Vows

by Rochelle Alers

  He walked into the bedroom and lowered her to her feet beside the bed. The sensors along the baseboards filled the large space with soft, warm light, and set the mood for their joining.

  Standing over Vanessa, his gaze never straying from her face, he undid all of the minute buttons on her dress and pushed it away from her chest, exposing the soft swell of her breasts rising above the lacy demi-cups of a pale, blue bra. He deftly unsnapped the clasp and cradled her small, firm breasts as the scrap of satin and lace fell from her shoulders. In one motion the wispy fabric of her dress pooled around her sandaled feet.

  Only then did his gaze drop to her flat belly and the flare of her hips, encased in pale blue lace. Kneeling, he eased her bikini panties from her hips and down her legs, then removed her sandals.

  Vanessa closed her eyes as a trembling wracked her body when she felt his mouth follow the path of his fingers, fingers that feathered up her inner thigh and lingered near her sex.

  Her chin fell forward on her chest at the same time her fingers gripped his head, tightening on his scalp. Bracing both hands on her inner thighs, he spread her legs apart and drank the drink of a man dying of thirst. His tongue was relentless, not stopping until she collapsed over his head as shudders of ecstasy echoed her calling out his name in an unending, breathless litany.

  Joshua eased her gently to the floor, then pulled back the bed covers. He shed his clothes quickly before placing Vanessa on the center of the bed. She moaned softly when he moved over her languid body, then gasped sharply as he entered her with a driving thrust that rekindled her waning passion all over again.

  Every thrust, every stroke, symbolized the nights he had been apart from her, and when his soaring lust exploded the ebbing passion was similar to the weakness he’d felt when his life’s blood pooled on the marble floor of the church in San Miguel. He had glimpsed death a second time. The difference was that this muerte was in the arms of his wife.

  He reversed their positions, cradling Vanessa atop his chest. She struggled to free herself, but he tightened his hold on her waist. “Stop wiggling.”

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “You don’t weigh enough to hurt me.”

  She raised her head and stared down at him. “Don’t your chest and belly hurt?”

  “No,” he laughed. “I’ve healed completely.”

  Picking at the coarse strands of hair on his head, she frowned. “How serious were you?”

  “I received three units of blood.”

  “Joshua—”

  “Don’t, Angel,” he interrupted. “I can’t talk about it.”

  What he did not want to do was lie to her. There was no way he could tell her about the attempt on his life without disclosing what he actually did for a living. He knew he would have to tell one day—but not now.

  She pressed her forehead to his. “I invite you to eat and we wind up in bed. I’m not a very good hostess, am I?”

  Brushing his lips over hers, he said, “You are a wonderful hostess, and I did eat. You were the appetizer.” She pressed her face to his shoulder and he felt the heat in her cheeks. “Did I embarrass you, darling?”

  “You’re a wicked man, Joshua Kirkland.”

  “That’s because you’re a wicked, sexy woman.”

  “Let’s get up and take a shower. Then we’ll see if we can’t behave long enough to sit down and eat.”

  Joshua rolled her over on the bed, smiling. “Someone should’ve told you about me before you consented to become my wife.”

  She flashed a saucy smile. “Told me what?”

  “That I’ll never be able to behave. I’m what people call a bad boy.”

  “I suppose I can’t help myself. I seem to have a penchant for bad boys.”

  His expression stilled and grew serious. “Who else are you involved with?”

  “I’m not involved with anyone.”

  “Have you been seeing anyone since we married?” It was a question he knew the answer to, but he needed to hear her reply.

  Combing her fingers through her mussed hair, Vanessa pushed it off her forehead. “I’m seeing someone as a friend. His name is Stanton Reid, and I’ve invited him to come with me to Warren’s party.” She noticed that Joshua’s eyes paled. “Is that what you want to know?”

  Rolling off her body, he sat up. “It’s enough.”

  Vanessa sat up, staring at his solemn face. “Are you sure that’s enough?”

  Arching a pale eyebrow, he smiled again. “What I do know is that you couldn’t be sleeping with him. The moment I entered you I knew that.”

