Taking Chloe (4 page)

As she came around to the back to help him with the luggage, Merrick said, “I’ve got these.” When she tried to grab one of the heavier suitcases, Merrick handed her the shoulder bag instead.

Chloe didn’t argue. In fact, she wasn’t saying much of anything. Was she nervous about the trip?

Christ knew he shook like a damn leaf in a fall breeze. You’d think they hadn’t been married for the last two years, the way his heart pounded and his palms sweated. He was fighting for his life here, though. She was giving him a shot to prove himself. If he screwed it up, she’d leave and there’d be no changing her mind. Fuck, no pressure there!



Several hours later, Merrick’s hopes were steadily falling. The plane trip had been annoying as hell. Chloe either sat quietly and read a magazine or slept. Her subdued attitude worried him.

Any time he tried to draw her into a conversation, she’d talk in short sentences, never saying more than necessary. He’d really made a mess of things.

He had a solution though; at least he hoped he had a solution. After sleeping in his car outside her hotel two nights in a row—he still had an annoying crick in his neck—he’d finally come onto a plan. The alone time had allowed him a chance to work out a way to relieve himself of some of his duties so he could spend less time at work. The way he saw it, the biggest problem was all the social events he attended after hours. They were necessary, but majorly time consuming. When he returned from their trip, Merrick would need to talk to Jackson to find out if he’d be willing to take them on. For now, he only wanted to concentrate on rekindling the spark in his marriage. He only hoped he hadn’t missed his chance.

Chloe had always pushed him to his limits. Since the first day she came to work for him, she’d stretched the walls of his comfort zone. She had a quiet way about her that made him want to just sit and watch her. She drifted around his office as if on air, getting things done with a slow but steady pace. He’d noticed her efficiency, then he’d noticed her curves. Chloe was the type of woman a man would kill to possess. Every man in his company had drooled over her the instant she’d glided through the doors. She made a man want to sit up and beg. Her smiles alone made him want to drop down on all fours and pant like a damn dog in heat.

After a few months of denying their mutual attraction, Merrick had asked her out to dinner. He’d gleefully broken one of his own cardinal rules: never get involved with an employee. Halfway through the filet mignon, he’d figured out there’d be no ignoring the chemistry arcing back and forth. A dinner invitation had turned into an entire weekend spent in bed together. Merrick hadn’t fought, he’d dived head first into love after that. It’d felt right when he’d proposed marriage. As corny as it seemed, he’d known deep down in his soul Chloe was his other half.

Now, as they sat side by side in the taxi heading to the hotel, a new determination rose up. He’d win his wife back, one way or the other. She was the only woman he would ever love. There would be no divorce. No splitting up the pans and towels. If he had anything to do with it, Chloe would be his again, inside and out.

As they arrived at the hotel, the same one they’d stayed in for their honeymoon, he heard Chloe gasp.

He reached across the seat and took her hand in his. It was so automatic; Merrick hadn’t even thought to stop himself from comforting her. As she clutched onto him, he let go the tension that had dogged him during the plane trip. “Are you okay, baby?”

“I can’t believe we’re really here.”

The breathless voice and small note of surprise seemed like a good sign, and Merrick wanted to hold onto it with all his strength. “Believe it. I aim to pamper and pleasure you this week.

Nothing negative from this moment forward, agreed?”

Chloe looked over at him for the first time since they’d arrived in Honolulu, her eyes bright with unshed tears. “Agreed.”

Now they were getting somewhere. He could practically see the walls coming down. Or at least cracking a little around the edges. By the end of the trip, he’d have her, body and soul, and she’d have him.

If
he didn’t screw it up.

After he paid the driver, Merrick opened the door and stepped out, then reached in to help Chloe.

She took it without hesitation. When she emerged from the dark interior, Merrick had to stifle the urge to kiss her. She was so beautiful. Her long, straight, dark hair shone in the Hawaiian sun.

The red t-shirt and blue jeans she’d worn for the long plane ride lovingly cupped her curves.

How long had it been since he’d made love to his wife? Jesus, he couldn’t even remember. He’d been such an ass! It was no wonder she’d left him. Chloe wasn’t about to be a doormat, and that’s exactly how he’d treated her. Some women might put up with being second fiddle, but his Chloe had too much self-respect. Merrick was ashamed he’d put her in the position of having to choose between their marriage and her happiness. They should be one and the same.

