A few moments later, after she'd hung up the phone, Danielle couldn't help but think that there'd been one good thing to come out of this mess with Marc. His three wives had become close friends.

And then she couldn't help but think of Tristan and their argument. They'd had arguments before but nothing as serious as this. This one had been heated and emotional. In her opinion he was acting crazy. But then, how was he supposed to act?

She didn't agree with Renee's and Alex's view of things-that Tristan was in love with her in a man-woman way. He'd always been overprotective of her, and now their s.e.xual involvement only increased that protectiveness.

That was it. Tristan was her best friend. He was her lover, and like Renee and Alex had pointed out, he could also be the father of her child.

She felt a stirring in her stomach when she was reminded of the past couple of days and how much she'd enjoyed being with him-both in and out of bed. But she had to admit she really enjoyed the bed part. Sensual longing wrapped itself around her and she immediately recognized it for what it was: her body wanted Tristan. But more than anything, she wanted her best friend back.

Chapter 8.

Tristan tossed the last of the doc.u.ments aside, not able to concentrate any longer. The place was quiet, except for the hum of the television coming from Danielle's bedroom. Evidently she was watching the movie, one she'd invited him to watch with her. Instead, he'd turned her down to read a bunch of boring papers. At least they'd been boring tonight. Tomorrow they might hold his interest.

But not tonight.

Conflicting emotions washed through him. Okay, he might have gotten carried away, might have gotten a little crazy, but he was a man. He'd seen the l.u.s.t in those two men's eyes. If Dani had been a piece of chocolate, they would have gobbled her up. They hadn't even tried to hide their desire for her in a cloak of professionalism. Yet she thought they'd only been "nice." Granted, they hadn't made an outright pa.s.s at her or anything, but still...

The part she hadn't grasped yet was that she was his. He had plans for their future and the only involvement Craven or Stewart played in it was selling them the company they wanted to buy. The only good thing that had come from the meeting was that Craven had agreed to sell Shipping Source to them. Tristan would contact A&T's attorney tomorrow to draw up the necessary papers. After one final meeting, their dealings with Craven and his attorney would be over.

But then how would he handle things the next time a man showed interest in Dani? He'd never had to think about it before, but now he did. He had to give her credit for the way she'd handled herself with the two men, thanking them for their compliments but never leading them on in any way.

She had to know the degree of her attraction, he thought. She was stunningly beautiful and totally desirable. Men of all ages were easily drawn to her. That wasn't her fault and he hadn't wanted to make her feel that it was.

Dani didn't have a clue as to his true feelings. Because of that, in order to save his relationship with her, he would have to examine his actions carefully before taking any from now on.

A shiver went through him at the thought that because of their argument, he could have done irreparable damage to their relationship. He and Dani had argued before, but never about him being jealous of other men. He could only imagine what she was thinking about now.

Easing off the bed, he grabbed for his bathrobe. With no plans to leave his bedroom for the rest of the night, after his shower he'd pulled on pajama bottoms and nothing else.

He crossed the room and opened the bedroom door to the common area at the same moment Danielle opened hers. Their gazes met, and immediately more love than he'd ever felt for any woman slithered through him, as potent as anything he'd ever experienced in all his thirty-four years.

Then another emotion gripped him. s.e.xual need. Looking so stunning, so incredibly s.e.xy, she totally took his breath away. Like him, she was wearing a bathrobe, but hers was a plush short robe that showed a lot-a whole whole lot-of her legs. It wouldn't be much to keep a person warm on a cold night, but it was certainly doing a fine job of heating his blood. lot-of her legs. It wouldn't be much to keep a person warm on a cold night, but it was certainly doing a fine job of heating his blood.

It didn't take much to recall what was underneath that robe, how it looked, how it felt. He had touched it, tasted it, had gotten all into it and more times than not, hadn't wanted to get out of it.

