Desperate Measures (16 page)

“Where did you take a woman before?” Ellen had asked, desire clear in her eyes.

She hadn’t liked his answer of “her place or a hotel.” Ellen was too fine to take to a hotel. Besides, they hadn’t had much of a courtship, and he was determined to give her that. He had sensed it wasn’t so much the “where” that bothered her, but that a place had been found at all. Still, he loved the thought that she was jealous, even though she had nothing to be jealous about. It was a good sign that he was getting past the last of her barriers. Making love had resolved her emotions for him. What it had resolved for him was unbelievable. Much as it would torture him, he knew it was better that they didn’t make love
again for a while. Their relationship needed time to cement the emotional foundations. He sensed that once that was secure, their physical relationship could only be heightened.

“It’ll probably kill me,” he muttered, deciding he’d have a smile on his face when he went.

He looked down at his now neglected paperwork and groaned. He had to stop daydreaming like this.

Someone tapped on his back office door that led directly to a hallway. Surprised, he rose and unlocked it.

His cousin, Jamie Carlini, stood in the empty corridor. “Are you alone, Joe?”

He nodded, and Jamie came into the office. After the door was shut again, Jamie pulled a long envelope from his breast pocket.

“It’s my resignation,” he said.

Joe gaped at him. “Resignation? What … why—”

“I had an anonymous phone call,” Jamie said, his normally tanned complexion sallow. “I … I haven’t been faithful to my wife. I thought I was hiding it very well, that no one would find out. But apparently someone has. He didn’t ask for anything. Not yet. I’ve thought about this, and I had to admit just how vulnerable I really am to such an attack. I know pressure can be applied. A lot of pressure. I thought a resignation and confession were the best way to handle it. If you’ll come to my bank, I’ll turn over my part of the recipe straight from my safety deposit box.”

Joe stared at his cousin, then at the envelope held out to him. Anger shot through him at this
latest and nastiest twist to Mario’s game. “Make three guesses who your anonymous caller is. And the first two don’t count.”

Jamie set his jaw. “It wasn’t hard to figure out. When you first told me about Thomas being approached, it went through my head that I might be vulnerable. But I’ve been so careful about the affair—”

“Not careful enough,” Joe snapped, not having any sympathy for Jamie. Jamie’s wife, Karen, was a lovely woman, and she adored her husband. “You should have told me about this before. We might have been able to handle it without the affair coming out.”

“I don’t know how anyone found out.”

“Someone did.”

“She was … exciting. But it was stupid,” Jamie said. “All around stupid.”

Joe took the envelope and crumpled it up. “Resigning won’t solve the problem. Your ‘anonymous’ caller might just let your secret out in revenge, because you took yourself out of the play.”

Jamie curled his hands into fists. “I realize that. I’ve already told Karen. I don’t know if I have a marriage left.”

Joe shook his head at the hurt that must have caused. “Then you’ve spiked his guns at the expense of your marriage. This has gone too far. It’s past time that I ask for someone else’s resignation and to hell with the family.”

Jamie looked wide-eyed at him. “Joe, I can’t say it was Mario on the telephone. The voice was too muffled.”

“I don’t care about proof. I’ve had enough.” His
temper got the better of him. “If there’s trouble, then there’s trouble. Maybe everyone will finally wise up and realize this is a business. But Mario is not ruining anyone else’s life. This will stop today.”

“Joe—”

“No. My job is to protect this company. And it’s about time I do my job.”

His intercom line rang. He picked up the receiver. “No calls—”

“Ms. Kitteridge is here.”

“Ask her to wait a moment.” He set the receiver down and turned to Jamie. He thrust the envelope back into his cousin’s hands. “As they say in the old country: You have honor, James Carlini. It took a lot of courage to resign, but you’re too damn good a lawyer to lose. The company needs you.”

“Thank you,” Jamie said in a low voice.

Joe patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry about Mario. I’ll remove his fangs for good.”

“Watch you don’t get bitten in the process,” Jamie warned.

Joe nodded.

After Jamie had left the office by the private door, Joe stood for a moment, then shook his head at Jamie’s foolishness. He crossed the oriental rug and opened the door to his secretary’s office. At the sight of Ellen’s smile, he set aside the thought of a confrontation with Mario. Once she was in his office, the door safely shut against curious eyes, he pulled her into his arms for a hungry kiss.

