Temporary Boss...Forever Husband

by Stacy Connelly

Sharing his success… For a man like Zach, that might be as close as he would get to opening his heart.

  Tears burned her eyes, but before a single one could fall, Zach pulled her into his arms. Resting her head against his chest, Allison breathed in the subtle scent of his cologne and let the warmth of his body soothe the bruised and broken edges of her soul. His palm ran up and down the length of her spine, and Allison’s tears eased with each caress until they finally subsided. Gradually, she became aware of his hand resting at the curve of her hip and the steady, hypnotic beat of his heart against her cheek. Any minute now, she knew she’d have to unclench the back of his shirt from her fists and step away even though all she really wanted was to be closer. Much closer…

  Because you haven’t already acted like a total fool, you might as well throw yourself at him.

  Her face heating at the thought, Allison ducked her head and pulled away. “Oh, how you must hate this,” she said with a watery laugh.

  Zach lifted her chin and quirked an eyebrow at her as he brushed the tears from her cheeks. “Which part?”

  “Um, the overly emotional woman crying all over you—again—because of her personal problems part?”

  “Oh, well, that wasn’t so bad. Especially if it helped.” The concern was back as he asked, “Did it? Enough for me to ask how things went with you and Bethany without risk of more tears?”

  “Yes, it helped, but no promises on the no-more-tears angle,” she warned.

  “I’ll take my chances.”

  “I’ve been waiting for an opening to make things up to Bethany, but I never wanted this.” Wandering over to the couch, she sank into the cushion and pulled a pillow into her lap; she hugged it against her chest as if the soft comfort might somehow protect her aching heart. “What’s worse is that I still don’t know if it changed anything. If she’s ever going to completely forgive me.”

  “She will.”

  Certainty cemented Zach’s words as he sat beside her, and Allison clung to them like an anchor even as she asked, “How can you be so sure?”

  “Because,” he said, his expression as tender as his touch as he brushed a lock of hair away from her cheek, “if she’s anything like you, family means everything. She’s still angry, but she won’t stay that way forever. Not when she knows how much you care about her.”

  She cared just as much about Zach, but she couldn’t tell him. Words would only push him away, but she knew how to draw him closer. Leaning forward, she brushed her lips against his, her touch as feather light as his was against her cheek. But the combination of heat and breath added to the intensity, to the desire that had been building for weeks.

  Allison leaned back, wanting, needing to see that he wanted this as much as she did. Wanted her as much as she wanted him. The catch in his breathing, the blue-black darkening of his eyes and tension tightening his entire body convinced her. His hands skimmed down her back, coming to rest at her waist, fingers rhythmically tightening on her hips, and she let the pillow fall to the floor, exchanging cool softness for the warmth and strength of his shoulders. She inhaled his cologne, the now-familiar scent leaving her restless and aching.

  In the back of her mind, warning flares fired off, one right after another in a mental SOS Allison fought to ignore. She was too emotional, too vulnerable for this to happen now. Every last reserve was stretched to the breaking point, shoring up her defenses to keep her heart from bleeding out over her sister’s accusations. She couldn’t withstand another assault, especially not the sensual, seductive kind Zach was waging.

  You can’t have everything… Bethany’s words rang in her head, and Allison knew they were true. Everything would have been Zach in her arms for more than one night; everything would have been knowing he was falling for her as hard and as fast as she was falling for him.

  She couldn’t have everything, but she could have tonight, and she could hope that would be enough.

  She sank into his kiss, letting the heat wash over her, soothing her emotional aches until the idea of leaving his arms was as chilling as the thought of jumping from a hot spring into an icy lake. She wanted to stay forever; weightless, boneless and buoyed by gentle, easy eddies.

  Allison wasn’t sure when the current changed, when the blood in her veins picked up speed, when the white-water rapids of desire rushed through her. Zach’s grip on her hip tightened as he stretched full length beside her. His tongue teased her upper lip, tracing and tasting the sensitive flesh without giving into her demands for more. Unwilling to simply drift along any longer, Allison shifted her weight, pressing her breasts to his chest, her legs straddling his. And just like that, the anchor holding back his need gave way.

