The sensation of his huge hands gripping her waist made her shiver.

She knew they had so many obstacles ahead of them, but right now she craved him. Needed him to soothe the ache that threatened to overwhelm her. Sharing her body with him always made her feel like the center of the world. His world.

“Looks like you got a head start,” he said, his warm breath making her skin tingle.

“There’s always time for you to catch up,” she whispered, her voice husky with desire.

His hands slid up her waist until his fingers were brushing against the fabric of her lacy bra. Her nipples strained against the fabric, aching to be touched.

In the blink of an eye, he unclasped her bra and tossed it aside, leaving her totally exposed to his hungry scrutiny.

His eyes lingered on her breasts, his gaze so heavy she could practically feel the weight of it blazing a trail across her skin.

“What have I done to deserve you?” he forced out, his voice low and raspy.

“Why don’t you take your clothes off and let me show you?” She held up her hand to show him the condom she had retrieved from her bedroom. Whenever she got intimate with him the wild, wanton side of herself that nobody else had ever seen always fought its way out. With him she wasn’t a mousy wallflower. When Simon looked at her the way he was looking at her now, she felt sexy and powerful.

A devilish smile played on his lips as he slowly started to unbutton his shirt. The skin over his taut muscles was still tanned from their trip to Florida, and she was suddenly consumed with the desire to put her hands on him.

Achingly slowly, he took his clothes off until he was down to his boxer briefs, his arousal evident. Silently, he took the condom from her, letting her know that he was just as ready as she was.  

Licking her lips, she placed her palms on his hard chest and let her hands wander up and down his torso. His golden skin was hot beneath her touch. As her hands slid up and down his perfectly sculpted body his muscles rippled, making her go all weak-kneed.

He leaned closer to her and whispered a command into her ear. “Get down on the couch. I want to taste you.”

Her eyes widened and a primal need sent a rush of heat through her body. With her legs shaking, she headed over to the sofa to sit down.

Simon followed after her, but instead of sitting he got down on his knees in front of her. His blue eyes burned, the desire in their depths so stark that she blushed in response. Having him in front of her like this made her feel like he was worshipping her. She was suddenly wet with her own desire, the place between her legs throbbing with need for him.

“May I take these off?” he asked as he reached for her panties and tugged insistently.

“Yes,” she breathed, biting back the urge to beg him to rip them off and take her already.

He peeled off her panties, the fabric brushing against her skin as he eased them off.

With the most sensitive part of her now exposed to him, Simon placed his strong hands on her knees and spread her legs apart. The way he took command of her body had her quivering, desperate for more. More wetness pooled between her legs and she let out a shuddering, needy moan. If he didn’t touch her soon she was going to explode. Her desire was almost an ache as sexual frustration rocked through her.

“Please,” she begged. “Please Simon, just touch me.”

Another devilish smile. But he obliged her and lowered his sensuous mouth to her exposed flesh. When his tongue, rough and hot, flicked across her sex the pleasure stole the breath from her lungs.

His hands gripped her knees tightly as he slowly swirled his tongue into her. The ecstasy that radiated from her core was so overwhelming that she desperately reached for something to hold on to before she completely lost control. One hand lowered to grip his dark hair, the other clenching so tightly her nails dug into her palms.

He groaned as her fingers laced through his hair and the pace of his erotic assault quickened. She was totally at his mercy as he tormented her with his tongue, lapping at her hungrily.  

A loud cry escaped her throat, his furious licking dragging her to the brink of bliss. Her body started writhing as the pleasure mounted, each wave more exquisite than the last.

As her orgasm ripped through her she exhaled a loud, breathy moan of his name.

Her heart pounded in her chest, each beat so strong she thought it might shatter her ribcage. She struggled to catch her breath as pleasure jolted through her entire body.

Simon pulled his mouth away from her to plant a kiss on her inner thigh. The sensation of his wicked mouth on her skin made her tingle all over.

“I’m not finished with you,” he growled out in warning.

Heather laughed breathlessly. “And I’m not finished with you.”

She had been at his mercy and been rewarded for it. Now, it was her turn to pleasure him.

Her lips curved into a saucy smile and she motioned for him to join her on the sofa.

