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“Come here often?”
She held back a sigh. He settled on the stool beside her, ordered a beer, and waited her out. “Max, when are you going to learn you don’t have to protect me? Can’t I even sit here and get sloshed? I’m alone. No big bad men. Middle of the afternoon. Go do something important.”
“I am. Trying to drag you from the dismal depths of depression is important.” His innocent grin strangled a half laugh from her. Just being in his orbit toasted her brain, and her resolve. She lifted her drink and took another sip. “We all make mistakes in the beginning. I shouldn’t have yelled.”
“That was the only good thing you did.”
“Let’s call it a learning curve and move on, shall we?”
“What about the deal?”
“I’ll either take it or fix it. Maybe let Sawyer stew for a while. I’m not worried.”
His concerned gaze shredded her heart. She felt as if she’d let him down. An MBA and she made the most basic mistake a beginner can. Show your hand too early.
Yeah, welcome to Vegas.
His hand slid across the bar and clasped her fingers. His strong, warm hand settled her nerves, and her usual defenses slid down. “I’m not sure this is right for me, Max.”
“You’re still new, cara.”
“It’s more than that. It took me a long time to learn how to balance my emotions with the need to be controlled in business. I actually enjoyed the challenge, but I’m afraid I’ll never be strong enough to succeed. Instead of kicking someone’s ass when they call in sick, I want to bring them chicken soup.”
He reached up and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. The gentle gesture gave her enough courage to look him in the eye. Carved lips lifted in a half smile. “No one wants you to change who you are. In these few months, you’ve captured everyone’s heart and loyalty. And it’s not because you’re a pushover. It’s because you’re special, and everyone knows it.”
“You’re just trying to make me feel better.”
“No. I expected to babysit a girl and keep her out of trouble. Instead, I got a woman who knows exactly what to do and is just trying to find her way. You have a strength when it comes to relationships. You know what’s needed and aren’t afraid to give it.” He studied their interlocked hands. “And you were right about Robin.”
The compliment warmed her blood. “I’m surprised you agree.”
“Sometimes I take business too far and forget I’m dealing with people. People who make mistakes.”
“Yeah, not like my problem.”
“That’s easy to fix. Best thing to do is take a breath and step away from the situation. You have a tendency to give, so if you’re getting a request that tugs on your emotions, tell them you’ll call them back. Stall them on a decision. That way you can assess the situation more clearly and not trap yourself in a corner. Make sense?”
Carina nodded slowly. “Yes, it does.”
“I f**ked up so bad when I first started working for Michael. I fed the wrong report to an executive on a deal we were about to close. Saved the guy half a million dollars. He signed it before I caught the mistake.”
“What did Michael do?”
His eyes twinkled. “Gave me hell. Made me feel like shit. Then moved on and he never mentioned it again or ever held it over my head. I never gave away another dollar for free.”
Her spirit lightened. The casino lit up around them with energy, but for that moment, she felt completely alone with a man who seemed to know exactly what to say to soothe her heart. “I know one thing that would make me feel better. Less of a failure.”
“Dare I ask?”
“Celine Dion is doing a show tonight.”
He shuddered. “Anything else. My car, my money, my dog. Don’t make me listen to ‘My Heart Will Go On.’ ”
“Hmm, how do you know the title of the song, Max?”
He ignored her and took a long pull of his beer. His hand slid from hers and she tried not to mourn the loss. “I watched that movie Titanic for the action only.”
Carina laughed. “You are so busted. We’re going. Seven o’clock show.”
“How do you know I can get tickets? It’s probably sold out.”
She snorted. “Go do what you do best. Charm some helpless female. Offer her your body. We’ll be all set.”
“Fine. As long as we agree to close this topic of conversation. You screwed up. We’ll fix it and move on. Deal?”
She smiled. “Deal.”
“Good. I’ve got some meetings, so take the rest of the day off. I’ll take you to dinner before the show and we’ll test out the Venetian’s restaurant skills.”
“Perfect.”
He threw a few bills on the bar and stood up. “Try not to get into any trouble.”
“Good girls don’t get into trouble, do they?”
He shot her a warning look and left. She nursed the rest of her martini and sifted through her options. One thing was clear. She needed to fix things on her own—no matter the cost. Unfortunately, there was one way left.
Remove herself from the deal.
She traced the rim of her glass and held back a sigh. Even with her skills, her mistakes far outweighed her benefit. Maybe it was time to dig a bit deeper and find out what she really wanted instead of trying to be a carbon copy of everyone else. Her soul itched for freedom and creativity. What if La Dolce Maggie couldn’t offer what she really needed?
The thoughts danced in her head but she focused on the one thing she could control.
Fix the mess. She drained her drink, grabbed her purse, and headed back to the room to contact Sawyer Wells.
Chapter Nine
Sawyer belonged in Vegas. Carina tamped down on her nervousness while he prowled across his office like a large jungle cat. He shook her hand and invited her to sit down, as if deciding to play with his food before taking a bite. And, dear God, he looked like he could bite. Sex vibrated around him in waves, but there was something deeper that scared the crap out of her. He reminded her of the blond vampire from True Blood, with golden-boy looks and seething amber eyes to hypnotize any helpless female. His lush lips held a cruel curve, and his face was a mass of hard lines with sharp cheekbones and a wicked scar that curved from his brow down his cheek. The scar only added to the dangerous appeal. He wore his hair extra long, almost like her brother, but not long enough to be held back with a tie.
