Only Christmas

“I’m a grown adult. I don’t need people checking on me,” I say when I reluctantly open the door.

“I’m sorry. I just heard a few things, and I’m missing an employee who was last seen coming into this room and security footage shows she never left.” Charlotte tries to peek over my shoulder. “Did I see Judge Adams leave earlier?”

“The employee you’re looking for is Aspen Loveall. She no longer works here, so you can stop your search. You can also stop inquiring who is coming and going from my suite and my hotel.” I make sure the tone of my voice lets her know that I won’t tolerate any of her bullshit.

“I—” She goes to speak again, but I cut her off. I can tell she’s not getting it, and I’m going to have to be extremely clear. Marco is already shaking his head, knowing she’s pushing her luck as it is. I have no doubt he warned her not to come knocking. Even with him technically being her superior, she still did it.

“I’m saying this as your boss now, Charlotte. Tell my mother I will see her at the party tonight. You can let her know I will have a guest with me.”

“Got it,” she finally says, but I can tell she wants to say more. It doesn’t go unnoticed that she doesn’t apologize to Marco or me.

“I’ll have the car ready for you, Sir,” Marco says before I close the door again. I chain the damn thing this time before I go in search of my bride. I swear for only being in a hotel suite, I’m always chasing after her. I find her sitting on the end of the bed with a robe on.

“This plan of yours can’t work. She’ll know this is all fake and tell your mom. Kind of makes this pointless.”

“Don’t ever call this pointless, Aspen.” I walk over to her, dropping down in front of her to be eye level with her. I hate that she’s waiting for everything to fall apart. I can sense it from her. So much in her life always has. I refuse to be one of those things.

“I’m sorry. Pointless was the wrong thing to say.”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m a married man. That’s all anyone needs to know. Anything beyond that is no one's business.”

“Not even your mother’s?” Her brows pull together.

“I love my mother, but she’s the last one that can question how fast I got married. She’s been married a lot of times.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, I think she’s searching for what her and my father had, so I leave it be. If she’s happy, I’m happy, and she really does seem happy this time around,” I admit.

“All right, but Charlotte is going to be upset about all this.”

“I don’t give a shit, and neither should you, angel. She’s not your boss anymore. In fact, in a way you’re now her boss.” Aspen’s mouth falls open at that. The shocked look is adorable on her. “Now you have to get off the bed before I pin you to it.” Pink spreads across her cheeks.

“Is that such a bad thing?”

I groan at her response. “Yeah, because next time it’s going to be my mother pounding at the door.”

“Okay,” she huffs, her bottom lip puffing out. There is no stopping me. I kiss her.

As hard as I try, I can’t pull away. And I don’t, not until she comes and screams my name all over again.

12

Aspen

“Are you sure this dress is okay?” I run my hands down the velvet dress, loving the feel of it against my skin.

It’s a beautiful dress, but I’m not used to wearing such pretty things or being this dolled up. My hair still has soft waves from when the hair stylist did it, and my makeup is pretty much still intact.

“I hate the dress.” My heart drops at his words. I watch as he puts his phone back into his coat pocket. We’re in the back of an SUV on the way to his mother’s home for the holiday party.

“What?” I squeak, trying not to panic. I can't believe he waited until we left to tell me he hates what I’m wearing.

I tried on a bunch of dresses after Hunter pulled me out of the bed after he’d given me another two orgasms. My clit is still a bit sensitive from his mouth. It definitely isn’t used to this much attention. Or any action at all, for that matter.

“It shows more of you than I’d like,” he grumbles. The reason he gives actually makes me smile a bit. He has this way of making me feel so dang sexy. It’s something I never in a million years would have thought of myself.

“Not really,” I try to reassure him. A need to make him smile fills me. I’m pretty sure those are rare from him.