Million-Dollar Marriage Merger (8 page)

Grateful to give him something to do, she barked orders. “Take out the romaine and tomatoes from the refrigerator. I think there’s a cucumber in there, too—and anything else you can find for a salad.”

She heard him going to work, and much to her surprise, he fixed a delicious salad, and, adding black olives and herbs, he made his own olive oil-based dressing.

When she walked over to taste it, she cast him a nod of approval. “Yummy.”

“My mother’s. One of a few recipes I learned from her before she died.”

Tony’s mother died when he was fifteen. Rena hadn’t known her, but she’d heard she was a saint among women. She’d have to be in order to be married to Santo Carlino. Rumor had it she’d kept him in line. When she died, Santo poured himself into building his business taking no prisoners along the way.

“And you remembered it,” Rena said. “It’s funny the things we remember about the ones we love.”

“What do you remember about your mother?” he asked.

Rena smiled wide, recalling her mother’s favorite pastime. “That’s easy. She had a morning and nightly ritual of walking three miles. No matter how tired she was, no matter the weather. She’d get into her walking clothes, put on these beat-up old shoes and go for a walk. She said it cleared the mind, cleansed the soul and kept the weight off.” Rena grinned, confessing. “My mama liked to eat.”

Tony chuckled. “That’s a good way to remember her. Walking, I mean. Not eating.”

“Hmm, yeah.” Rena blinked herself back to reality. Even with all her exercise, her mother still contracted a deadly disease. She’d lingered for years, missing her daily walks and everything else that required a bit of effort. It was a brutal reminder of the unfairness in life.

Once the meal was ready, they sat down to eat at her country oak kitchen table. She wondered what Tony thought about this rustic house. To her it was home, and she wasn’t ashamed of it. Through the years, she’d put personal touches throughout, cheerful curtains, comfy sofas with throw pillows she’d sewn, refinished tables, armoires and cabinets. When she looked around her home, she saw bits and pieces of her parents’ life here as well as her life with David.

Facing Tony at her kitchen table reminded her once again how it had all changed so quickly.

Tony ate up heartily. There would be no salad-only dinners for him. He was a well-built man who enjoyed a good meal. He was halfway through a large dish of pasta when he lifted his head. “I want to see your accounts tomorrow. I hope to get through them by the end of the week. Then I’ll know better how we can get your winery back on track.”

Grateful that he’d taken the first step, Rena discussed with him her conversation she had with the banker. Tony hadn’t even blinked when she told him her financial situation and how much money she owed.

“I’ll take care of it,” he said, without pause. “You’ll make your payroll, and any other debts you have will be dealt with.”

“Thank you.” Humbled by his generosity, she put her head down.

“Rena?” She looked up into his dark eyes. “We’re in this together from now on. You don’t have to worry about the winery.”

“I know. I appreciate everything, really. I just can’t help feeling like a failure. I tried. David tried. We had some bad luck, equipment that needed replacing, problems with distributors and well, the bigger wineries tried to shove us out.”

Tony covered her hand, and the instant spark jolted her. “Carlino Wines being one of them. That’s not going to happen anymore.”

She tried to ignore sensations rippling through her. “The Fairfields have always taken pride in their livelihood.
I
have a lot of pride. I feel like I let my parents down. I had to remarry to save the business.”

Tony stroked her hand, his fingers caressing hers. It felt good—too good—to pull her hand away. Lord help her, she needed to feel his touch.

“I won’t take offense to that,” he said. “I know I’m the last person on earth you’d want as a husband.”

She watched as his fingers slid over her knuckles so gently. “At one time, I wanted nothing more.”

“And now?”

She gazed deeply into his eyes and lifted a shoulder in confusion. “Now, I don’t know, Tony. I really don’t know. I’m just so tired.”

Tony rose from the table with concern in his eyes.

“Go. I’ll take care of this.” He took up their plates and headed toward the dishwasher. “You need to rest. It’s been a long day.”

Rena got up, ready to argue, but Tony had already rinsed their dishes and began loading them into the dishwasher. With his back to her, she noted his broad shoulders tapering down along his back and slim waistline. His slacks fit perfectly over his buttocks, and she recalled the quick flash of excitement she felt when he’d stepped out of the shower yesterday, buck naked. She’d only caught a glimpse, but oh, that image wouldn’t leave her anytime soon.

