Million-Dollar Marriage Merger

by Charlene Sands

  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.”

  She managed a small smile then glanced at the antique sideboard filled with platters of food. “Where did all this come from?”

  Tony shrugged. “It’s the Presidential Suite.”

  “And that makes food magically appear?”

  He laughed. “Yeah, I guess so.”

  “You might be used to being treated like this, but this is…over
whelming to me.”

  Tony walked over to stand before her. He searched her eyes. “I don’t live like this, Rena. But it’s a special occasion. I thought you deserved a little pampering.” He stroked her cheek, his finger sliding along her jaw line tenderly. It had been so long since she’d been touched like this. So long since she’d had any real tenderness. She was nine weeks pregnant, and though she’d tried to be strong when David died, there were times when she just needed some gentle contact.

  She looked into Tony’s dark beautiful eyes, then lowered her gaze to his mouth. It was all the encouragement he needed. He took her carefully in his arms and bent his head, bringing their lips together in a soft kiss.

  Rena relished his lips on hers, the gentle way he held her, the warmth and comfort he lent. It wasn’t a sensual kiss but one of understanding and patience.

  He surprised her with his compassion, and that made her wary. She couldn’t put her faith in Tony—he’d destroyed that years ago. If she’d had any other way out of her dilemma she wouldn’t have married him, despite gentle kisses and kind overtures.

  “Rena, don’t back off,” he said.

  “I have to. You offered me a business proposal. Your own words were, ‘this isn’t a real marriage.’ And now, now…you’re expecting me to fall into the role as your wife.” She shook her head, and her emotions spilled out. “Don’t you understand? At one time, I would have trusted you with my life, but now there’s not much you could say or do to make me trust you. My heart is empty where you’re concerned. I was forced to marry you…otherwise I wouldn’t be here. I’m protecting myself, and my baby.”

  “That’s what I intend to do, Rena. Protect you and the baby.”

  “No, you’re going to help build my company back up. Period. I can’t let you get too close to my child. I can’t let you hurt my baby, the way you hurt me.”

  “How could I ever hurt your child?”

  “The same way you hurt me. By walking out. By leaving. By finding something more exciting than being a husband and father. While I’ve recovered from you leaving, it would be devastating to a child to be abandoned that way. My son or daughter may never get over it.”

  Anger flashed in his eyes. His jaw tightened, and his body went rigid. “I don’t intend on abandoning either of you.”

  “What if you get the racing bug again? What if you’re called back? It’s in your blood, Tony. You love racing.”

  “That part of my life is over. I did what I set out to do. I’m not going back, ever.”

  Rena shook her head, refusing to believe him.

  “You have my promise on that,” he said. Then he spoke more firmly. “Did you hear me, Rena? I’ll never leave you or the baby. It’s a promise.”

  Tony stared at her for a long moment, and when she thought he was so angry he’d walk out of the room, he handed her a plate. “Eat up,” he said. “We’re going to have some fun today.”

  Rena glanced at him. “We are?”

  “Yeah, even if it kills me.”

  Rena chuckled, despite the tension in the room just seconds earlier. She had to hand it to Tony for lightening the mood. “That’s not my intention.”

  “Can I bank on that?”

  She shrugged as she filled up her plate. “Sure,” she offered. “You can bank on that.”

  They exited the hotel, and because it was a glorious day, they decided to walk the crowded streets. A few times, Rena and Tony got separated in the onslaught of foot traffic, so he grabbed her hand and they strolled along that way, browsing through shops. When Rena took a lingering look at a ruby necklace, her birthstone with a setting that was beautifully unusual, Tony dragged her into the store and purchased it for her. “You don’t have to do this,” she said.

  “Consider it a wedding gift, since I didn’t get you a diamond ring.”

  “I know, but I don’t need this. What I need is for my vineyard to thrive and be solvent again.”

  “That’ll happen too, Rena. You don’t have to give up one to get the other.”

  Rena sighed inwardly. She’d been doing that most of her life, sacrificing her own needs and wants in order to assure Purple Fields’ survival. It had been years since she’d known what it was like to simply have something she wanted without guilt.

  Next they took the trolley to Fisherman’s Wharf and ate clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls, then stopped at an ice cream parlor and ate sundaes until Rena thought her belly would expand out of her pants. “Oh, I’m so full.”

  “Me, too,” Tony said, looking at her empty dish. “I guess you never get over loving hot fudge over strawberry ice cream.”

  “With nuts on top.”

  “Hmm and whipped cream. Remember the whipped cream fight we had?” Tony asked.

