by Layla Hagen
“Max, I can’t believe you,” I exclaimed.
He grinned from ear to ear. “What gave me away? Was it the hair? Damn, I’m losing my touch.”
Despite myself, I laughed. “Winston, my mistake. This is Christopher’s identical twin brother, Max.”
The next second, Christopher joined us on the corridor. He, too, was smiling.
“You’ve plotted this?” I asked them.
“Of course, we did,” Christopher said.
“What’s the use for having an identical twin if you don’t get up to no good from time to time,” Max added jovially. “We should do it more often. My skills are getting rusty.”
“So are mine. We’re out of practice.”
Christopher and Winston shook hands. “Winston, welcome.”
“It’s great meeting you,” Winston said with a warm smile. I was grinning from ear to ear.
Christopher nodded. “Let’s go meet the others.”
The clan was spread throughout the enormous living room. There were several couches and armchairs. Victoria waved enthusiastically. We first greeted Jenna and Richard, and I introduced Winston to all the Bennetts in the room before we made our way to Victoria. Blake was with her.
“Welcome,” Victoria said.
“Thanks. Heard many stories about the family gatherings. Happy to be here.”
There he went with that charm of his. My ex had been completely cold with the family... probably why I didn’t even invite him very often. Sometimes I still couldn’t believe I’d stayed in that relationship for as long as I had.
“Make yourself at home. Christmas is always a big deal. Don’t let it scare you,” Christopher said. “But a word of warning: You don’t treat Sienna right, you’ve got a problem on your hands. A Bennett-sized problem.”
Totally saw that coming.
“There’s a lot of Bennetts to go around,” Blake added helpfully.
Well! Didn’t see that coming.
Winston chuckled. “I’m well aware.”
Blake wiggled his eyebrows just as his twin, Daniel, joined us. “Did Max and Christopher play their bit already?”
“Yup,” I confirmed.
“How long did it take you to sniff them out?” Daniel asked.
“About five seconds.”
He winked. “That’s my Sienna.”
Victoria shook her head. “So now that we have the awkward moment behind us, how about some drinks?”
“Yes. Please. Give me all the eggnog,” I said. “Winston?”
“Sure.”
Spending time with the Bennetts was usually my happy place, but this was pure magic, and I couldn’t get enough of it.
Just looking at all the kids running around made me smile.
It was loud, it was crazy, and I loved every second of it. I just hoped that Winston loved it too. I could see us attending next year’s Christmas party together, and the one after that. I was in this even deeper than I’d thought.
We never spoke about the future, and honestly, I didn’t want to be the one of those nagging girlfriends. I wouldn’t even know what to say, anyway.
I was head over heels in love with this man. I could tell him this, right? That was something to look forward to.
Sebastian snapped my attention back to the room. He held up his glass.
“It’s not a toast, people. Just wanted to tell everyone thank you for being here. I love that some things never change in the Bennett family. Dad will always be stubborn, we use every chance to gather as a group, and everyone meddles in everyone’s business.”
That just about summed it up.
“Don’t forget that Blake will change alliances every week,” I piped up. Everyone laughed, and we moved toward the dining room.
My favorite part of the evening was always after dinner, though. We had a tradition of hanging the star on the Christmas tree together. It was a little bittersweet for me, because Mom had hand-painted the star. Chloe, Victoria, and Lucas lit up.
It brought me joy too, but my heart always grew so heavy that I had a knot in my throat for the rest of the evening. Luckily, I’d always been able to disguise it pretty well.
My heart squeezed as we opened the box, taking out the star. Mom always did that. She’d take it out and polish it, then she and Dad would bicker over who would climb the ladder to put it on the tree. Eventually, they let us kids vote. They made a whole show of it.
***
Winston
I realized something was amiss the second they brought out the box. Sienna’s demeanor changed. Not by much, but enough for me to notice. She seemed smaller, somehow. Her arms were crossed over her chest but not in a defensive pose, more like she was bracing herself, and when Chloe took the star out of the box, Sienna turned her head sideways, closing her eyes briefly. She was trying to rein in tears, I realized. In a matter of seconds, I placed my hand on her waist. She startled for a brief second before leaning into me. I had no idea what had brought on this wave of emotion, but I wanted to be there for her, comforting her in any way I could.
I waited until I could have a moment alone with her. When everyone returned to the couches and armchairs, I pulled her into the hallway.
“You okay?” I whispered.
“Yes. Just... Mom and I made that star. Always makes me emotional to see it. But Chloe, Victoria, and Lucas love it so much.” She smiled, but it was a bit wobbly.
She felt raw every time they took that star out of the box. It wasn’t easy for her, and still she did it because it made her siblings happy. I’d never met someone with Sienna’s quiet and deep strength. It made me want to hold on to her and not let go.
Ever.
I drew my thumb over her lips before leaning in to capture her mouth. I needed to kiss her more than anything else, feel close to her, one with her. This woman. Did she even know everything she made me feel? I wanted to love her. Protect her.
“Let’s join the others,” she whispered afterward.
“If you insist.”
She grinned. “I do. Come on, the best conversations are after dinner, when everyone has their bellies full.”
