by Lexy Timms
A sigh escaped her lips. “I just worry that we might get in trouble. Like, no matter what happens, they’ll end up blaming us. Say we’re liable, because we were negligent and didn’t see the embezzlement sooner.”
“We’ve done our best to prevent any kind of scandal,” Dane said. “That’s why going to the police was the right call. Plus, we have a good team of lawyers.”
The photojournalist who had harassed them outside the police station would probably chase down the story. After Dane had gotten in the guy’s face, he was probably out for revenge. Breaking the story about an embezzlement case would be a juicy enough scandal to satisfy that. Especially if the media found a way to spin things and blame her or Dane for the crime.
“What happens when the story breaks?” she asked.
“Dad warned the detective that the press might find out, so right now everything is up to the police,” he replied. “They’ll be tapping the company phones within the next few days. All we can do now is wait to see what they discover.”
“Are you still going to sign your contract renewal?” She leaned against him, loving how safe his solid presence made her feel.
“Yes,” he said. “Right now, it’s my job to protect the staff. We can’t risk telling anyone else at Prescott about the embezzlement yet, because then the thief might hide or get rid of the evidence. So, the staff has no idea that things with the company are going to be rocky. It wouldn’t be fair for me to abandon them right before the police start an investigation like this.”
“I wish there was a way to avoid the worst of it,” she said.
“The best thing we can do is let the police handle things,” he said.
“Even though they suspect us?” she asked.
He frowned. “I don’t like how that cop talked to you today. But after they tap the phones, they’ll have to figure out the truth.”
“Just don’t antagonize the police,” she begged. “I don’t want them going after you—”
“I’m not going to put up with anyone disrespecting you,” he cut in sharply. “As long as the cops do their job, they have nothing to worry about.”
What worried her was what her husband might do if the police didn’t do their job. She had wanted to involve the police so that everything was transparent and above board. Only, that had backfired because the police now suspected them of embezzling. Allyson had wanted to do the right thing, and now it felt like they were both being punished for it.
“I’m just worried,” she confessed. “These last few months with you have been so wonderful, but now we have to deal with this mess.”
He pulled back to cup her face in his hands. “As long as we have each other, everything is worth it.”
She smiled. Dane traced his thumb across her lips and she trembled in response. No matter how afraid she got, knowing that she had her husband’s strength inspired a courage inside her that she’d never had before she met him. Allyson was already melting under his touch, and her eyes fluttered closed. When she felt his lips press against hers, a low moan sounded in her throat.
Allyson wanted him now. Desperately. Completely. The wall he had built up between them had been slowly crumbling since he confessed to not loving his job any more. There was a twinge in her heart at the thought of him being unhappy. But his delicious kiss chased those thoughts away.
As she opened her eyes she wrapped her arms around him, fusing her body to his. The place between her thighs throbbed with indescribable need. Already she was wet, her arousal taking over every inch of her body.
He dragged his mouth away to start kissing her neck. Each kiss warmed her and made her shiver at the same time. Slowly she started to lie back on the sleeping bag, pulling him down on top of her.
Dane stopped his kissing to stare deep into her eyes. “You’re not going to be too cold, are you?”
She laughed and shook her head. “Not with you here to warm me up.”
With a wolfish grin, her husband pulled at her sweater and helped her get it off. Then, he peeled away her jeans. She was down to nothing but her underwear. Somehow, right before her eyes, his clothes melted away until he was naked before her. His blond hair fell over his hungry eyes, every inch of his perfectly sculpted body making her mouth water.
When he lay on his side beside her she glanced down at his erection, a blush rising in her cheeks. No matter how many times they did this, Dane still had the ability to make her blush like a schoolgirl.
Quickly, she sat up to reach behind her to unhook her bra and then peel off her panties. When she lay back down, her head lay on his outstretched arm. She reached for his other arm and slowly started to guide his hand down to her throbbing sex. Wantonly, she spread her legs.
Dane’s eyebrow quirked up and he flashed a lazy smile. “Is that what you want?”
A giggle escaped her throat and she nodded. “Yes.”
He eased a finger into her slick, wet heat. Intense pleasure made her arch her back involuntarily. One touch already had her losing control. As he swirled his finger into her, she clenched around him. Her lips parted, but the sound of her ragged moan was lost as he teased her mouth open with his tongue.
The ecstasy he was giving her with his hand had her body quivering. The way his tongue swirled in her mouth as he eased another finger into her already had her on the edge. But it wasn’t enough. She ached to have more of him. To be under him.
She pulled her lips away to gasp, “Dane. I want you.” She whimpered, “Now. Please.”
Dane slipped his hand away from her and positioned himself between her legs. Wrapping her thighs around his waist, she guided him into her. She was crushed beneath his hard, solid body, and the delicious weight of her husband on top of her was already driving her wild.
