Husband By Request

She’d purposely worn a soft lemon outfit with a fitted short-sleeved jacket Andreas had admired when they’d gone shopping. To humor him she’d tried it on, and he’d said she looked good enough to eat.

That was how she wanted him to feel now that they’d walked in his office unannounced.

When he saw her, a slow smile broke out on his impossibly handsome face. His conversation ended in short order and he hung up.

“You two look like the cat who swallowed the proverbial canary. What’s going on?”

“I took Paul to lunch.”

“Without me?”

“It was my special thank-you to him for coming all the way to Sarajevo on a terrible mission to save you and me from destruction. He’s been a true friend to both of us. I’m very grateful.” Her voice wobbled.

“So am I,” Andreas murmured.

Paul’s face went red again.

“Oh—here, darling.” She put a sack on his desk. “I brought you a pastry to feed your sweet tooth. It was my dessert, but I decided to give it to you. I’ve got to start working out in a gym so I’ll be in shape to run some marathons.”

“We’ve got one downstairs on the third floor. Use it all you want. When I can arrange it, I’ll work out with you.”

“I’d love that.”

“So would I,” he s

aid, before he retrieved the baklava from the sack and promptly devoured it.

Paul eyed both of them in amusement. “I’ve got work waiting for me. See you two later.” He left the room, closing the door behind him.

Andreas’s gaze traveled over her with heartstopping intimacy. “What are you doing way over there?” he whispered. “We don’t have much time before I have to go into a big meeting.”

She put her things down on his desk, then hurried around to him. He molded her to him, running his hands over her back with increased urgency while rewarding her with a long, hungry kiss.

When he finally relinquished her mouth, their lips more or less stuck together. She started to giggle. “You’re covered in honey.”

He grinned. “So are you…now.”

“I should have brought you cake.”

“You’re here. That’s all that matters. Now maybe I’ll be able to make it through the rest of the day.”

“Oh, Andreas—” She hugged him tighter around the waist. “I love you so much I can hardly breathe when you hold me. When I think of the year we’ve spent apart…”

“I do believe you’re beginning to understand how I feel. Do you have any idea how many times I stood at these windows, looking out over the city, wishing you’d sweep into my office and tell me you were back to stay?”

“I wanted to, darling. Every minute I was away from you was agony.”

He rocked her harder. “When I sent Paul to Greece with the papers, I wanted to hear that you’d thrown them back in his face. But you did something much more wonderful. You came home with him.”

She kissed the cleft in his chin. “Yes, and then you promptly told me to sign them because you never wanted to see me again. But I knew why, and it was my turn to be terrified that you really meant it and might not follow me to Zakynthos. Thank heaven you did!”

His mouth closed over hers with smothering force. Dominique almost forgot where they were. If anyone were to walk in on them…

She finally tore her lips from his. “I wish we could go home right now, but I know you’ve got a meeting so I’d better leave.”

“Not so fast. What’s your Greek teacher like?”

“He’s young and handsome and single,” she said with a straight face.