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Corporate Cowboy
Pamela Bauer
What Austin Bennett needed was a good swift kick!The arrogant CEO had been driving feisty filly Kacy Judd crazy with his excessive demands, blatant disregard of procedures and toe-curling kisses. Someone needed to bring the corporate executive down a peg–and Kacy was just the gal for the job!So, when a minor accident landed Austin back at her ranch–with no memory of his former ill-tempered inclinations–Kacy knew her chance for revenge had arrived. But the passion that had once flared between them was suddenly so much more dangerous. For Kacy hadn't counted on courting an Austin who was a cowboy and a gentleman….
“I’m a man without a past.”
“I don’t care about your past, Austin,” Kacy told him, putting her hands once more on his chest. “I’m not a woman who plays it safe. I’m not going to let you play it safe, either.”
“That sounds like a threat,” Austin said, his breath a bit uneven.
“Think of it as a promise.” The look in his eyes sent a shiver of delightful anticipation through her. “And, I warn you, I always keep my promises.”
Dear Reader,
February is a month made for romance, and here at Mills & Boon American Romance we invite you to be our Valentine!
Every month, we bring you four reasons to celebrate romance, and beloved author Muriel Jensen has reasons of her own—Four Reasons for Fatherhood, to be precise. Join former workaholic Aaron Bradley as he learns about parenthood—and love—from four feisty youngsters and one determined lady in the finale to our exciting miniseries THE DADDY CLUB.
Some men just have a way with women, and our next two heroes are no exception. In Pamela Bauer’s Corporate Cowboy, when Austin Bennett hits his head and loses his memory, Kacy Judd better watch out—because her formerly arrogant boss is suddenly the most irresistible man in town! And in Married by Midnight by Mollie Molay, Maxwell Taylor has more charm than even he suspects—he goes to a wedding one day, and wakes up married the next!
And if you’re wondering HOW TO MARRY…The World’s Best Dad, look no farther than Valerie Taylor’s heartwarming tale. Julie Miles may not follow her own advice, but she’s got gorgeous Ben Harbison’s attention anyway!
We hope you enjoy every romantic minute of our four wonderful stories.
Warm wishes,
Melissa Jeglinski
Associate Senior Editor
Corporate Cowboy
Pamela Bauer
www.millsandboon.co.uk (http://www.millsandboon.co.uk)
For two people who are very dear to me, Kathy and Bill Greising
And to Lois Greiman, a special thanks for answering my questions
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PAMELA BAUER was born and raised in Minnesota where you need a sense of humor if you’re going to survive winter. That’s why she writes romantic comedies set in the Midwest with heroes who know how to warm a woman’s heart…and toes. She has received awards from Affaire de Coeur and Romantic Times Magazine and her books have appeared on the Waldenbooks romance bestseller list. She currently makes her home in Minnesota where she lives with her husband who is her real-life hero, her two adult children and a Bichon-poo who thinks he’s human. When she’s not writing, she enjoys watching foreign films, going to the theater and fishing.
Books by Pamela Bauer
MILLS & BOON AMERICAN ROMANCE
668—THE PICK-UP MAN
718—MAIL ORDER COWBOY
803—SAVING CHRISTMAS
814—CORPORATE COWBOY
Contents
Chapter One (#ua20d32e4-1285-563a-9096-2e921dc5dd1e)
Chapter Two (#ufd85094b-4ea9-5f6b-8687-1ec7b8b8941d)
Chapter Three (#uc2978654-3f70-5759-9908-c1b128ed4578)
Chapter Four (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Five (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Six (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Seven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eight (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Nine (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Ten (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Eleven (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Twelve (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter Thirteen (#litres_trial_promo)
Chapter One
“Uh-oh. You weren’t able to convince them, were you?”
Austin Bennett breezed past his secretary, ignoring the stack of messages she held in her outstretched hand. “Six to one in favor of the dude ranch.”
“Oh, my,” Jean trailed after him, distress adding more lines to her already creased face. “I thought at least Henry…” she trailed off.
