Her Boss by Day...

by Joss Wood

  Willa blinked at his prosaic statement, and then she laughed. Typical Rob, so damn forthright. ‘I can do that. For you.’

  ‘Well, since there won’t be anyone else for you it had better be for me,’ Rob growled, picking up her hand and placing a kiss on her wrist.

  ‘So we are fully monogamous?’ Willa asked.

  ‘Hell, yes. Fully monogamous, fully involved, no half-measures.’ Rob placed his hands on either side of her hips and leaned forward, his eyes demanding her full attention. ‘I was wrong before.’

  ‘For what?’ Willa asked. ‘For leaving me?’

  ‘That too,’ Rob admitted. ‘I don’t think I’m in love with you; I am in love with you. You okay with that?’

  Willa sighed. ‘Very.’

  ‘I’m tough and tactless and honest—’

  Willa placed her fingers on his mouth to stop him from talking. ‘And you love me. But—’

  He frowned. ‘But?’

  ‘Do you trust me?’

  He swallowed as his eyes filled with emotion. ‘I do, I promise. For me, I can’t do one without the other.’

  ‘Then that’s the biggest gift you can give me. Along with the fact that you love me as I am...that you see me clearly. I love that—and I love you.’

  Rob’s eyes reflected the emotion that was brimming in hers. ‘I never thought I needed to hear the words...hear a woman—my woman—speak them. I never realised the power, the...the hope for the future.’

  Willa placed her face in the crook of his neck as he gathered her close. Their naked bodies tangled together, arms and legs and bits and bobs all finding their place, settling in, knowing that they were home. Her heart settled and sighed, and her soul curled up next to its warmth.

  Willa yawned and Rob gently tugged her head back by her hair, so that he could see her face. ‘You haven’t been sleeping?’

  ‘No, and neither have you,’ Willa replied, before yawning again. ‘Let’s have a nap and then we’ll find something for supper.’

  But Rob’s hand was cupping her bottom and his hardening erection told her that he had other plans.

  ‘Or we can do that instead,’ she said.

  Rob pushed her back onto the bed and loomed over her, his erection nudging her entrance. He groaned. ‘I just want to feel you...’

  Willa surged up and he slipped inside, harder and hotter and so much better without a condom.

  ‘Ah...hell...’ Rob groaned and pulled out, cursing as he reached for a condom out of the box that lived in the bedside drawer. ‘I’m not prepared to risk it. I’m too selfish to share you with a mini-me or mini-you just yet.’

  Willa sighed her relief as she helped him roll on a condom. Kids were for the future—not for a while yet. She wanted to be selfish too, and concentrate on loving Rob. And having Rob love her...

  As he was doing right now—and incredibly well too.

  * * *

  Much, much later they made it to the kitchen and Willa, feeling as if her legs had turned to Jello, slid onto a stool and placed her arms on the granite counter. She tucked Rob’s T-shirt under her bare bottom and thought that Rob had never looked more sexy, wearing jeans and a satisfied, happy smile.

  Except that the smile was now replaced with a frown as he pulled his face out of the fridge. ‘Didn’t you eat while I was gone? There’s nothing in here!’

  Willa lifted a shoulder. ‘What was the point? I couldn’t taste anything.’

  Rob’s eyes softened before he reached back into the fridge and pulled out a carton of eggs and a block of mouldy cheese. After hacking off the mould he beat the eggs and grated the cheese while Willa watched him.

  ‘I’m sorry I hurt you,’ he stated quietly. ‘It was never my intention.’

  ‘I know,’ Willa replied, looking at her hands.

  While she knew that she loved him, and he loved her, they still had a lot to work through.

  ‘What now, Rob?’

  Rob lifted an eyebrow at her.

  ‘I don’t want to push you into a corner, but where do we go from here?’ Willa gabbled. ‘Are you going to commute? How often will I see you? Can we do this?’

  Rob reached across the counter and placed his hand on hers and squeezed. ‘Willa...relax. We’ll work it out... Let’s eat first and then we’ll chat.’

  After polishing off cheese omelettes and toast and marmalade Willa made coffee and they walked onto the veranda to take advantage of the warm night.

  Willa went to sit on one of the chairs, but Rob yanked her over to his chair and pulled her down onto his lap.

  ‘I have no intention of letting you be more than a hair’s breadth away from me for the foreseeable future.’ He placed a kiss on her temple. ‘Okay, let’s thrash this out. I saw the “For Sale” sign outside—are you wanting to sell this house?’

  Willa shrugged. ‘It’s so big...’

  ‘For one person. For a couple too. But I like the space. It would be a wonderful family home later on.’ Rob looked around. ‘I’d buy it from you...for us.’

  Willa looked at him in astonishment. ‘Seriously? You’d live here?’

