THAT MAN: Holiday Box Set Books 1-5

by Nelle L’Amour

  “Thank you,” I stuttered.

  He winked at me. Actually, it was more like a twitch, “Your performance has been outstanding.”

  My performance? My job performance or my performance last night? I dared not ask.

  Nervously, I thanked him again. He was having an unnerving effect on me. My heart was pounding, and every nerve was cackling, especially the ones between my thighs. I crossed one leg over the other to contain the fiery sensations. The sooner I got out of here the better.

  “What’s that in your hand?” he asked, eyeing the little bag dangling from it.

  I’d almost forgotten and stammered, “This is just a little something for you. Merry Christmas.” I set the bag on his desk, and he instantly reached for it. My eyes stayed locked on his fingers as he took the little box out of the bag and unwrapped it. Those beautiful deft fingers that had been all over my body. Groping. Squeezing. Circling. Caressing.

  That dazzling dimpled smile curled on his lips at the sight of the snow globe. He held it in his hand and admired it. The gold ball glistened.

  “Thank you. I collect these.” He held his eyes fierce on mine, burning a hole right through them. My raging hormones mixed with my nerves. I wanted to jump out of my skin.

  I uncrossed my legs. “Well, I should be going. I’ve got a few last minute things to wrap up before I take off.”

  “Are you doing anything special over the holidays, Ms. McCoy?” His seductive tone made it sound as if he was about to proposition me.

  “I’m going home to Boise to see my parents.”

  He nodded with approval. “Good. Sometimes getting away puts things in perspective. Makes you see things more clearly.”

  What was he implying? He was insinuating something in his tone.

  “What about you?”

  “I’m going skiing in Sun Valley. It’s not too far from Boise.”

  I gulped. He was practically going to be in my backyard.

  “Would you like to come up for a day and ski?”

  I was visibly shaking. “Mr. Burns, I don’t ski, and furthermore think it would be best if we don’t have any contact over the break unless it’s a work-related emergency.”

  He pressed his lips into a thin, pensive line. “I see.”

  Sun Valley was a playground for the rich, the beautiful, and the famous. Without warning, the thought of him spending the twelve days of Christmas with a different blond bimbo every night invaded my brain and threw my emotions into a tailspin. My breath hitched painfully in my chest.

  “Are you okay, Ms. McCoy?”

  I nodded wordlessly and forced myself to stand up. My legs felt like Jell-O. It took all my effort to get past the Christmas ball-sized lump in my throat and say, “Have a nice holiday, Mr. Burns.” Slipping my bonus check into a skirt pocket, I turned toward the door to his office. I should have been excited about opening the envelope, but I wasn’t. Unexpected sadness filled me. An emptiness that I did not want to understand.

  I hadn’t taken three steps when he called out to me. “Wait, Ms. McCoy. I have something for you too.” I stopped dead in my tracks and pivoted around. My eyes stayed fixed on him as he lowered his head under his desk. Every muscle in my body clenched. Was he zipping down his fly? Was I about to see his colossal cock and fuck him over his desk? Oh yes!

  Instead—and admittedly to my disappointment—he pulled out a box from under his desk. It was enormous and extravagantly wrapped with metallic green paper and an extravagant red bow.

  “Come here,” he said, placing it flat on his desk. I slowly made my way back to him, feeling mortified that I’d gotten him something so small and fantasized something so big in a different way.

  “I don’t think I should accept a gift from you,” I protested meekly.

  “Just open it,” he ordered.

  With jittery fingers, I carefully undid the exquisite wrapping. “Did you wrap this yourself?” I asked, fumbling for conversation.

  He rolled his eyes at me. “Are you kidding? I can’t even cut a straight line. I had it professionally wrapped.”

  I twitched a nervous little smile as I tore off the paper. “Well, it’s beautiful.”

  “Not as beautiful as you.”

  My heart skipped a beat. It was best not to respond to him.

  Whatever was inside the box was rather heavy; I couldn’t begin to manage what it could be. Finally unwrapping it, I lifted off the lid and peeled away a thick layer of emerald green tissue paper. My mouth fell open and my heart leapt into my throat. A loud gasp escaped.

  Oh my God. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the painting I’d admired so much at Jaime Zander’s art gallery gala. His late father’s erotic painting that had reduced me to tears. The Kiss.

  “I can’t take this from you,” I stammered.

  He smiled. “It’s not returnable. Final Sale.”

  “Please—”

  “No, I want you to have it. You need a piece of artwork to liven up that office of yours.”

  I stared in awe at the breathtaking abstract portrait of the artist in a passionate embrace with his wife—his muse and lover. Tears welled up in my eyes again. I brushed them away before they fell onto the canvas.

