Scandalizing the CEO--A Workplace Romance

by Yvonne Lindsay

  She couldn’t remember a single time her father had told her he loved her, or was even proud of her. And for as long as Tami could recall, her mother had made it clear that she needed to conform if she wanted to be loved. She’d tried—oh, how she’d tried. But conformity had never been her style and never would be. She was the child, at junior ballet, who happily skipped in the opposite direction to everyone else—the one at gymnastics who preferred wildly executed somersaults on the mat to carefully performed balance-beam routines. As far as her family was concerned, she was a rough, square peg in a smoothly round and highly polished hole. But whether she liked it or not, they were the only route out of her current predicament.

  A wave of rage against Mark Pennington and his deceit and greed poured through her. She breathed her way through it, allowing it to fill every nook and cranny of her mind before letting it, and all the tension that gripped her body with his memory, go. She’d permitted him to woo her—welcomed it, in fact. But, just like every other bad decision she’d made in her life when it came to men, she’d been blind to his faults and all too trusting. How ironic, she thought, as she went to the bathroom to finish getting ready for the day, that she should now be on the other side of the coin. She was the one who shouldn’t be trusted right now. She was the danger. And she’d never been more miserable about anything in her life.

  Keaton’s words downstairs had rammed it all home to her. When it was discovered that she was a deliberately planted mole, and she had no doubt it would come out one day, he’d hate her. And that prospect made her hurt to her core. Not so much because she’d have breached her employment agreement and the confidentiality clauses she’d signed with the fingers of one hand crossed behind her back, but for the fact that she’d won Keaton’s trust and would stomp it into the ground like sand before this was all over. But she had two and a half million reasons to see this through. More than that, she had the expectations and the needs of every beneficiary of Our People, Our Homes weighing on her shoulders at the same time.

  Tami blew out one more breath and, after grabbing the team lists, headed back downstairs. Time to face the day.

  Six

  Keaton watched as everyone hoisted their packs and prepared for the hike toward the river. So far everything seemed to be going well, although he still found it hard to accept Fletcher Richmond was his half brother. Seemed there was barely a moment when there wasn’t another sibling popping out of the woodwork, he thought with a large dose of cynicism.

  Logan was on the other side of the group, Honor never far from his side. He’d caught a sideways glance from her earlier, not long after their arrival, and felt a twinge of something he really didn’t care to examine too carefully. Was it envy? Granted, Honor had mistaken Logan, his identical twin, for him and had thought she was sleeping with Keaton that night before Christmas last year. It rapidly became obvious that the two of them were inexplicably drawn to one another and as far as he and Honor were concerned, on a personal level at the least, the writing had been on the wall.

  He’d been the one to end their engagement. What else could a man do when he’d been cuckolded by his own twin? But it hadn’t taken long for him to realize that he wasn’t heartbroken by the event. Angry, yes. Cheated, definitely. But when push came to shove, his disappointment in Honor’s betrayal had been just that. Disappointment. Not heartrending sorrow. Not vengeance-seeking fury. It was galling to admit to himself that the woman he’d planned to spend the rest of his life with really didn’t matter as much to him on an emotional level as he’d once believed. It didn’t make seeing her with Logan comfortable just yet, but in time that would come. It had to. He would not be responsible for creating any further divisions in a family already torn apart by his father’s actions.

  He shifted his gaze to where Tami was completing her duty of letting everyone know whom they’d be pairing with. At least he could rely on her. It was a rare feeling to know he could depend on someone, especially after these past three months.

  “Okay, everyone,” Keaton called out. “Follow Tami and our guide, Leon, down to the river and he’ll allocate us to our two-man inflatable kayaks. Nathan and I will bring up the rear. If anyone has any problems or issues on the hike, we all stop. Is that clear?”

  After a cavalcade of assents, Keaton nodded to Tami and Leon to lead off on the trail. During the hike, he heard more than a few grumbles, but it wasn’t long before everyone settled into a steady stride and appeared to be enjoying the clean air and crisp, clear weather. Once they were by the river, Fletcher came up alongside him. He wouldn’t have been his first choice of partner in this exercise. For all that he barely knew his half brother, he’d have preferred someone he didn’t know at all, but then again maybe this would help cement a better relationship between them.

  “This exercise was a good idea. Not exactly comfortable, but a good idea nonetheless,” Fletcher said with a grin that reminded Keaton all too much of their father.

  “Thanks, but it wasn’t just mine. We all worked on it.”

  “But you undertook the logistics of putting it in place. It’ll be interesting to see how everyone mixes together. Nice new assistant, by the way. She seems capable.”

  “Yeah, she is.”

  “You two seem to work well together.”

  “It would have made this difficult if we didn’t. Did you have much pushback from any of your staff about the venture?”

  Fletcher grimaced. “A few of the older staff in senior management—Dad’s die-hards. Not so keen to step out of their comfort zones, especially with who they still see as the opposition, y’know?”

  “Yeah, I know. It was the same for us,” Keaton said with a grin at his half brother. “Not that we have many die-hards left, to be honest.”

