We head back to the flat and are greeted by the concierge with my purchases. There are several garment bags and smaller bags with the gifts in them. I bought James’s Christmas gifts and something each for Derek and Greg.
"Baby, did you leave anything at the store?" He laughs.
"Yes! Can I borrow the spare bedroom to hang these? You can't go in there, though." I want to surprise him.
I don't generally dress formally unless it's for work. I'm very nervous. Ana set me up to have my hair and makeup done.
"Of course, use the room across from ours." My insides tighten at him calling his place ours.
This is a life I want but know I can never have. I need to change the subject and focus on him.
"Honey, I bought you a pocket kerchief that matches my dress. Is that okay?" He walks over to me with the long garment bags in one hand and several other bags in the other.
"Baby, I like you picking out stuff for me." He leans down to kiss me. "Now go change into some jeans and something warm, I'm taking you out."
"I thought we had surfaces to try out?" I quip back.
"Baby, I'm going to have you on some more surfaces later. First, I want to take you out to do something fun, just you and me. I'll hang these in the room if you want to head in there afteryou change to open the bags. I'll stay out." His smile is devious as he looks me up and down. I know he's thinking of the surfaces yet to try.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
DUNCAN
My plan was to come back to the flat and bury my cock in her sweet heaven, but when I peeked into one of the bags and saw a wrapped gift, I stopped. I had bought some gifts for her too, but I realized we didn't have a tree to put them under.
I walk into the spare room and hang the bags up high. I hope she's okay with money because I know these weren't cheap. I can't wait to have her on my arm tomorrow and show the world she's mine. Some of my Christmas gifts for her will be delivered to Joshua today instead of coming here.
Joshua will be at the party tomorrow with us, he'll be doing some work. His odd behavior today is concerning me. The infatuation he has with his "Angel" has gotten worse. Ian called me earlier to say he's putting Raul on standby for tonight. This is the most he has gone on a binge in a while. I walk back out tothe sitting room and look out the windows, thinking about how lucky I am to have Maya.
I'll do anything to keep her here with me. I worry about her stalker and wonder about her relationship with Derek. I don't want to even think about her leaving me in a couple of weeks, she'll be closer to that danger. I'm hoping Joshua will talk to her more about working with us.
She walks out of my bedroom in a pair of low-rise jeans with the legs shredded up, a green sweater that's off her shoulders showing a skimpy tank top, and those bloody cowboy boots. I know she's got a knife in her boot again. I've talked her into not carrying her sidearm for the last couple of days.
She looks so good, the green of the sweater makes her eyes look brighter. I'm about to change my mind, but then I remember I need to show her she's more than just a shag. My chest pulls and my heart thumps harder. What the bloody hell is going on with me?
"Baby, you look good." I hear the growl in my voice.
"Thank you, handsome." She smiles and walks toward the spare room. I really want to see what she's wearing tomorrow.
Maya
We actually wentChristmas tree shopping and ice skating in Hyde Park, then had dinner at a little bistro near the park. I hadn't done anything like that since before my parents died. One holiday season my mom had talked my father into lettingus have a tree. It was so much fun. My heart aches a little as I think of them. I'm fingering their rings when Duncan looks over at me in the Rover.
"Are you okay with a tree, Maya?"
"Yes."
"What's the matter?" He sounds concerned.
"I don't want to bring down the remarkable evening we've had. Thank you for the skating, dinner, and tree shopping, it was fun. I've never been on a date like that." I know I don't sound as happy as I felt earlier.
"Maya, baby, please talk to me." He pulls into the parking garage of his condo and turns to me.
"I just remembered the Christmas season when my mom talked Abba into letting us have a tree, I was fifteen. She told me stories of her growing up and her family's Christmas celebrations. She even made homemade eggnog and cookies. Abba had fun once he realized she wasn't trying to replace Hanukkah but give me a little of her. I miss her so much. Don't get me wrong, I miss him too, but she was everything. She believed in me all the time. I kept all those ornaments. They’re at my condo. I bring them out and look at them occasionally. She got me an angel ornament that year, and every year after until she died."
"I wish I could have known them. Dad talks about her and Mum a lot now. For a while there, it was like talking about her brought around memories of Mum, and he'd not do that. Now though, he speaks about them all. He liked your father."
"I'm happy you and your dad have worked out your problems." I don't acknowledge his comment about my own dad. I loved him very much but am still not sure why he pushed me as hard as he did.
