Page 6 of Masters of the Game: Colton

“That was before I got a call from Lake Masters’ administrative assistant.

She advised me that I would be going to Boston instead of Orlando…

and that I’d be meeting with Colton. He’s the COO.

” She sighed. “Usually, someone in his position would delegate one of his lower management employees to brief me on whatever I need to know. That’s how it’s normally done. ”

“Not all companies operate the same, Kelly. You know that. I don’t know Lake as well as his brothers, Quinn and Grey, since they are married to my aunts.

But I understand he’s a bit of a rebel, a CEO who doesn’t run his business in any particular way.

” Monica paused and asked, “Does it matter that you’ll see Colton again? ”

“Of course it matters. You know what happened between us two years ago.”

“You mean what didn’t happen, don’t you?”

“Same thing.”

Monica chuckled. “No, it’s not. When he’s standing in front of you, handsome as ever and wearing one of those expensive, tailor-made suits, you won’t be able to stop wishing you’d seen how he looked wearing nothing at all.”

“You’re so mean for reminding me of that, Monica.”

“Just keeping it real.”

“Unfortunately, Kelly said, “I won’t be able to forget the way he looked at me that night, when I was the one wearing next to nothing at all.”

A part of her wondered if there was something else that she could have done to make him want her. But then, she’d seen for herself that he had wanted her. An erection as big as the one he’d had couldn’t lie. But his desire hadn’t been enough.

“Then that’s something I suggest that you work on, Kelly,” Monica said, intruding into her thoughts.

“You went out of your way to avoid him at Bree’s wedding, but it seems you won’t be able to do that this time.

Winning the Masters Unlimited contract is a big deal for your agency--I know you won’t let a personal matter with Colton keep you from doing a good job. ”

“Of course not.”

“Then act like it. Unless…”

“Unless what?” Kelly asked.

“Unless you feel more for Colton than just lust. I could easily see you falling head over heels in love with him, Kelly. Have you?”

“No! All I feel for Colton is an intense sexual ache, one I could have appeased with him two years ago.”

“But you didn’t. So it’s time to move on.”

Kelly nibbled at her bottom lip. She was the oldest--even if it was only by two days. However, lately, it has been Monica dishing out advice and not the other way around. Still, regardless of whether she liked her sister’s advice or not, Kelly knew she was right.

“Rejection hurts, Monica.” She tried keeping the hurt from her voice but failed miserably.

“And I’ve told you a thousand times, Colton didn’t reject you, Kelly. He just refused to use you. If you wanted just a one-night stand, and nothing more, you chose the wrong brother. Everybody knows Cobra is the one-and-done Masters.”

Kelly sighed. “Although Cobra is handsome, too, I’m not sexually attracted to him. Colton is the one I’ve wanted from the moment I saw him.”

“Then maybe you went about things the wrong way,” Monica said. “You knew from the start he wasn’t into one-nighters.”

“Yes, I knew. But I was hoping his desire for me would be strong enough that he’d make me an exception. Boy, I was wrong.”

“I honestly don’t think you were, Kelly.

I’ve been watching the two of you when you’re in the same place--at the double wedding, our family reunion and at my wedding.

The attraction isn’t one-sided. However, from what I hear, those Masters men are resolved once they’ve made up their mind.

Victoria will attest to that.” Monica paused and then asked, “So, what are you going to do, since the thought of seeing Colton again has you in such a tizzy?”

Kelly didn’t say anything for a moment. Then she sighed. “I shouldn’t allow it to bother me so much. He’s just another man. Getting that deal with Masters Unlimited means everything to me.”

“And?”

Kelly squared her shoulders. “And since I won’t be spending a lot of time in Boston, I shouldn’t let the thought of seeing him affect me.”

“No, you shouldn’t. But be careful. The chemistry between you and Colton is like spontaneous combustion. It won’t take much to explode. You’ll have to work really hard to control your sexual urges. Remember, this is strictly business.”

Kelly frowned. “What makes you think I’ll have sexual urges. I’m over him.”

“If that’s the case, what was this ‘woe is me’ phone call about?”

“I merely find the thought of meeting with him after all this time uncomfortable. Although I saw him at Bree’s wedding, I deliberately kept my distance. The last time we exchanged words was when he was walking out that hotel room two years ago.”

“If you’re truly over him, Kelly, there’s no reason for you to be uncomfortable. Like you said earlier, he’s just another man. When do you leave for Boston?”

“Sunday. I have a meeting with Colton on Monday morning. While I’m in Boston, I’ll be staying in Masters Unlimited’s private quarters in the St. Laurent. I heard it’s gorgeous.”

“It is. I took a trip there with Aunt Brandy a few years ago.”

Wanting to change the subject, Kelly asked, “How’s school going?”

Monica was working on her PhD. Like Kelly, she had entered the program with a master’s degree in the same field of study.

With fewer coursework requirements, the overall time to obtain the degree was shortened from four to three years.

Her sister had another year to go. That timing worked out great for Monica, since she intended to make Landon, who would be thirty-eight in December, a father before his fortieth birthday.

“School is going well, thanks to a very supportive husband. Life for me is wonderful, and I want the same for you.”

“And it will be, but on my timetable.”

