Taking a Chance on Love

by Iris Morland

  Her eyes were glassy, her cheeks flushed. “Yes, yes—”

  Her back arched. Her eyes rolled back inside her head. And then she bit down on her lip hard as her orgasm made her body shake. It was the most erotic thing he’d ever seen in his life. Not wanting this to end already, Anthony drew out her release until she finally collapsed against his chest.

  They stayed like that for a long moment. Anthony stroked her back, his chin on the crown of her head. Thea’s breathing slowed before she finally sat up again.

  Her hands reached for his fly, but he pushed her away. “Not tonight.”

  She frowned. “But—”

  “You should go upstairs.” At his brusque tone, she flinched. He said more gently, “Go.”

  She hesitated, like she wanted to demand answers. He looked away from her.

  Finally, she got up, grabbing her shirt and Sneaky in his box before heading upstairs.

  Anthony stayed in the living room for a while, taking deep breaths, trying to order his thoughts. He was still hard, and it had taken everything in him not to let Thea touch him, too. But he knew if anyone was playing with fire, it was him.

  He’d already given in to too much temptation. Any further and he wouldn’t return.

  12

  Thea couldn’t sleep all night. She tossed and turned until she finally gave up around five in the morning. Going downstairs, she made coffee, bringing Sneaky along with her.

  Setting up a pen of sorts with various furniture while lining the floor with towels, she let Sneaky begin to explore his new digs. At first he stayed in the corner, but eventually he found the courage to venture further out. It helped that Thea had placed a nice pile of lettuce and carrots for him to munch on in the middle of the pen. Sneaky was still favoring his right leg, though. Once they were able to get out of this cabin, she’d take him to a vet to be looked at.

  She blew out a breath as she sat down on the oversized leather chair near the remains of the fire from the night before. The candles she’d lit had burned down to puddles of wax. She shivered, wishing she knew how to start a fire. It couldn’t be that difficult, right? She’d watched Anthony do it last night.

  Thea lined the fireplace with newspaper and added fresh wood. To her delight, the fire started without an issue. But it didn’t take long for it to burn out. She tried again and had the same result.

  Irritated, she collapsed back onto her chair and stewed. Her thoughts inevitably strayed to Anthony, and how he’d kissed her last night. How he’d done more than kiss her. She closed her eyes, feeling his hands on her back, remembering the way he’d groaned her name. How he’d kissed her, how he’d brought her to her release.

  And how he’d basically sent her to her room without one look back. She’d thought he’d wanted her as much as she’d wanted him, but she’d been wrong. It was like the light had gone out of his eyes. Or worse, he’d realized he’d made a mistake.

  Thea winced. She didn’t want to be someone’s mistake. And how dare Anthony treat her like that, as if she had the plague? Her nails bit into her palm, so hard that they left crescents in her skin. He’d wanted her in the beginning—she knew when a man wanted her. So what had changed between the ravenous kisses and the cold parting?

  Irritated, she got up to stoke the fire a third time, but when the fire burned out within minutes, she almost tossed the poker across the room. She then imagined using it to hit Anthony in the back of the head, and she felt a little better.

  He’s an asshole, Thea reminded herself. He doesn’t care about anyone but himself. You already knew that.

  If he thought of her as a mistake, he must think she was beneath him. She was nobody, especially compared to his ex-wife: she wasn’t some rich, beautiful socialite. Thea was just a struggling artist from a messed-up family. She winced, thinking of how she’d told him about her family.

  Oh God, what if he was disgusted with her family history? What if he thought she could be crazy like her mother? Trembling with anger, she tried to steady her breathing and keep her thoughts from running every which way. Getting worked up without knowing for certain wouldn’t help her.

  Mittens texted her later that morning, nothing in the message but a single link. Opening the website, Thea’s eyes slowly widened more and more as she read through the article Mittens had texted her.

  By the end of the article, she was fuming. Bertram, Sons, and Co. dedicates itself to providing the best customer experience, was the headline that meant essentially nothing. The article was all praise, including testimonials from customers. But it was the tiny paragraph near the end that made Thea want to set Anthony’s bed on fire—with him in it.

  In order to provide our customers in all countries with our products, animal testing is an unfortunate necessity. We continue to look for other options, however. We thank everyone for their feedback on this divisive issue.

  Thea knew very well that they didn’t have to test on animals at all. Many companies avoided that. She could name a dozen that she used herself that were cruelty-free. She imagined Sneaky as one of those unfortunate animals who was fed poisons or burned with chemicals before getting tossed out like trash.

  Her anger only spiked higher when Mittens texted, In case you needed to be reminded why he’s an asshole.

  Yes, she’d needed the reminder. Although guilt wanted to win in regard to Anthony, her disgust eclipsed it. A man who didn’t care about innocent animals wasn’t capable of caring for her. She’d needed to remember that he was heartless and not worthy of her empathy.

  I think being stuck with him has gone to my head, she texted back with a sobbing emoji. I need to get out of here!

  Obviously. And I need you back because we’re putting together another campaign. If Bertram and his people are going to double down on this shit, then we will, too.

  Thea swallowed against the lump in her throat before replying, Count me in.

