At The Ceo's Pleasure
She glanced at herself in the mirror. The sleeveless plum dress had a deep V showing a swell of cleavage, thanks to the push-up bra she’d spent a fortune on in the hopes it would give her a bosom. Her long black hair, her best feature, was coiffed and hung in big curls down her back. She’d even allowed her hair stylist, who doubled as a makeup artist, to do her face. After all these years, she had to look her best because, Lord knows, her mother would be in full diva mode. Raven, of course, wouldn’t have to try hard because she was naturally beautiful.
And now it was time to face the music. She couldn’t very well hang out in the church bathroom forever. Grabbing her clutch purse, she made for the door. Sophia Richardson was greeting guests at the church entrance. From where Maya stood, she noted her mother’s stylish salt-and-pepper updo and what looked like her Sunday-best suit, complete with pumps. But rather than looking the picture of a radiant grandma, her mother had lost weight and appeared a bit gaunt with sunken cheeks. Her normal caramel skin looked sallow.
Maya braced herself as she walked toward her. “Mother.”
“Maya?” On cue, Sophia looked her over from head to toe—from the designer sandals to the simple Marc Jacobs sheath to the designer handbag. Apparently she passed muster, because her mother said, “I’m happy you’ve finally chosen to put the past behind you and return to the fold.”
She held open her arms and Maya reluctantly walked into them. As expected, the embrace was brief. Maya suspected she’d received it because several guests had walked in and her mother wouldn’t dare make a scene.
“Raven and Thomas will be so happy to see you,” Sophia whispered in her ear. “Please go in.” She motioned Maya toward the pews.
Would they be happy to see her? Or would her presence be a reminder of their past transgressions? Maya forced herself to put one foot in front of the other and enter the hall. Raven and Thomas were at the end of the aisle talking with the pastor. Her sister looked as stunning as ever even though she’d just had the baby two months ago. She was wearing a cream suit and had her hair in a French roll. Raven was already back to her svelte size-six figure. Thomas wore a suit and striped tie and beamed by her side, holding the baby.
Maya walked toward them. When Raven turned around and saw Maya, Maya felt her heart constrict. It had hurt being estranged from her baby sister.
“Maya?” Raven said as she drew near.
Maya glanced at Thomas and gave him a nod, stepping toward Raven. “Yes, I’m here.”
Tears welled in her sister’s eyes. “Oh, thank God, our prayers were answered. I’ve asked God for forgiveness every day for what we—” she glanced at her husband “—did to you. And now, I’m blessed to have you back in my life, in our daughter’s life.”
“Don’t get carried away, Raven,” Maya responded. “All is not swept under the rug.”
“Of course not,” Raven said. “I owe you a long overdue apology.” She reached for Maya’s hands and grasped them in her own. “I’m so sorry for hurting you, Maya. Can you please find it in your heart to forgive me?”
Maya stared at her in stunned disbelief. She had never expected an apology. Least of all, from Raven, who’d always been self-centered. But then again she’d never given her the chance.
“We’re both sorry,” Thomas said from Raven’s side. “You deserved better than how we treated you. You deserved the truth. We should never have sneaked behind your back. It was wrong and I’m sorry.”
Maya swallowed and nodded. She was too overcome to speak. She didn’t know what she’d thought would happen during the visit, but clearly Raven and Thomas had matured enough to admit their mistakes.
“Would you like to meet your niece?” Raven asked, tears brimming in her eyes.
“Y-yes, I’d like that very much.”
Raven walked over to Thomas, took their daughter out of his arms and placed the sleeping baby in Maya’s. Her niece was the most beautiful little girl Maya had ever seen, with her smooth brown skin and shock of hair surrounded by a white headband with a bow. She was outfitted in the cutest white lace baptism dress. “She’s beautiful.” Maya grasped her niece’s little finger in her hand.
“Can you believe I’m a mom?” Raven asked in wonder.
“Actually, I can’t,” Maya said, glancing her way, “but you are.”
Raven gave a halfhearted smile. “You were always supposed to be the stay-at-home wife while I was supposed to be the career girl. It’s funny how the tide changes.”
