“Then you don’t mind?”

“Not while my heart is still beating.”

“I just want it simple. I like to feel you over me. I like to feel you slowly fill me. I like the warmth of your body on mine.”

“You got it, baby.”

They made love gently, slowly, without drama or fireworks. Once, then once again when she said, “I just love coming when you do.” And one more time because he liked coming with her. She fell asleep first. He lay awake for a time, reflecting on the phrase making love from an entirely different point of view. But soon he dozed off too. It had been a long, busy, physically taxing three days.

TWENTY

Dominic awoke with a start, his mind racing. He glanced at the windows—still dark—then at the clock. Six. Carefully easing out of bed, he grabbed his jeans, walked out into the hall, stepped into them, and quickly descended the stairs. Entering his office, he shut the door, powered up his laptop and sent a quick e-mail to Justin: It’s a go. Find a flat. Talk to Roscoe. Will touch base later. Then he sent an e-mail to Roscoe: Justin needs an account set up. Give him whatever he wants. Shutting down his laptop, he raised his head and listened for a moment.

No sounds from upstairs. He picked up the phone.

“Sorry to wake you,” he said.

“Anytime, Nick,” a sleepy voice said. “What’s up?”

Dominic could hear the rustle of bed sheets. “I need a codicil to my will. Nothing complicated. I want to split my assets between my sister and a Miss Katherine Hart. If you need her social security number or address, check with Roscoe.” A door shut and his attorney’s voice was suddenly crisp.

“Are you sure? Just an attorney question, but that’s a fucking lot of money.”

“Melanie won’t mind sharing. She and Matt are comfortable.”

“Jesus, you’re not dying of something?”

“No, my health is fine. I have a meeting on Tuesday that could be difficult. In the event things don’t go well, I’d like Miss Hart to be taken care of.”

“What do you mean don’t go well?” Chris Robbins’s voice shot up.

“It’s just business. But the people I’m dealing with are, let’s say, unpredictable.”

“Seriously?” Another spiking rise in tone.

“Don’t worry about it. I’m sure everything will be fine. This is just insurance.”

“Okay, okay. But why haven’t I heard of this woman?”

“Because you’re my attorney, not my keeper.”

“Are you gonna marry her?”

“I haven’t thought about it. So if I had to give you an answer right now, I’d say no.”

“But you have decided to give her half your fortune. Any special reason for that?” Chris Robbins carefully articulated.

“Not that reason,” Dominic said with amusement. “But I have plenty of money. She might as well have some.”

“Jesus, you’re not high are you?”

“Nope, and she’s not blackmailing me. So you’ve done your fiduciary duty, Chris. I know what I’m doing. Bring the codicil with you when you come at ten. I’ll leave my desk drawer open. Just put the papers in there.”

“Last time. You’re of sound mind and all that shit.”

“Better than usual. Actually, much better. See you at ten.”

Returning to bed, taking care not to wake Katherine, Dominic slid under the covers. He was pleasantly exhausted; Katherine had worn him out last night. But he couldn’t be happier. Turning his head on the pillow, he looked at her lying on her back, deep in sleep, and was reminded, as always, how young she looked in slumber. Rosy-cheeked, her eyelids faintly smudged with vestiges of last night’s eye shadow, her long lashes resting on her pale, silken skin. So smooth and soft, it was like a baby’s skin. Her full lips were a natural pink, her lipstick long gone, the shape of her mouth picture perfect, tempting. The back of one hand lay curved against her temple, the other rested on the upper swell of one breast, the pink aureole slightly covered.

Her nipple fully erect.

That was truly tempting.

Fresh-faced and dewy-skinned though she might be, she was all woman in every other sense and he could feel his erection coming to life, exhausted or not. Roscoe calling her a sorceress was not entirely without merit. Perhaps Roscoe understood that better than anyone, since he’d seen Knight Enterprises without a CEO twice in as many months.

Unprecedented actions for a man who’d worked nonstop for the last twelve years. Then Katherine came awake and smiled at him, and nothing else mattered. Not work, not the last twelve years, not the last twelve minutes. They had a few more days together. He wasn’t going to spoil them by thinking too much. Leaning over, he kissed her good morning. “How are you feeling?” His brows lifted faintly. “Sore?”

“A teeny bit.”

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s nothing really.”

“That’s good, but I do apologize. Would you like me to run a bath for you?”

“Not right now. And you can stop apologizing.” She smiled. “Because your five minutes were radically fine, I had my five minutes too, and they were excellent.”

He smiled. “You’re a tough negotiator.” He pointed at the remote on her side of the bed, deliberately changing the subject. In the clear light of day, he wasn’t about to open up any further discussions about his feelings.