Tempting Christa: An Irresistibly Mine Duet - Book 1

by Delaney, Tracie

  Her face lit up, but as quickly as it shone, the light faded. “I’d love to, but Mrs. Flannigan’s sister is visiting from out of town so she wouldn’t be able to have Max.”

  Disappointment flushed through me. I’d set my heart on having Christa by my side to brighten up an otherwise boring event. And then an idea hit me. The perfect solution.

  “Wait there.” I left Christa wearing a puzzled expression and strode to my study. I unlocked my laptop and scanned for the right file. Eventually, I found the number I was looking for. I dialed it, crossing my fingers.

  “Sondra,” I said when she answered. “It’s Dayton Somers. I need a favor, and I’ll make it worth your while.”

  A slight pause, then, “Certainly, Mr. Somers. What do you need?” The woman who ran the childcare center in the basement of my building hid her surprise very well considering this was only the second time I’d ever spoken to her. The first time had been when I’d arranged a place for Max as part of the job offer to Christa. I explained what I needed.

  “I’d be happy to look after Max for the evening,” Sondra said. “My boyfriend is working, so I had no plans anyway.”

  “Thank you,” I said. “I’ll get it squared off with Christa and text you all the details.”

  I cut the call and, with a triumphant smile, went back into the living room.

  “Problem solved. Sondra’s agreed to look after him.”

  Christa’s mouth popped open, and then she pressed her palms to her cheeks. “You told Sondra about us?”

  “No. I told Sondra that you were accompanying me to a charity ball and needed someone to look after Max. I figured as Mrs. Flannigan couldn’t have him, Sondra was the next best thing. Max knows her well, as do you. It’s a win-win.”

  Christa’s head fell against the back of the couch, and she pinched her nose between her thumb and forefinger. “Now everyone will know about us.” She sighed heavily. “What a disaster.”

  I sat next to her. “Are you ashamed of me, of us? I want everyone to know about us. Hell, I want to shout it from the rooftops. I’m proud to call you mine, Christa. What I want to know is why you don’t feel the same.”

  “Because you’re a dumbass,” Nina interjected, flopping onto the couch opposite. She raised her glass to me. “Cheers, idiot.”

  Christa chuckled. I glared.

  “Helpful commentary as always,” I said sarcastically.

  Nina’s gaze cut to Christa’s. “Do you want to tell him, or shall I?”

  “You do it,” Christa said, her smile broadening with every passing second.

  Nina leaned forward, set her glass on the table, and rested her forearms on her knees. “Dearest brother, I love you very much, but you really can be incredibly dense at times. What you’ve done by ‘helping’, is make Christa’s life very difficult. For the next few weeks she’ll have to suffer her coworkers whispering in corners about how she’s screwing the boss, and conjecturing what that means for them. Can they still trust her, or will she take their moans and groans straight to the head of the company in a bizarre form of pillow talk?”

  My jaw tightened. I refrained from telling Nina that Christa was not screwing the boss unless a disastrous fumble in the back of a car and one phenomenal blow job counted as screwing. Spoiler alert: it didn’t.

  “The first person who gives Christa a hard time will find themselves looking for another job.”

  Nina threw her hands in the air. “Case closed, Your Honor.”

  Christa giggled, although it was through a pained expression. She squeezed my hand. “I wish you’d warned me first rather than making an isolated decision that will affect me far more than you.”

  I grimaced, finally seeing her point. “I’m sorry. I guess I really wanted you to come, and I knew you wouldn’t leave Max with a stranger. Sondra felt like the ideal solution.”

  “Max will be fine with Sondra, I know that. It’s just…” She sighed and fixed her attention somewhere over my left shoulder, then eventually she returned her gaze to me. “I’m still getting used to you and me, and what that means. Now, I have to try to explain something I don’t understand myself yet to my coworkers. And there will be those who put two and two together and figure I only got the job because you intervened.”

  “You did get the job because I intervened,” I said, holding up a hand when Christa opened her mouth to interrupt. “But you’ve succeeded all on your own. I told you from the very beginning that you’ll be measured on the same basis as every other employee, and if you don’t perform, you’re out. I happen to know you’re extremely well thought of, and while this might provide something for people to talk about over their morning coffee break, it’ll blow over in no time, I’m sure.”