“Yes, it’s funny.” Maya leaned over and returned Nysha into her sister’s arms. “She’s really beautiful. Congratulations to you both.”
Maya stepped away as fast as humanly possible. It didn’t hurt that guests were already headed toward them to greet the happy family. She needed some air. She couldn’t breathe; it felt like she was suffocating. Maya sidestepped several guests entering the church and rushed outside.
Leaning against the building, she took in large gulps of air and forced the rising tide of emotions overwhelming her to calm. Had she honestly thought it would be easy seeing Raven and Thomas with their daughter? Maya glanced at the door. It should have been her. She should be the one who was a wife and mother; it’s what she’d always wanted. Maya had always known she would make a good mom because she’d cared for Raven her entire life. Sophia Richardson had been too busy working two or, sometimes, three jobs to be there for them. Maya had been left to care for Raven, make her dinner, help with her homework and pick out her school clothes. So much so that Raven once had called her Mommy. Sophia had been livid and had yelled at Raven that she was her mommy.
Maternal instinct ran through Maya’s veins, while Raven had never cared for another human being beside herself until now. But it was clear to Maya that Raven loved her daughter and was happy. Maya didn’t begrudge her sister happiness, but did it have to come at her expense? Perhaps she’d made a mistake in attending? She could sneak off with no one being the wiser. She’d made an appearance. Surely that had to count for something?
Maya was just about to head down the church steps when her mother’s voice rang out. “Maya, dear, we’re about to begin.”
Darn. She’d missed her chance to use her get-out-of-jail-free card.
Inhaling, Maya spun around to face her mother and walked inside the church.
Hours later, Maya was looking for her handbag in one of the many bedrooms of Nysha’s godparents’ home. She was ready to leave. After the baptism ceremony, the entire group had adjourned here for a light meal. True to form, Sophia had gushed over their home, how beautiful it was and what great godparents they would make. It made Maya ill to see that nothing had changed; her mother was just as superficial as she’d been before.
Maya had done her part by showing up and making polite pleasantries. It was time for her to leave.
“Ah, there it is,” she said aloud when she discovered her purse.
“Do you have a minute?” a male voice said from behind her.
Maya didn’t need to turn around to know who it belonged to. They’d once been lovers. She whirled on her heel to face Thomas. If looks could kill, he would have been struck down on the spot. “What do you want?”
Thomas held up his hands in a defensive posture. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
“You didn’t.”
“I was hoping I could speak to you for a few minutes.”
“I don’t wish to discuss the past,” Maya responded. Just being with her family had conjured enough of her old insecurities.
Thomas lowered his eyes. “Quite frankly, neither do I. It wasn’t my finest moment.”
“Then what is it that you want? I don’t have all day.”
Thomas glanced up and Maya hated to see the regret in his eyes. But she wasn’t prepared for his next words. “It’s about Sophia.”
Maya’s ears perked up. “What about my mother?”
“You may have noticed she’s lost some weight?”
“Yes, I did, but I figured maybe she was dieting for the big event,” Maya offered. It wasn’t completely out of the realm of possibility. Her mother believed in looking her best, especially when the spotlight was on her.
“She’s not dieting, Maya. Your mother is sick.”
“Sick?” Maya clutched her purse to her chest. “How sick?”
“She has pancreatic cancer.”
“Cancer?” The words felt like an anchor around her heart, but she managed to ask, “What stage?”
“Stage three. Sophia has been undergoing treatments the last month and, needless to say, it’s taken its toll.”
“Months? How long have you known about her condition?”
“Maya...”
“How long?” How long had her family had been keeping her in the dark? Why they hadn’t told her Sophia was dying?
“Two months.”
“And you didn’t think to inform me sooner? She’s my mother.”
“Whom you’ve been estranged from for five years,” Thomas retorted with a huff, “along with the rest of this family.”
“You’re not my family.”
“I may not be a blood relation, but I care about Sophia. Raven and I have been carrying the load because her treatments are expensive even with insurance, not to mention the laboratory visits, PET scans and medications. And besides, it’s been tearing Raven up seeing Sophia like this and not having anyone to talk to beside me. She needs you.”