“It hasn’t changed,” Chloe murmured. “Not one bit.”

“No,” Merrick agreed as he watched her face light up with delight. “Still as beautiful as ever.” Chloe’s gaze rested on his. He was surprised to see her cheeks turn pink with embarrassment.

God, it was like their honeymoon all over again. This had been a good idea, no doubt about it.

“Come on,” he urged as he placed his palm at the small of her back, “let’s get checked in, then we can shower and go out for some dinner. Remember that little restaurant we’d found the first time we came here? The one with the open fire pit? I thought we’d go there tonight. You liked their lobster, right?”

“Yes, it was heavenly. I can’t believe you remember that.” As the bellhop gathered their suitcases and loaded them onto the trolley, Merrick turned to Chloe and whispered into her ear, “I remember everything, baby.”

“Do you?”

He cupped her chin and said, “I might’ve had a moment of stupidity, but you’ve got my attention now. I plan to spend the week showing you just what I remember. Who knows, maybe we’ll even manage to make a few new memories.”

“I’m afraid,” Chloe admitted.

That surprised him. “Of me?”

She shook her head and looked away.

“Then what?” When she held back, he prompted further. “You can tell me.” Her gaze held a wealth of pain when she looked at him again. “It was hard to make the decision to separate. It’s not something I wanted and I’m afraid of being hurt again. Of being vulnerable to you, Merrick.”

He understood that feeling well. Still, how could he have made her so unhappy? Why hadn’t he seen it? He’d been so damn selfish. Merrick cradled her face in his palms and murmured, “I will not disappoint you. Never again, baby. As God is my witness I’ll do everything in my power to prove myself to you.”

For long seconds Chloe simply stared at him, then she softly said, “I never needed you to prove anything to me. I love you, and that hasn’t changed. I only need you to be my husband.” Merrick leaned down and kissed her, light and teasing, then whispered against her lips, “By the end of the week, you’ll see that I’m still and will always be your husband.” Chloe started to speak, but Merrick stopped her with a finger to her lips. “We’re gathering an audience.” She looked around. When she noticed several people staring, her eyes grew as round as quarters.

“Come on,” he urged, as he dropped his hand. “Let’s check in and see about dinner.” Chloe started forward, the sway of her hips capturing his attention. It seemed as natural as breathing to let his hand drift a little lower, just barely grazing the top of her ass. When he caressed her there, she missed a step and stumbled. Merrick caught her before she could fall forward.

“Merrick,” she chastised.

“Just a little reminder.”

“Of what?”

“That you’re mine.”

Chloe’s spine stiffened, but she didn’t deny his words. They went to the check-in desk and retrieved their room keys. On the ride up in the elevator, she talked to the bellhop about his job, the weather, the lovely hotel, and completely avoided her husband altogether. Merrick was on edge. When he caught sight of the youth checking out Chloe, his blood started to boil. If he looked at her tits one more time, Merrick would gladly wipe the lecherous grin right off his face.

With his fist.

As Merrick glanced at Chloe, he could see she had no clue that the guy she continued to chat up was all but salivating over her. Was she too nervous about their time together to notice the attention? Good, that meant they were on equal footing. He was nervous, too. Nervous this week wouldn’t be enough to convince Chloe that they were meant to be together, not apart.

As they reached their floor, Merrick let Chloe go before him. After she walked a few feet down the hall, he leaned toward the bellhop and gritted out, “Do you have worker’s comp?”

“Uh, yeah, I guess so, why?”

“Stare at her chest one more time, you’re going to need it.” The kid’s eyes grew wide and he started to stammer. Merrick cut him off. “How about you just stick to doing your job.”

He nodded vehemently. “Y-yes, sir. No problem.”

As they caught up to Chloe, she frowned and asked, “Was there a problem?” Merrick smiled and patted her back. “Nope, I just had to set a few things straight. We’re all good.”

Chloe shrugged. As they reached the door to their suite, she let out a shuddering sigh and closed her eyes tight. “I still can’t believe we’re really here.” Merrick heard the desperation, the longing, in his wife’s voice, and for the hundredth time that day he wanted to kick himself in the ass for letting things get to this point. He pulled her against his body and wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tight as he opened the door.

