Enemy Boss's Baby Surprise : A Forced Proximity Romance (The Solace Sisters), page 1
ENEMY BOSS’S BABY SURPRISE
CALLIE STEVENS
Copyright © 2023 by Callie Stevens
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
CONTENTS
1. Kira
2. Orlie
3. Kira
4. Orlie
5. Kira
6. Orlie
7. Kira
8. Orlie
9. Kira
10. Orlie
11. Kira
12. Orlie
13. Kira
14. Orlie
15. Kira
16. Orlie
17. Kira
18. Orlie
19. Kira
20. Orlie
21. Kira
22. Orlie
23. Kira
24. Orlie
25. Kira
26. Orlie
27. Kira
28. Orlie
29. Kira
30. Kira
Baby For The Off Limits Boss Daddy (Preview)
Oliver
Rowan
Also by Callie Stevens
1
KIRA
ONE YEAR EARLIER…
Fuck. Why does this keep happening to me?
“Kira, Kira, Kira!”
I stop in my tracks and whip back around to look at my assistant.
Polly’s hand is resting on a door handle. She points at the door with an anxious expression. “In here.”
I’ve been walking so fast I just blew right past the door to the conference room. “What would I do without you?” I whisper fondly.
The older blonde woman smiles, her apple cheeks tightening. “Miss out on meetings by working through them, probably.”
Polly opens the door for me, and I slither in, trying to go unnoticed as I move to the back of the room.
Trevor Wynters, our CEO, is amid his keynote.
“Thank you all for joining me here today. As you know, Wynters Group has had our best year yet. Through our ingenuity and forward-thinking, we have maintained our spot as the foremost application and program creators of the twenty-first century.”
Trevor Wynters is as good as they come. If it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have gotten my chance in tech as early as I did. This was my first job out of college.
I’m not even sure I’d still have this job if it weren’t for him. But I do, and I appreciate him so much, I do my best job just to keep him happy. He lets me be me, and I work my ass off to be one of his best programmers.
He is the sole reason why I don’t foresee anything pulling me away from this place.
“I could take the time to call out each and every one of you for your contributions. Truly, it’s hard to fathom that a little mail-order catalog from the early nineteen hundreds has blossomed into what Wynters Group represents today. Unfortunately, we don’t have the time for that today. I’m sure the finger food would be cold by the time I was finished and god forbid that.”
Trevor’s audience lets out a polite chuckle. I do too, giving a sidelong glance to Henry, one of my fellow app developers who already has a plate full of finger food and a bacon-wrapped date shoved in his mouth.
“So, let me cut to the chase, huh? I’m not one for doing that, but I think today calls for it.” Trevor clears his throat and lifts his chin high, tossing his long waves of gray hair from his eyes.
“Over the next two years, I will be making my exit as CEO of Wynters Group.”
My heart plunges into my stomach.
Polly grabs my arm and squeezes. We lock terrified eyes. Words aren’t really necessary right now to know what the other is thinking.
Trevor holds his hands up as if he’s prepared for an onslaught of gasps. “I know what you’re thinking. In this day and age, upheaval in the corporate sector is a recipe for disaster. But as is the Wynters way, we’re keeping things in the family.”
From the head table, someone stands. A tall man with dark hair.
He traverses the space up to the stage and stands next to Trevor.
I’ve seen him in the hallways before. Always looking rather grumpy and standoffish. I thought he was just some disgruntled accountant. Never in a million years would I have guessed he was…
“My son, Orlie, will be taking over as CEO for Wynters Group so that I can retire. Orlie will usher the Wynters Group into a new era. One of intense progress and exciting innovation. I have instilled in my boy my values. He will value your loyalty, your commitment, and, most importantly, your humanity. That’s what has put us apart from our competitors since nineteen-oh-one.”
I’m not a person that shows her emotions at the best of times. Or at all, except when it comes to my family. Maybe. I can remain cool and passive in most situations even when my feelings are wreaking havoc.
But right now, I can almost feel my face falling as the corners of my lips droop lower and lower.
Orlie Wynters hasn’t even cracked a smile.
How are we supposed to believe he’s anything like his father if he looks like the corporate robot Trevor has worked so hard not to become?
“A few words, Orlie?”
Orlie clears his throat and leans to the mic. He’s taller than his father, meaning he has to stoop down so his voice registers on the microphone. “I look forward to this endeavor and all the prosperity to come.”
Polly leans into me. “How many times do you think he practiced that in the mirror?”
I cover my mouth with my hand and try not to laugh. She’s right.
He is even worse than I am. That man has never felt an emotion a day in his life.
“So, with that, I encourage you all to get to know Orlie. He’ll be around more and more as I pull back gradually. This change will be slow so I ask you all to please be open with your feelings as we try and usher Wynters into a new era,” Trevor looks around the room, taking us all in. “Now, I know you’ve all been waiting for your dismissal. Enjoy the buffet.”
