A Merger by Marriage (Las Vegas Nights 2)

“The stockholders are having lunch in the dining room. Perhaps you’d like to tell them what happened.” JT turned to go.

“Before you leave, Mr. Stone, you should know that your father was voted off the board.”

JT spun around and stared at the auditor, wondering if he’d heard correctly. Then, JT realized he was grinning like an idiot. “Explain it to him.” He indicated Brent. “I have more important things to take care of.”

Twelve

Violet was unpacking the last of her personal items from her suite at Fontaine Chic when her husband strode through the bedroom door. She glanced up as his presence filled the master suite and made the very air crackle with energy.

“Hello, husband,” she said, her tone matter of fact. “Was your trip successful?”

“You know damned well it was.” He tugged his tie loose and shrugged out of his suit jacket. When he looked as if he planned to drop both articles on a nearby chair, Violet moved to take them from him. A gentle tug-of-war ensued between them. “I don’t need rescuing,” he murmured a second before giving her the win.

“Not anymore,” she responded, her voice equally soft.

It was going to be all right, she realized as she hung up his jacket and tie. He hadn’t demanded to know what she was doing in his house. He’d simply accepted her presence. Her anxiety quieted.

She came out of the closet and found her husband had stripped off his shirt and was working on his shoes. Her mouth went dry as she took in all his chiseled perfection. Had it only been a week since they’d last made love? The severe ache in her loins made it seem like a whole lot longer.

His socks landed in a pile next to his shirt as he commented, “The FBI hauled my father in for questioning.” JT slipped off his pants. Clad only in his boxer briefs, he carried his discarded clothes into the closet. “Any idea what that was about?”

“You didn’t stick around to find out?”

“I was too busy chasing after my wife to care.” He reappeared in fully naked glory and stood with his arms crossed, staring at her. “Perhaps you can enlighten me.”

It was difficult for her to concentrate with her husband’s flawless physique artlessly displayed for her perusal. Did he really intend to stand there like that and have a serious discussion? Her blood heated as she took in the rise and dip of his muscular arms and the flawless definition of his rock hard abs.

“Perhaps you’d like to shower first and then we can talk?” Violet suggested, hoping he’d take the hint that it was a conversation better conducted without distractions.

“Actually, I’d like to hear what you have to say first.”

Damn him. Well, two could play at this game. She reached behind her and took ahold of her dress’s zipper. His expression didn’t change as she unfastened her dress, but when it pooled at her feet, she caught a minute widening of his eyes.

“Charity Rimes finally returned our call a few days ago,” she said, unfastening her bra and letting it fall to the ground. She shimmied out of her underwear before continuing. “After Tiberius had contacted her, she’d been intrigued about his theory that George Barnes had taken Preston Rhodes’s identity and tracked down George’s high school yearbook.”

The entire time she was speaking, JT kept his gaze fixed on hers, and off her naked form. He appeared utterly intent on what she was saying, but there was one part of his anatomy with a mind of its own. To provoke it further, Violet reached up and freed the pins holding her hair in a loose topknot. It cascaded around her shoulders, the strands tickling her sensitive nipples and turning them into hard buds. JT’s Adam’s apple bobbed.

“When she emailed me a copy of the photo from his graduation, it was obvious that your father is not Preston Rhodes.”

“So you called the FBI?”

“No, Scarlett suggested we bring the issue to Logan. He had a buddy in the FBI.”

Violet bent down and picked up her dress. As she straightened she thought she heard a strange noise emanating from JT’s throat, but when she glanced his way, nothing revealed itself on his face, although his erection had surged higher.

“He called me a few days ago.” JT’s voice was tight and husky. “I didn’t want to hear what he had to say.”

“I thought you should know what we intended to do and would take it better from him.”

“I was so damned mad at you.”

Violet flinched at the intensity of his tone. “I know.”

Needing a moment to regroup, she turned and walked to a nearby chair, putting her clothes on it. She felt more than heard JT come up behind her, and when he spoke next, he was mere feet away.

“You had a file on me. I felt betrayed.”

“I know,” she repeated without turning around. Rehashing their fight would not move them past her poor judgment or his interpretation of what she’d done. “I was a little surprised the FBI moved as fast as they did. I thought for certain they would investigate longer.” When his hands gripped her shoulders, there was tension in his fingers. Alarmed, Violet hurried to explain her motivation. “I know he’s your father, but he certainly had no right to be in charge of your family’s business.”