With Love From Las Vegas. Cat Schield
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I assumed they came here on vacation.”
“He took Lucas Smythe golfing. Probably intends to talk him out of selling Smythe Industries to us.”
Missy’s chest tightened. Sebastian’s relationship with his father was uneasy. During the years she worked for the eldest Case son, she’d had a front-row seat to Sebastian’s battle with his father over business strategies and the direction the company should move in the future.
When Brandon’s health problems had surfaced and he’d announced his plans to retire, Missy had assumed Sebastian and Max would at last have the chance to run things their way. Then the surprise announcement—Brandon had convinced Nathan to return to Houston and join the family business.
Although everyone at the company knew Nathan was a half brother to Max and Sebastian, Missy suspected she was the only one outside the family who knew that Nathan was a love child produced by Brandon’s long-time mistress who died when Nathan was twelve.
Because Missy had gotten to know Sebastian’s mother fairly well, Susan had discussed those early days when her husband first insisted that Nathan move in with them. Missy wasn’t sure she could have put aside her hurt and anger at a husband’s betrayal the way Susan had. In fact, she’d treated Nathan no differently than if he’d been her own son.
Nor had her biological sons made things any easier. Susan had described a house in turmoil. Sebastian and Max were old enough to understand how deeply their father had hurt their mother and resented the appearance of a half brother that didn’t belong. Bitterness led to bad behavior. It was no surprise when Nathan took off after college. And from what Missy had gathered, he might have stayed away if Brandon’s heart problems hadn’t grown serious. Too bad having Nathan work for Case Consolidated Holdings was just the first of many times Brandon had interfered since his retirement.
“My father’s planning on attending the summit,” Sebastian continued.
“Are you going to be okay?” She put her hand on his arm, sympathy spilling into her voice.
“Fine.” His terse reply was typical of how Sebastian coped with any emotion having to do with his father. Shut it down and pretend nothing’s wrong.
She offered up an inaudible sigh to St. Monica, the patron saint her mother often prayed to for patience. “This is your summit, Sebastian. He won’t interfere.”
“He’s here, isn’t he?” His gaze shifted from her to his mother. “He’s already interfering.”
“Maybe he won’t.”
“Stop being so damned positive.”
Rarely, in all the years that they’d worked together had she dared physical contact. Sebastian wasn’t the sort of person who invited anyone to enter his space.
But last night, a shift had happened. A connection, however tenuous, had formed between them. Before she considered her actions, she dropped her hand from his arm to his thigh. His focus swung toward her. A quick squeeze and she had his complete attention.
“Missy.” Her name sighed out of him, a weary, reluctant sound that spoke of weakening resistance.
Delight found its way around her guards and set up camp inside her heart. If she was smart, she’d shut it down. No good would come of flirting with Sebastian. This thing between them had nowhere to go. She should be content with their one night together. But her willpower was a fickle thing where he was concerned.
“Yes, Sebastian?”
“I can’t focus with your hand on my thigh.”
“Seems to me you’re focusing just fine.” The long muscle beneath her fingers tensed.
He trapped her hand beneath his. His touch heated her as hot as the Nevada desert in July and baked her mouth dry. The crowd gathered around the pool vanished as she lost herself in the pull of his charismatic allure.
“What I mean is I can’t focus on the problems at hand.”
“I thought I was your problem at hand.” She tried a smile.
His shoulders relaxed. “Only one of them.”
“Stop worrying so much,” she coaxed. “Enjoy the moment.”
“That’s not the way I work and you know it.”
“Maybe you should try something different and see how it goes.”
“I’d love for it to be that easy, but it’s not.” He carried her hand back to her side and patted it. “I’m not going to take advantage of the situation.”
No, he was too damned honorable to take advantage no matter how much she pleaded for him to do so. Why had she picked such an upright guy to get worked up about? Because his principles contributed to his appeal. She’d be proud to bring Sebastian home to meet her father. He would see the same admirable qualities she did and approve.
Too bad Sebastian was out of her league.
“Your mother spotted us,” she said, waving back at Susan.
Sebastian nodded. “Grab your drink. Let’s go.”
The air cooled dramatically without Sebastian’s warmth beside her. She trailed after him, her untouched orange juice clutched in her hand.
“Hello, darling.” Dressed in a black one-piece that showed off her athletic figure, Susan Case offered her cheek for Sebastian’s kiss. “Never expected to see you by the pool. Of course, you’re not really dressed for it, now, are you?”
“Not exactly.”
The easy affection between mother and son made Missy smile. Sebastian treated his mother with relentless charm. He was at his most unguarded around Susan. The first time Missy had ever seen them together had been the moment her hopeless crush on Sebastian had begun. Her brothers had been that way with their mother, reverent and affectionate. The same behavior spilled over into how they treated their wives.
She knew Sebastian would treat his wife with similar adoration if he ever married again. The thought hammered her confidence flat. No use wishing she could be the woman who captured Sebastian’s heart. He would probably choose someone like his mother. Sophisticated, elegant, gracious, and well connected. A nobody like her wouldn’t have a chance in hell of surviving in his circles.
“Sebastian, it was good of you to let Missy have some time off for a little fun. You work her too hard.”
“I didn’t give her time off,” Sebastian growled. “She took it.”
Susan’s brows rose. “Well, then good for her. You should follow her example. I’m getting tense just looking at you.”
No one but his mother could speak to Sebastian like that and get away with it. Missy bit the inside of her cheeks to contain a grin.
“Then perhaps I should return to work and leave you two to enjoy the sunshine.”
“You’re letting me stay?” Missy asked.
He shot his mother a severe look. “It seems I don’t have much choice.”
Susan watched the exchange with interest. When her son was out of earshot, she turned to Missy. “I thought he’d never go. Let’s order some cocktails. Then perhaps you’ll tell me what’s going on between you two.”
Sebastian had just finished up a conference call with Max and their financially troubled overseas supplier when his mother sauntered into the suite. She’d come straight from the pool and smelled of sunshine and chlorine. She loved the water and kept in shape by swimming two miles each day.
“Can you break long enough to take your mother to lunch?”
Sebastian checked behind her, half expecting to see Missy using his mother as a protective shield. “Just you?”
Sebastian cursed as speculation lit up his mother’s eyes. Sometimes