A Win-Win Proposition (7 page)

Sebastian cursed as speculation lit up his mother's eyes. Sometimes her romantic nature went on overdrive. That was fine for Nathan, who was happily married. Or Max, who'd vowed loudly and often that he had no intention of ever tying the knot. But Sebastian had no issues with finding the right woman and settling down to raise a few kids. He just didn't want his mother pushing available females at him while he searched.

“Just me.” His mother offered him an off-center grin. “I had a few things I wanted to discuss with you.”

Sebastian raised his eyebrows. “Such as?”

“Missy told me what happened last night.”

Annoyance tightened his gut into stone, but Sebastian decided to play dumb and see just how much she'd told his mother. “She told you she quit?”

“She told me she had too much to drink while celebrating her birthday and threw herself at you but that you were too professional to take advantage of her.” Susan's eyes narrowed. “That's a lot of bull, isn't it?”

“I'm not going to discuss it.”

“Is that why she's quitting?”

“No.”

“Sebastian, I don't know what to say.” And yet she continued talking. “This isn't like you.”

On that they both agreed. “I'm still not discussing this with you.”

His mother kept going as if he'd never spoken. “She has a boyfriend. Did you think for one minute how much trouble this will create between them?”

“They broke up.”

“So, she was on the rebound.” His mother tried for stern, but something sparkled in her eyes. “Oh, Sebastian. How could you take advantage of her in such a vulnerable state?”

He could clear his name by revealing that Missy had been the one to proposition him, but he refused to defend himself at the risk of her reputation.

Before he could answer, his mother changed her line of questioning. “What are you going to do about Kaitlyn?”

There was nothing to do about Kaitlyn. His mother had it in her head that he was involved with her. That couldn't be further from the truth. They were casually involved, emphasis on casual.

Sure, marriage to Kaitlyn made sense in a lot of ways. They attended the same charity galas and came from similar backgrounds. She would fit seamlessly into his life. But most important, he needed someone that soothed his spirit, not aggravated it. And Kaitlyn possessed a tranquil quality, rare among women. She'd make an ideal wife.

That made him question why, when he pictured a woman living in his home and sharing his bed, he imagined her with red hair.

“Kaitlyn and I are friends, Mother. Nothing more.” Tired of being on the defensive, Sebastian changed topics. “Why are you and Dad here?”

His mother held his gaze for a long moment before answering. “He regrets retiring and wants to return to work.”

Annoyance kicked Sebastian in the temple. A sharp pulse began in his head. “As CEO?”

“He said no. He claims he wants to return part time so he has something to occupy him besides golf.”

And once he came back to the company, Brandon would undermine Sebastian at every turn until he got fed up and stepped down. Bile rose in his throat. He should have known his father would pull something like this.

“You need to talk him out of it.” His mother put her hand on his arm. Her blue eyes widened with concern. “I almost lost him a year ago. He promised me we'd travel and make up for all the years he wasn't around.”

Brandon's twelve-year affair with Nathan's mother had taken a severe toll on his wife. Sebastian had often wondered what bargain his parents had made that had kept them together and had convinced his mother to raise her husband's illegitimate son.

“As much as it benefits both of us for Dad to stay far away from Case Consolidated Holdings,” Sebastian said, “I'm not sure how I'm supposed to stop him from returning to work.”

“Talk to him. Make him understand that you're doing a wonderful job running the company.”

His mother's optimism made Sebastian shake his head. Her husband rarely thought about anyone's needs besides his own unless forced to do so.

“He showed up for the leadership summit, and I'm sure he intends for it to appear as if he's still in charge. He took Lucas Smythe golfing and probably spent the entire round badmouthing my leadership abilities. You don't seriously believe anything I say will sway him, do you?”

Sebastian refused to battle his father this week in front of all the executives.

“Do what you can.”

With those words, his mother left to shower and change for their lunch. Sebastian was staring at the Vegas strip when Missy emerged from her room.

Her expression shifted from cheerful to uncertain when she spotted his frown. “What's wrong?”

“Did you have a fun morning with my mother?”

“As a matter of fact I did.” Missy crossed to the table he'd been working at all morning. “Are you mad because I had fun or because it was with your mother?”

