Prologue
A RUDE AWAKENING
A chilling finger of night air tickled her bare back and in her sleep, she moved toward the warmth and protection of the body that shared the bed. A heavy hand moved to her thigh and disturbed her and she could feel herself drifting up to consciousness. She tried to roll away from the source of irritation but strong arms imprisoned her. Toni mumbled a sleepy protest, suddenly aware of the urgency of the tight embrace. "No more...." she murmured crossly. "I'm tired."
It was true. She felt sore and drained and exhausted. The arms refused to release her and the heavy hand continued to roam greedily over the curve of her hip and smoothness of her stomach. She jerked awake as it moved again in crude aggression. "Damn you, Stan!" she cried, twisting in angry withdrawal. "I told you I didn't want to-"
She stopped short, blinking in momentary surprise as she stared into the unfamiliar face that grinned at her from the other pillow. It wasn't her husband's face. The naked man in her bed wasn't her husband ... but instead, her husband's boss.
Elliot chuckled amusedly. "Remember me?"
Toni nodded slowly, resignedly. It all came back to her. She recalled the reason for her tiredness, her soreness, her exhaustion. She remembered the feverish hours of shameless sensuality that had robbed her of all energy. "I thought you went home," she whispered dully, knowing why he had stayed and what he wanted from her and that, if Stan was to get the promotion, she'd have no choice but to do whatever Elliot asked of her.