Catching the CEO (Billionaire's Second Chance) Read online

  She’s off-limits. Always has been. Don’t even think it.

  Because feelings were complicated, and if there was one thing he wanted to avoid, it was more complications with Caitlyn.

  “Reid, good to see you here.”

  He turned to see a familiar face walking up to him. “Spencer,” he greeted with a handshake. “Didn’t think you’d make it. Aren’t you going through a merger right now?”

  “My team can handle it,” the other man replied.

  “We’ll have to make the most of this opportunity, then. It’s rare we’re both in the same city at the same time.”

  “I keep telling you to come visit me, and I’ll prove once and for all Boston is not worth your time.”

  “My company is based there,” he said drily.

  “Headquarters can move.”

  “I’ll take that under advisement. Think we’ll overlap in any workshops this week?” he asked, clearly changing the subject.

  “Good selection this year. And the opening keynote tomorrow should be interesting.”

  Damien inclined his head, listening with half an ear as Spencer went on about the seminars he’d signed up for.

  He twirled his scotch around the glass as he caught sight of the one woman he was looking for.

  Spencer’s voice fell away as his gaze zeroed in on Caitlyn. Her curls were piled high on her head, her body encased in a simple black dress.

  One that hugged her generous curves and made him think of less than professional desires.

  Giving himself a mental shake, he continued his examination. She sported her typical black high heels. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen her in anything else, but when working in a male-dominated world he supposed the extra inches helped even the playing field over her diminutive height.

  Her face was animated as she surveyed the room. The sight brought a smile to his lips he couldn’t bite back. If there was one thing he’d say for her, she had an eagerness to learn that he admired. And she wasn’t one to avoid taking a calculated risk or two. No, the woman did her research and set the best course she believed in. Far too many times, that course had come in conflict with his own aims.

  All the more reason to avoid her.

  Those bright-green eyes swept passed him only to zip back when she realized he was in the room.

  Electricity snaked through him as he raised his glass to her.

  She scowled, turning on her heel and marching in the other direction.

  His lips twitched.

  “Who is that and why haven’t I met her before?” Spencer said by his side.

  “Caitlyn Brooks,” he replied. “CEO of Brooks Corp.”

  “Well, damn me. Wasn’t that company a thorn in your side a few years ago? I heard the old owner retired for health reasons and figured they’d pack up shop. She related?”

  “His daughter,” he said. “She took control when her father got sick.”

  Spencer whistled. “Smart and a bombshell of a body. I think I should introduce myself.”

  Damien’s humor disappeared in an instant as he turned his full attention back to his friend. “What?”

  “Where’s the harm? It’s not like I care about her company. Don’t tell me you do.”

  “Trust me, that woman isn’t one to mess with.”

  “Come on. You could buy and sell her whole world in a heartbeat. You can’t tell me she’s any threat to you.”

  “Every company playing in the pharma industry is a threat to me. Brooks Corp isn’t as inconsequential as it once was.”

  “Good thing I’m not in the drug world, then.” He tossed back his drink before handing the empty glass to one of the passing servers. “I think I’ll go introduce myself.”

  With a wink, he was on his way.

  And there wasn’t a damned thing Damien could do about it.

  What do I care, anyways? If Caitlyn fell for Spencer’s consummate flirting, then that was her cross to bear. It had nothing to do with him.

  Except the urge to intervene was so strong he swallowed the remainder of his scotch in one gulp.

  “I need more alcohol,” he muttered to himself. “Immediately.”

  Heading for the bar, he forced himself to ignore Caitlyn.

  And the cursed man who’d just made her laugh.

  …

  Caitlyn chuckled at the stranger who’d just come up to her with one of the worst pickup lines she’d ever heard.

  “Does that ever work?” she asked.

  “No good? Let me try again. You must be from Tennessee, because you’re the only ten I see.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Is your name Google? Because you’re the answer to everything I’ve been searching for.”

  A wide grin split his face. “A woman after my own heart. Spencer Lundy,” he said, holding out his hand. “How is it our paths have never crossed before?”

  “The world is a cruel place,” she said, shaking his hand.

  He held on a second too long to be a quick professional shake, but she didn’t mind. The man was easy enough to look at with his wavy blond hair and lazy smiles.

  The tension in her shoulders started to drain away. This she could do. Network, chat, make connections—it was all part of the job, and this ballroom was teeming with conference goers worth speaking to. The retreat might focus on corporate growth, but she was willing to bet there were attendees from every industry and every level of a company’s hierarchy here.

  “Tell me you’re from New York, too,” he said.

  “Boston, I’m afraid. Born and bred.”

  He clutched his chest. “The dangers of a conference romance. Brought together by knowledge, divided by geography.” His bright-blue eyes sparkled. “Guess we’ll have to make every day count.”

  “Or,” she said, “we can focus on what we’ve come here to learn.”

  “Not nearly as fun.”

  She allowed her smile to show. “But far more useful when we go back to the real world.”

  Spencer sighed. “You’re just like Damien. All work and no play.”

  She stiffened at the mention of her nemesis’s name. “Damien Reid?” she said carefully.

  “He said you knew each other.”

