Reluctant Romance
Authors: Leighann Dobbs
Reluctant Romance
Leighann Dobbs
_._
This is a work of fiction.
None of it is real. All names, places, and events are products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real names, places, or events are purely coincidental, and should not be construed as being real.
Reluctant Romance
Copyright © 2013
Leighann Dobbs
All Rights Reserved.
No part of this work may be used or reproduced in any manner, except as allowable under “fair use,” without the express written permission of the author.
###
Other Works By Leighann Dobbs
Contemporary
Romance
* * *
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Lexy Baker
Cozy Mystery Series
* * *
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Dobbs “Fancytales”
Regency Romance Fairytales Series
* * *
Chapter One
Risa Kennedy felt a jolt of panic. Her office was too neat. Too organized. She glanced up at the clock.
He’d be here in ten minutes
.
Pulling papers from her inbox file, she spread them around the normally bare desk surface. She opened a folder, fanned some of the papers out, then shuffled them into a messy pile.
Much better.
“What are you doing?” Risa’s assistant, Meredith, appeared in the doorway, her eyebrows mashed together.
“Just a little rearranging…you know, for the
visit
.”
Her voice took on an air of doom when she said the word
visit
.
“Oh, that.”
Meredith came into the room and plopped herself into the guest chair, ankles demurely crossed. She reached down to pet Bailey, Risa’s golden retriever mix, who napped contentedly under the desk. “Do you think they’ll restaff if the acquisition goes through?”
Risa’s heart clenched. The proposed acquisition was the reason she had been messing up her office. The company, Healthy-Pet, had been founded by her father fifteen years ago. Risa had reluctantly taken over the helm after her mother’s death two years ago. Now her father wanted to sell out to a big conglomerate so he could spend his days traveling and golfing.
“Merry, there might not even be an acquisition.”
At least not if I can help it.
“
Well, that
is
why Connor Dunn is coming here, right?
To evaluate the company for a buy-out?
”
Risa turned to face her assistant. “Yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s a done deal. I hear he is ruthless when it comes to business, so if he doesn’t like what he sees…”
She shrugged, spreading her arms to indicate the messy desk.
Meredith tapped the end of her pencil against her lips. “I also hear he is quite a looker…and available.”
She wiggled her eyebrows.
Images from Risa’s childhood flooded her memory. She had known Connor back then. The Dunn family had moved away when she was eleven. She still remembered the sweet, shy boy he had been. Now he was a greedy corporate executive and rumored to be a playboy with a different model on his arm every night. She had no intention of getting to know the grown-up Connor Dunn; in fact, the less time she spent with him, the better.
“That may be, but my job is merely to show him the different facets of the company and pray I can somehow get him to change his father’s mind about buying it.”
Meredith got up from her chair. “Well, I’d better get to my station so I can welcome the Dunn entourage when they arrive.”
She walked over to the door, then turned to look back at Risa. “Good luck.”
Risa nodded. Moving over to the bookshelf, she pulled a few of the books out of place so the rows weren’t quite so even.
Under Risa’s desk, Bailey made snoring sounds. She bent down to pet the dog. Healthy-Pet was focused on pet wellness. Everyone in the company had pets and loved animals. One of the key benefits employees enjoyed was being able to bring their pets to work as long as they behaved. Risa felt another stab through her heart as she realized a big corporation would probably put a stop to that perk.
“Now you be good when Mr. Dunn gets here,” she whispered to Bailey who opened one eye briefly before letting it slowly drift closed again. Bailey was a good judge of character. Normally a mellow dog, she seemed to be able to sense “bad” people and usually made her feelings known by barking or growling at them.
Given what she knew about Connor Dunn, Risa hoped Bailey didn’t charge out from under the desk and bite him. She didn’t doubt he deserved it, but she didn’t want any trouble for Bailey.
The ticking of the clock captured Risa’s attention. It was almost show time. She stood, pushing her unruly auburn hair back behind her ears. Smoothing her tailored black pinstriped skirt, she tucked her gray silk blouse into the waistband.
No, that’s too neat.
Remembering she didn’t want to project her usual meticulous appearance, she bunched her silk shirt up, pulling it out of the waistband a little.
She looked down at her low-slung heels. Sensible and comfortable. She bent one leg. Looking back over her shoulder, she pinched the back of her stockings right at the heel. Pulling the stocking away from her leg, she rammed her thumb through the thin material generating the start of a run.
The waste-basket beside her desk held the remnants of her lunch.
A hamburger and fries. Plucking the stained wrapper from the trash, she put it on the desk. A blob of ketchup on the corner caught her eye. On a whim, she dipped her finger in the ketchup.
