Page 21 of Masters of the Game: Colton
She had a feeling that he saw a little too much to suit her. Deciding to move on from the topic of her mother, she asked, “Did you need me for anything, Colton?”
After the words had left her mouth, she was all too aware of how that question sounded. She quickly amended, “Did you have a question about anything I covered last night over dinner?”
“No,” he said. “I just finished my meeting with Lake and wanted to let you know how things went.”
“Of course.” She did recall he had a meeting with Lake this morning, which was the reason–the only reason–he’d asked her out to dinner last night. “How did things go?”
“I faxed him a copy of your report, and he thought it was very thorough. He would like a final recommendation by the end of the month. I told him I didn’t see why he would not get one.”
“I don’t see any reason either,” she said, feeling the chemistry flow between them even more. It was so strong, she had to lean back against her desk when she was beginning to feel weak in the knees.
The room got quiet as their gazes locked. Then he said in a voice so husky the sound elicited arousal in the very core of her,“Alvie is making the arrangements and will have them to you by the end of the day.”
She blinked. Had she missed something? “What arrangements?”
“For our trip to New York on Monday.”
**
“You’re going with me to New York?” she asked, straightening away from her desk.
Colton studied Kelly for a moment and saw she was clearly surprised by that. In fact, she seemed more than surprised; she looked like she was about to have a panic attack. “Any reason you’d think I wouldn’t be accompanying you to New York and Los Angeles?”
“Yes. You’re the COO,” she said, as if he didn’t know his position in the company
“And?” he asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Her eyes had gone from surprise to panic and now anger. He’d almost forgotten about how fast such emotions could flare up with her.
“And…usually, the second in command of a company doesn’t involve himself that much,” she said in a calmer tone, as if suddenly remembering his position…and hers. “Normally, I work alone and then present my final recommendation to the corporate executives. That’s how most corporations operate when hiring a consulting firm.”
Colton lowered his hands to his side. “Typically, we aren’t any different. However, with a business venture of this magnitude, Lake wants me involved every step of the way. Didn’t he explain that you and I would work closely together?”
“Yes, but I assumed he meant periodically; those times when I would return to Boston in between my trips to New York and LA to brief you of my findings.”
He nodded. “Well, now you know that isn’t the case. We’re to travel to those cities together.” He studied her for a moment and then asked, “Do you have a problem with that, Kelly?”
She shrugged. “Do you want a professional answer or a personal one?”
He studied her intently, taking note of her tense jaw. “The professional one first, please.”
“Your company hired me to do a job, and it shouldn’t matter how much time I spend with you. My main focus will be making sure whatever city Masters Unlimited selects as their third office location is the right one,” she said.
“Okay. Now give me the personal one.”
Colton heard Kelly release what he thought sounded very much like a disgusted sigh before running a hand through her dark brown hair. The same hair that was pooling her face like a curtain of glossy silk and making her appear even more gorgeous today. “For crying out loud, Colton, you know the reason. We’re like a keg of dynamite just waiting to explode. Hot and raw energy crackles between us whenever we’re within a few feet of each other.”
He wouldn’t deny it. “And you don’t think you can handle it?”
She narrowed her eyes at him. “Iwillhandle it, Colton. You give me no choice.”
Her words ticked him off. “You do have a choice, Kelly. If traveling with me will make you uncomfortable, then I suggest that--”
“I will be fine, Colton,” she interrupted.
“You sure?”
“I’m positive. If nothing else, you made it clear two years ago that although you might be attracted to me, you don’t want me.”
Don’t want her? He was tempted to tell her just how much he had wanted her that night, how much he wanted her right now. Although he’d barely managed not to yield to temptation thatnight, it was time to address her misconception. “I never made anything clear, Kelly. But now I will. I was attracted to you then and I still am.
