“You were right, you know?” I said, breaking the silence.
“I usually am, but right about what?”
I slapped his chest at his flippant remark. “I do have feelings for you. I mean, I did fall in love with you too.”
He grinned, “I know.”
“You are such—”
I didn't get to finish my sentence. He cut me off by pressing his lips to mine. It was a sweet kiss. I knew the passion was there, but this wasn't a kiss that demanded sex. It was a kiss that promised to love me and my neurotic tendencies.
He pulled away, and I led him back to the couch. This time, I snuggled in close to him.
“I can't believe you were outside that whole time without a coat. You're going to get sick,” I lectured.
“You can't catch a cold from the cold,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What?”
He chuckled. “I don't know. It's something my grandfather always used to say when my mom lectured me about not wearing a coat outside.”
I nodded. “Oh.”
We sat there, enjoying the closeness before I got an idea.
“Are you spending Christmas with your mom or other family?”
He sighed. “My mom passed away years ago. She was the last member of my family. So no, no family plans for Christmas.”
My heart cracked a little to hear his story. I had a mother who I could barely stand and hated spending time with, but I had a mom still living. I needed to be more grateful for that.
“Well, would you like to come home with me?”
He hesitated. “You make it sound like I should say no. Don't invite me out of pity.”
I laughed. “Oh no. It isn't pity. It sounds like that because you probably should. You will never be the same again. You will probably never want to see me again after meeting my family, my mother mostly.”
He squeezed me closer to him. “She can't be that bad if she raised you.”
I almost choked. “You do realize I am not an easy person to get along with, right?”
“It's what I like most about you,” he teased.
“My mother is never pleased. To be perfectly honest, she intimidates me. I hate going to the family gatherings alone. It would be nice to have backup. If you are willing to go, I would be forever grateful.”
“I am. I will be your backup. I'll protect you from your big, bad mama.”
I had to laugh. The man had no idea what he was getting himself into.
“You're scaring me. A little. I think if I can survive you, I can survive your mother,” he said before tugging me up and on top of him. I wiggled a bit and adjusted myself so I was comfortably straddling him.
“Be scared. Be very scared,” I whispered before leaning down and kissing him.
The kiss started slow and gentle, but it quickly transformed into one that was filled with need. I rubbed against his groin, feeling his erection straining through his pants.
“I've missed you,” I said against his lips.
“I've missed you too,” he said, rising from the couch with me still clinging to him.
He walked us to my room where he proceeded to show me just how much he missed me. The thrill of knowing he loved me and I loved him made the lovemaking that much better. Every touch was a promise. Every kiss a reminder of what we felt.
“I love you,” I breathed out as he climbed on top of me, his dick pressing against my wet center.
“I love you,” he moaned as he slid deep inside me.
Epilogue
Carter
One Year Later
I walked into my office and smiled. She was there waiting for me. We had made it very clear to the board that we were in a relationship and had no plans to separate. They made an exception to allow her to work in my department as long as we could keep things professional. It had never been a problem for either of us. Work was important to us both, and we managed to work very well together.
“This is a surprise,” I said, greeting her with a kiss.
She shrugged. “We've been so busy, we haven't had much time together the past few weeks. I wanted to see you.”
“I've missed you too. How's the work going?” I asked out of habit.
“Uh-uh, we are not doing shop talk. This is me and you enjoying lunch together like a happy couple,” she said, picking up the brown paper bag that was sitting on my desk. “I got us some really greasy burger and fries.”
“I thought you and Donna were getting lunch together?” I pulled a chair up to the opposite side of my desk so I could sit beside her.
“We did. Well, I went with her to get our lunch. Her husband met her there. You’ve been keeping her busy as well, and she hasn't seen him much this past week.”
I laughed. “You guys wanted this big, fat Christmas bonus, and that means we have to put in the work.”
She shrugged. “I know that, and she knows that, but we miss our men.”
I leaned over and kissed her cheek. “Your men miss you too.”
We scarfed down our food before she stood, brushed the crumbs from her skirt and kissed me.
“All right, I have to get back to work. My boss is a real slave driver,” she said with a grin.
I slapped her butt. “Damn straight I am.”
She rolled her eyes. “I may have to rethink this whole permanent job thing.”
“No, you don't! Derek and I fought hard to get you this job. And I am glad we did. Our department is performing better than it has in years, and I think that’s because of you,” I told her, meaning every word.
“I think it may have something to do with the fabulous head of the department,” she leaned up on her toes and kissed me. “Thank you for making the job available to me. I won't let you down.”
“I don't think you could if you tried,” I said with another quick kiss on her lips.
“I don't fail.”
I smiled. No, she didn't. The woman was a machine. She pushed the entire department to do better, including me.
“I'll see you at five?” I asked. “We have the Christmas play tomorrow night. Do we need to go pick up your dress, or are they delivering it?”