He groaned as he thrust into her slowly, each powerful stroke filling her with more pleasure than the last. Desperately, she wrapped her arms around him, holding on to him tightly as he started to rock into her harder. Faster. Bliss consumed her. Unraveled her until she was trembling. Moaning his name. Having him like this on top of her showed her just how much he was willing to give. He always gave his all to her. Didn’t hold back as his body gave her pleasure.
The sensation of his hot skin on hers pushed her over the edge, her climax coming hard and fast. When he stared deep into her eyes he forced out a ragged breath, climaxing right after her.
Spent, he slipped off her and pulled her onto his chest. He was breathing so hard that when she placed her cheek on his torso, she felt his chest heave with each intake of breath. Her own heart was racing so fast she felt like it might explode.
Finally, his labored breathing slowed, and he gently kissed her forehead. That made her smile.
“I guess we christened the house,” Dane said.
She laughed, the sound bouncing off the walls. “I guess we did.”
They had just made love for the first time in their new home, and knowing that touched her still-racing heart. This house already meant so much to her, but now she knew their love was what was going to make it a real home. A home and a refuge from the craziness of living an upper-class life. Someday they would add even more love to the house, and settle down to have their children. In her husband’s arms she felt so content that she hardly knew what to do with herself.
“I love you,” she breathed.
“And I love you,” he said.
“Are you ready for the awards ceremony?” she asked, reminding him of the prize he was going to be given over the weekend.
“Honestly, with all this stuff going on at work this week, I forgot,” he said.
She snuggled up to him. “I haven’t forgotten. I’m so proud of you, Dane.” Despite his heart not being completely into Prescott Global, over the past six months he had done so much for the company. Saved countless jobs. Kept Prescott from going into debt. Made sure the investors were happy. The fact that he hadn’t been thrilled about it reminded her of what a caring, selfless man her husband was. Now he was going to renew
his contract, just so he could make sure the company’s employees were well taken care of.
“Thanks,” he said.
“You deserve it,” she said.
He grinned. “I think you’re more excited about this than I am.”
“It’s because I have a speech ready,” she said.
He groaned. “I forgot about the speech. What are you going to say about me?”
“I’m going to gush over you, of course,” she said with a smile.
“You’re obviously biased.” He chuckled.
“Of course, I am,” she said. “I have a thing for strong, capable men. Naturally, I’d take a liking to you.”
“I knew you had a crush on the boss,” he teased.
“Can you blame me?” She rained kisses down on his face, enjoying the feel of his stubbled jaw against her skin.
His laughter was cut short by his cell phone ringing. Dane groaned again. Reluctantly he reached for his pants to yank his phone out of the pocket.
He sat up to answer it. “Dane Prescott.” His blue eyes narrowed. “Oh. It’s you. What do you want?”
Sitting up straighter she hugged her knees, wondering who could be making her husband this agitated already. Her heart froze at the thought that it might be bad news from work. Or worse, the police.
“No, I’m not giving you anything,” he muttered. “And neither is my wife.”
Chapter 6
He hung up the phone and shot to his feet.
“Who was that?” Allyson asked.
Dane reached for his clothes and started to get dressed. “A newspaper editor.” The fact that the editor himself had been brazen enough to call meant that whatever they had on Prescott was concrete. Damn it. He knew the media would get wind of the embezzlement story soon, but this was even sooner than he’d anticipated.
She sighed. “These tabloids are relentless.”
“It wasn’t a tabloid,” he said shaking his head. “It was one of the respectable newspapers. They’ve been digging around for a story. They’re looking for someone to corroborate the rumors about the embezzlement.”
“How do they know already?”
“My guess is that detective talked to the press,” he muttered. Anger flared. Going to the police had probably been the right call, but it had been a mistake to trust that they’d keep the story to themselves.
“You really think a police officer would do that?” she asked. “Wouldn’t something like that put his job in jeopardy?”
“It’s possible that the detective told a tabloid in exchange for money,” he said. “We have no way of knowing for sure, but I’m guessing that’s how the more legitimate newspapers got wind of it.”
“So…what did the editor want?”
“He promised to spin the embezzlement story in our favor if we gave him something better,” he said. “They’re looking for an even bigger story.”
“What on earth could be bigger?” she asked.
“They seem to think we know who the thief is,” Dane said. “If we give the details on who the thief is, they won’t blame us for mishandling the crime.”
She groaned. “This is bad.”
“It gets worse,” he said grimly. “They think we have something to do with the embezzlement. That’s the story they want to run with. Basically, an exposé blaming you and me for the problem, and accusing us of keeping it from the company for months.”
“But we’ve only just found out. We have nothing to do with the embezzlement. We had no idea.” She started to pull her clothes back on.
The truth wasn’t going to stop the media from printing all kind of innuendos. Detective Rossi had said it himself: he and Allyson were the prime suspects. It wouldn’t matter if Allyson had been a media darling these past few months. Nobody would care that they had tried to do the right thing by reporting the matter to the police. Scandal was what sold newspapers and drove headlines.
