His Dirty Secret

She waved her hands in a dismissal and turned her back before Isobel even had the chance to formulate a response. Silently seething, she threw the coat over the coat rack and went in search of Tyler. Just who the hell did the bitch think she was talking to her like that?

She knocked on Tyler’s office door, and at his prompt she opened the door and walked in, dismayed to see the obnoxious woman sat on the leather couch in his office. “I’m sorry to interrupt, Mr. James, but could I possibly see you for a second?” She kept her tone neutral when all she wanted to do was rant and rave about how the mysterious woman had treated her. She wasn’t usually a person to tell tales, but she was damned if she was going to simply stand back and take being treated like a second-class citizen.

A look crossed Tyler’s face that could only be described as relief. “Certainly, Ms. Cairns.” He stood up and walked towards her and then looked back at the woman draped on his couch. “Excuse me, Jessica. This shouldn’t take long, but it depends on what it is that Isobel needs.”

Isobel felt herself turning beet red when Tyler turned his head in her direction and actually winked at her. He knew exactly what it was that she needed, the smug bastard. And, judging by the snooty woman’s indignant expression, she had a good idea too although she didn’t actually say anything and just contented herself by giving Tyler a black look that would have had most men quaking in their proverbial boots.

“I would tell you to make yourself comfortable,” Tyler was addressing ‘Jessica’ again, “but you always do, so I won’t bother. I’ll be back when I’ve dealt with business.”

~

Chapter Nine

~

Tyler held the door open and Isobel preceded him out of the office, pausing to turn around and face him when he’d also exited and closed the door behind him. “I assume that that’s your wife?” She nodded her head in the direction of the door, with a thoughtful scowl that stirred Tyler’s loins and had him wanting to kiss the petulant look off her beautiful face.

“I wish I could say no, but unfortunately you’re correct in your assumption.” He started to walk off down the corridor, in the opposite direction to the rooms they had ‘played’ in previously, much to Isobel’s disappointment.

“She knows the other rooms up here, although she’s never been in them like you have.” Tyler explained, seeing the look that crossed Isobel’s face before she could disguise it. “I wouldn’t put it past her to come looking for us, but she’ll never think of looking in here because it’s totally beneath her.” He opened a door and Isobel walked past him into what was very obviously a cleaning closet and supply room.

She chuckled as she turned to face him when he closed the door behind them. “Yes, I’d say it’s definitely beneath her. I don’t think her mink would approve.” She grinned as Tyler laughed. Did he have any idea how much younger he looked when he actually smiled?

“I have to say that your wife is without a doubt, one of the snootiest, bitchiest women I’ve ever met in my life.” He probably didn’t want to hear that, but tough shit; it was the truth. “She practically threw her damn fur coat at me and then told me in no uncertain terms that I and my job were menial and unworthy.”

Tyler’s face took on a ruddy hue, and Isobel wasn’t sure if it was because of what she’d said or what his wife had said. “I’m sor…”

Isobel cut him off before he could even get the apology out of his mouth. It wasn’t his place to apologize for his wife, and it wasn’t him that had said those things to her and made her feel small and useless. She took the two steps she needed to bring her up close to him and reached up with her hands to grasp the lapels of his suit jacket, giving them a tug as she went on tiptoe and raised her face to his. Tyler bowed his head and her lips claimed his in a kiss that was as passionate as it was tender; tongues tangling and dancing and teeth gently nipping as they came together in the warmest embrace they’d shared so far.