She put a hand on her hip. “They’re delivering it to your apartment, but I’m telling you, you didn't need to spend so much on a gown!”
I shrugged. “It's more for me than you. I can't wait to see you in it, and I can't wait to show off my lovely lady who will definitely be the best dressed in Chicago.”
“Well, I plan on wearing it to the Christmas party on Saturday night. I want to get some mileage out of that gown,” she joked.
“Good. And I can't wait to introduce you as my girlfriend to the rest of the board,” I said with pride.
She laughed. “Don't forget you owe me a few dances since I had to run out of the last party.”
“Don't start.”
“Love you,” she said, walking out the door.
I walked to my desk, opened the drawer, and stared down at the velvet box I had stashed there. It had been a year since we met, and I couldn't be happier. We had challenges, like our living situation, but we steamrolled right through them. Butting heads with Arianna was one of my favorite things to do.
It was the night of the Christmas play I had bought tickets for months ago, and I was a bundle of nerves. I had been looking forward to the evening for months, and now that it had finally arrived, I was battling a case of cold feet. I wanted everything to be perfect.
“You're beautiful,” I breathed out when she stepped out of the bedroom we shared in my condo.
The stubborn woman refused to give up her apartment, even though she spent most of her time here.
“Thank you, handsome. I feel beautiful. A two-thousand-dollar dress has a way of making you feel like a million bucks.” She grinned.
I took in the sight of her covered in head-to-toe black with a very sexy sheer V in the center of her gown that showed a hint of cleavage. It fit her perfectly. She had insisted it was too daring, but I convinced h
er it was just the right amount of daring. It was incredibly sexy, and she had the confidence to pull it off.
“Ready?” I asked, wanting to get out of the condo before I ruined her exquisite gown.
“I am, and I see the way you’re looking at me. Down boy. This dress cost too much for you to ruin it with your need to strip my clothing away without regard to buttons and zippers. I’m still picking up buttons off the floor from your last attack,” she lectured.
I winked. “But I know you liked it.”
She paused, looked over shoulder and raised her eyebrows. “I loved it.”
I growled low in my throat, and she started running for the door, giggling the entire way.
When the play was over, we walked into the massive foyer where a very large mistletoe was hanging low in one of the archways. I grabbed her hand and pulled her under it.
“This is kind of cliché don't you think?” she said, eyeing the mistletoe above. “I give you permission to kiss me anywhere you please.”
I laughed. “Good to know because I would do that anyway.”
She closed her eyes. “Okay, I'm waiting. Kiss me, you handsome devil.”
She puckered up her lips and held her chin up. I took a deep breath and dropped to one knee, grabbing her left hand as I did.
Her eyes popped open, and she looked down at me, “What are you doing?” she hissed.
I pulled the box that had been burning a hole in my pocket all night. “Arianna Clark, will you do me the honor of marrying me?”
She stared down at me, tears filling her eyes and quickly spilling down her cheeks. She nodded her head.
“Say the words, Arianna,” I demanded in a low voice.
“Yes. Yes, I'll marry you,” she managed to get the words out around a sob.
I slid the ring on her finger, stood, and kissed her under the mistletoe.
“You have made me a very happy man, Arianna,” I whispered in her ear.
“You've made me an even happier woman.”
A cacophony of congratulations and clapping broke out around us. I looked around and noticed we had attracted a crowd.
She started laughing. “We tend to be one for the dramatics, don't we?”
I laughed along with her. “I never thought I was one to do the big public displays of affection, but you bring it out in me.”
We kissed again and then quickly made our way back to the waiting limo.
“Remember, I’m wearing this gown tomorrow night,” she warned as we slid into the back seat of the limo.
I looked at her, eyeing the cleavage peeking through the sheer front.
“I can buy you another gown. This one is probably too daring for a company Christmas party anyway,” I reasoned.
I saw heat in her eyes and knew she was excited at the thought of me ripping the dress off her. She may protest, but it was our thing. My fervent need for her always turned me into a bit of a wild animal driven by lust. Even after a year, we were still ravenous for one another.
“I can't wait to introduce you as my fiancé tomorrow,” I told her.
She grinned. “It will definitely send the rumor mill into full swing.”
I shrugged. “I think most of the people in our department expected it. I know Donna has hinted at it more than once.”
The moment I pushed open the door to my condo, we were shedding clothing as quickly as humanly possible. I loved the woman and couldn't wait to make her my wife. I’d known from the very moment I met her that she was mine.
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About the Author
Hey there. I'm Weston.
I'm a former firefighter/EMS guy who's picked up the proverbial pen and started writing bad boy romance stories. I co-write with my sister, Ali Parker as we travel the United States for the next two years.
You're going to find Billionaires, Bad Boys, Mafia and loads of sexiness. Something for everyone, hopefully. I'd love to connect with you. Check out the links below and come find me.
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