Wildest Hearts

Annie's immediate, completely undisguised response filled him with a thundering satisfaction.

    For a long moment he stood there, cradling her between his thighs, savoring the excitement and the anticipation. He could feel the softness of her breasts crushed against his chest. The curve of her hips pressed against his erection, making his blood run hot. She was just what he wanted, just what he needed. He had been right about her that night at Daniel's engagement party.

    Oliver forced himself to let his mouth move slowly across Annie's, testing the extent of her desire for him. She mumbled something that sounded urgent against lips.

    “What was that?” he muttered, not really caring. He took her earlobe between his teeth and bit carefully. Another shiver went through her. Once again he had a scalding vision of taking her right there in the greenhouse.

    “I said this kind of thing could really complicate matters,” Annie got out in a breathless little voice.

    “No, it will simplify them.” He was convinced of that. He knew for certain now that he could make her respond. Once he took her to bed, she would be his.

    Annie held herself slightly away from him so that she could look up into his face. “How can you say that?”

    “Annie, I want you. You want me. We're married. What could be less complicated than that?”

    He knew as soon as the words were out of his mouth that he'd made a serious mistake. The expression in Annie's eyes altered swiftly. She pushed against his shoulders and stepped back out of his arms.

    “Hold it right there.” She eyed him warily “Just how did you think our little business arrangement was going to work?”

    “Any way you want it to work,” he said gently.

    Some of the fizzy outrage went out of her. She wrinkled her nose. “I suppose I did sort of encourage you.”

    “Why don't we just say there seems to be a mutual attraction between us?”

    She slanted him an uncertain glance. “Do you mean that?”

    He smiled. “I don't think there's any doubt.”

    “Oh, God, I thought it was just me.”

    “And you thought I was a monk.”

    She glared at him. “Don't tease me about that. I've already apologized. Oliver, this is very awkward. What are we going to do?”

    “What do you want to do?” he countered softly.

    “I don't know.” Distraught, she ran a hand through her sherry-brown curls. “I never thought about what would happen if we got involved. Physically, that is. In addition to a business involvement, if you see what I mean. This changes everything.”

    A distant alarm went off somewhere inside Oliver. He knew he had to block that line of thought immediately or she might file for divorce in the morning. “It changes nothing in regard to your brother's company. A deal is a deal, Annie. I intend to uphold my end of the bargain regardless of what happens between us.”

    “You do?” She gazed up at him intently.

    Oliver forced himself to appear cool and unconcerned. “Of course. After all, I've got a lot at stake in Lyncroft Unlimited.”

    “Yes, you do, don't you? And I need you.” The blush rose again in her cheeks. “To hold Daniel's company together, that is.”

    “The way I see it, we're looking at two separate issues.” Oliver deliberately leached all nuance of emotion out of his voice. “Our relationship is one thing. Saving Daniel's company is another. There's no reason we can't handle each one independently of the other.”

    “Independently?”

    “We'll divide up the responsibilities. I'll take care of the business problems. You make the decisions regarding the personal side of things.”

    “Me?” She looked amazed.

    “Why not? Don't you think you can decide whether or not you want us to be roommates or lovers?”

    “Of course I can make a decision like that,” she sputtered. “That's not the point.”

    “What is the point?”

    “The point is, I already know it's a very bad idea for us to be anything more than roommates.”

    “I don't think it's a bad idea at all. But the choice is yours. Just let me know whatever you decide. I'll go along with your decisions in that arena just as you've agreed to go along with mine when it comes to Lyncroft Unlimited.”

    Annie gazed at him, her mouth open. “I don't believe it.”

    “What don't you believe?”

    “That you're prepared to be so cool and calm and rational about something like…like…”

    “Sex?”

    Her chin came up with a touch of defiance, even though