He got to his feet, tossed off his boxer briefs, and got on the couch with her. Her heart was still hammering like crazy, but she was more than ready for another round with him. Especially now that she could see that he was just as aroused as she was. He was hard, the sight of huge his erection making her lick her lips. Brazenly, she took the condom out of his hand and ripped the wrapper open.

“May I?” she asked.

“Yes,” he choked out with a nod.

In one quick motion she sheathed him with the condom and placed her hands on his broad shoulders to get him down on his back.

His eyebrows shot up in surprise as he lay his head on the armrest. “Heather...”

“Let me take care of you,” she said, her voice hoarse.

“How could I say no to that?” He reached for her, taking her hips in his large hands. “Are you ready, Heather?”

“Yes.” She arched her back to propel herself forward until she could prop herself up with her hands on the armrest, her legs straddling him.

With his hands still on her hips she lowered herself onto his erection, slowly letting his hardness fill her. Her sex clenched around him, trying to milk every inch of the throbbing length of him.

His groan spurred her on and she rocked into him, setting a rhythmic pace. The grip he had on her hips tightened even more, as if he never wanted to let go of her.

This moment was everything she’d ever wanted. Knowing that her anguish hadn’t driven them apart made her grind into him faster. She was desperate to show him the pleasure he had shown her. Desperate to have power over his body when she had so little control over everything else.

When they were together like this, nothing could come between them. Every time they made love it was like they were giving their innermost selves to each other. Baring their souls by baring their bodies.

A guttural groan tore from him and she could tell he was on the verge of his own release. Sweat broke out across her skin as she rode him faster, harder, letting his manhood impale her while she sought release for both of them.

When his erection spasmed inside her she knew that he had climaxed, and another orgasm tore through her so hard and fast that she lost control and collapsed on top of him.

Their breathing was labored, mingling until she didn’t know where her breaths began and his ended. For a moment, she felt like they were so connected to each other that they didn’t need to even speak to understand one another. His heart beating beneath her ear was all she needed to hear to understand him.

His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. Finding solace in his arms chased so much of the pain away. When Simon had told her the truth about Gary, she felt as if she had been broken into a million pieces. But then, the pleasure he had given her put her back together again. He had not only made her stronger, but had made her whole. Maybe the news about her ex-husband would always leave cracks, but she was still in one piece thanks to Simon’s love.

She squeezed her eyes shut, the emotions in the aftermath of her orgasm threatening to render her speechless. “I love you, Simon,” she breathed.

“I love you, too,” he whispered. “Forever.”

~~*~~

LATER, WHEN SHE HAD freshened up and put her clothes back on, she opened the front door to let him out. Ordinarily, she would ask him to stay the night, but Finn was going to be home that night and she didn’t think her son was ready for such a significant step. She wasn’t either. Not in their house. Not after the time Gary—she forced the thought from her mind. She was going to do things right by Finn. That’s all that mattered.

He gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “We’re going to get through this. Finn has you to fight for him, and that means a hell of a lot, Heather.”

“Thank you for telling me the truth,” she said. “I know it must have been hard for you to come clean about what Gary did. You could have taken him up on his offer, given him the money, and I wouldn’t have known.”

“But I would have known,” he said. “I’d never be able forgive myself if I kept something like that from you. You have the right to make the decision. Even if I might not completely agree with the decision, you’re Finn’s mother. A decision this big should be yours, not mine.”

Even though his revelation had led to an argument, she was so grateful that he had told her the truth. After all the obstacles they had faced he was still ready to trust her, and she was ready to trust him. Somehow, it was like every challenge they faced made them stronger—as long as they remembered to face it together. He was the most generous, selfless man she had ever known, and right now her heart swelled with gratitude.

“And,” he said, grinning, “we both know Gary would blow through the money and be back for more. Or something stupid like that.” He reached for his phone in his pocket. “When do you want to meet with the lawyer?”

“I’ll be heading back to work next week, but I think I can make time to talk before then,” she said.

He nodded. “I’m heading back this week, so I can arrange for you to meet. I’ve never met him but he comes highly recommended by my own lawyer, so I’m absolutely certain that you and Finn will be in good hands.”

She bit her lip.

Simon must have noticed the unease on her face because he captured her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. “Don’t feel guilty about the money.”

