity but that had happened thirty minutes ago. He suspected the source was Cass. Always Cass.
“Tired of me naked already?” she asked saucily.
“Never. I need nourishment if I want to have any hope of keeping up with you.”
Dinner consisted of Chinese takeout eaten at the long island in Cass’s kitchen. They sat on barstools, legs entwined and heads bent together as they laughed over failed attempts to use the included chopsticks.
Later that night, after a worthless attempt to watch a romantic comedy on Cass’s wide-screen TV, he curled around her in her big fluffy bed, skin to skin. Moonlight poured in from the large triple bay window opposite the bed, where Cass had drawn the curtain to reveal the silvery lake. It was a million-dollar view but he only had eyes for the woman in his arms.
He stroked her hair, letting her essence wind through him and he had to know.
“Cass,” he murmured. “Why did you agree to talk to the others about selling the formula?”
She stiffened and he regretted bringing it up. But weren’t they at a place where they could be honest with each other? He hadn’t sniffed out her agenda so far; the only thing he hadn’t tried was flat-out asking.
“It doesn’t matter. We haven’t found the leak yet.”
The bleakness in her voice reached out and smacked him. “We will. We’ll spend all day tomorrow on it.”
“Yes. We have to. Otherwise, I’ll lose my job.”
“What? They can’t fire you. You own one-fourth of the company.”
“Yeah,” she allowed. “But if they say I’m out, I’m out. It’s a vote of no confidence. I’d sell them my share and find something else to do with my life. That’s the downside of being on a team.”
He rolled her to face him in the dim moonlight. “You’re not giving yourself enough credit. You’ve done amazing things with Fyra because you’re a team.”
He’d never been part of anything and he felt the lack all at once. Cass and her friends had been together for a long time. Longer than he’d known her. He’d never connected with anyone like that.
What would it be like if he did? If he hung on to someone longer than a couple of nights? Not as business partners, but as lovers. Would it always feel like this, like he felt with Cass? As though he could never get enough, never get tired of her, never run out of things to talk about?
It couldn’t. Could it? Maybe for other guys who didn’t have promises to their long-lost brothers to keep. Who would he be if he settled down?
She gave him a small smile. “Be that as it may, if I don’t plug that hole, Fyra’s profits could plunge. I have to answer to the whole company, as well as my executive team. Who are also my friends.”
She was making herself accountable, like a great CEO should. It was inspirational and a little moving.
Her firm resolution spoke to something inside that he had no idea was there. Awed at the wash of emotion, he took in the serious expression on her beautiful face and everything shifted.
Cassandra Claremont wasn’t just a fun distraction. He was starting to fall for her. How was that possible? He’d never let his emotions go like this. And what was he supposed to do with it—offer her his heart? Make her a bunch of promises?
Fall was definitely the right word. He’d fallen so far out of his depth, he’d need a thousand-foot ladder to climb his way out.
A bit panicked, he tried to get back on track. “So we’ll find the leak. That’s the only answer.”
Get that squared away and then get the formula. That’s what he was doing here. The crazy talk, that wasn’t him. He had nothing to offer Cass but a few laughs and a hundred million dollars. Then he’d go home and be done here. Like always. Like he was comfortable with.
She smiled. “Easier said than done, apparently.”
“Double down, sweetheart.” He kissed her temple. “I’m still a good bet. Get some sleep so we can spend all day tomorrow finding your name.”
“I’ve heard that one before,” she said wryly.
She’d meant it as a joke, but it sat heavy on his chest. He’d spent far more time focusing on pleasure than he had business with absolutely no thought to how their lack of progress might be affecting her. He could do better.
“Really. You can count on me. I promise we’ll get there.”