Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love

by Sherelle Green

  “You okay?”

  She nodded quickly. “Why did you take off your shirt?”

  “Didn’t want to get it dirty.”

  It made sense, but still... Serita shoved her hands in her jacket pockets to keep from running them all over him. He needed to hurry up, fix that tire and put his shirt back on. To keep herself from doing something crazy like straddling him while he was on the ground, she went around to the other side of the car. Far away from temptation. It didn’t help because her mind conjured up every possible scenario of her riding him—in the car, on the hood. Beads of perspiration popped out on her forehead and she removed her jacket. That old song by Nelly played in her head. It was definitely getting hot. Unable to resist, she poked her head around to the side of the car where he worked and snapped a picture. Glancing down at the photo, she smiled. Her selfie game might still need some work, but everything else was on point. Twenty minutes later, he stored the tire in her trunk and they drove back to the office.

  “I can take you to get a new tire tonight, if you want,” Jeremy said.

  “Don’t worry about it. I can take care of it on the weekend.”

  He grasped her hand. “Serita, I know you can take care of it, but it’s alright to let a man who cares about you do something for you every now and again. It doesn’t make you any less independent.”

  How he’d read her mind she’d never know, but he was dead-on. She appreciated his willingness to do things for her but didn’t want to become dependent on him, or any man, for that matter. However, the sincerity in his voice made her relent. “Okay. Thank you.”

  “I know you didn’t get to eat, so go ahead and take an extra thirty minutes.”

  Serita nodded a smile of appreciation and headed for the break room to warm up her lunch. She took the bowl holding the last of her leftovers from Sunday’s dinner, the bag of Skittles and the mystery novel she had yet to start and walked into the small office she’d been given. The ribs and macaroni and cheese tasted as good as they had the first day. After opening the book, she started reading. Three pages in, she knew it was going to be good and wished she had held off beginning until she got home. Thirty minutes wouldn’t be nearly enough time. She had just put the first Skittle in her mouth when Jeremy stuck his head in the door.

  “Can I come in?”

  “Sure.” He entered and stared down at the desk curiously. “What?”

  “Why do you have your Skittles all separated and lined up like that?”

  She grinned sheepishly. “I like to eat them by color, starting with my least favorite.” It was a quirk of hers, just like eating Craisins and almonds. She organized them on a plate or napkin to have one of each together, so she could taste the sweet and nutty flavors at the same time. Sure, she’d been teased about it, but she didn’t care.

  Jeremy laughed softly. “Hey, whatever turns you on.”

  “This does.” Just like watching him change a tire while shirtless, but she kept that to herself. “Did you want anything in particular?”

  “Yes. To see if you were serious about your offer to help me with the console.”

  “I was.” Serita popped a green one into her mouth and frowned. What the...? She picked up the wrapper and checked the back.

  “Problems?”

  “They changed the green from lime to green apple. Didn’t nobody ask me.” It had to have been at least ten years since she’d purchased the candy. When did that happen? She met his amused gaze. “I’m serious. This throws off the whole taste of the pack.” She moved them to the side and picked up a yellow one, then glanced up at him, waiting for him to continue.

  “If you have about half an hour this evening, I’d like to go over the what needs to be done, then we can make a schedule. I’ll probably have Shane help out, too, since he’s familiar with the project.”

  “I have some time.”

  “Enjoy your candy.” He gestured toward the book. “I see you started. When you’re ready, we can have our own private book club to discuss it. We’ll have food and everything.”

  “Sounds like a plan.” She was still smiling when he left. She checked the time. Not wanting to take advantage of Jeremy’s generosity, she put the rest of the candy back into the package—minus the green ones. Those she threw away. Then she cleaned up and got back to work.

  At the end of the day, she went in search of Jeremy and found him talking to Chris.

  “How’s it going, Serita?” Chris asked. “The boss isn’t working you too hard, is he?”

  “It’s going fine and no, he isn’t.” She tried to keep her smile hidden.

  He shook his head. “You two are a pair. I’m going home. See you guys in the morning.”

  “Later.” Jeremy shifted his gaze to Serita. “Let’s get moving, so we’re not here all night.”

  She led the way to the design room and stood engrossed as he explained the task. She studied the 3D image on the computer, rotating it one way, then another. “So the console will have foot pedals that control the different tasks. That means each sensor needs to provide specific feedback to make it easier for the surgeons.”

  “Exactly.” He pointed out some of the parts both on the screen and on the actual console.

  She adjusted her glasses and inspected the partially completed pedal. They went back and forth for a few minutes, discussing the best way to proceed. She had gotten so engrossed that it took her a moment to realize that Jeremy had moved and now stood behind her. He slid one hand around her waist and used the other one to push her hair aside before trailing kisses along her neck. “We’re supposed to be working.”

  “I am working.”

  “No, you’re not,” she murmured, getting lost in the pleasure his warm lips against her skin evoked.

