“The first option is a two-week timeout in your suite.” What? That never crossed her mind. There was no way, she couldn’t take that. She glared at him.

Tony watched her. She stood and met him face to face. God, her strength captivated him. “Then I choose number two.” Claire’s voice sounded resilient. He didn’t respond. The silence grew. He wanted her. He wanted to tell her he was sorry, he had overreacted, but that wasn’t him. He couldn’t.

“Very well, undress.”

She didn’t hesitate, she obeyed his command. She started by unbuttoning her blouse, one button at a time. Then she shimmied out of her slacks, she didn’t argue or complain, and maintained eye contact the entire time. Tony’s arousal was becoming difficult to conceal. Her body before him trembled slightly and his demeanor dissolved.

“Claire, come here.” She did. He held her shoulders and looked into her green eyes. “Damn you, Claire.” He pulled her close. “I make snap decisions based on the evidence I see. Appearances are important. I assumed you had something planned with Sue, something that I hadn’t approved. I was wrong. Your speech,” he lifted her chin, gently this time as his tone softened, “was very brave.” He watched her expression. “It helped me see that I’d jumped to the wrong conclusion.”

He put his head down on her hair. Claire exhaled at the unexpected revelation: Anthony Rawlings was apologizing. She stood still while he encircled her with his arms, her trembling ceased and she let her face fall against his chest, inhaling the scent of smoke on his shirt. She felt his erection against her hips and the tension began to build within her depths. Tony’s tone, now mellow, “Up until the moment Sue handed you that note I was extremely proud of you. You were amazing. Courtney told me that about ten times.” Claire lifted her eyes to see his expression, smiling matching his tone. Claire smiled and felt her body relax against his. “There is something I would like us to do.”

The relief of his apology overwhelmed her. Her body continued its disregard for reason. She wanted him to take her and didn’t hesitate. “Whatever it is, yes.”

“Your hair, smells like smoke. I would like us to shower.” Claire took Tony’s hand and led him to her shower. He followed. Once there she helped him undress, and he started undoing her braid. Under the warm spray of the shower he wet her hair, added shampoo, and gently massaged. “Your hair is beautiful, but it really needs trimming. And the weather is getting colder, so maybe some highlights. I believe you will enjoy the spa. It has a great reputation.”

She turned to face him. “You didn’t cancel my appointment?”

Smiling tenderly he said, “No, I was hoping something would change my mind.”

After working the cream rinse into her hair, he took the shower gel and began to lather Claire’s back. Wrapping his arms around her, he lathered her breasts and stomach. Finally, he couldn’t control himself any longer. Claire didn’t want him to. His tender touch caused an ache deep inside of her. He turned her around and lifted her. She wrapped her legs around him and his mouth excitedly nibbled her breasts. His tongue created intense sensations as it tantalized her hard round nipples. She gripped his wide shoulders and let her fingers run through his wet hair as his strong arms and torso held her body against the wall of the shower and moved her. She yearned for him. He tempted her with his fingers until self-control was beyond his reach. He filled her completely. Thunderous convulsions overtook her body. She expected his actions, but the fulfillment made her back arch and sounds escape her lips. Their bodies moved as one, not because of instructions or demands. Instead, the cause was erotic carnal physical instinct. In time the ardent passion moved from the shower to the bed. He received his desires, but he made sure Claire did too.

At some point during the night, Tony asked Claire what she overheard. She told him. At first, she didn’t want to say anything about her looking for a sugar daddy, but why hide anything now? Tony laughed.

He was happy to learn about MaryAnn and that Courtney and Sue were so helpful throughout the day. She told Tony how much she liked seeing him in jeans. Definitely sexy, she told him. He told her he preferred her without jeans or anything else. That started them again.

Claire’s spa appointment would be the following Wednesday. Initially she didn’t want to go, but now she thought about Chicago and Tony’s apartment. “How many apartments do you have?”

“As many as I need. I don’t like hotels much.” They both drifted off to sleep.

Tony woke before his alarm. Hearing Claire’s soft and delicate breathing, he saw her curled into a ball on the far side of the bed, covered only by a sheet. With the pale light of the lingering moon he noticed her chestnut hair fanned around her head, damp and wavy, her body petite, soft, and supple. He carefully lifted the blankets and covered her. As he watched, the warmth of the blanket allowed her to unconsciously relax and settle into a deeper slumber.

This was not his plan. Things had been in the works for so long and now emotions were wreaking havoc. It was supposed to be easy. Her only purpose was for physical enjoyment, release of energy, and personal pleasure. He had watched her for so long. He told himself he deserved that. Yet somehow, now while at work, in a meeting, on a plane, anywhere, without warning he would recall something she said or did and a smile would come to his lips. Tony even noticed strange looks from Brent, a visible sign that his thoughts were revealing themselves.

This was wrong. Tony didn’t want to have feelings. The sex was great. It was okay to want her, dominate her, and control her. It was not okay to want to be with her, please her, and love her. Yet every one of his senses desired Claire. Watching her sleep, he wanted to see her emerald-green eyes that flared when she was upset with him, her neck that straightened with defiance even when her words accommodated his demands, and her body that filled his every waking thought. He wanted to touch her skin, warm, soft yet firm, and her long silky hair. He wanted to taste her. He wanted to smell her scent when he first came home, clean and fresh with her chosen perfume; and the aroma of her after sex, warm, moist, and exhausted. And he wanted to hear her. At this moment, he heard her faint breathing but he also liked to hear her endless talk. He knew she longed for companionship and camaraderie. He also knew he was currently her only choice. He tried desperately to appear uninterested, but her voice filled him with an intense desire he’d never experienced. That desire had a sexual component, but it also contained a desire to fulfill her yearnings. Tony never previously considered fulfilling someone else’s desires. His entire adult life had been about his wants, goals, ambitions, and needs.

As his mind pondered these dilemmas, he thought about her just a few feet away. He wanted her again. He knew he could wake her and she would accommodate his demands. Laying his head back on the pillow he remembered the sex they experienced and wondered when did this happen? He no longer wanted to dominate but to satisfy. This situation was completely unplanned. His entire life, business, everything was calculated, how could this happen?

He hadn’t realized until he heard himself apologize. When he entered her suite he knew what he was going to say. It wasn’t what he said. Anthony Rawlings could count on one hand the people to whom he’d apologized. Now this woman, a piece of his plan, was on that shortlist.

At the Simmonses she performed beyond his expectation. Then his overreaction almost ruined everything. Claire’s strength, standing up to him, explaining the situation, and then not complaining yet complying with his punishment touched him. But when she was relieved by his realization, instead of upset by his overreaction, she melted him.