Reunited in Love Read online

“Such as?”

  “For example, your pay.” He named a figure that momentarily stunned her.

  “Do I get medical and dental?” she asked.

  “Of course. And how about 401k while we’re at it?”

  Her head spun. She’d been certain he’d come to confront her about sneaking out like a thief, not offer her a job! “Uh…what will my responsibilities entail?”

  “You’ll be going over some family business. My family, to be exact. The Lloyds Development.”

  “I thought you were working at Global Strategies.”

  “I am. That’s why I need you. I don’t have the time or energy to devote my full attention to TLD, and it’s important I become familiar with it ASAP.”

  “You said it was your family business.”

  “Right.”

  “But you don’t know much about it?”

  “I know the basic outlines of the business, of course, what we’re involved with and so on. But I don’t work there and I’m not part of management.”

  “That’s kind of hard to believe. Not that I don’t think you’re telling the truth, but most people wouldn’t be able to stay away.”

  “As long as the company’s doing well and continues to provide for the people who depend on it, I don’t care who gets the credit for running it.”

  He gave her a small friendly smile, but it sent shivers up her back the way a shark’s fin cutting through dark water would. A man who didn’t care who took the credit so long as he got what he wanted was ten times more dangerous than one whose ego couldn’t take not being number one. No manipulation would shake someone like Ethan from his course of action until he achieved the desired outcome.

  “Who would I report to?”

  “Me. And only me.”

  “Okay,” she said slowly. “Where would I work?”

  “TLD has a fully furnished corporate penthouse in Northern Virginia, so you won’t have to waste time looking for a place you’d only be leasing for a few months. It’s not a bad perk.”

  She shook her head, unable to follow his train of thought. “You don’t actually work at the company, but you want me to report to you, and not to the other executives?”

  “Yes.”

  She narrowed her eyes. “I presume you want me to sleep with you, too?”

  “I do, but that has nothing to do with the job.” He steepled his hands and leaned back in his chair in that particular boneless way he had. “I want you, period.”

  Steady, Kerri, steady. “And you’ll leave when you get bored?”

  “Just like you will, I’m sure. Stay together until we find somebody else we’d rather be with.” He gave her a gleaming smile. “But until then, we’ll be totally exclusive, no fooling around with anybody else. I don’t like to share.”

  “Neither do I.”

  He watched her over his fingers. “Look, it’s a great deal. Your housing’s fully paid for. If you want, I’ll even toss in housekeeping and groceries.”

  She considered. She couldn’t believe what he was proposing. “How bad is this job anyway, that you’re offering me so much?” she asked.

  “Honestly? I don’t know.”

  “It’s your family business. You must know something.”

  “Look, I’ve never been involved in it. It was my older brother Jacob’s job, and he’s currently”—Ethan’s mouth tightened briefly—“unavailable to continue, so I have to deal with it. Unfortunately, I’m not in a position to leave Global Strategies right at the moment.”

  “I see.”

  She wasn’t too worried about the job itself. She had yet to find the corporate position that she couldn’t handle, and it’d keep her mind occupied, might even provide some challenge. Plus, she was going stir-crazy without anything to keep her busy. And wouldn’t it annoy Barron to know she was working for one of Sterling & Wilson’s rivals?

  But a no-strings-attached temporary arrangement with a guy who made her wet with just a look was something else. She was sure this wasn’t going to end up being one hundred percent work.

  “I need to think about it,” she said.

  “I understand.” Ethan glanced at his watch. “I’ll give you a minute.”

  “A minute?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “Not really a difficult decision, is it? Just a yes or a no.”

  A one-page employment contract and a pen appeared next to her plate of fruit. The document was in surprisingly plain English and matched everything Ethan had said—minus the sex part of course—plus a fairly standard non-disclosure clause. At the bottom of the sheet was Ethan’s signature, dated today. It only needed hers to become valid.

