Choice Matters (Southern Heat Book 1) (2 page)

His handshake was firm and professional. I noted his hand
was well manicured, but then I imagined he was that way all over. I took his
cue and sat, staying upright in the middle of the chair, not wanting to look
too uncaring.

“So, Ms. White, I see you’ve worked for us for the past four
years in mergers and acquisitions and that you were made the assistant department
head recently. I take it you’re comfortable with that?”

“Yes, yes, I am. It seemed like a natural fit, bringing
recently purchased or acquired firms and blending them into Choice Enterprises.”

“But not so natural for some folks. You can’t have a soft heart,
as you well know. There is a not-so-pleasant side to it all. But you seem to
make people feel at ease through the process. I admire that.”

I tried not to appear too shocked by his off-the-cuff
compliment. From what I had found out about
Apolo
Choice through internet research was that he rarely, if ever, gave out praise.
Still, I hadn’t a clue as to why he had sought me out. But the man was not one
for small talk, apparently.

“Ms. White…Caitlyn. May I call you ‘Caitlyn’?”

I nodded my head absentmindedly in agreement. Who was this
man? What powers did he possess? Because he certainly had me under his spell,
whatever it was.

“Caitlyn, I’m sure you’ve heard the gossip and rumors going
around about the position I’m looking to fill.” He stopped, leaning back in his
seat, eyeing me. Both elbows rested on the arms, and he tapped his index
fingers together.

“I don’t pay attention to gossip or rumors, Mr. Choice. I do
know that you promoted Mr. Jacobs to head your London operations and are
seeking someone to fill his position. Am I close?”

“Yes, that’s right. Nick’s talents are best used in London
right now, and yes, I’m looking for someone to fill his shoes. I’ve been
interviewing for about three weeks,” he replied, his posture still unchanged.

There was something primal about this man, something
animalistic.. I tried to concentrate on what he was saying and not the acute
awareness I found myself having over his body and his movements. It made the
hair on the back of my neck stand up. “If you don’t mind my asking, Mr. Choice,
exactly what does the job consist of?”

“Please, call me
Apolo
, and no, I
don’t mind your questions. The position is really more or less one of being my
assistant. It comes with the title of Executive Vice President, if that
matters. I need that person to be able to accompany me to various functions and
meetings, both here and abroad, as needed. Or go in my place if I’m not
available.”

“I don’t know—” I started to say I had no idea on earth why
he would remotely think I was qualified for the position, but he cut me off in
mid-sentence.

“If you can work in acquisitions, you can easily handle
this.”

Without any further discussion, we were finished. He rose
from his chair and extended his hand once again. In
Apolo
Choice’s world, everything was black and white. There was no room for chitchat
or shades of gray. I shook his hand and allowed him to lead me to the door. His
palm settled on the small of my back as he did. At his touch, I felt my body
light up in ways it hadn’t in eons.

“Thank you for your time, Mr. Choice, um,
Apolo
.” I peered over at him, trying to get a read off him,
but his face gave nothing away. He was not a tall man, six foot I thought, but he
cut a menacing figure, every inch of him.

“I’ll be in touch, Caitlyn.”

* * * *

“Caitlyn! Caitlyn! Where are you? You look like a deer in
the headlights,” Isabel called out. Isabel Kelley was my roommate and best
friend. Unlike me, Isabel was far more practical, having recently finished her
Master’s program in nursing, all while working full-time, I might add. Her goal
was to become director of nursing at a prestigious hospital, or better yet,
hospital administrator.

“I’m sorry,
Izzie
, just lost in
thought, I suppose.” I made my best attempt at a laugh, trying hard for it not
to sound forced.

“You looked stressed,” she replied, handing me a glass of
Chardonnay. “And you never get stressed out at work.”

“Did I tell you that
Apolo
Choice
is looking for a replacement for his assistant, who is now in London?”

“Hmmm, I vaguely recall something. Why? What’s up?”

“He’s been interviewing in house.” I lifted the glass and
took a swallow of the chilled wine as I glanced in Isabel’s direction.

“No! You?”

“Yep, he called me in this afternoon. Why, I haven’t a clue.”

“You went, right?”

