After a particularly harrowing fight, she went to the doctor and got on the pill. She'd never had trouble with the pill before, and if they were going to be in a relationship, she thought it was for the best. But she hated to bring a relationship or anything long term up with him. So she didn't. She just went on the pill, and when it was safe, she told him.
Their relationship improved somewhat from that point. The sex was fantastic, and she could still remember the first moment he'd pushed completely naked into her. That time had been frenetic, crazy, fast.
And, oh God, it just kept getting better and better.
The birth control pill had calmed him, or more aptly, the lack of condoms had calmed him. Not calmed him completely, but just enough to take the edge off. He was more leisurely, and he seemed to enjoy every facet of their lovemaking.
He also never brought up her quitting her job again. She didn't think he had forgotten about it, but it wasn't a priority with him anymore. His sexual needs were being met, and the days at the office were on a much more even keel.
Until the day James Cameron walked in the office.
"Hey there, beautiful." His smile and swagger would surely send some lucky woman into ecstasy someday, but she wasn't that woman.
She smiled back. "Hi. How've you been, James?" He approached her desk, leaned down and let his mega-watt smile loose.
"Lost without you, sweetheart." He winked at her.
"Right. Do those lines actually work?" His smile was infectious, and she grinned back at him.
"You'd be surprised, Renee. Although Thibodeaux beat me this time, let's just say I don't usually come in second. In fact, I've got my eye on this little bartender--"
A door slammed and Robert walked into the room. Renee looked up and saw a menacing scowl cross his features.
He prowled over to them. He slammed a manila folder at James and said, "Here are the docs you need. Get out."
James laughed. "Jesus Christ, Thibodeax. How the fuck do you plan on staying in business if you treat every client the way you treat me?"
Robert fought to get a grip while James continued to berate him. "You're lucky I'm so goddamn easy-going, or I'd have quit your ass a long time ago. Why don't you marry her so you can curb these murderous tendencies of yours? Maybe then you wouldn't be so fucking scared somebody's going to steal her away from you. Tie her to you, man." James glanced into the folder and nodded his satisfaction with what he saw there. Then he looked at Renee.
"Good luck with this one. I'll see ya'll in about six weeks." He turned and left the building.
Renee looked at Robert. He was watching her with a stunned look on his face. Finally he spoke. "I ought to fucking do that."
Renee's heart got clogged in her throat as she stared at him. She heard a slight cough from the hallway and she and Robert turned in unison to face a smiling Mrs. Argonet who said, "Yes, dear, why don't you fucking marry her? That's why I hired her for you, after all. So much trouble I've gone through finding just the right girl for you. I hope you appreciate all my hard work young man."
Robert's face slowly turned from frustrated to satisfied. He slowly smiled as he answered his long-time secretary. "Yes, ma'am, I do."
Epilogue
Three weeks later, Renee and Robert were lounging on his couch, his arms around her. His fingers entwined with hers, and he slid the wedding band and two-carat solitaire around on her finger.
His voice was husky when he spoke. "I still can't believe she could have been that scheming."
Renee laughed. "She loves you Robert. You're like a son to her and she's been taking care of you a long time."
"Yeah, I know, but to plot against me like that in my own office--"
She turned in his arms. "Plot against you?" Renee's voice was soft and slid through his bloodstream in a calming rhythm. "She was plotting for you. Hasn't it all worked out? Don't you like me taking care of you at home and at the office?"
"Yeah, I like it." Satisfaction laced his voice and his arms tightened. "I like it a lot."
She smiled the smile that calmed his soul. "That's good because I'm passed my ninety days. I won." Her voice carried humor and happiness. "You can't fire me now."
"Never in a million years. I love you, baby."
She let out a small, satisfied sigh, "I love you, too."
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