Page 11 of Masters of the Game: Colton
“When did you arrive in town?” he asked, moving around his desk to take his own seat.
“Yesterday, around noon.”
He nodded. “And how are your accommodations at the St. Laurent?”
“Extremely nice. But then Monica told me they would be. She’s stayed there a few times before.”
He smiled, nodding. “And how is Monica?”
Colton could tell his question about her sister relaxed Kelly somewhat, which was his intent. The last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable around him. “Monica is doing fine. She only has one more year before she completes her PhD, and she’s happy about that. She and Landon plan to start a family as soon as she graduates.”
He’d gotten to know Landon through Cortez and liked him. “I believe they will make great parents.”
“I agree.” Then, after a brief pause, she said, “I understand you’ll be an uncle in a few months.”
Colton couldn’t hold back his huge smile. “Yes. Tez and Victoria told us their news a few months ago, and I’m thrilled for them. The baby will be my parents’ first grandchild, so it’ll likely be spoiled rotten before it can walk.” He chuckled and then added, “I’m not sure what is going on with Kennedy and Victoria. First, they get married on the same day, and now they’ll be having babies within days of each other. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out they’ve already booked adjoining rooms in the hospital.”
Kelly grinned, showing her dimples. That was a turn-on for him, and he shifted in his seat to ease the ache behind his zipper.“Unfortunately, it’s not that easy, Colton. The baby decides when it’s ready to make an entrance, not the parents.”
“Well, if things happen the way I predict, don’t say I didn’t tell you so.”
She held up her hand in a three-finger salute, smiled, and said, “Scout’s honor.”
Colton eased back in his chair, recalling how he’d always enjoyed conversing with her, which helped calm the initial tension between them, when, for whatever reason, he hadn’t wanted to let go of her hand. It had felt so right in his. “Congratulations on landing this account, Kelly. I know you’ll do well.”
“Thanks, Colton.”
He was tempted to say there was no reason for her to thank him. Upon Lake’s instructions, his administrative assistant had forwarded KP Consulting Agency’s file to him. Kelly’s clientele was impressive. In just two years, she had been awarded contracts by several notable corporations. Her consultations provided detailed strategies for companies to reach their goals and often exceeded them.
She’d also assisted in streamlining several companies’ business operations. She was a wiz at guiding new businesses to a competitive level in a remarkably short time. That was impressive for a staff of four -three women and one man. Her reviews were phenomenal—it was easy to see why Lake had chosen her. Not that he’d ever questioned his cousin’s choice. If nothing else, when it came to Masters Unlimited, Lake only worked with the best, and it showed. Last year, they were named one of the most successful marketing and advertising firms in the country.
“Now, let’s get down to business,” he said. Hopefully, any awkwardness between them would soon pass.
**
They weren’t getting to business a minute too soon, Kelly thought, watching Colton pick up a stack of folders off his desk. Her gaze moved to his hands, and she was reminded of their earlier handshake. It was evident that they’d both felt something. If his administrative assistant hadn’t knocked when she had, they might still be standing in the middle of his office, her hand still clasped in his.
Kelly thought back to the moment they’d first been introduced at the Bennetts’ double wedding three years ago. When they’d shaken hands then, she’d noticed the texture of his skin. It had been thick but not rough, smooth but not soft. She had noticed the same today.
She’d heard that you can tell a lot about a man by his hands, things like their personality, health, and the type of work they did. She could only imagine how those hands would feel holding her, touching her, his fingers running through her hair, up her legs and thighs, and--
“Kelly?”
She blinked. “Yes?”
“I was saying that my administrative assistant has prepared these preliminaries for you to review regarding the things we’ll need in either location.”
Kelly nodded, not believing she had allowed her mind to go to an unprofessional place when she should have been giving Colton, and not his hands, her absolute attention. Leaning forward, she accepted the stack of folders, fighting hard to ignore the brush of their hands in the exchange.
When she’d entered his office and saw him in his business attire, she hadn’t imagined him without clothes. Instead, for a quick moment, she had imagined how much fun it would be for her to undress him. She moaned at the thought.
“Did you say something?” he asked, raising his brow as she eased back in her chair.
Dang! She’d done it again. “No, I didn’t say anything.”
He nodded. “Your office, which is down the hall, is ready. After you come up with the pros and cons of both locations, a trip to both cities will be necessary.”
In a way, that would be good for her, since she liked visiting both LA and New York City. And thankfully, it would put a little distance between them. Every time their gazes met, a flutter of awareness inched up her spine. Feeling the need to keep the conversation moving, she said, “When a major corporation considers relocating to a particular town, it’s considered a possible economic boom. I project that Masters Unlimited will employ at least three hundred people. More than likely, a third will transfer from your Boston and Orlando offices, and the other two-thirds will be hired from the local communities. That’s a lot of jobs to boost the economy of whatever city we select.”
