The Corporate Wife

by Leigh Michaels

  “That’s what I was forgetting.” He reached into his pocket and slid her rings back onto her finger, kissing them into place. “All the symbols in the world can’t make me feel more married, Erin. That’s why, when you asked if I wanted a ring, I said it didn’t matter.”

  He kissed her till her toenails threatened to dissolve, and then, instead of releasing her, he led her to the wing chair beside the fireplace and pulled her down onto his lap.

  Erin snuggled closer, savoring his warmth and strength, the scent of coffee and after-shave, and the slightly unsteady rhythm of his breathing – which by itself said quite a little about the way he felt.

  I fell in love long before that, he’d said, and suddenly suspicion began to nag at her. “Slater, exactly how long have you known you love me?”

  He didn’t even hesitate. “Six months, give or take a couple of weeks. That’s when I realized what was happening, you understand. How long I’ve loved you is a little different question – more like a year.”

  “I’ve only worked for you for a year.”

  “Then that’s how long it’s been.”

  Erin shook her head in confusion. “So when you proposed that sensible, practical, solid marriage, you knew you were in love? And you didn’t tell me?”

  “Guilty. I thought for a while you’d caught me, you know. When you said I was not only settling for second best, but I knew it... Of course I knew it, my dear. I was just hoping it wouldn’t stay that way.”

  “You told me it was ludicrous to think you’d fallen in love with me.”

  “Oh, no. I said it was ludicrous to think that Aunt Hermione’s letter would have prompted me to realize it.”

  He’d been very careful what he’d told her, Erin thought.

  As if he’d read her mind, Slater said, “If I’d laid out the truth, you’d have been gone before I’d finished the sentence. What was I supposed to do, Erin? You were totally oblivious – I don’t think you ever saw the man, just the boss.”

  “Oh, I saw. I just didn’t want to admit it.” She looked up at him through her lashes. “And you were an awfully good boss... sir.”

  “Knock it off, Erin.”

  “Yes, dear,” she said meekly.

  “I didn’t expect marriage to be quite such a tightrope, though,” Slater mused. “One instant you were smiling and generous, the next you were skittish. You’d be warm and loving and incredibly sexy, and a minute later you’d start muttering that you were a fool.”

  “You heard that?”

  He sounded astonished. “You don’t really think that on my wedding night, with you in my arms, I’d have gone to sleep, do you?”

  “Well, whatever I said, you have to admit this hasn’t been any picnic from my point of view, either – realizing after I signed on that I’d really like to change the rules.”

  “Consider them changed,” he said comfortably.

  “It may take me a while to forgive you for letting me think you didn’t understand what love was. I actually felt sorry for you when you told Cecile to get lost.”

  “Why?”

  “Because you looked so miserable – as if the world had fallen on you.”

  “I was bracing myself to play the most important hand of poker I’ve ever held.”

  “Nice of you to deal me in.”

  “But darling, you always held all the cards.”

  “Oh, really? I suppose you’re going to insist you gave me all the pertinent information so I could make a good decision about marrying you?”

  “You made the wise choice.”

  “That’s beside the point.”

  “No, it isn’t. What else did you need? It isn’t that I couldn’t have given you an ode to your beautiful blue eyes – and they are beautiful – I just didn’t think you’d sit still for it.”

  “Probably not,” she admitted. “What about Aunt Hermione’s suggestion that you get yourself a hostess? You used that deliberately in order to make me start thinking about you, didn’t you?”

  “Oh, it’s worse than that,” he said cheerfully. “I needled her into writing that letter.”

  “I ought to have seen through you,” Erin muttered. “I have always known that you could be the most successful swindler on the whole continent if you made up your mind to it.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But I didn’t think anybody could influence Aunt Hermione.”

  “You just have to know how. I plan to teach all of her nieces and nephews exactly which buttons to push.”

  “All eight of them?”

  “Or six. Or one. Or none. Whatever we end up with is fine with me, Erin. It’s you I want – so badly I’d have tried anything I thought might jolt you out of your complacent view of me as part of the furniture. Including Cecile and all the others. Not that you seemed to care.”

  “I cared. I was so jealous of Cecile I couldn’t stand it – I just didn’t know that’s what it was. I thought I was furious with her for not appreciating you. I needed a jolt, all right, but not so I would notice you, Slater. Just to realize how much you meant to me.” Her throat was tight. “I can still hardly believe–”

  “That I love you? You can always ask your mother. I told her I loved you that afternoon when you announced our engagement.”