Their room was a corner suite. It wasn’t the most private area of the resort, but on such short notice it was all that was available. The balcony gave them a beautiful view of the beach and ocean beyond. Chloe would like to have breakfast there, he thought. The bellhop opened a set of double doors to his left, and Merrick’s libido roared to life. He knew what awaited them. A spacious bedroom with a king canopy bed complete with goose down duvets. He imagined Chloe surrounded by all that soft cotton, wrapped in his arms as the morning sun slowly brought them awake. The living room held all the luxuries of home. A desk and even high speed Internet access, which he wouldn’t be using considering this wasn’t going to be a working vacation. The refrigerator and personal bar might come in handy, though. He remembered their honeymoon night. He’d stocked the fridge with bottles of merlot and plates of cheese. Hell, they hadn’t even bothered leaving the bed that night.

The bellhop left their luggage at the end of the bed and practically ran from the room before Merrick could tip him. Smart kid.

“I can’t believe we’re here,” Chloe said again.

Merrick held her tighter. “Believe it, baby. This is only the beginning. Everything is going to be different from here on out.”

“I hope you’re right, Merrick. I really do.”

For the first time he noted a tinge of hope in her voice instead of emptiness. As far as he was concerned, it was a step in the right direction.

“Because I want to, damn it, that’s why.”

Chloe rolled her eyes at Merrick’s reason for wanting to shower with her. “It would be faster if you’d just let me finish.”

“I’m not leaving, so deal with it.”

“We’re never going to get to dinner if you don’t leave, Merrick.”

“Fuck dinner. I want to wash you, so scoot over. Besides, let’s not forget the deal. I’m in charge.”

“Yes, you’re in charge…of our fun. This is a shower.”

“And a shower can be mighty fun.”

Chloe wasn’t sure why she continued to resist. As husband and wife they’d showered together hundreds of times. This time it seemed so different, as if it were the first time. A virgin on prom night would be less jumpy, for crying out loud!

“Fine, but if we don’t make our reservations, don’t blame me.” His grin was one of pure male arrogance. “Duly noted.” Chloe tried not to drool when Merrick yanked his shirt off and tossed it to the bathroom floor. As he undid the fly of his jeans and slid them and his black boxers down his powerful thighs, she gave up on maintaining control all together. God, he was gorgeous. His muscled behind faced her, and if she leaned toward him a few inches, she could take a bite out of his delicious flesh.

He straightened and turned toward her. His cock was huge. As she watched, it seemed to get even bigger. As her gaze snared his, he grinned. She lit up like a Christmas tree.

“Those pretty eyes are devouring me right now, babe.”

She pushed her wet hair behind her shoulder and tried not to let his sweet, hard body get to her…too much. “I can’t help if I like what I see.”

“I like what I see, too. A lot,” he growled.

He stepped into the tub with her. Chloe moved to the side to give him room. He was twice her size and he took up most of the tub. Not that she was complaining. She couldn’t remember the last time her husband had taken the time to shower with her. Too long. Much too long.

“You’re so beautiful, Chloe. Inside and out.”

His words and the sincerity behind them filled her heart with warmth. “You haven’t told me that for a very long time. It’s nice to hear compliments from you.” He slid the backs of his fingers down her wet arm, leaving little goose bumps in his wake. “You make me want to slay dragons and shower you with diamonds,” he murmured. “I’m sorry I’ve been so wrapped up in work. I need to explain about that, but first I want to show you how much I’ve missed you. May I?”

He’d melted her completely. She’d become a useless puddle of pudding at his feet.

“Yes,” she capitulated, “I think I’d like that very much.” He placed two fingers against her lips. “Shh, it’s okay, baby. We’re going to take our time, go real slow. I have a need to experience my wife to the fullest tonight.” She removed his fingers and asked, “What about dinner?” She didn’t really care about food, but she should at least ask, for his sake.

“Screw dinner,” he muttered.

As his mouth came crashing down on hers, Chloe fell against him, relishing the sensation of her nipples against the solid wall of his chest. At once he was everywhere, his arms sturdy and protective around her. He cupped her ass in his palms, lifted and pulled her tighter against his lethal strength. His hands squeezed, and she laughed. “Merrick, that tickles!”