He inhaled deeply, not knowing how to proceed. Her spine was straight, which probably meant she was still mad at him. Deciding to test the waters, regardless of whether he ended up sinking or swimming, he said, "I was just about to come looking for you."

He saw surprise light her eyes. "And I was just about to come looking for you, too," she said, taking a couple of steps toward him. Following her lead, he took a couple of steps toward her.

"I think we need to talk, Tris."

He nodded. "Yeah, I agree. Come on, let's sit on the sofa."

"All right."

He let her precede him and tried not to notice the sway of her hips when she walked. She sat on the sofa, and he thought he would play it safe and sit in the armchair across from her.

"Do you want anything from the bar?" he asked, leaning back in his seat. "Housekeeping left a note reminding us that it's fully stocked."

She shook her head. "No, I don't want anything, but you go ahead and get something if you like."

"No, I'm fine."

She nodded. "You said you were coming to look for me," she said, regarding him intently. "What did you want?"

The moment the question had left her lips, Danielle felt a mult.i.tude of sensations. It wasn't helping matters that his eyes were holding hers in a way she'd become familiar with, all but saying what he undoubtedly was thinking-he was much on the same wavelength as she was. Anger hadn't dampened the desire.

Over the past few days, whenever she'd asked what he wanted, his respond had been the same. You, Dani. I want you. You, Dani. I want you. And always the result had been her tumbling into his arms so he could take her. She wondered what his response would be this time. And always the result had been her tumbling into his arms so he could take her. She wondered what his response would be this time.

He broke eye contact with her and glanced down at his hands. He had balled them into fists. He then looked up at her again. "I owe you an apology. You were right-I got kind of carried away about what happened at Craven's place. It wasn't your fault and I'm sorry if I came across like I thought it was."

She shook her head. "No, you didn't come across like that. It's just...all that jealousy confused me. You acted possessive and you've never acted that way before. But I thought about it and now I understand." She wouldn't tell him that she, Renee and Alex had actually discussed it in detail.

"And what do you understand?" he asked in a deep, husky tone of voice.

She shrugged. "I understand men get uptight about the women they sleep with, and although we're best friends I have to recognize the fact that we're also lovers, so you might see our relationship vastly differently from the way you saw it before, whereas I've been determined to keep it the same. I hadn't realized what sharing a bed with you entailed."

Slowly Tristan nodded. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" She shifted positions on the sofa and he saw enough of her bare thigh to make his stomach tighten. He took a deep breath.

"It's not really a good thing or a bad thing, Tris. It's a situation we have to deal with-unless you don't want to make love to me anymore."

The thought occurred to Tristan that he would rather cut off his arm than deny himself the pleasure of making love to her. "No, that's not what I want," he said, holding her gaze. "Is it what you want?"

She shook her head. "No, it's not what I want, either. I want to make love to you. I enjoy doing so immensely."

Desire flared in him, ripped at his most intimate parts. For him nothing was more exhilarating than being in her body, hearing her moan his name, feeling her grip him tight and milk him for everything he had, and then exploding inside her like he had every right to do so, over and over again.

"Do you enjoy making love to me?"

"If only you knew how much," he said softly. He took a deep breath that sounded ragged even to his own ears. "Making love to you is like heaven. And when I come inside you, I feel like a man on top of the world, a man totally fulfilled. For those precious moments you and I are the only two people on earth. Nothing else and no one else matters."

Tristan wasn't sure what possessed him to say all that. He had come one sentence shy of confessing his love for her. He wouldn't now, but one day he would. He promised himself.

Danielle rose to her feet and crossed the room to him. His senses were on alert with every step she took. She came to a stop in front of his armchair. Their gazes held for the longest time before she undid the sash at her waist and then eased the robe from her body, revealing one of the most daring and s.e.xiest nighties he'd ever seen.

He swallowed tightly, reached out and skimmed his fingers along the hem of the brazenly short nightie that showed everything, especially the dark area between her legs.

