Cat Schield - With Love From Las Vegas

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.

“Missy—”

She cut him off. “Don’t you dare.” Something about the way he said her name spurred her to action. The urge to hit him came out of nowhere. Her fist connected with his chest.

“What the hell was that for?” His eyes flared to life, but he looked more surprised than angry.

“I don’t know.”

She’d sensed whatever he’d been about to say would persuade her to get naked. That couldn’t happen. One night with him was about fulfilling dozens upon dozens of erotic fantasies. A week would mean she’d fallen prey to the same unrealistic pipe dream that had gotten her heart broken in high school.