Many Shades of Gray (22 page)

“Are they all taken?”

Simon saw the look of panic that came over Janice and he hesitated. “No, all of the rooms aren’t filled but we’re having work done. It would be more comfortable for you at a hotel or I could rent a house for you, if you’d like.”

“Is Mary Jo’s standing in front of you shaking her head no?” the woman asked.

Simon couldn’t help it. He burst out laughing. The woman was nothing like her daughter.

“Don’t lie, Mr. Kohl, or you and I will not have a chance in hell of getting along.”

“I wish I could answer that question for you but you must understand I’m about to get married. I’ve waited my entire life to do this. I’m not going to ruin it now by shooting off my mouth.”

Laughter greeted Simon and he was delighted that he had not angered Janice’s mother. He looked across the room to where Janice was scowling at him and wished that he could say the same for his fiancée.

“If you let us stay at your place I promise I’ll behave,” the woman coaxed.

This time it was Simon who laughed. “I’ll let you know. I’m looking forward to meeting you.”

“And me you. Now may I speak to my daughter?”

Simon walked to Janice and hugged her, kissed her cheek, then handed her the phone. “Be nice,” he whispered. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Janice took the phone. “Yes, Mom.”

“I like him.”

“So do I.”

“Why didn’t you ever introduce us before?”

“There was no need. Simon and I weren’t committed.” Simon tilted her chin until she was looking directly at him. “It’s different now, Mom. We’re committed and we’re getting married on my birthday.” Janice couldn’t help grinning as Simon kissed her lightly on the lips.

“Mom, you’re not talking. Aren’t you going to say anything?”

“Congratulations. If that man can put up with your cold ways, he’s bound to make you a wonderful husband.”

Her mother hung up before she could think of a retort. “She likes you,” she said. “Me, well, not so much, but you won her over. You should be happy.”

“I would be more happy if you told me the deal with your family.”

“Can’t you let anything go? You’re becoming…” She thought about it and smiled, though not amused. “You’re becoming demanding. Is this what you’re going to be like after I say ‘I do’?”

For an answer Simon smirked.

“What do you think getting married means?”

“A hell of a lot more than our co-habiting,” he answered.

“What, for instance?”

He laughed then, a huge belly laugh. “Please, I want kids. I want babies, lots of babies, and I don’t want them until I’m married.”

“How did you ever get to be so old-fashioned? Simon, you’re an enigma. Here you are, one of the richest, most powerful men in the world. You can have anything and anyone that you want and what do you want? A baby,” she said and smiled, this time amused.

“Not just any baby,” he corrected. “I want babies with my wife. I want a family with you.”

“Why me, Simon? With so many women wanting you, why did you choose me? Anyone taking bets would have thought it a sure thing that our relationship would end on the battleground, not in church.”

“That’s anyone looking on the surface.” Simon stopped smiling and became serious. “Maybe that’s what you’ve been doing, looking at the surface. I have to look deeper. I make my living by knowing people, by knowing what they think, how they really feel, what they’re going to do. I need to be two steps ahead of them. I can’t afford to make mistakes.”

“So you think you’re two steps ahead of me?”

“If you have to ask me such a silly question as why I want you, then yes, I’m a lot more than two steps ahead of you. I love you because you love me.”

He saw her look of panic. “What do you think is going to happen because I said the words? Do you think the world is going to collapse? I know what happened with Tommy turned you off love, but you were young and so was he. And even if you hadn’t been, not every man is Tommy.”

“You know all of this because it’s your business to know? Simon, you’re a fake.”

He could feel the blood drain from his face. “What do you mean?” he asked softly.

“Your so-called insight needed to make a living. It’s all bull. You don’t have to make a living, Simon. You were born into money, tons and tons of it. You could make bad decision after bad decision and you would still be rich.”

For a moment he allowed the quick relief to wash over him. Janice didn’t know about his family. But he couldn’t enjoy that fact because the crux of the problem was his cursed family fortune and at some point she’d have to know.

“I work very hard at what I do,” he admonished. “I don’t just lie around on my butt living off money that I didn’t earn. I’ve made my way since I was a kid.”

“A rich kid,” Janice amended.

“I have always worked for my money.”

“That doesn’t matter. You didn’t have to.”

“Is that really what you think of me, that I had this privileged life because I was born into a wealthy family?”

Simon stared over her head, closing his eyes and swallowing. “You know none of us have a choice in the family we’re born into. And money is not always a blessing. Sometimes it can be a curse. I’ve never wanted to be known for my family’s fortune. I’ve always been driven to make my own and I have.” He added, “I’m very proud of everything that I’ve accomplished.”

“And you don’t think your family’s fortune opened doors for you?”

“I’d rather believe I did it all on my own.”

“Why?”

“Maybe I’m not proud of the way my family made its money.”

Janice noticed the sudden sadness that permeated Simon’s voice and wondered why. “We’re not responsible for what happened before we were born. We can’t take the burden of generations that came before and put that on our shoulders. I was just teasing you, Simon.”

“You were asking me a question, and then you made an assumption. I always want to be honest with you, as honest as you’ll let me. I want to share everything with you.” He smiled and tilted his head to look at her.

“I want to tell you my every secret, my every thought. And I want you to love me in spite of my secrets. But you won’t even say you love me. So how can you prepare yourself to know my every thought? How do I stand a chance of telling all?”

She simply smiled at him.

“You’re evil, woman. Do you know that?” He smiled more broadly this time. “Do you hold out purposefully to torture me?”

“You’re the expert on people, at least that was your boast, Simon,” she laughed. “Besides being an enigma, you’re a sweet, gentle man.”