She set her cell phone down and used her finger to spin it.
Today's outfit of jeans and a snug white T-shirt had about the same effect on his libido as the sexy black dress she'd worn last night. Russet waves, still damp from her shower, rested on her shoulders, turning the cotton fabric transparent.

Sebastian spied the straps from her simple white bra. It frustrated him that everything about her turned him on. How was he supposed to maintain a professional relationship with her when all he could think about was lifting her onto the conference table and checking her for tan lines?

“She's been lecturing me on taking advantage of you,” he muttered, stepping near enough to touch her. Keeping his hands to himself tested his control, but he triumphed. “I thought I told you to leave it alone.”

“You told me not to say anything to your father or Lucas Smythe.”

He barely heard her. She'd interpreted his words literally to defy him. His annoyance with her behavior had yet to run its course.

“Only you didn't set things straight. You spun a story. An outrageous story.”

“Not so outrageous,” she said, her full lips drawn tight. With her impudent chin cocked at a belligerent angle, she concluded, “I'd just broken up with my boyfriend. It's not so hard to believe I got tipsy celebrating my birthday and hit on you, but you were the perfect gentleman and turned me down.”

“And if I turned you down, how exactly did you explain why you were in my suite wearing my shirt?”

“Because I was naked when I climbed into bed with you.”

Vivid images of exactly that leapt into his thoughts. Even without his eyes closed the evocative memories tormented him.

“I told you not to interfere.” He gripped the back of a chair to keep from throttling her.

“If I hadn't, Lucas Smythe wouldn't know that you'd never take advantage of any employee, drunk or sober.” For good
measure, she added, “Your mother promised to help me straighten out the misunderstanding.”

“There was no misunderstanding.” Sebastian knew Lucas Smythe would never believe such a ridiculous story. Who in their right mind could resist a naked Missy? “But now it looks like I'm making excuses for my behavior.”

His sharp tone eviscerated her composure. She set her hands on her hips. Her brow puckered. “Can't you trust me to handle this?”

“No.”

“This is just typical of you.”

She'd never had the nerve to criticize him before. Apparently an abundance of sexy curves wasn't the only thing his assistant had been keeping from him.

“What do you mean?”

“If you're not the one in control of a situation, you don't think it's being handled correctly.”

Her accusation fell on deaf ears. If she'd hoped to stir his temper, she'd taken the wrong tack. He'd heard it all before. Being the one in control had led Case Consolidated Holdings to higher profitability and kept his personal life calm and peaceful. He wasn't going to surrender the power without a down and dirty fight.

“That's what makes me successful.”

“In business maybe.”

He smirked at her. “What else is there?”

“There's your personal life,” she retorted, her color high. “Maybe if you didn't have to be in charge all the time, something wonderful might happen.”

“Are you referring to last night when I let you set the terms for that ridiculous bet?”

Head held high, she blew out air with a disparaging noise, but her hunched shoulders told a different story. “I'll bet the only reason you agreed to the wager in the first place is because you thought I'd lose.”

“Haven't you learned that bets between us don't work out?”

“Maybe not for you,” she said, her voice losing much of its vigor. “But I don't regret what happened between us.”

“I can't say the same.”

“So, if you had to do it all over again?” She spoke slowly as if the weight of the words made the question hard to ask.

“I'd have left you home.” Why deny it? If she hadn't come, he never would have been sucked into her rebellion. Never would have made love to her. And he certainly wouldn't feel like a poker player down to his last dollar.

“I'm sorry you feel that way,” she said, her brisk tone almost masking the throb in her voice. “For what it's worth, I'm glad I came. I'm glad we spent the night together. It made me realize that Tim was right. I have been preoccupied with you ever since we started working together. Without these past two days I would be questioning my decision to quit. Now, I'm confident I made the right decision.”

“You didn't. We're a good team.” Sebastian barely recognized himself reflected in her eyes. She was right about him needing to control everything. He liked his life neat and without distractions. Until yesterday, she'd understood. “I'm not giving up on persuading you to stay.”

She looked surprised. “We've done nothing but fight.”

“We're not fighting. We're on opposite sides of an issue we both feel strongly about.”

“How is that not fighting?”

He lowered his voice. “I don't want to fight with you.” No indeed. He wanted her in his arms, surrendering to his kisses. The realization infuriated him. He shoved his hands in his pockets to stop himself from reaching for her.