“I’m not—”

“Yes, you are,” he said gruffly. “You don’t fool me, sweetie. I can practically see you freaking out about the cost.”

She sighed. “You know me way too well.”

“This is what’s best for Finn,” he said.

“I know.” She frowned. “What will you tell Gary?”

“I’ll obviously have to turn down the offer, but I think stalling him for a while is a good strategy,” Simon replied. “If he thinks there’s a chance he could get his hands on a lot of money, he might be willing to back off a bit. That could be helpful.”

“That makes sense,” she said. “Ordinarily I’d feel guilty about deceiving him, but this horrible scheme was his idea. Let him deal with the consequences of his actions.”

“And I’m guessing you want to keep this a secret from Finn, right?” His hands drifted down to gently grip her waist. “Finding out that his father is thinking about abandoning him would hurt him.”

She nodded, suddenly too choked up to say anything. Telling Finn was something she would never, ever do. Heather vowed to take this knowledge to the grave if she had to. “Finn can never know,” she said finally.

He pulled his hands away from her slowly, as if reluctant to let her go. “I’ll call you when I make it home.”

“Okay.” She waved goodbye as she watched him head to his car and drive off.

~~*~~

THE MONDAY SHE WAS expected to return to work came faster than she expected and she woke up extra early, too jittery about her new promotion to stay in bed. After packing Finn’s lunch, she dropped him off at school and drove to work.

As she walked through Dover’s lobby, her phone vibrated and she retrieved it from her bag. A message from Agnes Morton, the senior board member who had agreed to her promotion in the first place.

Agnes wanted Heather to come into her office first thing in the morning, so she took the elevator. Butterflies fluttered in her stomach. Getting summoned to a board member’s office usually meant the news was either extremely good or extremely bad. No in between.

By the time she announced herself to Agnes’ assistant and stepped into the huge office, her stomach was in knots.

She blinked in surprise when she spotted Simon sitting beside Agnes on the sofa. “Simon, I didn’t know you were going to be here. Is this some kind of meeting or something?”

Agnes pursed her lips distastefully. “Good morning, Ms. Hall.”

“Oh, sorry. Good morning, Mrs. Morton,” Heather said as she approached them. “Good morning, Simon.”

His smile reassured her. “Good morning, Heather. How are you?” He stared at her, his eyes lingering on her mouth in a way that made her blush furiously.

A girlish laugh escaped her throat, which made Agnes scowl.

Heather cringed inwardly. She really wasn’t making the best impression right now with her reaction to him, but seeing Simon this early in the morning was an unexpected but welcome surprise. Working in the media department was great, but she had to admit that she missed working with him. Moving departments had been her decision; the only chance she’d get to actually see him during the day was at lunch time, if ever.

“Please, have a seat.” Agnes gestured to the empty seat across from her.

She sank down into the plush chair and clasped her hands in apprehension.

“I’d like to thank you for coming so early and on such short notice,” Agnes said. “My assistant will be bringing some refreshments soon, so why don’t we get right to it?”

“What’s this about?” Heather asked.

“I’d like to discuss your promotion,” Agnes answered. “Now that you’ve signed your renewed contract, you’ll be working here on a more permanent basis.”

Heather gasped in delighted surprise. “Really? You mean my trial is over?”

Agnes nodded. “You’re now going to be working at Dover on a permanent basis. Congratulations.”

Relief flooded her. After all the craziness she had been through while working at Dover, she was finally getting the chance to stay on. Despite the media finding out about her relationship with Simon, and despite being accused of spying on the company, her job was finally secure. “Thank you so much.”

“Now, I’d like to discuss what your new position is going to be,” Agnes said. “You’ll still be working with media, but the board hopes you’ll take on the role of Simon’s new media relations assistant and spokeswoman.”

“What?” Simon asked in shock. “What the hell is going on here, Agnes? I thought we were here to give Heather the good news about getting a permanent position. I don’t need a media assistant.”

“Yes, you do,” Agnes insisted. “And may I remind you that you promised to be friendlier to the media?”

“I said I’d consider being friendlier to the media,” he ground out.

