“He’s a softie when it comes to his family, Matt,” Isabel said, coming into the room with a small teddy bear in her hands.
“He’s not the only, Mum,” Matt said pointedly.
She smiled. “I’m allowed to spoil my granddaughter.”
Matt held up his hands. “Hey, don’t let me stop you.”
Isabel sat next to Cesare and waved the teddy bear in front of Megan’s face. Megan immediately forgot the peekaboo game and reached for the stuffed animal. Matt laughed at the affronted look on his father’s face.
Then Cesare turned to him, a sharpness in his eyes that had been there all along. “So the marriage is going well?”
Matt kept the smile on his face. “I’ve only been married two days, Dad.”
Isabel tutted at her husband. “Give them time, Cesare.”
Matt didn’t set her straight. He hadn’t told any of his family that the marriage was temporary, not even his parents. But they had to know he wasn’t in love with Lana.
Thankfully Megan started to get a bit irritable just then, and Matt looked at his watch. “Speaking of time, Megan’s due for her morning nap.” He pushed to his feet, relieved to have something to do. “Here. Give her to me, Dad,” he said, and scooped up his daughter.
Isabel stood, too. “Come on. I’ll show you the spare room. We’ve put a crib in there for her.”
Matt grinned wryly. “You haven’t turned the room into a nursery, have you?”
His mother’s lips twitched. “Not yet.”
After that, Megan didn’t wake up for a couple of hours, so it was mid-afternoon before he arrived back home.
Lana rushed out of the study when he opened the front door, taking Megan in her arms and fussing over her as if she’d been gone a week instead of a couple of hours.
“I’ve brought her back in original condition,” he mocked, and wondered what it would be like if Lana fussed over him.
Don’t go there.
“Is everything okay? No problems?” she asked, still frowning.
“Sorry to disappoint you. Not a one.”
“Good.” She suddenly had a smug look about her that set his antenna on high. “Because Ruth’s gone to visit her sister in the hospital this afternoon and may not be back until late.”
“So?” She obviously thought he couldn’t handle his own daughter.
“Do you think you’ll be able to look after Megan for the rest of the day?”
“Of course. We’ll be fine.”
“Oh.” Her bubble burst. “Well, just call me if you need me.”
Not on your Nellie, he mused, then noted the tired lines under her eyes. “How’s the work going?”
“Moving along.”
“You’d better get back to it, then.”
“I’m here if you need me.”
“We won’t,” he said, more snappish than he’d intended.
She handed Megan back, then headed for the study, but not before he saw her flinch. His jaw clenched. Why the hell was he feeling sorry for snapping at her? When all was said and done she’d had Megan to herself the last eleven months.
It was his turn now.
All at once the thought of her keeping Megan from him … of him possibly never knowing he had a daughter … never hearing his little girl giggle as he’d done with the swans yesterday … made his heart harden even more.
One thing was for sure. He wasn’t going to rent out his old apartment now, after it had proven the perfect escape last night. He could always go out on the town, he supposed, but suddenly he didn’t feel like it.
The rest of the afternoon was spent playing games with Megan on the living room floor, then letting her play with her toys while he sat down for a much-needed rest and a flick through the television channels with the remote to see what was showing.
The next minute her cry had him jumping to his feet. Quickly he scooped her up and checked her over, but she didn’t appear to be hurt.
Maybe she was hungry? Yep, he could open a jar of baby food for her.
Only, it didn’t soothe her.
Nothing did.
Lana appeared in the kitchen doorway. “Is everything okay in here?”
He looked up with a touch of relief. “I don’t know. She won’t stop crying and nothing I do will help.”
Lana’s brows drew together as she came forward, her gaze going over the little girl. “She’s had a couple of big days. I think she’s just overtired.” She took the spoon out of his hand. “Come on, pumpkin. Let’s eat this nice dinner, and then you can go to bed.”
It sounded simple.
And it was simple when Lana did it, Matt mused, watching her in slight awe when half an hour later she finally put Megan down in her crib and the little girl shut her eyes and went to sleep.
“You’ve got a way with her,” he murmured, stepping back to allow her to leave the bedroom.
She pulled the door closed, then tipped her face up to him. “Not always.”
Their eyes met.
Neither of them blinked.
They were standing very close and the scent of Valente’s Woman stirred his nostrils—and his groin. If it had been any other woman he’d pull her up against him and make passionate love to her.
But not this woman.
This woman and passion mixed only too well.
His pulse thudding with thick desire, he pivoted before he could do something he regretted. “I think I’ll go take a shower.”
A long, cold shower.
Lana’s heart raced as she watched Matt stride toward his bedroom and close the door behind him. For a minute there she thought he’d been about to kiss her. It had almost been the office Christmas party all over again.
Except neither of them had been drinking.
They’d been standing too close.
And she’d been feeling grateful for him taking care of Megan today.
And both of them were probably drained from the events of the past week, that’s all.
Yes, that’s all it was.