“Of course. I’m sure it’s some unwritten offense to turn
Apolo
Choice down if he summons you to his office.”

“Then, what is it? Did he offer you the job? What?”

“Oh hell,
Izzie
. The man looks as
though he just stepped out of the pages of some fashion magazine. He’s a god,
just like his name.”

“Well, he does own a mega business empire.”

“Oh no, he looks like nothing or no one I’ve ever seen. He’s
gorgeous,
Izzie
. Sex oozes out of his pores, his very
essence. He’s dark, dangerous, and makes my body act in ways it shouldn’t.”

“Sounds like he needs to be cloned, girlfriend.”

“No, I have a feeling one
Apolo
Choice is all this world can handle. There’s something about him. I can’t put
my finger on it.”

“Well, drink your wine and grab a shower. I think we need to
discuss the mysterious Mr. Choice over Chinese…my treat.”

I started to hedge, but knew Isabel wouldn’t take no for an
answer. She never did, not when it came to something that shook me up as much
as this entire interview. Interview, hell, it was
Apolo
Choice that rocked me to my core, and
Izzie
knew my
vulnerabilities.

By the time we made it back home from dinner, neither of us
felt any pain. Thank goodness our favorite Chinese place was well within
walking distance. The two of us, a couple glasses of plum wine later, had
solved the ills of the world and the fate of Mr.
Apolo
Choice. He would never choose me out of all the better-qualified candidates he
had.

A bad boy was something I certainly didn’t need in my life.
Not after Alexander Vanderbilt and the drama he’d left behind when he walked
out of my life.

The following morning, Friday, I awoke with a searing
headache. Groaning, I forced myself out of bed and into the kitchen, led by the
smell of fresh coffee. Isabel, gone an hour or so earlier, had left her
signature brew, along with a note to take the headache powders and drink the bottle
of water she had so thoughtfully and strategically placed for me.

I sucked down the medicine with a long swig before I picked
up a coffee mug off the counter and poured myself a hot, steaming cup. When
would I ever learn? Never on a work night. Oh well, it had almost gotten my
mind off Mr. Bad Boy.

Somehow, I managed to make it into my office unseen, just as
I wanted. If I could be left alone to vegetate for another hour until the
throbbing in the back of my head lessened, I’d be fine. Smooth sailing. But
that was not to be. Chuck Lewis, my immediate boss, stuck his head around the
doorframe.

“Good morning,” he said cheerfully, ignoring the signs that
I’d been out and consumed a few too many the night before. “You must have made
quite an impression on Mr. Choice.”

Chuck Lewis was my co-conspirator in running mergers and
acquisitions. The two of us had gotten along like a pair of old shoes from the
moment we met. Our ideas on how to do things were remarkably similar.

A small, but muscular man, Chuck was a running fanatic. Rain
or shine Chuck was always pounding the pavement somewhere in midtown Atlanta,
training for his next race. He said it helped him focus, and was where some of
his best ideas came from. Married, with two adorable daughters, Chuck may have
seemed like just another lower management worker at a huge empire, but he had
his own plans.

“How’s that?”

“Renee? His secretary? She called about a half hour ago and
said Mr. Choice wants to meet with you again. Lunch in his office at
twelve-thirty.”

I shot him a look, one I hoped seethed of exasperation.
There was too much to do today without Mr. Bad Boy meddling.

“What? I would think you’d be bouncing off the ceilings,
getting a callback interview and lunch with Mr. Choice. I know I would.”

“Under different circumstances, yes. I simply don’t get him.
There are others far more qualified. Why waste his time on me?”

“Hmmm, perhaps there’s more than what meets the eye,
Caitlyn. Do you know how many women would give their right arm to be in your
place? Hell, Katie will be burning up the phone lines, wanting details. Enjoy!
Remember, you can always say you had a private lunch with
Apolo
Choice.”

Katie was Chuck’s wife. She was the daughter of another old,
Atlanta real estate family. Like many young women of our times, she was
educated, but still possessed the old southern charm her mama had taught her.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” I giggled, tilting my head.
Every woman in the building would be green with envy.