Agnes motioned to Heather. “This is what that consideration looks like. If you won’t play nice with the press, at least you’ll have a spokeswoman to do that for you. Besides, part of Heather’s new job is to show you the ropes with the media. By time she’s done with you, I’m sure you’ll be so well versed in media relations that you’ll full on agree to be friendlier to the press.”

“No, absolutely not—”

“I’d love to hear your ideas, Ms. Hall,” Agnes continued, totally ignoring him. “Dover has gone through a lot recently, and we need to keep press attention as positive as we can.”

“Well...” Heather paused, trying to take in the reality of her new role. When she accepted the promotion, she hadn’t anticipated that she’d end up working with Simon again. “If Simon doesn’t want this, I don’t want to do a job he isn’t comfortable with.”

“This isn’t up to Simon,” Agnes said. “It’s up to you, Ms. Hall. If you don’t want to work with Simon, we’ll absolutely grant you that wish. But the board really thinks you’ve got a unique talent for dealing with the media. We already know how much the press loves you. If it’s not you, it will be someone else.”

“Really? The board took that much notice of my work?” she asked, skeptical.

“Truth be told, it was Linda Schaffer who talked you up,” Agnes said. “But Simon did say Linda could represent him in his absence.”

Simon groaned. “I should have known the board would get its way somehow.”

“What are you complaining about?” Agnes asked. “This is good for Heather’s career, which is what you wanted.”

“Is this even ethical?” Simon cleared his throat uncomfortably. “After all, Heather and I are in a relationship now.”

“Well, the board knows about your relationship,” Agnes explained. “And if the relationship were to be dissolved, we would do the ethical thing and transfer Ms. Hall to a different department if it came to that. But the truth is, this is really up to Ms. Hall. She can turn this down and work with another team.”

“Didn’t you want Simon and me to keep a low profile?” Heather asked. “If we work together again, won’t that get the media talking again?”

“If you work together, you’ll both work extra hard to keep your relationship out of the papers,” Agnes said smoothly. “Try to think of it as mutually shared destruction. Neither of you will go to the press if your jobs are dependent on each other’s success.”

Heather’s eyes widened. Agnes might work quietly in the shadows, but she definitely had a ruthless streak.

“You know, I could learn a lot from you, Agnes,” Heather said, not even bothering to hide how impressed she was.

“And Simon could learn a lot from you,” Agnes said. Heather swore she saw a hint of a smile on the woman’s face.

She bit her lip. “I don’t want to take this job if Simon isn’t comfortable with it.”

“Heather, stop right there,” he said firmly. “Look, the media has been a thorn in my side, but you can’t make professional decisions based on our relationship or my feelings.”

“So, there won’t be any hard feelings if I agree to take this job with you?” Heather asked.

He shook his head. “None. I’m a professional. And I know that you are as well. Don’t let things get personal in deciding what’s best for your career.”

She took a deep, calming breath. This promotion was a chance to show the skills she had learned at her former job and during her time working with Linda at Dover. Corporate politics wasn’t something she understood, but she knew how to get the media on Simon’s side. He might resist dealing with the press, but if anyone could get him to try to cultivate a better relationship with reporters it was her. “Okay. I’ll take the job.”

Agnes gave a faint smile. “Excellent. I’ll send over an updated employee handbook for you, and I’m always here if you need to discuss anything. Linda also said that you’ll be working with her quite a bit in your new position and that you can always talk things over with her.”

“Thank you so much.” Heather stood up and looked expectantly at Simon. “I think we have a lot of work ahead of us, don’t we, Simon?”

With a sigh he stood up. They both said their goodbyes to Agnes and made their way to Simon’s office.

She glanced around the familiar space. Simon’s office looked exactly the way it did when she had last seen it. As expansive as the place was, it had a calming air to it. It felt good to be back. “I guess I’ll be moving back into my old office now. Gosh, this is exciting.”

Simon shook his head and sank into the chair at his desk. “Whatever ideas you have, Heather, I expect you to run them by me before you go to Linda.”

“Of course.” Her eyes locked on his and she lifted her chin. Simon wasn’t going to like her methods, but if he expected her to be professional then she was going to follow through on that. Even if her ideas were going to drive him insane. “The first thing we need to discuss is re-establishing you with the public. And I think publishing your biography is a wonderful way to do that.”