A Win-Win Proposition (12 page)

“Sebastian?” His mother entered the room. How much had she heard? “Can you stay for dinner?”

“No. I'm heading back to the office. Without Missy's help these past few weeks, I'm behind.” He shot his father one last look. “You were right to want her to stay with the company. I just hope you did it for the right reasons.”

 

Sebastian eased his car toward the curb in front of the downtown Houston hotel. As he put it into Park, a valet stepped up to the passenger door. Missy smoothed her hands down the front of her cornflower-blue cocktail dress. The gown's silky material grazed her curves with elegant style. The cool color contrasted wonderfully with her red hair.

“I don't see why you needed me to come here with you,” she complained, questioning his motives for about the tenth time. Her tension was palpable in the confined space. She'd been clenching her evening bag hard the entire drive from her house.

“Because you're our director of communications and there are a lot of people attending that you should meet.” For the past two weeks, he'd been keeping discreet tabs on her.
She stepped into a position without anyone to show her the ropes. That couldn't have been easy. Sebastian knew no one who could have handled the transition as well as Missy had. “Relax.” He took her hand, compelled by a strong need to reassure her.

“Easy for you to say—you do this all the time.”

“There's nothing to it.” He stepped out of the car and circled the vehicle. “Just picture them all in their underwear.”

For a second his suggestion flustered her. She stared at him in astonishment before a wry grin curved her lips. “I thought that only worked for public speaking,” she said, tucking her purse into the crook of her arm and letting him guide her into the elegant lobby.

“It works anytime you need it.”

The organizers of the fundraising event—which was geared toward supporting a local food shelf—had decided a casino night was a fun and profitable way to raise funds. Sebastian experienced a moment of déjà vu as they entered the ballroom.

Missy rubbed her hands together gleefully, her earlier nerves forgotten. “Time to take a little cash home.”

“This is a charity event,” Sebastian murmured, amused by the frankness of her avarice. “I think the idea is to leave your cash on the table.”

“How about I try not to win as much as you lose?”

Sebastian gripped her elbow and steered her toward the roulette table. “What makes you think you're going to win?”

“You're my good luck charm, aren't you?” A flirtatious glance slipped from beneath her eyelashes.

“Is that all I am to you?”

Before she could answer, a man stepped into their path. With a drink in his left hand and an ingratiating smile plastered on his face, he swung his palm toward Sebastian. An executive in name only at one of Houston's larger banks, Bob Stokes attended these functions because his wealthy
wife liked being seen with her attractive younger husband as much as she enjoyed flaunting her family's money.

“Good to see you again, Sebastian.”

“Bob.” He gave a curt nod as he crushed the man's hand in a firm handshake. “This is Missy Ward,” he added. “Bob Stokes.”

Missy murmured a polite greeting that was scarcely acknowledged by the man. Her gaze shifted past the interruption toward the roulette table. Sebastian felt her sigh as Bob launched into a detailed description of his new driver and how it had improved his golf game.

“Sorry, I don't golf,” Sebastian said, turning down an invitation to join the man at his club. “If you want to talk about drivers, catch up with my father. He's the enthusiast.”

“You don't golf?”

Sebastian was too busy running a multimillion-dollar corporation to putter around on the links like so many of his colleagues. He'd always believed that the boss should work harder than any of his employees. His father had never shared that opinion. Brandon had only worked as hard as he had to. That partially explained why the company's profits had been so erratic during his father's stewardship.

Steering Missy around Bob, they resumed their trek toward the roulette wheel. Five steps later, he was waylaid again.

“You came,” the petite brunette exclaimed. Ignoring Missy completely, she rose on tiptoe and kissed Sebastian on both cheeks. “Wait until I tell Gina that Sebastian Case came to my fundraiser. Stay here while I fetch her.”

“We're heading for the roulette table,” Sebastian told her.

“We?” The brunette blinked her bright-blue eyes in confusion.

Sebastian turned to Missy. “Missy Ward. Communications director for Case Consolidated Holdings. Tanya Hart.”

The brunette frowned at Missy as if trying to place her.
“Nice to meet you.” Suddenly she began waving to someone across the room. “Don't move,” she commanded.

As Tanya sped off into the crowd, Missy said, “Remind me again why I'm here.”

“You need to meet the movers and shakers in this town.”

“Well, apparently, they're not terribly interested in meeting me.”

From her mild tone, she sounded unaffected by the brush-offs she'd received, but the corners of her lips tightened, betraying her misery.

“They will be.” He gave the words a fierce punch. “Let's go lose some money.”