  He rose and came over to her seat. One large hand rested on the back of her chair and another on the table, the same “you aren’t going anywhere until you give me the answer I want, lady” move he’d used the night before. The blood in her veins warmed and surged. If he pulled back just a little and bent his head, he could kiss her mouth. That seemed like a delicious option, and she angled her head just so, letting her lips part slightly in invitation.

  He didn’t even flicker an eyelash. No, he wouldn’t kiss her no matter how blatant the signal…not unless she gave him what he wanted.

  Did she want to completely sever their connection?

  Manageable or not, he wasn’t going to be a permanent fixture in her life. He’d be a temporary arrangement—a fling. After her doctor’s orders had rendered virtually all of life’s other pleasures off-limits, surely she could indulge a little. Barron would have no idea where she was. No one in her family—not even Justin—knew about Natalie, and given Kerri’s education and work background, they would assume she’d pursue opportunities in banking.

  Most importantly, she wouldn’t be in Virginia long enough for Barron to find her. TLD couldn’t be that complicated, certainly not compared to the kind of international conglomerates she was used to dealing with. It wouldn’t take more than a few weeks to go through their books. And in the meantime, Ethan would most likely prove to be just like every other man she’d dated: interesting at first but increasingly boring as the affair went on. Why would he be any different?

  Yes, why would he? Except for the fact that he’s the only man who can make your pulse race with just a look?

  “Time’s up,” he said. He hadn’t even glanced at his watch.

  His eyes were locked on hers. In the morning, they seemed darker—more gray than silver-blue—and more introspective.

  Whenever she went with her feelings, she started to long for things she couldn’t have and acted foolishly to reach for them. Whenever her brain got involved, she ran.

  Right now, she didn’t want to run. Not yet.

  “All right,” she murmured.

  *

  Elation flooded Ethan’s body. Women with as many options as Kerri tended to be both particular and difficult to snare.

  But she was going to be worth it, both professionally and personally.

  She didn’t seem to notice, but men admired her. He’d seen the way they’d checked her out at the airport. That was one of the reasons why he’d decided to take her to the penthouse instead of out to a restaurant. He’d wanted her all to himself. Thank god for cooking classes—and grandma.

  All right. But it would be a mistake to let his feelings show on his face. Not just yet.

  “Sign,” he said.

  She scrawled her name and dated it in silence. He smiled, folded the contract and stuck it into his pocket.

  Feelings were one thing, but there was no reason to deny himself.

  He dipped his head and covered her rosy mouth with his. The soft scent of her shampoo teased him, even with the towel around her head, and he pulled it off, letting her wet hair down.

  He loved her face freshly scrubbed, without the mask of makeup. The morning sun filtered through the gauzy curtains, adding an otherworldly glow to her soft skin, her cheeks delicately flushed. Her fingers dug into his forearm, leaving small half-moon marks on him.

&nb
sp; He wrapped her wet, clean hair around his hand and deepened the kiss, pressing further inside, not allowing her brain to kick in. Her tongue brushed against his, then rubbed more aggressively. Then she sucked his tongue as though she was going down on him, and his cock hardened until it pressed against his trousers achingly.

  Before he lost his mind and took her right there on the floor, he pulled away, his breathing rough and fast. “Get dressed and pack. I’ll help you move in.”

  “I can do that later,” she said, her gaze on his mouth.

  He swore at the surge of desire he felt in response to her blatantly wanton look. No matter how much she tempted him, he couldn’t relax until she was securely ensconced in the penthouse. She was a wily one. He wouldn’t put it past her to change her mind if he didn’t push now. It’d be much harder for her to back out after having moved in. “I wouldn’t want you to carry all your stuff alone.”

  “I can have it delivered,” she said.

  “I don’t care.”

  “But what about the BMW?”

  “I’ll make arrangements.”

  She nodded and rose, then disappeared into the bedroom.