  Catching her face in his hands, he surged into the kiss. A sensual thrill raced through her. She’d known Zach would be like this—as focused and dedicated to pleasure as he was to business. His breath was ragged in her ear as he trailed kisses along her collarbone left bare by the wide neck of her T-shirt. He followed the delicate line to the hollow of her throat and between her breasts where her heart pounded a crazy, wild beat.

  She gasped his name as she fisted her hands in the starched crispness of his shirt. Answering the need in her voice, Zach cupped her breast. Her flesh swelled beneath the heat of his touch, her nipple tightening into his palm, the friction of super-soft cotton almost as arousing as the tug and pull of skin against skin. Almost.

  Pure pleasure keeping her doubts at bay, Allison rose to her knees on either side of Zach’s hips. She grasped for the hem of her shirt, ready to pull it over her head, but his hands got in the way. Not in a tangle of material as he tried to strip away her clothes but as he reached up to rub a thumb beneath her eye. His touch left a damp trail against her cheek, a reminder of the tears she’d cried. Running mascara and messy makeup was normally a morning after concern, not a problem the night before, but Allison didn’t think it was raccoon eyes that had Zach slowing down.

  But without the rush of passion, hurt and regret crowded in, burning the back of her throat and stinging her eyes like bitter acid. Not yet, she thought, almost desperately. Please, not yet. She wasn’t ready to face reality, not if she could live in the fantasy of Zach’s arms for a little longer.

  He pushed into a sitting position, but Allison took advantage of an arrangement that left them eye to eye, mouth to mouth…

  “Allie.”

  She felt him speak, giving her name taste and texture instead of merely sound, and she answered in kind, whispering against his lips. “Yes?”

  “I’m not taking advantage of you.”

  “No,” she said in quick agreement. “You’re not.”

  His rough laugh reverberated through her entire body. “I mean, I’m not taking advantage of you.” He caught her face in his hands, holding her gaze when she might have ducked away from the compassion and understanding she saw there. “You’ve had an emotional evening. I don’t want you to regret this in the morning.”

  It was that protective streak of his, the one he tried so hard to hide. Taking control of his actions and taking possession of her heart. “I don’t—”

  “Don’t what?”

  Breaking every rule, every promise she’d made to herself, Allison whispered, “I don’t want you to go.”

  Settling her against his chest, Zach murmured, “I’m right here.”

  Right here. Right now.

  With her head pressed to his heart, Allison counted every beat and measured every breath as she tried to remember everything about a moment she already knew wouldn’t last.

  Chapter Ten

  As the door to James Collins’s office opened, Zach turned at the sound but the man he was expecting didn’t step through the doorway. If this was another one of Riana Collins’s games— Checking his anger, he calmly said, “Hello, Riana. It’s good to see you again.”

  “Is it?” A wry smile tugged her lips as she stepped into the room. The black sweaterdress she wore covered her from neck to knee, but the thin material hugge
d every impressive curve like an expensive sports car handling a dangerous road. Any smart man would proceed with caution, but cautious men weren’t the type to buy sports car, were they?

  As Allison pointed out, men bought those cars because of how they made them feel—rich and powerful and sexy.

  Riana was all of those things, but she still left Zach cold.

  But Allison—Allison turned him on like no woman ever had.

  For the first time in his life, he’d spent the night with a woman without actually spending the night—some kind of testament when it came to self-control, he was sure. He wasn’t sure how long he’d held her on the couch, her body curled into his, before she fell asleep.

  With her head cradled against his chest, she’d looked young and fragile, her eyes closed and her lips gently parted. Her quick-thinking, fast-talking personality hid a vulnerability that brought a tenderness and protective side out in him. And whether she knew it or not, Allison had put those newfound instincts to a serious test.

