So the wrong thing to say, Lydia thought as Chris’s face went from white to a vivid shade of red.

   “You know nothing about my daughter! Jake would leave you in a second if I held Casey over his head. There’s no way he would ever choose you over her!”

   Lydia was fast losing her temper with the insane woman in front of her. She’d never been driven to violence against another person before, but she had to clench her fists at her sides to keep from wringing Chris’s neck. “Casey shouldn’t be a bargaining chip for any of us. She loves you both and wouldn’t understand suddenly not being able to see her father. No matter how angry you are at him or how you feel about me, she doesn’t deserve to be jerked away from a father who loves her more than anything.”

   Bracing for the attack, she was shocked when Chris shrugged her shoulders as if she’d suddenly lost interest in the argument that she’d started. “Whatever. I really don’t have time for this. I need to pick Casey up from my parents’ house.”

   As she made a beeline for the front door, Lydia said, “I’ll have Jake call you.”

   “Don’t bother.” Chris snorted. “I don’t have a problem finding him when I really need to. For that matter, he’ll come to me when I snap my fingers. He always does.” And that was her beautifully lobbed parting shot as she slammed out of the house. Lydia was almost certain she heard Chris chuckling as she walked away.

   With her head still spinning, she went directly to the kitchen and took out the leftover wine from dinner last night. If there was ever a time that she needed a drink, it was now. She grabbed a glass and stood propped against the counter as she finished one off in record time. Then without pausing, she poured a refill but forced herself to sip it at a more leisurely pace. She wandered through the house and ended up in Jake’s favorite recliner in the living room simply staring at the walls. She was still in that position when she heard keys rattle then the front door open and close.

   Jake appeared before her a few minutes later looking too handsome for a man who had worked twelve-plus hours that day. He leaned down and ran a finger over her cheek before brushing a kiss across her lips. “Hey, sweetheart, how was your baby shower? Did you have fun with your friends?”

   Lydia smiled wearily at him as he hunched down beside her. “It was amazing. Suzy is so happy and much more relaxed. Motherhood agrees with her in a major way. I’m thrilled to have Crystal home as well. Was Mark as giddy as she was after their honeymoon?”

   Jake chuckled before taking the glass from her hand and pulling her to her feet. He relaxed backward onto the sofa cushions and tucked her into his side. “You wouldn’t believe it. He was on cloud nine. Normally something as serious and costly as a labor dispute would have him chewing out everyone far and near. But he actually told the general manager in Boston that ‘these things happen.’ Hell, I don’t know who was the most surprised by that. His assistant, Denny, literally lost it. I didn’t think he’d ever stop laughing. I know it’s a bit crude, but the term ‘pussy-whipped’ has been making the rounds among the men.”

   Punching his arm, Lydia giggled. “You’re right, that is bad. I think it’s wonderful to see two people so blissfully in love that everything else in their lives seems better. I don’t believe there is much that could get to Crystal either at this point.”

   “Don’t get me wrong, babe, Mark definitely needed to de-stress some and she’s made that happen for him. When I first started with DeSanto, he was a control freak. He wanted to be in every place at once and handle even the smallest problem. But when she came into his life, that began to change. He no longer wanted to do all of the traveling or spend eighteen hours a day on the phone. He was finally able to delegate some of that to Denny and me. And even though Denny was perfectly happy being his driver and assistant, Mark has named him as co-vice president along with me. And I couldn’t think of anyone more deserving. Plus, it gives me someone to split travel with, as well, giving me more time at home with my daughter and my wife.”

   Lydia felt like she’d been hit by a bus as his words sank in. He’d included her with Casey as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Did he really want to be in the position to be home more because she was here? She could detect humor and playfulness behind his statement. Going out on a limb, she replied, “I know Casey will be happy to have you around more. And even though you haven’t been on a trip since we’ve been married, I’d certainly miss you if you were gone.”

   She let out a surprised squeak when he abruptly picked her up and resituated her on his lap. She ended up with her legs around his waist and her core pressed against his growing hardness. “That’s better,” he hissed as he took her lips. They kissed for what seemed like hours as he devoured her mouth. Her lips were swollen and tender by the time he pulled back enough to stare into her eyes. “I like hearing that you’d miss me, sweetheart, because I find that I can’t get through the day now without wanting to see you. Knowing you’re going to be here when I walk in that door at night does something to me that I never expected.”

   “And what’s that?” she asked shyly.

   “It makes me long for my wife. For the woman who has been sharing my bed and riding my cock every night.”

   Lydia started choking in shock at his raw, sensual words. He rubbed her gently on the back until she’d gathered her wits. “I like all of that,” she admitted.

   “That’s real good, baby, because I need to be inside you now. I’ve been thinking about that perfect moment when my dick slides into your hot tightness all day. Trust me,” he added wryly, “Mark isn’t the only one walking around at the office with his little head doing the thinking instead of the one on his shoulders.”

   In what was an embarrassing display of enthusiasm, Lydia practically leaped from his lap and pulled her clothing off. When Jake could only stare at her naked form, she tugged him by the hand until he stood as well. Then she proceeded to help him undress until they both stood before each other completely naked. She watched in confusion as he turned to toss a couple of throw pillows from the sofa onto the floor. “Should I sit there?” she asked as he moved closer to her.