If there was one thing I hated, it was feeling out of control. You didn’t make it to CEO of the Year with only a half-decade on the job by not having control over yourself.
This thing with Sunny was supposed to be a future-forward tactic to prevent Nora from giving my good-for-nothing brother real power inmycompany.
So why, then, was I giving more mental energy to Sunny—thinking about having her again and again until I got my fill—than I was to my business? And why couldn’t I stop myself from behaving like a lunatic when it came to her?
I meant to release her hand as soon as we got to the event. My plan had been to let Sunny distract my grandmother during the business dinner while I talked shop with the real movers and shakers of Vegas.
But when I walked in with Sunny, I saw the surprise on my fellow businessmen’s faces. The surprise, I didn’t mind. I knew we were an unconventional couple—even by Vegas standards.
What bothered me were the heated glances that followed the surprise—glances that let me know I wasn’t the only one affected by Sunny’s combination of curves and sweetheart-next-door looks. I wasn’t the only one who’d be more than willing to ravage her behind closed doors.
Suddenly, I found myself unwilling to let go of her hand, to the point that I barely let other men talk to her beyond a short introduction. I managed to keep my voice level from there, but my eyes conveyed a “don’t touch, she’s mine” message loud and clear.
I’d even hesitated to let go of her hand before my acceptance speech. I'd actually considered bringing her up on stage with me so everyone in the room would know who she’d come here with and who would be taking her home tonight.
And that last part of my speech? Tacked on at the end, meant to sell the story I was peddling to Nora. But like an actor who took his craft too seriously, I’d found myself actually believing the lies I was spewing.
For a brief moment, the insignificant award, which had only felt like an obligation pulling me away from my work, actually meant something. Because Sunny was out there in the audience, her pretty face lit up with pride. In me.
You're clearly infatuated with Sunny.
Nora's words echoed ominously through my head as I stalked toward the lobby to find her.
"Cole! A word?" a voice called out behind me.
I looked up to see the smiling brown face of Rich Harrison, the former chairman of the Clark County Board of Commissioners.
Dammit, he was my top candidate to replace my grandmother on the board of directors.
1) After sixteen years on the most powerful board in Nevada, we could use his local connections.
2) My grandfather considered diversity allowing his Jewish lawyer to join the Board of Directors after he retired. Optics-wise, we could also use the color.
3) Nora hated him to the point that she'd shut down my proposal to consider him for a BoD position with a"Nope, nope, nope. We will vote that man onto the board over my dead body."
Clearly, I had every reason to network with Rich Harrison tonight, yet I found myself holding up a finger and calling out, "I'll be right back" before pushing out the doors to the lobby.
Damn this woman. And how crazy she was making?—
My mind shut down when I found her out in the lobby.
With Max.
My half brother was smiling down at her. His head tilted in a way I recognized as full-on flirting.
Meanwhile, Sunny pulled out some kind of cloth and wiped the front of his shirt. Touching him.
She is touching him.
My blood ran cold as I closed the distance between us—only to stop short again directly behind Sunny when she asked, “What do you mean, Cole beat you to the punch?”
Max furrowed his forehead. Glanced at me over Sunny's shoulder. “Wait, Cole didn’t tell you about Nora?”
Sunny, who still hadn't seen me, answered, “Yes, of course, he told me Nora is sick. But what does that have to do with him beating you to the punch?”
Max paused, the gleam in his eyes going from wicked to shrewd as he opened his mouth to say something else.
“There you are, Sunny!" I switched the award to my right hand and once again took hold of the hand she'd used to wipe his shirtbefore my half brother could ruin everything. “Max, you’re just now getting here? You missed my speech.”
