Page 24 of Double or Nothing

“The fact I’m tied up all week and won’t be able to enjoy the immense pleasure of having dinner with him.”

We stare at Oswalt as he walks away, swatting the asses of unsuspecting bystanders. We’ve tried to stop him before, but he’s relentless.

“What’s up?” Callum doesn’t do idle chit-chat, not at work. If he’s here, he’s working with clients, no matter how big or how small. All he cares about is building his portfolio.

“Jack wants to see you.” I can hear his frustration, so it must be about a new client.

“Right away?”

Callum nods.

Facing him, I adjust his tie. “Don’t be jealous, Cal. One of us has to be the best. Looks like it’s me. Again.” I tap his chest lightly before heading off to see Jack.

I stride into Jack’s office just before nine, my iced coffee in one hand and his hot black coffee in the other.

“Morning, boss,” I say with a broad smile as I set his coffee down.

“Morning, Kat. Have a seat.” He’s busy clicking away on his keyboard for a few moments before he grabs his coffee. Taking a sip with a satisfied sigh, he looks at me with a huge grin. “You’ve done it again.”

“Done what?” I ask with a laugh.

“Made everyone want you, including our newest client… a big client.”

“How big are we talking?” My skin tingles as my mind races through the long list of prospective clients. The bigger the client, the better.

“Famous, rich, handsome… and he wants you.”

If only this famous, rich, handsome guy wanted me for something other than being his casino host.

“Don’t keep me in suspense. Who is it?” I ask, intrigued by his vague description.

“You are going to love this.” He rubs his hands together, trying to do the complete opposite of what I ask and build the suspense further. “Ready?”

I nod eagerly.

“Sutton Cole.”

He says the name proudly and stares at me, waiting to see my reaction, one I’m sure differs vastly from what he expected.

“No.”

“No? What do you mean, no?” Jack’s looking at me as if I’ve lost my mind. There is no way in hell Kathryn “Kat” Keller would ever pass up a client as elite as Sutton Cole unless it’s actually Sutton Cole. The mere mention of his name sends her back in time five years and makes her heart flutter and her butterflies beat.

That’s not right. It should be…

No, it’s right because this is exactly the stupid, illogical mess Sutton turns me into. Especially after he walked away from me. From us. From everything that we spent years building and perfecting.

Sure, maybe we were only kids, but what we had was real. At least, I thought it was. I thought we were forever.

“I think it would be better if you gave this client to Callum.”

“You want me to give him to Callum? Are you feeling okay?” Jack asks with real concern.

The truth is, I’m not okay, far from it.

Sutton Cole broke me. He broke my heart, my spirit, my world, and I refuse to let him be anything more than a distant memory. I don’t care how sexy he is or how the sight of him makes my breath hitch—even after all these years. The man may still have a hold on my heart and my body, but I will be damned if I let him know or put me through that again.

No, there is no way. Sutton Cole is one client I cannot take on.

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