He'd been faced with the toughest decision of his life - a future full of wealth and power, or the love of Tamera Stevens. And self-made billionaire Cole Marcum had never regretted his choice. Until now, when circumstances forced him to work as partners with the woman he'd left behind.The brilliant CEO was determined to keep their relationship strictly business. Even so, working so closely with the only woman he'd ever cherished had Cole rethinking his priorities. This time, was he prepared to choose love over money?
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"I'm offering the contract to…both of you."
Panic surged through Tamera Stevens as she jerked upright in her plush, leather seat at the same time Cole Marcum exclaimed, "You're serious?"
"I settle for nothing less than the best." Victor Lawson, world-renowned hotelier, spread his hands wide and tilted back in his leather chair. "Having my first hotel in the U.S. designed by the top architects in the country is what I want. If this is a problem, I need to know before anything is signed. I hope we can all work together to make this the biggest, grandest hotel not only to come to Miami, but to the entire country." Problem? Oh, no. No problem at all, Tamera thought as she fought the urge to cry, scream or just race from the boardroom. Could they hear the rapid thump, thump, thump of her heart beating against her chest? Had perspiration already broken out along her top lip or forehead? God, if she didn't breathe she was going to pass out.
So, aside from the fact that Cole Marcum, her once fiancé, had broken her heart back in college and this was the first time she'd seen him in over a decade, no, there was no problem.
Oh, and now they were going to be forced to work together because no one, absolutely no one would turn down the chance to work with Victor Lawson.
Dandy, just dandy. Yup, this would be a problem-free work zone.
She wanted to throw up on her trendy silver pumps. If she and Cole agreed to this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they would be spending every waking moment together for months.
A lifetime had passed since they'd spent every waking, and several sleeping, moments together. Being together in such a tight-knit environment would certainly test her strength in taking over The Stevens Group and proving she was just as powerful and capable as her father of running the family's multimillion-dollar company.
But, did she really have to spend so much time with Cole? Couldn't she work with someone else in his firm? She was having a hard enough time being in this meeting that had only lasted ten minutes.
"I've never worked with another agency on a design," Cole spoke up, causing every nerve ending in Tamera's body to shiver. "A Marcum design is priceless and unique."
So, he still had a high opinion of himself? Obviously his ego had grown through the years since his abrupt departure.
Tamera couldn't deny the fact Cole had gotten even sexier as he'd aged, but his curl-your-toes, exotic good looks were merely a facade covering up the ugly persona beneath a billion-dollar smile and expensive, Italian suits.
She wished she could go into this amazing, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with the excitement that came along with new projects, but how could she when the devil himself sat next to her?
Victor nodded, leaning forward to rest his elbows on the gleaming mahogany table. The billionaire was only in his late thirties, but he'd done more in his young years with his European businesses than many people do in a lifetime. With his blond hair, tanned skin, and blue eyes, he looked like the all-American playboy. And from the rumors and tabloids, he was known worldwide for breaking women's hearts.
"I understand your concern and confusion, Mr. Marcum, but I assure you, both of you, that this will be beneficial for all of us."
Beneficial? Business-wise, sure. On a personal level, this could be detrimental to her health and her heart. She'd had to put it back together piece by shattered piece. Was fate offering up the ultimate test to see how she would measure up?
Dammit. Why did he have to look even better than what she'd remembered? Those broad shoulders beneath his charcoal suit, coal black hair and chiseled facial features were only more of a distraction.
Yes, he looked every bit the professional, but he also looked a bit rugged with those hard, dark-as-night eyes that held you in your place.
Did he smile anymore? Was his demeanor just as cool as his stare? As a businessman, Cole and his twin brother Zach were sharks, but on a personal level, what was Cole like now?
No. She would not be swept into his world again. She would not sit and wonder what he did in his spare time. She would not think about the women who'd come through his life since he'd left her hurt and confused. She was a professional and she would remain as one, especially during the duration of this development.
Cole was extremely sexy, but sexy men were everywhere, especially in Miami. This man was no big deal. Really. Just because he'd taken her virginity, offered her the world and promised to love her forever, she wasn't about to sit around and pine over a dream that died long ago.
She was stronger now and had much more pressing matters to worry about than being slapped in the face with her past.
