“We just wanted to stop by and thank you, again,” Michael says, grabbing Amanda’s hand. They both look happy and healthy. Maria, bundled in a warm-looking coat in her stroller, is rosy-cheeked, smiling and giggling.
“We were talking about last year and how scared we were, and about how you changed everything,” Amanda says. We haven’t seen them in a few months, but I’ve heard nothing but good things from my friend about Michael’s work performance at the lumber yard.
“I got a promotion last week,” Michael says, beaming proudly.
“That’s wonderful,” Charlotte says, squeezing my hand.
“Congratulations,” I say.
“And I wanted you to know that I’m starting classes in the New Year to become a home health aide. You really inspired me,” Amanda says to Charlotte.
“That’s amazing,” Charlotte says, beaming. “Let me know if you ever need any help.”
“I will,” Amanda says. “We’re hoping by this time next year we can move into a bigger place and get Maria her own room.”
“It sounds like you’re really on your way,” I say, impressed. I’m glad I was right about Michael. Despite making mistakes, he was only ever trying to provide for his family, and now he’s doing it the right away.
“We have you to thank for it,” Michael says.
“So we just wanted to thank you again, so much, and stop in to tell you Merry Christmas,” Amanda says.
“Merry Christmas, sweetheart,” Charlotte says, pulling them both into hugs. “We’re so happy for you and your family.” I shake Michael’s hand and congratulate him again, and we wish them a Merry Christmas one more time before heading back into the ball.
“I’m thrilled for them,” Charlotte says as we head back to the dance floor, beaming at me.
“I am too,” I say. “I guess second chances really can go a long way.”
“They certainly can,” Charlotte says, eyes fixed on me.
“Their baby looks so healthy, so happy,” I say, thinking of little Maria in her stroller. I think of how I’d grown up, of the kids in my neighborhood and how we lived, and I think it’s clear that Michael and Amanda are already giving their daughter so much more of a head-start on life than that.
“She does,” Charlotte says, seeming nervous all of a sudden. “Danny?”
“Yes?” I ask, searching her face. She’s biting her lip and looking up at me like she sometimes does when there is news.
“I wanted to wait for another week or two, but this seems like the perfect time to tell you. I found out last week that I’m pregnant.” I feel my heart leap at her words. “I know we weren’t planning on that yet but—” Charlotte says, stopping when I cut her off with a passionate, deliberate kiss.
“We’re having a baby?” I say when I pull back from the kiss, feeling elated. Charlotte’s right—we hadn’t been planning it yet. We’re not getting married for almost a year, and I haven’t really thought about it in a real, concrete way until right now.
“We are,” Charlotte says, beaming at me. I pull her in tight, feeling her heartbeat against mine. “Are you happy?”
“Unbelievably happy,” I say, overwhelmed and thrilled all at once at the idea of being a father. “I love you, Charlotte.”
“I love you too, Danny,” Charlotte says, sighing as she folds herself into me. We’re going to have a baby. Charlotte and me and a beautiful new child—we’re going to be a family. I never knew I wanted that, spent so many years trying to find happiness or at least something to distract me from how miserable I was, looking in all the wrong places. But standing here with Charlotte in my arms, feeling happier and prouder than I can ever remember feeling, I think maybe it’s all I ever wanted out of life after all.
“Merry Christmas,” I say, kissing her forehead gently and placing a hand on her stomach, letting the weight sink in of this opportunity to be a better parent to my child than my own was to me, to start this new incredible chapter of my life with Charlotte by my side.
“Merry Christmas,” Charlotte says. I kiss her again, holding her as close as I can on the dance floor. I thought last Christmas was the best holiday I’d ever had, but this one is already outshining it, and by next Christmas, we’ll have a baby. I wonder if every Christmas will continue to grow like this, to surprise me all over again.
I know with Charlotte by my side, they will.
I can’t wait for every Christmas, for every first our baby has, for every moment of my life with this amazing woman who has agreed to be my wife.
*****
THE END
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Charlize Starr
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The Boss's Game
Description
Oscar
I am an arrogant, self-indulgent and offensive pr*ck. Plus I am exceptionally good looking and rich. I can get any woman into my bed.
I am the new CEO of the family firm, the one who has to save the company from a financial crisis. I have to prove that I’m capable of it, because I have no practical knowledge. My skills include licking off ten belly shots in one minute and seducing Brazilian supermodels.
Women mean nothing to me. I don’t do relationships. I’m not interested in my conquests, just in whether I can fit their butts into my hands.
Until Kayla. She’s strong-willed and confident and her curves drive me wild. Her eyes command me to stay away, making me want her even more. But she’s my new PA. She’s off limits.
I know she wants me just as much I want her. So I propose a business contract. Just sex. Nothing more.
As if.
Kayla
I have my eyes on the prize. I am going to make sure my career is going places. I just got promoted to be the PA to the Connell’s lost son, Oscar. Score for me, career wise.
