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“But you will to keep him. ” Charlie was angry now. Her voice throbbed with it, her face flushing with it. “You will, Ella. Because you love him. ”
“Enough. ” Her hand sliced through the air as her soul trembled with the knowledge. “This isn’t any of your business, Charlie…”
“The hell it isn’t. ” Charlie’s voice rose with her anger. “Dammit, Ella, I watched you destroy yourself after that divorce. Turning into a bitter old woman before your time because of that bastard…”
“Lower your voice. ” Ella was shaking with her own anger now. “And remember, Charlie, I didn’t ask you for your opinion then or now. ”
“Like you have to ask for it,” Charlie snorted is disgust. “Really, Ella. It’s voluntary, darling. ” The sarcasm was a clear sign that Charlie was rapidly losing her temper. Ella wasn’t far behind.
“Everything okay?” Ella’s head swung around to the doorway and she wanted to groan in dismay when she saw James standing there, watching them mockingly.
“Don’t you know how to dress?” she bit out in irritation, seeing all the smooth, perfect muscle that she knew Charlie was eating up with her eyes.
He arched a dark brow questioningly. “I thought all good little boy toys went around half naked? Don’t tell me you’re firing me after only a few hours on the job. ”
Chapter Ten
It was well after midnight before Charlie left. After James’ mocking statement and his declaration that he was going to bed to let them discuss him in peace, Ella broke out the wine. Some nights, there was nothing you could do but get a shade tipsy and remember all the reasons why you didn’t want a man in your life. Charlie was eager to go along with her. Evidently all that smooth male muscle and blatant sexuality had been too much for her to deal with at one time as well.
Finally, her friend weaved her way to the limo waiting on her, thanked her aging driver nicely as he opened the door for her, and crawled into the vehicle. Ella herself felt she was walking reasonably straight until she closed the door and turned around. She proceeded to walk into the embroidered chair that sat off to the side. She frowned down at it in irritation before backing up and trying again.
She needed to go to bed. But James was in her bed. She stopped as she headed through the kitchen. Of course James was in her bed. That was where he belonged, she decided with a sharp, rather jerky nod before squaring her shoulders and heading to the room.
He was waiting on her. How had she known he would still be awake and waiting on her? His expression was cool, arrogant, as she removed her robe and started to lie down.
“The gown. ” His voice was dark, foreboding.
Ella stopped, staring at him in surprise.
“Excuse me?” she asked him haughtily. “I sleep in my gown. ”
“Take it off or I’ll tear it off. ” There was no mercy in his voice, no change in his expression.
Ella snorted. “Some boy toy you are, James. I might have to fire you after all. You are supposed to obey me, not the other way around. ”
“Take the gown off. I won’t tell you again, Ella. ” Her insides trembled at the dark brew of anger and desire that throbbed in his voice.
She did as he said, suddenly too nervous not to. She watched him helplessly as the silk gown slithered to the floor, leaving her bare before his eyes. What did he see, she wondered? She was older; her body wasn’t as toned, as pretty as it had been ten years before. She knew all her problem areas, had stared at them in the mirror more times than she could count.
He pulled the blankets back then and patted the bed beside him. Watching him warily, she got into bed, lying on her back as he stopped her from turning on her side. His big hand moved to her stomach, caressing the flesh there as her breath caught in her throat.
“I won’t be regulated to the bedroom, hidden, a secret you keep from everyone,” he warned her coldly as he stared down at her. “Do you understand me, Ella?”
“What do you want from me?” She shook her head, her brain clouded with the alcohol, her emotions sensitized from her friend’s warnings, and James’ demands. “Why are you even here, James? In my bed. My life,” she sighed wearily.
“You have to figure that one out on your own,” he growled, his hand moving until he could brush back the lingering strands of hair that clung to her cheek, her neck. “You should have already figured it out, Ella, but you refuse to look beyond your own fears. I won’t allow that to continue. ”
His eyes softened only marginally as she stared up at him. In the soft light of the lamp, his features were shadowed, savage yet softening with tenderness. She lifted her hand until she could touch the roughness of his beard-shadowed jaw, loving the warmth and roughness of his flesh.
“I dreamed of you,” she whispered bleakly. “For so many years, I dreamed of you, James. You’ll break my heart if I let you. I can’t let you. ”
His gaze became shuttered. “Go to sleep, Ella. We’ll talk tomorrow. ”
He moved then, turning out the light before lying down beside her, wrapping his arms around her as he pulled her close. Ella stared up at the dark ceiling, feeling the warmt
h and vitality of his body as he held her. Feeling the hard length of his cock against her thigh.
She breathed out regretfully. “I’ll miss you when you’re gone, James. ”