He grabbed her and pulled her to him so quickly and so hard that the air left her lungs with a whoosh. He kissed her then, not soft, but hard and demanding. He felt her attempt to pull away but tangled his hands in her hair and held on. He used his tongue to attack her barriers. He felt her tremble, felt her moan and continued with his oral assault. When he released her, her eyes were glazed over with lust and passion and she was swaying.

“Don’t underestimate me,” he warned.

Underestimate Simon. She wouldn’t do that in a million years, Janice thought as she woke slowly, moaning as she moved. She was deliciously sore. Simon’s legs were still tangled with hers and his hand was trapped between her thighs. She couldn’t believe they’d fallen asleep like that.

During the night something had changed in their relationship, something she couldn’t put her finger on. She felt Simon move against her, his fingers going inside her, and she smiled. He was faking, he was awake. And then she had a glimmer of the change. Somehow in the hours they’d made love, Simon Kohl had taken almost complete possession of her.

The only thing she’d withheld from him were the three little words he’d fought to hear. He had no idea how close she’d come to screaming the words out.

“I’m sore,” she said, attempting to shove his hand away from her heat.

“I know just the cure,” he answered, moving his hand over her until she was aroused. She glanced at the clock. “Simon, I want to but I don’t have time. I told Tommy I would be in at eight today.”

“Fuck Tommy.”

“I don’t want to,” Janice quipped, thinking to make him smile.

Simon, caught by surprise, suddenly pulled his hand away.“What did you just say?” he asked.

“I was only answering your question. You told me to…Well, you know what you said and I said I didn’t want to.” She groaned and tried to roll away.

He pulled her back.

“Don’t turn away from me.”

“You can’t order me around.”

“We’re getting married.” He kissed her deeply. “We’re getting married. Get used to the idea of my input.”

She groaned.

“What?”

“Is there now a leash around my neck?”

“You’re putting Tommy before me again and I will not come last in your life. Is that clear?”

“How is my keeping my commitments making you last in my life?”

“You’re worried about keeping your commitments to Tommy, but it’s me you should worry about keeping your commitments to. We’ve done things your way,” he said, his voice getting louder. “Now we do things my way. I love you and I don’t think that my saying that should make you uncomfortable. I wouldn’t be marrying you if I didn’t love you.”

She looked at him. It hit her again that something in her had changed.

“Call Tommy and tell him you’re not coming today. In fact, tell him you’re not coming tomorrow.”

“No, I will not.”

“You will.”

“I won’t, I gave my word.”

“Fine,” he said and got up from the bed, strolled over to the desk and picked up her personal directory. Janice watched in amazement as he picked up the phone. She didn’t believe he would do it; he was bluffing.

“Mr. Strong, this is Simon Kohl. I’m calling to tell you that Janice will not be able to keep the appointments she made with you.” He glanced over to the bed where she sat watching him in shock. “She’s going to be busy for the next week.”

“Why didn’t she call me herself?” Tommy asked.

“She doesn’t have to, I did.”

“She’s scheduled to do a signing today.”

“Then I suggest you cancel it.”

“If she starts backing out on signings she’s going to lose fans, and if she loses fans she’ll lose sales, and then you won’t make any money.”

Simon laughed. “Do you really think I’m worried about money or her sales? Check the bestseller list. Her book’s number one.”

“You bought her the number one slot.”

“Why not?”

“Maybe she’d like to earn it.”

“Maybe she’d just like to be number one, which she is.” Simon hung up the phone and looked at Janice, narrowing his eyes. “Now baby, this is my game.” As he walked toward her, she moved away on the bed, but it didn’t matter. Last night he’d staked his claim and he wasn’t going back to letting her control things. He’d done that for three years and what had it gotten him?

“Simon, who the hell do you think you are? You can’t just cancel my appointments.”

“I already did,” he said, bending and scooping her up into his arms. She was squirming to get away, hitting him, and he growled low, “You’d better stop that right this minute or I’ll drop you on the floor.”

She settled down and he smiled. “That’s better,” he said, taking her into the bathroom. He filled the massive tub while he held her, then plopped her into the warm water.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?” she finally asked.

“Staking my claim.”

“What am I, a piece of property? You have a lot of nerve.”

“All’s fair in love and war.”

“So we’re at war?” Janice asked.

“I’ve tried the love route but you seem to think I’m a doormat. So yes, I guess you could say this is war and it’s a war I intend to win. You’re going to be my wife, the mother of my children. We’re going to be a family and it’s about time I set some ground rules for you. I’ve warned you that I am not as gentle as you think. Let’s see how much you like fighting when I don’t let you win.”

He laughed as she squinted, knowing that the edge was being taken off of her anger.

“You let me win.”

“That’s right, my evil love, I let you win. You want to play in my league, then get ready. I don’t lose and I’m not about to start now.”

He poured body wash on the sponge and began rubbing her back. “Hold still,” he said softly as she tried to move away. “I’m going to bathe you. You said you were sore. When I’m done you’ll feel better.” He laughed at her expression. “I promise, now hold still.”

Janice couldn’t help noticing that his voice was not harsh, but in fact filled with, she couldn’t believe it, passion. She glanced over the rim of the tub and saw his erection. Yeah right, she thought. Like heck he was in charge.

“You think the evidence of my wanting you puts me at a disadvantage?” Simon asked. “Think again. I’ve worked against a handicap all my life.” He smiled at her and began washing her breasts in circular motions. His eyes moved over her as desire pooled in his belly. He wanted her with an intensity born of love, but he would wait. He would prove to her that he couldn’t be controlled by his lust. Still, he wanted to throw down the sponge and use his tongue to finish her bath but from the look in her eyes that was what she was expecting. She propped her leg on the rim of the tub, giving him a full view of her secrets, and half closed her eyes, looking sexy and sultry. He grinned.