While the people at the tables start to rise and flood over to the buffet tables, Polly and I turn to one another, two of only a few women amongst a sea of tech bros.
I am in shock right now. “What is Trevor thinking?”
Polly nods. “That he wants to spend the rest of his days deep-sea fishing, I’m sure.”
I sigh. “I mean, he deserves that. He deserves to retire, but…”
“I guess it’s better to promote someone from inside the company rather than do some search. Companies always seem to fall apart when they bring in outsiders.”
“Yeah, but it’s still nepotism.”
Polly shrugs. “Fair. That’s been the Wynters way since the beginning, though.”
“Yeah…”
“You didn’t want a chance to be CEO, did you?” she elbows me in the side.
Alarm bells go off in my head. “Me?! No. Never in a million years. I just don’t know if Orlie can live up to –”
Trevor Wynter’s voice rises above the others. “Kira!”
I stand up stock straight at the sound of Trevor Wynters calling my name. I look in his direction on the outskirts of the room. He waves me over with his signature pleasant smile.
Standing next to him is his son.
“Shit.”
Polly gives me a sheepish smile. “It will be great.”
“I don’t know, that guy looks like his bite is worse than his bark.”
“Oh, hush and go talk to him,” she bumps my hip.
That little bump propels me across the room to meet Trevor and Orlie. Trevor used to make me nervous the first year I was here. Now, though, I consider him a friend. As much as he can be for being my multi-billionaire boss.
However, the closer I get, the harder my heart beats in my chest.
Trevor slides his hand over my back with a paternal smile. “I wanted you to meet Orlie officially.” He looks at his son. “This is the woman I was telling you about. Kira Solace.”
I try to smile at Orlie. His lips don’t even move. He just nods. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Solace.”
I’ve never seen Orlie up this close. But what I see is making my mouth dry. Anytime he’s passed me in the hall, he’s kept his gaze down to the ground.
Now, though, I can see his eyes. Darker than dark. Black holes that could suck me in.
Something about that is intriguing.
“I wouldn’t say this in front of the rest of them, but Kira is our star. Keep her happy and she keeps Wynters in business,” Trevor shakes my shoulder.
I flush. “You’re just being nice.”
“Have you seen our quarterly projections since we released your latest content strategy app? I’m not being nice. I’m giving credit where credit is due.”
I am confident in my work, but it still feels nice to be valued so much. I don’t know if I’d be as bashful about it if not for Orlie Wynters’ intense gaze on me.
“Well, I’ll leave you two to get acquainted. I’m going to make my rounds.”
Before I can protest (although I’m not sure what I would say that wouldn’t sound rude), Trevor lopes off in the direction of the CFO.
Leaving Orlie a
“He’s not lying, you know,” Orlie is still staring at me . “He speaks very highly of you and your work.”
I feel dwarfed by his height, like he could crush me. Although I can’t say I’d mind being wrapped up in his arms. Beneath his jacket, I can only imagine there’s a very well-chiseled chest.
Kira, this is your future boss. Stop it.
“I’m h-happy to hear that.”
Orlie’s jaw tenses. He’s expecting me to say the next thing, but I’m at a complete loss for words. I can smell him from here. An expensive, strong cologne wafting off his body. Dark tobacco and amber.
I’m lightheaded.
“I think we’ve passed one another in the halls before. Forgive me if I’ve seemed standoffish, but I’ve been trying to prepare things for this…eventuality.”
“It’s no problem.”
The corner of his mouth creeps up. “Besides, we all probably look the same to you.”
I frown. “Huh?”
“In our suits and things. All of you in the tech department look like a circus compared to us with how freely you can dress.”
My mouth drops. A circus?
I look down at my shirt.
What? Just because I wear stripes, he thinks he can stand there and call me a clown?
“It doesn’t matter what you all wear, though. All we really need your brains. The rest of us are just…” He pulls on the front of his jacket and looks around. “Posturing.”
I shake my head. I don’t tend to care what people think of my appearance.
I’ve always been the smart girl. I’ve had glasses since I was three. I wasn’t concerned with my beauty.
But hearing him dismissing me, reducing me to a brain, when I’m feeling all these strange sensations in my body is mortifying.
As if I haven’t been stereotyped before because I’m quiet and prefer to be behind the scenes. I don’t crave all eyes on me, don’t need to be the loudest one in the room.
Sometimes I worry that may be the reason I’ve struggled to find the right man. It wasn’t my priority when I was younger. But now that I’m the last single Solace sister, the clock is getting louder. I want to find that commitment. Someone to settle down with and start a family with when the time is right.
A companion. A peer. Someone to be there for me.
I straighten out my striped circus top. That’s one way to stand out.
What does Orlie Wynters know about me anyway?
