BONUS SCENE FROM THE FAVOR

Hi everyone! As part of the Christmas Countdown celebration I’m releasing the New York scene from Dane’s point of view (THE FAVOR is one of my contemporary romance novels), hope you enjoy it!

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Cursing, Dane flicked once more through the papers splayed out on the table in front of him. No sign of the contract he needed to read.

There was also no sign of Vienna.

He glanced at his wristwatch. She was usually at least halfway through her breakfast at this point. She hadn’t yet left her bedroom, and it wasn’t like her to run late.

He frowned as a thought occurred to him. Had her asshole ex called her again? It seemed that one of Owen’s favorite past times lately was to call her up and badmouth Dane even as he tried luring her back to his side.

Feeling his mouth tighten, Dane stalked through the hotel suite and over to the bedroom she was using. “Vienna, have you seen the—” He halted right there in the doorway, poleaxed by the sight of her in only her bra and panties. Jesus Christ.

She let out a little squeak, her eyes widening. “Can’t you knock?”

Dane didn’t respond, too busy drinking in every decidedly exquisite inch of her. His body’s reaction was instant—it tightened. Thickened. Hardened.

The bed. He needed to splay her out on that bed and fuck her so hard she’d feel him all day, all night, all goddamn week.

Sexual tension snapped the air taut and played over his nerve-endings. He met her gaze, knowing his own would be broadcasting everything he wanted and felt. She stared back at him, holding herself unnaturally still. “I figured you’d already be dressed,” he told her. “You’re usually ready on time.”

“I just need a minute,” she fairly croaked.

“I see that.” Maybe another man would have apologized for so blatantly staring at her, but Dane wasn’t that man. He didn’t even bother to refrain from exploring her with his gaze one last time before leaving the room.

Dane stalked back the way he’d come, rolling his shoulders, so goddamn tempted to return to that room and—

He scrubbed a hand down his face, wishing he could also scrub away the explicit images that were sailing around his mind of what exactly he could do to her.

Not that those images were anything new. There’d been far too many moments over the years when he’d imagined himself doing all manner of filthy things to his PA. Until it had pretty much become the norm. But keeping his hands off her was a lot more difficult now that he’d had her.

Now he knew what she tasted like. How soft her skin was. How tight and hot her pussy felt around him.

Dane uttered an oath beneath his breath. He should never have fucked her. Not that he’d planned to. It had just … happened. But that was the thing. Nothing Dane did just happened.

He didn’t lose control. He was a master at faking indifference and remaining utterly stoic—they’d been survival tools in his childhood home. But Vienna had a way of eating through his control, leaving it in tatters. In which case, making her his ‘wife’ wasn’t the wisest thing he’d ever done.

Really, his mistake had been in instating her as his PA in the first place. He’d known better than to plant the temptation of her in his path day in day out. He’d done it anyway.

His initial reaction to Vienna had been a visceral thing with teeth and claws. Breathtakingly stunning, she’d blown him away. He’d wanted to bite down on that juicy lower lip. Wanted to free all that glorious blonde hair from the tight bun she’d worn it in. Wanted to hike up her skirt, bend her over his desk, and rut himself on her. And he’d found himself wishing he’d met her in another context; that she worked for another company, leaving him able to pursue her—something he’d have done relentlessly.

If he was attracted to a woman, Dane made a point of not hiring her as his PA. As such, despite that he’d seen so much potential in Vienna, he’d been tempted to let her remain Clint’s personal assistant. It would have been better. Smarter. But Dane been arrogant enough to think that he could ignore his attraction to her. More, he’d thought it would become background noise until, eventually, it faded.

And he’d been wrong.

He hadn’t considered firing her, though. Not once. Because while the chemistry he strived to ignore could be a pain in his ass, it didn’t come close to drowning out how much he liked having her around.

Honest and fiercely loyal, she was all sweetness and sass. She didn’t take him too seriously or pander to him. He trusted her completely—no small thing for someone like him, who instinctively questioned the motives of every person they came into contact with.

When he’d come up with the idea of marrying someone to secure his trust fund, he hadn’t even had to think of who he might ask to play the part of his wife. Vienna had instantly popped into his head … as had a voice that warned him he’d be playing a dangerous game if he brought her any further into his life than he already had.

He’d ignored that voice, just as he’d ignored his reservations about hiring her. He’d been so sure he had it all under control. He hadn’t even panicked after they slept together. He’d convinced himself it wouldn’t happen again. He’d been certain that he could resist her. After all, he’d done it for years—but that was before he’d known what it felt like to be buried deep inside her.

He might have fucked her raw that night, but it hadn’t been about mere physical gratification. It hadn’t been a simple case of him seeking a release. Probably because what he felt toward her, about her, wasn’t solely physical.

