A Heart For Business draft 2 Read online

  The CEO’s Reluctant Lover

  By Alexis Blake

  Contents

  The CEO’s Reluctant Lover

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter One

  “You’ve told me what to do for the last time! I’m breaking up with you and that’s final! Never call me again!” Vanessa Imenerse said heatedly into her cell phone.

  She disconnected the call then set the phone to block any incoming calls from her ex-boyfriend Trevor Mills. With a sigh of exasperation she put her phone into her Louis Vuitton handbag and turned her attention back to her incredible surroundings. She was finally in the place she always wanted to be, and nothing and no one was going to stop her from enjoying it; Manhattan!

  Some people were intimidated by the city, but Vanessa felt at home the moment she stepped out of the limousine and onto the sidewalk of the greatest place on earth. She’d always dreamed of ‘making it big’, ever since she was just a poor black girl living on the lower east side of Chicago. She’d worked hard and earned a scholarship to Harvard, where she graduated at the top of her class with a Masters in Business.

  In the corporate world, she’d proven her merit and now, at just the age of thirty-two, she was being offered the position of CEO for Gainscorp, one of the most prestigious companies in the world. If she took the job she would be the youngest CEO in the company’s history, not to mention the first Africa American woman to hold such a high position. She thought back to all the people who had told her she could never make it, including Trevor Mills, and lifted her chin in defiance. He had always been telling her to quit her job because she’d never amount to anything in the corporate world. Well, she had made it, through her own hard work and determination! The world was at her feet and she intended to soak in every minute of it and enjoy it!

  “This way, Miss Imenerse,” came the voice of her guide for the day, Norman Fields. He was a short, fussy man with thick glasses and think hair, and an endearing need to please that reminded one of a favorite pet dog.

  Vanessa shook her head to clear her thoughts and followed Norman as he escorted her through the doors of a beautiful high-rise and onto the private elevator at the front of the lobby.

  “We’ve leased you a condo right here on Park avenue,” Norman explained, as he nervously adjusted his bowtie for what must have been the twentieth time. Having only spoken with him over the phone up until today, she had no way of knowing if he was usually so fidgety, but she suspected that he was. He always sounded so enthusiastic over the phone, making Vanessa surmise that there must be a lot riding on whether or not she could be courted into accepting Gainscorp’s offer of employment; possibly even Norman’s entire career. If she played her cards right, she could probably get him to promise anything she wanted just to seal the deal.

  For fun, she decided to play with him a little just to test her theory.

  She crossed her arms and gave an exaggerated sigh, “This building seems so far from the office. I’m not being expected to travel that far every day am I?”

  “Of course not!” Norman Fields burst out in a panic, desperate to win her favor. “The company will pay for a car service to take you to and from work. You’ll never have to worry about parking or traveling from your car to the office.”

  Feeling playful, Vanessa scowled even deeper and said “Just to and from work. I don’t think that’s acceptable at all. What about the rest of my time. Am I expected to take a taxi?”

  “I misspoke! Twenty four hours a day, seven days a week, you’ll receive door to door service in the most luxurious car in our fleet! You can even select your own driver if you prefer.”

  Vanessa tried to keep up her feign of annoyance, but Norman looked so stressed that she just couldn’t. She let her expression turn into an amused smile and Norman sighed with relief to see that she had only been teasing him.

  She was an attractive woman by any standard, with a tall, curvaceous figure, dark brown eyes like liquid pools, and thick wavy hair that she kept swept up into an elegant bun. She was dressed in a tailored skirt-suit of powder blue that set off the rich darkness of her skin and only enhanced her beauty. The hemline of the skirt was just short enough to accentuate her long, sexy legs without being so short as to be unprofessional. Vanessa was clearly a lady, from her tasteful gold jewelry, to her statuesque posture, to her kind and friendly demeanor. She made everyone around her feel better about themselves, just by smiling at them. It was a feeling Norman had right now, and he desperately hoped he could convince her to take the job offer from his employer. He thought that if this condo didn’t do it, nothing would.