  “Same. Dad’s actions betrayed a lot more people than just his immediate family. But we’ll get through it. And we’ll be stronger for it, too,” Fletcher said emphatically.

  In that moment, Keaton felt an odd sense of kinship with his half brother. Something he hadn’t anticipated, given the way their two families had been drawn together. Meeting for the first time over the grave of their dead father hadn’t made the familial connection a sweet one, he reminded himself sardonically. Maybe things would be better all-around after this exercise.

  At the river, everyone assembled in their pairs, and amid much laughter and a few squeals and much rocking of the kayaks, they all went on the river. Their packs were loaded into small trailers that were being towed by ATVs by some of Leon and Nathan’s additional staff to the campsite farther downstream. Keaton found Tami in the group and watched her carefully as she paddled with her partner well ahead of him and Fletcher.

  “She’s doing okay,” Fletcher said from behind him.

  “Who?”

  “Your assistant, Tami.”

  “What makes you think I’m keeping an eye on her?” Keaton said defensively.

  “Man, you can barely look anywhere else.”

  Had he really been that focused on her? “I’m just keeping tabs on all my staff. Aren’t you?”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  But Keaton could hear the faint humor threaded through his half brother’s response and decided to make a concerted effort not to keep watching out for Tami.

  In all, they spent just over an hour on the river. Several areas were low-grade white water, and required more concentration than others, but overall the journey was quite serene. Keaton realized that this was the first time he’d actually begun to relax and unwind in many months. And he and Fletcher worked well together on the water, their strokes even and well-matched. Better still, Fletcher didn’t seem to feel the need to fill the relative quiet with inane chatter. Maybe he and his half brother were more alike than he’d ever considered.

  By the time they made it to the campsite, there were a few complaints about blisters and sore butts from sitting in one position so long, but
overall the mood was buoyant. Everyone began erecting their sleeping quarters for the night, still in their matched pairs. Tami and her partner appeared to be struggling a little, not having pegged the base of the tent down first, but amid much laughter they eventually got there and were the last to complete their setup. He found it fascinating watching her. She appeared to be able to find common ground with everyone she spoke to and did so effortlessly. He envied her that talent.

  “Still watching her, bro,” Fletcher said quietly from behind him. “But I can see why. She’s quite the package.”

  Keaton wheeled around. “If I’m watching her it’s only out of concern, not anything else. I’ve been down the route of an office-based relationship before. I’m not heading on that road again. Intimacy does not belong in the workplace.”

  “Noted.” Fletcher rubbed his chin with one hand, looking speculatively in Tami’s direction. “Do you think long-distance would work?”

  “No, I don’t,” Keaton said before he realized the other man had deliberately baited him. “And stay away from my assistant.”

  Fletcher laughed as he walked away and Keaton felt his lips twitch into a smile.

  * * *

  Over the next six days the groups completed high-ropes courses and a mountain bike trek, and spent a day rock climbing—the latter affording them incredible views across the heart-stoppingly beautiful vista of towering red-rock towers and cliffs amid more hiking and another stretch of kayaking on the river. Keaton felt renewed and invigorated by the time they started the hike back to the cabins. He and Fletcher had forged a much stronger friendship during their team challenges against other small groups, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Keaton was looking forward to what the future brought.

  Tami, however, appeared to become more tense with each day. He’d wondered if it was all the aerial work they’d had to do, but she’d applied herself to everything with far more enthusiasm than she had the zip-lining. But something was clearly bothering her. Maybe he’d be able to coax it out of her tonight, after the dinner and party they were going to have in celebration of the end of the exercise. And then again, he reminded himself, maybe it was none of his business.

  Leon and Nathan and their staff had coordinated a spectacular meal and festivities, with their own special set of awards for people they’d thought had come the furthest in terms of development, both personal and as groups of two or more. Keaton was pleased to see one of the older members of Fletcher’s team win an award. The guy had really come out of his shell, transforming from an impatient and reluctant piece of work to someone who’d shown compassion and leadership in a group challenge the day they’d had to find a way to bridge a fast-moving section of water. And then there was Logan and Honor. Keaton had had little to do with them during most of the challenges, but he was pleased to see them given a commendation for the way they’d not only worked together when pitted in direct opposition to one another, but also how they’d encouraged their teams.

  Overall, everyone appeared to have had a great time and it was interesting to see both sides of Richmond Developments and DR Construction mingling freely. On the surface, the exercise had achieved the sense of camaraderie Keaton knew they’d need moving forward. There was only one fly in the ointment. Tami. She still had an air of distraction around her and her smiles were few and far between. Something was definitely bothering her.

  Tonight she was dressed again in the stunning purple gown she’d worn on their first night here, and Keaton wasn’t oblivious to the admiring glances that were sent her way by many of the people gathered there. He wanted to tell them all not to look at her that way, that she wasn’t a piece of meat to be hungered after, but then drew himself up short. What was it to him, anyway? Maybe she’d be happy for the attention. Besides, it wasn’t as if he had any kind of claim on her.

