Free Dressed in Yellow: BBW Contemporary Romance by Karina Ashe

not just that I don’t like being dependent,” she said. “It’s that if you let old country men have an inch, they’ll take a mile. Do you know my mother never wanted to own a restaurant? It wasn’t her dream- it was my father’s. But he talked her into it.”
    Mandira stared at her. “Your mom loves that place.”
    “She does now. Because she has to, because she made herself love it. But what would have happened if she’d been allowed to follow her dream and not my father’s?”
    “It worked out in the end.”
    Aiva sighed. “That’s the problem. She forgot that she didn’t even want to run a restaurant. She forgot her true self.”
    “Or maybe,” Mandira said softly, “she found her true self. Anyway, I hardly think taking a loan from Leon-”
    “What?” Aiva stared at Mandira. “Who said anything about a loan from Leon?”
    Mandira’s unplucked honey brown brow rose slowly. “He’s the man who wants to marry you. And he’s like a quadtrillionaire-“
    “Is that even a word?”
    “-so I think he can afford a measly little loan. It won’t make you dependent on him, Aiva.”
    Her lips tightened. Mandira shoot her head. “Look, Aiva, what’s the alternative? Accept help from your fiancée, or lose your business to your cousin?”
    Aiva swore. She rarely did, but Mandira had a point. As…galling…as it was to ask Leon for help, she really didn’t think he’d be holding it over her head anytime soon. He wasn’t made that way. For one, he already had enough money and people to boss around to prop up his ego- he didn’t need to control Aiva. And secondly, she had a feeling he would be insulted if she didn’t ask him for help. Maybe she could let go of her breath stealing determination to go it alone- just a little. For the greater good of the business, of course. And wouldn’t it be nice not to have to worry for a change.
    Aiva picked up her cell, dialed another number.
    “Aiviana?”
    Leon’s sharp tone came through the line. She stared at her cell a minute, then disconnected. He called back right away, but this wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have over the phone. She wanted him to look her in the eye, to gauge her intentions. Ignoring his next call, she texted him then picked up her purse.
    “Can you hold it down for a few hours?” she asked Mandira.
    “Of course. Aiva-”
    Aiva shook her head, heading out of the shop. “I’ll be back soon. And hopefully with good news.”
    ***
    He started to go looking for her when the text came through.
    : Coming to you:
    So he continued to work, making sure to tell his admin to send Aiva straight up when she arrived. Fortunately, he kept mornings in his schedule clear of conference calls. When she entered he stared at her, stunned as he usually was the first few minutes she came into his presence. 
    She wore a full black skirt with pink dancing unicorns and a narrow waistband, her blouse a pink with a sweetheart neckline and wide straps. He realized, then, just how conscious of women’s clothing he’d become in the last several weeks, scrutinizing every inch of her body because it was his only outlet for the raging desire to take her. To bend her over his desk and flip the skirt up over her plump ass, sinking his cock deep into the dusky flesh until she screamed his name. How many times had he come just one breathy plea close to damning his word to her father and spreading her legs wide open before him, exposing her full tits to feast? Too many times. His fist clenched. Patience. Had to have patience.
    Aiva stopped in front of him, red lips frowning, kohl lined eyes staring at him wryly. He smoothed his expression, rounding his desk and placing a benign kiss on her forehead. Her head titled, dark curls falling over her shoulders.
    “Is something wrong?” she asked in the low voice that sent fire straight to his cock.
    “No. I should be asking you that, though.”
    She looked away, mouth tightening. When her eyes met his again, the gleam