  Blake’s eyes met mine. I flushed with emotion. “Why are you crying, Jennifer? You should be happy. It’s Christmas.”

  “I’m just overwhelmed,” I sniffed. To say I was overwhelmed was an understatement. The memory of his kiss assaulted every one of my senses. Ate away at my heart. Consumed every fiber of my being. The tears kept falling.

  “This is the most amazing gift I’ve ever gotten.”

  “Then enjoy it.” He handed me a hankie and I dabbed my eyes with it.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, resisting the burning urge to throw my arms around his neck and hug him. How I longed to feel the warmth and hardness of his beautiful body. Have his delicious mouth on mine. Feel his hot cock against my belly. He nodded as if reading my mind. A long moment of silence transpired between us. The air was thick with tension and electricity.

  “I’m sorry I didn’t get you something bigger.” My small trembling voice broke the awkward silence.

  He smiled at me wistfully. “Your present is perfect. I love it.” He picked up the snow globe and shook it. My eyes blinked back tears as I watched the delicate glittery flakes dance around the glimmering gold ball. A painful longing tugged at my heart.

  “Then I should be going.” I gathered up the box. “Enjoy your holiday, Mr. Burns.”

  He shot me a sexy little wink.

  “You too, tiger.”

  With a heavy heart, I slumped out his office, not looking back or knowing what lay ahead of me.

  End of THAT MAN 2

  THAT MAN 3

  NELLE L’AMOUR

  PRAISE FOR THAT MAN 3

  “A perfect end to the series. Nelle really outdid herself with this amazing story.”

  —Whispered Thoughts Book Blog

  “This series and its characters were brilliant! They took wit and passion to a whole other level.”

  —Love Between the Sheets

  “I have seldom relished a book the way I did this trilogy. Thank you, Nelle, for your sense of humor, your humanity, your sensibility, and most of all, your storytelling gift.”

  —As You Wish Reviews

  “It is one of those book you can’t help but fall in love with.”

  —I Heart Books Reviews

  “Nelle does a fantastic job of bringing everything together… in a way that will keep readers on edge as well as feeling hot and bothered. The action and steam are spread throughout, which makes it quite the page-turner. THAT MAN 3 has everything erotica romance readers look for in a book.”

  —Fairest of All Book Reviews

  “The climax was a nail-biter and had my heart racing! I loved the epilogue. It was so sweet. It made me cry to say goodbye to Blake and his tiger.

  —Amazon Reviewer

  “I can’t believe the turnaround Blake makes.
He is now the ultimate book boyfriend. Nelle did a great job with this book.”

  —Book Boyfriend Reviews

  “I just loved this installment. You can feel the emotions pour out from each side. This was such a great series, and I wish there was more.”

  —Wicked Reads Review Team

  THAT MAN 3

  Copyright © 2014 by Nelle L’Amour

  All rights reserved worldwide.

  First Edition: May 2014

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to events, locales, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is purely coincidental.

  No part of this ebook may be reproduced, uploaded to the Internet, or copied without permission from the author. The author respectfully asks that you please support artistic expression and help promote anti-piracy efforts by purchasing a copy of this ebook at the authorized online outlets.

  Nelle L’Amour thanks you for your understanding and support.

  To join my mailing list for new releases, sales, and giveaways, please sign up here:

  NEWSLETTER: nellelamour.com/newsletter

  Cover by Arijana Karčic, Cover It! Designs

  Proofreading by Karen Lawson

  Formatting by BB eBooks

  Dedication

  To everyone who has dared to do something out of their comfort zone. This book is for you.

  And to my daughters, who I hope will make daring choices in their lives that will bring them closer to the truth of who they are.

  Chapter 1

  Blake

  The shuttle from Friedman Memorial Airport in Hadley to the Sun Valley Lodge, where I was staying over the Christmas break, took fifteen minutes. Leaving my rollaway bag and skis with the valet, I headed inside to the check-in counter and took in my surroundings. The lobby of the venerable resort, built in 1936, was decked out for Christmas with a huge, almost ceiling high lit up tree and a roaring fire in the massive, holly-trimmed hearth. The place was bustling with guests milling around the lobby, hot drinks in their hands. Christmas music was playing over the speaker system. It was a winter wonderland.

  Fortunately, the check-in line was short, and I was able to handle my reservation quickly. As the jolly attendant handed me my key card, a warm breath tickled my neck and a familiar, seductive voice traveled through my ear.

  “Hi, Blakey.”