  Christa twisted her lips to one side, clearly in disagreement with my assessment. “Promise me you won’t interfere, no matter what kind of reception I get. I’m more than capable of fighting my own battles.”

  I cocked a brow. “Of that I have absolutely no doubt.”

  “Well,” Nina said. “Now we’ve averted a crisis, let’s eat.”

  16

  Dayton

  “What do you think?” Nina twirled around, the fronds of her black taffeta evening gown swishing around her legs. “Will I do?”

  I raised my eyes to the ceiling and huffed. “We’re going to the New Year’s Eve ball at the Henderson’s, not dinner at the White House,” I said. “Same old boring-as-shit crowd that we mix with every year. The only thing making it better for me is that I’ll have Christa by my side.”

  She stuck out her tongue at me. “There’s nothing wrong with making a bit of effort.”

  I narrowed my gaze. “Don’t tell me you’ve still got a crush on Orin Henderson? The guy’s a dick.”

  Her cheeks pinked up, and she avoided my attention by checking out her makeup in a compact mirror she removed from her purse. “No, I haven’t.”

  I laughed. “Liar. He’s not good enough for you anyway.”

  She snorted, glancing over her shoulder. “You don’t think anyone is good enough for me.”

  “That’s because they’re not.”

  “I think you forget sometimes, I’m twenty-eight and perfectly capable of making my own decisions.”

  “To me you’ll always be the frightened twelve-year-old girl I was forced to leave behind. The one who begged me not to leave her, despite it being the last thing I’d have ever done if I’d had a choice.”

  She came to sit next to me on the couch, carefully tucking her skirt beneath her. She rested her head on my shoulder. “Let it go, Dayton.”

  I kissed her hair. “I can’t. Sometimes when I lie in bed at night, I can still see your tearstained face in the window as I walked away from that house of horrors, knowing you’d become his entire focus, and there was nothing I could do about it.” I lifted her chin so she’d have to look at me. “I’ve never felt so powerless as I did that day. It’ll haunt me until my last breath, Nina.”

  She put her head back on my shoulder and sighed. “You survived and thrived. You got revenge for both of us, Dayton. Took everything he cared about and left him broken and alone. Isn’t that enough?”

  “It’ll never be enough. I was sixteen, scared out of my mind, worried about what he’d do to you once he didn’t have me around to torture. It’s because of him that I’m the way I am.”

  She sat up straight and gave me one of those admonishing looks she liked to dole out when she thought I was being unreasonably hard on myself. “You mean kind, generous, fun, driven, successful.”

  “Or aloof, cynical, intolerant, overcritical, resentful, and incapable of letting anyone close.”

  “You’ve let Christa get close to you.”

  I laughed bitterly. “No I haven’t.”

  Both Christa and I were keeping secrets, hiding the real people we were underneath the Teflon coating we chose to wear. Strip that back to reveal the raw blood and sinew underneath, and who knew what we’d find.

  “Well, fro
m what I’ve seen these last couple of days, you’re more you with her than I’ve ever seen you with any woman. You laugh all the time, and I see how you look at her, Dayton. Your eyes follow her wherever she goes, as if you can’t tear your gaze away. It warms my heart.”

  “And yet neither of us are willing to share our pasts. I’ve never even mentioned my upbringing to her, and she hasn’t talked about hers either. We only know the people we are today, and not the events that shaped us, that brought us to where we are now.”

  Nina laughed. “Oh, Dayton, you really know nothing about relationships, do you? These things take time. You’ve been officially dating for, what, a week? She’s hardly going to spill her guts in that time, nor expect you to either. This isn’t a business deal you can conclude with some forceful negotiating. You’ll learn about each other gradually, little by little. That’s how it works.”

  “Thank you for your insight, but I can manage my relationships without your input.”

  She snorted. “Considering Christa is the only relationship you’ve ever had, I’d say you need all the help you can get.”