“Right. Well, I should get back to work. This meeting interrupted my flow.”
Orlie raises an eyebrow but doesn’t question me. “Of course. I’m glad to officially make your acquaintance, Ms. Solace.”
“Kira, just call me Kira,” I’m able to mutter before rushing out of the conference room and back down to my basement office.
The second the door is closed behind me, I clap my hands over my head. “Motherfucker.”
Orlie Wynters is nothing like his father. All it took was a two-minute conversation with him to realize as much. He’s arrogant and pretentious and judgmental and –
Why didn’t I say something? Being the star employee affords you certain luxuries, including mouthing off from time to time.
However, I’m too quiet for that. Too nice. I’ve kept my head down for years, even in my own family, not wanting to be the center of attention or cause any more drama than was already there.
Sometimes, though, that feels like a curse.
Because Orlie Wynters deserved a sassy reply for calling me and my team of techies “a circus.” The executives are the real circus. Performing for everyone in their Valentino suits and smarmy smiles. We’re the real deal.
However, not even in a different world would I have been able to say something to him.
As much as I don’t want to admit it, Orlie Wynters took my breath away.
But I’m not going to let that get in the way of my work. Never in a million years.
2
ORLIE
PRESENT DAY
What the fuck am I doing? I don’t belong here.
I twist the glass of scotch on the table and stare at the ice cubes clinking together to avoid looking at the scene occurring on the dance floor.
Describing it as a scene makes it sound like it’s some sort of chaos.
No. It’s beautiful. It’s just hard for me to look at it.
A romantic melody swoons through the air, some classic song by a crooner, perfect for weddings.
I force myself to pull my eyes up from the glass to look at Hunter and Amy swaying across the dance floor. The two of them are beautiful together, swaying and sliding in perfect rhythm. The way they look at each other makes it as if no one else in the room exists.
Fine. I’m jealous. I’ll just come out and say it. I’m jealous of their happiness.
I swig the whisky and bid myself to put the jealousy aside and appreciate the happy couple. It’s clear they adore each other.
My friendship with Hunter has grown exponentially over the past few months, and I know he deserves it. More than that, his little girl deserves it.
Amy breaks her gaze from Hunter for only a moment to look over at little Jessica and waves the little girl over.
Jessica runs from her seat to join them on the dance floor.
Hunter scoops her up and the three of them embrace as the music reaches a trembling climax.
It’s so lovely I think I might throw up.
Other couples start to waft onto the dance floor, joining their happiness. Amy’s sisters, who I’m still trying to tell apart, are all joined by their significant others as they sway back and forth. They all seem so happy.
I keep my eyes on Drew for a long moment. But his happiness doesn’t flinch from his face. From what I understand, Dana and him kind of tripped into an unplanned pregnancy. If that were me, I’d probably run the other way.
But the way he holds her in his arms and doesn’t shy away from touching her swollen middle as they embrace makes it very clear he’s head over heels with her.
Kira’s the only one of them without a partner.
I’ve been sitting here feeling sorry for myself, but that must be a lot of pressure on her.
However, from what I know of Kira, she doesn’t seem to ever think about anything but her work.
I glance around the room. Everyone is preoccupied with the goings on of the dance floor.
No one would miss me if I slipped out for a moment.
So, I get a refill of my scotch on the way out and then slip through the opening in the tent to breathe in the fresh ocean air.
It’s a shame that everyone is hidden away in a tent when the wedding is situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Feels criminal to hide away from it.
I sip my fresh scotch and check the time on my Rolex. I could probably sneak away and no one would notice. Dinner service is over and done. All that’s left is probably dancing, cake-cutting, bouquet-throwing…all the inane traditions that are supposed to usher in a marriage.
I take a few steps down the path back to the car park but stop when I spot someone out of the corner of my eye.
Kira Solace is sitting alone on a bench at the edge of the overlook. It was the pink flowers in her braided hair that caught my eye.
I swallow. There is no way she’d want to see her boss at her sister’s wedding. We haven’t said more than five words to each other since I got here.
But she’s the only other person I really know here, other than the groom. Sure, the Solaces are welcoming and Hunter has introduced me to his friends, but Kira is the only one I’m connected to.
Which is sort of sad considering our connection is limited to contracts, codes, and coworkers.
Another sip of scotch.
Screw it. I’m going over there.
Measuring each step, I approach the bench, not wanting to scare her.
Her head twists just the slightest bit to look back at me. Not directly at me. Just enough to know I’m in her periphery.
I go to the other end of the bench and sit down. I don’t even say “hi”. I just sit.
The waves crash on the rocks below. A beautiful din. Out over the ocean, the sun is half-set, a golden yolk pooling across the horizon, streaking the sky with all sorts of unique shades of orange. Much better than having to be reminded of my loneliness inside the tent.