  The elevator opened on the twentieth floor and he guided her out into a hallway with only two doors; hers and just one neighbor. A window at the end of the hallway gave her a view to the east, with the River and Triboro Bridge in the distance. It was a truly beautiful and breathtaking scene.

  Norman unlocked the front door swung his arms open wide in a grandiose gesture as Vanessa entered the luxurious condo. Her hands flew up to her face and she gasped with happy excitement. It was utterly gorgeous, with custom crafted oak cabinets, exquisite marble floors, and Acoustic Panorama windows that provided an amazing view of Central Park to the west and the NYC skyline to the South. It was fully furnished with beautifully designed pieces and fully stocked with everything she could ever need from groceries and dishes, to towels and bath slippers.

  “What do you think?” Norman asked with a shy grin as he completed the tour of the condo.

  “I love it. I don’t see a thing wrong with the place.” Vanessa smiled, and her dark eyes danced with happiness.

  Suddenly a loud bang came from outside, followed by muted shouting. Vanessa opened the front door to see a young woman standing in the doorway of the neighboring apartment.

  The girl was shouting to someone unseen inside, “You are the most terrible excuse for a human being I have ever had the misfortune to work with! It may be a violation of the Nightingale Pledge, but I hope you die a slow painful death!”

  A male voice called back from somewhere inside. “You mean I haven’t died already? I thought being stuck with you meant I was in hell! Now fetch my pills, or are you too lazy and stupid to figure out how to do it?”

  The girl flushed crimson with rage. She shouted back inside at the man “I would have to be stupid to stay here one more second! I quit and don’t look for anyone else from the agency to replace me! I’m filing an official complaint against you so no one else has to suffer like I did!”

  Vanessa stared in shock as the girl slammed the door shut viciously behind her, then turned to face Vanessa with a startled gasp.

  “Are you his neighbor? Man, do I feel sorry for you! You couldn’t pay me to live across the hall from that asshole! You should run as far away as you can!” The girl said with a flush, then she stomped down the hall, onto the elevator and was gone.

  Vanessa turned to look at Norman, who was wringing his hands so viciously that they were turning nearly as red as his face had become.

  “Silly kids. So, I’ll leave you here to get settled. Unpack and make yourself at home.” Norman burst out, anxious to fill the awkward silence. “I’ll have the car service pick you up in the morning and you can meet with the attorney’s at Gainscorp’s headquarters to sign the papers to formally accept the job?”

  “I haven’t agreed to accept the job offer yet, Mr. Fields,” Vanessa cut him off, making the poor
man flush a funny shade of purple. “I’m just on sabbatical from Winn Incorporated. I don’t need another job and I’m not sure I want one so far away from my home in Chicago. This apartment is incredibly beautiful, but I don’t know if I could really be happy here, especially given what I just heard. This is a terrific job offer, but I need some time to think about it.”

  “Take as much time as you need. Stretch out your sabbatical and stay her for a week. No, stay an entire month!” Norman sputtered. “New York City really is a terrific city; especially this part of Manhattan. See the museums, eat at the restaurants, and get to know the town. I’ll come back in thirty days and get your decision then. Until then, consider this a paid vacation courtesy of Gainscorp.”

  “All right.” Vanessa said with a happy smile. She’d just gotten exactly what she wanted and she intended to enjoy every minute of it. Trevor Mills and Winn Inc. would just have to learn to cope without her.

  Chapter Two

  Carter Davis awoke with a start, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. His blue eyes darted around the room as he tried to regain his bearings. It was late afternoon and he was at home in his apartment in Manhattan. He was no longer in that horrible car wreck, rolling and turning as the twisted metal caved in around him, and glass rained over him, and the pain ripped through his body. He was safe and alive and everything was going to be alright. He ran his fingers through his blond hair and saw his hands were trembling. He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to block out the horrifying memories of the moment that had ruined his entire life.

