The Once-a-Mistress Wife

“Didn’t you already eat?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be fine. We can go back to Grandfather’s—I mean, my house—and I’ll grab a salad there.”

“You’re the boss.”

“I wish. You aren’t the type to let a woman tell you what to do,” she said, walking across the park toward the parking lot.

“You’re right,” he said, falling into step beside her. “But I do always consider your desires.”

She flushed. He knew her well enough to know the look on her face meant she was thinking of sex. His personality was dominant in the bedroom and out. He remembered building her to the edge of climax time and again, then waiting for her sweet cries of frustration before he finally plunged deep into her body and brought them both the relief they desperately needed.

He wrapped his arm around her waist, causing her to stop. She tipped her head back to look at him, and he noted that her pupils were dilated and her breathing was a little heavier than it had been earlier. “Do you want me, Mary-Belle?”

She opened her mouth, her small pink tongue darting out to wet her lips. “Yes.”

That one little word washed over him like a satin glove on his naked skin. His blood pumped harder, his erection stirred, and his entire body longed for her. It had been too long since he’d last sated himself in her curvy body, and he wanted—no, needed—to do so again.

He lowered his head to taste her, to make up for the hurt he’d caused earlier when he’d threatened her. He’d never have the words she wanted to hear, but he would always show her with his actions what he really felt.

Their lips barely brushed. He rubbed his over hers, building the moment between them, knowing that they couldn’t go much further than this one little kiss. But later, after she’d eaten and they’d discussed business…then he’d deliver on the promise of this one small kiss. Vaguely he registered the sound of footsteps behind them.

“Third time, Mary.”

Kane pulled back from her ready to deck her cousin. She turned in Kane’s arms—not pulling away from him—to face her cousin.

“I thought you had a company to run, Channing. I know that your inheritance is tied to the profit of Duvall-Moorehead Manufacturing. Aren’t you afraid that skulking around after me is going to distract you?”

“I can handle my job and keep an eye on you.”

“That’s not your job, Moorehead,” Kane said.

“Is it yours?”

“That’s irrelevant. Anyone who threatens Mary will have to go through me first.”

Mary led the way into the kitchen, very aware of Kane’s heavy footsteps behind her. She felt so out of control, and for the first time since she’d come back to Eastwick she was glad of Grandfather’s lessons in composure. The old Mary would have skipped lunch, grabbed Kane’s hand and led him to her bedroom.

But now she thought about the consequences of her rash actions, what would be lost and what would be gained. So instead she was heading toward her sunny kitchen, intent on the mundane task of eating a salad.

She’d simmered all the way home thinking of the way that Channing and Kane had reacted to each other. She really was sick of the men in her life thinking she needed them to fight her battles.

Carmen, the Duvall family housekeeper, was in the kitchen when Mary entered. “Good afternoon, Carmen.”

“Good afternoon, Miss Mary. Can I help you with something?”

“I’d like a salad and some tea brought into the study. Kane, do you want anything?”

“Perrier, please.”

“I’ll bring it in.”

Mary waited until they were in the study with the door closed before she addressed Kane again.

“I don’t want you fighting my battles.”

“Too bad.”

“Kane, I’m serious about this. Channing is going to be around the rest of my life and, when you’re gone, that kind of macho display is going to come back to haunt me.”

“What makes you think I’ll be gone?”

She didn’t let herself dwell on those words. She ignored him, turning away and seating herself behind the desk. Her life was in flux right now. She’d experienced this type of soul-changing, life-altering event twice before. Each time it had involved a complete upheaval of everything she knew about herself and the world around her.

And each time Kane had somehow come into her life. But he never stayed. No matter how content or happy they were together, he always had one foot out the door. She’d come to accept that she was meant to spend her life alone. Not like the women in the Debs Club, who were pairing up like animals on Noah’s ark. Mary had always been a little different, and her life’s path was, too.

“Ignoring me won’t make me go away.”

“I’m not ignoring you,” she said, tossing her head and gathering her thoughts. She could never completely ignore Kane. His blatant masculinity dominated whatever space he occupied. He tempted her to forget about trusts and cousins and family and…to act like a fool again?

“You’re here to work, right?” she asked, angry at herself for being so weak where he was concerned. Sometimes it really ticked her off that the only man she’d allowed herself to fall in love with was someone who could never live with her in a normal way. She wondered what that said about her.

“That’s one reason.”

“The only one that counts.”

“If you say so.”

“I do.”

He took a seat across from her, pulling out a notepad from the briefcase he carried. She hadn’t noticed the case earlier but did so now. She’d helped him pick it out.

“I made a few phone calls earlier and have set up a meeting for us with an attorney friend of mine. He’ll talk us through the legalities of what you want to do.”

Kane was a thorough man, so she wasn’t surprised that he’d already started working on setting up her trust. And she knew this wasn’t just business to him. For a minute she wanted to bask in the feeling of being cherished and taken care of. That was one of the reasons she’d stayed with him so long. He’d been the first person in her life to actually take care of her.

True, she’d taken care of all his sexual needs in exchange, rendering their relationship in terms of an agreement. Had she reneged on her agreement with her parents? Had they never approved of her because she’d never even tried to be the daughter they’d wanted her to be? That was a path to pursue another time.

“Thanks. We need to have a contingency built into the investment plan in case I have to pay back my inheritance.”

“Why would you have to do that?”

“The will has some stipulations, remember?”

“When will the money be available to you?”

“Mr. Previn has okayed a release of the funds in three months’ time. But I’ll have a probationary period that will last for the following two years.”