  He exhaled, long and shuddery. A step closer to his goal. He knew exactly what she was thinking. She’d bolt the second she felt vulnerable or threatened. That was why she kept sneaking out, or refusing to talk about anything private about herself, including her family. They’d spent two nights together, and he still knew nothing about her.

  He had no intention of letting her find another man she’d rather be with. It wasn’t going to be a simple temporary situation that ended whenever she wanted. No, it’d be far more than she expected.

  Chapter Six

  KERRI FROWNED AS Ethan pulled into the familiar complex and led her to his penthouse. Two of her suitcases were in the trunk, with the rest scheduled to be brought up later by the concierge. “Why are we here? What’s going on?”

  “This is your new place.”

  “What?” She stopped short in front of the door. “Wait a minute. You said I got to live in a corporate penthouse owned by The Lloyds Development.”

  “Good memory.”

  “So why are we at your penthouse?”

  “It’s not mine. It’s owned by TLD. Global Strategies leased it so I could use it while I’m in northern Virginia. I was in London until a few months ago, and when I was brought back to the States, we all thought I’d be here temporarily, so there was no reason to get anything more permanent.”

  “I can’t stay here,” she said.

  “Don’t be silly. Of course you can.”

  “But you live here.”

  “Yes, there is that. But the contract didn’t specify you get the entire corporate condo to yourself. I’m pretty certain I never gave that impression either.”

  She narrowed her eyes. Rat bastard…although she did appreciate a man who was on the ball enough to outmaneuver her. “I’ll get an apartment.”

  “What’s the matter, Kerri?” His voice was calm, too damn reasonable. “It’s a big penthouse. There’s no reason not to share. We’re both adults.”

  She fumed, but he had a point. Why should she balk at the arrangements? The fact that it wasn’t his place, just a temporary shelter—albeit a ridiculously swanky one—did kind of change things. Not to mention, she didn’t want to spend the money on rent if she didn’t have to. It was her family that was loaded, not her, and she liked to save every penny she could. Having her own financial resources was the only way to be free of Barron’s clutches. His power and control over everyone in the family came from the fact that he was in charge of the Sterling purse strings. She wasn’t going to play that game.

  “You’re right,” she said finally. “We’re both adults.”

  “Precisely.” He opened the door and gestured inside. “After you.”

  It was one thing to visit Ethan’s—no, scratch that—the corporate penthouse, thinking she would be there one night for dinner, but something else to step inside, knowing she lived there now.

  He gave her a detailed tour of the place, which was easily five times the size of the small apartment she’d had in Hong Kong. The master bedroom suite seemed larger in daylight, the now-familiar giant bed sitting against the teak-colored wall. Her face flushed at the memory of what she’d done with Ethan the night before, and her breasts tingled. They walked into the adjoining bathroom, which housed a Jacuzzi tub big enough for two. A decent-size TV was embedded into the wall, so you could watch shows or movies while soaking. Ethan pointed out the modern double sink with invisible drain and said, “The right one’s yours.”

  Awfully presumptuous of him, but she refrained from commenting. She wanted to tour the entire place before deciding where she would sleep.

  Between the master bedroom and a smaller bedroom suite, the fully furnished study didn’t appear to be much in use. There were some books on the shelves, but Kerri realized that most of them were about golf. “Do you like golf?”

  “Lord, no. I tolerate it for business. The interior decorator knew Jacob liked the game, so she picked those books.”

  “Good. I mean…it’s too bad she didn’t consider your preferences.” Secretly she was relieved the place really didn’t belong to Ethan and didn’t reflect his tastes. It seemed to make it more neutral.

  “It didn’t matter that much. Jacob used the penthouse whenever he was in town to visit the family. TLD is headquartered in Houston, but none of the rest of the family live there.”

  Ethan also showed her the kitchen and where he kept the basics, including a state-of-the-art coffeemaker that made everything from regular coffee to a killer latte.

  “If you need anything, let me know.”