  Having lost the argument—as always—I got to my feet and crossed over to the mirror above the fireplace. I straightened my bow tie and smoothed the lapels of my jacket. Nina came to stand beside me. When we were side by side like this, the similarities between us were astounding. Same intense blue eyes, same angular cheekbones and strong jawlines, albeit mine was partially hidden by the close-cut beard I favored. She was a couple of inches shorter than me, but our familial relationship couldn’t be denied.

  I put my arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. “You look beautiful, Nina.”

  She leaned into me, returning my affection. “Love you, bro, now let’s go get your girl.”

  Snow fell heavily on the drive over to Christa’s apartment. As we turned onto her street, I made a mental note to insist she move somewhere more suitable as soon as the holidays were over. And if she wouldn’t find one, I’d find one for her. Such an action might be seen as heavy-handed, but I didn’t care. Christa and Max’s safety and happiness were all that mattered.

  “Wait here,” I said to Nina as I opened the car door. I rode the elevator up to Christa’s floor, excitement increasing my pulse rate the closer I got to her apartment. I knocked once.

  “Coming,” her sweet voice called out from inside.

  My heart thudded as I waited for her to answer. She drew back the door, and the second I laid eyes on her, a rush of heat raced through my veins. Standing in front of me was possibly the most beautiful sight I’d ever seen. She’d chosen a gown of dark-emerald green with a fitted bodice and an off-the-shoulder design. From the waist, it flared out into reams of chiffon, finishing below the ankle. Peeking out from underneath was a pair of silver pumps. She’d arranged her thick, dark hair in an elegant up-do, leaving a few tendrils to caress the sides of her face and neck.

  I caught her hips and pulled her to me. “You’re stunning,” I murmured. My lips found hers, and I kissed her, not caring that Sondra was standing to Christa’s left, her eyes wide as my actions confirmed her suspicions.

  Christa melted into me, then she must have remembered we weren’t alone because she struggled to free herself. She patted her hair and then touched her lips. “Come in for a second. I’m almost ready.”

  I walked inside the familiar space and smiled at Sondra. “Thanks for stepping in. You’re a lifesaver.”

  “Oh, it’s no trouble,” Sondra said.

  “Hey, Max.” I leaned down and picked him up, swinging him in the air. His babyish giggles had my heart soaring. The more time I spent with this kid, the more I fell under his spell. I’d never understood the human desire to reproduce, probably because I hadn’t had the best example, but after spending time with Max, I’d certainly come around to the idea. Maybe I’d even have kids of my own one day.

  “Watch his sticky fingers on your tux,” Christa said.

  “He’s good, aren’t you, Max?” Another swing into the air brought yet more peals of laughter.

  I waited for Christa to disappear, then I popped Max on the floor in front of his toys and strolled over to Sondra.

  “Christa is worried that by asking you here, her coworkers might find out about our relationship before she’s ready to tell them,” I said, my tone casual, while my eyes were sending a message she couldn’t fail to understand. “I told her it wouldn’t be a problem because you’re a very discreet person. Isn’t that right, Sondra?”

  Her cheeks pinked up. “Of-of course, Mr. Somers,” she replied.

  “Good,” I said, nodding. “Because if even one member of Christa’s team mentions anything to her when she returns to work on Wednesday, I’ll know who I need to speak with about such matters. Yes?”

  Sondra fiddled with a chain around her neck, zigzagging the heart-shaped pendant back and forth. “My lips are sealed, sir,” she said.

  “I knew I could rely on you, Sondra.”

  “Okay, ready,” Christa said, appearing from her bedroom with reapplied lipstick and a silver clutch bag. She bent down and kissed her son. “Be good for Sondra, Max.”

  “Me good boy, Momma,” he said, beaming up at her.

  “We’ll try not to be too late,” Christa said.

  “She’s lying. We’ll be very late,” I countered.

  “Go, have fun.” Sondra sent a bright smile in Christa’s direction, with a more wavering one for me.

  Good. She’d heard me loud and clear.

  I closed the door and slipped my arm around Christa’s waist. “It’s only fair to warn you I won’t be able to keep my hands off you tonight, and I make no apologies for it.”