  “We do.” Against her will, she couldn’t help looking in the direction she’d last seen him. Immediately her gaze clashed with his gray one.

  Blood rushed through her ears, drowning out whatever Spencer was saying as she took Damien in. He leaned against the bar, arms crossed on the countertop. His suit jacket molded to his body, but he’d left off the tie he’d been wearing. Instead, his white shirt parted at his throat, giving her a glimpse of the bronze skin beneath.

  He didn’t drop his eyes or try to pretend he hadn’t been doing exactly what she’d caught him at.

  Watching her with an intensity that set her nerves on edge.

  Movement flashed in the corner of her eye, and she jerked around to see Spencer had waved Damien over.

  “Wait,” she tried, but it was too late.

  Damien uncoiled with grace a man his size shouldn’t possess and proceeded to cross the room to them with sure steps.

  By the time he’d reached them, she’d managed to smooth all emotion from her expression.

  “You made it,” he said by way of greeting.

  She arched a brow. “Did you expect me to hide in my room?”

  “Nah. Not enough cleaning supplies in there.”

  Anger pulsed in her chest, but she pushed it back, not rising to the bait. “Spencer was just telling me how you two knew each other.”

  “College,” Spencer said, following her lead. “I had the misfortune of living on the same dorm floor.”

  “My condolences.”

  Damien gave her a tight smile. “I rescued him from a jealous boyfriend who objected to Spencer hitting on his girlfriend. Haven’t been able to shake him since.”

  “You know what a good negotiator Damien is. By the time he was done with the guy, he’d convinced us all I’d bee
n doing him a favor with the whole mess. Still not sure how you managed that.”

  “He’s got a silver tongue,” she said.

  Gray eyes fixed on her. “As if you don’t also talk circles around people when you need to.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  Spencer glanced between them. “I’m sensing you two aren’t BFFs.”

  “Can’t get anything past you, Spence,” Damien said.

  “He’s mad I’m coming after his little company,” she supplied.

  “Little? It’s three times as big as yours.”

  “It’s not the size that matters—it’s how you use it. Or haven’t you figured that part out yet?” she asked sweetly.

  “Expertise has never been an issue for me in any area of my life.” His gaze turned sultry. “Nor, for that matter, has size.”

  Heat bloomed on her cheeks that she did her best to ignore. There was no way she was dropping his stare just because he’d managed to embarrass her. She certainly wasn’t going to let her gaze jerk to the part of his anatomy that would back up his words.

  Luckily, a chuckle broke their stalemate. “This week is going to be fun,” Spencer said.

  She shot a glare at Damien’s friend. “I think it’s best all around if I move on. Enjoy your lectures tomorrow, Spencer.”

  “Running away?”

  Her head swung back to Damien. “I don’t run,” she replied. “Not in business and not here.”

  He opened his mouth, and she held up a hand to stop him.

  “I needed shampoo this morning.”

  His smirk said it all.

  “What happened to the ‘avoid each other’ plan we set up for the week?”

  He shrugged. “That was your idea. I never agreed to anything.”

  “You can’t want to fight for a week,” she said.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” he replied. “Annoying you the way you constantly annoy me in the city has a nice ring to it.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a bit petty?”

  “Sure.” He crossed his arms and grinned at her. “Ask me if I care.”

  Silently she counted to ten before trying again. “I promise you, your mere presence at this conference annoys me. Mission accomplished.”

  The grin widened. “I don’t think so. In fact, the more I think about this, the more I like it. You keep nipping at my heels in the business world. I’ll enjoy a week getting even.”

  Her hands clenched into fists. “Bring it on, Moneybags. Whether at this conference or back home, I’ll always beat you.”

  His expression never changed, but something about the way he watched her made her heart race even as a chill snaked through her body.

  In retrospect, taunting may not have been the wisest idea.

  Damien raised the glass in his hand, saluting her. “Game on, cupcake.”

  Yep. I’m in trouble.

  Chapter Three

  She meant to ignore him. Really, she did. But despite herself, she couldn’t stop glancing around every room she entered, looking for a familiar tousled head.

  Get a hold of yourself.

  Damien should be the last thing on her mind this week. She was here to learn, and the only thing he’d teach her was the art of mockery.

  I bet that’s not all a man like him could teach me.

  She shook her head with too much force, earning an odd look from the conference goer sitting next to her in the workshop.

  Bad Caitlyn.

  Damien was the last man she wanted to be attracted to. If she couldn’t suppress the annoying feeling, she could certainly ignore it. Mind made up, she pulled a pen and notebook from her purse and settled in to enjoy her first session of the day.

  Hands landed on her shoulder from behind, and she stiffened before she realized they weren’t male.

  “Caitlyn,” a musical voice exclaimed.

  Tilting her head back, she grinned at the woman standing behind her.

  “They haven’t fired you yet, Shireen?” she teased.

  “As if I’d go.” The other woman plopped down in the one empty seat beside her. “I knew you’d be in this session.”

  “The power of inbound marketing. Color me fascinated.”

  “I keep telling you. Leave the C-suite and come join the fast-paced world of marketing with me.”