A bright smile emerged. “You mean win some money, don't you?”

Sebastian avoided eye contact with everyone as they approached the tables set up for gambling and focused his entire attention on Missy. How had he not anticipated this evening might be uncomfortable for her? Maybe because he'd seized the opportunity to spend some time away from the office with her. Maybe because he'd never seen these people through someone else's eyes.

He bought five thousand dollars' worth of chips and nudged the stack directly in front of Missy. “Time to see if your luck is still holding,” he told her.

As eager as she'd been to play five minutes earlier, she now backed away from the table.

“That's a lot of money,” she said, her gaze fixed on the pile of chips.

“It's no more than you gambled in Vegas on a single turn of the wheel.”

“That was different.”

“How exactly?” He leaned his hand on the table so he could peer at her expression.

“That was my money.”

“Think of it as a donation to charity.” He pushed five one
hundred dollar chips onto black. “Care to make a side bet with me?”

She nudged a single chip onto the red, her gaze flicking toward him with interest. “What did you have in mind?”

“If I win, you spend the night at my house.”

The ball began its circuit of the wheel. Missy didn't seem to breathe as the circling silver blur slowed.

“We can't do that. I'm your employee, remember?”

Sebastian lowered his lips within an inch of her ear. “I miss you.”

Even though they weren't touching, he felt tension exit her muscles.

“I miss you, too,” she whispered. “But if it lands on red, you don't ask me again.”

“Double zero,” the dealer called.

They'd both lost.

Missy began to laugh. “Maybe that's fate's way of telling us we should leave well enough alone.”

Sebastian didn't care for the sound of that. Not one bit.

B
etween Missy's good luck and Sebastian's bad, the height of the chip pile remained constant until a man in his mid-fifties approached, keen on getting Sebastian's opinion on the current political climate in Austin. The conversation held no interest for Missy so she excused herself and headed for the ladies' room.

When she emerged from the bathroom stall, a brunette with long silky hair stood at the sinks, reapplying her lipstick. Missy felt the woman's gaze on her as she washed her hands.

“Are you Sebastian's date?” the woman asked.

“No. Heavens, no.” Missy's laugh sounded hysterical to her ears. “I'm the director of communications for Case Consolidated Holdings.”

“Oh.” The woman's sunny smile could have cut through the thickest fog. “I'm Kaitlyn Murray.”

The woman Sebastian had been seeing casually for six months before the Vegas trip. The one his mother thought Sebastian should propose to.

“Nice to meet you. We've spoken on the phone. I'm Missy Ward, Sebastian's former assistant.”

“You've been out for a while. Sebastian said your father had been in an accident.”

Okay, so Kaitlyn was genuinely nice, a delightful change from the other people she'd met that evening. And she and Sebastian had been in contact since he'd returned from Las Vegas. Missy wasn't surprised.

“If you call being stabbed an accident, then yes.”

“Stabbed?” Kaitlyn looked shocked. Undoubtedly she couldn't fathom that sort of violence entering her gilded world. “How awful. What happened?”

“My father's a minister. He went to the aid of one of his parishioners and got between her and the boyfriend who was trying to hurt her. He's fine now,” Missy assured her, seeing that her bald summary of the facts had shaken the woman. “The guy's in jail.”

“I should hope so.” Kaitlyn dropped her lipstick into her clutch. “Are you enjoying yourself tonight?”

“I'm afraid I'm a little out of my element.”

“Oh? Why is that?”

“I'm from a small town in west Texas. Events like this are so intimidating. Half the time I have no idea what people are talking about.”

A mischievous smile broke out on Kaitlyn's beautiful face. “I'll give you a little insider's tip. Most of the time they don't know what they're talking about, either.”

As Missy laughed, some of her insecurities faded. She really liked Kaitlyn. No wonder Susan hoped her son would ask the socialite to marry him. “How long have you and Sebastian known each other?”

“Oh, forever. My daddy and his went to college together and remain the best of friends. I practically grew up with Sebastian, Max and Nathan. Of course, I'm a lot younger than them. They treated me like a pesky little sister.”

“I know that feeling exactly,” she said, liking the woman more and more even as her heart grew heavy at how perfectly
Kaitlyn fit into Sebastian's world. Same background. Same lifestyle. “I have four older brothers that I used to tag after like a lost puppy.”

“Exactly.” Kaitlyn's laugh rolled from her throat in a melodious ripple. “I thought one day they might see me as something else.” She shrugged. “But all any of us will ever be is friends. It was nice to meet you.”

