“What are you doing, working as a marketing assistant?”
The question threw her because it was the last thing she'd expected him to say.
“What?” she asked, lifting her head to look at him. His green eyes met hers and wandered over the tumbled hair and the swollen lips. He'd spent a lot of time exploring her mouth and had left the bruises there. He'd also spent a lot of time exploring her body, tasting her and the climax that had exploded inside his mouth. He could still taste her and feel her wrapped around him. He forced himself to stop thinking about that and concentrated on his train of thought. “You are very bright, possibly brighter than the person you're working under. Why haven’t you been promoted?”
“I like working in marketing.”
“As an assistant?”
She shrugged. “If I'm promoted now, people are going to realize that it's because I'm married to you.”
“Or maybe they'll realize that you're overqualified,” he said dryly. “When you get back to the office on Monday, I want you to pack up your person stuff and transfer to the PR department.”
Her eyebrows lifted. “So, in other words you want me working for your sister. In case you haven't picked up on it yet, she dislikes me.”
His lips quirked. “I don’t much like you myself, but here we are.”
“I'm partial to you, honey, because you happen to be my husband. If I go and work in the same department as your sister, there will be bloodshed,” she warned him.
He looked at her thoughtfully. “Where would you like to work?”
She sat up, not caring that she was completely naked. “That right there is wrong. I don't want any special favors because I'm your wife.”
“You have two degrees; I'm offering you a chance to make them work for you. We have several different departments that could use your expertise. Pick one.”
“I could be your assistant,” she said with a grin.
“I want to avoid bloodshed.” He repeated her words. “And besides, I have a very capable assistant who knows my routine.”
“You mean that scary woman who guards your office like a mother lion?” she asked him dryly.
“Samantha has my best interests at heart.”
“Perhaps you should remind her that I'm married to you,” she told him wryly, lifting a hand to brush back her hair and unconsciously bringing attention to her breasts.
“That matters little to her.” He tore his gaze away from her nipples. “What would you like to do at the office?”
She puckered her brows for a moment. “R&D.”
“Pardon?”
“Research and development,” she clarified.
“I am aware of the acronym. You're interested in that department?”
“I'm great in the research department and love to keep tabs on upcoming trends. Hoffman Industries has a hand in almost every pie, and I'd like to put a positive on the company. Tie in the research of the anti-aging cream with the hotel stores. A lot of celebrities stay at the hotels and making it a package deal would be a great idea. The cruise line could also be another angle. Simple career women who save for an entire year to plan a cruise could be rewarded with a tub of the cream and free spa time. A kind of celebrity makeover. Things like that.”
He stared at her for a moment, his face expressionless. “How long have you been thinking about this?”
“Ever since I started at the company,” she told him with a smile. “I mentioned at the dinner with the royals while we were on Ricci Island that I'm always thinking about different projects.”
“You mean the dinner where you had every male captive?” he asked a little coolly.
“Including you?” she asked a little teasingly.
“Maybe a little.” He unbent enough to say. “I'll make the announcement as soon as you get back to the office.”
“Thank you.” She inclined her head. “Are we through talking about business?”
“Why?”
She moved until she was against his chest. “Because I want to do this.” She bent her head and nibbled at his sensuous bottom lip, sending shards of desire shuddering through his body. He hardened instantly, his body inflamed. He shifted so that she was lying beneath him and in one swift movement, entered her, driving into her, his hands digging into her hair. He bent his head and took her lips with his roughly as he started to thrust into her, causing her to lose sight of everything else but him.
*****
“You're promoting her?” Talia demanded, her eyes flashing as she looked at her brother.
“Keep your voice down!” he demanded as he looked towards the door. He'd left her in bed this morning after an exhausting night of making love to her and had stood there watching her sleep before he made his way back to his bedroom. He'd spent the few minutes sitting by the fireplace and staring into the flames as he thought about his next move. Obviously, he was incredibly attracted to her and that was something he hadn't thought would happen. He'd also made love to her without using protection so there was a strong possibility that she could right now be carrying his child. And he'd discovered that he didn't like other men touching her, or even talking to her. Also, this was the first time a woman had ever brought out the desire to strangle her one minute and make passionate love to her the next. She made him so angry that he didn't recognize himself. He'd sat there for a few minutes and hadn't come up with a solution.
“What? You're afraid that she'll come in here and hear what I have to say?”
“She's my wife,” he told her tightly.
“In name only!” his sister cried.
“Not anymore.” Ignoring the looks thrown at him by his mother and sister, he went over to the cabinet and poured himself a drink.
“You slept with her?” Talia asked incredulously, ignoring the cautious look her mother threw her.
“That’s none of your concern,” he told her.
“What does this mean exactly, Thomas?” she demanded. “Are you going to continue to stay married to her?”
“She might be carrying my child, so I might not have a damned choice,” he said coldly.
Donna was just about to open the door when she heard what he said. She'd woken up and stretched luxuriously with a smile on her lips from the night and morning that she'd experienced with him and had thought to herself that he was finally realizing that there was something between them. She'd gotten up and jumped into the shower, dizzily excited about what to put on and what they were going to be doing for the rest of the day. She'd intended on suggesting they take in an old black and white film from the huge movie room on the second floor with her snuggled into his arms.
“That was exactly what she was hoping for!” she heard Talia cry. “She had every intention of trapping you by getting pregnant and you fell for it.”
“I'm not a fool!” he snapped. “The marriage will still end when the year is over, no matter what.”
Donna stumbled blindly away, barely acknowledging the maid who came towards her to tell her that brunch was ready. Racing up the stairs she went to get her jacket and pulling on her knee-high boots she grabbed her car keys and headed down again, praying that she didn't encounter one of them or she wouldn't be responsible for her actions. Thankfully she didn't see them and nodding to the driver who brought her car around she jumped in and sped out of the driveway. It had snowed all of last night and the powdery substance was piled high along the sidewalks. She turned up the music, trying to block out the hurt and pain beating at her. Swiping a hand across her cheeks, she got rid of the dampness of her tears angrily. From now on they weren't going to be able to hurt her again.