Cole moved behind her and gently massaged the tension from her shoulders. But instead of relaxing her, his touch set fire to her skin, making her want to lean back into his hands. Possibilities for the night ahead teased her, but she tried to push them aside, knowing there was important work to be done.

“It must be that fantastic smile.”

She couldn’t stop the bitterness. “It must be Blackmore’s Gourmet Chocolates. The illusion of power does amazing things to people.”

Cole’s hands dropped away, and Darci felt a flash of guilt. Slowly, she turned in her chair until she was facing him. The expression on his face made her uneasy. “I didn’t mean—”

“Yes, you did. And it’s the truth. I married you for the company. But I do care for you.” His hand curved around her cheek as his lips formed a lopsided grin. “I don’t love you, but we both knew that going into this mess.”

She waited, for something, anything, her heart thudding heavily at his touch.

“Can he hurt us?”

Darci blinked, trying to sort through the physical sensations bombarding her and focus on the meaning of his words. “No, I don’t think he can. He was on Mother’s side when it came to running the business, but he doesn’t have the power to do anything now.”

Cole nodded in satisfaction as his fingers traced a path over her skin. “Tell me about what happened with Jeffrey.”

She started to feel claustrophobic. Gulping at the air that seemed to be disappearing at an alarming rate, she gasped, “I’d rather not.”

“Darci, if I’m going to help you slay these dragons, I need to know how dangerous they are. What happened?”

Almost desperate to be free of the sensations flaring through her, she jumped up and turned to face the window, her arms hugged across her stomach. “He only slept with another woman. And I made the mistake of walking in on them.” Her laugh echoed with the agony of the betrayal.

“I was going to surprise him with a late dinner, but I was the one who got the surprise. When I threw his ring at him and left, he had the audacity to follow me home, thinking he could explain it away. But a naked woman in his apartment was a little difficult to justify, even to someone as naive and trusting as I am.”

Darci sucked in a ragged breath, trying to hold off the pain. “We ended up in a shouting match, and he told me he was only marrying me for the company, anyway, so it didn’t make any difference.” She swallowed, trying to remove the emotions quivering in her voice. “But it did make a difference. I thought I loved him, and it hurt to find out it was all a sham.”

Cole’s hands settled on her shoulders, and very gently he turned her around. His lips touched her hair; drifting down to her forehead before touching her lips. Nibbling and coaxing, he encouraged her to open her mouth to him.