Catering to the CEO by Samantha Chase Read Free Book Online Page A

Katie said with a smile. 
    “That’s what I like to hear.”  Feeling confident, she walked the room one last time and felt satisfied that she had done all that she could for the day.  Taking the elevator up to the tenth floor, she found Grace sitting at her desk and smiled and waved as she approached.
    “Are we ready?” she asked giddily.
    “As we’ll ever be,” Cassie confirmed.  “I just did a final walk through and the room looks amazing.”
    “You are impressive.  I bow to the master.”  With great fanfare, Grace did an over the top bow and both women started to laugh. 
    And immediately stopped when Adam stepped out of his office.
    Grace immediately sat back down in her seat and pretended to get back to work, straightening stacks of paper for effect and said in a clipped professional tone, “Thank you for the update, Miss Jacobs.”  Cassie thanked her for her time and went to turn and leave.
    “Cassandra?” Adam called after her.  “May I speak with you for a moment?”  He was careful to stay respectful and courteous just as he told her he would.
    Cassie followed him into his office and immediately gave him an update on the event status.  He smiled with pleasure.  Adam never had a doubt that she would pull it all together and make it look beautiful and professional.  That’s what he paid her for.  No, what he wanted right now wasn’t so much an update on the retreat as much as to just talk with her. 
    But in the end he had to remember his initial plan.  Cassie had crossed a line with him and while he couldn’t outright fire her like he’d wanted to – not with their parents new-found engagement – but he had to find a way to end their business arrangement that didn’t have him looking like the bad guy.  It was just taking a bit longer to figure out how exactly he was going to accomplish that.
    “If you’d like to come down to the ball room, I’d be more than happy to give you the tour.”
    “I trust you,” he replied smoothly.  “I’m sure it will look exactly as you promised and my staff will be thoroughly impressed.  I have every confidence in you.”
    His words shouldn’t have made her feel all gushy inside but they did.  The man never praised anyone and lately, he’d been doing that a lot to her. 
    “I…um…I tweaked the menu a bit,” she began nervously, almost afraid to broach the subject that had nearly ended their working relationship.  “I added…”
    Adam cut her off.  Holding up his hand to stop her words, he said, “I’m sure that whatever it is, it’ll be wonderful.”
    She stood there in front of his desk, taking in the sight of the man in the perfectly fitted Italian suit, not a hair out of place, his deep brown eyes serious and longed for the more carefree, relaxed man she’d dined with.
    Oh, well; another time, another place.  He was the CEO of a major international security corporation; this was the image that was most fitting for him.  With the upcoming wedding of their parents, Cassie was sure that she’d get to see him looking a lot more relaxed and at ease but right now all she wanted to do was to lean over the desk, rip off his tie and run her fingers through his hair and mess it up.
    What the …?
    As if reading her mind, Adam gave her an equally thorough look and smiled a truly sexy smile that had Cassie stammering and wishing him a good night as she walked out the door, telling him that she was needed downstairs.  Maybe he believed her, maybe he didn’t but right now all she knew was that this new footing they were on was way more confusing and arousing than it ever was.
    With a quick wave to Grace, Cassie raced for the elevator and didn’t breathe with any ease until the doors closed and she was safely on her way to the main floor and headed for the doors that would take her outside.  She needed fresh air; she needed to be out of this building and to focus on the job, not the man.
    Easier said than done. 
    By the time five