Wed on His Terms: Million-Dollar Marriage Merger

“I’m not the villain here. I’m trying to do right by you and David. I’m going to save your business, take care of you and raise … our child.”

Rena flinched, and regret filled her eyes. “You’re trying to ease your conscience and fulfill an obligation.”

Tony shook his head. “You won’t cut me any slack, will you?”

“I’m sorry I’m not the doting wife you’d imagined. I can’t be … this is all so unfair.”

“I wish to hell David was alive, too. He was my best friend, damn it.” Tony rose and paced the terrace. He hadn’t planned on any of this. But he was trying to make the best out of a bad situation. He’d been patient with Rena, though she still blamed him for David’s death. He’d tried to please her. He’d tried being the nice guy, yet she wanted no part of it.

Okay, the gloves were coming off.

“You’re exhausted. Why don’t you take a bath? It’s waiting for you. Then get into bed.”

Rena hoisted her chin. “I’m not sleeping with you tonight, Tony.”

“Wrong,” he said pointing a finger at her. “I’m not sleeping with you, but I’m your husband whether you like it or not.”

“What does that mean?” She asked with real fear in her voice.

Tony was too annoyed with her to care. “It means that I don’t plan to tiptoe around you anymore, Rena.”

He left her on the terrace and strode over to the wet bar, pouring himself three fingers of scotch. He hated that Rena had it right this time. He had married her out of obligation and a sense of duty to David. But he hadn’t expected her resentment to irk him so much.

Hell, he’d never had to beg a woman for sex in his life. And he wasn’t about to start now.

Rena had never stayed in a hotel as extravagant as this one and decided to take advantage of her surroundings. True to Tony’s word, the bathtub was steaming and waiting for her. Her body craved the warmth and tranquility a nice hot soak in a tub would provide. She closed the bathroom door and lit the candles that were strategically placed around the tub, sink and dressing area. The Ritz-Carlton knew how to pamper and she wasn’t going to deny herself this pleasure. She kicked off her shoes, then stripped out of her clothes folding them neatly and setting them on the marble counter. She turned on the large LCD screen on the wall, finding a music station that played soulful jazz. All lights were turned down but for the flashing abstract images on the flat screen and the candles that burned with a vanilla scent.

Naked and relishing her impending bath, Rena stuck her toe in the water. “Perfect,” she hummed, sinking the rest of her body into the exquisite warmth. For the first time in days, she relaxed.

She closed her eyes and obliterated all negative thoughts. Instead, she thought of the baby growing inside her. She wondered if it was a boy or a girl. She hoped it would have David’s kindness and intelligence and maybe her blue eyes. She hoped for so many things, but mostly she hoped her child would be happy.

A smile surfaced on her face as she pictured a sandy blond-haired little boy or a raven-haired little girl. Or perhaps a boy would have her coloring and a girl would have her father’s. Either way, Rena would love that child beyond belief.

The door to the bathroom opened and Tony strode in. She gasped and sunk farther down into the tub. “What are you doing in here?”

Tony unbuttoned his shirt and dropped it onto the floor. He looked her over, his gaze following the valley between her breasts. “I’m taking a shower.”

Her heart rate sped. “In here?”

“This is the master bathroom, right?”

Rena narrowed in on him. “How much have you had to drink?”

He cocked her a smile and shook his head. “Not enough, honey.”

His shoes were off in a flash, and when he reached for his belt, she closed her eyes. She heard him stepping out of his clothes, open the glass shower door, then close it. The shower rained to life, and steam heated the room.

Rena opened her eyes slowly. Tony was deep into his shower, soaping himself up. She took a swallow and watched, unable to tear her gaze away. At one time, Tony Carlino was everything she wanted in life. Those old feelings surfaced, and she tried to shove them away, but it was darn hard to do. Not when he was built like a Greek god, stunningly masculine and boldly beautiful. He moved with grace and confidence, comfortable in his own skin. And so she watched him lather his body, wash his hair and let the water pelt down in streams over his broad shoulders, down the curve of his spine and into the steam that hid the rest of him from view. He turned abruptly and caught her staring. His brows elevated into his forehead, and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

Rena turned away then, afraid that if he read her expression, he’d know what she was thinking. He’d know that some feelings can’t be destroyed. Some feelings just simply … stay, no matter how hard you try to abolish them. They hide under the anger and pain, waiting.

