Page 19 of Masters of the Game: Colton
Kelly paused for a moment, looked over at him, and said softly, “Rejection isn’t something I can easily forget, Colton.”
**
Hours later, Colton lay in bed remembering the Kelly’s words.
Rejection isn’t something I can easily forget.
Why did he feel her words had been directed at him? And had that been hurt he’d seen reflected in her gaze?
He had reneged on what was to have been his and Kelly’s only night together. According to Cobra, a self-professed expert on women, some women would consider that the ultimate rejection. At the time, Colton had thought Cobra was being dramatic. After all, he’d told Kelly why he couldn’t be with her the way she wanted. However, her words tonight had him wondering if Cobra could have been right.
Was that why the easygoing atmosphere between them had changed after she’d said those words? And in the car, on their way back to the hotel, he’d been the one doing most of the talking. At first, he’d assumed she was tired after a long workday. But now he wasn’t so sure.
When they’d reached the St. Laurent, she told him that he didn’t have to walk her to her hotel room and had rushed off toward the elevator, saying she needed to get back to her room to call and check on her mother. She hadn’t bothered to wait for him to share the elevator with her. Had that been an excuse to escape his company?
Colton shifted into a more comfortable position, thinking back to the first moment he’d seen her. A number of things had drawn him to her, and those same things were holding his interest now. Everything about Kelly was a total turn-on--the way she ate her food, the sound of her voice whenever shespoke, and especially her scent. And he’d never seen a woman eat cheesecake in such a sensual manner.
He had a feeling that she wasn’t exactly thrilled to be working with him. More than likely she’d figured she’d be working with Lake, since he’d been the one to hire her, or a member of his executive team. But hell, working with her hadn’t been in his plans either.
His cell phone went off, and from the ring tone, he knew it was Cortez. Reaching over to the nightstand, he picked it up. “Yes, Tez?”
“I understand congratulations are in order. Cobra told me that you closed the deal with Richard Sharpe for Masters Unlimited.”
Colton pulled himself up in bed. “Thanks. I’m looking forward to taking care of Richard’s multitude of businesses. And how’s Victoria?”
“She’s fine. We had a doctor’s appointment today and everything looks good.”
“The two of you still don’t want to know if you’re having a boy or girl?” he asked Cortez.
“We want to be surprised. Now, there’s something I want to ask you.”
Colton had an idea what Tez’s question would be. “Go ahead.”
“How did you handle seeing Kelly again?”
He drew in a deep breath and prayed for strength to endure nosy family members. “I handled seeing her the same way I would have handled seeing any other woman who is a business associate.”
“Tell that lie to someone else, Colt. We talked last week, remember. Not long after you learned the two of you would be working together. You were wound up tight about it.”
“That was last week. This week I’m fine. I figured that after two years, any attraction between us was long gone.”
“And was it?” Tez asked.
He could lie and say it was, but couldn’t. Besides, Tez had the ability to detect whenever he and Cobra lied about anything. “No. I would even say it’s more intense than before.”
“Damn.”
“I know,” Colton said.
“So, what’s your plan, Colt?”
Cobra had asked something similar yesterday. “I don’t have a plan, Tez. My relationship with Kelly is strictly business. And I intend to keep it that way.”
Unfortunately, that was easier said than done.
“If you recall, that was how I had planned to handle Victoria when I discovered members of our family were married to members of hers,” Cortez said. “I figured I could practice avoidance where she was concerned. Only I discovered that wouldn’t work. That’s when I came up with a plan. So, take my advice, Brother number two. Make a plan.”
When he didn’t say anything, Cortez added, “I think the reason you don’t want to do that, Colt, is because before you can devise any plan, you have to have a clear objective. And I’m not sure if you have one yet regarding Kelly.”