  “Yeah, baby, I am.” His hands came up to caress her breasts. “I’m working hard to please you.”

  His words almost melted her in a heap. He continued working until her body caught fire. He swept her into his arms and carried her to his office. Kicking the door closed, he placed her on the small conference table.

  Jeremy locked the door. “No one is here, but I don’t want to take any chances. Now, where was I?” He slanted his mouth over hers in a deep, passionate kiss. “I think I was here.” He dropped his head down to the part of her chest visible above her blouse. He opened the buttons, one at a time, kissing each newly bared portion. He released the clasp on her bra and cupped her breasts in his hands, kneading and massaging them.

  Serita’s head fell back and she braced her forearms on the table. The heat of his tongue licking and sucking her nipples sent a flurry of sensations whipping through her. But he didn’t stop there. He unfastened her pants, then tugged them and her panties off. At the first swipe of his tongue against her clit, her hips flew off the table and she let out a loud moan.

  “Does this please you?” He continued the sweet torture, swirling his tongue deeper and deeper inside her. “What about this?” He slid two fingers inside of her.

  Serita didn’t think she could take much more.

  “Tell me, baby. Am I pleasing you?”

  He sped up the motion and the dual sensations were too much. “Yes!” she screamed as she came in a rush of ecstasy that snatched her breath and left her weak. Her body continued to pulse and she gasped for air.

  “I think I like having you in my office.”

  She liked having him anywhere.

  * * *

  Saturday afternoon, Jeremy went with Serita to get a new tire. He had them check the other three and found out that the tread on the front two were worn and would need to be replaced pretty soon. He didn’t see the point in buying three tires and told the man to replace all four.

  “Jeremy, I don’t need to get all four right now,” Serita whispered. “He said I still have a month or two, depending on how much I drive.”

  “Ther
e’s no sense in coming back three or four weeks from now when we’re here now. The weather is changing and it’s going to start raining soon. I don’t want you driving on bald tires and risking an accident.” He would never forgive himself if they waited to change the tires and something happened. His heart couldn’t take it. “Baby, you’re one millimeter off the recommended change time. I need you to be safe,” he said.

  “I want to be safe, too. Okay, go ahead.” She hugged him. “I really appreciate you helping me out.”

  “I’ll always be here to help you.” They made their way to the waiting area. If he had his way, he’d be there for her forever.

  “We should be done with the pedal by the end of next week if we keep up the schedule,” she said.

  “We could, but I don’t want to have you and Shane working overtime that many days in a row.”

  “Darryl has been a great help. He doesn’t say much, but he gets the job done.”

  He thought the same thing. Darryl had recently moved to Sacramento to be closer to his aging mother. He had more than twenty years of experience and it showed. When the time came to choose the two best candidates, it would be a tough decision. Scott seemed to be just as dedicated. He had only been out of school a couple of years, but Jeremy expected the young man to do great things in the future. “We’ll see how it goes next week. After we’re done here, do you want to grab a bite to eat?”

  “That works. There are a few places not too far from here.”

  For the next several minutes, they continued discussing the different projects and what he hoped to accomplish. Then he turned the conversation to her. “I’ve been meaning to ask whether you’ve been checking out the colleges to see if they have any openings.”

  “Not much. I logged onto Sac State’s website a couple of times, but didn’t see anything. But that was a month ago. I should probably look at the page again.”

  “And if I see something, I’ll let you know.”

  The mechanic came in and called them over. “We’re all done. I just need your signature here.” He rattled off the total.

  Serita signed the form and placed her credit card on the counter.

  He took it, handed it back and put his own up there. “I’ve got it.” She looked like she wanted to argue, but Jeremy counted on her not wanting to make a scene to work in his favor. It did. But her beautiful brown eyes flashed with irritation behind the glasses. He expected her to let him have it as soon as they exited the building, and she didn’t disappoint.

  She threw up her hands. “You know, I do have my own money.”

  “I do know that, and you can pay for whatever you want when I’m not around.”

  “Jeremy—”

  He cut her off with a kiss. “You’re special to me, and this is one of the ways I choose to show it. Can you humor me, please?”

  She didn’t say anything for a moment. “Only because you said please.” She strutted off.

  Jeremy roared with laughter and caught up in time to open the car door for her. She tossed him the keys and he got in on the driver’s side. Still chuckling, he leaned over and kissed her temple.

  Serita eyed him. “I guess Chris was right about you being bossy.”

  “Just when necessary. Any particular place you want to eat?”

  “I want a big, juicy hamburger.”

  “Mel’s is right up the street. We can go there, if you like.” His phone rang before he could say anything else. He saw Cedric’s name on the display. “This is my brother. Let me see what he wants.” He connected. “Hey, Ced.”

  “It’s showtime.”

  Showtime? Then it dawned on him. “The baby?”

  “Yes. We’re at the hospital.”

  “It’s still a month early, though. Are they going to try and stop the contractions again?” Even though it was closer to the due date, he still worried about all the issues that went along with a premature birth.