Sienna was right. It was as if everyone had ten times more energy than before dinner. They talked about everything, and it was fascinating to watch the siblings ask each other’s opinion and help in matters of business or just their personal life. Alice and Blake were asking Christopher about how to best go about implementing a new software in their restaurant and bar business. I almost did a double take when I realized Summer Bennett’s husband was none other than Hollywood A-lister Alexander Westbrook. I wasn’t much of a movie guy, but I wasn’t living under a rock. He was currently discussing the pros and cons of using himself in merchandising campaigns with Sebastian’s wife, Ava, and with Sienna.
Sebastian and Logan, the CFO, approached me after a while to talk shop. “Statham Stores don’t have a jewelry section. Any chance we can get you to reconsider that?”
“I can be talked into it. It’s been on my mind for a while. You’d want to be included just in the stores in the United States, or the ones in Europe as well?”
“Everywhere,” Logan answered.
We agreed to meet early in the New Year and hammer out some details.
I kept a close eye on Sienna the entire evening. I had to admit, I already felt at home, so when we ran out of water, I went to bring new bottles. I’d just entered the kitchen when Lucas and Chloe joined me too. At first I thought it was a coincidence, but something in their body language led me to suspect otherwise.
“Can we talk to you?” Chloe asked.
“Sure.”
“So, we just want to ask you to be nice to Sienna,” Chloe said.
Wait a second... were they giving me the talk? Yes, yes, they were.
“Yes, very nice,” Lucas emphasized. “Not like the last asshole she dated.”
“He made her cry a few times.” Chloe looked so sad that it just broke my heart. It also made me angry as hell. I should’ve punched
that moron.
“I promise I won’t make her cry. Sienna deserves the best, and that’s exactly what I plan to give her.”
Chloe sighed. “That’s romantic. Just like in the movies. I told you he was a good guy, Lucas. He looks like a good guy.”
Lucas was still watching me intently, scrutinizing me. “Time will tell.”
“I promise to report if Sienna cries,” Chloe said solemnly. I laughed.
“You guys have a strategy for this?”
Lucas nodded.
“Love how thorough you are.”
That earned me a full-on smile from Lucas.
“We spoke with Christopher too when he first started dating Victoria,” he informed me.
I grinned. Of course they did.
“Let’s go back before Sienna gets suspicious,” Lucas said.
“Yeah. This lasted one and a half minutes more than we planned,” Chloe added.
They’d planned this down to the minute? Smiling, I followed them into the living room. I already loved these kids.
As the evening wound down, it was obvious Sienna was hoping to spend the entire weekend with Lucas. It was adorable watching her fight with herself over not wanting to encroach in his personal space too much, but at the same time wanting to spend as much time with him as possible.
“Do you have time for lunch tomorrow? And then maybe a movie?” she suggested.
“I can do lunch, but then I’m seeing some friends.”
“And Sunday?”
“Sunday I have plans, but dinner is free.”
Sienna pouted. “And I thought you’d come especially for us.”
“You too. But since I’m here, I’m also going to catch up with my friends.”
She was adorable, all frazzled and doting on him. “Okay. See you at lunch, then.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Winston
Sienna was still a little out of it when we returned to the apartment.
“What did you think about tonight?” she asked.
“Best Christmas dinner I’ve ever been too. Don’t tell Mom that. We just don’t have an extended family, so she always invites friends, but it’s not the same. Love the clan. Chloe and Lucas are great kids.”
“I know, right?”
“They love you very much.”
“I—wait a second, how do you know?”
“It’s obvious.”
“You’re hiding something.”
I rolled my eyes. “They might have given me the talk.”
“Holy shit. They did? When?”
“When I went to the kitchen.”
“They learned that from me. We grilled Christopher too.”
“They told me that. It was fun.”
“I can’t believe he didn’t tell anyone he was coming. And that he’s only here for two days. I already miss him.”
“We’re seeing him on both days,” I reminded her.
She pressed her lips together in a cute, mutinous expression. “That doesn’t mean I can’t miss him already. What do you want to do? It’s not so late.”
“I have an idea. Why don’t we watch one of those Christmas movies you like so much?”
She blinked, holding her hand to my forehead. “Mr. Grinch, do you have a fever?”
“No, but I did have a few eggnogs. And I know the movie will lift your mood.”
She pressed her lips together before stepping back and wiggling her hips.
“What are you doing?”
“Small victory dance. Can’t believe I’m slowly luring you over to the dark side.”
“I have one request.”
“Nothing’s ever straightforward with you.”
“We have to watch naked.”
She wiggled her hips some more. “Sounds like a fair deal to me.”
I caught her by the waist, kissing her shoulder.
“Come on. Choose something to watch.”
“You’re trusting me blindly?”
“Yeah.”
“You might come to regret it.”
“Can’t be that bad.”
She ended up choosing a movie called The Holiday. I just held her in my arms, waiting for her to share with me what was weighing on her... or not. I understood if all she needed was quiet, just knowing that I was here for her.
“This feels so good,” she muttered when I closed my arms even tighter around her.
