LITMIR.BIZ

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to the door.

      “Why?” He grasped her wrist. His eyes were fire when he said, “You haven’t even heard me out.”

      “Why should I, Ayden, when you refuse to even acknowledge the elephant in the room? I left for a reason and you damn well know why.”

      Ayden sighed heavily and slowly released her as if she’d struck him. He leaned backward against the door and his intense gaze rested on her. “I’d hoped we wouldn’t have to discuss it.”

      Maya rolled her eyes upward, not wanting him to know how hurt she was by his words. Yet again, Ayden was bruising her already fragile ego. But try as she might, she couldn’t ignore the tears that trickled down her cheeks. She wiped at them with the back of her hands.

      Ayden swore when he saw her tears. “Christ! I’m sorry, Maya. I didn’t mean to hurt you. Not again.”

      “But yet you continue to do it.”

      “Not on purpose,” Ayden said. “Never on purpose. I care for you, Maya. I always have. I suppose that’s why I allowed our relationship to become—” he paused for the right word “—complicated. And I take all the blame for what happened. You were destroyed when you came to me, but rather than comforting you, I took advantage of you, and for that I’m terribly sorry. I should never have let things go as far as they did.”

      Maya glanced up at him through her tears. He was apologizing for making love to her? Was he mad? He was making the situation so much worse, because to her that night had been one of the most sensual encounters she’d ever experienced. But why should she be surprised? He’d only been with her out of pity. He could never find her, Maya Richardson, attractive like he did the many beautiful women he frequently bedded.

      Much to her chagrin, Ayden kept going. “The next morning I was so mortified by my actions that I sought to sweep it under the rug like it never happened, which I know wasn’t fair to you. But I didn’t know what else to do, Maya. Clearly, I’d compromised our working relationship so much that you couldn’t come back to work for me. It’s why I gave you such a generous termination package. I was sorry for taking advantage of you. I’m still sorry, but I promise, should you choose to work for me again, I will never cross that line and take advantage of you again. I promise I will respect you and your right to have a life of your own without me taking up every minute of your free time.”

      “Why are you saying all of this?”

      “Because I need you, Maya. My assistant, Carolyn, is leaving in a couple of months to be a stay-at-home wife and mother, and I need you back.”

      The desperation in Ayden’s tone stunned Maya. She watched him reach into the jacket pocket of his suit and pull out a thin envelope. He handed it to her. “Read it. I’m offering you an extremely generous salary and benefit package to return to Stewart Investments.”

      Slowly Maya ripped open the envelope and pulled out the single sheet of paper. The offer letter was nothing short of impressive. The salary was more than generous, it was astronomical. And the benefits of increased 401(k), profit sharing and an abundance of time off was staggering. “Ayden...”

      “Listen, I’ll make this worth your while. I’m willing to offer you a signing bonus of twenty-five thousand dollars if you’ll agree to come back right now.”

      She looked in his direction and saw the worry that she would say no etched all over his face. And she should. She had every right to turn him down. He wasn’t good for her. And she’d made a good life in San Antonio. She should go back where it was safe, but when had she ever used her head when it came to this man? The bonus he was offering her was too great a sum to turn down, not when the funds could help her ailing mother. When he looked at her with those puppy-dog eyes, she was a goner.

      “Please, don’t say no. Think it over.”

      “I don’t need to think it over,” she answered impulsively. “My answer is no. I have a life in San Antonio, Ayden. I can’t just drop everything because you need me.” She had a home, a job she enjoyed and her best friend, Callie. Why would she uproot her life?

      “You haven’t even thought about it,” Ayden said. “Isn’t there anything I can do to entice you? There has to be something.”

      The thought continued to nag at her that if she accepted Ayden’s offer, she could help out with her mother’s cancer treatments. Even though they were estranged, Maya couldn’t imagine letting her mother suffer when she could have the potential means to help. What kind of person would she be if she did that? But could she go back to working for Ayden knowing her feelings for him weren’t truly resolved? “I don’t know.”

      “Maya, we can make this work,” Ayden murmured. “With you by my side, we can not only win over Kincaid, but take Stewart Investments to new heights. And with that offer, you would get a share in the earnings. It’s a win-win. Please say yes.”

      “All right, all right, I’ll come back.”

      Ayden couldn’t believe the joy that surged through him at Maya’s response. Without thinking, he stepped closer. He called himself all kinds of foolish for torturing himself with her familiar sweet aroma, but he couldn’t resist. Ayden pulled her into his embrace, squeezing her tightly to him. He felt her breasts pebble against his chest and his groin tightened.

      Maya stiffened and Ayden knew he’d done the wrong thing. She didn’t welcome his advances. The one night they’d shared had been her attempt to feel loved, coddled, but that was in the past. He mustn’t forget that. Still, being in her hotel room was doing funny things to his anatomy again; he pulled away. “I’m sorry. I was just so overjoyed. Won’t happen again.” He couldn’t touch her again. Otherwise, he might lose his head and start to remember what it was like to feel that soft skin of hers as she melted underneath him. He blinked rapidly.

      “It’s all right,” Maya finally said, letting him off the hook. “I guess you were right. It’s time I finally stop hiding and return to the life I once loved.”

      “Do you really mean that?” Ayden quirked a brow. He knew it wasn’t entirely true. The report he’d received had told him of Sophia Richardson’s health. He knew that the signing bonus was the reason Maya was coming back—she needed it for Sophia Richardson’s health costs. He would have given her the money even if she hadn’t agreed to come back. Maya was someone he cared about, and if it was in his power to help her mother, he would. He wouldn’t want her to experience the guilt he’d felt at not being able to help his mother during her illness. It was guilt he still carried to this day.

      “Not the long nights,” she added with a smile, “but I did enjoy working with you. We were a good team.”

      “And we will be again.” Once they got back into their work groove, the past would be left behind and they could make a new beginning. He offered Maya his hand. She glanced down at it and Ayden wondered if she was going to renege, but instead her soft fingers clasped his in a firm shake.

      “It’s a deal.”

      Ayden grinned. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”

      “Oh, I can guess,” Maya laughed. “I suppose there’s lots of work piled up?”

      Ayden grinned unabashedly. “No. Carolyn is still here for a few weeks, but I wasn’t relishing working with someone new. Plus I already had my mind made up that no one but you would do.”

      Maya Richardson was one of a kind. And although Carolyn had done an acceptable job in her place, Maya was irreplaceable. He’d discovered that when he’d made the mistake of mixing business with pleasure. And speaking of that, it was late. He needed to get out of her room before he did something he couldn’t take back. He moved toward the door, but stopped midstep. “How much time do you need to get your affairs in order?”

      “A couple of weeks to give notice at my current job. And when I get back to Austin, I’ll need some time with Carolyn to get up to speed before she leaves.”

      He

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