"Show me, Tristan," she said in a voice that seemed to stroke the entire length of his arousal. "Show me how much you enjoy making love to me."

Tristan didn't have to be asked twice. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her like a man starving for her, and then he scooped her into his arms and carried her into her bedroom. He placed her on her feet while he removed her clothes and then his. Then he backed her up against the bed, with every intention of tumbling her onto it and following her there.

Danielle caught him unawares when she switched positions and pushed him down on the bed, instead, and quickly moved to straddle his body.

She smiled as she looked down at him. "First I think I want to show you how much I enjoy making love to you."

And then she lowered her mouth to his, swept her tongue inside his mouth and tangled with his tongue the same way he was known to do hers. Moments later she broke off the kiss and lowered her mouth to his chest, making slow, circular motions all over it with her tongue. She caught hold of a nipple and sucked it between her teeth, laving it while he repeated her name over and over, letting her know that what she was doing to him felt good.

As far as she was concerned, however, he hadn't felt anything yet.

Before she could give him a chance to react, she shifted positions again and lowered her head to take him into her mouth. She felt his body jerk beneath her but held tight, not intending to go anywhere. She remained still while he absorbed the feel of being inside her hot, wet mouth. She knew the exact moment he did so, when he threaded his fingers through her hair.

And then she let her mouth begin pleasuring him, tasting him the same way he had tasted her. With a greediness she felt all the way to her toes, she ran her lips and tongue all along his aroused member and then took it back into her mouth again, giving it everything it rightly deserved.

Tristan called her name, heard the primal growl from his throat, but still, she refused to let up. He took the choice out of her hands-or out of her mouth-when he reached down and pulled her up before shifting positions and easing his hard shaft into her just seconds before he exploded.

The release triggered something within her and she screamed his name as a drowning o.r.g.a.s.m hit her, as well. The last conscious thought that crossed her mind before she tumbled beneath the waves of ecstasy was that she could definitely get used to this.

Chapter 9.

Danielle dabbed at her eyes thinking that Renee made such a beautiful bride. And she looked simply stunning, completely elegant in her white c.o.c.ktail-length wedding dress embellished with delicate embroidery and pearl beading on the halter bodice. A cla.s.sy pair of silver-and-white strappy sandals graced her feet, and the infamous diamond necklace-the one Marc had almost done away with-hung around her neck.

The bride and groom were now posing for the camera. Renee had said they wanted lots of pictures to share with everyone. Danielle glanced around. It appeared that more than three hundred guests had been invited to the Sweet House. Built in the early 1900s, the building transported its guests back in time the moment they stepped inside its doors. The sheer elegance echoed a time long gone.

"You okay?"

Tristan didn't wait for an answer. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around her waist.

She looked at him. "Yes, I'm fine. Just happy. I don't know how to explain it, Tris, but it's like I've waited for this day to happen for Renee forever, when I've only known her for a little more than three months. How can that be?"

He smiled and pulled her closer into his arms, remembering the last two days they'd spent in San Francisco. They still hadn't gotten a lot of sightseeing in, but that was okay. What they had had gotten in had been even more precious. Before, they'd known each other as best friends. Now they knew each other as lovers. He was more aware of her, more honed in to her wants and needs than ever before. gotten in had been even more precious. Before, they'd known each other as best friends. Now they knew each other as lovers. He was more aware of her, more honed in to her wants and needs than ever before.

"The way I see it," he said, dipping his head to brush a kiss across her forehead, "is that something good came out of Marc's deceit, after all. He was able to make something happen."

She raised a brow. "What?"

"You, Renee and Alex. I don't know of three women who probably needed each other more."

She smiled at him before reverting her gaze to Renee and Chris. She then glanced over to where Alex and Hunter were standing. "I've thought that same thing lately. But still, there isn't closure for me."

He nodded, understanding. "It will come soon."

She stared at him. "Did Chris tell you something?"