Austin groaned as he sank into his leather chair. No, not even his father had been on his side. Not that Austin had expected paternal support on this—or any other—issue. He had learned long ago that if he was going to make it in the family business it wouldn’t be because his father had made it easy for him. Quite the opposite. Even after ten years working for Bennett Industries, Austin had never lost the feeling that he needed to prove himself to his father.
And lately Austin felt like a lone salmon swimming upstream. Even employees he had handpicked had suddenly became his father’s advocates and his adversaries.
Austin shouldn’t have expected anything different. Getting along with others had never been easy for him. According to his mother, the very first time he had crawled into a group of toddlers at the day-care center he had created a fuss. The results of grabbing a squeaking rubber hammer from a ten-month-old pacifist were all it took for him for him to realize the world didn’t always look favorably upon those who went after what they wanted in life.
And Austin did go after what he wanted, often with a relentless determination he had learned from his father. It was why the two of them had always been at odds. They were two of a kind and because his father had started in an entry-level position in the furniture manufacturing firm, Austin too—even with an MBA in management—had to work his way up the ranks. With a man like Henry Bennett at the helm, it had been an uphill battle. But he’d made it. He may have stepped on a few toes along the way, but he had done what was necessary to be a success.
There was no shortage of profits for the company or its employees. What Austin lacked in people skills he made up for in acumen. And if his employees grumbled about the long hours and demanding work schedule, they never complained when he handed them their paychecks.
Even his father was the first to admit that Austin had a talent for making money. His diversifying the family firm had increased profits enormously, allowing them to expand. Now instead of one plant in suburban Chicago there were five, scattered about the Midwest. Employees of Bennett Industries not only received good wages and benefits, but profit sharing in a company that was rapidly becoming one of the most successful firms in the country. Yet despite the monetary rewards, the turnover rate was high—so high that the board of directors had come up with a solution to the problem. A management seminar designed to teach Bennett employees cutting-edge team-building techniques.
Austin had argued long and hard against the idea when it had been originally proposed and he still lobbied against it. At today’s board meeting when he had been overruled in his objections to the plan, he had announced that he wouldn’t be able to attend the seminar. His father had told him, in no uncertain terms, that it wasn’t optional.
Austin swiveled his chair until he was facing the plate glass windows, looking out across the Chicago skyline. It didn’t matter that he had the title of CEO. His father still ran Bennett Industries.
“It’s a foolish idea,” he mumbled.
“It might not be as bad you think,” Jean consoled him in her motherly way.
“I understand the psychology of sending employees on a trip to get away from the office, but why would anyone turn down a chance to sip cocktails in the Cayman Islands to play cowboy on the prairies of North Dakota?” he pondered as he stared at the city. “The prairie!” he repeated in disbelief. He twirled around so that he was once again facing her. “Have you ever been to North Dakota, Jean?”
“No, but I hear it’s quite lovely.”
He grunted. “If you like flat land and grass. When I was a kid my aunt and uncle took me to visit a cousin in Montana. Six of us in a station wagon loaded down with suitcases and games, seeing the USA in our Chevrolet.” He chuckled sardonically. “We drove for hours and saw nothing but a couple of grain elevators and a few clapboard buildings.”
“It probably just seemed that way because you were a kid. Besides, that was a long time ago. I’m sure it’s changed since then. I believe I read recently that very little of the tall grass prairie remains.”
“Well, maybe the tall grass isn’t there, but the land is still flat.”
“At least you’ll have peace and quiet. And according to the brochure the accommodations are quite plush,” she said in her usual optimistic way. “The Triple J has an excellent reputation. You saw the profile they did on that news program.”
“Yes, and unfortunately so did George Harbison, which is why he brought the idea to the board. He says it’s just what we need. Team building.” The words were muttered with disgust. “I can’t believe that roughing it out on the prairie is going to foster anything but irritability.”
Jean hid her smile. “I wouldn’t call spending five nights in a private room with a hot tub roughing it. I’m sure it’s not going to be that bad.”
“It’s a ranch, Jean, not a hotel. And I don’t see how pretending to be cowboys is going to teach any skills useful in the corporate world.”
“I believe the brochure called it experiential learning. You learn to work with others in risk-tasking situations and ideally, learn about yourself.”
Again Austin shook his head. “We need management strategies, not this touchy-feely crap. If you ask me, it’s pouring money down the drain. Why can’t everyone else see it for what it is?”
