A Win-Win Proposition by Cat Schield Page B

Three frowned.
    â€œWe’ve decided to pass,” said a woman with teased black hair and enormous sunglasses.
    â€œIn fact, we’re not going to do any of the tours,” Alicia Darby added. “But don’t let us stop you from going.”
    Missy shook her head. “I don’t understand. A lot of planning went into your itinerary.”
    â€œAnd we appreciate it,” Gloria said. “But for most of us, our lives are busy and hectic.”
    Alicia nodded. “The last thing we want to do is go on vacation and have to do a bunch of sightseeing.”
    Missy imagined Sebastian’s annoyance with this turn of events. He’d given her the task of making sure the wives were happy. “What do you want to do instead?”
    â€œGo shopping.”
    â€œSpend a day at the spa.”
    â€œLie around the pool.”
    â€œDrink.”
    â€œGamble.”
    The answers came at her like bullets from a machine gun.
    Missy didn’t blame the women for wanting to relax and have fun. Isn’t that what she’d ditched work to do yesterday? “Can I make arrangements for spa treatments or arrange transportation for shopping?”
    Susan shook her head. “We’re all set. Why don’t you join us?”
    The offer tempted her, but this morning she’d reminded herself that she wasn’t on vacation. She really needed to stop acting like it. “I’m supposed to be working.”
    â€œYou’re supposed to be in charge of keeping us entertained,” Gloria countered. “No reason you can’t have a little fun at the same time.”
    True. Sebastian was already going to be unhappy when he found out they’d skipped the tours. So what did Missy have to lose?
    She grinned. “Sure. That sounds like a lot of fun. But are you up for a little adventure?”
    Several of the wives eyed her with interest.
    Sebastian’s mother, apparent spokeswoman for the group, spoke up. “We might be. What’d you have in mind?”

Six
    W hen Sebastian returned to the suite at the end of that day’s leadership summit, he poured himself a large scotch and stood at the window staring out at the Las Vegas strip. At five in the afternoon, the view lacked glitter.
    His opening speech had gone well, despite the distraction of his father texting in the front row through the entire thing. But by the time Sebastian had finished speaking, he’d felt exactly like someone who’d barely snatched three hours of sleep two nights in a row.
    During lunch he’d made the rounds and caught up to the executives he’d missed at the cocktail party the night before. Everyone commented on how well the summit was organized. Setting the schedule had been Missy’s doing. Had he given her the credit she deserved?
    Or had he simply taken for granted her superior organizational skills, her ability to anticipate his needs, her non-stop encouragement? She managed his calendar, kept track of mundane details and acted as his first line of defense so he could focus on the big picture. He’d given her access to every aspect of the business and control over some major aspectsof his private life, like the decisions on the home he’d built. In doing so, he’d demonstrated his faith in her. But he wasn’t sure he’d ever voiced his appreciation.
    No wonder she’d quit.
    â€œSebastian?”
    Missy’s soft voice crossed twenty feet of hotel suite and tugged him back to the present. He glanced in her direction.
    She’d poked her head through a narrow opening in the door that connected their rooms. A white towel was wrapped turban-like around her head. Did that mean she was fresh from a shower and that on the other side of the door she wore little more than a towel? Last time she’d appeared dressed like that, his lust for her had been fully sated. After thirty-six hours of celibacy, he wasn’t convinced she’d be safe from him