  In the early hours of the morning, she’d taken a deep breath, stretched, and shifted closer, her soft, languid body a painful contrast to his own. He’d read the surrender in her still slumberous gaze and knew she wouldn’t have resisted. One kiss, one touch, and she would have been his. The tension in his body clamored for release, to take what Allison was offering. But, keeping his promise not to take advantage, he’d urged her into bed, leaving her with nothing more than an innocent kiss…

  That had been less than three hours ago, and if he’d dragged himself away to jump through another one of Riana’s hoops—

  “Relax, Zach,” the brunette told him as she picked up on the frustration he’d tried to hide. “My father will be here in a minute. He’d never miss a business meeting. His company is what he lives for.”

  She waved her hand at the surrounding office, and Zach had to admit, the place all but confirmed her words. The area looked ready for a photo shoot for an architectural magazine. The room combined classic cherrywood in the built-in shelves and enormous desk with modern touches of polished chrome in the lighting, free-form sculptures, black granite floors and state-of-the-art computer system.

  Everything was spotless and completely impersonal. There was nothing to reveal James Collins as anything but a focused, driven businessman.

  Still, Zach argued, “I think more than the company matters to your father. At the groundbreaking, he introduced employees who’d been with him for years, decades even, and now they’ve made the move across country to be here for this new beginning. People don’t show that level of a commitment unless they’ve been treated well. Treated like family.”

  For a split second, Zach thought he saw something soften in Riana’s expression, but then she tossed her head with a laugh. “That’s some golden tongue, Zach. You almost had me believing that pitch.”

  “I know you think my job is all about making a sale, but to me, it’s more than that.”

  Riana raised her eyebrows, her doubt obvious. “Normally, I can pin people down within a few minutes. When we first met, I had you as a man who lived to work, one who’d do anything for his career.”

  “You were right. That’s exactly who I am.”

  That’s who I am.

  But Riana’s eyes narrowed, still studying him like someone she’d never seen before, and who could blame her? He fought the urge to loosen the tie suddenly strangling him, but he knew it wouldn’t help. He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, uncomfortable in his own skin.

  You’re a great salesman, but what matters more is that you’re a great guy.

  Only days ago, he would have sworn nothing meant more to him than being a great salesman. Now, he knew differently. What mattered most was that Allison believed in him. That she thought he was a good guy whether he was ready to believe it or not.

  Lowering his arm, he told Riana, “But that’s not all I am.”

  Riana shook her head with a soft laugh. “I guess not. Not anymore.”

  “Morning, Zach. Sorry I’m late.” With his gaze focused on his phone, James Collins was halfway into the room before he spotted his daughter in his office. “Riana, what—”

  His daughter breezed by him with barely a glance. “I was just leaving, Daddy. Zach’s all yours.”

  James glanced back over his shoulder in his daughter’s wake, and for a moment, Zach saw what Allison had been telling him all along. James Collins might be a hardened businessman, but he was also a widowed father at a loss with his own daughter. But by the time James looked back at Zach, all confusion had cleared from his expression, and he pierced Zach with a no-nonsense stare.

  “Before we start, you should know whatever relationship you have with my daughter will have no bearing on my decision.”

  “I didn’t think it would, but before we start, I should point out that Riana and I don’t have any kind of relationship outside of business.”

  James held his gaze for another moment before offering an abrupt nod and stating, “All right then. Have a seat.”

  In the years that he’d worked at Knox, Zach had learned to read prospective clients. He knew when a presentation was going well. Forty-five minutes in, the presentation with James Collins was not going well.

  Not that Collins had given anything away. Seated across the desk from Zach, the man had listened to everything Zach said, responded to his questions, asked a few of his own. But Zach knew the man was nowhere near signing a contract.

  You need that personal connection.

  Allison’s voice whispered through his thoughts. If he wanted her to believe in him, trust in him, then maybe wasn’t it time he took that same chance on her?