  She returned upstairs and spent the morning drawing before her stomach began to rumble. Wandering downstairs, she found Anthony in the living room. And to her immense dismay, he was feeding Sneaky bites of carrots. He smiled when the rabbit took the last nub of a carrot from him, a smile that went straight through Thea’s heart and made her ovaries explode.

  How could a man who ran a company like his be like this in person? She couldn’t make it out at all. She couldn’t help but wonder if he even cared about the animals that were being tested on. Would he be this kind to them? She had a feeling she already knew the answer.

  “I thought you didn’t like animals,” she said. Her anger from earlier returned within moments.

  He stood up, cocking an eyebrow. “So much that I helped you save one from certain death?” he said dryly.

  “You only did that so I wouldn’t break my neck. You said so yourself.”

  Thea knew she sounded combative, but she was in a combative mood. She was tired of seeing this kind side of Anthony. She needed to be reminded of the asshole that lurked beneath.

  “True.” He glanced back at Sneaky. “He is cute, I have to admit.”

  “He’s a rabbit. They’re all cute.”

  “Look, Thea, if you’re upset about last night—”

  She shook her head. “Last night doesn’t matter. I’ve already forgotten it.” Liar. “I just want to know one thing: why are you so kind to Sneaky when your company tests on animals, and continues to do so even when it’s bad PR?”

  She probably could have asked less boldly, but she didn’t care if she offended him.

  Anthony’s expression shuddered, and Thea could practically see him put on his cold CEO mask. Stepping toward her, he said quietly, “What is this about, Thea?”

  “Exactly what I just said. I don’t get you at all. One second you’re torturing animals for profit. The next you’re saving a rabbit from starving or drowning.”

  “It’s complicated.”

  “Then explain it to me.”

  “You seem very intent on this. Why?”

  At the s
park in his eyes, she looked away, her throat dry. Stupid, Thea. Don’t give away your secret. He’ll wring your neck if he finds out you were behind that campaign.

  “I’m interested because I love animals—all animals. I don’t understand how people can treat them like they don’t feel or think,” she said.

  “Rabbits aren’t humans,” he said with a dismissive gesture.

  “No, but they’re worthy of respect. They can feel pain, fear—all the things we can feel.”

  “I don’t torture animals for fun. No one does.” Although his voice was level, she could hear the irritation growing.

  “How is torturing animals for your benefit any different from doing it just for a sick kind of pleasure?” She wrapped her arms around herself. “You can’t excuse it, no matter how you put it.”

  “Maybe not. And the funny thing is that I don’t have to explain it to you. I don’t have to explain my reasoning to anyone but myself and my board. The rest of you, who decide that you have an opinion without understanding the full scope of things, aren’t my concern, because you’ll never understand it.”

  “Like I said, maybe if you explain it, I’ll understand it.”

  “I doubt that. Because like I said, I don’t need to explain anything.” A sneer crossed his face. “Do you think I built my company with people like you questioning my every move? Do you think I built my empire when every bleeding heart started wringing their hands? I had nothing, and I created this company myself. I was broke, starving while living in a dump, as I slaved away, knowing that if I kept going, I would make something of myself.”

  He stalked toward her, slowly backing her up, until she hit the wall behind her.

  “I made something of myself,” he said, “and I don’t give two shits what you think about that. And I’m going to run my company as I see fit. Not how you see fit, not how anyone else sees as the best way. Do you understand that? Besides, there are other factors and laws at play here. It’s not a black-and-white issue.”

  Thea frowned. “What other factors?”

  “You call yourself some animal lover, but you don’t do your research, do you?”

  Thea flushed as he continued, “The only reason we continue to test on animals is because that’s the only way to sell in the Chinese market. The government makes any foreign cosmetics companies comply with their laws. And if we were to save your precious rabbits and rats by pulling out of China, hundreds of people would be without jobs. So, how about you step down from your throne and stop judging people without understanding the full scope of things?”

  Thea had known some of what Anthony spoke of, but if she were honest, she hadn’t done as much research as she could have. She’d taken Mittens’s word about how things were run, and she hadn’t considered other countries’ laws. She’d seen the photos of the animals in question, and she’d read about what was done to them.

  “That still doesn’t make it right,” she said stubbornly. “You don’t have to sell your stuff in China.”

  He let out a disgusted noise. “I’m not going to convince you what I’m doing is right or wrong. It isn’t about that. It’s about selling where there’s a demand and giving people jobs. Can you say that you’ve done the same?”

  Thea knew very well that she was baiting a bear when she said, “For someone who doesn’t need to explain himself, you seem to need to explain yourself quite a lot.”

  Anthony didn’t say anything. He did that thing where he stared down at her, like he was convinced she’d quiver and collapse at his feet. Too bad he seemed to forget that she wasn’t the type of woman to do either of those things.

  “And why do you care? What’s your game?” He raked her with his gaze, like he could unravel her secrets. “Because if I didn’t know better, I’d think you were one of the people trying to take me down.”

  Her heart seized in her chest. Doing her best to keep her voice steady, she said, “Now you’re just paranoid.”

  He seemed to accept that answer. And when his lip curled upward, Thea should have known that the last blow would fall like an axe to the neck.

