How she managed to keep a straight face right then, Lana didn’t know. Here she was, working hard to clear her name, and all he cared about was keeping an eye on her in case she stole his precious money. Oh, how she wished she could come clean about Dan buying the apartment. She’d love to see the shock on Matt’s face.
She grimaced inwardly. Unfortunately, then he’d be asking her where the fifty thousand dollars went. And when she couldn’t tell him—she was innocent, after all—he’d start investigating her background more than he’d evidently done already. And then Dan’s private life would be at risk of being leaked to the newspapers.
No, she couldn’t let that happen.
“You may be right, Irene,” she said, and went back to her office, running into Evan along the way. The man had a knowing look in his eyes that set her blood boiling again. For Irene to know that Matt was checking her work was totally humiliating. But for Evan to know, and possibly the others—it made her want to sink right through the floor.
Unable to sit still a moment more, she strode back down the corridor. Irene was nowhere to be seen, but she wouldn’t have cared anyway. This was between her and her husband.
Through the open door, she could see the man in question sitting at his desk. Without pause she stepped inside his office and shut the door behind her.
He looked up as she approached the desk.
“Damn you, Matt.”
He put down his pen and leaned back in his leather chair, looking very much the employer. “I’m sure you’re going to tell me what the problem is.”
She hated his complacency. “This is the second time this week you’ve gone over my head.”
“And this is the second time you’ve stormed into a room uninvited.”
A picture of her storming into his bedroom came to mind, but she shook it off. He was just trying to knock her off balance because he knew he was in the wrong here.
“You’ve been checking all my work. You’ve embarrassed me greatly, Matt.”
“As opposed to being embarrassed if one of the others found you stealing money?” he derided.
She drew a sharp breath. “I didn’t steal anything.”
“Prove it.”
“I will when I get a chance, but you’re undermining me. If the real thief thinks you’re checking my work, then he might suspect we know the money is missing. He might realize that you’re blaming me. And then he’d have to know I’m trying to prove my innocence.”
Matt got to his feet and came around the desk. “How do you know it’s a he?”
She was taken aback. Was he actually beginning to believe her?
She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t know. It may not be a man. I was just assuming it might be.”
He stopped right in front of her. “Don’t assume anything, Lana. It could get you into trouble.”
She frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Assuming can be dangerous.” A purposeful gleam appeared in his eyes, his tone silky. “Like last night for instance. When I saw you in that short nightgown I could have assumed you wanted me to make love to you.”
She caught her breath. “I wasn’t…I didn’t…”
“Didn’t you?”
“No! I can’t believe you thought—”
He fastened his mouth on hers and for a stunned second everything held still. Then his firm lips began to move. Her heart kick-started again just as his tongue slipped inside and took command.
Her legs buckled at the intimacy. She wanted to pull away, not to let him have such control over her, but the incomparable richness of his tongue on hers was a lure she couldn’t resist.
He wrenched his mouth away.
And suddenly it was over.
He let her go.
“Next time you storm into my office,” he growled, “this is what you’ll get.”
She was at a loss for words.
Lost for want of him.
His eyes burned into her. “And heaven help you if you ever storm into my bedroom again like you did Sunday night.”
Panic stirred in her chest, but she somehow subdued it.
She pulled her shoulders back. “For the record I did not go out in my nightgown to seduce you,” she said icily. “And for the record I did not steal any money.”
She spun on her heel and left him to it, vaguely aware of her brother-in-law Nick coming out of the elevator and saying hello, as she muttered a reply and swept past him to her office. Right now she wasn’t feeling too kindly to any Valente.
Her hands were shaking by the time she got back to her desk. Oh God. That kiss had shot down all her hard-earned defenses. And now, somehow, she had to scramble to put them up again.
“Now, that’s one pretty pissed off lady,” Nick drawled, entering Matt’s office.
Matt schooled his features and returned to his chair, silently cursing himself. “Mind your own business, Nick.”
“Hmm. Touchy, are we?”
“No.” He watched Nick park himself on the chair opposite. Damn him. Brothers could be such a pain at times, and his brothers in particular. They always thought they were right.
Nick’s mouth quirked. “You know, Matt. I haven’t told you this before but I find something really funny.”
Okay, he’d bite.
“What?”
“I find it hilarious that after Alex and I warned you about Dad’s plan to make you marry, you ended up doing it to yourself.”
“Shut up, big brother.”
It took a moment for the amusement to leave Nick’s face. His eyes sharpened as he seemed to realize this was more than serious. “What’s the problem?”
Matt winced. Okay, so his brothers liked to tease, but they were always concerned for his welfare. “Sorry. It’s not a good time to be discussing my personal life right now.”
“So things really aren’t going well between you and Lana?”
“Let’s say they could be better.”
Nick considered that. “Sasha and I had some rough patches, too. Not in the bedroom, mind you. We always seem to be communicable on that level.” He looked at Matt speculatively. “Oh, hell. You two haven’t slept together, have you?”
Matt’s mouth twisted. “We did once. It’s how Megan came to be here.”
Nick waved a dismissive hand. “I mean since you’ve been married.”