  ‘In a heartbeat. I’d live in a tin shack if you were in it. But, that aside, if you want the cash in the bank I’ll buy it. If you want to keep it as yours—as your asset—and share it with me, that’s good too. If you want to sell it, that’s your choice,’ Rob said. ‘I can’t live here full-time, Wills. I have to go home regularly. My business needs me there and I like being around my family—even though half of them are going travelling. A long story,’ he said at her quizzical look.

  ‘Okay. So I’d see you every couple of months?’ Willa swallowed. It wasn’t ideal, but...

  ‘Hell, no. Where I go, you go.’ Rob twisted his lips as he realised what he’d said. ‘That came out wrong. I’m hoping that you will continent-hop with me. Live with me here and there.’

  Willa thought for a moment and sighed. ‘I hate the thought of not being with you, but I do need to work, Rob. I don’t want to be idle, useless—like I was. That means finding a job.’

  ‘You have a job.’

  Rob laughed at her shock.

  ‘And this time it has nothing to do with me. Patrick wants you to carry on working with him... There’s too much work and you’ve been taking a load off his shoulders. He said that even if I was idiotic enough to give you up he wasn’t going to—you’re too valuable to let go. So you’d report to him, not me, and it wouldn’t matter if you worked here or there. Both.’

  Willa couldn’t believe his words and her stomach filled with warmth, with the thrill of knowing that her work was valued. ‘That sounds amazing... I’d love to carry on working for...’ she grinned at him ‘...for Patrick.’

  Rob just shook his head and brushed his mouth against hers. ‘Let me know what you want to do about this house, but the furniture has to go.’

  ‘Okay,’ Willa agreed, her head resting on his shoulder. She felt Rob take a deep breath and wondered what he was going to say next.

  ‘Do you want to get married?’

  Willa swallowed down the impulsive need to say yes and thought about his question. She could be honest, she reminded herself. Rob could take it.

  ‘I love you, but no...not yet. I just got divorced—a week ago, to be precise—and I want to...be. Just be Willa for a while. Can you understand that?’

  Rob yawned, and when he sank further down into the chair with her, utterly relaxed, she knew that he was fine with her answer.

  ‘Let me know if that changes,’ he said, his arms tightening around her. ‘But, married or not, you’re mine.’

  ‘I so am,’ Willa agreed, and allowed her eyes to drift closed.

  EPILOGUE

  WILLA LAY WITH her head on Rob’s shoulder after they’d spent another da
y lazing around... AKA spending the day in bed, getting hot and steamy. It was her absolute favourite way to while away the hours.

  Rob’s hand stroked her spine and she listened to the reassuring thump of his heartbeat under her ear. This was love, she thought. Quiet, strong, tangible. Willa looked out of the huge window and sighed at the orange and pink sunset... Night was falling and she was starving.

  Food...food would be good around about now.

  ‘Rob...?’ she wheedled.

  She felt his grin. ‘No.’

  ‘You don’t even know what I was about to ask...’

  ‘Coffee, food, more sex... Actually, yes to more sex.’

  She was utterly, crazily, besottedly in love with her man, but this house was run as a democracy—which meant that it was his turn to make supper. For about the fourth night in a row.

  ‘No to everything but the sex,’ Rob reiterated.

  Willa turned her head and nipped his chest. ‘You suck!’ she muttered against his skin.

  ‘No, actually, that was you...’

  Rob’s deep voice drifted over her and she laughed.

  ‘By the way,’ he said, ‘I had the most amazing day planned for us today...’

  Willa moved back slightly and tipped her head up to look at his rueful face. ‘You did? What? And why?’

  ‘Well, I owe you a day to celebrate your divorce.’

  Willa wrinkled her nose, trying to keep up. Then she remembered asking Rob to do something wild with her to celebrate her freedom and she grinned. ‘What were we going to do?’

  ‘I hired a Ducati. We were going up the coast for lunch. Then we were booked to go sky-diving or bungee-jumping—and maybe abseiling.’

  ‘Sounds like fun. And what happened to my day?’

  Rob rubbed his hand over her butt. ‘Well, we started making love and we didn’t stop. Your fault.’

  ‘Hey, you made something for me during the night and I had to use it!’ Willa protested. ‘We’ll have to do all that another day...’

  ‘Yeah...’

  The strident peal of the doorbell had Willa bolting up in bed, her eyes as wide as saucers.

  ‘The doorbell is ringing...are you expecting anyone?’

  Rob looked at his watch. ‘Oh, hell, yeah... Sort of forgot about that.’

  Willa raised her eyebrows. ‘Sort of forgot about what?’

  ‘That would be the cocktail party in your honour.’ Rob placed his hands behind his head and looked utterly relaxed. ‘Kate and Amy and Jessica are throwing you a we’re-so-happy-you’re-divorced party.’

  Willa placed her hand on her heart and her eyes looked suspiciously moist. ‘Aw, that’s so sweet. I hope they’ve organised food and drinks too...’

  ‘Caterers. Hired bar. Hired music.’ Rob shrugged.

