Accidentally Flirting with the CEO (Whirlwind Romance Series)

clients. And that
was because a new major launch was about to spring. Otherwise he would be on a
less-stress-diet plan. He was on a new path now.
    Though at twenty-nine he was part owner and CEO of TLC
Advertising Agency, he sure didn’t want the heartache and ulcer that often
paired up with top-dog positions. He had to learn to  play it cool now.
He’d known too many of his buddies in the industry, the corporate world, some
not too much older than himself, with that old familiar zigzag surgery mark on
the center of their chest. Triple Bypass
surgery.               
    Usual precursor? Poor diet, too much stress. Clogged
arteries were just not his thing.
    He ate well, most of the time, and exercised hard at the
gym, his second home apart from the office of TLC.
    He lay on the bed, eyes open now with a lot on his mind.
    Too much on his mind.
    He had to satisfy his newest client, Hot Spot Resort, with
their impossible demands and get a major photo shoot on the island done ahead
of schedule. Hot Spot was having an extreme image makeover and wanted to
relaunch this year to compete with other Caribbean resorts. A challenge in this
economy. But if it wasn’t a success that meant that Hot Spot might not renew
their contract. He knew the owner of Hot Spot, a spoiled rich brat who
inherited a whack of cash from her grandfather and teamed up with a friend to
get this holiday resort thing going. They were known to ditch contractors at
the drop of a cap.
    They mightbe hot but their
demands could be damn right cold.
    That meant he would have to fly his creative team out there
and scout out local talent then get this show going. At such short notice.
    Jess groaned.
    Stress.
    He had to watch his heart and his back in this industry. The
owner of Hot Spot already hinted she might not renew. Which could cause a huge
financial dent in the company that he’dstarted
with his older sister and cousin.
    Chase, his cousin, had told him to take a vacation while
down there. Unwind. Get away from office politics and running the business. He
even offered to foot the bill out of his own pocket for Jess who promptly
refused. Jess just didn’t want to spend any more time than necessary at a
romantic resort.  He had his share of women but falling in love and
romance just wasn’t his thing—never would be. The more he guarded his
heart the better it would be. He’d been burned one too many times by gold-diggers
and opportunists.
    When his parents died, they left him and his half sister
with a generous life insurance payout. He felt he would rather have his folks
back than the money. If only. 
    He decided to open up an ad agency after finishing college with
Chase but his ever-so-watchful and untrusting older sister didn’t think his
decision was wise and since she held the keys to the money at the time, she
only allowed him access to the funds on the condition that she could be the
company’s accountant and part owner. Reluctantly, he agreed.
    But that was the only thing that they agreed upon. Since Lee
had been part of the company, which was from the very beginning she’d been
nothing but cantankerous and challenging.
    With his staff.
    With his past girlfriends.
    With him.
    Still, he couldn’t blame her for wanting to watch her little
brother’s back. Though he didn’t always agree with her method.
    Of course, she was there for him, when he needed her the
most like that deadly lawsuit filed against him with an ex-employee. He still
felt sharp pains in his heart when he thought of the devastation.
    The lies.
    The deceit.
    Yet another reason why he would never run for political
office.
    You never know when somebody would make something up to make
a name for themselves. Luckily, into the mediation, the claim was dropped when
it was revealed the plaintiff made the whole thing up to get back at him for
pulling the firing trigger at her dismissal meeting. She hadn’t been with the
company long and was barely finished with her probationary period.
    Speaking of meetings. He would be faced with another
employee meeting tomorrow. With Alexa Worthington.
    Another thing Lee and Jess could not agree on. She never
wanted to hire Alexa, because she was young and pretty—she would be a
distraction for Jess, especially with his track record. Lee didn’t want any
more potential damage done to the company’s name. Alexa also didn’t quite
finish college at the time.
    But still, Jess took a chance on her. And he was glad he
followed