Page 1 of Big Bossy Billionaire

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MEGHAN

“Now I knowwhat you’re thinking. There are plenty of beachfront resorts in Miami, the market is saturated, so why should this one be any different?”

Serena looked around the room full of well-dressed men and women, her gaze settling on the CEO before she looked away again. She straightened her back and gestured to the slide show being projected behind her. With the remote in her hand, she changed the slide, settling on a picture of crystal blue waters and a state of the art looking hotel, the staff in the pictures all bright-eyed and smiling holding trays of brightly colored cocktails with little umbrellas in them.

A murmur of excitement rose through the crowd.

Serena’s eyes scanned the room, the smile never leaving her face. This was not the first time she’d pitched a hotel in a saturated market. She knew what she was doing and she was good at it. “Everyone is going to want to stay in our hotel, ladies and gentlemen. Why you ask? Our resort is going to be the hottest vacation spot on the beach. We’re investing in a state of the art facility, with all the best luxuries you could want. It’s going to be environmentally friendly and have all the essential amenities and then some.” She smiled confidently, knowing she was getting to the best part and had them in the palm of her hand. “Imagine getting a massage in a beachfront tent, while the warm ocean breeze drifts over you. When your massage is finished, you wander down to the luxury cabana to sip on house made pina coladas with fresh pineapple and coconut. You take a dip in the ocean, and rinse off in the shower attached to the cabana before eating a Michelin star lunch to the sound of the ocean. Now is the time to invest. Now is your time to get in while the shares are accessible.”

Everyone around the table exchanged looks before turning their eyes back to Serena Holt, the deputy manager of the company. She tossed her blonde hair behind her ears, gave a quick nod in my direction, and I stood up. “Meghan Gomez is going to be heading up this project, she is going to walk us through some additional aspects of our target market and the amenities we’ve chosen.” My heels clicked steadily against the hardwood floors as I came to a stop at the front of the room.

I stood up and took the remote from Serena. “Our studies have shown that there is a growing market for beach resorts, especially with the constant grind of the modern world. We are going to be targeting wealthy families, who want a taste of Miami, while having a luxury vacation. We will also offer several packages in order to appeal to a wider group of people.”

Again, everyone around the room nodded their agreement.

Everyone in the room, except for Serena’s brother, Killian Holt, who also happened to be the CEO of Holt Enterprises.

He sat at the head of the table in his expensive tailored suit. His dark hair was tousled back, and his blue eyes steely and unwavering. Although his eyes never strayed from my face, I got the impression that he was looking right through me and already formulating ways to nitpick every last detail of the project.

Which was what he usually did.

As far as CEOs went, he was the worst. And he always got under my skin.

Then again, he always had.

But that’s not what bothered me the most about him.

What bothered me most was the fact that I couldn’t stop sneaking glances at him, looking good even in the soft glow of the projector light. Killian was the kind of man who could pull off a paper bag, and he knew it too.

With his angular face, clear eyes and lips that stayed on my mind more than I cared to admit it, he made it hard to focus.

And I hated being attracted to him.

More than I hated the fact that he was a pain in my ass.

Ugh.

“Our research shows that this resort will be extremely profitable. We are talking billions on this project alone,” I continued, with an easy smile. “And we’ve already taken into account the results of the focus groups in order to ensure we’re able to build something unique and compelling, something that will attract people that love Miami, and people who didn't even think they’d consider Miami.”

The goal was to make sure our hotel didn’t just compete but that it did better.

With how many beach resorts there were in Miami, the work was already cut out for me, but I looked forward to the challenge. Being given the chance to prove myself, especially to skeptical Killian of all people, only served as further incentive.

With another bright smile around the room, I flipped through the slides. “Some of our amenities include a spa, a beauty salon with a section for men, a gaming room for the angsty teenagers,” that won me laugh from the room, “and a variety of water activities of all skill levels available for our guests.”

Killian sat back in his chair and folded his hands together on the conference table, giving me an unwavering look. “Forgive me, Ms. Gomez but this sounds exactly like every other beach resort in Miami. How is this any different?”

I straightened my back and looked directly at him. “Because we’ve made sure to include all kinds of amenities that are not included in other resorts, such as the doggy day care, the kids play area, and our very own state of the art park.”

“In Miami?”

I nodded and without missing a beat replied. “I understand your concerns, Mr. Holt, but I want to assure you that we’ve done our research, and we’ve made sure to compile a list of all the sought out amenities and see which ones were most desirable.”

Killian folded his arms over his chest and said nothing.

“We’re also making sure to include free parking, and a chauffeur service for all of our guests. Packages will be available at a discounted price. In addition, we are looking to hire a world class chef who will be able to provide our customers with varied fine dining experiences.”

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