Chapter Six

Caitlyn glanced up at the full moon overhead as they left the restaurant. There was no denying she’d enjoyed the time they’d spent together. Too much, probably. Now that they were about to head back to the hotel, she realized she didn’t want the evening to end.

You’re twisted.

Yes, but she’d decided to lean in to the odd little date they’d found themselves on.

“I can call the car,” Damien said, coming up beside her. “Or…”

“Or?”

He gestured down the street. “We’re close to the water. Want to check out the boardwalk?”

I shouldn’t. A romantic stroll along the river had complicated written all over it.

“Okay,” she said before she could reason herself out of it.

“This way.”

It didn’t escape her notice that with any other man, she would have reached out to hold his hand in a situation like this.

This is a dangerous game.

One they’d been playing for a while. She remembered the first time she’d seen him during a meeting he’d had with her father. He’d been going head to head with her dad, both men rising to their feet as they argued. And though she was loyal to her family, her attention had been fixed on the enemy CEO. There’d been no denying the inconvenient flutter of attraction at the way he commanded the room.

The first time they’d faced off after her takeover, she’d doubted her ability to stand as strong as her dad. But then Damien had looked at her with a sparkle in his eyes that had nothing to do with his desire for her company, and she’d known it wasn’t all in her head. That unspoken attraction had made every corporate fight more exciting. Not to mention more frustrating.

Yet here they were. Despite all the arguments. All the competing campaigns. She should be pushing him away on principle.

Not enjoying an evening stroll.

What am I doing? She gripped her purse strap a little harder as if keeping her hands occupied would stop the urge to touch him.

Together they navigated the few streets that separated them from the boardwalk. As they walked, she tried to think of a neutral topic to bring up. Instead, she could barely concentrate over the pounding of her heart. Anticipation swirled through her, though she wasn’t even sure what she was hoping for.

Aren’t you?

Turning a corner, they saw the water stretching out before them.

“Pretty,” she breathed, taking in the wooden path built around the harbor. A few strangers meandered around the walk, but it was surprisingly empty. Their own little world.

“I don’t come out here often,” she said to break the silence. “Usually I stay closer to the conference.”

“Then this will be a nice change for you. Something to remember me by.”

“Going somewhere?”

He glanced down at her. “I meant a positive memory. You know, instead of us always being at each other’s throats.”

She smiled. “It’s kind of nice when we’re not trying to one-up each other.”

He glanced down at her. “Think there’s any hope that’ll return with us to Boston?”

“Do you?”

He stopped, leaning up against the rail of the boardwalk. “It wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if it did.”

“We can’t be friends and enemies at the same time.”

He reached out, his hand catching hers as he tugged her a step closer. “Says who?”

“Damien…”

He pulled her another step forward.

Step back. Walk away.

Except her body was rooted to the ground, unable to escape his light hold.

“Besides, I never said I wanted to be friends.”

“What do you want?” The question was half taunt, half curiosity.

The small grin that curved his lips was her only warning before he used her hand to pull her off-balance before spinning her back against the rail. He leaned forward, gripping the bar on either side of her to effectively trap her between his arms.

Her heart fluttered as she stared up at him. Doing her best to appear unaffected, she arched a brow.

“You have an interesting way of dealing with your rivals,” she said.

“Usually I skip the taking-them-to-dinner part.”

“Guess I should feel special then.”

His gaze dropped to her lips. “I’d love to make you feel all sorts of things.”

“Trust me, I can beat you in this arena, too.” Unable to stop herself, she slid her hands up his chest to twine around his neck.

“You’ve known me long enough to realize I never walk away from a challenge.”

“Yes,” she agreed, “I have.”

His gaze was knowing when it met hers. “Playing with fire, aren’t you?”

“Here’s hoping I don’t get burned.”

“No promises,” he said, right before his mouth claimed hers.

I hope you know what you’re doing, an inner voice whispered.

Not a freaking chance.

But that didn’t mean she was going to step away.

Tilting her head to the side, she flicked her tongue out to tangle with his. Though she could barely believe what they were doing, she wasn’t going to turn down this opportunity. How often had she found herself wondering what his lips would feel like?

Lust snaked through her. What was it about this man that just plain did it for her? Her life would be a hell of a lot easier if she could kick her attraction to him.

That’s clearly not going to happen any time soon.

Which meant she needed a plan in the meantime.

Enjoy him. Make out like teenagers, but when you say goodnight, make sure you’re in your own room. Alone.

Not a bad idea. A little indulgence without any lines being permanently crossed. They could come back from a kiss or two easily enough.

Sleeping with him would be another matter.

“You feel so good,” he whispered in her ear.

“Back at you.” She threaded her fingers through his hair in the way she’d pictured doing during one boring meeting two months ago. It seemed inconceivable she was able to do so now.