Until I realize that my new boss is that blue eyed blonde model of male perfection that I met in the gym. The one with the six-pack and the chiseled muscles; the one with the most annoying smirk in the world who can’t stop staring at my butt.
I’m shocked to realize that I want him. Purely physically of course. Oscar is like a hot knife and I am butter, so I agree to his indecent proposal. Even if it goes completely against my rules of conduct.
I’m pretty sure I don’t like him as a person. Who would? He’s just a means to an end. Plus I would never allow myself to grow attached to a man.
So his rules suit me just fine. Only sex, nothing else.
Chapter One
Kayla
I have to start my day in a sweat. By that I mean I have to get my heart pumping, my muscles aching and my body rewarding me for the extra mile I’ve pushed it. Every day is the same. I blink my eyes open and I can’t wait to hit the gym.
Today is no different. I arrived at seven, when the gym was deserted, the doors open just for me. I hooked the earplugs in, I stretched while walking towards the treadmill and then I started running. What a way to wake myself up!
This one hour when I’m alone in the gym, listening to the same three songs on loop, is the most peaceful time of the day for me.
It’s when I can do some thinking, clear my head and prepare myself for a day in the office. No interruptions, no distractions and no demands.
My body jerks as I run, I keep my eyes focused on the wall length mirror in front of me. This way I can see myself, love myself as I run for thirty minutes without a break.
But what I wasn’t expecting today was an intrusion. About twenty minutes into the run, I heard the gym door open behind me and saw someone walk in. I could feel my brows furrowing with irritation. I told myse
lf that as long as they left me alone, I’d be fine.
A few seconds later he came into view. Walking up behind me, watching me run on the treadmill. A soft smirk creased the side of his face. I could see his eyes were on my butt, and then on my back. He was walking towards me with a towel flung over his shoulder.
He looked familiar, although I couldn’t exactly place him. I was sure he was related to the Connells in some way. He had to be. This was the family’s personal gym after all; very few employees have access to this room.
I’d been working as a receptionist at their financial services firm for the past four years. It’s a medium sized company that trades in stocks and is located in a swanky private office building. The Connells trust me, I live nearby and I’m there at their every beck and call. Working seven days a week if they need me to. The free access to their personal gym is one of the many perks that they’ve provided me with. For that, I’m very grateful.
But who is this guy? I couldn't remember seeing him around the office, and the confidence, the sheer arrogance with which he was walking towards the treadmill next to me…I could tell that he wasn’t just a regular employee.
His blonde hair and baby blue eyes contributed to a boyish look, but everything else about him was purely man. I was annoyed, nonetheless.
The crop top he was wearing clung to his chiseled muscles, the bulges on his thighs stretched the thin nylon material of his shorts.
He was still smirking as he flung himself onto the treadmill next to mine. He was making a point. There were six other empty treadmills around us, an entire empty gym to make use of. But he chose to run on the treadmill next to mine, to look into the mirror in front of us, directly into my eyes as he picked a speed on the machine.
Within seconds he was running, faster than me. I looked back at him in the mirror, narrowing my eyes and maintaining my speed. If this was a battle, I wasn’t just going to give up. I had been here nearly thirty minutes by now, so my body had started to wind down, used to the usual routine. But I was going to push myself now. If he was trying to make a point, I’d make one too.
We were both running to match each other’s speed. The music was loud in my ears, keeping me motivated but I could feel the breath catching in my throat. It wouldn’t be long before I’d start feeling the strain of my muscles.
He was still smirking, watching me, running with ease. His neck was broad, and he had broad shoulders to match. There were sweat patches forming on his shirt now, and sweat dripped from his hair too. None of it seemed to bother him.
I was growing increasingly aware of my senses, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. I could feel my ponytail grazing my back, the soles of my shoes hitting the rubber belt of the treadmill, the muscles on my calves beginning to ache with every extra second.
I saw him punch the board, to increase his speed and I was tempted to do the same. I was panting by now but tried to make sure that my face didn’t change. I didn’t want to give away that I was getting tired.
How did this turn into a competition? I didn’t even know the guy. Maybe it was the smirk on his face, the absolute confidence with which he challenged me to a fight, without even asking me to it.
The music in my ears was growing louder, and I had to blink hard to keep my eyes from shutting on their own accord. My body was screaming at me to stop, but I pushed on. I could feel the sweat trickle down my back, the hair from my bangs stuck to the sides of my face. He was running faster now, harder, his muscular torso stretching and contorting with every step. He was enjoying himself, while I was wondering why I was even a part of this.
I saw his lips move in the mirror, and my mind was grateful for the distraction. I continued running but pulled the earplugs out.
“You can give up if you want,” I heard him say, repeat himself. I crossed my brows at him.
