Embrace My Heart(47)

Qasim let her thigh slip away from his hip but kept her close to his chest in order to lift her until she was at his eye level.

“Let’s eat,” he suggested.

Vectra refused to budge. “Did I turn you off?”

His thumb skirted her cheek and the curve of her mouth. “You’d laugh if you knew how impossible it’d be for you to do that.” He pressed his forehead to hers.

“Sim?” He still had her confused.

“I’ve been wanting to ask whether I was hurting you for a while now.”

“And you didn’t, because?” She sounded as if she knew the answer.

His lashes fluttered as though he were aggravated with himself. “I didn’t want you to think I was asking because I was hung up on what happened to you.”

“But aren’t you?”

“Damn right, I am.” His voice was a simmering growl that dripped with menacing promise. “It’d make me very happy to have a few moments alone with your ex.” He squeezed his eyes shut in an effort to stifle the rage beginning its slow rumble in his gut.

He focused. “We’ve, um...we’ve been going at it pretty steady for the last few days. You haven’t complained, but I–I wondered.”

Her smile was naughtiness and satisfaction. “I didn’t complain because I had no complaints. I wanted this, and you gave me exactly what I wanted.”

Vectra’s warm brown eyes narrowed, her expression sharpening with wickedly playful intent. “If you apologize for that or even think about tamping down any of that amazing stamina of yours, I’ll seriously consider murdering you.”

Qasim’s dark eyes crinkled adorably as his laughter built. It burst forth, full and honest, as he nodded his acceptance.

“So?” He pulled her higher up his arms and led the way to the dining room. “Supper and then sex?”

“Mmm...” Vectra scrunched her nose. “I’m not too wild about that sequence.”

Qasim nodded and deftly shifted direction toward his bedroom. “Whatever the lady wants.”





Chapter 13

The next few days were full of more of the delicious same for Qasim and Vectra. Holed up in his gorgeous condo, the new lovers found it difficult to tear themselves away from each other and what was growing between them.

Nonetheless, the outside world did call. Wilder Corporation ran so successfully because of Qasim’s hands-on manner of managing his clients’ individual needs. He would’ve been happier tending his duties had he been able to convince Vectra to stay where she was and to be there in his bed when he got back.

Spending time in San Francisco wouldn’t raise much suspicion. Vectra’s house staff knew she tended to do that when she was preparing for an opening. Vectra would’ve liked nothing more than to oblige Qasim’s request, but duty called for her, as well.

She had taken an obvious liking to Yancey Croachman and knew it had a lot to do with the fact that she and the woman shared horrifically similar experiences. In spite of that, Yancey had risen above it all and she was thriving. Vectra, however, wanted to do more than simply buy a painting, and she actually patted herself on the back when what she knew was a brilliant idea occurred. She’d spoken to the marketing group for Carro as well as Robb DeWitt and his crew at Dazzles. Everyone thought that using Yancey Croachman’s show would be the perfect event to unveil the vineyard’s new blends.

By including the tasting, they could judge the crowd’s reactions to the premiere wines while plying them with treasured favorites from the line. The event was sure to draw an even greater crowd than the gallery event alone would.

Vectra believed the young artist being showcased would make out splendidly with offers for more work and gallery tours. The artist herself was elated by the news as was the rest of her team. Vectra only prayed the showing would be as successful in reality as the one she imagined.

Of course not all of the time the new lovers enjoyed was spent in the bedroom. Vectra had heard much about Qasim’s charity, but realized she had no clue about what had inspired it. Something told her it was about more for him than wanting to give back. The extent to which he’d crafted his foundation came from a much more personal place.



“He’s out here somewhere, Ms. Bauer.”

Despite the white sun visor she wore, Vectra squinted out over the football field that surged with activity. Minipractice sessions took place across every square foot of the lush hundred-yard field.

“I’ll go track him down,” said Jerry Finch, assistant coach for the Arnold High School Bears.

Vectra touched the man’s arm to stop him. “Oh, don’t go to all that trouble. I already texted him that I was on my way. I don’t mind waiting.” She smiled toward the field. “I haven’t been this close to the game in a while.”