Hired: A Bride for the Boss: The Playboy Boss's Chosen Bride / The Corporate Marriage Campaign / The Boss's Urgent Proposal. SUSAN MEIER
bring herself to trust it, especially when divorce had been mentioned in virtually the same breath as marriage.
‘Okay, I’ll go with the flow today and see how it pans out,’ she said, screwing herself to the sticking point.
‘Good girl! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Got to be in there playing the game,’ Byron cheerfully chanted.
Which brought home to her how very alike grandfather and grandson were. She was probably off her head to be asking advice from Byron. On the other hand, he had given her an insight into where Jake was coming from. People from broken homes didn’t believe in lasting promises. That didn’t mean they didn’t want a commitment to stay solid. Maybe—just maybe—she could work it so the game with Jake never ended.
‘Thank you, Byron,’ she said gratefully. ‘You’ve just bolstered me up for the next round.’
‘Bravo! And the best of luck to you, my dear.’
‘I’ll keep your diamond ring safe until I see you again,’ she promised.
‘Wear Jake’s with pride, Merlina. He’d like that.’
‘Will do. ‘Bye for now.’
‘Happy days!’
She was smiling as she put the telephone receiver down. Happy days…probably a fool’s paradise but why not enjoy what Jake gave her while she could, anyway? Her body clenched at the memory of last night’s sexual pleasure. He was such a great lover and it had felt like being loved—beautifully, wonderfully loved. If he wanted their relationship to last, she had to give it a chance!
There was a happy spring in her step as she raced off to her bedroom to decide on what to wear this morning. Definitely classy elegance for the kind of jewellery shop Jake would take her to if he was intent on putting just as flashy a ring as his grandfather’s on her finger.
She chose one of her new purchases; a form-fitting red dress, printed with abstract splashes of black and white, featuring a wide square neckline, little cap sleeves and a wide woven belt in white. It was simple but quite striking, especially teamed with high-heeled white sandals and a white clutch bag. Class, she had worked out, could be achieved by meticulous attention to detail.
On this principle, she applied a matching red varnish to her toenails and fingernails, took immense care with her make-up, and as a final touch, attached long dangly vintage gold earrings to her lobes. To her mind, these went with the vintage style gold watch—a twenty-first birthday gift from her grandmother—which was the only other jewellery she wore, having hidden Byron’s ring at the bottom of an open bag of peas in the freezer.
The doorbell rang at five minutes to nine. No nervous waiting around for Jake to come, for which she was intensely grateful. Her heart was fluttering wildly enough as it was. She opened the door to find him superbly dressed in a pin-striped grey suit, white shirt, gold silk tie, and looking more dashingly handsome than ever, especially when he smiled at her, his dark eyes dancing with pleasure in her appearance.
‘Wow! When you make up your mind to sock it to me, Merlina, you sure sock it to me. Red is definitely your colour.’
She was instantly reminded of the red rose bikini. Boldness had served her well as the blonde bimbo from the birthday cake, so she impulsively struck a flaunting pose, jutting out one hip and planting her hands on her tightly belted waist. ‘Thought I’d better wear it since you’re into rescuing scarlet women from damnation,’ she flipped at him, lowering her eyelashes for a sizzling veiled look.
He laughed, and with a bold move of his own, scooped her back into the hall, closed the door behind them and wrapped her in a very possessive embrace. ‘So, the real Merlina emerges in a full frontal assault,’ he purred like a big cat presented with a delicious dinner. He grinned from ear to ear as he teasingly added, ‘Am I man enough for her?’
She arched an eyebrow. ‘Depends on whether you got through last night unscathed by my father.’
‘Passed with flying colours,’ he declared with relish. ‘Bring on any challenge you like. I’m up for it.’
‘Mmm…’ In sheer giddy delight at feeling his erection against her stomach, knowing that seeing her had aroused it and madly wanting to stoke his desire for her even further, she brazenly rubbed her lower body against his, smiling as she said, ‘Up for something else, too.’
His answering smile was positively wicked. ‘The only question is…are you? Right this minute!’
He started walking her backwards, his thighs pushing hers, steering her across the living room towards the dining table, which was set beside the window. ‘Where are you taking me?’ she asked, startled by the instant reaction she’d triggered and barely finding breath enough to speak. Her pulse was galloping. Excitement was rushing through her like a freight train.
‘I’d take you anywhere, Merlina Rossi,’ he answered, his eyes smouldering with sexual intent as he propped her against the edge of the table and started gathering up her skirt.
‘Not tonight in my parents’home, you won’t,’ she flashed at him, momentarily panicking at the thought. ‘We’ll be given separate bedrooms. And you have to respect that, Jake.’
‘Okay. How about now?’
His thumbs were already hooked on the waistband of her panties, ready to pull them down, but he paused teasingly, confident of her consent but also wanting to make her say it out loud.
‘Do we have time?’ she posed coquettishly.
He laughed. ‘For this we make time.’
‘Fine by me,’ she admitted, dying to have him inside her again and exhilarated that he wanted to be there.
She stepped out of the panties as he drew them down. No pantihose today. She’d left her legs bare, wanting her red toenails to show against the white sandals. Which he left on. With her skirt hitched up around her hips, he sat her on the table and moved between her legs, clearly intent on quick action. Only essential undressing this morning.
‘Maybe you’d better tell me our schedule for today,’ she said, watching him unzip, wanting to see what she’d already felt, her inner muscles already pulsing with the anticipation of being stroked and pleasured, wanting to squeeze her own possession of him, feel him fill her so deeply she couldn’t think of anything to worry about.
He shot her his devil-may-care grin. ‘You first.’ He extracted a condom from his wallet and proceeded to roll it on.
Won’t have to use that when we’re married, Merlina thought, which instantly reminded her… What about children? Her heart jiggled uncertainly. Would Jake want to be a father?
‘Then off we go to buy a ring,’ he said, shooting her another grin. ‘For a scarlet woman, I think we should choose a ruby. It can be set with diamonds but we should definitely have a red-blooded ruby at the centre.’
Laughter gurgled from her throat. Jake Devila was a terrible playboy but she loved him. Loved everything about him. ‘It won’t look like the other one,’ she pointed out.
‘Which I hope you’ve taken off.’ He whipped her hand down from around his neck to check. ‘Ah!’ he said with satisfaction.
‘I put it in a safe place,’ she rattled out.
‘This place is mine.’ He stunned her by drawing her ring finger into his mouth, sucking on it as his eyes glittered his own rampant desire to possess her.
It took a few moments to catch her breath enough to say, ‘My father will notice the difference.’
He released her finger and answered with his usual arrogant confidence. ‘Your father thinks I surprised you with that one. You didn’t really like it so today we chose one together. How’s that?’
He’d slid between her thighs, seeking entry, and was teasingly poised to push forward. ‘Fine!’ she approved, finding it