Viola James

Getting Hubby Promoted

CHAPTER ONE

"Christ, Jill, you're not going to unpack now, are you? I thought we were going down to the bar for a drink?"

"If I get it done now, it won't be any trouble later on," answered the beautiful young woman standing by the edge of the bed.

Tom Parker sighed with impatience, looked around the luxuriously decorated living room of the small resort cottage, and then lowered his tall, muscular frame into an armchair in the corner of the room, watching as his wife opened their suitcases and began to unpack. Tom's throat was parched after their long drive to Hidden Valley Resort, and he was really looking forward to that drink. His wife had been frustratingly disagreeable the whole trip, and this last bit of petulance only served to increase Tom's own irritation. He would have much preferred to leave his young wife at home for this week's trip, after all, it was supposed to be a business conference but Harry Sommers, Tom's boss, had insisted that he bring Jill along and there had been nothing he could do. It was going to be a terrible week, Tom decided, and that unpleasant thought made him get up from the armchair and begin to pace the room impatiently.

"Look, Jill, it's hot as hell in here. We'll turn on the air conditioning, and by the time we get back, this place will be bearable."

"I'd rather get it done now, Tom," said Jill, in a tone that clearly showed her own impatience.

"But we agreed that before we did any unpacking, we'd go down to the bar…" Tom began with overbearing exaggeration.

"You go down to the bar if you want to," Jill said testily. "I'm going to unpack. And I want to get a shower and change clothes."

"What the hell do you have to change clothes for?"

"Because I want to! Is that all right with you?"