“She’s always needed me,” Maya responded tightly, “and I’ve always been there, but what do I get out of it? The short end of the stick.”
“I—I thought you were going to let go of the past, Maya. You came today.”
Guilt surged through her. Her mother was sick and this wasn’t the time or place to take score on who’d harmed who. “Thank you for telling me.” She started toward the door.
“What are you going to do?” Thomas inquired.
Maya had no idea. Today had been hard enough as it was. She needed a few minutes to digest everything he’d told her and come up with a plan. “I don’t know, but I’ll be in touch.”
When Maya finally made it back to her hotel room, she was mentally and emotionally exhausted. Confronting the members of her family who’d hurt her and feigning to be the happy aunt had been hard enough. But finding out her mother had cancer was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Not only did she have a splitting headache, but her feet were aching from the new designer sandals she’d bought to ensure she measured up to her mother’s scrutiny. All she wanted to do was run a hot bath, take some ibuprofen and go to bed. In that exact order.
Maya had kicked off her shoes and was unzipping her dress when there was a knock on her door. She glanced down at her watch. It was seven o’clock. She was in no mood for company after the bomb Thomas dropped on her. And who knew she was in town anyway?
Padding to the door in her bare feet, Maya swung it open in frustration. The person on the other side was someone she never thought she’d see again, not after the one night they’d shared.
“Ayden?”
“Hello, Maya.”
Two
At six foot three, weighing about 210 pounds of solid muscle, Ayden looked as yummy as he ever had. Maya was dumbfounded to see the man she’d once adored standing in the flesh in front of her. How could she not be enthralled by those hazel eyes, his strong nose and the light stubble surrounding the best mouth and cleft chin in Texas? He was impeccably dressed in a dark suit with a purple-and-white-striped tie.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” She pulled back her shoulder blades to project that she wasn’t taken aback by seeing him after all this time, when she definitely was.
“I came to see you.” He rewarded her with one of his sexy smiles. “May I come in?”
“I don’t think so...” Maya responded, and began to close the door. What did you say to the man you’d once slept with, but hadn’t seen in five years?
“Maya, please.” Ayden stuck a foot in the door to prevent her from shutting it. “I wouldn’t have come if it wasn’t important.”
“All right, but only for a few minutes. It’s late and I’ve had a trying day.”
“Thank you.” Ayden brushed past Maya, and she caught a hint of his cologne that was so uniquely him. Her stomach clenched in knots like it always did whenever she was around him. And her nipples puckered to attention underneath her dress.
Maya closed the door and turned around to face him. “I repeat, what are you doing here?”
“Is that any way to greet an old friend?” Ayden teased.
Maya folded her arms across her chest because, with Ayden’s radar, he might see he’d aroused her, and she’d be mortified if he knew she was still attracted to him. “We were never friends, Ayden.”
“Weren’t we?” he asked, stepping toward her. “You knew all my secrets. I told you everything.”
“And you knew nothing about me.”
“That’s not true,” Ayden said. “I know your favorite color is green. I know Pretty Woman is your favorite movie because you’re a closet romantic. I know you write in a journal when you think no one is looking. I know you run when you need an outlet to ease tension.”
Maya chuckled inwardly. She was surprised he knew that much, but she supposed he would have had to pick up on something. She’d been his executive assistant for half a decade. “All right, you know a few things about me.”
Ayden raised a brow. “A few? I think I know a lot more than that.”
His implication was clear. He’d known her in the biblical sense and there was no getting around that. But why bring it up? It was over and done with. Finito. He’d made sure of that.
“Why are you here? Clearly, you sought me out. How else would you know I’m back in Austin?”
“I admit I had an investigator try to find you. They informed me you were back for your niece’s baptism,” Ayden replied. “How did that go? Have you ever been back since...”
He stopped. Have you ever been back since the night we slept together? That was the question he couldn’t bring himself to finish. At least he had the grace to stop before he embarrassed them both.