  She rose on her knees and settled down on his lap. His arms curved around her body as she leaned into his strength. They sat silently, holding each other until they rose as if on cue and headed for the bathroom.

  The glow of being loved throughout the night was still visible the next morning when Vanessa walked into her office. She had just sat down behind her desk when Shane appeared.

  “I came to apologize,” he said quickly. “I was out of line, and I have no excuse for acting the way I did.”

  “Come in and close the door, Shane.”

  He complied, then walked over and sat down on the chair beside her desk. She stared at him for several seconds, trying to understand what could’ve triggered his display of hostility the night before.

  “Are you having personal problems?” she questioned softly.

  He stiffened. “What kind of personal problems are you talking about?”

  “Love? Money?”

  He shook his head vehemently. “No, Vanessa. I told you before that I can’t work with George. The man’s paranoid.”

  “You were insubordinate,” she countered.

  “I wasn’t insubordinate. George didn’t give me correct direction. I swear to you, Vanessa, that he never told me we were setting up the budgets using deficit funding.”

  She stared at her assistant. His outburst of the night before was not only foreign but totally unexpected, because Shane had always been cooperative. He, along with many of the others in the Finance Unit, were unable to work directly with George Fender, and because of this Preston had permitted George to work alone.

  “Would you prefer to work with Frank?”

  “Sure. Anybody but George.”

  “I’m going to do you a favor, but first you have to do something for me.” His head bobbed up and down in a nervous gesture. “I’m going to warn you just this one time. If you ever attempt what you pulled last night, you’re out! And because GEA doesn’t have a union, there’s no one to advocate on your behalf.”

  His gaze dropped, his head following. “I promise you that it won’t happen again.”

  “Don’t promise, Shane. Just don’t do it. You don’t have to worry as much about me as you do about Joshua Kirkland.”

  Shane’s head snapped up. “What about him?”

  “He saw everything. And he has the power to recommend that you stay or be released.” What she didn’t say was that Joshua would intervene if he ever attacked her again.

  “Did he say anything to you?”

  Not wanting to lie, she said, “Yes, he did.”

  “What did he say?”

  “I’m not at liberty to reveal that to you. As of now I’m reassigning you to Frank. I’ll let Frank know that he’s to expect you.”

  Shane ran a trembling hand through his wavy, dark hair, smiling a nervous smile. “Thanks, Vanessa.”

  She stared at him until he rose to his feet and walked out of her office. Exhaling audibly, she shook her head. She’d felt like an ogre, admonishing another adult. One she liked a lot.

  It appeared Joshua did not have a problem admonishing or intimidating anyone. All he had to do was turn his frigid gaze on someone and they trembled.

  Closing her eyes, she recalled the passions they had shared the night before. They showered, ate, cleaned up, then returned to the bedroom, where they made love for hours. She fell asleep at midnight and awoke at four to find Josh
ua gone; an iris from the bouquet he’d given her lay on the pillow where he’d slept, its fragrance blending with the lingering scent from his body. The smell of him was everywhere—on her bed and on her skin. She loathed washing it away when she got up to prepare for the day.

  Picking up her telephone, she called Frank and informed him that he would be responsible for Shane’s supervision. Frank was pleased with her decision. He had unofficially become the Chief Financial Officer, supervising everyone but Vanessa and George.

  A satisfied smile softened her mouth as she unlocked her file cabinet to begin the onerous task of completing the budget projections.

  Chapter 25

  Joshua parked his car in the space behind Jenna’s. He’d berated himself over and over for asking her to accompany him to Warren’s house. Maybe it had something to do with Vanessa and another man—a man he knew she wasn’t sleeping with, but that did not stop pangs of jealousy from disturbing his sleep.

  Walking the few steps to the front door of her duplex garden apartment, he rang the doorbell.

  The door opened, and Jenna stood before him completely nude except for a pair of black satin mules. She tossed back a wave of flaxen hair with a flip of her head, smiling. “Please, come in.”