“Thank you for the permission, but I’m following my own routine,” I said and stuck the earplugs back into my ears. I saw him smile, a big wide self-indulgent smile.
Then he casually stopped the machine and slowed to a stop himself. I was relieved, even though I didn’t allow my face to show it. Secretly it was a victory for me, that I wasn’t the first one to put an end to it.
I saw him jump off the treadmill and reach for the towel. That’s when I stopped and got off the treadmill myself, feeling a little dizzy. I switched off the music when I picked up my own towel, still annoyed by the disruption to my routine.
“Good run,” I heard him say. I looked at him and threw him a half smile. Common sense was flooding my brain now. No matter how irritated I was, in all likelihood, this guy was a colleague, which meant that I shouldn’t be rude.
“Is that your usual set?” he asked as I undid the cap of my water bottle, still panting.
“Yep,” I said and eagerly drank from the bottle. He was still wiping himself down, looking at me with confidence, unabashedly, no apology in his eyes.
“I like to get an early start at the gym. I didn’t expect to find anyone here,” he continued. I wanted to tell him that was exactly how I operated, but I decided against it. I wasn’t here to make friends.
“Have I offended you in some way?” he asked after a few seconds of silence. I was preparing to leave now. I usually spent another fifteen minutes on the cross trainer, but I didn’t want to get into another competition with him.
“Why do you say that?” I asked him, as I picked up my gym bag.
“You don’t seem too pleased to see me here,” he replied, his eyes flitting over my breasts and back up to my face. I could see what kind of man he was. He thought I was going to be an easy pickup at the gym. He had confidence in himself and his prowess at impressing women. But I wasn’t just going to giggle and accept his advances. He had intruded on my privacy, on my personal space and I was secretly glad he thought I was offended.
“I’m sorry that I’m not more friendly. It’s just that I have to get to work,” I said, starting to walk away from him.
“So you work here,” he said, following me at a distance. I was headed for the shower room and getting more annoyed now that he was following me there.
“Yes,” I said dismissively and heard him chuckle.
“I do too. Starting today,” he said. I couldn’t make sense of it. If he was just a regular employee, why and how was he given access to the family’s personal gym? There were people who had worked for the company for several years and were still not given the privilege. You had to earn the perks.
“Great. Welcome, I guess,” I said instead and he stretched out his hand to me.
“I’m Oscar,” he introduced himself and I had no other choice but to shake his hand. He had me cornered against the wall by the changing rooms’ door now. We shook hands and he took a few more steps towards me.
That’s when his smell entered my nostrils. The smell of his sweat combined with the expensive cologne he had on. The strength of his handshake, and the way he held my hand for just a little longer than strictly necessary. I could see the outline of the six-pack underneath his shirt. He was much taller than me too, towering over me while I had to look up at him.
My confidence was suddenly struck out of me, and I found myself catching my breath, trying to find my voice.
“Kayla,” I said meekly and with my left foot, I pushed back the changing room door. I had to get out of here before I did anything stupid. He registered the movement and raised his eyebrows.
“Are you trying to make a quick escape?” he asked, his face now painfully close to mine.
“I have to get to work. So do you,” I managed to say, before slipping into the changing room.
The door shut behind me and I realized my breathing was loud. It had to be the extra miles I had just run. That was the reason my heart was beating so fast. That my senses were running amok.
I started stripping almost instantly, growing aware of the sweat on my clothes. I needed to get out of them and into the shower as quickly as possible. I needed to get his sm
ell off me. The changing rooms and showers for the men were on the other side of the wall and while I was stepping into the shower, I heard another shower being turned on. It had to be him.
I stood there for a few seconds imaging him on the other side of the wall. Naked, the steaming water coursing down the grooves of his muscles, washing away the sweat from his hair.
I didn’t want to imagine him naked, but he had left very little to the imagination. I bit down on my lip, hard. This was insane. What was wrong with me?!
I, Kayla Edwards, was the last person to fantasize about a colleague in the gym shower. I was strict with my rules of conduct and this went completely against them.
I concentrated on cleaning myself, washing my hair, conditioning it and then patting myself dry. I still had another hour before I had to be at my desk, which gave me enough time to get ready for the day. And enough time to get my senses back in order.
Chapter Two
Oscar
I couldn’t get her out of my head. She was a mystery to me because I couldn’t quite figure her out. Did she want me or did she hate me? I had to drag myself out of the gym shower but I waited around to see if she’d come out. When she didn’t, I decided to give her the space she needed, to get ready and get to work.
Kayla, her first name, that’s all I knew about her. I also knew, of course, the way her thick plump lips turned when she tried to force a smile. Her big breasts, bouncing as she ran on the treadmill. Her butt was big, bigger than my hands if I ever had a chance to squeeze them. I wanted to feel her skin, that smooth bronze skin under my fingertips, feel the soft satin smooth flesh between her thighs, which I knew existed.
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