Like the fact that her father was nearing the end of his life.
Which was just one more reason why she had to get this project. Now that the CEO position had been turned over to her, she couldn't disappoint anyone in the company, especially her father. She wanted to prove to him, before he passed, that she would take care of the company that had been in their family for three generations.
Other than the caregivers she'd hired, no one knew of his illness. No one could. Stocks would fall and clients would pull projects if word spread about her father's sudden diagnosis with stage four lung cancer.
Walter Stevens was The Stevens Group. He'd worked at that firm before he went to college. He'd started at the lowest level and worked his way up and there wasn't a contractor in the business who didn't know him on a first-name basis. Which meant she had to be on her game with Victor Lawson. Errors, even of the smallest proportions, were unacceptable.
And Cole could never find out why her father was not in charge. He would use the untimely hardship to his advantage and she refused to allow him the upper hand in her life ever again. Or any man for that matter.
She supposed she should thank Cole. Because of his heartless act, she was stronger, more independent.
"I want this to be extravagant," Victor went on to say. "I want Miami and the entire world to see the passion behind this structure, the sexiness behind the elegance. People come to Miami to get away. I want them to be swept away to another time. I want lovers to feel like they are fulfilling a fantasy."
With any other project, the word "lover" wouldn't set her nerve endings on edge. This wasn't like any other project, though.
Tamera summoned all her will to fight and all of the B.S. she could handle to the surface. "Mr. Lawson, I can't speak for my associate, but I can speak on behalf of The Stevens Group when I say we would be delighted to work on this design with any firm of your choosing. We are anxious to get started."
Take that, Cole, Mr. I'm-Calling-Off-the-Engagement-and-I-Don't-Need-to-Provide-a-Reason.
Great, now she was turning juvenile. Poking jabs at her colleagues this early in the game would only cause problems…something she definitely didn't need right now. Especially with Victor's talk of "passion" and "sexiness."
Victor offered a triumphant smile and she nearly applauded her performance.
"I'm happy to hear that. I expected no less. Even though your father has started his retirement on such short notice, I knew any child of his would come through for me."
"Mr. Marcum?" Victor turned his attention to Cole. "You have nothing to lose here. You will not be splitting the money. You will each get the agreed amount when you put in your bids. That is only fair. Keep in mind I've never done that before, but I budgeted in the extra amount and with the design you two come up with, I'm sure I will still turn a nice profit from my investment in your companies."
His high hopes in her abilities only made the quivering in her stomach that much more erratic. And, she couldn't correct Victor's assumption of her father's "retirement." To anyone other than herself and the doctors and nurses, her father was in retirement. If only that could be the simple truth.
She'd been in her father's company since graduating college, working from the ground up just like he had. And now she was the CEO, though she would give the prestigious position up in a heartbeat if that meant her father could be well and come back to work.
Tamera inwardly sighed and steeled herself against the bubbling of past feelings as she, too, turned her attention to wait for Cole's answer. Past or no past, Tamera found herself intrigued by his powerful, sexy presence. If she were meeting him for the first time, she'd be interested in seeing him on a personal level. And that was saying quite a bit considering she hadn't found herself wanting to ask any man out lately. Not in years, in fact.
Where had the time gone? Obviously by the wayside with her nonexistent sex life.
Had she really turned into that thirtysomething woman who had given up on happiness and relationships all because of one bad experience?
"If this is the only way we can work a deal, then I'm in, too."
Tamera breathed a sigh of relief, yet cringed at the thought of working with Cole. Yes, she wanted this job more than anything, but she really thought he'd put up more of a fight about working with her.
Could they actually pretend there was nothing between them? Their past was the proverbial elephant in the room and the darn thing had plopped down right between them, though Cole's cold stare and demeanor left her feeling foolish. Seems he wasn't as affected by her presence as she was by his.
Had Victor picked up on the tension or was he too caught up in his latest venture?
Working with Cole would be fine, she assured herself. Seriously, what choice did she really have here?
Professional. She would remain professional no matter what and the past would just have to stay where she'd left it eleven years ago…along with her heart.
"Excellent." Victor came to his feet. Tamera and Cole followed. "I'll have the contracts drawn up and sent to your offices. I...
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