"Yes. He was able to pick up a few leads on the woman's ident.i.ty, but didn't have the time to follow up on anything. I thought we would fly home first, check on things, get the ball rolling for the purchase of Shipping Source and then fly to Costa Woods."

Grat.i.tude shone in her eyes. "I know how busy we're going to be at A&T with the merger and all, but you'll take time off again for me?" she asked quietly.

He nodded as he took her hand in his. "Yes, I'll take time off for us. us. I won't be satisfied until we bring this thing to closure, as well." I won't be satisfied until we bring this thing to closure, as well."

What he wouldn't tell her was that only when there was closure would he share with her what he'd held inside him for so long. It was bursting to come out, but he had to be certain she would be ready not only to hear it, but accept it.

"Hey, guys," Alex said, as she and Hunter joined them. "How about all of us getting together for an after-the-honeymoon party on board the Marc III Marc III when the newlyweds return?" when the newlyweds return?"

"That sounds like a good plan to me," Tristan said, one arm around Danielle's shoulders now.

It sounded like a good plan to Danielle, too. She looked at Alex and saw the sly smile on her friend's face and knew what she was thinking. Even if Danielle hadn't shared with Alex and Renee the news that she and Tristan were lovers, it would have been quite obvious to everyone here that they were. He had always been a demonstrative person where she was concerned, but now he was even more so. And they'd been caught kissing-the tongue-deep-in-your-mouth-almost-down-your-throat kind-when Alex had stumbled upon them last night almost in this very spot after the rehearsal dinner. Alex had been out looking for Little Sweetie, who'd gotten away from her.

"Great," Hunter said, pulling his wife into his arms. "Then it's final. In three weeks the two of you, along with Renee and Chris, will join us in Atlanta."

The following two weeks were busy ones not only for Tristan and Danielle, but practically everyone at A&T. The first thing the partners did upon returning to the office was to call their top management together to advise them of what was in the works.

The main thing was to be sensitive to the people who had worked many years for Simon Craven's father at Shipping Source. Tristan and Danielle had given him their word that they would.

Shipping Source had more than forty offices spread out across the country, and Tristan and Danielle intended to make it their business to visit each one of them to a.s.sure the current employees that, starting out, few changes would be made. However, they both knew it was important to get many of their key players in place to ensure a smooth transition.

The purchase of Shipping Source went off without a hitch, and Tristan and Danielle were grateful for that. It had taken two weeks, instead of the one they'd counted on, but when it was over, they had celebrated with dinner and champagne. And that night, they continued the celebration in each other's arms.

"Tristan."

Danielle whispered his name from deep within her throat when a s.e.xual explosion hit both of them at the same time. He held her tight while her legs locked around his taut and solid thighs, pulling him even further inside her.

This was what she looked forward to each day, she thought. No matter how hectic things got at the office-and lately things had gotten crazier than ever-she knew she would always have this peace in his arms, after the turbulence of heated pa.s.sion and earth-shattering ecstasy was shared.

Still locked in her body, Tristan pulled back far enough to look at her face. "I had your secretary clear your calendar for next week," he said in a deep, husky tone.

She lifted her lashes, just barely, to look at him. "We have another trip?"

"Yes," he said softly. "I talked to Chris today."

Her eyes widened in alertness. "Yes?"

"And he thinks he might have a positive ID on the woman."

Danielle's breath caught. They'd been too busy to talk about taking time away to follow up on Chris's last lead as they'd intended, and she'd been fine with that, had understood completely. Considering everything that was going on with the merger, there had been no way she could have asked Tristan to put everything aside to fly out with her to Costa Woods, so she hadn't. But neither had she forgotten that the loose end still existed.

"And?" she asked quietly.

"And Chris has told Renee and Hunter is telling Alex. He's asked me to tell you. Of course he's fully aware that you want to be the one to go and visit with the woman to tell her about Marc, a.s.suming she doesn't already know."