  “You said that she asked, and you told her what she wanted to hear.”

  “I did. It simply had the added advantage of being the truth.”

  “So that’s why she was so anxious to marry me off that she wouldn’t even wait to get out of the hospital.”

  “She wasn’t, actually,” Slater admitted. “I was the one who was anxious – but it made an awfully good excuse. And she seemed to think I could make you happy.”

  “I wouldn’t be surprised if she knew what I was thinking better than I did.” She snuggled closer to him. “About that announcement I made... telling Mom I was going to marry you. It took a while for me to understand that I did it because I already knew I loved you, I just didn’t want to confess even to myself that I wanted you so badly. That cool little proposal of yours – the whole idea of giving your wife a job description – scared me.”

  “Speaking of jobs and scares – I think you’re right about Sarah having had the fright of her life.”

  “You’re going to give her a second chance?”

  Slater nodded. “And I’m really glad you didn’t clean out your office, because you have more important things to do tomorrow than put all the pictures back on the walls. We’ve got not only Bob Brannagan’s switches to build, but Universal Conveyer’s controls.”

  Erin hugged him tighter. “You did it!”

  “The CEO’s no fool – and he doesn’t like dealing with crooks. Anyway, we’re going to be busy. Unless,” he added thoughtfully, “you’d like to try your hand at engineering for a while.”

  She was astonished. “Why?”

  “Because those little innovations you put on Dax’s copies of the Brannagan drawings are really quite interesting.”

  “You’re joking. Aren’t you?”

  Slater shook his head. “It’ll probably come to nothing, of course. But it started me thinking in an entirely new direction – and if you really have stumbled across improvements, the bonus will make your sapphire earrings look like penny candy.”

  Erin whispered, “The only bonus I’ll ever want is you.” She tipped her head back, inviting his kiss.

  After a while, he said unsteadily, “That can be arranged. By the way, if you ever call me sir again—”

  Erin raised her head from his shoulder. “Oh? What will you do to me?”

  “For starters, this.”

  Erin thought she’d been held firmly before, but she’d been wrong. And the way he kissed her was neither tender nor tentative; it was the kiss of a hungry lover, and it promised delights almost beyond bearing.

  Several minutes later, he let her come up for air. “Well?”

  “I see what you mean,” Erin managed to say. “And of course I’ll always
do whatever you ask...” She flashed a saucy smile. “...sir.”

  *****

  Thank you for purchasing this book!

  Angela’s puzzling and life-threatening tumor, the one which Erin says has “some incredibly long and melodious name”, is a real condition more properly known as a pheochromocytoma – a tumor on the adrenal gland. The symptoms, dangers, and treatments Angela experiences are medically accurate, to the best of my ability to make them so.

  I learned about pheochromocytoma from my good friend (and favorite registered nurse) Margaret Trucano. As we made our regular walk around the neighborhood one day, I said, “I need to give Angela something serious, immediate, and life-threatening, but quickly curable.”

  Margaret – as always – had the answer. Bless you!

  *****

  Leigh Michaels is the author of 100 books, including contemporary romance novels, historical romance novels, and non-fiction books including On Writing Romance. Six of her books have been finalists in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest for best traditional romance of the year, and she has won two Reviewers’ Choice awards from Romantic Times (RT Book Review) magazine. More than 35 million copies of her books have been published in 25 languages and 120 countries around the world. She teaches romance writing at Gotham Writers Workshop: www.writingclasses.com

  Website: http://www.leighmichaels.com

  Twitter: @leighmichaels

  Facebook: Leigh Michaels

  Blog : Reading, Writing and Regency: http://leighmichaels.blogspot.com

  This book is copyrighted by the author and may not be reproduced or resold.

  Other books by Leigh Michaels:

  Regency-period historical romance

  The Birthday Scandal

  The wealthy Duke of Weybridge knows that everyone loves a good surprise…and a good scandal. He has bounteous amounts of both for the guests—particularly for his nieces and nephew, Emily, Isabel, and Lucien—at his extravagant seventieth birthday ball. They think his promise to improve their lives means a generous stipend. But he’s got different gifts in mind: finding them the perfect matches. His task won’t be easy, because the Arden siblings have given up on love.