  Willa leaned over him and took his face in her hands. She kissed him before dropping her hands and sliding them over his chest, touching his hard, hot skin. ‘I’d much rather call it my so-happy-to-have-found-you party.’

  ‘I like that,’ Rob growled.

  Willa’s fingers danced over his six-pack and slid under the waistband of his briefs.

  Rob’s eyes deepened with passion and he groaned. ‘You keep doing that and we’re not going anywhere.’

  Willa smirked. ‘Works for me.’

  Then her mobile vibrated on her nightstand and she leaned across him to pick it up. She grinned and showed him the display with Amy’s name on the screen.

  Do not make me come and get you. You have fifteen minutes!!!!

  Rob grinned and flipped her over. ‘There is so much that I can do in fifteen minutes.’

  He was true to his word—but they were still an hour late for her party.

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from DELUCCA’S MARRIAGE CONTRACT by Abby Green.

  An ebook exclusive from Harlequin!

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  So let the fireworks begin!

  Her Boss by Day... by Joss Wood

  Available February 2015

  The Millionaire’s Proposition by Avril Tremayne

  Available March 2015

  The Tycoon’s Stowaway by Stefanie London

  Available April 2015

  The Hotel Magnate’s Demand by Jennifer Rae

  Available May 2015

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  PROLOGUE

  ‘THAT’S THE DEAL, Delucca, take it or leave it. I don’t think I need to tell you that if you leave it the O’Connor brand won’t be affected.’

  Giancarlo Delucca gritted his jaw at the arrogant tone. The unspoken insinuation from the older Irish man wasn’t subtle: But the Delucca brand might languish in European shopping aisles for years before making it globally.

  Gianni, still reeling slightly, looked at Liam O’Connor, who sat in a leather chair with his back to the impressive view of Dublin’s financial district.

  ‘And what does your daughter think of this proposed arranged marriage?’

  O’Connor’s grey eyes narrowed, and there was a barely perceptible tightening around his mouth. ‘Keelin is loyal to the family business.’

  Gianni responded with a hint of incredulity. ‘Loyal enough to agree to a marriage of convenience?’

  Suddenly feeling agitated, Gianni didn’t wait for a reply and went to stand at one of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows. He put his hands in his pockets to stop himself from running them impatiently through his hair—a bad habit. He felt claustrophobic. Marriage. That word called up all sorts of dark images and bad memories. He’d only ever seen the worst a marriage had to offer so he’d vowed never to take that route himself. But the unpalatable fact was that he needed this merger with the vastly successful O’Connor Foods brand to break into the more lucrative global market, and namely, America.

  That would take him away from the bitter memories of his childhood and young adulthood. It would civilise the Delucca name, make him invulnerable, and in time no one would ever remember that Delucca had once been one of the Mafia’s most notorious names.

  O’Connor’s voice came from behind him. ‘Keelin is a beautiful woman. Well educated. She’ll be an asset on your arm as you move forward and expand.’

  Gianni’s mouth tightened as the kind of domestic scenario he hadn’t ever envisaged took root in his mind, much to his disgust. He didn’t want O’Connor to see the myriad emotions he was feeling in his eyes, so didn’t turn around. ‘You
think that I can’t find a wife of my own choosing?’ Not that he’d contemplated it!

  Liam O’Connor laughed dryly. ‘Delucca, I have no doubt that you could click your fingers and find a wife in seconds. Your reputation—’

  Gianni swung around then, cutting the other man off. He forced his voice to sound calm when inside he felt hot, irritated. ‘Be very careful, O’Connor.’

  The other man stood up from behind his desk and came around it. He was tall and imposing. Handsome, with a head of thick silver hair. The older alpha male squaring up to the younger one, even if Gianni was taller, younger and infinitely more handsome than O’Connor ever had been. Gianni knew all about alpha males; he’d squared up to the most alpha of them all: his father.

  O’Connor spoke bluntly. ‘No other company can give you the instant sheen of respectability that we can, merely by association. If we merge, people trust our name enough to automatically trust you. Your products will be on shelves across the world within months. I am offering you the chance to prove your commitment to both your brand and your family name. You don’t need me to tell you that the people you will be dealing with will be more likely to put their trust and investment in a family man.’

  Again the unspoken rang as loudly as a bell in the room: And in someone who didn’t have links to the underworld, or who had the damaging reputation of a playboy. Damn him. O’Connor was right. So how badly did he want this? Badly enough to embark on a union he’d never wished for? For the sake of a deal? Social acceptance? Professional respectability?

  But it’s the deal of a lifetime, whispered a little voice.

  Wanting to assert his position more, Gianni pointed out, ‘That may very well be the case but don’t forget that your own business will be reinvigorated by a new association with a luxury Italian brand of products, the first merger of its kind.’

  O’Connor inclined his head with a spark in his eyes. He obviously didn’t like to be reminded that his motives weren’t exactly altruistic.