  Rena remembered how they’d each taken out a can of Reddi-wip from Tony’s refrigerator. No one was home and they’d just finished eating sundaes. “Yeah and you cheated!”

  “I did not. I fight fair. I couldn’t help it that your nozzle got stuck.”

  “You took advantage then and squirted me until I was covered with it. That stuff even got in my hair.”

  “You were sweet from head to toe,” Tony said with a nostalgic smile.

  The memory popped into her head of Tony kissing it off her until kissing wasn’t enough. He’d taken her to his bedroom then, stripped her down and licked every bit of the whipped cream off. They’d made love in the shower, deciding that strawberry sundaes were their favorite dessert.

  “I never have whipped cream without thinking of you,” Tony said, his eyes fixed on hers.

  Her cheeks heated and she inhaled sharply. “That was a long time ago.” What she didn’t add is that the same held true for her.

  “But a good memory.”

  “I don’t think about the past anymore,” she fibbed.

  He watched her intently. “Maybe you should. We had something special.”

  “‘Had’ being the key word.” She refused to let Tony get to her.

  Tony leaned over and kissed her on the lips. “Let’s go,” he said abruptly, taking her hand again. They rode the trolley back and checked out of the hotel. Rena took one last look around, feeling oddly sentimental. She blamed it on her fickle hormones.

  When Rena thought they’d head back to Napa, Tony drove her to a four-story shopping mall and parked the car. “What are we doing here?”

  He grinned. “We’re getting baby things.”

  “Baby things?”

  “I promised you a fun day, and I figured a new mother-to-be would enjoy picking out furniture and clothes and whatever else the baby might need.”

  “Really?” Tempted by such an elaborate offer, Rena’s heart raced with excitement. Offhand, she could think of dozens of items she’d need for the baby’s arrival, and quite frankly, she didn’t know how she’d manage to pay for all of it. Other than shopping at thrift stores, she was truly at a loss.

  “I haven’t a clue what a baby needs,” Tony said, getting out of the car and opening the door for her.

  “I’m on new ground here, too.” She took his outstretched hand. “We’d always talked about having children, but—” Rena stopped and slipped her hand from his, her heart in her throat. How could she do this? How could she look at cribs and bassinets and baby swings when this was a dream she and David shared together? They’d always wanted a family. The time had never been right. She refused to think of the life growing inside her as an accident, but they hadn’t really planned on this baby.

  Rena ached inside thinking that David would never know his child. He’d never change a diaper, kiss its face or watch it take its first step. He’d never go to a ballet recital or little league game. He’d never know the joy of seeing his child develop into a smart-alecky teen or fall in love one day. David would have been there for his child. He’d have seen his son or daughter through the good times and the bad, because David was loyal and devoted. He would have made a wonderful father.

  Rena’s legs went weak sudde
nly. Her body trembled, and she knew she couldn’t do this. She glanced at Tony, her voice a quiet plea. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I’m ready for this.”

  Tony drew in a breath. “Right.” He closed his eyes briefly, and Rena noted genuine pain there. “Okay, we’ll do this another time. When you’re ready.”

  She sighed with relief. “It’s not that I don’t appreciate—”

  “I get it, Rena. I’m not the baby’s father. Enough said.”

  Tony got back into his car and revved the engine, waiting for her to climb inside. She bit her lip and held back tears as she sank into the car. They drove to Napa in silence, Rena glancing at Tony’s stony expression every once in a while.

  She knew in her head that David was gone. He was her past, while this angry man sitting beside her was her future.

  The irony struck her anew.

  How many times had she hoped to be Tony Carlino’s wife? Only to find now she should have been more careful what she’d wished for.

  Six

  Tony drove to Napa, a debate going on in his head. On one hand, he knew Rena still grieved, but on the other hand, he’d taken responsibility for her. She was his wife now. He couldn’t let her dictate the terms of their relationship, not if he planned to really honor David’s dying wish. So he drove past Purple Fields and down the highway leading to his home.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “To my house.”

  Rena slanted him a dubious look. “Why?”

  “Just stopping by to pick up some of my clothes to bring to Purple Fields.”

  Rena blinked before realizing his intent. “This was supposed to be a secret marriage, Tony. We can’t live together.”

  Tony expected this argument. He pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car. Immediately, Rena’s shoulders stiffened. She sat up straighter in the seat and faced him. Before he spoke, he searched her face for a long moment, reining in his anger. “Rena, we’re not announcing to the public we’re married. But I can’t possibly work with you at Purple Fields and—”