“You certainly know how to say ‘hello,’ ” she said, breathless when he finally let her go.

“Glad you like it,” he murmured, smoothing his hands down her back. He loved the feel of her skin under the mint green silk dress. And he loved the dress. Her skin was glowing. “I was almost afraid you wouldn’t come.”

“I was almost afraid I wouldn’t either,” she admitted.

“I would have come after you.”

“That’s what I figured.” She smiled, then frowned. “What’s wrong?”

He dropped his hands away. “How did you know?”

“You look pressured.”

He told her about Jamie’s resignation, his anger returning.

“I should have fired Mario long ago,” he finished, slicing the air with one hand. “It’s gone too far now.”

“Maybe we should postpone our lunch,” she suggested.

“No,” he said, forcing himself to calm down. “I’m just sorry we have to have it here.”

“No, we don’t,” she said eagerly. “There’s a Burger King just down the road.”

He chuckled. “Ellen! You, at a fast-food restaurant? Somebody better call the society columnists.”

“Anybody ever tell you you’re a snob, Joe?” she asked, herding him out the door.

Eventually Joe found himself sitting at an orange laminate table looking across at a former princess.

“I bet Prince Charles doesn’t chow down on a
whopper,” he said, as he watched Ellen do exactly that.

She grinned at him. “He doesn’t know what he’s missing.”

“I love you, Ell.”

She set the burger down and gazed at him, her eyes brimming with warmth. “I never thought I would hear those words in a Burger King. Watch you don’t get mayonnaise on your tie.”

“Yes, my love. By the way, thanks for paying.”

“I figured I better. You had a free meal planned, Mr. Last of the Big-Time Spenders.”

He needed this, he thought. He wondered if she had any idea how she affected him. She was a well in which he would always find renewal. The image of her in the cabana ran through his head, and he pushed it away. He couldn’t afford to torture himself. Right after lunch, he would solve the Mario problem for good, then the company would be back to normal and he could concentrate on wooing Ellen. Everything was finally coming together for him. And for her.

But the easiness of lunch was lost the moment they returned to Carlini Foods. Mario was pulling into his parking space, just as Ellen maneuvered her car into one of the spaces reserved for visitors.

Joe’s anger returned twofold, and he scrambled out of Ellen’s car as she braked to a halt. He’d have it out with Mario right here. He hated the thought of the traitor setting foot in the building again.

“Stay here, Ell,” he said. Then he strode across the lot, catching Mario as the latter climbed out of his car.

“You just resigned from the company,” Joe informed him, grabbing hold of the Corvette’s door before it swung shut. He opened it wider. “Get back in the car and get out.”

Mario’s mouth opened in astonishment. “What?”

“You’re resigning from Carlini Foods,” Joe repeated. “I won’t tolerate your presence in the building again. Now get out.”

“Why would I resign?” Mario asked, his brows drawing together in puzzlement.

“For trying to sell out the company.” Joe stared him down until Mario broke eye contact.

“You have no proof of that.”

Joe smiled grimly. “Let’s just say you better start worrying if your voice was recognized. Jamie’s no longer a candidate for future blackmail tactics, and you are no longer employed by this company. It’s over, Mario. I don’t care what you say officially, but you’re out. Now.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

But Mario’s eyes had narrowed and his lips had thinned the moment Joe had mentioned Jamie’s name. The expression of frustration was unmistakable.

“Liar,” Joe said softly. “Take the chance I’m offering you, cousin. You’ve made too many mistakes already. You tried to sell out your own relatives.”

“You don’t have any proof. You won’t get it past the family—”

“Don’t bet the farm on that, pal. If you fight me on this, your betrayal will come out. Thomas, Carol, and Jamie can back me. And Ellen witnessed
your little chat with the man at the rink. What company is he from?”

No answer.

“The circumstantial evidence is building up against you,” Joe went on. “Enough to make most people very suspicious of your actions lately. I’ve kept this contained so far among the parties involved. You can save your own and your parents’ dignity at least with the resignation—”

“I’ll take you down, Joe,” Mario snarled.

