Envy(40)

“Then you must take bold steps to see that he changes his mind, mustn’t you?”

Blume concluded the meeting by reminding Noah that there were other publishing companies, almost as prestigious as Matherly Press, that would leap at the chance of becoming part of WorldView.

The hell of it was, Noah knew that Blume’s threat was viable. Many smaller publishing houses were hanging on by a thread. They couldn’t compete with the distribution capabilities and robust publicity budgets of media giants. They would welcome the financial relief and stability that WorldView would bring to them. Unlike Daniel, their primary concern was survival by any means possible, and to hell with sentiment.

There wasn’t a sentimental bone in Noah’s body, but he was well acquainted with Daniel’s fanatical adherence to tradition and his family’s history. The old man wasn’t going to let go easily. It was an intricate complication that seemed beyond Blume’s understanding.

“I’m well aware of Blume’s deadline,” Noah told Nadia now. “I’ll see that it’s met.”

“What about Maris?”

“She’s busy in Florida.”

“Georgia.”

“What?”

“You told me she went to Georgia.”

“Whatever. I’m going to chip away at Daniel while she’s gone. I began tonight by pointing out the advantages of Blume’s offer.”

“What happens when Maris gets back?”

“She’ll go the way Daniel goes.”

“That wasn’t what I was talking about.”

I should be so lucky. Sighing wearily, Noah closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Jesus, he didn’t need a discussion of this right now. He had enough to deal with.

“I know what you were talking about, Nadia.” Lowering his hand and opening his eyes, he looked at her. “Think about it. Does it make sense for me to ask Maris for a divorce now? No. I can’t do that until I have that WorldView contract signed, sealed, and delivered.”

He expelled a breath of exasperation. “Do you think I’ve enjoyed being married to her? Do you think I’ve liked kissing Daniel’s ass all these years?”

“That’s a revolting thought.”

“Isn’t it? So imagine it from my perspective.” He hoped the remark might cause her to smile; it didn’t.

“And Maris?” she asked. “Will you miss kissing her ass?”

He gave a dry laugh. “I won’t miss my wife, but I’ll regret losing a good editor. However, with the operating budget Blume has promised me, I’ll be able to hire three of her. Five of her. And even if none prove to be as good as she, I’ll have my ten million to console me.”

She held his gaze for a moment, her expression turning sulky. “You really don’t mind my blowing in Morris Blume’s ear?”

“Figure of speech.”

“So what you said earlier…”

“About?”

“About your wanting this deal for us. Did you mean it?”

By way of answer, he pulled her against him and kissed her.

She finished unbuttoning his shirt, then spread it open and put tongue to nipple, flicking it lightly. “You did?”

“Right now I’d swear to anything.”

Laughing huskily, she stroked him through his trousers. “I don’t like sharing you with Maris. I’m impatient to have this all to myself.”

“I’m rather impatient myself.” He unzipped his trousers and pushed down his shorts. Nadia dropped to her knees and nuzzled him. She traced the length of his erection with her tongue before taking him into her mouth. Noah grunted with satisfaction.

“You stick to doing what you do best, Nadia, and leave the problem of the Matherlys to me.”





Chapter 9


Parker was at his computer. He’d been up for hours. His mind was skipping like a stone over water.

Mike delivered a third cup of coffee to him. “Your guest just left the cottage. She’s dawdling along the way, taking in the seascape, but she’ll soon be making an entrance.”

He had asked Mike to be on the lookout for her and acknowledged the report with a nod.

Mike was uncharacteristically careless as he replaced Parker’s empty coffee mug with the full one. Hot coffee sloshed out. The spill spread across the table and stained several sheets of handwritten notes. Parker stared at the mess, then raised his head and gave the older man a look.

“Sorry,” Mike said.

“I’ll bet.”

Mike snorted.

“Look, if you’ve got something to say, why not act like a grown-up and just say it?”

“I think you know what I have to say, Parker.”

“How about ‘congratulations’?”

“How about ‘get real’? Do you really expect me to congratulate you?”

“She’s here, isn’t she?”

“Yes. She’s here.” Mike looked none too happy about it, though.

Parker raised his shoulders in a shrug, asking impatiently, “What? The reverse psychology worked. She took the bait. Which is what we hoped she would do. If you had qualms, you should have thrown away her phone numbers when that deputy gave them to you. But you didn’t. You passed them on to me. I called her and she came. So what’s eating you?”