Jill Shalvis - Who’s the Boss?

“And how did I make you feel?”

“Terrified,” he said without hesitation. “Caitlin, I know next to nothing about letting people close to me. Even less about families and love. I was never close to anyone until your father. I taught myself to hold back, to protect myself, because it was easier. I couldn’t get hurt that way.”

“That’s no way to live,” she told him huskily. “I can’t live that way.”

His smile was warm and completely unexpected. “I know. You throw yourself wholeheartedly into absolutely everything you do. You give it your all, one hundred percent of the time, not worrying first about whether you’re going to get hurt or not. It’s one of the things I love most about you.”

Afraid to read too much into his words, she crossed her arms over her chest and backed up a step, out of his reach so he couldn’t touch her. So she couldn’t touch him.

“I cared when I didn’t want to,” he said. “I worried when I swore I wouldn’t. And, dammit,” he said roughly, his voice breaking, “I really need you to break in any time here and tell me you meant it when you told me you loved me.”

Tears filled her eyes as she stared at him mute. Panic filled him. “Wait!” he said quickly, slapping his forehead as he remembered. “Wait a minute. I have to tell you first. God, I really stink at this.” He drew a deep, ragged breath and met her drenched eyes. “I fell in love with you, Caitlin. No matter how many times I told myself I couldn’t, that I wouldn’t, I did.” Lifting her hand to his lips, he kissed her knuckles. “I love you hopelessly. Will you stay with me forever? Be my wife?”

She looked at him for an eternal moment, for once her eyes shuttering her thoughts from him. “I don’t want to go back to work for you,” she said finally.

What did that mean? he wondered wildly. But then, beyond the tears, he saw the teasing light in her expression. Relief, joy and a thousand other surging emotions rushed through him.

“No offense,” she told him teasingly as a tear slipped down her cheek, “but Darla pays better. Much better.”

“I’ll triple your salary,” he said without skipping a beat, cupping her face and swiping another tear away with the pad of his thumb. “Quadruple.”

She tilted her head as she considered. “I get to do your accounting. All of it.”

“Okay, but I’ll make the coffee,” he said quickly, flashing a sudden grin as his heart threatened to burst. “Caitlin. Tell me. Tell me you love me quick, that you forgive me for being such a fool. I’m dying here.”

She smiled, a brilliant radiance spreading across her features. “I forgive you for being a fool. And I love you with all my heart.”

“Thank God,” he murmured, yanking her against him. He kissed her, his mouth open and warm, receiving and giving, full of enough promises to last a lifetime.

Lifting her head, she looked up at him, taking a moment to bask in the joy of their love. “Let’s talk benefits.”

Eyes dancing with love and laughter, he pulled her close. “Anything you want, Mrs. Brownley-to-be. Anything you want.”

“Well, there’s just a couple of little things…” She pulled him close and whispered her heart’s wishes.

He made them all come true.

THE LETTER CAME one week after their wedding. Caitlin stared at her father’s familiar handwriting and her pounding heart landed in her throat.

“What’s the matter?” Joe came up behind her, slipped his arms around her waist. Leaning over her shoulder, he frowned. “That’s Edmund’s writing. How-?” His arms tightened on her in reaction. “Where did that come from?”

“The mail.” She patted his hand, knowing the gruffness in his voice was grief. “My father’s attorney sent it to me.” Quickly, with fingers that shook, Caitlin ripped open the envelope.

As she read, her heart warmed, tightening in her chest until she thought she might burst with love and happiness. She whirled to face Joe, her eyes burning, her throat thick. In his gaze, she saw equal emotion, and knew he’d already read the note. “He loved me,” she whispered.

“Very much,” Joe whispered back, bending to kiss her softly. “So much that he hid away a trust fund for you. He just wanted to be sure you’d be okay without him. Without his money.”

“It says here that he always knew I was smart, tough-” Her voice cracked a little. “But he wanted me to know it, too.” She smiled through a haze of tears. “He’d have loved that we found each other. He was so proud of you.”

Joe cupped her face and looked down at her with love swimming in his eyes. “He’d be so proud of you, too.”

Caitlin sighed. “I can’t imagine what we’re going to do with all that money.”

“No?” Joe smiled. “A year ago, you wouldn’t have given it a second thought.”

“I’d have shopped until I dropped.” She smiled. “Joe, how do you feel about setting up a charity for women who’ve been dumped on?”

“You mean divorced?”

“Yeah. Or deserted in any way at all.” She grinned. This was the delicious part. “We could train them to make it on their own. Teach them important skills.” She tucked her tongue firmly in her cheek and gazed up at Joe with adoring affection. “You know, such as respect for their employer, making coffee, or…how to pick the proper business attire.”

He gave a shout of laughter and hugged her close.

Suddenly serious, she leaned back. “I want to do this, Joe. We can train them in bookkeeping. Anything. Just so that they don’t feel worthless or helpless. What do you think?”

His breath caught because she could still dazzle him with just a look. “I think I’ve never been more proud, or loved you so much, Caitlin Taylor Brownley.” He bent to give her another kiss, his love, his life.

Jill Shalvisis the award-winning, bestselling author of over a dozen romance novels. She’s been making up stories to keep herself out of trouble since the day she learned to talk, and is very thankful to now get paid for doing what comes naturally.

The idea for Who’s the Boss? has been playing out in her head for quite a while now, starting when her favorite boss fell in love with her ten years ago. Luckily she fell, too, and they’re living happily ever after at Lake Tahoe with their three young children and far too many raccoons!

While this is Jill’s first book for Harlequin Temptation, watch for more to come from this talented and prolific writer.