Her body lost its stiffness. “I don't want to fight with you, either.”

“How can we come to an understanding?”

“You could let me get on with my career and give me a glowing recommendation.”

“Or?” he prompted.

“There is no or.” Her lips formed the saddest smile he'd ever seen. “I think we both know there's no going back from what happened.”

While Sebastian grappled for words to change her mind, Missy exited the suite, successfully ending the conversation with the last word.

The cell phone she'd left on the table buzzed. Sebastian pulled the phone toward him and checked the display. Instead of it being someone from the office or a member of the hotel staff about the arrangements, the incoming number belonged to someone named Tim. The boyfriend. Wasn't he out of the picture?

The call went to voice mail. Sebastian didn't hesitate before hitting speed dial to listen to the message.

“Hey, babe.”

Babe?

Sebastian couldn't picture anyone calling Missy by that pet name.

“I just realized I missed your birthday. I know you must be pretty pissed at me, but I want you to know that I still care about you.”

That wasn't the speech of a man who was done with his ex-girlfriend but one who was covering his bases in case things didn't work out with the new squeeze. Sebastian deleted the message. An ex-boyfriend unable to make a clean break was only going to distract her. He needed her focused on the leadership summit this week—and on him.

A
t seven, Sebastian surveyed the transformed suite. Two fully stocked bars awaited guests. Wait staff flanked tables loaded with mouthwatering finger food. The atmosphere was relaxed and elegant.

Missy had come through again. He'd never really doubted that she would.

Even if the scent of her perfume hadn't reached his nose, the way his nerves began to buzz told him she was close by. Sweetness and sin. An intoxicating blend that made him crazy.

“Everything is exactly as we discussed,” she said from behind him, her crisp tones reassuring Sebastian that his efficient assistant had returned to the fold.

“Good.”

He glanced over his shoulder and saw a goddess. Missy wore a strapless dress with alternating bands of black and white sequins that hugged all her curves and emphasized the fiery brilliance of her hair. She'd pinned it up. The sleek updo emphasized her long, elegant neck and the delicate hollows below her collarbones.

Cool and composed, she regarded him through eyes more brown than hazel tonight. Hard to believe this tranquil beauty was the same spitfire that propositioned him last night. His senses crowed in appreciation of every luscious inch of her while his thoughts grumbled about unnecessary distractions.

Where had his practical assistant gone? The old Missy had taken his orders without question. She'd never distracted him from working with her intoxicating perfume or her provocative curves.

“Is this what you're planning on wearing tonight?” Frustration with her allure jolted the blunt question out of him.

“Yes.” Her curt reply told him she had not appreciated his tone. “Why?”

“It's not exactly appropriate for a business meeting.”

Picking a fight with her was simple self-preservation. He needed her as annoyed with him as he was attracted to her. Otherwise, the door that separated his suite from her hotel room wouldn't be much of an obstacle for him later.

“This is a cocktail party.” She inclined her head, her tone vibrating with restraint.

“And you're my employee, not my date.”

Her eyes widened at his severe tone. “I'm aware of that.”

“Are you?”

“Of course.” She looked piqued that he'd even ask. “You don't think I got the message loud and clear earlier?”

“What message?”

“That I'm not your type and this attraction between us has nowhere to go.”

“What makes you say that?”

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, look at the women you date when you take the time for a social life. They're all sophisticated, beautiful, wealthy, and half-starved to fit into all those gorgeous designer clothes.”

Yet not one of them stirred his blood the way Missy did.

“It's okay,” she continued. “I'm not in your league. I never
thought I was.” When he didn't deny her claim, the corners of her lips wobbled before achieving a brave smile. “I never expected anything beyond last night.”

And that's exactly how it should be. So, why did his mood sour at her admission?

“Forgive me if I find that difficult to believe when you were wandering around here in my shirt and nothing else this morning. Were you hoping I'd spend the day in bed with you? Our deal was for one night.”

Her eyes widened in dismay, but her clenched fists told Sebastian she wasn't going to be cowed by his bad mood. “And one night is all you're going to get.”

“All
I'm
going to get?” He leaned forward, feeling her sharp inhalation like a punch to his solar plexus. Her parted lips drove him mad with longing. He wanted to taste her again. Cherries and lemons. The memory of her kisses was carved into his brain. “The bet and the terms were your decision, not mine.”

