“I have to go to Auckland for two days,” I told Darcy. We’d just walked into the house after a tiring day where we’d seen too little of each other. The Auckland trip was planned long ago, and I was pissed off at having to leave Darcy so soon after the events of the weekend. I didn’t trust Annabelle, or that she’d backed off so easily, which meant I wasn’t at all comfortable about leaving Darcy alone. Luther said he’d watch out for her, and I knew he would. But, if Annabelle had more reveals up her sleeve, I wanted to be at Darcy’s side no matter which direction the attack came from.

“Good,” she said.

“Good?”

“It’ll give me the opportunity to get some of the more tedious work done. You’re a distraction, Oliver Sackville.”

“In a good way, I hope.” I walked her through to the sitting room, took a chair and tried to pull her onto my lap. She was still in work mode and she stood in front of me, ignoring my tugs on her hand. I’d noticed the way she physically pulled away from me when she was trying to make a point.

“In a way that’s putting me behind on my work. Plus I’ve promised Ginger I’ll go over her final application for the Trust. Luther queried a couple of points, so, of course, she wants those to be perfect.”

“Do you need an assistant? I don’t want you overdoing it.”

“Gail helps me out when she can.”

“Renee can, too.” Renee was the receptionist at Tradewind.

“Mmmkay.”

“What?”

“I don’t think she likes me that much. I’m scared she’s going to sabotage something.”

“Renee’s great. She’s been with us two years and we’ve never had a complaint about her. She’s very nice to me.”

Darcy straddled my lap, legs outside my thighs, kneeling on the chair. She inched her face close to mine. “You don’t get it, do you?”

“Enlighten me.”

“She worships you, Oliver. Her crush is so big you couldn’t fit it onboard one of those ridiculously large boats you build.”

I didn’t think Renee had a crush, but I guess I wouldn’t see what I wasn’t looking for. “Well, she’s out of luck. I’m taken by the sexiest woman on the planet. What’s more, I’ve got a ridiculously large need that must be taken care of once we get to bed tonight.”

Darcy lowered herself onto my cock and rocked her hips against me. I tipped my head back, closed my eyes and enjoyed the ache. “When we get to bed tonight, I’m going to fuck you blind.”

“Why not now?” Her voice was low and husky.

“Because I’m here. Get off him, we’ve got work to do.”

Darcy jumped in fright. “Luther! For a moment there I was starting to like you. How did you get in? Do you have a key to the house or something?”

Luther passed us and walked through to the kitchen. “I’m having a beer, what can I get you guys?” he called.

“Does he have a key?” Darcy asked me.

“He does, because without it, he’d just come in a window. Do you want wine?”

She nodded. “I might as well have something to drown my disappointment.”

I called out to Luther. “Grab the bottle of Sancerre, and glasses.”

Luther returned, whistling, poured our wine and pulled a thick file from his briefcase. “Contracts complete. Pearl has committed to a half-hour set, and Reuben said he’ll perform as long as people want to listen to him.”

Darcy picked one up and started reading. “People are going to freak. Has Reuben agreed to go on the promo yet?” she asked.

“He said we can discuss it if ticket sales are poor—which they won’t be—but he wants to remain as a mystery guest. He’s concerned, as always, about his privacy, overshadowing the event, all the usual stuff.”

“We won’t push Reuben. He’ll keep his word.”

“I’ve gone over the contract for people donating goods and services to be auctioned. There’s a draft there for each of you, and I’ll email you the file, Darcy. Fill in the details for each company, send it back to Sami. He’ll check and give you the okay. Make sure you get contracts signed and a copy returned to you. Some of these companies can be pricks. Usual story. Marketing says yes, then accounting says there’s no budget for it.”

“Got it,” she said, closing the entertainment contract she was reading. “Am I sending this, or you?”

“I’ll do it. I know the legal guy at Pearl’s management company. We’ll get this locked down quickly. I’ve told them we need timing for the announcement.”

He set off back to the kitchen. “I haven’t eaten. Is there cheese in the fridge?”

“Help yourself,” I said, and pulled Darcy back to me for a kiss.

“Keep your hands off her, Sackville, we’re working. This is why we don’t fraternize with staff.”

“You’re in the fucking kitchen, Luther. You have no idea what we’re doing.”

“I see everything.” He was back with us a minute later, carrying a plate with a thick slab of cheese, pickles, and an enormous dollop of fiery tomato chutney Darcy had made. It was devastatingly hot, and I could see Darcy was about to warn Luther as he loaded it onto a piece of cheese, but I stopped her.

“Watch him,” I whispered.

Luther shoved it into his mouth, chewed and swallowed without as much as a blink. He noticed our scrutiny. “What?” he asked.

“I made that. Do you like it?” Darcy asked.

“Fantastic. Coffee and chutney. You’re growing on me, Miss Darcy.”

“Are you made of titanium?”

“Why?”

“We can’t eat it. I accidentally added chili twice.”

“I didn’t notice.” He took a long drink from his beer, and then pulled out the next file. “These are the bank authority forms. Double authorization needed for payments out of the working account for expenses. Three of us can sign, so, Darcy, you’ll need either Oliver’s or my authorization as well as your own for all transactions. This is your username. Sign on the bottom. You sign, too, Oliver.”

Luther had balked when I told him I wanted Darcy to have access to the working account so that she could pay expenses directly. It made sense, but his reaction showed there remained a hangover of suspicion surrounding her. I insisted, he reluctantly agreed.

We went through a few more things, finished our drinks, and Luther left with two jars of tomato chutney.

“Is there a woman in Luther’s life?” Darcy asked.

“He says he doesn’t have time. I think he may have tried, years back, but I don’t know any woman who could live with that energy.”

“Poor Ginger is crazy about him.”

“Yeah, well, that’s not going to happen.”

“Why?”

Telling her would betray Luther. When it came to the Hough family, Luther was more connected than Ginger realized. “Historic stuff. Let’s leave it at that.”

“Okay. She offered to help me out if things get too crazy. I think it would be good experience for her. Right now, she’s doing cleaning jobs, and she needs to up her game. She’s bright, but she has no confidence.”

“I’m more than happy to have her help you out.”

“Her mother seems pretty controlling.”

“You’re fishing, Darcy.”

“Yes, I am.” She grinned at me, then licked her lips. “Why don’t you distract me?”

* * *

“Oliver…”

“Shh. Stay like that. I have to leave soon.” I pressed against her beautiful ass, stroking her pussy which dripped with need. Darcy was in that soft, languid state of half-sleep, and I’d woken with a granite-hard cock the same way I did every morning with her in my bed. I slid my cock through her soaking cleft and she moaned, pressing her ass back to me.

“Put it in. Fuck me slowly,” she said. Her nearly-awake voice had a raspy edge, probably not helped by the amount of noise she made last night when I made her come three times before I fucked her.

“Are you sore?”

“Tender.”

“I’ll be gentle.”

Her laugh was soft, and ended with a moan. I held her against me and we rocked with a languid rhythm. It didn’t matter how we fucked, she always made me come hard. I took my time, drawing a long orgasm from her, my mouth tasting the skin on her delicate neck.

“No hickeys,” she warned. “It’s too hot for a scarf.”

I nipped at her skin, then returned to soft kisses. I was falling for her in a way that made me re-examine everything I believed about love. I craved her taste, the sounds she made, the things she said, the sight of her curled on a chair. Her laughter, her confusion, her secrets. Every part of her satisfied me. Darcy was my drug. My addiction. My hunger for her never relented, and once I’d had a taste, I needed more.