“Why would you have an investigator look for me? I don’t appreciate you treating me like one of your females,” Maya stated.
Ayden was notorious for having the women in his love life investigated to be sure they had no ulterior motives. But Maya, why her? It wasn’t like she was one of them. All she’d wanted out of today was to make peace with her family and move on with her life, but now that wasn’t possible. First, because of her mother’s illness and now Ayden’s surprise visit. He wanted something, and despite her anger at his invasion of her privacy she was curious to find out what it was.
“I’m sorry about that, but I didn’t know where you were or how to find you. When you left five years ago, you disappeared without a trace.”
“Yet, you didn’t come looking for me.”
“No, I didn’t, and I think we both know why. I’m here now and we can talk about that. But first, you mentioned having a bad day. I can’t imagine seeing your sister and your ex-boyfriend, now married with a child, was easy, especially when you thought you were headed down the aisle to matrimonial bliss with him yourself.”
Maya laughed bitterly to avoid the pain of hearing him say out loud what she’d already thought so many times today. “Apparently, he didn’t get the memo, so no, today wasn’t a pleasant experience.”
Ayden began removing the jacket he was wearing.
“What are you doing?” she asked with a frown. “I didn’t ask you to stay. I only agreed to talk for a few minutes.” He had no right to make himself comfortable in her hotel room. Not after the way he’d dismissed her so long ago.
Ayden paused. “I’m sorry yet again. I keep apologizing to you tonight.” He held up his jacket. “May I?”
“I suppose you can stay a few minutes longer.” Ayden draped the jacket across the sofa and sank down into its plushness.
He sat forward on the couch and rested his very large forearms on those powerfully muscled thighs of his. Jesus! Why couldn’t she think straight when she was around him? Sure, he’d always had this effect on her, but she would have thought his treatment of her five years ago would have cooled any physical response she might have to him now. Apparently, she’d been wrong.
“I’m sorry for what you went through with your sister. It’s truly a shame because you’re worth a thousand Ravens.”
Maya couldn’t resist a small smile forming on her lips. Ayden didn’t compliment people often. “You don’t have to say that.”
“You don’t think I mean it?”
She spun away and shrugged. It didn’t matter. None of it mattered. Ayden, Raven, Thomas—they were all in her rearview. She’d only come back to Austin to get closure and move on with her life. She’d done that. Her mother having cancer had certainly put a wrinkle in her plans to go back to San Antonio and her new life.
When she didn’t answer him, Ayden must have risen from the sofa, because Maya felt rather than saw him behind her. “What? What is it that you want from me?”
His large hands grasped her shoulders and guided her around to look at him. “Don’t hide from me, Maya. Aren’t you tired of it?”
Maya jerked out of his hands. “Don’t presume to think you know me, Ayden, just because you can spit out a few obvious facts about me.”
“All right. Then how about this. I want you back.”
Maya sucked in a deep breath and reminded herself that Ayden was a master at getting his way, especially with women. Over the years, she’d seen him bring the most intelligent and independent women to their knees and have them beg him to take them back. He never did. Instead, he’d have Maya send a farewell gift with his regards. His regards!
It must have crushed his ego when she’d chosen not to stay working for him after he bid her adieu after their night together. She wasn’t about to go backward even though her heart yearned for more. Still, she was curious and found herself asking, “Why do you want me back?”
“You’re the best assistant I ever had. You know how Stewart Investments is run. Hell, how I work. I can count on you to make decisions whether I’m there or not. I trust you implicitly. And remember the Kincaid Corporation deal that I’ve always wanted a crack at?”
She nodded.
“I have the opportunity to pitch Stewart Investments to them again. You remember how important it was for me to land that account. He’s one of my father’s largest suppliers. You remember how hard we worked on that first pitch only for him to go to a larger firm. Times have changed and Stewart Investments is in better shape than ever to compete with the big boys.”
Ayden didn’t want her back. He wanted his trusty workaholic assistant back under his grip. “I see.”
“You see what?”
“You want me back so I can be your shadow, following you around, being at your beck and call. Well, I’m not your pet, Ayden.”