“You went along with it happily enough,” she shot back.

Why were they fighting when all he wanted was to haul her tight against him and claim her mouth? “I didn't think I was going to lose.”

“But you did.”

“And I honored my part of the bargain.”

Her eyes almost popped out of her head. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish on land. Her hands formed tight fists at her sides.

“Well, excuse me for forcing you to have sex with me.”

Seeing that she was completely exasperated with him, Sebastian pulled her phone out of his pocket and extended it. “You left this behind earlier.” She took the phone, but he didn't let go. Fighting with her hadn't eased his suffering. In fact, he wanted her more than ever. The urge to sweep her into his bedroom and find out what she was wearing under that
black and white dress was close to driving him mad. “Someone named Tim called you.”

“Tim called?” Obviously that gave her hope that their relationship wasn't over. Her lashes lowered to her cheeks but not fast enough for Sebastian to miss the delight shining in her eyes.

Annoyance growled like a cornered badger. “I suppose he wants you back.”

She reined in her emotions until nothing showed in her expression. “I doubt that. He broke up with me because he found his soul mate online.” She checked her phone's display. “There's no voice mail. I'll bet he called because he wants his anime collection back.”

“Maybe he forgot to wish you a belated birthday.”

“Maybe.” Missy's gaze sliced to Sebastian. “Did you listen to my messages? You did.” She speed dialed and put the phone to her ear. “And deleted one from Tim.”

He stared at her impassively.

She shook the cell phone at him. “Why?”

“You deserve better.”

“Did it ever occur to you that I can't do better?”

Is that what she thought? From her downturned lips, Sebastian gathered that's exactly what she believed. Foolish girl. She was better than a hundred Tims put together.

“Any man would be proud to call you his girlfriend.”

“Any man but you.” The slight lilt at the end of her statement made it sound more as if she asked a question.

Sebastian ignored the desire to assure her that he had not excluded himself. To tell her that would create possibilities, and he couldn't do that to her. He needed an executive assistant—not a lover or a girlfriend.

“I'd like you to change,” he said.

“And I'd like world peace. Seems neither one of us is going to get what they want tonight.” A smile curved her lips, but
her eyes resembled granite. “Excuse me. I'd better make sure everything's perfect.”

Once again her cheeky attitude left him without a comeback. She slipped past him and headed toward the buffet table. He stared after her, the delectable sway of her hips turning his mouth into a sand trap. He remembered trailing his fingertips from her nape to the small of her back. She'd shivered. Her body's reactions had been exquisite, delicate perfection.

With an impatient snort, Sebastian headed for the bar and ordered a scotch.

An hour later, he stood on the opposite side of the suite's living room from Missy and made small talk with the president of their hydro division and his wife. His assistant hadn't glanced his way once since walking away from their conversation. She'd drifted through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries with everyone, laughing and charming each guest and acting as if Sebastian was no more to her than a piece of furniture.

Her snub battered his pride. He regretted inferring that he'd felt obligated to sleep with her last night, but she had to believe that nothing like that was going to happen again.

A cleared throat brought Sebastian back to his companions. He swiveled his head and found two pairs of curious eyes on him. “I'm sorry. Did you say something?”

Owen Darby shot his wife a wry look. “I was just saying that I didn't recognize Missy when I first saw her. She looks wonderful.”

“She did something different with her hair,” Sebastian said.

“And she got rid of her glasses,” Owen added.

“Her dress is fabulous,” Alicia Darby said. “She has terrific taste.”

Sebastian's attention slid toward the source of his frustration. “Yes, I suppose she does.”

“I hear you're going to be an uncle,” Alicia said. “Your mother is excited about the new addition to your family.”

Nathan's wife, Emma, was pregnant. Sebastian smiled to cover his wince. His future niece or nephew wasn't related to his mother by blood, but that didn't stop her from being thrilled. Susan Case had been looking forward to grandchildren for a long time. She'd hidden her upset, but Sebastian had seen the shadow in his mom's eyes each time Chandra had enacted her pregnancy dramas when he brought up the topic of divorce.

After two years, he'd ended his marriage almost as much for his mother's sanity as for his own. He couldn't put her through any more disappointment. She longed to be a grandmother. That's why she was so excited about Nathan's child. She would love it the way she'd loved Nathan when he came to live with them.