When the shower spigot turned and the water shut off, Rena tensed. She didn’t know what Tony expected. His comment about not tiptoeing around her had her perplexed. The shower door opened, and Tony stepped out, naked. Rena refused to let him intimidate her. She didn’t look straight at him, but she didn’t look away either. Instead she focused on a point beyond his head.

After wiping down his body, he wrapped the towel around his waist and glanced at her. “You should get out. You’re getting cold.”

His gaze lingered on her chest. No longer covered with flower petals and bubbles, her nipples were now visible beneath the water. She covered up and nodded. “I will, as soon as you’re through in here.”

Tony scrubbed the stubble on his face, contemplating. “I guess I’ll shave tomorrow. You can get out now.” He reached over and handed her a plush chocolate-colored towel.

She grabbed it and hoisted it to her chin. “Well?”

“I’ll be sleeping in the second bedroom. Get some rest, Rena.” He bent over and kissed her on the cheek then cast her a rather odd look.

“What?” she asked, curious.

“When we were together, neither one of us would have imagined our wedding night to be anything like us.”

She sighed. “No, not back then.”

He nodded and left the room, leaving her with poignant and erotic memories of making love to him years ago when they’d been hot and wild for each other.

Rena slept heavily, her body needing the rest. When she woke, she snuggled into the pillow recalling her dream. She’d been out in the vineyards, the grapes ripe and ready to be picked, the air flavored with their pungently sweet aroma. She turned and David was beside her, his smile wide as he looked at the vines, then at her. “We’ll have a good year.” But then, David’s face became Tony’s. Somehow, within the eerie images of her mind, it had always been Tony out in the vineyard with her.

Disoriented, she popped her eyes open and gazed out the window as the San Francisco Bay came into view. She clung to cotton one-thousand-thread-count sheets and sat up in bed, looking around the master suite of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. It all came back to her now. David was dead, and she’d married Tony Carlino yesterday.

“Oh, God,” she whispered.

“I see you’re up.” Tony stepped out of the bathroom, his face covered with shaving cream, his chest bare, wearing just a pair of black slacks.

Rena blinked, trying not to stare at his tanned, broad chest or the way he casually strode into the bedroom as if they’d been married for twenty years. “Did you sleep well?”

“Like a bab— Um, very well.”

“You look rested,” he said, then turned around and entered the bathroom again. She craned her neck to find him stroking a razor over his face. “Breakfast is ready if you’re hungry,” he called out.

She was famished. She’d discovered the first trimester meant eating for two. Finally, her appetite kicked in full force and that was good for the baby. Her child needed the nourishment and so did she. She’d been so terribly strained lately, with David’s death, the failure of Purple Fields and her financial situation, that she’d lost her appetite. She’d had to force herself to eat. It was so much easier when she actually felt like eating.

“I’ll get out of here in a sec,” Tony said. “Give you time to dress. I’ll wait for you in the dining room.”

“Okay,” she found herself saying.

Rena entered the bathroom shortly after Tony finished his shave. She splashed water on her face and combed her hair. While she’d often stay in her bathrobe during her morning breakfast routine, she found that too intimate to do with Tony. She dressed in a pair of slacks and a thin knit sweater that Solena had picked out of her wardrobe when Tony had secretly asked her friend to pack a bag for their stay here at the hotel.

Rena suspected Tony hadn’t mentioned their wedding night at the Ritz to her, knowing she’d refuse. But yesterday after the wedding dinner, he’d just sprung it on her, catching her off guard. Just one more reason she didn’t trust him. While others might see it as a romantic gesture, Rena felt as though she’d been deceived.

She entered the dining room and found Tony relaxing at the head of the table, reading the newspaper and sipping coffee.

He stood when she entered the room. “Morning again.”