  “With Randi being thirty-six weeks, the doctors are going to let nature take its course.”

  “Do Mom and Dad know?”

  “No. I called you first. Can you call them? I’m going to call Iyana so she can let Randi’s parents’ know.”

  “Yeah. I’ll be there soon. I’m about ten minutes away. Good luck, Dad.”

  “Thanks. I need to get back in there. Text me when you get here.”

  “Okay.” He disconnected and turned to Serita. “The baby’s coming and I need to go to the hospital. Do you mind if we go straight there? If it looks like it’s going to be a while, we can go back to your house and pick up my car.”

  “Of course. I hope everything goes well. It’s still a little early, right?”

  “About four weeks. I need to let the family know first. Ced knows my mom will most likely ask a hundred questions, so I’m sure that’s why he called me first.”

  “My mom is the same way. She wants all the details even though she’ll be walking out the door before I’m done talking.”

  “Exactly,” he said with a laugh. Shaking his head, Jeremy called his parents and relayed the message. Just as he suspected she wanted to know everything about how long Randi had been in labor and what the doctors were saying. He told her he didn’t have any information and that she’d be able to find out once she got there. He heard her telling his father they needed to leave, and Jeremy wouldn’t be surprised if they made it to the hospital before he did, even though he was closer. Next he sent a text to Lorenzo and Alisha. He started the car and drove off. “I have to warn you that my entire family will probably be there.”

  She gave him a nervous smile. “I figured as much.”

  This wasn’t the way Jeremy had planned to introduce her to his family, but it worked just as well, because he wanted them to meet the woman who had captured his heart.

  Chapter 11

  Serita observed the tense set of Jeremy’s jaw as he drove and sensed his turmoil. A lot could go wrong, so she understood his apprehension. She didn’t know how she felt about meeting his family at this stage in the relationship, though. She was honest enough to admit that her feelings for Jeremy were growing at a pace she had never experienced, and she couldn’t help but wonder where it would all lead. The way he treated her and the things he did gave the impression that he might be far more serious about them. No man was going to foot the bill for a set of tires in a casual relationship. She enjoyed being with him no matter what they were doing—talking, working, making love—because he made her feel as if she were precious and a priority.

  “You look deep in thought. Is everything okay?”

  She glanced his way. “I’m fine.”

  Jeremy placed a hand over hers. “I hope you’re not concerned about my family and whether they’ll like you. If so, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Maybe a little. We haven’t known each other every long and it’s kind of early for the whole meet-the-parents thing.”

  “That’s true, but it doesn’t change what I feel for you, Serita.”

  Serita contemplated asking him exactly what that mean, but she wasn’t sure she was ready for the answer, or to answer the question herself. Fortunately, their arrival at the hospital gave her a reprieve. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in Jeremy’s and they headed for the entrance. Inside, he took a moment to text his brother, then followed the directions Cedric supplied. They took the elevator to the maternity floor, and she saw a man coming toward them that had to be Cedric. The brothers favored each other more than a little bit. He was a couple of inches shorter than Jeremy, but shared the same muscular body structure and was just as handsome.

  “How are you guys holding up?” Jeremy asked as he hugged Cedric.

  “My baby’s a trouper. It’s been six hours and I know she’s tired, but she’s hanging in there. The baby’s fine, so far.”

  “That’s good to hear. Ced, this is Serita
. Serita, Cedric.”

  “Serita, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you.” Cedric smiled. “And don’t worry, it was all good.”

  What had Jeremy told his brother? “It’s nice to meet you, too.”

  “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around a lot and we’ll have a chance to talk, but I need to go check on my wife and baby.”

  “I’ll be praying everything goes well.”

  “Thanks.” To Jeremy he said, “Iyana is on her way and I gave her your number. Let me know when Mom and Dad get here. I know Mom is going to want to come and check on Randi.” He gave them Randi’s room number.

  Jeremy chuckled. “You got that right. She asked me a ton of questions.” He clapped Cedric on the shoulder. “I’ll handle the family, you just take care of Randi. You can text me with updates and I’ll relay the info.”

  “Thanks, bro. See you in a bit.” He smiled Serita’s way and hurried back down the hallway.

  “This is the same floor she was on last time and the waiting room is this way.” He pointed and led the way. They joined three other people already there.

  They hadn’t been seated more than five minutes when an older couple entered. The woman’s frantic gaze scanned the room and Jeremy stood to meet them. Serita guessed they were his parents. The nervousness she’d felt in the car returned in full force.

  “Did you talk to Cedric? How’s Randi?” the woman asked.

  “I saw him briefly and he said Randi is tired, but doing well. And the baby is fine, too.”

  She sagged against the older man in relief. “Thank God.”

  Jeremy reached for Serita and draped an arm around her shoulder. “Dad, Mom, I want you to meet Serita.”

  “It’s very nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Hunter,” Serita said.