  He didn’t know whether to laugh or walk away. He decided on the latter. “I’m going back to my car to wait exactly fifteen minutes for you to get dressed. Take one minute longer, and I’m leaving.”

  Jenna laughed, blowing him a kiss. “I only need a couple of minutes to slip into something.”

  The door closed and, much to his surprise, he did laugh. There wasn’t an ounce of modesty in the tiny woman. He wondered how many men had taken her up on her unorthodox greeting.

  Jenna strutted out of her apartment after ten minutes. An emerald green midriff top and a matching short, tight skirt were an exact match for her eyes. Her provocative attire exhibited her body’s best features: a tiny waist, flat middle, and strong legs. Joshua opened the passenger-side door and she leaned over, providing him with a more than ample view of her breasts.

  He slammed the passenger-side door violently and circled the car. Slipping in behind the steering wheel, he glared at her. “Show out with me, and I’ll bring you back home so fast that it’ll make your head swim.”

  She placed a hand on his shirt sleeve. “Oh, Joshua, don’t be so serious. I was only playing with you.”

  He jerked his arm away. “I didn’t play when I was a boy, Jenna. And I certainly don’t have time for it now.”

  Her jaw snapped loudly, and she turned away from him and glared out a side window. Most men would’ve followed her up to her bedroom and taken what she was offering, but it was apparent that Joshua Kirkland wasn’t most men.

  Vanessa half-listened to what Stanton Reid was telling her as her gaze was directed toward the area set aside for parking. Joshua’d said he was going to attend Warren’s staff meeting, but he hadn’t put in an appearance even though it was after six o’clock.

  A rising wind lifted the long, silk chiffon skirt of her iridescent, fuchsia camisole dress above the grassy lawn, revealing a matching color on her toes. Layers of the sheer fabric of her dress floated over her body like breaths of wind. Her well-groomed feet were cradled in a pair of high-heeled, silk sandals in darker hues of varying shades of pink and purple.

  “I asked if you would like me to get you something to drink.”

  She looked at her date as if he had two heads. “Yes, please,” she replied after registering what he’d said. “A glass of white wine.”

  Stanton walked away at the same time Joshua strode around the rear of the sprawling, one-story, hacienda-style structure. Her suppressed smile froze on her face once she saw the woman clinging to his arm.

  How could he? How could he have brought Jenna? And there was no mistaking that the woman was more than pleased to have accompanied him, as evidenced by her wide grin.

  Their gazes met across the expanse of lawn and, not wanting him to see her annoyance, she smiled. He nodded imperceptibly, placing a hand in the middle of Jenna’s back and leading her over to where an outdoor bar had been set up.

  “I wonder if he’s already slept with her,” said a familiar feminine voice close to Vanessa’s ear.

  Turning, she glared at Lisabeth. “Why don’t you ask Jenna?”

  Lisabeth tucked in a stray braid that had escaped her elegantly coiffed braided hair. “She looks quite satisfied. The way she’s grinning you can see all thirty-two of her bought and paid for porcelains.”

  “Pull in your claws, Lisabeth. Jenna’s not worth it.”

  “She gives women a bad name.”

  “Jenna gives Jenna a bad name.”

  “I don’t want to be here, Vanessa. I have better things to do on my Saturday nights than hang out at Warren McDonald’s house.”

  “Do you think this is fun for me?” she hissed between her teeth.

  She couldn’t tell Lisabeth that she and Joshua had spent the past four nights together. After the first night they couldn’t stay away from each other. The pull was too strong for them to resist. He came to her house after the sun set and left before sunrise.

  Stanton returned with her white wine and she smiled up at him. Stanton Reid was heart-stopping, breathtakingly handsome. The former professional football player, now a sportscaster for a major television network, broke hearts whenever he displayed his lopsided, dimpled smile.

  Twice-married, Stanton dated several women at the same time, refusing to commit to any of them. This suited Vanessa just fine, because she couldn’t marry Stanton even if she wanted to. She was still legally married.