“I never thought you were.” He sounded offended. “And I’ve never treated you like one. You were always 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’d hadn’t slept together on the bear skin 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 her wrist. His eyes were fire when he said, “You haven’t even heard me out.”
“Why should I, Ayden, when you refuse to even acknowledge the elephant in the room? I left for a reason and you damn well know why.”
Ayden sighed heavily and slowly released her as if she’d struck him. He leaned backward against the door and his intense gaze rested on her. “I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to discuss it.”
Maya rolled her eyes upward, not wanting him to know how hurt she was by his words. Yet again, Ayden was bruising her already fragile ego. But try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the back of her hands.
Ayden swore when he saw her tears. “Christ! I’m sorry, Maya. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Not again.”
“But yet you continue to do it.”
“Not on purpose,” Ayden said. “Never on purpose. I care for you, Maya. I always have. I suppose that’s why I allowed our relationship to become—” he paused for the right word “—complicated. And I take all the blame for what happened. You were destroyed when you came to me, but rather than comforting you, I took advantage of you, and for that I’m terribly sorry. I should never have let things go as far as they did.”
Maya glanced up at him through her tears. He was apologizing for making love to her? Was he mad? He was making the situation so much worse, because to her that night had been one of the most sensual encounters she’d ever experienced. But why should she be surprised? He’d only been with her out of pity. He could never find her, Maya Richardson, attractive like he did the many beautiful women he frequently bedded.
Much to her chagrin, Ayden kept going. “The next morning I was so mortified by my actions that I sought to sweep it under the rug like it never happened, which I know wasn’t fair to you. But I didn’t know what else to do, Maya. Clearly, I’d compromised our working relationship so much that you couldn’t come back to work for me. It’s why I gave you such a generous termination package. I was sorry for taking advantage of you. I’m still sorry, but I promise, should you choose to work for me again, I will never cross that line and take advantage of you again. I promise I will respect you and your right to have a life of your own without me taking up every minute of your free time.”
“Why are you saying all of this?”
“Because I need you, Maya. My assistant, Carolyn, is leaving in a couple of months to be a stay-at-home wife and mother, and I need you back.”
The desperation in Ayden’s tone stunned Maya. She watched him reach into the jacket pocket of his suit and pull out a thin envelope. He handed it to her. “Read it. I’m offering you an extremely generous salary and benefit package to return to Stewart Investments.”
Slowly Maya ripped open the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper. The offer letter was nothing short of impressive. The salary was more than generous, it was astronomical. And the benefits of increased 401(k), profit sharing and an abundance of time off was staggering. “Ayden...”
“Listen, I’ll make this worth your while. I’m willing to offer you a signing bonus of twenty-five thousand dollars if you’ll agree to come back right now.”
She looked in his direction and saw the worry that she would say no etched all over his face. And she should. She had every right to turn him down. He wasn’t good for her. And she’d made a good life in San Antonio. She should go back where it was safe, but when had she ever used her head when it came to this man? The bonus he was offering her was too great a sum to turn down, not when the funds could help her ailing mother. When he looked at her with those puppy-dog eyes, she was a goner.
“Please, don’t say no. Think it over.”
“I don’t need to think it over,” she answered impulsively. “My answer is no. I have a life in San Antonio, Ayden. I can’t just drop everything because you need me.” She had a home, a job she enjoyed and her best friend, Callie. Why would she uproot her life?
“You haven’t even thought about it,” Ayden said. “Isn’t there anything I can do to entice you? There has to be something.”
The thought continued to nag at her that if she accepted Ayden’s offer, she could help out with her mother’s cancer treatments. Even though they were estranged, Maya couldn’t imagine letting her mother suffer when she could have the potential means to help. What kind of person would she be if she did that? But could she go back to working for Ayden knowing her feelings for him weren’t truly resolved? “I don’t know.”
“Maya, we can make this work,” Ayden murmured. “With you by my side, we can not only win over Kincaid, but take Stewart Investments to new heights. And with that offer, you would get a share in the earnings. It’s a win-win. Please say yes.”