Read Online Never Forgotten: Second Chances by Alana Hart, Marlena Dark - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alana Hart, Marlena Dark
Tags: Contemporary, first love returns, high finance alpha males, international high-tech business, female protagonist business success, choosing among lovers, loss of beauty
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when things don't go according to plan you need someone like me to step in. I can see you and I working together on a number of much larger deals in the future."
Megan liked the sound of that. In fact, at that point there wasn't anything about doing business with Riley Carson she didn't like. She stood up feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "In that case, I'll leave you to check out the prospective investor. Call me about dinner."
He stood and held out a hand. "Let's be proactive. Meet me for dinner at that new steak place on Carlsbad... La Chica is the name of it. We can have dinner at nine. I'll either have the prospective investor in tow or not, and either way I can give you an update and enjoy your company."
His words set off an alarm. From the moment she'd walked into his office Megan had felt drawn to Riley and the idea of spending time with him appealed to her. An electric current ran between them that suggested something pleasant and desirable could develop. And that made her hesitate. Allowing the boundary between work and personal matters to become such a gray area could spell trouble and she preferred a separation. She hadn't always maintained it, and when she did it often meant that her personal life devolved to little more than a drink at home watching television alone and painfully empty weekends. The reality was that she hardly knew anyone she wasn't involved with in business one way or the other and she had little opportunity to meet people outside that world. Even most of the people at her gym or the clubs she went to on rare occasions worked in the industry. They all knew each other. Trying to keep those worlds apart grew harder as time went on.
When she'd gotten involved with Craig they'd worked in different departments of the same company and seldom saw each other at work. That sidestepped the problems of office romance, at least most of them.
Because she was a woman who enjoyed men and sexual relationships, and not interested in living as a recluse, she'd found herself honoring that separation more in the breach. At least Riley was tangential to it rather than part of the mainstream. She sighed and acknowledged that meeting the potential investor held less appeal than being with Riley for dinner. Besides, sitting and waiting for a call to find out how the meeting had gone wasn't her style and would be torture for her. "That's a plan I can deal with."
She left Riley's office with a new sense of optimism.
* * * *
Leaving Riley's, she his observation about Thom's attitude toward his stock began tumbling through her mind. She didn't doubt Riley was right and if Thom rushed to sell, it could create the sense that there was some sort of internal problem at Diamond and that would complicate things more than they were. It would be smart and strengthen her hand to have an agreement in writing that she had first option on his stock at a set price. The easiest way to see if that was at all in the cards was to go by and ask him.
When he was in town Thom stayed in furnished suites. With his schedule, the constant comings and goings, he sensibly kept one year round. As it was on her route, she decided to drop in and talk with him, maybe catch him off guard.
As she went in the lobby, she decided to use the house phone to let him know she was there. She knew his room number, but he could have company. Their relationship wasn't exclusive, and his visitors could be person or business. Either way, she didn’t want to make it seem as if she was checking up on him, spying. That wouldn't help get him to agree to her request.
At the table that held the house phone, she sat and picked up the receiver. Then she heard Thom's voice coming from the elevator. She turned and looked, catching sight of him taking a woman in his arms. They locked in a fairly passionate kiss, for Thom, and she pressed her body close to his, rubbing herself against him, obviously trying to arouse him. Then they turned and
Megan liked the sound of that. In fact, at that point there wasn't anything about doing business with Riley Carson she didn't like. She stood up feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "In that case, I'll leave you to check out the prospective investor. Call me about dinner."
He stood and held out a hand. "Let's be proactive. Meet me for dinner at that new steak place on Carlsbad... La Chica is the name of it. We can have dinner at nine. I'll either have the prospective investor in tow or not, and either way I can give you an update and enjoy your company."
His words set off an alarm. From the moment she'd walked into his office Megan had felt drawn to Riley and the idea of spending time with him appealed to her. An electric current ran between them that suggested something pleasant and desirable could develop. And that made her hesitate. Allowing the boundary between work and personal matters to become such a gray area could spell trouble and she preferred a separation. She hadn't always maintained it, and when she did it often meant that her personal life devolved to little more than a drink at home watching television alone and painfully empty weekends. The reality was that she hardly knew anyone she wasn't involved with in business one way or the other and she had little opportunity to meet people outside that world. Even most of the people at her gym or the clubs she went to on rare occasions worked in the industry. They all knew each other. Trying to keep those worlds apart grew harder as time went on.
When she'd gotten involved with Craig they'd worked in different departments of the same company and seldom saw each other at work. That sidestepped the problems of office romance, at least most of them.
Because she was a woman who enjoyed men and sexual relationships, and not interested in living as a recluse, she'd found herself honoring that separation more in the breach. At least Riley was tangential to it rather than part of the mainstream. She sighed and acknowledged that meeting the potential investor held less appeal than being with Riley for dinner. Besides, sitting and waiting for a call to find out how the meeting had gone wasn't her style and would be torture for her. "That's a plan I can deal with."
She left Riley's office with a new sense of optimism.
* * * *
Leaving Riley's, she his observation about Thom's attitude toward his stock began tumbling through her mind. She didn't doubt Riley was right and if Thom rushed to sell, it could create the sense that there was some sort of internal problem at Diamond and that would complicate things more than they were. It would be smart and strengthen her hand to have an agreement in writing that she had first option on his stock at a set price. The easiest way to see if that was at all in the cards was to go by and ask him.
When he was in town Thom stayed in furnished suites. With his schedule, the constant comings and goings, he sensibly kept one year round. As it was on her route, she decided to drop in and talk with him, maybe catch him off guard.
As she went in the lobby, she decided to use the house phone to let him know she was there. She knew his room number, but he could have company. Their relationship wasn't exclusive, and his visitors could be person or business. Either way, she didn’t want to make it seem as if she was checking up on him, spying. That wouldn't help get him to agree to her request.
At the table that held the house phone, she sat and picked up the receiver. Then she heard Thom's voice coming from the elevator. She turned and looked, catching sight of him taking a woman in his arms. They locked in a fairly passionate kiss, for Thom, and she pressed her body close to his, rubbing herself against him, obviously trying to arouse him. Then they turned and
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