  By the time the evening wound down, with everyone exhausted and heading off to their allocated cabins and beds before the early start back home in the morning, Keaton decided now was the time to check on Tami’s mood. She’d been going from table to table, ensuring no one had left anything behind. She hadn’t seen him approach her and he saw her flinch a little when she realized he was standing right there beside her.

  “Everything okay?” she asked. “I didn’t forget anything, did I?”

  Keaton shook his head. “No, everything went perfectly. In fact, with you only having started with us the day before we embarked on this thing, you were exemplary with how you hit the ground running. I’m glad you were here, Tami.”

  A small smile pulled at her lips. He’d expected her reaction to his praise to be more enthusiastic, but perhaps she was just tired, too.

  “Thank you,” she said softly. “Was there anything else?”

  He was about to tell her to go on up to her room, but that worry about her demeanor prodded him again.

  “You don’t seem to be yourself, tonight,” he said. “Is something wrong?”

  * * *

  Tami looked at him in shock. She’d thought she’d hid it well, but then again, given the type of man she’d discovered Keaton to be, maybe it wasn’t such a surprise that he could read her better than everyone else.

  “I guess I’m just wondering how I’m going to do once we’re away from here and back in the office,” she hedged.

  It was a poor excuse for an explanation, but she could hardly tell him that she was terrified by the fast-approaching deadline that awaited her. She forced herself to smile.

  “I know,” she continued, “it’s silly, right?”

  “Yeah, it’s silly. You’ll be fine. We’ll be fine.”

  “I’ve enjoyed the time here. It’s made me realize I can do so much more than I’d ever believed I could do.”

  Keaton nodded. “I know what you mean. It’s been an eye-opener.”

  She heard him sigh a little and followed his line of sight. Outside the dining room, Logan and Honor walked arm in arm toward their cabin. Seeing the two of them so engrossed in one another made Tami’s heart ache for Keaton. From a conversation with another Richmond Developments staffer, Tami had heard that Honor had been previously engaged to Keaton until his twin came out of the woodwork. She’d noticed that Keaton had had very little to do with the couple during their camping trip and that his interactions with Logan had been stilted. Did Keaton still harbor feelings for Honor? It couldn’t be easy to see the woman you loved transfer her affections to your mirror image.

  Tami took a step closer to Keaton and put a hand on his shoulder. She wanted to draw his attention away from something that was a very painful reminder. It made sense that Keaton would keep himself shielded from emotional harm, and Tami’s nature made her want to protect him from that, too. Her nature? she asked herself. No, she had to be honest. She was becoming more and more attracted to her boss. An unfortunate truth, when she forced herself to look at it under a microscope, because wasn’t that exactly what had gotten her into the financial trouble she was now in? But Keaton was nothing like Mark. He was honorable and true. He’d never abuse another’s trust and then cut and run, leaving someone he’d professed to love to face the music all alone, not to mention setting them up to look complicit in the bargain.

  Keaton reacted to her touch and turned to her with a face that could have been carved from granite.

  “Keaton?”

  She watched as his eyes focused on her and as the cold expression that had been there a moment ago dissolved into something else. His pupils flared and she heard the slight hitch in his breath before he reached for her and dipped his head to take her lips in a kiss that seared away any thought of anything or anyone else.

  Heat blossomed through her body, coalescing deep inside her as his mouth teased hers open and his tongue swept her own. She felt her knees grow weak and she clung to him with both hands as he angled his head and deepened their kiss. He tasted of something sinfully, delightfully
decadent. It took her a second to realize that it was purely him, and she wanted more. She kissed him back, tasting him as he tasted her, her fingers stroking the back of his neck. His strong hands pulled her even closer and she felt the hard evidence of his arousal against her lower belly. The embers at her core flamed higher as she shifted against him, first one way, then the other.

  She wanted to feel him everywhere—she wanted to learn every inch of him in return. Just then, a clatter of pots from behind the kitchen door at the far end of the dining room echoed through the space around them. They sprang apart, creating a yawning distance between one another that left her feeling bereft until she realized she’d just been kissing her boss.

  “I—” she began, but Keaton put a hand up to stop her.

  “No. Don’t apologize. Don’t say a word. The fault here was entirely mine. I overstepped my position as your employer and I took advantage of you when you were obviously in need of support. That was wrong of me. It won’t happen again.”

  “Keaton, I—”

  She tried to speak but he simply acted as if she’d said nothing.

  “Obviously, if my actions have left you uncomfortable about continuing to work with me, I won’t hold it against you. I can find you another position within the company or make sure you receive the appropriate assistance until you find another role somewhere else.”

  What? What was he saying? Did he want her out of Richmond Developments? No! She couldn’t let that happen. And who was this stranger standing in front of her now, anyway? He was nothing like the man who’d drawn her into his arms and kissed her just now as if their very existence depended on it. Tami’s entire body hummed with suppressed energy, burned with molten desire. With sheer need for him. She took a step forward, but hesitated as his eyes once again grew cold and distant. His breathing might be a little faster than normal, but he’d managed to get himself back under control a whole lot quicker than someone who’d genuinely been invested in what they’d just shared.