  Even though many weeks had passed, he could still remember every detail like it had just happened. He’d been frustrated because the project at work was behind schedule and over budget. In a temper tantrum he decided to drive to the manufacturing sight and yell at the production manager in person. He could have taken the car service, but they were always so slow and he didn’t have the time for that. He knew he could get there faster if he drove himself. After all, what was the point of having purchased an Austin Martin if he never drove it?

  As Carter stomped his foot on the accelerator and raced through the streets of Manhattan, he imagined all the things he wanted to say to the production manager once he got there. He hated incompetence and had no patience for it. He didn’t want to hear any bullshit about how the development team had a flaw in the design that needed to be redone. He just wanted results and if he couldn’t get them on time, he’d fire the whole lot of them!

  Carter hadn’t even seen the truck that pulled out right in front of him. He’d just felt the sensation being crushed as the vehicle rolled against the street and slammed into a building. As his body was crushed in the impact, all he could think was that at thirty-six he was far too young to die. He hadn’t accomplished any of things he wanted for his life. He had no wife, no family, just his career and even that felt empty. Through some miracle of fate, he didn’t die that day and managed to survive with surprisingly few injuries.

  The doctors told him he was lucky to be in as good a condition as he was. Well, he didn’t feel lucky. He felt like a fucking invalid! After weeks in the hospital, he’d finally convinced the idiot doctors to let him go home, but he had to agree to hire a full-time health care worker to assist him until his recovery progressed further.

  So here he was, trapped at home while he waited for his body to heal enough that the doctors would release him back to work.

  “Why can’t I just do work from my laptop! My mind isn’t injured! It’s just a few broken ribs!” Carter had said to Dr. Milner, but the physician just shook his head.

  “You’re injuries are a lot more extensive than your broken bones, Mr. Davis. You’ve suffered severe bruising to many of your internal organs. Returning to work is going to put an extra strain on those healing organs that you can’t afford in your present condition. I’m putting you on bed rest until those organs have time to heal, not to mention the rib fractures. Enjoy the rest. Think of it as a vacation. Read the books you’ve always wanted to read, watch movies, and relax.”

  So here he was, stuck in a forced state of imprisonment. Carter Davis picked up the book from his bedside table and stared at the pages, trying to heed the doctor’s advice and think of it as a vacation, but his mind wouldn’t focus on what he was reading. He was too angry, he was in too much pain, and he was too frustrated to see any of the words. He hurled the book across the room as hard as he could; smashing it against the far wall and causing the pages to flutter apart, but the fruitless action did nothing to make him feel better.

  Suddenly he heard a knocking on the front door. Perhaps it was the shopping service with his delivery of groceries. He hoped so. He hadn’t eaten since before his health care worker quit that morning and he was starving!

  Carter started to rise to answer the door but an intense stabbing pain in his ribcage reminded him that he had to stay in bed. He collapsed back against the pillows and called out “Come in!”

  To his surprise a beautiful African American woman walked into the room. She was wearing a powder blue suit and even in his injured condition, Carter couldn’t help but notice how incredibly attractive she was.

  “Who the hell are you?” he growled at her. No one from the grocery service would look so sophisticated and the disappointment of realizing that no food was coming made him lash out at her like an angry animal.

  “Vanessa Imenerse. I heard a loud bang and I wanted to make sure you weren’t hurt.”

  Carter’s eyes lit up. “You’re a nurse! It’s about time the service sent someone to replace that nitwit I had to fire. I’ve been waiting for hours!”

  Vanessa realized his mistake and laughed softly. “No, not I’m a nurse. Imenerse. I’m your new neighbor.”

  Carter’s expression quickly morphed into one of annoyance. “No, damn it! I don’t need someone to move in. I just need someone to work here during the day until the doctor takes me off bed rest to help with the cooking, cleaning, and to give me my pills. Now hurry up! I’m utterly starving! Or do I have to do everything myself!”

