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include sharing anything with a controlling woman like her. Of course, that didn’t mean he couldn’t enjoy her while he waited for his plans to finalize.
    Watching her, he smiled inwardly and licked his lips in anticipation. The woman’s anger quickened his pulse, and he felt a stirring in his groin. She had a hot temper, easily ignited. Screwing her when she was mad as hell always made for great sex.
    “Why not advertise the fact that you drugged her?” Her voice held a sarcastic edge. She shook her head and all but snarled. “You were supposed to rinse out the flutes. How could you be so careless? Without proof, she’d have never known.”
    “I was a little drunk at the time. And you picked me up. Why didn’t you remind me, or do it yourself?”
    “Did it ever occur to you to ease off the champagne?” She started pacing.
    Yep, Carl thought as he watched her wear a rut in the carpet. All that glorious hair and those thoroughbred legs. Hot sex. Primed and waiting, needing only a jump-start.
    “You told me to make it look authentic.”
    “Then why didn’t you?”
    “I got carried away. Lost track of what I was doing. She can be as hot as you, babe.”
    “Don’t give me any babe shit. This was the perfect way to make Claire suffer, and now it’s completely unraveling. They found the empty blood bag.”
    The news stopped him short, and he swore under his breath. “It was careless of me not to stow it properly.” The bag had blown away during the ride back to the car. He damn sure didn’t think they’d find it this soon, though.
    His grin was back as he shrugged off the mistake. “This was your idea, babe,” he goaded. He had his own strategy for making Claire suffer—one that was still intact. “If it’s messed up, I’m sure you’ll fix it.”
    “You’re pathetic,” she snapped, her green eyes flashing pure rage. “Why do I put up with you?”
    He stalked over to her, wrapped an arm around her neck, and jerked her forcefully to him. “You know why,” he ground out.
    His lips weren’t gentle when they collided with hers as he used his mouth to still her outbursts. His busy hands weren’t gentle either, touching spots he knew would draw an immediate response. Instantly, she was all over him, and there was no finesse to her touch.
    “I love it when you’re hot and bothered,” he whispered. He nipped at her ear, biting the lobe none too tenderly before he trailed hot kisses across her cheek.
    Other than on the sailboat, Claire never got hot and bothered, and he’d put up with her long enough. To think she’d given him an ultimatum. His money had saved her company and enabled it to grow. He had no intention of settling for half.
    The woman’s moan pulled him out of his thoughts, and he smiled before taking that gorgeous, pouting mouth once again. Only this time, his lips and tongue softened as they thoroughly kissed her, effectively sucking passion from her, increasing the intensity of her reaction.
    Ah, yes, he thought. Primed and ready, and so was he.
    “You think sex will solve this?” she asked when he released her lips.
    Both were breathing heavily. As he looked into eyes that had changed from stormy anger to stormy fervor, his only answer was a slow, sensual smile. It was exactly what would shut her up.
    “It’s what I’m good at,” he murmured before grinding his mouth against hers once more. When he moved into her heat and let her feel his erection, she moaned again, causing him to groan.
    “And you have to admit. It’s a lot better than fighting.”

Chapter 7
    “Jason!”
    Claire glanced up as the pleasant voice added, “Where’ve you been hiding? You’ve been a stranger for too long.”
    “Sophia.” Jason’s face lit with a welcoming smile when a large-boned woman wearing a chef’s apron took his outstretched hand. Her once jet-black hair was caught up in a neat bun, dulled with streaks of gray that were the first clue to her age.
    Once she was closer, Claire noted