“Oh, but it’s not wasted money. Didn’t you read the part about there being a money-back guarantee? They’re so certain of their results, they’ll refund your money if you’re not satisfied.”
“Time is not refundable. I’m going to lose a week of work and I don’t think it’s a good idea to allow fifteen of our managers to be away from the office at the same time.”
“You didn’t think it was a problem for all of them to be gone at the same time when they were all at the sales conference in Phoenix last winter,” she reminded him.
“That was different.” He loosened his tie and undid the top button on his shirt. “Thank goodness for laptops and fax machines. At least I will be able to stay abreast of things through the Internet.”
“Laptop? Isn’t that what this whole program is about—getting away from the phones and computers and fax machines? I thought I read that you aren’t supposed to bring any work with you?”
“Jean, you know I go nowhere without my laptop. Do you realize how bored I would be if I didn’t bring work?”
“I believe the Triple J has a full schedule for you.”
He grunted. “I’m not going to do this cowboy number. If I have to get on a horse and take a trail ride to show everyone I’m a team member, fine. But while they’re all out mending fences or rounding up cattle or whatever else it is they’re going to rope people into doing, I’ll be in my room with my laptop.”
Jean arched one eyebrow. “But the point of the getaway is to do just that—get away from the stress of your regular work.”
“Work isn’t a stress for me, Jean. It’s people who give me stress. And I’m taking them with me.”
“Well, hopefully you’ll come home with a better understanding of those people.”
He sighed and leaned back in his chair. “You think this corporate retreat center is a good idea, don’t you?”
“It’s not my place to advise you, Austin. But I do know that I’ve been with this firm for almost forty years and never have I seen a man who works as much as you do. Even if you get nothing else out of this, at least it will be time away from the office.”
“I’d rather be here.”
“Austin, you can’t work twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Everyone needs a break from the office,” she chastised him gently in a tone only she could use. “Working the hours you do leaves little time for recreation. You haven’t had a vacation in four years—and don’t tell me that trip to Hong Kong with that fashion model was a vacation. You would have never gone had you not been able to close the deal with the fabric suppliers.”
“I went to Jamaica last month.”
“Business.”
“London last April.”
“Business. Austin, you need to give your mind a rest. You know what you should do? Take a few extra days when this retreat is over and visit those cousins in Montana. Forget about work. Forget about people. Just be free.”
Austin rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I’m not sure I know how not to work, Jean.”
“Then maybe it’s time you learned. Wouldn’t it be nice to retrace that car trip you took as a child—go visit those cousins, see how they’ve changed? I bet they’d love to hear from you.”
“I haven’t seen them in over twenty years,” he said wistfully. “I’m not sure they’re even in Montana anymore.”
“Want me to do some checking?”
“No, I shouldn’t even be gone for the week at the ranch.”
Then, as she had done so often since his mother had died, Jean sat down across from him and leaned her arms on his desk, her voice taking on a familiar maternal tone. “You’re working too hard the way it is, Austin. I’m afraid one of these days I’m going to get a call saying you’ve worked yourself to exhaustion. Why don’t I look up the names of those cousins? At least you’ll have it with you and after the visit to the ranch if you find you want to take some extra time, you can do it.”
He reached across the desk to gently squeeze her arm. “All right. Get me their phone numbers.” He gave her a smile, then flipped open his daily planner. “About my plane reservation…”
“Jan in travel said everyone’s leaving at one-thirty on Sunday afternoon.”
“I don’t want to go that early in the day.”
“You’re supposed to arrive as a group.” There was admonition in her voice.
“A few hours shouldn’t make a difference.”
“But the idea is to begin this training as a team. That’s the key to success.”
“And when has anything I touched not been a success?” he retorted with a devilish grin. “Book me on the last available flight that day.”
Before Jean could protest, the door flew open. Austin knew there was only one person who would be brave enough to enter without knocking. He glanced up to see Daphne Delattre sweep into the room in her usual dramatic way. She moved with the grace expected of a runway model, not a hair out of place, not a smudge in her perfectly made-up face. She ignored Jean and went straight to Austin, brushing her lips across his cheek.