“I, uh, thanks. I’ll take a quick shower and go to bed.

What will you—”

He turned sharply and met her gaze. “I’ll come to bed later, Rena.”

She gave him a clipped nod, turned around and strode
out of the room. Her exhaustion catching up with her, she was too tired to think of the implications of sleeping with her new, extremely sexy secret husband.

R
ena snuggled deeper into her bed, rebelling against thin rays of dawn creeping into the room. She closed her eyes tighter, rolling away from the light and into familiar warmth. Cocooned in the heat now, she relaxed and let out a stress-relieving sigh.

Her eyelids blessedly shut, she breathed in a pleasing musky scent and smiled. A warm breath brushed her cheek, then another and another. She popped her eyes open. Tony was there, inches from her face, his eyes dark and dusky. He lay stretched out on his side, apparently watching her sleep. “Morning, beautiful.”

Alarm bells rang out in her head. She couldn’t believe she was in bed with Tony. And enjoying it. His warmth surrounded her. She focused on the firm set of his sculpted jaw, then opened her mouth to speak, but
Tony placed his finger to her lips, stopping her words. “Shh. Don’t overthink this, Rena.” He wrapped his arms around her waist and drew her closer.

She remembered putting on her most unappealing nightshirt last night, a soft, brushed cotton garment with tiny cap sleeves just in case Tony held true to his word to sleep with her. But Rena liked to feel feminine in bed, so the least suggestive nightgown she owned was still a far cry from head-to-toe flannel.

“Don’t overthink what?”

“This,” he said, moving closer and touching his lips to hers. The heat of his mouth and the intimate contact should have caused her to panic. Yet, she didn’t resist, her body and mind not fully operational at the moment. He pulled away long enough to search her eyes and must have been satisfied with what he saw in them.

Tony knew how to kiss a woman, and he held nothing back with the next kiss. He drew her in with expert finesse, coaxing a reaction from her. His hand on her waist, she felt his strength through the thin cotton fabric of the nightgown. He squeezed her gently, and immediate tingles coursed through her body. She sighed aloud, a throaty little sound that emanated from deep within. Tony moved his hand up, stroking her side slowly up and down, his fingers brushing the underside of her breast.

Oh God, it felt good to have him caress her, teasing her breast until she ached for his touch.

Rena loved the physical act of making love. She loved the intimacy, the joy of having her body succumb to infinite pleasure. Tony had taught her that. He’d taken
her virginity and taught her to enjoy sexual intercourse. Of course, back then they’d been so much in love that holding back wasn’t an option. She’d given herself fully to him, surrendering her heart and her body. She’d only been with two men in her life, and each in their own way had taught her about loving a man. Where David had been sweet, patient and dependable, Tony had been irresistible, hot-blooded and sexy.

Tony’s passionate kisses unnerved her. His touch drew her like a magnet. She moved closer, arching toward him, her breaths heavier now. He nibbled on her lips, whispering how beautiful she was, how much he wanted to touch her.

She gave him permission with a sigh.

His hand came up and cupped her breast over the fabric of her cotton nightie. He flicked a finger over the tip, rubbing back and forth, sending shock waves through her body. Intense heat swamped her, and she longed for more.

She knew the instant Tony’s body went taut. His breaths deepened, and his kisses became more demanding as he parted her lips. His tongue beckoned hers, and she met him halfway. They sparred in an endless search for satisfaction.

While her body craved the physical release, her heart and mind screamed no. Torn by indecision, she stilled, forcing herself to think this through.

“You’re overthinking again, Rena,” Tony said in a low rasp. He continued to stroke her breast, unraveling her mind.

She mustered her willpower and covered his hand with hers, stopping him. “One of us has to.”

“I told you I don’t plan on being celibate in this marriage,” he said quietly. “If I thought you weren’t ready, I’d back off. But the woman I was just kissing wasn’t protesting at all. You were enjoying having my hands on you. In another second I would have taken off your nightgown, and we would have been skin to skin. I want that, and I know you want that, too.”

Rena’s heart pumped hard. He was right, but she had to voice her innermost thoughts. “Wanting and having are two different things.”

“Rena’s rules, not mine.”

Rena drew oxygen in. “I can’t forget who you are. I can’t ignore what you did to me. My heart is empty where you’re concerned.”

