His Dirty Secret

Oh man, she wished he hadn’t asked her that. “I found a ring in your desk drawer and it looked like it might be a wedding band. Are you married, Tyler?” She took another gulping breath and sat back in her chair to await whatever fate and answer he gave her.

“In my desk…” Isobel watched his color deepen and his eyes darken. Tyler was pissed off, and she knew that it was justified. “What the fuck were you doing going through my desk?” She very rarely heard him swear, so the fact that he did it now showed her just how angry he really was.

“Like I said, I was curious. I know I shouldn’t have done it, Tyler, and I’m sorry, but…” She jumped as he brought his hand down on the table, making the plates and silverware rattle.

“You’re damn right you shouldn’t have done it.” His back was rigid and Isobel quivered in her seat. But it was too late to take her words back now. All she could do was sit there and wait for whatever came next.

Tyler sighed again and ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it sexily and making Isobel wish they were back at the office rather than sat in a restaurant. Coming to a decision, he squared his shoulders again and started talking. “I don’t agree with what you did, but I can understand why you did it. I need to be honest with you if we are to continue with our office relationship, but please understand that I have very good reasons for not volunteering the information previously.”

Isobel sat silently; suddenly nervous about what he was about to say and what the impact on her might be once he’d said it.

“The ring you found is indeed a wedding band, and it does belong to me.” Isobel felt her heart sink. She’d never had an affair with a married man before, and she distinctly abhorred the knowledge that she’d embarked on one now, albeit unknowingly. “However, it’s a marriage of convenience and not one of love, so I don’t consider myself to be a husband in the conventional sense of the word.”

“Married is married, Tyler, no matter what the reason behind the marriage or the emotion that is or isn’t in it.” Isobel felt stupidly close to tears. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d only known the guy for a few days, and nothing about their relationship was conventional or traditional, so why on earth did she feel so betrayed? “I’ll send my resignation when we get back to the office.”

“There’s no need for that, Isobel. Please don’t make any hasty decisions until you’ve heard the whole story.” He paused as the waitress came and placed their meals in front of them. Neither he nor Isobel picked up their silverware and started to eat; thinking more about what was being said rather than the food.

As the waitress left the table, he took a breath and continued talking. “The woman I’m married to is the daughter of the owner of Holbrook Holdings. Have you heard of the company?” Isobel nodded to let him know that she had. “We married so that we could merge the two companies and consolidate our assets. Holbrook had dealings with a number of my rival companies, and I had dealings with a few that they wanted to get their claws into. It was mutually beneficial to us both at the time and more secure than a mere contract. It meant that in the long term I knew that my company was going to grow.”

He hadn’t taken his eyes off Isobel while he talked, and she could clearly see the sincerity, as well as hear it in his tone. “It’s a paper marriage, Isobel. It means nothing to either of us other than the wellbeing of our respective companies.”

Isobel sat there in thoughtful silence for a few minutes, formulating what she wanted to say next. “Is your company secure now?”

“Yes, it is. We’ve actually grown exponentially in the last five years, so it’s even bigger than I initially anticipated.” She loved the look of pride that flitted across his face.

“Then why are you still married to her?” The question was one that she hadn’t been sure she should ask, but it was something that she had to know.

Tyler laughed sardonically. “To be honest with you, I have no earthly idea. Maybe it’s because I’ve never thought about doing anything about it. It suited us both to be married; kept away unwanted attention from unsuitable people, both on a personal and a professional basis.” His expression changed to one of thoughtfulness as he seemed to digest his own words. “I’m not so sure if it suits me as much now though, and neither one of us is happy with our lives the way things are now.”