The fact was that Vienna Davenport—and yeah, her having his surname brought him far more satisfaction than it should—mattered to him on a level he wasn’t sure he liked.

Hearing the click-clack of heels, he blanked his expression as he turned to face the woman making her way toward him, her face carefully neutral. Neither spoke. They simply left and headed for the elevator. The moment the shiny doors closed, the air became charged with the same sexual tension that had hounded them for too long. And that tension followed him around throughout the entire conference.

Seeming as restless as he felt, she jumped several times at the merest touch from him. Good. He didn’t want to suffer all on his own.

At one point, as she lightly stroked her neck, he caught a flash of her rings. A distinctly male satisfaction gripped his gut. It always did, to his utter frustration.

He’d never seen the appeal in marriage. It was merely a piece of paper that legally bound two people, making it more difficult for them to go their separate ways if their relationship didn’t work out. It didn’t guarantee happiness or stability, and there was no knowing that the people would adhere to the vows they’d taken. His father hadn’t. Nor had Travis and Hope. And Dane had had enough married women come onto him over the years that he had to question why these people bothered entangling their life with that of another.

His marriage to Vienna, though … it gave him a foreign sense of fulfillment that he couldn’t quite explain. She was right in something she’d once said. He might not be unhappy, but nor was he truly content. He hadn’t properly understood the difference until Vienna went and made herself important to him.

It would be far too easy to keep her. But he didn’t want a real wife. He wouldn’t even begin to know how to make one happy. And Vienna … she wanted children. He’d gotten himself fixed years ago, and he had no plans to reverse the procedure. He’d be an even worse father than he’d be a true husband.

After dinner, they returned to their suite to get ready for the after-reception. He changed quickly in his bedroom. Able to breathe in air that wasn’t filled with her scent, he managed to calm his system down. But then she materialized wearing a red dress that was nothing short of sinful. His cock went hard in an instant. If she was aiming to torture him, she was fucking succeeding.

He herded her out of the suite, cursing softly.

She frowned. “What?”

“Nothing,” he bit out.

The after-reception was as tedious as he’d expected. But maybe he wouldn’t have felt so aggravated if sexual chemistry wasn’t playing havoc with his mind and body. Each time Vienna touched him or spoke against his ear, it took a sincere effort not to grind his teeth or tighten his grip on her—something he didn’t always manage to fight, just as he wasn’t always successful at not staring at that lower lip he longed to bite.

The only comfort he had was knowing that this was no easier for her. But then, there had never been anything easy about pretending away the tension that existed between them. It was simply now so much harder.

He kept a proprietary hold on her hand as they walked from crowd to crowd, mingling and networking. Several times he had to fire a look of warning at men who stared at her a little too long, as if those rings on her finger meant nothing.

But then, they didn’t, did they?

They were props, like she’d said. He’d developed a habit of forgetting that. Just as he often forgot she wasn’t truly his—at least in not in the way that mattered. Which bothered him more than he liked.

The situation was what it was, though. He was better off alone. He preferred being alone as a rule, in fact.

Except … that rule no longer seemed to apply to Vienna.

Dane had thought he’d find it difficult to share his personal space with her. But she didn’t use it up, she fit into it. He hadn’t realized that there was something almost comforting about coming home, knowing she’d be there, until the day she wasn’t there. The house had suddenly seemed too big, too quiet, too cold. Lifeless, even. Right up until she returned, and then it had been as if someone turned on all the lights and upped the temperature.

Beside him, one of his old colleagues Darcy smiled at Dane, and said, “When I first heard you’d gotten married, I wasn’t sure I believed it. But I have to say, married life suits you.”

Darcy’s wife smiled at Vienna. “Did you ever imagine when you first started working for Dane that you’d one day become his wife?”

“No, I hadn’t seen that coming,” replied Vienna. “Especially since he’s my boss—I don’t believe in mixing business with pleasure. But, well, some things are just inevitable. Fighting the inevitable is quite simply pointless.”

Dane stared at her for a long moment, her words ringing through his system, resonating with him in a way that shifted something inside him. Not yet ready to think it all through, he squeezed her hip and spoke into her ear. “Dance with me.” He just needed to be closer to her … because he never quite felt close enough to her.

Disregarding her poor excuses to avoid a dance, he led her onto the dance floor and held her close. Tense and awkward, she couldn’t quite meet his eyes. He pulled her flush against him and said, “Relax.”

She gave it her best shot, but her discomfort didn’t fully ease off. Several times she tried escaping his company. He’d honestly never known anyone to use the bathroom so many times within a few damn hours. He didn’t give her the space she sought, though. She didn’t get to wear a ‘fuck me’ dress and then expect him to resist touching her.