Grimacing, she smudged it on the front of her new silk blouse. She felt sick at ruining the expensive shirt, but the ketchup stain did wonders to add to the unorganized and unprofessional look she was going for.
Yep, her messy office, rumpled appearance, and stained shirt were sure to turn Connor Dunn right off. She hoped to make his first impression a bad one. Bad enough to turn him sour on the whole deal. And if that helped to stop the acquisition, then the cost of a silk shirt was a small price to pay.
###
Risa stared at the man standing in her office door with a critical eye. So
this
was what the grownup Connor Dunn looked like in person.
He still had the same blond, wavy hair she remembered from when they were kids. He even still had a boyish charm about him that Risa might have found appealing if she didn’t know that there was nothing boyish or charming about him. Connor Dunn was the enemy.
“Ms. Kennedy, Mr. Dunn here to see you.”
Meredith’s voice broke through her thoughts.
Risa moved toward him extending her hand. “Nice to see you again, Connor.”
Connor grasped her hand in his. She was surprised when she felt a tingle of electricity pass between them.
“It’s my pleasure,” he said.
Risa noticed he still had the slight dimple on his chin and those deep sapphire-blue eyes. She quickly withdrew her hand and looked out into the hallway.
“You’re alone?” She had expected him to travel with a group of
“yes”’ men.
“Yep.” He gave a slight nod.
Risa noticed his eyes stray down to her chest. She felt a burst of angry indignation until her gaze followed his and she realized he wasn’t staring at her ample breasts but at the ketchup stain she had strategically placed on her shirt.
Bailey chose that moment to dart out from behind the desk. Risa felt a jolt of panic, but instead of growling at Connor, Bailey padded over, happily sniffing at his pants.
Risa had to work to keep her mouth from falling open when Connor bent down to gently pet the dog. She wasn’t sure what surprised her more: the fact that Connor liked dogs or the fact that Bailey liked Connor.
Was she overreacting to this whole acquisition?
Surely anyone who liked dogs would want to keep the pet-friendly perks in place. Maybe her worries about losing the company culture she had fostered were all for nothing.
“You allow pets in the office?”
Connor looked up from petting Bailey, his forehead creased in a frown.
Any thoughts she had about how things might work out after all were crushed when she heard his disapproving tone. She straightened her back. “Yes, it’s a benefit we feel helps to retain employees and keep them happy.”
Connor raised one eyebrow and shook his head. Straightening back up, he brushed dog hair from his pants.
“Well, shall we get on with the tour?” he asked.
“Yes. I’ll show you around the offices and the clinic today. Later this week I’ve scheduled some time with Dana in the lab so she can go over our product testing and production process.”
Risa looked down at Bailey who was shifting her eyes from Risa to Connor. “Bailey, stay.” She pointed to the desk, and the dog obediently trotted over, flopping down underneath it.
Connor stepped aside. Putting his arm out, he motioned for Risa to go through the door first.
She slid through the door into the hallway, taking care not to pass too close to Connor who looked amused at her obvious avoidance. She cleared the door then looked back over her shoulder at him.
“This way.” She nodded her head toward the hallway. Connor fell in beside her.
Risa brought him down the various hallways, pointing out the different departments that made up Healthy-Pet and introducing him to some of the people who happened to be in their offices. The company was very small with only thirty-seven employees so the tour didn’t take long.
“It seems pretty informal around here,” Connor said.
Risa figured he was referring to the casual dress and flexible schedules. “Yes, we find people work better when they are comfortable.”
Another thing the big corporation will probably change
.
She felt her stomach getting heavier as they got closer to their final destination: the clinic. The clinic was her pride and joy-her passion. It was also the biggest reason why she opposed the acquisition.
Risa stopped in front of the glass doors. “In here is the clinic.”
She held the door open for Connor, and they both stepped into the small waiting room.
The room was sparsely furnished. Plastic chairs lined one wall. Shelves with Healthy-Pet products lined another. A U-shaped receptionist desk stood in the middle. A woman with a German shepherd mix sat quietly in one of the chairs.
“What exactly does the clinic do?”
Connor asked.
“We provide low-cost pet services to the community: vaccinations, exams even operations and medications. Some of these people wouldn’t be able to afford to care for their pets if it weren’t for us.”
Risa felt a swell of pride as she thought about all the animals that had been given a second chance at life because of the clinic and her efforts.
Connor stroked his chin. “Is it profitable?”
Risa felt her stomach clench.
She was afraid he was going to ask that.
“Well, not directly. But our customers help spread brand loyalty and they do buy our pet foods and supplements.” She indicated the shelves.