  “You’re right,” he said. “And the last thing I need is to listen to some washed-up wannabe artist who’s too much of a coward to show anyone her stuff.”

  Her heart froze. “At least I haven’t lost my humanity entirely,” she whispered.

  A moment later, he pushed away from the wall and stalked upstairs.

  Thea covered her heart with her hand, willing it to stop pounding, and wishing that his words hadn’t struck a nerve. Pain radiated through her. Washed-up wannabe artist. Tears burned in her eyes.

  She’d wanted a reminder that he was an asshole, hadn’t she? Well, she’d more than gotten that reminder.

  13

  Anthony didn’t care what he’d have to sacrifice to get out of this cabin. He couldn’t stay one more day with Thea and her incessant, prying questions. And he sure as hell couldn’t keep seeing the hurt on her face after what he’d said to her.

  He told himself it was for the best. Better that she hate him than want to reform him. He wasn’t the type to be reformed. He didn’t want to be reformed, dammit. He hadn’t built one of the most powerful companies in the world by being nice.

  Anthony called Cara and every person he could think of to get himself and Thea a way out of this cabin. He pulled strings; he called in favors. He wasn’t above a bit of blackmail, either. By the end of the day, he’d secured a helicopter ride from a friend of another CEO who could land a helicopter in areas like this one. It wouldn’t be easy, the pilot, Danny, had warned him, but he would try his best. At least the windstorm had died down.

  Danny better come through, or Anthony was liable to do something really stupid. Like apologize to Thea.

  He didn’t tell her about their new travel arrangements. She didn’t need to be aware of how much he wanted this entire debacle to be over. Besides, she might try to talk him out of it. That was the last thing he needed right now.

  He needed to get back to work. He needed to stop thinking about how Thea felt, how he could’ve handled that conversation better. And he needed to stop wondering if she was more right than he cared to admit.

  Anthony’s thoughts of freedom were interrupted when his phone rang. Of course, things just had to go from bad to worse: it was Elise.

  “Yes?” he answered.

  “I heard about the flooding where you are. Are you still at the cabin?”

  Anthony flicked a piece of lint from his shirt. “Why should you care? You’d still get your money even if I died.”

  “You’re such an asshole. Can’t I want to check in on you for no other reason than being worried?”

  “No, you can’t,” was his deadpan reply.

  Elise sighed. “Look, Tony, I didn’t call to fight.”

  “You never do.”

  “I wanted to ask if you’d thought over what I talked to you about. About the money.”

  His grip tightened on his phone. “I already said it wasn’t going to happen.”

  “I’m not asking for me, but for Ryan—”

  At that, Anthony snarled, “Do you think I would ever do anything for that miserable son of a bitch who fucked my wife? Elise, if I thought you were delusional before, I now have confirmation.”

  “Ryan has been struggling to find work lately. I know you can change that.”

  “You already said you’d tell the press your secrets. So why haven’t you done it?” he mocked.

  She inhaled sharply. “Go to hell,” she said. “If you had a heart at all—“

  “You’re right: I have no heart. Even if I did, I wouldn’t spare even one ounce of it for you.”

  He hung up before she could reply. He knew Elise, and he knew she cared about her reputation almost more than she cared about money. He just hoped it stayed that way.

  Anthony packed his things as he waited for Danny to call. But he didn’t need to listen for his phone. When the helicopter flew over their cabin, you had to be dea
f not to hear it.

  Anthony headed outside. Thea already stood in the yard, looking up at the helicopter flying overhead.

  “Is that…?” she asked, pointing.

  “That’s our ride. Get your stuff. We’re leaving.”

  Thea gaped at him. Yelling over the sound of the helicopter, she said, “What? How? Were you going to tell me?”

  “Either you can come now, or you can wait until somebody else decides to get you out of here.”

  “Seriously? You couldn’t have asked me if I wanted to leave?”

  “I didn’t ask you because I’m not doing this for you. You can come, or you can stay. But I’m leaving.”

  He’d brought his suitcase downstairs already. Thea glared at him, her cheeks flushed with anger.

  “What about my car?” she demanded. “I’m not just going to leave it here.”

  “I’m having two of my guys drive our cars down when they can. Until then, I’ll pay for a rental car that you can use.”

  She opened her mouth, like she wanted to say no, but Anthony knew that she couldn’t refuse a free rental car.

  “You can stay, but who knows when you’ll be able to drive out of here? It could be another week, maybe two. You’ll run out of food.” He smiled grimly. “You might have to eat Sneaky.”

  “I hate you, and I hope you get cholera.” With that lovely statement, she went upstairs, presumably to pack her things.

  Anthony could hear her moving about her room, and there were at least two instances where he thought he heard crashes. He was tempted to leave and let her figure out how to get to the helicopter, but he didn’t need her scolding him during the ride home.

  Thea finally came downstairs with her suitcase along with Sneaky in his cardboard box. “I need to get my food from the kitchen,” she said, but Anthony caught her by the wrist.

  “Don’t worry about the food.”

  She stared at his fingers encircling her wrist, and it was like a brand burning into his skin. He let her go.