Andrea Laurence - Passionate Proposals

“Yep. I don’t think his pride will let him donate less than seven figures so he can always have top billing on the list of corporate sponsors. I also have some interesting personal information about Sutton that you and your brothers might need to know.”

Personal information? “Like what?” he asked.

“Graham wasn’t there long enough to notice this, but I was. I think Sutton is sick.”

“Sick? That old bastard is too mean to get sick. The germs are repelled by him.”

Georgia didn’t smile at his joke. “I’m serious, Carson. I’m not talking about him having a cold here. He was coughing up blood. He’s lost weight. He looks terrible. He does a good job trying to hide it, but I really think something is wrong with him.”

If what she said was true, it wasn’t public knowledge. The failing health of the King of Chicago would start wild speculation. Who would take over Elite Industries? Who were the beneficiaries of his will? How many of his mistresses would show up at the funeral?

Ideally, those paternity-test results would come through quickly. They were running short on time if Graham and Brooks were dead set on getting their piece of the Winchester pie. Sooner was better than later. If they were Sutton’s children, pushing their way into the will once he announced he was ill would look really bad. While Carson didn’t care much for appearances, the last thing he wanted was for people to think he was a ruthless chip off the old block.

That was just his luck, though. He’d gone over thirty years wondering who his father was. Within days of finding a solid candidate, the man got sick. If Georgia was right and this was a serious illness, just how long would he have with dear ol’ Dad before he died? Not long enough, although Carson doubted they’d have a touching, father-son bonding moment even if Sutton lived for another decade.

“Carson? Are you okay?” Georgia asked.

He realized he hadn’t responded to her revelations. “I’m fine. I guess I was trying to think through what all that would mean for us. Do you really think he’s seriously ill?”

Georgia shrugged. “I’m no doctor, but he looked bad to me. This wasn’t the flu or a passing stomach bug. Whatever has hit him, has hit him hard and taken a physical toll quickly.”

“Well, the man does have a reputation for hard living. Perhaps it’s catching up with him.”

Georgia studied his face for a moment, and then ran her finger along his jaw. “Are you still mad at me for going over to meet with Sutton?”

“No, I’m not mad. I’m actually pleased by your underhandedness.”

“Do you want me to stop going over there?”

Carson considered her question. He should say yes, but she was right. There was valuable information to be had. “No. Keep visiting him if you think it’s useful and you feel comfortable around him. Just be careful. That guy can’t be trusted.”

“I think he’s more talk than action these days, but I promise to tell you if I go back. But you know you don’t have to worry about me leaving you for him, right? It doesn’t matter what he offers. I’m not going to run off with Winchester.”

She looked at Carson with her big gray eyes and he had no choice but to believe her. She wasn’t Candy and despite what Graham thought he saw, nothing was happening with Sutton. If she’d wanted to leave him for the old man, she would’ve done it when he first offered the job. Instead she was here, sitting in Carson’s lap, telling him she wasn’t going anywhere. That was the sexiest thing she could’ve said to him.

“I’d like to think so,” he said, “but we’ve only been together a little less than two weeks. We’re hardly serious enough for me to start making demands on you.”

“You can make a few demands,” she said coyly. “I like a man who’s in charge. At least in the bedroom.”

Georgia shifted on his lap, and all thoughts of his potential father’s potential illness vanished. He wanted to hike up the hem of her skirt, brush his fingertips across her bare thighs and take her on his desk. The fantasy played out so vividly in his mind that he had to squirm uncomfortably beneath her to avoid his building arousal pressing inappropriately into her. He was breaking a pretty sensible rule by having a relationship with one of his employees. He wasn’t going to compound the problem and blur the lines by making love to Georgia here.

Instead he palmed the curve of her rear end through her pencil skirt and gave her a wicked look. “Is it time to go home yet?”

She smiled and looked at his desk clock. “It’s only three thirty.”

“Yes, but I’m the boss. When the boss says you can go home early, you can go home early.”

Leaning in, Georgia pressed her lips to his, lighting the fire in his belly that quickly rushed through his veins. “Whatever you say, Mr. Newport.”

* * *

Georgia stood waiting anxiously outside the bus station. Tonight was the night her mother was arriving from Detroit. She had texted to let her know she made her connection and would be arriving at six thirty. A steady stream of people had started coming out of the station. Glancing down at her phone, Georgia confirmed it was almost 6:45. Her mother could be the next person to step out the door.

Her nerves were getting the best of her. This was a big moment for her. She didn’t know how it was going to go. Carson’s skepticism had planted seeds of doubt in her mind, but she was trying hard not to cultivate them. She was too scared to have big dreams about her fantasy mother and their new relationship, but she desperately wanted something with her.

Just then, a woman came out the front door. She was a blonde, in her early forties. She had a backpack slung over one shoulder and a small duffel bag in one hand. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail and her clothes were wrinkled from hours traveling on a bus.

When their eyes met, Georgia knew that it was her mother. She was surprised to find she looked so young. Misty had been a teenager when she had Georgia, but in her mind, she had envisioned her mother being older somehow.

“Georgia?” the woman asked, stopping a few feet away.

“Hi, Mom.” She didn’t know what else to say.

The woman approached her cautiously. It seemed both of them were at a loss for how to handle this momentous event. Finally she dropped her duffel bag on the ground and lunged forward to wrap her daughter in a hug.

Georgia buried her face in her mother’s neck and hung on. She could feel the sting of tears in her eyes and hid them by letting them spill onto her mother’s sweater.

“Oh, my li’l Peaches,” her mother whispered as they continued to embrace. “Let me get a good look at you.”

They separated so Misty could study her daughter’s face. Georgia tried not to squirm under the scrutiny, focusing instead on the realization that her mother was really here.

“You turned out to be so beautiful,” Misty said. “I was a pretty girl, but you...you are the most stunning woman I’ve ever seen in real life. Like a movie star.”

“Hardly,” Georgia said, awkwardly dismissing her praise.

“And you’ve done so well for yourself. Such nice clothes, so well-groomed. Seeing you on the news working for that big real estate development company... I was so proud.”

“Thank you.” Georgia was never comfortable with how she looked, but she’d worked hard for her success and would accept those compliments while she dismissed others. “Are you hungry? I thought maybe we could get some dinner.”

“You know, I’m really just tired from all the traveling. Would you mind too much if we just went back to your place and got some food delivered?”

Georgia smiled. Perhaps she had gotten her love of takeout from her mother without knowing it. “That would be fine. There’s a great Chinese place near my house, or an Italian eatery around the block.”