“Let me take care of everything. You go pack.”
Numb, she got to her feet and stumbled out of the bedroom. She tossed clothes and toiletries into her suitcase and dressed in jeans and a T-shirt. Zipping her bag, she slid her feet into sandals.
Sebastian entered her room. He wore slacks and a dress shirt. “I have a plane waiting to take us back to Texas.”
“Us?” She couldn’t be processing his words properly.
“You don’t seriously think I’m going to let you go by yourself, do you?” He took charge of her suitcase and wrapped strong fingers around her elbow to escort her into the hall.
“But what about the summit? And your meeting with Smythe tomorrow? You can’t disappear at such a crucial time.”
“I guess it’s good that my dad showed up, isn’t it?”
They stepped onto the elevator and Sebastian pushed the button for the lobby. Missy shivered as reaction settled in. Sebastian pulled her into his arms and shared his heat with her.
“You’re chilled. Do you have a coat?”
She shook her head. “I tossed everything out. Remember?”
He bought her a sweatshirt at the hotel gift shop and dressed her in it as if she were a small child. Caught in a dark place, Missy let him lead her across the lobby and get them into a cab. Tucked into the crook of his arm, she huddled against his side as she watched the Las Vegas strip slide by the car window.
They boarded a private plane and were taxiing down the runway as the sky began to lighten over Las Vegas. As the city lights fell behind them, Missy began to disengage from the fantasy of the last few days.
Sleeping with Sebastian a couple times might not be a mistake, but letting herself fall for a man who never intended to marry her went against her solemn vow to never again let herself reach too high. If she hadn’t let her heart lead, she never would have begun a game she could never hope to survive, much less win.
Missy put her hands between her thighs, all too conscious of Sebastian’s shoulder a few tempting inches away. It was more than wonderful of him to worry about her comfort. To arrange for a plane to take her to Crusade. To sit beside her the whole way there. This sort of behavior made a girl want to rely on him. To lose herself in his strong arms and let him soothe her fears.
And then what?
When they returned to Houston, she wouldn’t be his employee or his lover. She wouldn’t be anything.
It was better to disengage now. Before she became too dependent on a dream.
His hand covered her forearm, the firm pressure bringing a lump to her throat. She told herself the sympathetic gesture was one anyone would make. She’d seen her mother offer support in a similar manner.
Her heart squeezed. What did she expect? That he’d fall madly in love with her in the space of a few days? She pressed her lips together and shot a tight smile his way.
“Your father’s going to be fine.”
“I hope so.” Worrying about her love life while her father’s life hung in the balance demonstrated what a selfish idiot she was. “Thank you for everything.”
“You don’t need to thank me.”
But she did. He’d left Las Vegas in the middle of his leadership summit to be there for her. He’d gone above and beyond the call of duty. And she wanted to make more of his motives than was wise.
“Sebastian.” She struggled with how best to frame what she needed to say next. “I’d prefer it if my family didn’t know anything about what happened between us in Las Vegas. I haven’t told them that I broke up with Tim yet and…”
“You’d rather not further complicate an already complicated day.”
“Yes.” Although she was glad he understood, she couldn’t help but wonder if he was relieved she wouldn’t expect anything more from him.
An hour later, the plane landed at a small airstrip outside her hometown. She’d called Sam from the air and let him know what time they’d be landing. David was waiting as the sky began to lighten in the east. She hugged the youngest of her big brothers, clinging to him without asking how their father was doing, afraid the news had changed for the worse in the past two hours.
“Sebastian, this is my brother David.”
The two men shook hands. David assessed Sebastian through narrowed eyes. Missy had spoken of her boss often, some of it not particularly flattering. She’d never expected him to meet anyone in her family.
“Thanks for bringing my sister. Dad’s out of surgery, but he’s still listed as critical.”