It couldn’t be anything else. Matt blamed her for keeping his daughter from him. He thought she’d stolen money from him. He’d hate himself in the morning if he made love to her.
And she’d hate herself, too.
She’d have to make sure they didn’t get too close in the future, she decided, making her way to the kitchen, where she put the casserole Ruth had left for them in the oven. She’d do another hour of work before dinner.
She’d just sat down at the desk when her cell phone rang. It was her boss, Mr. Wainwright.
A couple of minutes later she flung the study door open with steam coming out of her ears.
She couldn’t believe it.
She didn’t believe it.
How could a man who took such pride in his own work not expect she’d take pride in her work too?
Giving one quick knock, she stormed into Matt’s bedroom. “How dare you!” she hissed, keeping her voice low so as not to wake Megan next door.
He frowned at her. “How dare I what?”
“You rang Mr. Wainwright! He says I don’t have to finish up my week. He’s releasing me from my contract early.”
“And you’ve come to tell me you’re grateful?” he joked.
“I can’t believe you did this.” Her lip curled. “On second thought, I can. The high-handed Valentes do what they like, when they like, and damn everyone else.”
His jaw set. “As far as I’m concerned, if you want something you go and get it.”
She flashed him a look of disdain. “What did you offer him? A bit of business thrown his way? You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours? Is that the way it is, Matt?”
A muscle pulsated in his cheek. “That’s business.”
She glared at him.
Glared for all she was worth until …
Something powerful drew her gaze downward.
And her eyes hit the hard contours of his chest.
His broad, bare chest.
All at once she realized he’d been in the middle of getting dressed and that his hand was still at the opening of his trousers. Her eyes flew back up to his face.
Zip.
He finished the job, sending the sound rushing through her veins, the blood rushing to her cheeks, but it was his knowing look that helped pull her together. He knew his half-dressed state had taken her off-guard. Knew he had made her knees go soft.
The arrogant devil!
She angrily gathered her thoughts. “My career is none of your business. And I mean that quite literally.”
“I want you home with Megan.”
She gasped, then bristled with indignation, forgetting all about his bare chest and the back scratching and the sexy sound of a zipper sliding up.
“You’re not one of those men who don’t want their wife to work at all, are you? Please tell me you don’t want me pregnant and barefoot in the kitchen?”
His eyelids flickered and darkened. “Of course not. I meant this week, that’s all. You said yourself she would find everything new and strange. I was just trying to make sure you spend some time with Megan until she gets used to it.”
He was being caring of Megan? She believed that. But did he have to tread all over her to do it?
She set her chin in a stubborn line. “You could have asked me that yourself. But I suppose that’s not worth your time. I’m still working three days a week with you. So don’t try and renege on the deal, Matt.”
“I don’t renege on deals.”
She stared at him. He seemed to have no idea he’d done anything wrong. Or more than likely he just couldn’t acknowledge any wrongdoing.
“Don’t interfere in my career again.” She turned to leave the room.
“Lana?”
She stopped but didn’t look back.
“Don’t forget I’m your boss now. Your career both now and in the future is in my hands.”
Lana swallowed. His tone was steel covered in velvet.
This time she did turn around. “Don’t you forget something, Matt. I’m a Valente now. I can play dirty, too.”
Then she turned on her heel and went back to the study, her mind spinning from the sheer arrogance of her new husband. If he thought he’d browbeat her, then he had another thing coming. She might no longer have a job to go to at Wainwright’s, but she had a free day tomorrow before starting at Valente’s. She would work her fingers to the bone to finish up as much as possible. It was a matter of pride, not to mention a small victory over Matt’s attempt at controlling her.
Five minutes later she heard the front door close and Matt’s car drive away. Evidently she’d be eating dinner alone tonight.
She told herself she was glad about that. She didn’t want to break bread with a man who demanded she do what he wanted. A man who rode roughshod over everyone, and too bad for them if they didn’t like it.
Yet she felt a chill. Memories of her father leaving the house for a night out on the town colored her thoughts. Where was Matt going? Who was he meeting? Would he come home smelling of alcohol? Of another woman? Dear Lord, she didn’t think she could do this for a whole year.
At eleven she heard him return, heard his footsteps stop outside the study door, then she let out a slow breath as they continued on their way. That was exactly how she wanted it to stay, she told herself. She wanted to be just a small pause in his life until it was time for him to move on.
Five
Matt’s face was shuttered when he walked into the sunroom the next morning, but Lana knew she flushed. She didn’t want to think about her comment last night in his room on scratching backs, or the sound of a zipper going up or running her palms over his muscular chest, yet she couldn’t seem to help herself.
She knew he saw it, too, and something reciprocal flashed in his brown eyes before he turned to focus on Megan.
He swung his gaze back to Lana.
“What do you plan for today?” he asked, surprising her with the question.
“Just a quiet day at home with Megan.” No need to tell him she planned on working until she’d finished her commitments to Wainwright’s.
He stared for a moment. “Have a good day.”
“I will.”
