So, she accepted their affair for what it was, and just hoped to God that she didn’t compare every guy she dated after this weekend to Christian. Ha! Fat chance, she thought. Because despite her little pep talk, she knew deep in her heart this was a man who could have been the one for her.
Oh, Amanda, Angie said softly, consolingly. I’m so sorry.
Amanda appreciated her guardian angel’s empathy, especially since Angie had been so against her involvement with Christian from the beginning. For good reasons, obviously. It appeared that Angie did know best after all. “Hey, it was a one-shot deal, and we both knew it going into this weekend.”
More like five or six shots, Desiree said, using a bit of innuendo in her attempt to lighten the mood. But really, who’s counting?
Amanda laughed and shook her head. “Obviously, you are.”
The door behind Amanda slowly pushed open, and she glanced into the mirror to find Christian standing there, looking incredible sexy and gorgeous. He was wearing a soft gray, New York Mets pullover sweatshirt and a pair of jeans, and his thick hair was tousled around his head, as if the wind had combed his hair this morning. She had no idea when he’d returned from the café, or what, if anything, he’d overheard.
He tipped his head and grinned at her. “You talking to yourself again?”
She felt a surge of heat travel up her neck to her face, and didn’t bother to try and evade his question. “Umm, guilty as charged.”
He casually leaned a shoulder against the doorjamb, settling in for the moment. “You know, it really does sound as though you’re talking to someone, and not just yourself.” There was an abundance of curiosity in his gaze, along with something deeper that told her he suspected there was more to her one-way conversations than she was letting on.
The man was too perceptive, and she turned around to face him. “Actually, I kind of am talking to someone else.” She didn’t know what possessed her to make that confession to him, but once it was out, she couldn’t take it back. Besides, he’d caught her muttering to herself so many times that he was probably beginning to think she was a little psychotic.
“One of those invisible, imaginary friends from childhood?” he guessed, amusement dancing in his eyes.
She’d come this far, and figured what the hell. “There are two of them, actually.”
She truly expected him to burst out laughing at her elaborate tale, to tell her to stop pulling his leg, but instead he played along. “Really? Care to introduce me?”
He crossed his arms over his chest and didn’t seem inclined to move from guarding the door—which kept her pretty well trapped in the bathroom. She stared at his expression, judging his sincerity, and couldn’t miss the genuine interest in his eyes.
She’d never, ever told anyone about the duo, not even her father. But in a very short span of time she’d come to trust Christian, and knew that just as he’d understood about her array of colorful designer shoes, he’d understand this particular quirk about her, as well.
“Well, there’s Angie on the right, who is the angelic side of my conscience,” she said, pointing to her right shoulder, even though she knew Christian couldn’t see anyone sitting there. “And then there’s Desiree on the left, who is the more daring side. Angie keeps me in line and makes sure I’m doing the right thing, and Desiree is the one who is constantly trying to tempt me to be more adventurous.”
He chuckled. “I think Desiree and I would get along just fine.”
Amanda didn’t doubt that for a moment, given his own bad-boy reputation. “They’ve been with me since I was twelve.”
His humor fled, replaced by a serious, tender expression. “When your mother died?” he asked.
She was amazed that he’d made that connection, which proved just how much he’d paid attention during their conversation yesterday. “I went through a really tough time after my mother passed away, especially since she was a stay-at-home mom. All of a sudden, I was coming home to an empty house after school until my father got home from work. So, I felt as though I had to make a lot of decisions on my own.”
A small, knowing smile curved the corner of his mouth. “And that’s where Angie and Desiree come in?”
Nodding, she leaned back against the bathroom counter, suddenly aware of the fact that she was still only wearing a towel. But, it was obvious that Christian wasn’t letting her go anywhere until she finished explaining.
“Whenever I had an issue with peer pressure, or something came up with a friend that I didn’t know how to handle, Angie was there to try and guide me in the right direction, while Desiree did her best to coax me into trouble. But, in the end, Angie usually won because I didn’t want to give my father any reason to be disappointed in me, in any way.”
“I think your father is very proud of the woman you’ve become,” he said, as if he knew for certain it was so.
“I think so, too,” she said and smiled. “But who knows how I would have ended up without Angie and Desiree’s influence.”
“You would have ended up just as you are. An incredibly smart and beautiful woman, inside and out.” He pushed away from the door and closed the distance between them. Placing his hands on the curve of her waist, he leaned into her, intimately close. “You’re the one who made all the right decisions and choices throughout the years, Amanda. And if it helps you to believe that you had a bit of assistance along the way, well, there’s nothing wrong with that.”
She reached up and placed her palm on his cheek, and swallowed past the surge of emotion crowding in her chest. “Thank you,” she whispered, wondering if he realized just how much his words meant to her. It was as if he understood how insecure and vulnerable she’d been after her mother’s death, and now that she’d finally talked about that time in her life, she suddenly felt lighter. Stronger in both mind and spirit. It was an awesome, overwhelming feeling, one she wholeheartedly welcomed.