“Nice meeting you,” Missy echoed.

She lingered in the bathroom, powdering her nose and applying lipstick. Meeting Kaitlyn had put her in a thoughtful mood. Ever since high school, she'd envied the girls like her. They all navigated this world of wealth and sophistication with such ease. She felt gauche and awkward beside them. If she and Kaitlyn stood on either side of Sebastian, onlookers would always assume he and Kaitlyn were the couple. They both exuded a confidence that Missy couldn't match.

All the more reason to stick to her plan and keep things strictly professional between them. With a grimace, Missy exited the restroom and searched for Sebastian.

“I've gambled away all the money,” he said as she approached. “Let's get out of here.”

“But we've only been here an hour.” Was he already embarrassed that she didn't fit in with his crowd?

He looked displeased with her answer. “I suppose you want the chance to win the money back.” He slid his fingers over the small of her back and applied the perfect pressure to coax her closer. “I've made an appearance and done my duty by the food shelf. Now, I want to take you home.”

That's what she was afraid of. “Sure. Tomorrow's a work-day after all. I suppose we should make it an early night.”

“You misunderstand me,” Sebastian said, his eyes alight. Her pulse skyrocketed as the compelling warmth of his hand penetrated her silk dress. “Will you be angry if I tell you tonight was merely an excuse to spend time with you?”

Her mouth dropped open as his meaning penetrated, but
already her longing for him was threatening her common sense. “You're making a huge mistake.”

“I don't follow.”

She gestured at her hair and clothes. “This isn't me. Las Vegas was nothing but a fantasy.”

“I think this is you.”

“No. I'm the girl who works long hours at a job she's overqualified for and spends her free time knitting prayer shawls and volunteering at women-at-risk shelters. I don't drink. I don't club. I'm not glamorous or interesting.” She kept her face turned away so he couldn't see the hot tears brimming in her eyes.

“Have you looked in the mirror? You're beautiful. And the most fascinating woman in the world.” His compliments might be a complete lie, but they weakened her knees all the same. “Now, let's get out of here.”

After that speech, how could she be anything but putty in his hands? Fortunately, their exit was delayed by a half-dozen more people who asked about business, or mentioned his father or tried to corral him for lunch. She recognized a majority of the men. Many she'd spoken with on the phone during her four years working for Sebastian.

They, in turn, seemed surprised to see her at Sebastian's side during a nonwork event. She could almost hear them wonder why Sebastian brought his former executive assistant to the fundraiser. Despite being introduced as the new director of communications, she couldn't stop feeling like an outsider.

If it were only Sebastian and her, she wouldn't have a care in the world. His kisses banished every worry from her mind like magic. Every time they came together it was a roller-coaster ride of desire. But real relationships existed in public as well as private. She couldn't picture herself ever fitting into his world.

On the way back to her condo, Sebastian drove in silence.
His fingers tapped the steering wheel, keeping time to a rhythm only he heard. Almost as if he was anxious. Unaccustomed to anything but utter calm from him, she eyed Sebastian from beneath her lashes.

“I met Kaitlyn Murray at the party,” she said. “She seems very nice.”

“Kaitlyn is a great girl.”

“She said your families are very close.”

“I guess that's true.” Sebastian shot her a questioning look.

“Your mom's right. She's the perfect choice for you. She knows all the same people you do. Attends the same events. I'm sure she went to all the right schools.”

“And I feel nothing but friendship toward her.”

“You could build on that.”

“It might have been enough once.” Sebastian let his gaze slide over her. “Before I got to know you in Las Vegas.”

Her heart felt lighter than air. For a second it was hard to breathe. Before she floated away, Missy got herself back under control. Nothing about their situation had changed. “What happened between us there was just passion.”

“Then why can't I stop thinking about you?”

His words awakened a tremor. “It just didn't get a chance to burn out.”

“That's your explanation?” Sebastian nodded. “If we'd been together for a couple months, maybe a year I'd have gotten tired of you. Is that what you think?”

“Something like that. Only it might not have taken longer than a couple weeks. I don't fit in your world. Tonight proved it.”

“Proved it how? Do you seriously think a bunch of blowhards are my world? Or those two-dimensional women whose lives revolve around parties and spending money?” Sebastian's voice softened. “What the hell made you such a cynic?”

Missy hesitated. It wasn't her proudest moment, but if he
knew the truth, he might realize why they'd never work outside the bedroom.

