I was lucky," he said. "I wasn't this man before I knew her."
That conversation had been a nice reprieve in what turned out to be a hell of a day. Particularly her new bartender, Heather, who'd developed a fascination with a recently hired single bellman who was a consummate flirt. Several times, Merina was forced to split up their conversations and redirect them back to work.
Arnold had joked about it being "spring" and everyone being "frisky," which made Merina smile. That theory went belly-up when her chef walked out midshift. Leonard wasn't frisky or in love. He was pissed at his staff and the world and about a recent notice he'd received to vacate his apartment. He'd stomped out, threw his chef's coat in the lobby, and left a string of profanities lingering in the air.
Containing that sort of shitstorm was well outside of her capabilities. Everyone loved a good story, and that drama would make for tongue-wagging fodder for weeks, maybe months to come.
By the time Reese arrived at the Van Heusen at seven, Merina was frazzled, crazed, and a bit surprised to find his presence brought comfort. She'd forgotten he'd driven her to work this morning.
"I texted you," he said, cutting through the lobby with a long-legged gait, his eyes on her unerringly. A shiver made its way up her spine, then down. That look. That approach. It reminded her of being taken last night, the way she'd enjoyed every single second of it. She'd needed to cash in her sexual frustration and Reese had been the perfect outlet.
Sure, that's all it was…
"Things have been nuts." She reached for her phone and saw three texts from him. Ready? Followed by: Be there in 20. And the final: Here. Coming in.
"Let me take you to dinner." He came close and she tipped her head to take in his height. She couldn't remember the last time she ate—she seemed to remember a packet of instant oatmeal sometime late morning—and had pretty much been running on coffee. Now her brain was having trouble processing, her soaring stress level not having yet begun its descent.
"Hello, Reese." Merina's mother strode toward them, no doubt to intervene.
"Mrs. Van Heusen." He dipped his chin in greeting but his eyes tracked right back to Merina. "I was going to say drinks first, but you look as if you need to eat."
"You can call me Jolie, Reese. Or Mom, I guess. Since you're technically our son now."
Oh my God.
"Mom." She tried to communicate with a glare that Jolie was overstepping her bounds.
"Did you see your new business cards?" Jolie asked Merina.
"I did. Thank you."
"Did Reese?
Merina snatched one up and delivered it to Reese, who took it, read it, and said absolutely nothing. "He has now. I'll just grab my things," Merina told him, and then cupped her mother's elbow and led her to the office.
"What are you doing?" Jolie asked.
She released her mother and grabbed her purse and packed a few files she'd need to work on at home. "I'm not sure what you're up to, but please try and behave yourself."
"You married him." Jolie shrugged. "Do you not want me to be friendly?"
"Friendly, yes, but fake, no." At that pronouncement, a ping echoed in her chest. Fake was exactly what this was. At least, on the outside. God. What a mess.
"Just because I'm not sure why you married him so quickly doesn't mean I won't welcome him like I would any son-in-law. We'll be spending cookouts and holidays together for years to come." Jolie's smile warmed her entire face. "And maybe celebrating with grandbabies in the future."
"Mom!" Merina nearly choked. "I just got married! We're still finding our way around."
"I bet you are." Her mother elbowed her.
If only she could tell her the truth. That the only reason she'd agreed was to secure her family's future—the Van Heusen's future.
"I can't do this right now. I love you. I'm going to dinner with Reese."
"Have fun, sweetie. Love you too."
Years to come. Grandbabies.
Oy.
* * *
The check took its sweet time coming to the table, then the valet spent precious minutes locating the car, and then when Reese arrived at the mansion, Magda took more of his time relaying household details he really didn't want to hear right now.
Reason being, during dinner, Merina had leaned close and whispered, "How about a repeat of last night?"
Forgetting his steak dinner, he threw his napkin on the table and signaled the waiter for the check.
"I meant after dinner," she'd quietly reprimanded.
Merina had eaten some of the shrimp appetizer, a salad, and a dinner roll, so he knew she wasn't starving. Tonight, he could subsist on her alone. So his reply was a curt but heartfelt, "Fuck dinner."
Watching her bite her lip sent fire pouring through his veins. He hadn't had enough of her and tonight was testing his patience. As evidenced when Magda said good night. The moment she was out the door, Reese cupped the back of Merina's head and backed her through the foyer to the staircase, his mouth on hers. He took the banister with his other hand and walked her up the stairs, refusing to unseal his mouth from hers until they were close to the bedroom.
They didn't make it.
He pressed her against the wall, his self-control dwindling, his erection pulsing. Fingers fumbling, he managed to open two delicate buttons of her shirt before she reached up and finished the job for him, dropping it to the ground and greedily seeking his kisses.
He liked her greedy. He liked her half naked.
Burying his fingers into her hair, he reached around and flicked her bra open with the other. Then he freed her breasts, lowering his lips to taste first one nipple, then the next. The sensitive bud tightened on his tongue. He continued laving her, loving the way she writhed and the way her breath caught as he suckled her.
"Reese, God," she moaned, her hand in his hair, and arched her back. "I've wanted you all day."
"Same." He unzipped her skirt and shoved it down her legs.
He'd never spent an entire day wanting to see someone. Flashes of her naked, the sound of her tender moans in his ear, had assaulted him during meetings, while on the phone, and while drafting e-mails.