  Instead of laughing as I’d expected her to, she nibbled her lip. “I guess our secret is out.”

  I pressed the button to call the elevator. “Don’t worry about Sondra. She knows how to keep her mouth shut. At least she does now.”

  She looked up at me with narrowed eyes, her brows drawn in disapproval. “Dayton, what did you do?”

  The metal doors shuddered open, and I pressed my palm to the small of her back, easing her inside. “I had a word, that’s all.”

  Christa expelled an exasperated huff. “You are unbelievable.”

  When the doors closed, I crowded her with my body, my hands on either side of her head. I bent down and nibbled on her earlobe. “You’re right. I am.”

  She giggled, and I knew I’d won her over.

  We stepped onto the street, and I took her hand, gingerly making my way over the icy sidewalk. Paul already had the back door open, and I helped her inside, climbing in beside her.

  “Oh, Nina, you look amazing,” Christa said.

  “So do you. No wonder my brother is smitten.”

  Christa turned to me, her eyes shining. She fumbled for my hand in the dark. “He’s not the only one.”

  Heat radiated through my chest. I linked our fingers together, unable to wipe the smile off my face. I caught Nina’s eye. She nodded in approval. I didn’t need her blessing, but that didn’t stop me feeling relieved she liked Christa. It certainly made things easier, because these two women were the most important people in my life, and neither was going anywhere.

  The Hendersons had put on a spectacle as usual, and as we walked into the large entranceway, complete with a thirty-foot Christmas tree, Christa gasped.

  “Oh my goodness,” she said, craning her neck to take it all in. “That’s huge.”

  Ava and Oliver spotted us and came straight over. “Dayton, Nina, so glad you could make it again this year.” Ava kissed me on the cheek. “Thank you for your overgenerous donation, as always.”

  “Happy to support such a great cause.” I tugged Christa forward. “May I introduce Christa Adams, my girlfriend.”

  Ava’s surprised expression couldn’t be misconstrued, although she hurriedly covered it up. Oliver wasn’t so discreet.

  “Girlfriend?” He clapped me on the upper arm. “Goodness, that’s a first.” He env
eloped Christa in an enormous hug. “Not sure how you’ve managed that, sweetheart, but well done.”

  I clenched my jaw and glared at Oliver, extricating Christa from his embrace. “Classy as always, Oliver.”

  Ava flashed a furious glare in the direction of her tactless husband. She clasped Christa’s hands in both of hers. “Lovely to meet you, my dear. We’re delighted you could be here.”

  “Thank you for having me,” Christa replied politely.

  I risked a glance at her, unsure what I’d find. Fortunately—for me—she was smiling and seemed more amused by Oliver’s eccentricity than irritated. That made one of us.

  Ava kissed Nina on both cheeks. “Orin is around here somewhere, Nina. He’ll be thrilled to see you.”

  Nina ducked her head, but not quick enough to hide her delighted grin. I knew she was still carrying a torch for Ava and Oliver’s only child. I’d never been able to figure the two of them out. The fact Nina lived in Chicago where she managed a branch of my company made things more difficult, but every time they met, they danced around each other, both pretending they didn’t care when it was obvious to everyone they very much did. Still, like Nina said, she was twenty-eight and more than capable of making her own decisions—and mistakes. It didn’t stop me worrying, though, or readying myself to detach Orin Henderson from his dick if he didn’t do right by my sister.

  “I’ll see you guys later,” Nina said. “I really should say hello to Orin. I haven’t seen him since the late summer ball.”

  “Indeed,” I said with a raised eyebrow. “You mustn’t forget your manners, sister dearest.”

  Nina offered up one of her perfected death stares that substituted as a middle-fingered salute when company didn’t allow for such rude gestures. I grinned at her retreating back, then stuck out my arm for Christa.

  “Shall we?” I asked.

  We ventured into the house, Christa’s eyes becoming wider the farther we progressed. The Henderson’s home was certainly beautiful, but seeing it now through Christa’s eyes, it was a little stark and lacking in warmth, especially for a family home. Some color here and there wouldn’t go amiss. I really must do something about that in my own homes.