  Carter started to get out of bed and was immediately struck by a debilitating pain in his ribs that made his face turn white as a sheet. Vanessa ran across the room and gently helped him lay back against the pillows before he passed out.

  “No, don’t move. You stay laying right there. I’ll get your pills and make you something to eat.” Vanessa cried out, filled with concern. She realized this man needed help or he would hurt himself even worse that he already was. She would give him the pills and some food and then explain to him that she wasn’t who he thought she was.

  “They’re in the kitchen on the counter.” Carter said through teeth gritted against the pain.

  The floor plan of his apartment was almost exactly the same as hers, only he had a hospital bed set up in the living room, where she had a couch. She found her way to the kitchen easily and gasped at the huge arrangement of pills that were lined up on the countertop. She read the labels until she found the ones prescribed for pain, but the bottle said they needed to be taken with food. She opened his fridge and saw that it was practically empty. She found a can of chicken broth in the pantry, and was able to scrounge up enough vegetables, spices, and pasta to make a decent soup for him.

  She presented it on a tray, along with the medication and some toasted bread and for the first time Carter smiled and the muscles on his face seemed to relax.

  Vanessa saw that when he wasn’t glaring, he was actually quite handsome, with the rugged blonde locks one usually associated with a California surfer and brilliant blue eyes. It was too bad that he didn’t smile more, but it was obvious he had been through something truly traumatic. Vanessa wondered with compassion if she might not be just as angry and mean if she’d suffered the way that he had.

  Carter slurped down the soup and gobbled down the bread like it was the most delicious food he’d ever tasted, and indeed it came close. He was so used to having people serve his every need, it never even occurred to him t
o say thank you, even though he appreciated the meal more than words could say. If it hadn’t been for this beautiful nurse from heaven, he surely would have starved to death trapped in this damn bed.

  When he was done he pushed the tray aside and said curtly. “Well, aren’t you going to take the tray now so I can take a nap?”

  “Well, okay, but only because you were so polite about it.” Vanessa teased with a smile. He really was a cranky son-of-bitch and she could see why the girl who had quit earlier that day couldn’t stand working for him. Vanessa realized with a grin that at least that girl had been getting paid. She was doing this for free.

  “Sorry. Thank you.” Carter said softly, and Vanessa felt her sympathy go out to him again. She took the tray to the kitchen and by the time she returned, he was already asleep. It had clearly been a long hard day for him and his body needed the rest to heal; or perhaps the medication had knocked him out. Either way, she tucked his blankets around his shoulders, gently set his book back on the table beside him, and quietly left the apartment.

  That night, for the first time, Carter didn’t dream about the horrifying accident that had nearly killed him. Instead, he dreamed about the beautiful angel, with warm eyes and dark skin, who had saved him.

  Chapter Three

  The next morning Vanessa woke bright and early. That was the bad thing about working hard her entire life; even when she had a month off for vacation, her body still couldn’t sleep in!

  She tried pretending like she wasn’t awake and pulled the covers over her head and squeezed her eyes shut tight, but it didn’t work. Her brain was wide awake and already whirling with a million different thoughts and ideas. Originally she’d planned to go sightseeing today, but she couldn’t stop thinking about her next door neighbor and worrying about who would take care of him today.

  She had learned from an online news site that his name was Carter Davis and that he’d suffered a terrible car crash just a few weeks ago. It was obvious that he couldn’t get out of bed yet to make his meals and he needed someone to monitor his medications and make sure he was taking the right ones at the right times. Even though he was a complete stranger, and a rude one at that, Vanessa couldn’t in good conscience just leave him to suffer. With a frustrated sigh, she tossed her covers aside, got dressed in her most comfortable pair of designer jeans, put on her favorite canary yellow sweater, and switched on her laptop.