  Curving an arm around her waist, he covered more than half of her back with his large hand. His large, clear brown eyes twinkled with his trademark smile. “You’re gorgeous, Vanessa.”

  “So are you, Stanton.”

  Throwing back his head, he laughed loudly, garnering everyone’s attention. Vanessa took a sip of her wine, peering over the rim at her husband. There was no mistaking his displeasure when he saw Stanton’s hand on her waist.

  Excusing himself and leaving a pouting Jenna staring at his back, Joshua made his way toward Vanessa and Stanton. There was no doubt that Stanton Reid and Vanessa were an extremely attractive couple, but she was his wife.

  Extending his hand, he said quietly, “Joshua Kirkland. I was a big fan of yours when you played for the Cowboys.”

  Stanton took the proffered hand, his patent smile in place. “You from Texas?”

  “Originally from Florida. I’ve decided to settle out here in Santa Fe.”

  “Beautiful landscape,” Stanton stated soberly.

  “Beautiful landscape, beautiful weather, and beautiful women.”

  Stanton looked at Vanessa, then back to Joshua. “I suppose you two know each other?”

  “Of course,” they replied in unison.

  “Mr. Kirkland is an independent consultant for GEA,” she explained for Stanton.

  Joshua’s knowing gaze moved slowly over the now softly curled hair framing her face. She was aware of his preference for curly hair. Pinpoints of brilliant green grazed her bared shoulders and the soft swell of breasts rising above the revealing garment’s décolletage.

  Politely excusing himself, Joshua returned to Jenna, noticing that she was frowning at something Shane was saying to her. He slowed his approach, watching the exchange as the fingers of Shane’s right hand curled around Jenna’s upper arm before she jerked it from his grasp. She glanced down at her arm, fearful that his savage grip had left it marred.

  Joshua walked up behind Shane, catching him off guard. “You seem to have an inclination for physically abusing women, Sumners. I’m going to recommend that you go for counseling.”

  Shane spun around, startled, then turned and strolled casually across the lawn as Jenna continued to massage her arm.

  Cupping her elbow, Joshua examined her arm. “I don’t think you’re going to bruise.” He stared down at her. “What was th
at all about?”

  She shrugged. “Nothing.”

  “Nothing? He wanted to hurt you.”

  Jenna turned away before he saw the tears well up in her eyes. Not tears of pain, but tears of frustration. “I’d rather not talk about it.”

  A slight frown marred his smooth forehead as he stared at her back. “Do you want me to take you home?”

  “Please.”

  Placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, he pulled her head to his chest. “Wait near my car for me.” She nodded and made her way to the area set aside for parking.

  Joshua searched the crowd for Vanessa. Meeting her gaze, he raised his left hand and beckoned with his forefinger. Within seconds she was at his side.

  “I’m going to take Jenna home.”

  “Are you coming back?”

  “No. Warren briefed me on what he was going to say. I’m going back to the hotel. Call me at the Meridian when you get back home, and I’ll come and get you.”

  “Get me?”

  He winked at her. “You’re going to spend the night with me.”

  Joshua drove Jenna back to her apartment in complete silence. He took surreptitious glances at her profile as she stared straight head, her deceptively composed features revealing nothing.

  When he maneuvered into the driveway behind her late-model Saab convertible coupe, she said, “You don’t have to see me in.”

  Pushing open the door, she stepped out and walked to the entrance of her apartment. She unlocked the door, walked in, and closed it behind her.

  He sat in the car for several minutes before putting it in reverse. Instinctively he sensed that something was going on between Jenna and Shane. What it was, he intended to uncover.

  Twenty minutes later he pulled into the parking lot of the Meridian Hotel. Like most of the employees at the administrative offices of GEA, he hadn’t wanted to attend Warren McDonald’s so-called staff meeting dinner party, yet had felt obligated to go.

  Warren looked at the occasion as a morale booster, because he was willing to underwrite the cost of food and live entertainment. Rumors of mergers and takeovers usually meant give-backs and layoffs to employees, not promotions or raises.