He left not long after, and Lana roped in Ruth’s help this one time to keep an eye on Megan, so by mid-afternoon she was able to take the paperwork over to Mr. Wainwright.
She felt such a sense of accomplishment as she handed over the files, but that soon disappeared on the way out when one of the female staff made a smart comment about her being lucky enough to marry Matt Valente.
Lana held her head high and ignored her. She wasn’t feeling terribly lucky right now.
Far from it.
Arriving back at the house, she was disconcerted to see Matt’s car in the driveway. She’d meant to ask Ruth not to say anything about today, but had forgotten in her rush to get out of the house.
Not that it really mattered if Matt knew what she’d been doing all day. Serve him right if he got a guilt attack from it. She pulled a face. Who was she kidding? Matt Valente didn’t know the meaning of guilt.
She found him sitting on the leather sofa bouncing Megan on his lap, the pair of them laughing together. Her heart ached a little to join in the fun.
She stepped into the room. “You’re home early.”
His head turned to face her, the animation dying on his face. “I wanted to see Megan.”
She felt as though she was intruding in something special.
As she was.
“Of course,” she murmured, ready to leave them to it.
“Ruth said you’d gone to Wainwright’s.”
His words spun her back to face him. She shot him a defiant look. “Yes, I did. And I finished it all, despite your attempts to make me do otherwise.”
“So I believe.” A light of admiration entered his eyes. “Good for you.”
His reply stunned her.
Then she quickly turned away, murmuring that she’d go change. She was confused and heartened in the same instant. Just when she wanted to hate him, he did or said something to make her change her mind.
Not that the feeling lasted long, she decided after dinner when he mentioned he was going out again, sluicing any softening toward him right down the drain.
Nonetheless, the next morning she was secretly glad of his company when they stepped out on the eighth floor of the House of Valente together. She wasn’t actually nervous about it all, more uneasy. The real thief could still be here and could be watching her.
His middle-aged personal assistant greeted her warmly. “Lana, it’s so nice to have you back.”
“Thank you, Irene,” she said, feeling cheered by the reception. She’d always enjoyed working here. Until her awareness of Matt had grown out of control.
Her eyes fell on Matt’s office, and out of nowhere memories of the Christmas party came flooding back. She felt her cheeks begin to heat up, but thankfully the others didn’t appear to notice.
Irene handed Matt a pile of messages. “You’re late for your first appointment,” she scolded in motherly fashion.
“I know, Irene, but we have a child who comes first now. Everyone else can wait.” He turned to Lana, his eyes distant. “Irene will show you to your office.” He turned and walked into his office and shut the door, leaving behind an awkward moment.
Typical.
Irene smiled at Lana. “New fathers are always cranky,” she mused.
Lana forced a smile but said nothing. What could she say anyway? The press might have put a spin on their marriage being a love match, but it wouldn’t take long before word got around the office once they saw her and Matt together. Loving they were not. Hopefully everyone would think they were just being private.
“Which office has he put me in, Irene?”
“The end one.”
Lana got a sinking feeling in her stomach. “That’s a single office, isn’t it?”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll show you. Th
en I’ll take you around to meet the staff. There are some new faces.”
Lana went with her, embarrassment and anger warring beneath the surface. Matt was certainly making sure she started off on the wrong foot with her co-workers.
Of course that wasn’t hard to do with Evan Rogers, one of the other accountants, whom she’d worked with before. He was so swarmy that if she suspected anyone of stealing money, it was him.
“Lana, how lovely to see you back,” he gushed at her in front of the others. “And you’ve got the end office now, too. How … fortunate.”
Lana kept the smile on her face and ignored his dig. She actually hoped it was Evan who’d stolen the money. No one else deserved to go to jail like he did, she mused, determining that Evan’s accounts would be a great place to start investigating. He might not have been stupid enough to take money that led straight back to him, but perhaps he’d made a minor mistake somewhere … anywhere….
After that she managed to focus as she got reacquainted with the financial aspects that concerned her job, and by late morning she felt right at home. The work was so familiar she could do it with her eyes shut, though she knew that therein lay the danger. She had to keep her eyes open for any sign of fraud. Not just by Evan but by anyone else. She would bide her time; it might look strange if she started looking up old accounts straightaway. She would do that once she felt able to without suspicion.
She didn’t see Matt until he came to get her to go home.
“How was your first day back with us?” he said, leaning against the doorjamb.
He looked gorgeous and noticing it made her angry with herself. And damn, but she was still angry with him anyway.
Her mouth tightened. “You shouldn’t have given me this office.”
His eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“I didn’t have one by myself before. I shared with three others.”
“You weren’t my wife before.”
“Exactly. You shouldn’t show me any favoritism.” She only just refrained from saying that perhaps he should share that particular point with the others instead of ignoring her as he had all day, but then it sounded as though she actually wanted him to spend time with her.
“Maybe I should put you in my office with me,” he quipped, his lips curving sensually.
The #1 Bestsellers Collection 2011 Page 21