  “Okay.” She gestured at the spare bedroom suite. “Do I take that one?”

  “No. It’s for guests.”

  “Guests?”

  “Sometimes my family visits.”

  Kerri paused. She hadn’t thought about his family. Or, for that matter, guests of any kind. “Do they visit often?”

  “Not really.” He brushed a fingertip over her nose. “Don’t worry.”

  But she did. Meeting members of his family seemed a bit too…permanent. People didn’t introduce temporary flings to their family.

  “So I’m going to be sharing your bedroom,” Kerri said.

  “No, we are going to be sharing a bedroom.”

  “If you have guests so rarely, I don’t see why I shouldn’t use the empty room.”

  “Kerri, what kind of fling would it be if we aren’t sleeping in the same bed?”

  “The temporary kind.” She smiled the smile she always gave poorly performing analysts and associates who were about to be let go. “The contract doesn’t say I have to share a bedroom with you. Of course, you’re welcome to vacate the master bedroom suite for my use if you feel particularly gallant, but I’ll make do with the spare.”

  He gave her a speculative look. She’d seen the same expression on her clients’ faces when they were presented with a challenging but lucrative deal.

  “And don’t even think about sneaking into my room. I can do karate. Black belt. You never know what kind of damage I might inflict. Due to panic, of course.”

  “Of course,” he said, entirely too agreeable. “Just out of curiosity, why did you take up karate?”

  “Self-defense, why else? No guns allowed in Hong Kong.”

  “Yes, but a woman who looks like you? Why dirty your own hands? Snap your fingers and get the men around you to defend your honor.”

  “Thanks, but I grew up in an environment distinctly lacking in chivalry. I could’ve screamed like a banshee and no one would’ve bothered to glance my way.”

  The sharpness in Ethan’s eyes softened just a tiny fraction.

  Shit. She’d said too much. “So, my work?” She used her best no-nonsense tone that said the bedroom arrangements were resolved.

  “Come on.” He led her back into the study and handed her a thick folder. “Here’s
all the information you’ll need to get started, including how to access the financial records and other data from TLD’s intranet.”

  She scanned the first page, then looked up. “You aren’t worried that I might steal your secrets?”

  An odd expression crossed his face. “No. I trust you.” He glanced at his watch. “I hate to leave, but there’s a meeting I really can’t miss.” He put a warm hand on her bare arm and the heat seemed to transfer instantly into her belly, curling there and making her shiver. His effect on her upset her equilibrium. Having him out of the penthouse to give her some time to regain her balance would be just the thing right now.

  “I’ll be fine,” she said. “Go on. Shoo.”

  *

  The meeting took an hour, hashing out how Global Strategies was going to deal with new government regulations that would affect Damon Defense Engineering, one of its subsidiaries. Afterwards, Ethan went to his office, put his feet up on his U-shaped mahogany desk and stared out the window, switching gears. He wished he were with Kerri. He could think of better things to do with her than having her unpack suitcases and look at corporate data. There was nothing wrong with The Lloyds Development’s financials. The only pressing matter facing the company was locating its derelict CEO, which Pattington was already working on.

  Once Alex was back in town, Ethan could cut back and spend more time with Kerri. Make sure she wouldn’t have time to find some other man she’d rather be with.

  The possibility galled him.

  No other man would get Kerri. If no one had managed to snare her in all these years, it was their loss, not his. He played to win.

  A man less attuned to his instincts and desires might have resisted her allure, but Ethan didn’t believe in fighting himself. His gut never pointed him in the wrong direction, and he wanted her. Partly, he was honest enough to admit, because she’d eluded him before.

  Women came easily to him. He was usually the one who had to break things off, but Kerri required pursuit. If she truly hadn’t liked him he would’ve let her go. But he could tell she was fighting her own attraction, and his hunter’s instinct reveled in the chase. As well-educated, civilized and modern as he was, he couldn’t deny that aspect of his nature existed.