The Missing Heir(81)

                The question took her by surprise. “Hungry?”

                “For tonight, I think that’s the next step.”

                “I could go for a pizza,” she admitted. It would feel nice to climb back into her jeans and be normal.

                A grin spread across his face. “I like you, Amber. All this, and now you want to go out for pizza.”

                “Double cheese if you don’t mind. And maybe a beer?”

                Cole tipped his head to the sales clerk. “We’ll take everything she liked, including the dress she’s wearing.” Then he nodded to Destiny. “Her, too. She’s got an important court case coming up, and she needs to look good.”

                The clerk’s eyes went round.

                “Cole,” Amber protested, horrified to think that the woman might take him seriously and ring up everything.

                He ignored her protest, instead speaking to Luca and Destiny. “We’re going for pizza and a strategy session. Now that we look the part, we have to act the part. Amber and I need to make a decision. Something important, positive and significant, and we have to be able to implement it fast.”

                “You mean change company policy?” asked Amber.

                “Absolutely,” said Cole. “You two get changed, I’ll pay the bill.”

                Amber renewed her protest. “Cole, you can’t buy everything.”

                He slipped an arm around her shoulder. “I know this is hard for you. But we’re doing it. And honestly, I’m through having this argument with you.”

                A spurt of anger jumped to life inside her. She opened her mouth to retort, but something in his eyes stopped her cold.

                Fine. He wanted to blow his money? That was up to him. She was through trying to save him from himself.

                * * *

                In her new clothes, and at the head of the boardroom table, Amber looked fantastic. Cole had to struggle to keep from chuckling at how the vice presidents kept shooting surreptitious looks her way. She was wearing a steel-gray blazer and skirt set, with a white blouse underneath. Lace along the scooped neckline kept the outfit from being too severe.

                She’d changed her hairstyle, too. Strands were braided at her temples and partially pulled back to a knot at the nap of her neck. She looked sophisticated and professional. She also looked sexy, and it made him want to kiss her.

                Then again, pretty much everything made him want to kiss her these days. Last night, watching her bite into a slice of double-cheese pizza had turned him on.

                He dragged his gaze away from her, focusing on business. He and Amber both looked the part now, and they were going to act it, too, starting with some small but definitive strategic directions for the company.

                “Thank you all for joining us,” Cole opened politely, although everyone in the room was fully aware their attendance at the senior management meeting had not been optional.

                “Ms. Welsley and I realize this is a temporary situation,” he continued. “However, our expectation is that the status quo will continue into the future.”

                “Excuse me?” Roth piped up.

                Cole sent him a glare and kept speaking. “My interest in Coast Eagle is not in dispute, and I’ll be relying on Ms. Welsley for continuity.”