And she owed this man for setting a part of her free and for giving her such a precious gift.
“But you know what?” he said as a seductive, mischievous gleam entered his eyes, changing the mood from serious to playful. “I have to agree with Desiree. You really do need to be more adventurous.”
She thought about the shoes he’d asked her to wear, the things they’d done with the tie and scarf that even now made her blush. She’d stepped out of her comfort zone with Christian numerous times, and had loved every minute of it. “Don’t you think I’ve been plenty daring this weekend?”
“Eh,” he said, the one word sounding much too doubtful as he lifted her so she was sitting on the vanity and her spread legs bracketed his hips. “Honestly? I think you still need a few more lessons before you’re fully qualified as daring.”
She lifted a brow and shivered as his hands slipped beneath the hem of her towel and up her bare thighs. “Oh, really?”
“Oh, yeah,” he replied before dipping his head and nuzzling his face against her neck.
His palms skimmed over her hips and around to her bottom, causing the knot securing the towel at her breasts to unravel and fall to the sides, baring her naked body and inviting his gaze, his touch, and anything else he wanted to do to her.
“So, what did you have in mind?” she asked breathlessly. A stupid, ridiculous question considering his mouth was already traveling down to her aching breasts.
His hands cupped her bottom and pulled her to the very edge of the counter, until his jean-clad erection pressed insistently against her damp, sensitive flesh. “Ever had slow, hot sex on a bathroom vanity?”
Her stomach muscles clenched in anticipation. “I can’t say I have.” He flicked one of her nipples with his tongue, and she tangled her fingers into his silky-soft hair, dropped her head back and moaned.
“Well, then, there you go,” he said and smiled against the curve of her breast while his hands went to work unfastening his jeans and releasing his shaft. “Another brand new adventure for you to enjoy.”
Somewhere in the bathr
oom cabinet he found a condom and slipped it on. She gasped as the head of his erection glided through her slick, feminine folds, then oh-so-gradually pushed into her, until he was all the way in and filling her completely. With a low, primitive groan, he crushed his mouth to hers and kissed her, as deeply and slowly as he made love to her body. She whimpered as sensations built upon sensations, as the lazy thrust and agonizingly slow retreat of his hips made her desperate to feel the hot length of him driving harder and deeper inside her.
But he didn’t give in to her impatience and instead took her on a long, erotic journey that escalated into a sexual inferno between them one last time. When he finally allowed her explosive orgasm to crest, he was right there with her, both of them shuddering with the most exquisite, sublime pleasure she’d ever known.
* * *
Christian came to a stop at a red light and glanced at Amanda, who was sitting in the passenger seat of his car. Ever since they’d left his place, she’d been talking nonstop, barely even giving him a chance to respond to anything she had to say. It was just a long stream of inconsequential conversation on her end, and it was making his head spin.
This sort of fidgety behavior was so unlike the poised, in-control Amanda he’d once known, and it had taken him longer than usual to figure out what was wrong. But, once he’d pinpointed where the change in her had begun, the shift from calm and relaxed to anxious and uncertain all made sense to him.
Everything had been fabulous between them after their escapade in the bathroom, and even during breakfast. The shift had come when he’d told her that he needed to take her home so he could get on the road to Boston for Christmas eve with his family. At first, she’d grown quiet, then once they were in his car she’d started talking…and hadn’t stopped since.
The light turned green, and he continued down the street toward her place, recognizing her endless chatter for the diversion it was, along with the false brightness in her tone. She was nervous, and he was guessing that she didn’t want to deal with a weekend-after kind of conversation before they reached her apartment. The kind of discussion that would put an end to their temporary affair, allowing them to go their separate ways without anyone ever knowing what had transpired between them.
The funny thing was, despite promising her that their weekend together would stay just between the two of them, he didn’t want this blossoming relationship to end, and he couldn’t remember the last time he’d ever felt that way about a woman. It was true that he’d gone into this affair with Amanda with the sole expectation of finally getting her out of his system. But despite those not-so-noble intentions, during the course of their two days together something had changed, and he knew she felt it, too. Beyond the physical pleasure they’d shared, they’d connected on a deeper, more intimate level.
She’d become so much more than just the boss’s daughter to him. So much more than a co-worker he’d been attracted to. She’d become a woman he cared for very deeply. A woman who struck an emotional chord in him and made him think about the future, and a series of what if questions he’d never contemplated before.
He contemplated them now with Amanda.
Her building came into sight, and he pulled into the circular drive by the front entrance. “I’ll walk with you up to your place,” he said.
“You don’t need to do that,” she said, much too cheerfully. “I’ll be fine, really. You need to get on your way to Boston.”
No, he really didn’t. Whatever was between them was far more important. He hesitated, then decided to get it all out there in the open. “Amanda, about this weekend—”
She placed her fingers on his lips, stopping him mid-sentence. She shook her head and managed a smile that was far too fragile. “Please don’t say anything, okay?” she pleaded in a voice brimming with what sounded like tears. “I had a great time with you. Thank you for everything.”
