Stormy Vows - Iris Johansen [71]
In reality, no seduction was needed to tempt Donovan into her bed. He was a man who needed physical assuagement more frequently than most, and there wasn't a night that he didn't reach for her with a hunger that seemed to grow rather than diminish with the passing of time. It had filled her with relief when she realized that Donovan did not appear to be tiring of her. It had been her most persistent fear in the past months. Inexperienced though she was, she realized that men often grew bored with sexual affairs once the novelty had worn off, and Donovan's reputation for discarding mistresses frequently seemed to indicate that he grew bored more easily than most. What was sheer heaven to her, might become repetitive and dull to a man of his experience. When he had shown no signs of lessening passion, she had breathed a profound sigh of relief. She lived with the sad knowledge that Donovan did not love her, indeed, might never love her, but as long as he wanted her physically, she had a hold on his emotions and that was better than nothing. It was much better than that, Brenna thought wistfully, Donovan might not give her love, but he did give her profound physical ecstasy.
An added bonus of Donovan's knowledge of Janine's tragic story, had been a complete change in his attitude toward Randy. As he had told her, he sincerely liked children, and had a way with them that was fast making Randy his willing slave. He now often joined her in the afternoon to play with Randy and just laze by the pool in an aura of domestic contentment that filled her with a poignant wistfulness. Carefully, she did not let herself linger too long on these bittersweet memories. She must take one day at a time in a relationship such as hers with Michael, and savor each one to the utmost. Who knew how many days she had remaining? Passion without love was a reputedly unstable and ephemeral commodity.
She had finished the filing, and had turned to Marcia to request something else to do when the door to Donovan's office opened, and her husband came out accompanied by a short, gray-haired man in a rumpled brown business suit. Michael was being uncharacteristically charming for a man of his blunt, abrasive personality as he ushered the man to the front door, and Brenna wondered idly who the rather anemic-looking individual could be.
The smooth charm was gone in an instant, when he turned around and spied Brenna standing by the filing cabinet. He did not respond to her smile, as he crossed to stand before her, a frown making his roughhewn features even more intimidating. “What the hell are you doing here?” he asked bluntly. “I told you to stay in bed.”
His roughness no longer phased her. “I'm much better now,” she said serenely. “It's just a bug.”
“I wish you'd called me,” he said. “I have a date for lunch that I just can't get out of.”
Brenna felt a twinge of disappointment, which she valiantly strove to hide with a smile. “No problem,” she said quietly. “I'll find someone else to have lunch with.” She made a face at him. “You're not irreplaceable you know, Mr. Donovan.”
His eyes took on a strange stillness. “Aren't I?” he asked lightly, with a thread of underlying seriousness. “I'm beginning to think you may be, Mrs. Donovan.”
He touched her lightly on the tip of her nose before turning briskly and returning to his office, leaving Brenna with a radiant face and eyes that reflected the sudden hope his light remark had given her. She firmly chastised herself for making too much of the teasing statement. He probably hadn't meant anything by it, but it was the closest he had come to admitting that there might be a future for them beyond the boundaries of a marital affair.
Her dazed eyes met the amused stare of Marcia, and she flushed with embarrassment. “Who was that funny little man with Michael?” she asked quickly, hoping to avert one of Marcia's teasing wisecracks.
Marcia raised a knowing eyebrow at the rather obvious