And a hell of a lot more pleasant. Once this was done . . . then he’d go after her.
Spoken for? Damn right. He’d spoken for her another lifetime ago and that hold was still there. She still felt it.
He just had to prove it to her.
And he would.
After he got through this hell.
* * *
BUSINESS rarely bothered Patrick.
He enjoyed business pursuits of all kinds, and sometimes they came with necessary evils. He accepted them because, in order to excel, he had to handle those small details with the same care he’d apply to the big details.
In the end, it all added up to the big picture.
It mattered.
But in just that moment, he’d rather be doing something other than seeing to business. Back with Ella, preferably. Or . . . ideally . . . at his place, nearly thirty miles away. Private, lush . . . and his. Lush, and his. That was what mattered. Just as Ella was lush . . . and his. Elegant, yet possessing an earthy sensuality that had stunned him rather pleasantly just a short while ago.
He could already imagine it happening again. He thought of having her back at the estate, that elegant sexuality ready for him whenever he wanted. He could see them sitting by the pool, her clad in one of those lovely dresses of hers, her pretty legs neatly crossed. He’d let her hold the cat. Demeter would like her, he thought. He could feast on her with his eyes . . . and then have that tiger she kept inside her come out to play.
His penis twitched at the memory. He wanted more.
But that wouldn’t happen tonight.
If it did, she might get it in her head that she could control him through sex. He wasn’t a man who’d be controlled through any means, and there would be no thinking otherwise.
Still, it had been very nice.
It would happen again.
Soon, this tedious business would be dealt with and his operation would resume functioning like a well-oiled machine. It was his own fault things had gotten tripped up. He’d been focusing on the wedding, thought he’d make it an . . . experience, and while he’d been focusing on that, he hadn’t watched his business as well as he should have.
When a businessman didn’t keep his eye on all aspects of his business, there were problems. Patrick had a problem of epic proportions. His best asset had become his worst nightmare and at the very worst time. Then he’d been forced to replace him, because things were already in motion for the wedding and he simply couldn’t cancel.
That wasn’t about to happen.
This new man was costing him more money, but he was supposed to be top of the line and smoother than glass.
Excellent.
Things would level out and then Patrick could focus on the things that mattered, once his business got back to functioning as it should. Life as normal would resume and he could direct his attention to his career, his other business interests . . . his new wife.
It wouldn’t be long until he had his new wife living on his estate and he could bring out that inner slut whenever he so chose.
It was dark and quiet by the time he pulled through the gates.
The security guard came out and smiled as he recognized him. “Evening, Mr. Whitmore.”
“Hello, Jake. Out to have a drink with a friend. Couldn’t get away any sooner,” he said, giving the guard a pleasant smile. Always best to be friendly and pleasant to the staff. Assholes tended to be remembered. Patrick tried to avoid that.
The guard smiled. “That wedding of yours is getting close. I imagine you’ve got your hands full.” With a nod, he disappeared back inside and the gate swung open, letting Patrick pass through.
Yes, the wedding had his hands full. Although it was the party afterward that was the most pressing detail.
Tonight would help cover the rest of those concerns, though.
As long as this new player worked out.
As he pulled up in front of the cabin he’d set aside for his guest, he smiled. He wondered what the man thought of the accommodations. While they were adequate, they were no doubt lacking, compared to what the man was likely used to.
Patrick had his reasons for doing it, though. One, he could control things, to some extent, on these grounds. Observe who came and went. And he had people on his payroll who would see to it things would be . .