My mom might not be living a life of luxury any longer, but she still has a few of the friends she made along the way. Funny how the only people who stuck around those who were the furthest from the society types she was always trying to impress. Regardless, I’m happy she was still in touch with the jeweler because the ring I envisioned for Phoebe wasn’t something that could be found in just any jewelry store. Not that I need it to stab her if she tries to take it off, or anything. I’m not nuts. But I had a particular vision in mind, and the jeweler executed it perfectly. Now I need to wait for the perfect moment to drop to my knees and pledge my life to her. No big deal.
I inhale deeply, the scent of Phoebe working to calm me as it always does. “I’ll put it back on when we get upstairs, if it’s important to you,” I tease. “If I’d known you had a beard kink, I’d have grown a real one long ago.”
She laughs, extricating herself from my arms. “Nah, don’t do that. I’m not sure I want to know what a beard burn is like, you know”—she drags her eyes from one end of the banquet room to the other, ensuring we’re alone, before settling on my eyes and whispering dramatically—“between my thighs.”
I’m instantaneously hard, the blood rushing to my dick at dizzying speed. Thank god we’re the last ones here. I don’t need my employees and their families seeing me tenting my pants because my sexy as hell girlfriend merely mentioned that sweet spot at the apex of her thighs.
Phoebe presses herself against me briefly before stepping out of my arms. “I guess I’ll leave you to it,” she says, dancing out of my reach. “I’ll head upstairs and you can join me when you’re ready.”
Chapter 43
Santa Makes An Honest Woman Out Of Me
Phoebe
Ibarelymadeitto the banquet room doors before Archer ran up behind me and swept me off my feet. Literally. One second I stood on my own two feet and the next Archer carried me in his arms as he ran to the elevator.
“That wasn’t very nice,” he says with a hint of a growl in his voice. “I can’t believe you would tease me and run off like that.”
“Who me?” I try to suppress a giggle, but Archer isn’t falling for it.
“You knew exactly what you were doing. Tell me. How do you think I should I punish you for that?”
A shiver of anticipation runs through me. Archer’s punishments usually result in many orgasms for me, so I’m not complaining. And he’s right. I knew what I was doing when I was deliberately goading him like that.
What can I say? It’s the first night we’ve had alone in ages. Who could blame me for wanting to start the night off with a bang?
“I’m sure you can figure something out.”
“Hmm.” The elevator doors open and Archer carries me inside. “I’m sure I can.”
He lowers me to feet before pressing the button to our floor, not taking his eyes off me the entire time. Heat builds in my belly even while another shiver runs through me.
I step to the back of the elevator, and watch as he stalks toward me, all lithe muscle and naughty intent.
If you’d asked me a year ago what I’d be doing this Christmas, I would have told you I’d be at my parents’ house in Fallbridge getting ready for our normal Christmas celebration. I definitely wouldn’t have thought I’d be eagerly anticipating a night with my son’s father, now my partner, while two of his loving grandmothers—yes, I consider MaeLynn his grandmother—spoil him rotten at a sleepover with a bunch of their other grandkids.
Every day since I found Archer is almost too good to be true. I’m so happy I…I—oh, shit. Not again. Not now.
“What’s this?” He cups my cheek with the palm of his hand, his thumb softly swiping under my eye and coming away wet. “Why are you crying?”
I shrug. “I’m so—” I choke on a sob. “I’m so happy.” I gulp a breath, trying to calm myself, but I break down instead. Huge, shuddering sobs tear through me as fat, salty tears roll down my face.
Archer wraps his arms around me and holds me close. “Yeah, I can tell.” He chuckles. “Uncontrollable weeping in elevators is one of the better known symptoms of happiness in a person.”
I laugh through a sniffle and poke him in the side. “Shut up. I am happy. I was thinking how—” I sniffle loudly “—lucky it was that I found you. And then the tears started coming and I couldn’t stop them. But they’re happy tears, I swear.”
A soothing hand rubs circles on my back. “I know, baby. I know. Why don’t we go back to the room and get something to eat?” His voice is laced with concern. “Did you have any food at the party?”
I shake my head. “No. My stomach felt a little queasy. I didn’t want to risk being the one puking at your party. I figured I should leave that up to the kids who’ve been stuffing their faces with all the Christmas goodies you have out.”
He pulls back to look at me, concern written all over his face. “Well, that’s it then. We’ll get something to eat, then you’ll feel better. Then you can smile when you’re happy, like normal. Instead of crying and making me think there’s something seriously wrong.”
“Yeah.” I nod half-heartedly. “That sounds good.” But it doesn’t sound good at all. This is not what I wanted to happen when we first came back to our room tonight. We have a limited amount of time and I’m planning to make the most of it.
The elevator stops moving, and the doors open up on our floor. Archer laces his fingers with mine and leads me into our room.
“I’m going to get out of this suit,” he says, leaving me next to the bed while he walks toward the bathroom. “Then we can kick back, order some room service, and watch a Christmas movie.”
