A Win-Win Proposition by Cat Schield

finding her almost naked in Sebastian’s suite? Missy prayed that wouldn’t happen. If her actions last night had blown the deal, Sebastian would never forgive her.
    Caught in the undertow of repercussions, she doubled over, unable to breathe. What had she done?
    Nothing any other red-blooded American girl wouldn’t have.
    Slowly, her lungs began to work again.
    And really, what had she done? She’d slept with a man she’d known for four years. Big deal. She’d already quit working for him. No line had been crossed. It had been one night. Casual, maybe not forgettable, but certainly not life-changing. Sebastian wasn’t interested in pursuing a relationship with her. And she didn’t want to set herself up for heartbreak thinking she could fit into his world of money and social status.
    For her, it had been rebound sex, pure and simple. After Tim’s rejection, she’d needed a man to demonstrate that she was an attractive, desirable woman. Sebastian had done an admirable job. Her memories would keep her smiling for a long time to come.
    Straightening, she stepped into the shower, taking her time beneath the spray. The idea of returning to the suite to face Sebastian’s wrath lacked appeal. He needed some time to cool down. About a week might do it.
    She’d go shopping. After her win last night, she had five thousand dollars burning a hole in her purse. The black dress had been her only new purchase yesterday. Sebastian and her father would counsel her to squirrel the money away. The pre-Las Vegas part of her agreed with their logic. Especially now that she’d quit her job. But her new future required a new attitude, and nothing boosted a woman’s confidence like looking fabulous.
    She stepped out of the shower, dried her hair, and then set about taming the natural wave with a straight iron. Humming her mother’s favorite gospel song, Missy sorted through her luggage for something to wear. She’d packed nothing but boring business wear. Pantsuits in black and navy. Dress pants and sweater sets for sightseeing and business dinners.
    Nothing sexy or eye-catching for her.
    Tim wouldn’t have approved of last night’s dress. He was as conservative as her father. But Tim wasn’t in her life anymore. He’d lost any right to an opinion on her wardrobe the second he’d met his “soul mate” and decided to marry her instead of Missy.
    Piece by piece, she consigned her wardrobe to the waste-basket beneath the desk. The act of emptying her suitcase was no less cathartic than quitting her job or wagering five thousand dollars on one spin of the roulette wheel. She’d become too complacent in her life. No wonder Tim had found somebody new.
    A firm knock sounded on the door that connected her room to the suite. Startled by the sudden noise, Missy answered it without considering her attire. Sebastian stood before her, holding her purse.
    â€œAre your father and Lucas Smythe gone?” she asked.
    â€œWere you hoping to offer them an encore?” His gaze burned hot enough to torch the towel she’d wrapped around her body.
    An encore? As if she’d planned for his father and business associate to catch her half-dressed. Whatever had transpired after she’d left had turned his mood from bad to foul.
    She glared at him. “Of course not. What is your dad doing in Las Vegas?”
    â€œHe didn’t say.”
    â€œDid you ask?”
    Sebastian communicated more with one raised eyebrow than most men could with a ten-minute rant. “He claims he’s here to help with the leadership summit.”
    â€œBut you don’t believe him?”
    â€œLet’s just say I wasn’t happy to see him in Lucas Smythe’s company.”
    Few employees at Case Consolidated Holdings would know the vast chasm that existed between Sebastian and his father when it came to business strategy. Brandon liked to take risks and chase