“You know the mistakes I made, Kelly. I’m glad I realized them before it was too late. With the right man, you can have it all. By the way, my godmother, Sharon, ran into Mr. Perkins at a firemen’s charity ball event last weekend, and he asked how he could get in contact with us.”

“Us?” Kelly asked surprised.

“Yes, me, you, Pratt, and Hansen.”

“I wonder why?”

“He didn’t tell her the reason, just that he wanted to get in touch with us.”

“Well, I have no reason to talk to him,” Kelly said, rolling her eyes.

“Me neither. And I know Hansen and Pratt feel the same way.”

The sisters talked on the phone for a few more minutes. But before ending their call, Monica wished her a safe trip and told her to keep an open mind about Colton. And if things went the way Monica thought they might, her sister wanted to hear details.

**

“Would you explain to me why my company didn’t get that contract, Sherelle? You promised me that I would,” Eric Venters said tersely.

Sherelle Telfair nervously nibbled on her bottom lip, not sure what to say.

She hadn’t promised him anything. She’d only told him that she’d put a good word in for him, if the name of his consulting agency came up.

And she had done that. However, that obviously wasn’t enough to suit Eric.

Lately, nothing she did was enough to please him, which made her wonder why she was still involved with a man who was such an ingrate at times.

She’d known how much he had wanted to get that Masters Unlimited location contract for his agency.

But still, that was no reason for him to take his frustration out on her.

Instead of giving him an honest response, she chose the coward’s way out by stroking his ego. “I honestly don’t know why you didn’t get the contract, Eric. Your agency was definitely more qualified than the one they chose.”

“What company won the contract?”

“The KP Agency out of Atlanta. It’s owned by a woman named Kelly Perkins.”

“She strikes again,” he snapped. “This isn’t the first time her agency was awarded a contract over mine. She’s only been in business for a couple of years.”

There was no way Sherelle would tell Eric that that was one of the things that had most impressed Lake Masters.

The KP Agency had been able to perform wonders in a very short period of time.

“If it makes you feel better, I think Mr. Masters made a mistake by not bringing you on board,” she said, hoping her words would soothe his ire.

“You probably didn’t push hard enough for me.”

“I did,” she countered. The last thing she needed was to have his anger directed at her again.

She was still using cover-up to hide the evidence of the last time she’d made him irate.

“In fact, I’m sure your agency was at the top of Mr. Masters’ list when he left for Boston a few days ago,” she said, lying through her teeth.

“I can only assume he allowed his second-in-command, Colton Masters, to sway the final decision.” That was another lie, but Eric didn’t have to know that.

She had known that Lake Masters had made the final decision without Colton Masters’ input, since Colton had been out of the country.

“Is Colton Masters the same guy who took the job you were hoping to get? That COO position?”

“Yes, but I was a fool to think Mr. Masters would select me over a family member.”

“Your boss should have done the right thing, Sherelle. You deserved that promotion. Not some lazy relative.”

She knew Eric believed Colton Masters was lazy because that was another lie she’d told him when she hadn’t gotten the COO position.

In all honesty, regardless of being the boss’s relative, Colton had earned that promotion.

Although she had worked for Masters Unlimited a few years longer than he had, none of the other junior executives--herself included--had accomplished as much as he had, in as little time.

During Colton’s five years with the company, he had nabbed three major accounts, as well as saved the one she’d almost lost--the Dempsey account.

“Both of us have a reason to get back at your company, Sherelle.”

His words reclaimed her attention. “What do you mean?”

“Just what I said. Colton Masters took a job that rightly belonged to you. Then he talked your boss into giving a contract that should have been mine to someone else. We need to teach Masters Unlimited a lesson.”

A knot formed in her throat. “What sort of a lesson?”

“One that will make Lake Masters realize his mistake in promoting a relative instead of the most qualified person--you. And for hiring another agency when mine deserved the job. It’s obvious that Lake Masters isn’t a fair person.”

She drew in a deep breath. Eric was wrong about that.

Lake Masters was a fair person. The fact that she was still a junior executive after botching up the Dempsey account proved that.

And as for Eric’s agency not being selected, the KP Agency’s resume clearly outshone his.

However, she didn’t dare tell him that. “I don’t think doing anything vindictive is a good idea. It could cost me my job.”

“So what?” he snapped angrily. “If they cared about you, you wouldn’t still be a junior executive after all these years. If you’re worried about your position with them, fine. Keep it. However, at least do something to help me. I refuse to marry a woman who won’t have my back when it counts.”

Since he’d never brought up the subject of marriage at any time during their nearly year-long relationship, she asked in surprise, “Marry?”

“Yes. I was going to discuss it with you when I saw you tonight. However, the fact that I didn’t get that contract with your company makes me think I can’t depend on you, Sherelle. Marriage is a team sport, and team members look out for each other.”

The thought that he wanted to marry her made her smile.

That would prove her mother wrong. She’d been told all her life that no man would ever want her, that she would grow up an old maid.

And when she turned thirty-eight last year, she had begun to think that Leola Telfair’s prediction for her future was true.

“Sherelle?”

“Yes?”

“Can I depend on you or not, sweetheart?”

She loved it when he used terms of endearment on her. “Of course, you can depend on me, Eric. I won’t let you down.”