Sebastian pushed aside old bitterness. Resenting his mother for being a loving, generous person was wrong on so many levels. “She's already setting up a nursery so she can babysit.”

Alicia gave a wistful sigh. “Do they know if it's a boy or a girl?”

“Not yet.” Talking about the baby was no more comfortable for Sebastian than discussing Missy's makeover. Every time his mother mentioned the things she was planning once the baby came, he calculated how old his own son or daughter would have been if Chandra had actually been pregnant when he married her as she'd claimed. Or if she'd gotten pregnant at any time during their two-year marriage. “I think my mother's hoping for a girl. She complains all the time about how she missed out on the fun girly things by having all boys.”

“I know all about that,” Alicia said. “I have two boys of my own who love to hunt, fish, golf and do all the same things their father enjoys.” She smiled up at her husband to take the sting out of her words. “But they are my pride and joy. I just wish they'd get married and start giving me some granddaughters.”

Sebastian's attention wandered in Missy's direction once
more. She'd cornered Lucas Smythe. From the expression on the old man's face, Sebastian guessed Missy was feeding him the same improbable tale she'd told his mother. Why couldn't she just do as he'd asked and leave the matter alone?

He excused himself from the Darbys, but was intercepted by the president of the chemical division. By the time he extricated himself from that conversation, Missy had disappeared. Nor did she return to the party. As the wait staff cleaned up and then left, he half hoped that with the guests gone she'd reappear and they could continue…

What? Fighting? Making love?

Sebastian tugged his tie askew with a growl.

 

Wearing her favorite pair of pajamas, with her hair scraped back into a ponytail and her black framed glasses perched on her nose, Missy stared at the door connecting to Sebastian's suite and wondered if she could ignore her boss's summons.

“Missy, open the door. I need to speak to you.”

With Sebastian, it was always about him. What about what she needed?

She kicked her legs free of the covers and stalked across the room. “What about?” She called through the door. He'd been a jerk all evening and she wasn't exactly dressed to receive visitors.

“You left the party early. Are you all right?”

The steel in her spine bowed a little. “I'm fine. Just tired.” She rested her cheek against the door. “I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.”

She didn't mean to make the remark flirtatious, yet a cascade of sparks trickled along her nerves.

“Please open the door.” Less demanding, more like a request.

“I'm not sure that's a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“Because I'm in my pajamas.”

The silence on the other side of the door lasted so long Missy wondered if he'd left. Disappointment stormed her defenses. How was she supposed to act as if the night before meant nothing to her when she hung on his every word and look?

“Show me.”

At first she thought she'd misheard him. “What?”

“Show me.”

What was his game? “You don't believe I'm dressed for bed?”

“I believe you. I'm just curious what you wear.”

She was hot and bothered before he uttered his last syllable. Damn him. She hadn't done any flirting since high school. Her relationship with Tim had been straightforward and uneventful. He'd never given her heart palpitations or made her wet with a single glance.

Missy unbolted and threw open the door. “Here I am.”

Sebastian slouched, his shoulder against the wall. With his tie pulled off center and his dark hair falling forward to obscure his eyes, he looked as tired as she felt. Her caretaker gene kicked in. He had a full week ahead of him and should be in bed instead of standing outside her door. But she quashed the urge to tell him to go get some sleep. She was not his girlfriend or his mother.

“Somehow I knew you'd be wearing red.” His weary tone was at odds with the simmer in his gray eyes as he trailed his gaze from her chin to her toes. “Are those palm trees?”

“And surf boards. My brother brought them back from Hawaii.”

Despite the conservative nature of her sleepwear, Missy felt edgy and vulnerable. She had no doubts that if he touched her she was a goner. But why would he? Sebastian had emphasized that he was done with her. So, why was he standing at her door so late?

“Is there something else?” she prompted, eager for him to
leave. Her muscles shivered with restrained impulses. The longer he stayed, the harder to resist the urge to grab his tie and haul him to her bed. “Because I'm really, really tired.”

Earlier, he'd been right when he'd accused her of wanting to spend the day with him. Four years of suppressed longing hadn't been assuaged by a mere ten hours of lovemaking. In fact, the night with Sebastian had fueled her appetite for more.