  Hoping he wasn’t about to commit professional suicide, Zach said, “The truth is, Mr. Collins, Knox Security is the best around. And I can tell you everything you’d want to know about our motion detectors and pressure sensors, and all the devices designed to keep your jewelry safe. But where I think Knox Security excels is in keeping people safe.”

  Taking a deep breath and wishing Allison was there with him, he dove into uncharted waters. “That was a major factor for me and my mother when we were looking for a security system after our home was invaded.” Zach saw the first flicker of interest in Collins’s expression as he briefly explained the break-in. “I hated leaving my mom at home alone after that, but the alarm helped.”

  “You know,” Collins said with a smile, “the first piece of jewelry I ever created was for my mother on Mother’s Day. She assured me it was the most beautiful brooch she’d ever seen. Even then I knew it was hideous.”

  “Must be worth a fortune now.”

  The older man laughed. “It might have been if it hadn’t fallen apart after a few weeks.” Collins leaned forward and took another look at the sales folder Allison had prepared. “Tell me more about the silent alarm…”

  Allison’s cell phone rang once, then fell silent. A quick glance showed Daryl’s number illuminated on the screen. Picking up a nearby water glass, she rapped a fork against the side. “Hey, everybody!” she called out, trying to be heard over the sports bar’s raucous party atmosphere. “Daryl and Zach are on their way!” A loud cheer followed her announcement. “Everybody hide!”

  “Where?” Brett Mitchell called out.

  The bar was packed with Knox employees, all gathered to celebrate Zach’s now unquestionable victory. It was Daryl’s job to get the hero of the hour to the party where Caroline had arranged for appetizers and a cash bar.

  “Um…” Allison caught Caroline’s eye. The other woman shrugged helplessly, leaving Allison to gaze at two dozen or so of her fellow employees. “Okay, everybody face away from the entrance and try to look shifty. Like people who would never work at a security company!”

  A round of laughter followed her announcement, but many of the partygoers did turn to face the back patio. Less than a minute later, Allison heard a party horn blow, the signal for Zach’s arrival, and she and everyone else turned to shout, “Surprise!”


  Laughing, Zach made a big show of accepting high fives and slaps on the back. Watching him, Allison felt a rush of pride. It was a foolish feeling, almost as foolish as the need to rush over to him, throw her arms around his neck and congratulate him with a kiss worthy of one of Collins Jewelers romantic commercials.

  It didn’t help any that her last memory of Zach—one burned into her heart for all time, she feared—was of him brushing a soft kiss against her lips and leaving her with a murmured, “Dream of me.”

  Like she’d had any choice! Zach had worked his way under her skin, into her heart, filling her thoughts waking or sleeping, and Allison was afraid she was in big, big trouble.

  It took almost fifteen minutes before he made his way over to her, but she felt every step he took toward her. Like standing on a dry beach and waiting for high tide, she anticipated the moment when Zach would overwhelm her, pour over her and pull her deeper into an irresistible undertow…

  One good wave, she thought. That’s all it will take.

  “Allison.”

  His voice sent shivers down her spine, and she fought to the urge to shush him before anyone else could overhear the husky murmur that brought heated kisses to mind. A quick look around reassured her no one else noticed.

  So maybe it was only her mind.

  Trying to focus, she said, “Congratulations. The whole company’s thrilled for you.”

  His lips quirked in a sexy smile. “The whole company’s thrilled for free food.”

  Allison could hardly argue his point. Although everyone had been quick to offer their congratulations, most had been equally as quick to head toward the buffet and bar. “So, tell me, how much are you hating this?”

  “You have to ask?”

  “I’m so happy to be partly responsible for causing you pain and misery,” she teased, “but maybe, just maybe, you can forget about work for one night and enjoy yourself.”

  Leaning closer, he said, “I wasn’t exactly thinking about work last night.”

  Allison was tempted to ask if he’d enjoyed himself when Daryl stepped to the center of the crowd. “If I could have everyone’s attention. Attention, please,” he repeated, but with the party atmosphere, no one heard him over the loud music and sounds of celebration.