“So you’ve said.” Tony flopped onto his back and looked at the ceiling. “What’s done is done, Rena. I can’t change that.”

“I know. And I can’t change how I feel. I may want you physically, but you’ll never really have me. I can’t love you again. I won’t. You’ll never own my heart.”

“As long as you’re faithful to me, that’s all I’ll ask for now.”

Stunned by the statement, Rena lifted her head off the pillow. “You know me, Tony. I’d never even consider—”

He turned onto his side again to face her. “What you don’t know about me is that I’d never consider it, either. But I’m a man with physical needs, and since we’re
married and compatible in bed, there’s no reason not to make love.”

“You mean,
have sex?
Because without love, it’s just sex,” Rena pointed out.

He lifted a strand of her hair, eyeing it as he let it fall from his fingers. “Just sex?” Tony cocked her a playful grin. “Even better.”

Rena shook her head in bewilderment.

“C’mon, Rena. We’ve cleared the air. I get it. You don’t love me, but you crave my body.”

“I never said that!”

“Oh, no?” he said innocently. He was such a tease. He crushed his mouth to hers and kissed her passionately. She’d hardly come up for air when he grabbed her hand and set it on his chest. “Touch me.”

Crisp scattered hairs filled her palm and underneath muscles rippled. She wove her hand up along his sculpted shoulders then down to tease his flattened nipple. His intake of air let her know he enjoyed her flicking her finger over him, the way he had to her.

Laying her hand against his torso, she inched her way down, tempted by a perfect body and powered by the sounds of Tony’s quick jagged breaths. Okay, so maybe she did crave his body. She had memories that wouldn’t go away. Sexual flashes that entered her mind at the most inopportune times. She’d remembered how he’d made her feel, how potent his lovemaking was, how satisfied she’d been afterward. If anything, Tony had matured into a stunning male specimen. He knew how to give pleasure, and he knew how to take it. He’d
always made Rena feel special and cherished, no matter what act they performed.

She slid her hand farther down, slipping below Tony’s waistline. When she reached the elastic band of his boxers, she hesitated, tentative in her approach. Myriad thoughts flitted through her mind one right after the other, but Tony interrupted that train of thought. “Just let go, Rena,” he whispered. “We both need this.”

Rena touched him then, her hand gliding over silken skin. His arousal shocked her, though she didn’t know why it should. He was a virile man, and they were in bed together, ready to consummate their marriage.

“I want you.” Tony’s low tone held no room for doubt. He cupped her chin and brought her lips to his. There was a sense of urgency to his kiss, yet he remained gentle and patient, waiting for her to respond. She stroked him with trebling fingers, bringing him to a fuller state of arousal.

“This is not—” Rena began, but Tony kissed her again, his mouth generous and giving, coaxing her to fulfill their destiny. Torn by indecision, she shoved all thoughts of the past years aside and tried to focus on the future.

“We’ll have a life together, Rena.” Tony’s words mirrored her own. Her life included him now, whether planned or not, whether she liked it or not. She had no other option now.

“I know,” she said, finally resigning to her fate.

Tony removed his boxers then placed her hand back on him, skin to skin, and her insides turned to jelly. There was life to Tony, a vitality she’d missed during
these past months. He filled the void, the hollowness that beseeched her since she’d become a widow. She had her precious child, yes, but this intimacy fulfilled her need to feel alive again.

She stroked him until his pleasure heightened. Instincts, or perhaps recollection, told her that he’d reached his limit. He flipped her onto her back, and in one quick sweep, he removed her nightgown, pulling it up and over her head. His kisses burned her through and through, and his hands roamed over her, touching, tormenting, caressing and teasing every inch of her skin. His voice was low and consumed with passion. “You’re as beautiful as I remember.”

He brought his mouth down to suckle her breast, his tongue wetting her with long swipes. After laving each nipple, he blew on them, and every ounce of her body prickled with need. Her pulse raced with exquisite excitement. Unmindful of any repercussions, she relished the thrill of the moment.

Tony praised her body with quiet expletives and cherished every limb before moving on to touch her at the apex of her legs. His palm covered her, and she arched up.

