Burned by Passion(45)

Curious, she half-wobbled down the hallway to the front door. She was sure it had to be one of the very friendly neighbors. They’d accepted Blake and Kira easily into the classy, gated community rumored to have a few A-list celebs as inhabitants. Everyone was nothing but nice and friendly, which meant they were always getting invited to this or that dinner, birthday party or other social gatherings.

“Who is it?” she called even before she reached out a hand to unlock the door.

“It’s me, Akira.”

Even through the closed door, the unexpected sound of that voice made Kira go cold as her hand froze over the doorknob. Only one person alive called her that. Kira’s heart pounded with dreadful dismay as her perfect world seemed ready to crash and tumble to pieces all around her.





***

Blake’s secretary showed Brittany in and Blake did his best not to show his impatience. He was getting sick of Brittany showing up uninvited and unwanted to his place of work. He thought that now that he had his own independent IT consulting firm and no longer worked with his father’s company, Brittany would’ve run out of excuses to keep them bumping into each other.

She smiled as she took the seat in front of his desk, looking as put-together as always. Like a supermodel with her glossy blonde hair and sexy power suit, the skirt so short he had more than a healthy glimpse up her toned, tanned thighs as she crossed her legs seductively. He looked up at her with a scowl.

“Is there something you wanted, Brittany?”

“Apart from wanting to see how you were doing? Well,” she murmured, shrugging as she looked to the ceiling thoughtfully before facing him again. “I was actually wondering if we could do some business. Seeing as you’ve finally settled in the country and have this firm all set up, I’d love to be able to push a few clients your way. My father has many contacts; a number of Fortune 500 companies and multinationals who’d be interested in bringing on your services. You’ll be in high demand in no time at all.”

Blake regarded her through narrowed lids. “And you’ll set me up with these dream contacts out of the goodness of your heart,” he said with a thin smile.

Brittany shrugged her slender shoulders, drawing attention to the dipping V of her suit and the equally deep gape of her neckline where more than a peek of cleavage showed. He watched suspiciously as she rose fluidly from her feet and then walked around his desk, each sway of her hips brimming with enticement.

When she reached him she bent over and he had an almost unimpeded view down to her navel. Blake’s scowl deepened.

“I’m a firm believer in ‘I scratch your back, you scratch mine’,” she whispered, fake eyelashes fluttering low as she ran her eyes over him before closing her hand around his tie. “We go too far back for me to worry about compensation for doing you any favors I can. But I won’t say no to your suggestions if you have anything in mind as a ‘thank you’ for my efforts.”

Blake grabbed her wrists in a restraining grip as her hands began to trail lower, close to his groin. He jerked her forward so he could look straight into her dancing blue eyes. “I commend those efforts, Brittany. And I appreciate your interest in the growth of my firm. But whatever game this is, I’m not playing.”

“I don’t know what you mean, Blake,” she cooed with batting lashes, pink-coated lips pouting. She licked on them lusciously as her smile deepened.


Blake sighed in disgust. “I think you know exactly what I mean. I take my marriage vows very seriously. And I love my wife. I’m not going to do anything to hurt her.”

For the first time, Brittany’s sultry fa?ade slipped. “Oh come on, Blake. Everyone knows she trapped you into making her your wife after she got pregnant. I saw the wedding photos, okay? She could barely fit into her dress. Don’t tell me this marriage of convenience will keep you and me from having some fun that’s long overdue.”

She smiled again, back into tigress mode and bit on her sensuous bottom lip. “I’ve always wanted to ride the boss in his big, strong chair. And you could say I came more than prepared. I slipped my panties off in my car and now all I need to do is-”

“Stop, Brittany. Just stop,” Blake said harshly, his expression furious as he sprang to his feet and put her firmly to the side. “Get this into your head once and for all. I love Kira. She’s my wife because I wished it, not out of some sense of duty. Yes, I got her pregnant before the wedding but that was nothing to do with her trying to tie me down. Kira would never be capable of anything so devious.”

Brittany’s blue eyes were snapping with anger at being thwarted. She clenched her fists at her sides as she glared at him spitefully, her calm veneer finally off. “And what would you know about what she’s capable of? What makes you think you know her at all? Trust me, Blake that whatever halo she convinced you she has is tainted and soon enough, it will taint you too.”

“What the f*ck do you mean?” Blake snarled.

Brittany shook her head at him, her scornful smile turning her face into an ugly mask. “I mean your ghetto princess has got you fooled into thinking she deserves a place by your side. But I know better. When I realized she’d managed to net you in her trap, I did some digging to find out about your father’s angelic-looking secretary. Turns out the little goody two shoes wife of yours has a bit of dirty laundry. It’ll make you wish you never made the mistake of giving her respectability when you made her Mrs. Blake Carter.”