Back in the living area of their hotel suite, she nervously shifted from foot to foot as they merely stared at each other. Finally, she swallowed and then said, “Goodnight.”

Dane wanted to grab her, haul her close, and take that mouth that had been taunting him since the first day he met her. But … he needed to think. “Night.”

While she headed off to her room, he retreated to the private bar and poured himself a drink. Her earlier words drifted through his mind …

Fighting the inevitable is quite simply pointless.

He knocked back his whiskey, relishing the burn.

Pointless. Yeah, it felt utterly fucking pointless to keep battling what had become a deep-seated urge to possess her all over again. He would be able to keep up that fight—possibly even for a while. He was stubborn that way. But he’d cave at some point. If it wasn’t tonight, it would be some other night.

The problem was that if he fucked her again, he’d keep her. For good. No question about it.

But how would that even work? He’d been alone so long he wasn’t sure how to be anything else. Didn’t know if he could merge his life with that of someone else. Didn’t know if he had it in him, or if it would be fair to ask her to take the risk.

He paced back and forth for what felt like hours. Thinking. Debating. Cursing. And later somehow found himself in her bedroom, staring down at her.

Her gorgeous hair fanned out over the pillow, she slept deeply, the strap of her silk camisole hanging enticingly off her shoulder.

He sank into the corner chair and took another swig of his third drink, his mind still a place of chaos. He knew one thing for certain. If he didn’t offer Vienna what she needed, if he didn’t at least try to give those things to her, he’d eventually lose her. Not just as his wife. No, he’d lose her in every way.

She wouldn’t simply divorce him, she’d seek employment elsewhere and cut all contact between them. She’d want to distance herself from him as far as possible because, though she probably wouldn’t admit it aloud, Vienna cared for him in her way. She’d want those feelings to fade. She’d move on from him the way she did that fucker Owen.

Dane had watched her carefully when she was around her ex. The way she looked at Owen, the way she spoke to him … you would never think they’d ever been intimate. It wasn’t that it seemed as if what she’d felt for him had died, it was as if she’d never felt anything for him at all.

There was a wall between her and Owen. One that Dane suspected she’d erected—maybe consciously, maybe unconsciously—to protect herself from hurt. And Dane knew she’d build a similar barrier between her and Dane if he walked out of her life.

His chest going tight, he took another sip of his drink. Dane thought back to that day he’d returned home to find that she wasn’t there waiting for him … and he deeply suspected that if he let her go, his life would feel as empty as the house had felt that day.

Vienna wouldn’t be alone for long. Another man would come along and quickly claim her. He’d offer her whatever she wanted—marriage, kids, a fucking cat. Dane knew he’d hate it. Knew he’d hate that he’d never offered her those same things. Knew he’d regret it every fucking day. And that really only left him with one option, didn’t it?

Vienna stirred slightly and lifted her head, frowning … as if sensing she wasn’t alone. Spotting him, she blinked. “Dane?” Her voice was thick and breathy and fisted his cock tight.

Yeah, there’d be no letting her go.

“Why are you in my room? I wasn’t talking in my sleep or something, was I?” She paused, her shoulders tensing slightly. “What’s wrong?”

Wrong? Well, depending on how she felt about remaining married to him, maybe nothing. Then again, he thought as took an another swig from his glass, maybe she’ll do the smart thing and run.

Dane had no illusions about himself. He knew he wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good person. More importantly, Vienna knew it. She knew him better than anyone else and, as such, knew she wouldn’t be getting the best deal.

She no doubt had a general idea of what sort of man she intended to spend the rest of her life with it. Dane wouldn’t fit the bill. But he had an edge on every other man out there. She was already his wife. He just had to make sure it stayed that way. He had no clue how he’d manage it, but he would. There was no chance he was giving her up. She’d just have to come to terms with it.

Sitting upright, she shoved her hair away from her face. “Okay, you’re starting to freak me out. What’s wrong?”

Nothing at the fuck all, now that his mind was firmly made up. He stood, intending to communicate that things were about to change. Intending to claim her in the only way he really knew how.

He slowly began making his way toward the bed. She stiffened, not once looking away from him as he moved closer and closer.

Standing beside the bed, he watched as she swallowed hard, her eyes flickering. Something decadently predatory move through him. He wanted her this way. Off-balance. Unsure. Nervous.

After taking one last swig of his drink, he placed the glass on the nightstand, and then began to undress. He didn’t miss the flash of panic in her eyes, or the way her nipples tightened. Both only made his cock harder.

“Dane,” she said quietly, calmly, her nerves quite clearly shot. “Dane, you know this is a bad idea.”