“You’re ready for me, sweetheart,” he acknowledged. Without hesitation, he rose over her. She gazed up at him, and images of their past, of doing this very thing with nothing but love in their hearts, played out in her mind. She’d relished their joining, eager to show the man she loved how much he meant to her. It had been perfect. Blissful. Exciting.

Tony stared into her eyes in the dawn light, and she
witnessed that same spark. The memories had come back to him, as well. His lips lifted and his eyelids lowered. Then he gripped her hips and she squeezed her eyes shut, ready for him to take her.

“Look at me,” he commanded.

“Tony,” she murmured, popping her eyes open. It was clear what he wanted. No memories of any other man. No memories of David.

He nodded when their eyes met, apparently satisfied, then he moved inside her with extreme care. Rena adjusted to his size and accommodated him with her body. It wasn’t long before his thrusts magnified, their bodies sizzled hot and the burn she’d remembered from long ago returned fiercely.

Infinitely careful and recklessly wild, Tony made love to her, seeing to her needs, giving as much as taking, gentle at times and feral at others. He was the perfect lover—that much hadn’t changed. And all the while, Rena gave up her body to him but held firmly onto her emotions. It was
just sex.

And as Tony brought her to the peak of enjoyment, her skin damp, her body throbbing for the release that would complete her, she wrapped her arms around his neck and arched up, her bones melting but her heart firmly intact.

Tony wrapped Rena in his arms. They lay quietly together on the bed after making love, each deep in thought. It had been months since he’d had sex, and his release had come with powerful force. Rena had
responded to him as she always had, with wild abandon. At least her body had reacted as he’d hoped. He knew what she liked and how to please her. She’d been his first love, too, and a man doesn’t easily forget how to please the woman he loves.

They’d been so young back then, full of dreams and plans for the future. But Tony had been a rebel. He’d hated being under his father’s thumb. He hadn’t wanted any part of the family business, not when racing cars meant so much to him. He’d never planned on leaving Rena behind. It just happened. While his professional life had been great, his personal life had suffered.

Once he’d become a champion, he had women knocking at his door at all hours of the night. They followed him from race to race. They’d called him, showed up when he least expected it. Beautiful, sexy, outrageous women. He’d never fallen in love with any of them. He’d had flings and a few casual relationships that never lasted more than a couple of months.

He’d held hope for Rena in the early years, but he hadn’t blamed her for giving up on him. He hadn’t known what the future held for him other than racing cars. He was on the road a great deal of time, thrilled by his success but heartbroken about Rena.

His gaze fell to Rena’s face, her expression glum, her eyes filled with regret. Hardly the loving wife in the aftermath of lovemaking.

Hell, he felt like crap himself, guilt eating at him. He wanted to do right by David, but he couldn’t forget that a few months ago, his friend was alive and well and
living with the woman he loved. He was to become a father, something that David always wanted.

Tony had suspected David had feelings for Rena early on. They had been good friends in school, yet all three understood in an unspoken agreement that Rena and Tony were meant for each other. When Tony left town, David stayed behind to pick up the pieces of Rena’s shattered heart. He’d loved her that much to forego a chance to enter the racing circuit with Tony. To Rena’s way of thinking, David was her white knight coming to her rescue, where Tony was the villain who’d abandoned her.

Now they’d consummated a loveless marriage.

Her remorse irritated him more than it should. Was it ego on his part? They’d just made incredible love, and now Rena looked so darn miserable.

Damn it, what did she expect? She was his wife. He would raise her child as his own. They’d both agreed to honor David’s last wishes. That meant living as man and wife and sleeping together. He blinked away anger and guilt then rose abruptly, mindless of his state of undress. “I’ll grab a shower, then I want to go over your accounts.”

Rena glanced at him for an instant, bit down on her lip then focused her attention out the window. “I’ll make breakfast.”

“I’m not hungry,” he said. “Coffee will do. Meet me in the office once you’re dressed.”

Rena nodded without looking at him.

Tony showered quickly and dressed with clothes he’d taken from his bag. He put on a pair of faded jeans and a
black T-shirt then shoved his feet into a pair of seasoned white Nike shoes.

He heard kitchen sounds as he walked down the hallway, the aroma of hot coffee brewing, whetting his taste buds. But instead of greeting his new wife in the kitchen, he strode outside and closed the door. The northern California air was crisp and fresh, the brilliant sky laced with white puffy clouds.