Page 52 of Desperate Measures

Headhunting for my own team was something I’d always wanted, but never had the authority to do working under my father and uncles.

And after work, well, he seemed to like spending time with me. We ate together, talked, and then there was always theafter.

The kissing and touching part. All the glorious things he did to me in bed, and elsewhere.

Liam fucked like it was his job. I hated to think where he got all his practice, but that was unfair. He had a life before his sister coerced him into marrying me.

He didn’t seem to mind, but that didn’t change how we got together.

That his desire seemed real enough helped. But I needed to keep my eyes open. I couldn’t allow myself to believe, to pretend that he was here because he cared.

I was a body. Handy. Capable. And a brain to bounce ideas off. But Liam didn’t pick me. And I had to remember that.

I bit my bottom lip as I placed the turkey pot pie I’d made with our leftovers in the oven.

It was the Sunday after Thanksgiving and tomorrow was going to be my first day going into the office, but Liam got called in to oversee the arrival of some prototypes from China.

He promised to be back by six and it was five now. Just enough time for him to come home to a warm home cooked meal.

We’d actually cooked our own turkey for Thanksgiving with all the trimmings, and it turned out good.

Really good.

Sure, I missed everyone, but Liam made a very decent sous chef. Everything was delicious. Except for the apple pie which we burned, having been distracted by some naughty shenanigans that took place since my handsome husband couldn’t seem to stop untying my apron.

That, of course, led to him unfastening other parts of my outfit, and some naked fun time ensued soon after.

My sex clenched just picturing it. I had to admit, having the attentions of a man who looked like him was quite flattering.

I mean, I had good self-esteem. Yes, I was a big girl, some would say fat, but I ignored the haters.

I was healthy. I exercised regularly. I just liked food.

Sure, I was pretty enough, and I’d learned to dress well for my fuller figure at an early age. Money helped. Being raised by a slew of women with similar body types and excellent esteem also helped. I was lucky in that aspect. In a lot of ways, actually.

I even had a couple of boyfriends. But my life had always been so family oriented, I didn’t have time for much else. Truth was, it was hard to compete with the Volkov clan.

My best friend called us a force to be reckoned with. Shelly had a pretty shitty home life, raised by an aunt who was uninterested in being a mother to her only niece. We sort of adopted her into our own insanely loud, loving mess.

Thinking about Shelly just reminded me how much I missed her and my family. But I needed time and space for myself. The thing about big families was they could swallow you up.

I’d been fighting way too long to be independent to just allow that. It’s not that they meant to do it. I knew that, but I had to stand on my own feet.

Ironic that marrying a stranger was the thing to give me that boost I needed.

Okay, not a stranger exactly. Technically, I had known Liam for years. I’d dreamed about him, too.

About kissing him and touching him.

The reality was just so much better. No, I wasn’t a virgin when I met Liam, but I wasn’t a sex siren, either. But when I was with him, I sure as hell felt like one.

He was definitely good for my ego. The way he stared at me when we were all alone made me feel like I was special.

Pure lust.

That was the look. Like he wanted to consume me. Seeing him look at me that way made me so hot.

Never had I felt so wanton.

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