Joe stared at him coolly, unimpressed by the threat. “You’re like a little kid who’s just had his toy taken away from him. The recipe’s a lost cause. It always has been. Your verbal resignation is effective immediately. I want your written resignation delivered to my office before the day is out. I’ll be cleaning out your desk personally, and I’ll have your things sent to you. You can’t do anything else and you know it.”

Mario stared at him, his eyes filled with hatred. His jaws were clamped so tightly together, Joe wondered if they would shatter. Finally, Mario climbed back into the car. Joe slammed the door shut behind him. He watched as Mario brought the engine to screaming life, then backed the sports car out of the slot, the back tires squealing from abuse. The brakes screeched once again, then the car roared out of the lot.

Joe took a deep breath and relaxed. It was done. He hoped Mario would just cut his losses and give some innocuous reason for leaving the company. The man had enough pride to do that rather than risk showing his stupidity to others. At least he hadn’t taken one last bite, Joe thought, remembering
Jamie’s warning. He’d been more worried about that than he cared to admit.

Ellen was walking across the lot, and he walked toward her. They met in the middle.

“Your cousin took the rest of the afternoon off, I see,” she said, concern in her blue-green eyes. “Permanently?”

Joe nodded. He put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side.

“Will he cause trouble over this?” she asked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t see him exposing his pride to a possible downfall. The stunt with the spice suppliers and now Jamie’s blackmail were two big mistakes on his part. He’d have to do some very fast talking to make his actions sound innocent at this point.” He was surprised that his cousin had gone with so little fight. It made him wonder what he would find in Mario’s desk.

“I think I’ll miss playing
I Spy
with Mario and the mysterious stranger,” she said, leaning lightly against him.

He chuckled. “If you behave yourself, I’ll take you back to Atlantic City this weekend.”

Her breasts were pressed against his side, her hips touching his flank. He could almost trace her torso with his own. Her long legs brushed along his. His blood heated at the unconscious caress of feminine curves. He had been joking, of course, but now the idea sounded better and better.

“I’ve always had a fondness for Atlantic City,” she murmured.

“Maybe,” he whispered, leaning over and nibbling her ear, “I’ll take you now.”

“Oh, no, you won’t.” She smiled and stepped away. “One of us better be sensible.”

“Ell …” he began, walking toward her.

“Go back to work, Joe.”

“I hate sensible,” he muttered, shoving his hands in his pockets.

She laughed. “Go to work.”

“See you tonight?”

“My grandmother wouldn’t have it any other way. Come for dinner.”

He grinned.

Finally, life was on track.

Eleven

“It’s a shame we can’t go swimming.”

From their balcony vantage point high above the beach, Ellen looked out over the ocean and sighed. She hadn’t realized how much she had been anticipating Joe’s promised weekend in Atlantic City. Even though the sun shone brightly over the resort, the temperature was still too cool for a dip in the water. That was the only disappointment.

Hands grasped her shoulders and spun her around into a devastating kiss. She was amused for a moment, then the feel of his mouth locked to hers overtook her. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gladly mated her tongue with his.

“Remind me to kiss you like that when we’re on the boardwalk,” Joe said after he finally lifted his head. “I owe you one.”

She had no idea what he was talking about, but
she nodded anyway. She was not about to pass up another kiss like that.

She slipped out of his arms and went back into the luxurious bedroom. “You didn’t tell me you rented a beachfront condo in Atlantic City.”

“That’s because I bought it.”

She whirled around in astonishment, and he grinned at her.

“It’s amazing what you can buy on a moment’s notice,” he added. “This place is completely furnished, with all the amenities of a hotel. Now we can come here any time we want to play
I Spy
.”

“You’re getting kinky in your old age,” she said, shaking her head and turning back into the bedroom, intent on unpacking her bag.

Instead, she found herself being tossed on the bed. Joe came down on top of her.

“I’ll show you old age.”

“Don’t forget the kinky.”

“Right.”

Later, she lay in his arms, lazy with satisfaction. She didn’t want to know what the future held. She was content just to be here like this with Joe. Her mind, however, dredged up the memory of his mother and aunts glaring at her. She forced it away, not wanting anything to intrude on the moment. It returned, and she shifted restlessly away from Joe.