Read Online A Win-Win Proposition by Cat Schield - Free Book Online

of the family instead of Sebastian’s employee.
    â€œBecause my husband insists on golfing today,” Susan continued, “I wondered if you had any plans.”
    â€œSebastian expects me to work.”
    Susan made a dismissive sound. “Tell him I need you to keep me company by the pool. I’m sure he’ll give you some time off.”
    Missy ran that conversation in her head and didn’t arrive at Susan’s conclusion. “He really wants to make sure the conference goes smoothly.”
    â€œAnd with you behind the scenes, it will. Now, you’ve done enough. Grab your sunscreen and meet me by the pool. I’m not going to take no for an answer.”
    The people who thought the Case brothers got their determination from Brandon had never met Susan. “Sure. Give me ten minutes.”
    â€œWonderful.”
    Feeling squashed between a rock and a hard place, Missy replaced the phone and scooped up her bathing suit. If she told Sebastian about his mom’s request, she would be in foranother argument. She dropped the towel and stepped into the suit. Sebastian was already accustomed to her flaky behavior on this trip. And it wasn’t as if she hadn’t already decided that she wanted to go have some fun. Susan had just given her the nudge she needed to act.
    She slid the straps onto her shoulders and shot a last glance at the door to Sebastian’s suite. Deserting her boss was going to make him even more irate than he already was.
    Too bad.
    Since starting as Sebastian’s assistant, the only time she’d taken off was to visit her family. And there’s no way anyone would consider that relaxing. Sebastian owed her four weeks of vacation. The least he could do is give her the morning to have some fun.
    Grabbing her cover-up and a hat, she slipped out of her hotel room.
    And when he caught her?
    She’d cross that bridge when she came to it.
    Besides, what’s the worst he could do?
    Fire her?

Four
    L ocation?
    Sebastian hit the send button on the text to Missy as the elevator doors opened. It had taken half an hour for him to figure out she’d pulled a vanishing act on him again. He’d intended to spend the morning going over his opening speech for the summit, catching up on emails and checking in with Max and Nathan. Instead, he was cruising through the casino, once again, in search of his wayward assistant.
    His phone vibrated.
    Pool.
    Tucked into a protected hollow created by the hotel’s tall towers, the pool area, with its waterfalls, swim-up bar and assorted potted palms, looked more like tropical paradise than a desert oasis. Two-thirds of the lounge chairs were occupied, but as it had the night before, his gaze went straight to Missy.
    She wore a cerulean blue one-piece with a wide white band around the waist that drew attention to her hourglass shape. Barely a hint of cleavage showed above the suit’s straight, unadorned neckline. In color and style, the suit was unremarkable. Sebastian doubted that anyone would giveher a second look with so much skin being bared by the less modest women in her vicinity.
    But she was all he was interested in.
    His mother waved to him from the pool as he neared Missy’s lounge chair. Missy looked up as his shadow fell across her.
    â€œAre you sure you should be sitting in the sun with your skin?”
    â€œDon’t worry.” She pointed to the sunscreen label. “It’s SPF 75.”
    The morning sun poured over his head and shoulders, warming the charcoal wool suit he wore and raising his temperature. He tugged his tie loose and unfastened his shirt’s top button. “Maybe you should move into the shade.”
    â€œI’m fine.”
    â€œWith skin like yours you should be careful.” His gaze trailed down her legs, following the movement of her hand as she smoothed lotion over her creamy skin.
    His fingers balled into fists as memories of the night before intruded. The