* * * *

Twelve-twenty came far too soon. At least my headache had
let up, and I was more focused than earlier. Checking my make-up one last time
before returning my purse to its designated drawer, I grabbed a legal pad and
pen and headed toward the bank of elevators. A wolf whistle emerging from Chuck’s
office was his seal of approval.

I stood and waited for a car to whisk me up to the executive
suite. I tried not to glance at the woman who stared back at me from the shiny
doors. Fortunately, I didn’t have a long wait. Most folks were at lunch or
leaving, so the trip up to the thirtieth floor was quick.

Exiting the elevator, I noticed Renee patiently waiting at
her desk for my arrival. She flashed me a halfcocked smile, which made me
wonder if I was late or had done something wrong. If I had, I was sure
Apolo
Choice would be the first to inform me of my misdeed.

Renee led me once again to the ever-closed door, knocking
before opening it. She held it as I walked past. Her face was impossible to read.

And then, there he was, standing in front of the wall of
windows just to the left of his desk. He was facing us, his hands shoved deep
into the pockets of his suit pants. His jacket hung open, showing off another
crisp, white shirt. Drawn to those gray eyes, I made a mental note of how they
matched the graphite color of his suit.

The door shut quietly behind me as I stood in awe of this
man, this sex god. He wore a lopsided grin on his bronzed face, as though he’d
been through this scene before. Countless times, with a slew of women, no
doubt. They all halted in their tracks, breathless at what stood in front of
them. Oh yeah, he knew he looked good.

He took a step forward. “Hello, Caitlyn, it’s nice to see
you again.” He extended his arm toward a small table off to one side of the
room. On it were two plates covered with silver cloches. Lunch was served, and
whatever it was, it was a far cry from my usual pickings of salad or
sandwiches. “I hope you’re hungry. I had Renee order something special.”

“Yes, hello,” I replied as I made my way toward the food. “You
didn’t have to go to such trouble. I would have been fine with a sandwich or
something.” Suddenly, I was aware of him relieving me of my pad and pen. His
long fingers briefly touched mine and sent my pulse coursing through me.

Apolo
pulled a chair out for me,
pushing it in gently as I sat. Removing a cover, he leaned over and did the
same with his. Two small steaks with asparagus and new potatoes.

“I hope your steak is done the way you like. I took a gamble
and had Renee order it medium rare.”

“That’s perfect,” I replied nervously.

He sat down across from me, his eyes sparkling as though
amused by my manners. “This is lunch, Caitlyn. Simply a way to get to know each
other, nothing more. Relax.” He lifted his white, cloth napkin and slid it onto
his lap. His gray eyes twinkled, full of mischief.

“I am,” I lied. “Your invitation caught me off guard, that’s
all.”

We both said nothing, instead concentrating on the meal in
front of us. I cut a piece of the meat and popped it into my mouth. The beef
was so tender it almost melted away.

I almost choked at his next remark.

“Tell me, Caitlyn, are you dating, casually or otherwise? I
don’t see an engagement ring, so I assume there is no one serious in your life.”

“What business is that of yours? Besides none!” I shot back.
I inhaled a deep breath and held it for a couple seconds, hoping I hadn’t
overstepped some invisible line with my retort.

“Curious, that’s all.” He eyed me from the other side of the
table as I tried desperately not to expose myself to him. Again, his gray eyes
seemed to dance in amusement at my reaction. “That’s what I thought. There is
no one. Good.” The corners of his mouth curled up, and a faint smile appeared
before he took a bite of steak.

I noted the elegance with which he ate. He fastidiously used
his cutlery in the European fashion now in vogue in our country. As at ease as
he was, it was obvious the man had been schooled in the finer things from an
early age.

“Good, how? You’re my boss Mr. Choice, and I make it a habit
never to date my employers or co-workers..”

The air between us hung heavy. With what, I wasn’t quite
sure, but if I had to guess by the dampness I felt between my thighs, I’d say
it was pure sex.

He chuckled, wiping the corners of his mouth. “That’s good
to know, but if you haven’t already guessed, Caitlyn, I don’t play by the
normal rules of society. I intend to take you out, and I intend to fuck you.
End of subject. I was merely being courteous in asking if there was anyone
else. Quite frankly, it wouldn’t have mattered.”