Читать книгу Sin City Vows - Zuri Day - Страница 13
ОглавлениеChristian told himself that going to see Lauren was just about returning the bracelet, that spotting it on the driveway as he pulled up for an impromptu visit was life’s way of leading him toward her place.
When Victoria offered to have Elvis or one of the other guys drive it over, Christian told her he was “already heading that way.” But the real reason the newly elected president of a multibillion-dollar conglomerate was playing the part of delivery boy, instead of sending any one of at least fifty employees who worked on the estate, was because the only time it seemed he was able to stop thinking about Lauren was when he was talking to her instead.
In spite of his suspicions as to why she was here, thoughts of the sexy siren in that emerald-colored jumpsuit had consumed him since she’d stepped off the plane. He remembered his brief interactions with Lauren all those years ago. She’d been the quiet, leggy kid with adoring eyes who’d watched him when she thought he wasn’t looking. The kid he’d brushed off or ignored while pursuing her older sister.
What it was about Lauren that now had him so enthralled Christian didn’t know, except that it was something that none of the other women he’d been around lately possessed. It wasn’t just her beauty, though she was gorgeous, with features she seemed to have been born with rather than purchased. Christian had been around and dated some of the most beautiful women on the planet. What attracted him to Lauren was a mystery, one he was determined to solve.
Christian pulled into the driveway, cutting off the engine and stepping out in one smooth motion. Ignoring his increased heartbeat, he strolled to the front door and rang the bell. Several long moments passed and he lifted his hand to knock just as the door opened.
“Oh. It’s you.”
Christian took in Lauren’s bouncy ponytail and colorful sneakers, and the way her darkly bronzed skin glimmered against the pale yellow dress draped so becomingly over her curves. She looked absolutely delectable, and he prided himself on resisting the urge to lick his lips or kiss hers.
“Who were you expecting?”
“Um, someone else.”
She seemed distracted, swiping an errant strand of hair away from her face as she looked at the floor around her.
“Am I interrupting?”
“Actually, I was just heading out to look for something.”
“This, maybe?” He held up a silver link bracelet with dangling charms.
“Yes!” She reached for the bracelet.
Christian pulled back.
“Chris, give it to me. Now.”
“Only if you’ll be kind enough to invite me inside.” He meant that in all ways imaginable.
“Sure,” she said, stepping back.
He moved inside, stopped directly in front of her, just a few inches and a wall of heat between them.
“Now give me the bracelet.”
“Ask nicely.”
“May I have the bracelet, please?” Said through gritted teeth with flashing eyes.
Christian laughed. He unclasped the bracelet. “Here, allow me.”
“Where did you find it?”
“At the edge of the circular drive. I saw it just before going up the steps.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Come on now,” he drawled, then grinned. “It’s why I came over, to give it back.”
“Really? I can’t tell.” She held out her arm and smiled as he placed the delicate silver chain around her slender wrist and looked into her eyes. She returned his stare—bold, unflinching. Obviously the shy, awkward tween was all grown up. He hooked the clasp, then, still holding her arm with one hand, turned the bracelet with the other and reached for one of several charms, this one a heart.
“Each of these has a meaning, right?”
“Yes.”
Christian’s thumb brushed the inside of her wrist. An unasked question was immediately answered as Lauren’s nipples hardened and pressed against soft cotton. She wore no bra. Acutely aware of his gaze, Lauren eased her wrist from his grasp and crossed her arms over her chest.
He observed the move but made no comment. Was she sincerely embarrassed? Playing hard to get? What does it matter to you? It didn’t, Christian reminded himself. He’d had enough experience with women to know that even if she agreed to a casual affair, emotions could shift and life could get ugly. She could become a stalker or worse, somehow try to trap him. He knew that when it came to temporary liaisons, it was best to keep a safe distance between his lovers and his family and professional life. That wouldn’t be the case with Lauren. Their mothers were very good friends. Even more, Lauren was now his mother’s assistant. Which meant she was off-limits.
Life wasn’t fair.
“A heart, huh?”
“Yep.” Lauren fingered the silver trinket, her eyes on him as her headlights dimmed. She’d gotten her body under control, he saw, at least for the moment.
“So since you’re wearing it on your sleeve, so to speak, does that mean no one has it yet?”
“That was really bad, Christian.” She turned and walked into the living room, toward the couch. “Like something you would have asked my sister when you were sixteen.”
“Yeah, it was pretty lame.” He pointed to the couch. “May I?”
“Of course. I’m sorry, where are my manners? Would you like something to drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Lauren joined him on the brushed-suede sofa. He moved to lessen the distance between them. As one hand encircled her wrist, the other fingered another charm on the bracelet. “Does this signify your wild side?”
“If so, I’d be quite dangerous. Bears are strong. That’s the mascot of my alma mater’s football team.”
“Which is...?”
“Morgan State.”
“I see.”
“Are you into college sports?”
“Not too much, and not football. My games are golf, basketball and tennis. A little pro baseball every now and then. Are you a big sports fan?”
“I like football.”
“So if I decided to tackle you, it would be all right?”
“You could try, but I might rise up on hind legs and swipe you with my paw.” Christian chuckled as Lauren continued. “Leave a trail of fingernail scratches across your body. But then again, that probably wouldn’t be the first time.”
“Except for my brothers or teammates, being attacked would absolutely be a first. I’m not a violent man.”
“What about the women you date, like Chloe?”
“What makes you think I dated her? Mom told you?”
“You and your life were not a part of our conversation. Chloe’s reaction toward me said it all. If evil eyes were daggers, I wouldn’t have lasted the night.”
“Chloe doesn’t like to be outshone, and you were the brightest star in the room,” he murmured. “We’ve known each other for years, basically grew up together, and dated off and on in high school. What about you? What does your boyfriend think about you moving cross-country to take a job?”
“Is that your roundabout way of asking whether or not there’s a man in my life?”
“Is there?” he asked.
“No.”
Christian quirked a brow. “That doesn’t seem possible.”
“Perhaps, but it’s true. My last serious relationship was a while ago. After that I threw myself into work, networking and building up my client base.”
“And you left all you’d built to work with my mom?” he probed.
“Victoria knows I have ongoing clients and believes I can handle the work required for them and help her out, too.”
Christian studied Lauren as she talked, knowing she held back much more than she’d spoken. She hardly seemed the all-work-and-no-play sort of woman. Patience was one of the traits that made Christian such an astute businessman. Patience and intuition, knowing when to hold and when to fold. So he held his curiosity for why she’d leave a growing clientele to work for a nonprofit foundation with his mother. But still, he wondered. Was she running away from something? Was she part of his mother’s plan to turn him into a married man? Did she have plans of her own?
“How old are you?”
“Twenty-six. I’ll be twenty-seven in April.”
“You called me an old man last night but you’re not too far from thirty yourself.”
“Getting older is not the worst thing that can happen, you know.”
“But it seems to be harder for women than for men. Don’t you want to get married and raise a family?”
Christian had asked the questions casually, but he listened intently as she answered.
“At some point that might be nice, if I find the right man. Why?” She looked at him from beneath long, curly lashes, her smile reigniting the desire that had sprung up when she opened the door. “Are you applying for the job?”
“I already have a wife.” He laughed as shock registered in her eyes. “Her name is CANN.”
“Then—” Lauren leaned toward him “—a mistress, maybe?”
“Careful, beautiful lady. You’re about to start a fire.”
“You’re right. I shouldn’t tease.”
“No, you shouldn’t. Don’t poke the bear.”
