Page 32 of Daigo

They started off with the lobster bisque, and she managed to keep it down. Deciding to try her luck with the main course, she had a small serving of the lobster Wellington. And they talked about inconsequential matters. She spoke about the store and her idea of expanding.

"Do you think that's a good idea, considering we're taking on so much?" He nodded in the direction of her stomach.

"I know it's going to be a lot." Sighing softly, she reached for her glass of fruit punch. "But we're getting more and more traffic. We had a wife waltz in the other day with six garbage bags of the latest brand-name items of clothing." She sipped her drink and realized that she was full. "She discovered that her husband was cheating on her with her sister. Her idea of getting back at him was to take all of his clothing, including an excellent set of golf clubs and expensive watches, to the store."

"Is that legal?"

"I have no idea. But it turns out that the guy is so eager to please her, he's keeping quiet and agreeing to everything she wants." Her eyes gleamed. "Now me, if I found out you were cheating, I'd just burn everything you have and murder you." She shrugged. "That's just me."

He eyed her over the rim of his glass. "You don't have a sister," he pointed out reasonably.

"I have a best friend who's like a sister," she countered.

"And if it were the other way around, I'd simply kill the bastard you were cheating with and lock you inside our bedroom for the rest of your life."

Her brows arched. "You'd spare my life?"

"Of course. I would want you to be alive for the punishment I have in store for you."

"And that would be?"

"Being my love slave. Anything I want, any time of the day. I would dismiss the housekeeper and keep you doing housework. And lots and lots of sex." He grinned at her dirty look. "I'd make you my sex slave."

"You and which army?"

"I can take you," he told her confidently. "But that's theoretical. I'm so good in bed, you'd never dream of being with another man."

"Funny. I was just thinking that Andre from your finance department is quite hot. He has this buff body, and of course, he's Black, which makes it even more appealing." She dipped her spoon into the raspberry soufflé. "Just saying." She let out a little squeal when his hand snaked out and gripped her wrist.

"His job is now in jeopardy, thanks to you."

"I can always hire him on at the store."

"Enough talking about another man." Without letting go of her hand, he rose, walked around to pull her up and into his arms, and took her onto the dance floor.

"This is very nice," she murmured, wrapping her hands around his neck.

"And I don't have to kill anyone for touching you," he murmured back, holding her possessively against him. "You're all mine." Before she could respond, he closed his mouth over hers. The kiss was gentle, a direct contrast to the fingers digging into her back. With a sigh of surrender, she yielded, the sweet agony of his touch drowning out everything else.

Chapter 9

The reprieve from her symptoms lasted until the end of the week. And then it all came back with even more force.

The nausea came every morning like clockwork. Her husband fell into the routine of making her herbal tea every one of those mornings. He would anticipate her rush to the bathroom and be there behind her to hold her. Afterward, he would make her a cup of tea. He had also transformed one of the spare rooms into a small kitchenette and stocked it with the necessary things needed to soothe her stomach.

She was getting more and more fatigued. When she got to the end of the first trimester, she started showing. By the time she mentioned that she was falling asleep at the desk at work, he brought in a daybed the very next day. The men had to make room in her tiny office to accommodate it because of the lack of space.

"I could easily have gotten a sleep chair," she protested when she called him.

"Myself as well as the doctors want you to be comfortably stretched out. Say thank you, darling."

"Thank you, darling."

"You're the superhero of husbands and I don't know how I ever survived without you."

"You're pushing it."

"Even if you don't say it, I'll know it's fact. Eat something."