3:54pm How’s your day, kitten? Did you get my special delivery?
3:55pm I did. Meant to text you earlier. So beautiful.
3:57pm Yes, you are
4:00pm Still the charmer. How’s the board meeting?
4:01pm Still happening. I’m afraid I’ll be home very late tonight.
4:03pm That sucks. Everything OK?
4:07pm Mostly.
Frowning, I tapped a pen on my desk. I knew there had been some issues within the music division of Holden World Media recently. Sales were much lower than Samuel Holden thought were acceptable. Even though he was retired, he still gave Alastair an earful whenever he could. The company’s other areas -broadband, television and cell phones- seemed to be performing above expectations. I didn’t even pretend to understand what it took to run a huge corporation like that. All I knew was it weighed heavily on Alastair and forced him to work long, unforgiving hours.
I hadn’t noticed it as much when he was in Orlando with me because I’d been so wrapped up in my own drama. Since I’d moved here, seeing how much stress he was under broke my heart. I’d often wondered why his uncle, Jason, hadn’t been named CEO.
4:15pm Don’t work too hard, chief. Love you xx
4:22pm xx
* * *
The taxi dropped me off at Alastair’s house a little after seven. I still thought of it as his house because I hadn’t been here long and, well, it still felt like him. Translation: it remained pristine and sterile and lacking in any personal effects.
I plopped my handbag onto the couch in the living room and sighed. An idea hit me so fast I bounced up and down with excitement. Scurrying off to the bedroom, I flung the door to the walk-in closet open. A couple of boxes that had been shipped out here from my apartment in Florida sat beneath a wall of my clothes. I dragged them to the center of the floor and ripped off the packing tape. Inside were some of my framed photos that I’d had hanging on the wall in my living room. I rummaged through them and picked out a few. I also grabbed the flash drive that I’d filled with pictures before I’d tossed out my old laptop.
Trotting down the hallway to Alastair’s home office, I grinned like an idiot. Everything was in its place on his dark wooden desk. I moved a few files out of the way, making sure not to disrupt their order. I was pretty sure he’d arranged them in a specific way for the countless meetings he had each week. Pausing momentarily, I glanced at the cluster of photos hanging on his wall, focusing on the one of him as a sad little boy throwing leaves in the air. How far you’ve come, Holden.
After flicking on his laptop, a picture of him and me from the county fair we’d gone to in May appeared as the wallpaper. I melted. His gorgeous green eyes practically sparkled. So did his genuine smile. He was so beautiful it made my heart hurt. I looked content snuggled into his side. My smile matched his in brightness and almost muted the yellow sundress I’d worn.
“Okay, Meyers. Enough with the gawking,” I muttered to myself, sliding the flash drive into the USB port.
Craning my neck, I searched around the room to see where the printer was set up. After scrolling through dozens of photos, I printed out some of my favorites and put them in the frames. Back out in the living room, I placed a few frames on his end tables and a couple on the fireplace mantle. They warmed up the room and softened the impersonal aura that had lingered here for far too long. Inspired by my progress, I dashed to the home office and printed out one more photo. By the time I’d finished, his living room finally started to feel lived in.
Satisfied, I changed out of my work clothes into some yoga pants and a tank top, grabbed some leftovers and flopped onto the couch.
I wasn’t sure how long it would take for me to get used to Scottish programming. Sure, there were American shows sprinkled in but I wasn’t really into watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory or Frasier.
Oooh, reality shows. Fortunately, they were as popular here as they were back home so I settled in to revel in the food and mindless television. The couch was so comfy and the food was so carb heavy, I stretched out on the cushions.
* * *
The skin near my collarbone warmed from the gentle kisses brushing against it. I moaned softly, opening my eyes. The TV was off and the room was dark but I could see the outline of a figure hovering over me. I could also smell shampoo and body wash.
“Alastair,” I whispered, lifting my hands and finding his warm, damp body close to mine. He was naked. Wait, no, he had on a towel.
“Hello, beautiful,” he said in a low, seductive voice directly into my ear. “Sorry I woke you.”
“What time is it?”
“Late.”
“Did you shower?” I asked, distracted by his mouth on my neck.
“Yes. I see you’ve been busy.”
I have? Oh, right. The pictures.
He lowered himself so the full weight of his body pressed against mine and continued to kiss along my neck and shoulders. I attempted to hook my legs around his waist and inadvertently dislodged his towel.
“Do you like what I’ve done?” I asked, knotting my fingers through his damp hair.
His lips brushed mine, setting off all sorts of tingles and shivers. “Do I like that you’ve gotten me naked? Yes. What do you plan to do with me?”
He kissed me long and slow, running a hand along my curves. My mind drifted into a wonderful, fuzzy oblivion as I traced my fingers down his athletic body, pausing just above the curve of his backside. His kisses became more insistent.
A low groan vibrated in his throat when I pushed the towel to the floor.
“My Lia.” The humid warmth of his breath tickled my skin. “Tell me all about your day.”
“Not much to tell,” I mumbled, stroking his lower back. The lovely kisses came to a halt as he lifted his head. My eyes were slightly more adjusted to the dark and I could see him staring at me. “Why are you stopping?”
“I missed you.”
I laughed. “So you’d rather stare at me than kiss me?”
“Cheeky. No present for you.”
The divine heat of his body disappeared when he pushed himself up off the couch. I watched him wrap the towel around his waist, wishing he’d left it on the floor. Seeming to read my mind, he grinned and draped it over his shoulder instead.
“You mean the one you sent me at work?” I asked, not making an effort to tear my eyes away from his naked body.
“No. I’m up here.”
I flicked my eyes up. “And your point is?”
He folded his arms with a wicked grin. “Give me two minutes and we’ll finish what we’ve started here.”
He flipped on a light before walking to the bedroom. I stared at his bare backside until he disappeared around the corner. I sat up, flustered and turned on and curious as to what he was up to. He reappeared, as promised, two minutes later dressed in boxers and a t-shirt.
“Why are you wearing clothes?” I asked, failing to hide my disappointment.
Fixing a dark stare on me, he flashed a sexy smile, reaching out his hand. “Come here, love.”
Spurred on by his quiet demand, I followed him to the back patio