  Bachelor Lucien spends more time merrymaking than looking for a proper wife. His sister Emily, broken-hearted when her betrothal ended in disgrace, committed herself to an early spinsterhood. And Isabel’s marriage has been troubled from the moment it began—with a terrible betrayal on her wedding night.

  Though witty and strong-willed, the siblings are no match for their uncle’s wily machinations. And as the celebration approaches, his romantic scheming ignites illicit liaisons and irresistible temptations, sparking enough rumors to keep the ton abuzz until his next birthday.

  The Wedding Affair

  The Duke of Somervale’s sister is getting married in the wedding of the year – but the wedding guests are in the mood for affairs, not vows!

  The Duke needs the help of beautiful, stubborn Olivia Reyne to fight off the debutantes who have taken over his country estate. Olivia’s willing to help – at a price which will secure the future for her small daughter.

  Penny Townsend sees the wedding as her last chance to salvage her arranged marriage and turn it into something more than a matter of convenience.

  And vicar’s daughter Kate Blakely needs a job – and fast – before she gives in to the tempting presence of her first love!

  Just One Season in London

  Meet the Ryecrofts...the family that courts together.

  RYE – Viscount Ryecroft is a young man with a problem. Make that two problems: He has a beautiful sister to marry off – but no money to fund a London Season for her. Perhaps he needs to find an heiress for himself first?

  SOPHIE – Miss Sophie Ryecroft is willing to marry for the good of the family – but since she can’t meet the sort of man Rye has in mind for her except in London, she’s looking for alternatives.

  MIRANDA – Rye and Sophie’s mother, the dowager (but still young) Lady Ryecroft, will do anything for the sake of her children – even taking up again with a man she knew long ago, and offering to be his mistress.

  Only in London can the Ryecrofts find their destinies…

  The Mistress’ House

  Number Five, Upper Seymour Street is the perfect love nest.

  Tucked away in a discreet corner of London, it would be an ideal site to conduct affairs… except this elegant townhouse has a way of making its residents fall in love instead.

  Anne -- the perfect mistress for the rakish Earl of Hawthorne;

  Felicity -- the perfect challenge for Richard, Lord Colford;

  and Georgiana -- the perfect nightmare for Major Julian Hampton...

  the residents of Number Five, Upper Seymour Street.

  Contemporary romance

  The Lake Effect

  When high‑powered attorney Kane Forrestal abandons his career and takes up beach combing, his firm reacts by sending Alexandra Jacobi to talk him into coming back. Trouble is, who’s going to end up persuading whom?

  The Lake Effect was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest for best sweet traditional romance of the year.

  The Best-Made Plans

  Penn Caldwell was the love of Kaitlyn Ross’s youth, but he left town rather than make a commitment. So now that he’s back, why is she having second thoughts about her engagement to another man?

  The Daddy Trap

  Lindsay wanted a baby, Gibb didn’t – and their marriage broke up over the disagreement. Now Gibb’s back in town, and their attraction is just as strong. But Gibb still doesn’t want a child – and Lindsay now has an eight-year-old son.

  The Daddy Trap was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest for best sweet traditional romance of the year.

  Traveling Man

  When the host of the Kansas City Morning TV show has a heart attack, the station manager brings in traveling feature reporter Quinn Randolph to “help” the co‑host, Emily Lambert. But Quinn isn’t exactly helping matters... he’s flirting with Emily and taking over the show, and soon Emily’s life feels like a disaster zone.

  Traveling Man was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America RITA contest for best sweet traditional romance of the year.

  Non-fiction

  On Writing Romance

  Award-winning romance novelist Leigh Michaels talks you through each stage of the writing and publishing process. From the origins and evolution of the romance novel to establishing a vital story framework to writing that last line to seeking out appropriate publishers, everything you ever wanted to know about writing a romance novel is here in “the definitive guide to writing the romance novel.”

  For the Love of Tea

  Whether it’s a cup with a friend or an elegant afternoon affair, tea is a fun and flexible way to entertain. Leigh shares her favorite tea parties – including formal tea receptions, Mad Hatter’s Tea Parties, picnic teas, happy hour teas, and more – complete with menus and recipes.

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  About the author

  Other books by Leigh Michaels