Page 75 of Merrick

“It does to me.” He told her firmly. “I love buying you things, let me.”

She gazed at his beloved face and felt her heart simply melting like wax against the sun. He spoiled her rotten. She was not a particularly good wife, or at least, that’s what she told herself. He made the effort to do things for her.

He would come home and set the dinner out and wait for her to come home. On weekends, he would let her sleep in and bring her breakfast in bed.

Never having anyone to take care of her before, it took some getting used to.

“Okay, fine.”

“Good!” Lifting her chin, he brushed her lips lightly with his and breathed her in. “How was your day, my love?”

That was another thing she was not used to either. Someone asking about her day and really wanting to listen.

“We caught a case.” She shifted to plates he had uncovered and started to feed them both. “A smuggling ring straight out of New York…” She tasted the chicken and closed her eyes in pleasure, before chewing.

She felt comfortable sitting on his lap – something else that surprised her. “A wife and husband, bilking people of their savings and smuggling drugs in birthday cakes. Quite a setup actually, but we caught a break.” She scooped up baby potatoes and absently fed it to him.

“Have they been detained?” He settled her closer to him, one hand wrapped around her waist as he picked up his glass and took a sip.

“Not yet.” She leaned into him and inhaled his masculine scent. “We are close. How about you? How was your day?”

He looked pleased that she had asked and knowing how business bored her, kept it simple.

“We’re still recovering from the incident.” They had talked about what led to their meeting each other and cleared the air between them.

“And Pharma Medical?” She asked quietly, referring to the other company involved. “I see they are blaming some of their top management people.”

“Throwing them under the bus.” He concluded grimly as he handed her a plump grape. “Harry Sylvan, the CEO is noted for doing that. They have been getting a lot of bad press since the incident.”

She titled her head to look at him. “Since I am beginning to know my husband, I sense a takeover coming on.”

His pleasure at her calling him her husband reflected on his attractive face and for just a few seconds he could not speak. Hishands trembled and he had to take a breath or two to steady himself. “Think I should?”

She shrugged, noticing his reaction and feeling her heart responding. “What do I know? The CEO is rotten to the core, and they were shaken to the roots by what happened.” She lifted a hand to trail along his jaw. “Not like this CEO I am married to. And besides, don’t you already have a lot on your plate?”

“Not since I partially handed things over to Michael.”

“Oh yes. How is Maurice taking it?”

“Not well, but he knows that it is the right thing to do.” He continued to stroke her back. “I am not resigning any time soon, but Michael needs to be eased into the position. I want to travel with my wife.”

“Merrick…”

“I am not asking you to resign or anything like that. I just want us to spend as much time together as possible. A weekend at the place in Maui or the vineyard in Napa. Or a trip to Mexico.” His eyes smoldered as he stared at her.

“I want to cram in as much time as possible with each other. “You are sitting at a desk and for that I am grateful. But I need you baby. You are the heart and soul of me, and I want more than just a few hours in the evening. I need more than that.”

“You promised.”

He sighed. “I know I did, and I respect your need to work and be independent. It is just that, I love you so damn much, that I am jealous of the time you spend away from me.”

She understood because she felt the same way. In the past and for so many years, it had been the job for her, because she had nothing else. And being a cop had given her so much pride and fulfillment.

But now it was so different. She had been handed a gift, in the form of a wonderful man who loved her beyond measure, and it was something she was never going to take for granted.

Taking the glass from him, she put it away and cupped his face. “I love you.” She smiled when she felt him hardened beneath her and knew that dinner was at an end. “More than my life, more than anything in my life.

More than the job, because that is just what it is – a job. You are everything to me and I will think about scaling things way down. Because I want to spend time with my man, going places, enjoying the time we have together.” She bent her forehead to his and closed her eyes. “Make love to me Merrick, let me feel you deep inside me.”

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