“I’m beginning to think my arms are your favorite pillow.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. Your chest is my favorite pillow.”
“My bad. Of course, it is.”
She returned her focus on the TV.
“Do you know every scene?”
“Probably every line.” She was lying on top of me on the couch, squirming and shifting.
“You’re a full-body, comfy pillow.”
“Ouch.”
“Hey, it’s a compliment.”
“Comfy pillow? Really.”
“Muscly pillow any better?”
I cupped her head, attempting to pull her in to a kiss. She playfully shoved me away.
“Don’t make me miss Jude Law stumbling drunk into the cottage.”
“You know the movie by heart anyway.”
“What’s that got to do with anything?”
I laughed when she put her head back on my chest. Okay, so maybe the movie wasn’t that bad. And Sienna was smiling ear-to-ear again.
It was past midnight by the time the movie ended, but I felt wide awake. Propping her chin on my chest, Sienna watched me intently. Her megawatt grin was back. Even her eyes were brighter.
“There’s something on your mind. Work-related,” she said.
“How can you tell?”
She traced her finger on my forehead. “This particular broody line only appears when you’re thinking about work.”
I caught her hand, biting her finger teasingly. “Need to look over a spreadsheet, double-check some values.”
“Did Jo already look at it?”
Jo was our CFO.
“Haven’t shown it to her yet.”
She sat up on the couch, rubbing her hands. “Let’s look at it. An extra set of eyes won’t hurt.”
“You’re sure?”
“Aye, captain.”
“What’s the thing with the captain?”
She shrugged. “No clue. Just thought it fits you. They’re all bossy in all the movies I’ve seen.”
“Very reliable source,” I teased.
I retrieved my laptop from the bedroom. When I returned to the living room, Sienna was wearing her dress.
“What’s up with that?”
“I can’t work naked. Feels wrong.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “Do you mind if I work naked, or is it too distracting?”
She blushed, skimming her hands down the side of her thighs, but didn’t answer.
We perused the spreadsheet together.
“Doesn’t look like there’s a mistake,” Sienna said, finally.
“Thanks.”
“If you close the store, is there a way to get work placements for the team right away? Especially for those over fifty? They’ll have the toughest time in the job market.”
“I’m working on that. It’s on my list of priorities.”
I fell for her even more when I realized she cared for the employees as much as I did. She had no risk. A billion-dollar company was waiting to employ her, and yet she cared.
“I think you should tell your parents. I would tell mine. Hell, I’m telling Victoria everything. Well... everyone kind of tells everyone everything in the Bennett clan.”
I laughed. “I saw that.”
“I’m sure they’ll have an input. They have a lot of experience, after all.”
“I’ll think about it.”
I meant it. She’d changed my perspective on several things. After seeing them through her eyes, I thought about them differently. I was paying attention to things I hadn’t seen before. I’d been happy with the life
I’d envisioned before, but now that this lovely, adorable woman had come along, I couldn’t imagine my life without Sienna in it.
“What’s with that look?” she asked.
“Nothing.” My tone was teasing. She narrowed her eyes.
“I think there’s more to it, and I want to know.”
“Demanding today.”
“Learned from a certain bossy... boss.”
She straddled me, resting both hands on my chest.
“Warning you, if you don’t tell me, I’m going to use my extraordinary persuasion skills.”
“If that’s supposed to scare me, it’s not working.”
“That’s because I haven’t started yet.”
“You make me happy, Sienna. It’s as simple as that.”
I could see the emotion etched on her face. I wasn’t the only one who felt how deep this ran, how connected we were. She shimmied in my lap.
“See, the benefits of doing me. We can go straight from work to fun.”
I cupped her cheek, bringing her closer. “I’m not just doing you. I’m in love with you, Sienna. I love you. So much.”
She grinned, leaning into my touch, before shifting closer in my lap. “I’m head over heels for you. I didn’t know if I should say it, or if it was too soon.”
“What convinced you?”
“You completely won me over with the Christmas movie.”
“Love your priorities.”
I kissed her the next second, getting us both off the couch. I walked her backward through the room, gripping her hips tightly, skimming my mouth over her neck, so hungry for her that I barely held back from tearing that light fabric from her body. I couldn’t get enough of her to stop for a breather. I wanted to keep kissing, to keep touching. We came to a halt in the narrow, dark hallway. I pinned her against the wall, tracing the contour of her V-neckline with my mouth.
“Winston,” she whispered. Hearing her say my name in that low, uneven voice was doing unspeakable things to me. I did away with her dress the next second.
I traced my fingers between her breasts and further down in a straight line to her navel. I couldn’t see her but exploring her in the dark had its perks. My other senses were on alert. I felt the light tremor in her body, the way her breath hitched in anticipation of what I was going to do to her.
I dragged my thumb along the hem of her panties, feeling her contract the muscles in her belly. I slid my knee between her legs, nudging them apart. She opened the next second. I groaned when I felt her mouth on my neck. I hadn’t seen her lean forward, hadn’t anticipated this. I felt the touch of her tongue right along my cock. Damn, if she kept at this, I was going to take her right here in this hallway.