Leaning back, she looked up into his gray gaze, one that she’d seen go arctic in a heartbeat. But right now, there was nothing cold about the weight of his stare.

Instead the heat in those eyes took her breath away.

“The way I see it,” he said, “we have two choices.”

“Which are?” Her voice was a breathy rasp.

“We could pretend this didn’t happen and go back to our lives tomorrow.”

“Or?”

“Or we could go back to the hotel. Let’s see if the chemistry we have when we fight in the boardroom translates into the bedroom.”

A tremor shook her. She wanted to leap at his offer and drag him back to her room.

Bad idea.

But so utterly tempting.

She cupped his face, taking a second to touch him the way she’d dreamed of. Her fingers ghosted along his jaw, traced the bow of his lips. Pulling him down to her level, she kissed him lightly.

“There’s a third option,” she breathed against his mouth.

He sighed. “I’m not going to like it, am I?”

“We go back to our lives with the memory of the one night we weren’t on opposite sides. It might make us…” She searched for the right word before shrugging. “Kinder to each other.”

“Kinder.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not sure that word is in my family’s vocabulary.”

She smiled. “Lucky for you, it’s in mine. I’ll teach you.”

His gaze dropped to her mouth. “You can teach me anything you want, cupcake.”

…

With a teacher like her, he’d be an excellent student.

One who’d love to return the favor.

He had some tricks up his sleeve he’d jump at the chance to show her.

She laughed at his words. “You’re going to turn over a new leaf and play nicely with others?”

“No,” he replied. “Just you.”

Any other business rival he’d crush without thinking twice about it.

The smile slipped from her face, and he had the ridiculous urge to say something, anything, to bring it back.

“For tonight,” she said. “But what about tomorrow? Next week? Next year? You won’t be able to keep handling Brooks Corp with kid gloves and we both know it. This is a bad idea.”

“We’re not clairvoyant. Who knows what the future holds?”

She arched a brow. “Do you really think there’d ever come a day where you were capable of putting a woman before the good of your company? Because I’m not sure I could do it, and my lab is half the size of yours.”

Putting a woman first? No. Not ever. His father had drilled the dangers of love into his head too deeply for that. This was the price of success. If he wanted to create an empire that overshadowed what his father and grandfather had been able to achieve for him, he had no time for the softer emotions.

It was a decision he’d made the day he took over the reins of Reid Enterprises. Not once had he ever regretted the limitations it placed on his personal life.

Not until now.

Caitlyn watched him with her clear, open gaze. One that saw to the heart of every matter with startling accuracy. When she slowly shook her head, he wasn’t the least bit surprised.

“We can’t be together, and I’m not a one-night-stand sort of girl. Let’s leave it at that and not ruin an otherwise fun evening.”

He wanted to argue, but there were no words. She was right. They had to make a choice between what they wanted and what their roles as CEOs entailed.

And she was making the right decision for both of them. All he had to do was shut up and let her.

“If I wasn’t a Reid,” he said instead, “would that make a difference?”

She exhaled slowly. “In my decision to sleep alone tonight or my attraction to you?”

“Either.”

Her hands slid over his shoulders as she used him for balance, rising to her tiptoes. “Yes, to the first part of that question, no to the second,” she said before she kissed him.

With a groan, he wrapped his arms around her. What was it about her that made him as excited as a teenager? Making out in a public place wasn’t his usual style. He was never this unsophisticated. This impulsive. But for the shot at another few minutes in her arms, he’d throw everything else to the wind. What did he care who noticed them? Caitlyn was the only thing that mattered right now.

He ran his hands over that delicious red dress of hers, wishing it wasn’t in his way. With anyone else it would have been child’s play to take control. Seduction was easy when he didn’t care about the outcome. But Caitlyn mattered in a way she shouldn’t. And because of it, he was off-balance.

Her lips left his as she dropped back down to her usual height.

“We should go,” she said. “Before we cross too many lines.”

I want to cross every line with you.

But she was right. They didn’t have the luxury of giving in to private urges with the public pressure on them. Reluctantly, he took a step back.

Wrong way.

With the distance between them, he saw the way her cheeks flushed. Her hair was mussed with tendrils hanging around her face. But it was the frustrated desire in her eyes that eased a tension within him he hadn’t even been aware of.

It’s not just me.

Whatever else became of them, at least he had that. They were caught together. And despite both their brainpower, it seemed neither had a way of getting them out of this mess.

“Come on,” he said. “Let’s head back.”

The instinct to reach out a hand to her was so strong that just this once, he allowed the impulsive gesture.

Caitlyn hesitated before slipping her hand into his.

As they walked back toward the restaurant, he tried to ignore how comfortable it felt holding her hand.

Or how empty it would be when she walked away from him later.