Saying Yes to the Boss

He groaned as his hands slid up from her hips until they were wrapped around her back. He pulled her torso toward him until she was hunched over him with her face buried in his neck. Keeping a tight grip on her, he started moving beneath her.

Georgia gasped and clung to him as her overstimulated nerves tried to absorb more pleasure. Her lips danced across the salty skin of his neck and shoulder, tasting and nipping at him. As he tensed and his moves became more frantic, she whispered a few provocative and erotic things into his ear.

It wasn’t what she wanted to say. In the moment, overflowing with emotions and sensations, she wanted to whisper that she was falling in love with him, but it wasn’t the right time or place. She’d never said the words before, and when she did, she wanted it to be special. She wanted him to respond in kind. That, she feared, would take more time.

What she did say was just right, however. Carson’s fingers dug into her flesh as he thrust hard and poured into her with a satisfied roar. Georgia rode through the waves, planting a soft kiss on his lips once he stilled beneath her.

“You know what?” he said when he caught his breath.

“What?”

“You were right. I do feel better.”

TEN

Carson had trouble sleeping that night after Georgia went home. He didn’t know if it was his ever-evolving feelings for her or his nerves about his meeting at Elite Industries the next day, but by the time he and his brothers arrived at Sutton’s offices that afternoon, he felt very unprepared.

“This isn’t the way to Sutton’s office,” Graham said as the assistant took the three brothers down the hallway.

“Yes, sir. This is the way to Miss Winchester’s office. Mr. Winchester isn’t in today.”

“That bastard stood us up,” Brooks grumbled. “He got the results the same as we did and he was too big a coward to show his face.”

“Actually,” Eve Winchester said from just ahead of them, “he’s quite ill.”

Carson narrowed his gaze at Eve, Sutton’s oldest daughter. Based on what Tammy had said, Eve was already born when his parents split up, so that meant Eve was his older sister. It was hard enough to think about Sutton as his father, but the shockwaves that radiated through the family were equally difficult. His sister. He ran his fingers through his hair and shook his head. He wasn’t going to adjust to this easily.

“I’m sure he is feeling poorly,” Brooks said, “after being caught in such a big lie.”

Eve’s thin frame tensed at Brooks’s words. Instead of responding, she waved them past her into her office to sit at the conference room table.

Looking down the table, Carson noticed Brooks was wound tight and ready to fight. Graham was uncharacteristically silent, but his eyes never left Eve. She sat down across from them. A moment later, another woman arrived. She was tinier than Eve with lighter blond hair. They both had the same green eyes, though. Sutton’s eyes. Carson’s eyes.

“This is my youngest sister, Grace.”

“Where’s Nora?” Brooks asked. “I believe we requested to meet with everyone today.”

“Nora lives in Colorado and has a small child. Since you demanded this meeting take place today, you’ll understand that it was impossible for her to make it.”

“And Sutton?” Graham said at last. “Is he really sick or just sick at the thought of more of his money being funneled away?”

Carson watched the Winchester women as they reacted to Graham’s cutting words. He could see the worry in Grace’s eyes. He knew then that Sutton truly was ill. “What’s wrong with him?” he asked. He was his father, after all.

“We don’t know,” Grace replied. “He’s seeing the doctor today.”

“Let’s cut to the chase, gentlemen.” Eve stared all of them down, her cold, businesslike demeanor reminding Carson very much of their father. “I can run this business and this family just as well as my father, so I see no reason why we can’t proceed without him.”

“Well,” Carson began, “we presume that your father received the results of the paternity tests and has informed you of what they revealed.”

“He did. You are our half brother,” Eve said matter-of-factly. Turning to the twins, she added, “You two are to be determined.”

“I’m pretty sure the results will turn out positive this time,” Brooks said. “So we wanted to get the process started.”

“The process of what?” Grace asked.

“The process of ensuring that we get our share of the Winchester estate.”

“Our father is sick, not dead. There’s no estate to have yet.”