Okay, the last thing he wanted was her gratitude, and he hated that she was brushing him—and their time together—off. “Amanda—”
This time it was her lips that cut him off, along with a quick, hot kiss that felt way too vulnerable and bittersweet. Finally, she broke the kiss and moved back to her side of the vehicle.
“Merry Christmas, Christian,” she said, then bolted out of the car before he could say or do anything to stop her.
He sat there in front of the entrance for a good five minutes, debating whether or not to go up to Amanda’s apartment or leave her alone for the time being. After mentally grappling with both scenarios, he finally decided to put the car back into gear and head toward Boston.
Judging by her actions, she wasn’t ready to hear anything he had to say, and was obviously under the assumption that she was just another notch on his belt. Without a doubt, he had the reputation to back up those thoughts, but it appeared that his life was about to take a different direction, and she was the reason.
Okay, so she needed more time to calm down and let him explain. Fine, he’d give her that bit of space while he was in Boston. But once he returned, they were going to talk, even if he had to tie her up to force her to listen to what he had to say.
Chapter Six
“So, how’s work going, Christian?” one of his older sisters, Kathy, asked as she walked into their parents’ living room from the kitchen and handed him a cold bottle of beer. “Last we all heard at Thanksgiving you were still the number-one sales executive and working toward the sales director position.”
“I still am.” He thanked his sister for the beer and took a drink, watching with a smile as his youngest nieces and nephews chased each other through the house, despite the fact that their mothers had already warned them to quit being so wild and rambunctious. “It should be decided after the holiday.”
“Well, you deserve it,” his other sister, Diane, said as she set a tray of ham-and-cream-cheese roll-ups on the coffee table for everyone to enjoy. “We all know how hard you’ve worked toward this promotion.”
“To the point that he’s become a confirmed bachelor, instead of settling down like the rest of you have,” his mother complained from her position on the couch across the room.
Christian rolled his eyes because this was a scenario he relived every time he came home for a visit. His mother’s greatest wish was to see all her children happily married with a family of their own. So far, he was the only one who hadn’t conformed to her expectations. “Now, Mom…”
“You know it’s true,” she went on and looked to their father for confirmation, but he wisely remained quiet. “How many times have you told me that you’re just too busy furthering your career to settle down?”
“Too many times to count,” Kathy offered before Christian could reply, and laughed. “Don’t worry, Mom. It’ll happen. He just needs to meet the right woman for him, and once he does, I can guarantee he’ll change his way of thinking.”
A greater truth had never been spoken, Christian thought. He hadn’t been looking for Mrs. Right, but she’d happened along anyway, and he wasn’t about to let her slip from his life, if he could help it.
He’d been at his parents for a few hours now, and his thoughts were never far from Amanda. In fact, he’d already pulled his cell phone from his pocket five times with the intention of calling her to talk things through, but managed to restrain himself. After the way she’d scrambled from his car earlier, he knew she wasn’t ready to hear what he had to say, and he hoped to God that a few days apart might help his cause and make her listen to reason.
“Christian, I’m thinking you must have paid a small fortune to have those presents you brought with you wrapped,” Diane teased, pulling his attention away from his troubling thoughts to yet another topic that made him think of Amanda and the time they’d spent together over the weekend.
“I have to agree,” Kathy commented from her seat close to the Christmas tree and the gifts piled beneath. “They look like they were professionally decorated.”
“Sorry to disappoint the two of you, but they
weren’t wrapped by a professional, and it didn’t cost me anything.” Grinning, he reached for one of the delicious stuffed mushrooms his mother always made as a holiday appetizer and popped it into his mouth.
“Well, we all know that you didn’t wrap them,” Diane said, the curiosity in her tone unmistakable. “Wrapping presents is so not your forte.”
His younger brother, Brian, who was sitting next to him on the couch and had been quiet up to this point while he chowed down on the appetizers, finally had something to add to the conversation. He slapped Christian on the back in male camaraderie and said, “He’s probably dating a gift-wrap clerk over the holidays and that’s just one of the perks of their fling.”
“She’s not a fling,” Christian said automatically, then realized too late how defensive he sounded.
Everyone else noticed, though, and the adults in the room went quiet. Now, they were all staring at him with open interest and speculation.
“Whoa, you’re really dating a gift-wrap clerk?” Brian asked around the ham roll-up he’d just stuffed into his mouth.
“Since when have you had a serious relationship?” Diane asked in shock.
His mother didn’t hesitate to chime in, as well. “And if it’s that serious, why haven’t you told us about her?”
He sighed, and tried to explain. “Because it just recently became serious.”
Brian stared at him incredulously. “Holy shi—”
“Watch your language,” his wife, Sarah, said, cutting off her husband before the words were out of his mouth. “The kids can hear you.”
“Holy cow,” Brian said as he slanted Sarah a wry look before glancing back at Christian. “I do believe my brother is finally whipped.”
Christian just smiled, knowing that his silence, and the fact that he didn’t argue, spoke volumes.
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