“When I was a sophomore in high school I dated a guy from the wealthiest family in the county. He was a senior and heading to college on a football scholarship. We'd talk for hours about the future. He couldn't wait to get out of Crusade. His daddy owned the bank. Chip was supposed to get a business degree and come back.”

“Chip?” Sebastian repeated the name.

“Robert. His daddy called him a chip off the old block and the name stuck.” She always smiled when she remembered those months before her world crumbled. “But Chip's dreams were bigger than Crusade and that's what I loved about him. Not his fancy car like my family thought or his money. He was going to reach for the stars and I wanted to be right beside him, living my own dreams.”

Her voice faded. Funny how fifteen years later her dreams consisted of spending two years saving for a fairytale wedding gown, only to have her boyfriend dump her in favor of a woman he scarcely knew.

“So, you dated a rich kid with big dreams. What happened?”

“His friends never liked that I was dating him. They thought being with me lowered his status. One of them started a rumor that I'd gotten pregnant on purpose hoping that he'd marry me.”

Why even now did her mouth go dry when she remembered how he'd screamed at her, calling her a stupid slut who'd ruined his life? It was fifteen years in the past, yet as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.

“Maybe I believed myself in love with him. And, sure, I considered what being married to him would be like—but I wasn't trying to get pregnant. I was on the pill and I made him use protection. But he freaked out. Dumped me. Ruined my reputation.” She eased her death grip on her clutch. Forced
her shoulders to relax. “Told everyone I'd done lots of things.” The rest of the explanation wouldn't come. Sebastian would just have to use his imagination. “Needless to say, my family was horrified. My mom had suffered a stroke a couple months before. Dad grounded me for about a year. Which was okay. My social life was over.”

“I'm sorry you had to go through that. But the party tonight wasn't high school.”

“No. But the concept is the same. Chip dumped me because his friends believed I wasn't good enough for him and made him believe terrible things about me. Those were your friends in there tonight.”

“Not my friends. Business associates and acquaintances.”

“But they're your social circle. They didn't welcome me with open arms.”

“You're comparing me to some weak-minded boy. Do you really imagine I would turn on you like that?”

“I never said you would.” But it wasn't only about the two of them. She was pregnant. What if he wanted to marry her? She'd eventually disappoint him. Or worse, he'd be too furious to ever want to see her again. “But you can't blame a girl for wanting to protect herself from getting hurt.”

 

After leaving Missy at her front door with a kiss designed to get him inside her apartment—a kiss that failed—Sebastian swung by Nathan and Emma's. His new sister-in-law crafted jewelry. Dazzling one-of-a-kind pieces that had garnered her some great publicity and made demand for her work soar.

That's why, with a minor difficulty with her pregnancy slowing her down and the demand for her work increasing, Sebastian had to wait three weeks for the special piece he'd commissioned.

Nathan answered Sebastian's knock, looking none too pleased at his brother's late appearance. Already dressed for bed, he blocked Sebastian's entrance with his hand on the
door. “You're the mystery client she's been working night and day for?”

“Hardly night and day,” Emma said, ducking under her husband's arm. She smiled at Sebastian. “He worries too much.”

“You heard the doctor. You're supposed to take it easy.”

“It's a little high blood pressure.”

“It's preeclampsia.” Nathan's tone made it sound like a death sentence.

“Forgive my husband,” Emma said. “Come in. Your order is ready.”

“Order?” Nathan echoed, stepping back as his wife applied an elbow to his ribs. He trailed her as far as the living room. When she headed into her workroom, he rounded on Sebastian. “What sort of order did you place with my wife that has kept her up late working?”

Sebastian observed the changes in his sibling with interest. Nathan had such a casual, freewheeling style at work. Nothing much seemed to bother him. He handled successes and setbacks with the same cool confidence.

His pregnant wife, however, brought out a keen, possessive side.

“It's nothing I feel like talking about at the moment.”

“You're keeping her from getting the rest she needs. I think I have the right to know why.”

“I'm sorry if I've caused problems. It wasn't my intention to put her health at risk.”

“You didn't.” Emma returned and nudged her husband with her hip.

Nathan's hand settled on her round belly. “You've barely rested all week.”

“I'm pregnant,” she said, covering his hand with hers. “Not an invalid.”

“What did you make for him?”

“Sebastian asked me not to say anything to anyone.” She
handed Sebastian a box and wrapped her arms around her husband's waist.

Nathan visibly relaxed in his wife's embrace. “I'm your husband. You should be able to tell me everything.”

“Nice try.” She reached up on tiptoe and kissed his chin. “Would you make me a snack while I walk Sebastian out? I bought some fresh strawberries today.”