  “And I keep telling you, leave the West Coast and come be my head of marketing.”

  “It’s too cold in Boston,” she said. “Move your company.”

  Caitlyn grinned at the familiar exchange. She’d met Shireen at this conference four years back and instantly liked the exuberant woman. Since then they’d kept in touch, meeting in person only once a year when they came here.

  “I take it we’re doing drinks tonight,” Shireen said.

  “I could have meetings set up, you know.”

  “When you have a once-a-year chance to drink with moi? Unlikely.”

  She rolled her eyes. “As it so happens, I’m free. Where are we going?”

  Shireen grabbed her phone and pulled up a conference email. “They’ve sponsored a few bars in the area tonight for us out-of-towners. You know how it is. I say we head for the most popular one. It’ll be a crush, but hey, what happens at conferences stays at conferences.”

  She grinned. “Sounds like you need a wing woman. I think I’m up for the task.”

  “Perfect. This will be fun. A vacation from reality.”

  “Or until the closing address on Friday,” she replied drily.

  “A week for guilty pleasures.” Shireen playfully hit her arm. “There’s no one from your company here. Your city life is far away. What do I say every year? Kick back and relax. You’ve earned it.”

  She shook her head. “Not from my company, sure. But my industry? That’s another story.”

  Shireen’s gaze sharpened. “Drama so soon? How lucky am I?”

  “No drama.” I hope. “Do you remember me mentioning Damien Reid?”

  “Boyfriend?”

  Her hands clenched. “No. Definitely not.”

  Understanding dawned in Shireen’s eyes. “Rival.”

  She nodded. “His company is untouchable.” She sighed. “Damien will always be the one to beat in this field. He’s a billionaire with a reputation for burying his challengers.”

  “Where does that leave you?”

  She tapped her pen against her notebook. “We’ve signed a few big contracts recently and doubled down on product development. But we’re chasing after a Goliath that can see us coming and throw cash at the problem.”

  Shireen whistled. “No wonder you keep trying to poach me.”

  “I’ll double your salary and give you a corner office with a view that would make tour companies jealous,” she said without missing a beat.

  Her friend laughed. “But you can’t give me California warmth.”

  “With your salary, you’ll be able to buy all the heaters you want.”

  “Not quite the same.”

  “How about I get you a condo with a potted palm?”

  She shook her head. “I will, however, give you the name of some excellent marketers in Boston I know.”

  “Refusals like this are why I drink at conferences.”

  “Bodes well for me tonight, then.”

  Caitlyn sat back in her chair as the speaker stepped onto the dais at the front of the room.

  “If all I have is a week to pick your brain, we’d better make it count,” Caitlyn said.

  Because one way or another, I’m leaving here with a way to make Damien see me as his equal.

  …

  “Let’s me guess. You’re thinking about a redhead?”

  Damien glanced at the man standing over him. Spencer claimed the empty chair, hands free from any note-taking utensils.

  “What do you tell your company when you come back from this week?” he asked, curiosity pulling at him.

  Spencer shrugged. “It’s so rewarding to spend time with other professionals. The ideas I gained from th
is conference will shape the next phase of our corporate trajectory.”

  “So, you lie.”

  “Through my teeth.”

  “This week is just a vacation for you, isn’t it?” he drawled.

  “Isn’t it for you? Nerd.”

  He rolled his eyes. “I came to network. There are twenty thousand professionals walking these halls, and I have several senior positions to hire for.”

  “If you work this entire week, I will stop speaking to you.”

  “You haven’t managed that in all the years since school.”

  “Conferences are for learning new things.”

  “I’ll stick to the classics. Unhappy with your job? Want more money? Well, I have the position for you.”

  “While you’re trying to recruit for your empire, you did promise to make that tasty CEO pay. When exactly are you planning to get to that?”

  He narrowed his eyes. “I’ve got a week. I’m sure I can find a way to annoy her. You wouldn’t believe how easy it is.”

  “You missed the ‘for you’ part of that sentence. It’s so easy for you to annoy her. Tell me, is that a special gift or one that extends to all women?”

  “Aren’t you hilarious. Do I look like a man who has trouble in that area?”

  Spencer shrugged. “With women who clearly have a brain?”

  “Enough. My relationship with Caitlyn is none of your business.”

  “So there’s a relationship.”

  He bit back a growl. “I meant professionally.”

  Spencer leaned back in his seat. “Professionally speaking, then, are you going to crush her?”

  “If I get the chance? In a heartbeat.” He ignored the way his gut twisted. Brooks Corp was a threat on the horizon. He’d made an empire out of seeing those disasters and neutralizing them long before they became a problem. But Caitlyn wouldn’t sell. He’d tried to buy them out but Caitlyn had been firm in her refusal not to consider his offer.

  Which left him one option.

  What I can’t acquire, I bury.

  Except the thought of doing that to Brooks Corp niggled at a conscience he hadn’t thought he had.

  This is why attraction and business don’t mix.

  Because he couldn’t stall his company for a prickly woman who invaded his thoughts far too often.

  “I don’t envy your choices,” Spencer said, shifting in his chair. “You’re a cold son of a bitch, aren’t you?”