“They won’t care about the real story,” he said. “Right now, we have to inform the board. Even if one of them might be the thief, we have to let them in on what we know before the story blows wide open in the media. Then we can leak some information to the press. Get the word out that the police are involved and we’re addressing the problem head-on.”
She stood up and nodded. “Right. Show that we don’t have anything to hide. You did the right thing not taking the newspaper editor’s bait.”
“The problem with this mess is that even when something is the right thing, it feels wrong,” he said forcefully. “It’s like every choice is a bad choice.”
“Well, with the awards ceremony coming up this week, we can use it as an opportunity to get some good press,” she said. “Show that Prescott is united and moving forward.” She bit her lip. “I’ll have to amend my speech. Make reference to the fact that people might have heard rumors, but we’re working on protecting the company.”
“What about the staff?” he asked. “If news about the embezzlement really does get out, their jobs could be in jeopardy. Dealing with someone raiding their pensions and benefits is bad enough, but if the investors are spooked they might insist on layoffs.”
“I wish there was a way to help…” Allyson wrapped her arms around him tightly.
Holding her close always reminded him that, no matter how bad things got, she was right beside him. Her fierce, stubborn support sometimes infuriated him, but he was nothing without it. Nothing without her. She was the one who inspired him to keep going. To keep trying to help the staff, as if they were all a family. Even if his heart wasn’t in the company like it had once been, the employees would always be important to him. “I’m going to set aside some of my own money to make up for the loss.”
She stood on her tiptoes to brush her lips against his. With a smile she said, “I don’t know how Prescott could ever survive without you.” She paused. “If you do want to step down after all this is over, the company will be fine. I just meant…”
He kissed her again. “I know, honey. I know.”
~~*~~
Allyson would never get used to these fancy events. She glanced around at the crowd that was seated in the auditorium. New York’s business elite seemed to have all turned up for Dane’s award, despite the rumors floating around.
A crowd full of so many privileged people always frayed her nerves. Even with all the private etiquette lessons she had been taking over the past six months, her insides were in knots. She reached for the glass of water on the table and took a sip of the cold liquid. Hopefully, the water would have get her nerves under control. Tonight was supposed to be Dane’s night. Allyson didn’t want to ruin it with her jitters.
“You look so beautiful,” her husband whispered into her ear.
His warm breath against her skin sent a delighted tingle through her. The strapless dress she had on was elegant and understated. Because tonight was about her husband, she had settled on a basic black evening gown and a pair of black gloves, complete with pearl jewelry. A year ago, she never could have imagined that she would be able to afford an outfit like this. Not to mention, this event was so exclusive she knew the only way she had access to it was because she was Dane’s wife.
Pushing aside the doubts about her unearned privilege and lack of achievements, she reached for her husband’s huge hand and squeezed it encouragingly. Dane looked positively gorgeous sitting beside her dressed in a tux, his wavy golden hair slicked back.
“And you look perfect,” she whispered back.
“Ready to give your speech tonight?”
“Yes, I’m ready,” she said with more confidence than she felt. Butterflies fluttered around in her stomach. She had written and rewritten her speech. Gone over it in front of a mirror a thousand times. Even got a public speaking coach to help her. That didn’t do much to ease her sudden rush of anxiety. Soon, she would have to get up, walk up onto the stage several feet away, and speak in front of all these people.
Worst of all, even though the press hadn’t released the story
about the embezzlement, Dane had informed Prescott Global’s board. The board hadn’t kept the secret for long, and New York’s business community was already buzzing with rumors. The police had also showed up at Prescott yesterday and discreetly started tapping company phones. Only she, the police, Dane, his father, and their lawyer knew about the tap, so that rumor hadn’t gotten out. Yet.
“I know how much you’ve been practicing,” her husband said. “You’re always well-prepared. I know you’re going to give a terrific speech.”
She set her glass down, letting his words wash over her. The butterflies weren’t fluttering as much. Dane’s belief in her was already lifting her spirits. Making her feel better. Like she could do anything. “Thanks,” she said with a tiny smile.
The other guests at their table were busy chatting excitedly. Dane’s parents were sitting on the other end, having a conversation with his father’s assistant, Francesca Barnes, and her parents. Ordinarily, assistants got into events like this if they were on the clock and working for their bosses, but Fran was from an illustrious family. It was well known that the Barnes family had lost most of its fortune, but they still had a lot of clout. They still moved in upper-class circles. That was how rich they had been. Despite the humiliation of the loss, the upper class still invited them to events like this.
Allyson swallowed a frown at the sight of Francesca grinning from ear to ear. Fran wasn’t exactly a nice person, and had been an ally of that awful Katherine Handel. Still, tonight was about Dane; she wasn’t going to let Francesca Barnes dampen her spirits.
Besides, some of her friends were also seated at the table. Gordon and Martha Faraway were her closest friends in high society, and they had showed up to support Dane despite his obvious dislike of them.
Martha, who was sitting next to her, smiled and glanced at the pearl bracelet she wore around her gloved wrist. “That’s a lovely bracelet, Allyson,” Martha murmured.