Not from his point of view. He continued to undress, pausing when she got to her knees with a clear intention to flee. “Don’t move,” he ordered, and she instantly stilled. “Good girl.” He kept on shedding his clothes even as she raised a hand to ward him off.

“We agreed this couldn’t happen again. Remember?”

Oh, he remembered. And he’d meant it, because he’d known even then that to touch her one more time would lead to him claiming her for good. He hadn’t been ready for that. Not then.

“Seriously, Dane—” Vienna cut off as he lowered his pants and underwear. She squeezed her eyes shut. “You really should go.”

He didn’t speak again until she opened her eyes. Eyes that drifted down to his cock, which twitched in response. “Come here.”

She jolted. “Are you just going to overlook the fact that you’re not thinking clearly? Because I can’t, Dane. One of us needs to be the voice of reason.”

His thoughts had never been clearer. “Come here,” he repeated.

“Don’t ignore me. This is serious. You don’t get to be blasé about it.”

“Not going to tell you again, baby girl. Last chance.”

She balled up her hands. “For fuck’s sake, Dane, listen to me. I don’t know how much you’ve had to drink—”

He gripped her arms and hauled her close. “Yeah, that’s where I want you.” Fisting her hair, he dipped his head, keeping their mouths a mere inch apart. He found his gaze drifting to that lower lip that drove him crazy. “Everywhere we go, I catch someone staring at your mouth. And I know they’re wondering what it’d be like to sink their teeth into this plump lower lip—I did the exact same thing the first time I saw it. So soft and bitable.” He bit said lip and gave it a gentle tug. She gasped, her mouth opening just enough for him to sink his tongue inside.

He fucked her mouth with his tongue. Fucked her body even harder with his cock. Made every inch of her his own.

Her final orgasm had no sooner subsided than she fell asleep. His lips curving, he pulled her close. As a rule, he didn’t sleep beside others. But he’d had no such qualms with sharing a bed with Vienna. Partly because it hadn’t been his bedroom—his sanctuary that no others entered—that they slept in, but mostly because he trusted her enough that he was able to relax so fully around her. And so it was easy to right then fall sleep beside her.

She was dead to the world when he woke the next morning. Not wanting to disturb her, he showered, dressed, and answered some emails before returning to her room. The bed was empty, and he heard some fumbling going on in the bathroom. He turned toward the door just as she stepped out wearing only a thick white towel.

She halted, surprised. Tension crept into her muscles as she stared at him, looking adorably unsure. She didn’t understand what last night meant, he realized. She didn’t know that it hadn’t simply been sex, it had been a statement of intent. A claiming. A message that he was keeping her.

Yeah, he’d suspected in advance that she might not receive that message. Why would she assume everything was now different? He’d made it clear countless times that he didn’t want a real wife. Vienna was hardly likely to think his whole viewpoint had altered so suddenly.

He could explain it to her. Could state his wants and intentions here and now. But he knew Vienna. She was a cautious creature, and she’d been burned before by someone who made her pretty promises. She wouldn’t be so quick to believe that Dane could deliver on his own promises.

Words wouldn’t be enough, he knew. He’d need to show her. Need to let her feel that things had changed for him. For them. He’d need to prove that he could make a relationship work, despite his baggage.

And so, he thought, he’d also have to offer her a divorce. Not that it would dissolve anything else between them—that he wouldn’t allow. But she deserved the option of starting afresh with a wedding that was real in every sense. It would mean losing his trust fund, but he’d sooner lose that than her.

More, he’d need to have his vasectomy reserved if he had any chance of convincing her to stay with him. He couldn’t lie, fatherhood didn’t hold much of an appeal for him. Purely because he had no idea what made a good father. But he did know that Vienna would never allow him to be a shit one.

He also couldn’t afford for her to ever mistakenly think that she came second to his job. But unless he proved that he would prioritize her over his work and willingly free up time to spend with her, she’d never believe it. He could start that right now. “The museum opens in an hour.”

She blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“You said you wanted to go to the Natural History Museum while we’re here.”

“I do.”

“If we leave here soon, we can spend a few hours there before we fly home.”

She cleared her throat. “Okay. Great. Thanks.”

He felt one corner of his mouth kick up. He wasn’t sure what amused him more—that she looked so adorably awkward, or that she had no damn clue exactly what she was in for. Being married to him would not be easy. He genuinely felt sorry for her.

“What’s funny?”

Pursing his lips, he shook his head. She’d find out soon enough. “Be fast.” Turning to leave, he cast a glance at the nightstand. “Don’t forget your rings.”

The day would soon enough come when she realized that she’d never be taking them off.

© Suzanne Wright