  I spun around. Fuck. It was Kirstie. Or was it Kristie? I could never tell those two apart. She was dressed in skinny faded jeans, a tight turtleneck sweater that clung to her D-cup boobs, and pink Uggs. Her platinum hair cascaded over her shoulders from beneath a matching pink ski hat.

  “I didn’t know you’d be here.” My voice wavered. Why wasn’t I excited to see her? She was as drop-dead gorgeous as ever and ready to be laid.

  She moved uncomfortably close, trapping me between the counter and her body. Her heavy floral scent was suffocating me. She smelled nothing of cherries and vanilla.

  She licked her billowy glossed lips. They looked bigger than the last time I saw them. “My sister and I got in last night. Why don’t we get in some ski time together?”

  “Sure. Let me get settled into my room, and we’ll head to the slopes.” I immediately regretted what I said. I wanted to ski alone.

  “What room are you in?”

  I glanced down at my key card. “Room 606.”

  “Cool. Kirstie and I are right next door.” Well, at least, I now knew which one she was. However, the thought of having the Barbie doll twins a wall apart was unsettling. Too close for comfort.

  “Want me to help you check in?” she breathed, circling her big tits against my ski jacket. Her implants made her nipples so hard and erect I could feel them through the thick down-lined fabric. I squirmed, trying to get as far away from her as I could.

  “I can handle it. I’ll meet you down here in a half hour, and we’ll head over to Baldy.” Baldy was my favorite place to ski with its elevation of over nine thousand feet and myriad of blazing trails.

  “Perfect,” she purred.

  She sashayed away and I heaved a sigh of relief.

  My suite consisted of a bedroom with an adjacent bathroom, a living room with a fireplace, and a kitchenette. It was decorated in what I’d call Alpine-themed Ralph Lauren. Mirroring the lobby, the décor was floral, with the king-sized bed, couch, and curtains all done up in a red and pine green leafy print. Wall-to-wall dark green carpet lined the floor.

  I listlessly unpacked my suitcase, putting the jeans and heavy sweaters I’d brought along into a set of drawers. The rest of my skiwear I hung up in the closet. I should have been excited about being in Sun Valley—I’d always had a great time here with all the fabulous activities the charming town offered, not the least being getting laid morning, noon and night, but instead I felt blue. I totally missed Jennifer and wished she were here with me. All during my flight, I kept thinking about her. Hoping she was thinking about me. I hadn’t seen or spoken to her since our gift exchange at the office yesterday. Carefully, I set the last item in my suitcase on top of my nightstand. The little snow globe she’d given me. I gave it a shake and watched the glittery snowflakes flutter over the golden ball that somehow reminded me of my grandma’s matzo balls. The memory of watching her eat one at my parents’ Shabbat dinner flashed into my head. I’d fantasized her sensuous mouth on one of my balls and had almost come in my pants. She’d given the expression “from soup to nuts” a whole new meaning. And then my mind jumped forward to the other night. The night of the office Christmas party—the night we fucked our brains out. It was the best sex I’d ever had. And I’d had a lot. But it was more than the sex. While I could have fucked her one more time, I could have held her in my arms forever. I thought the feeling was mutual. But it wasn’t. To my utter shock, she didn’t want me. She said she’d made a mistake. That I’d taken advantage of her in her vulnerable state. A rebound fuck after her jolting breakup with her fiancé. That two-timing dentist, Dickwick. Plus, she was afraid of having an office relationship. At least, that I could understand. If it didn’t work out and one of us was going to get fired—who was it going to be? Her or me, the big jefe’s son? You guessed right. With his dreams of having me head up his media empire, my father would never fire me from Conquest Broadcasting.

  But then I really fucked up. Big time. Desperate, I told her we could be casual fuck buddies. I honestly didn’t mean it, but she didn’t believe me. She got dressed and left me. Alone in my fuck pad with no one to fuck.

  Never having dealt with rejection, I was fucking devastated. And confused. Selfish, spoiled, alpha me was a player. I left girls and not vice versa. They wanted me and couldn’t get enough of me. But not Jennifer McCoy. I had succeeded magnificently and failed miserably.

  Her reaction to the Christmas gift I’d given her—the erotic painting of a kiss by Jaime Zander’s late father that mirrored our own first, unforgettable kiss—had given me a little hope. She was overwhelmed. And not because it was such an extravagant gift. My father always said actions speak louder than words. And he was right. The painting brought tears to her glimmering green eyes because it hit a nerve deep inside her. It made her feel something. The same thing I felt. The electricity in the air between us was so thick you could see sparks flying. It had taken all I had not to haul her into my arms, smother her with another all-consuming kiss, and fuck her senseless over my desk. And then just hold her in my arms.

  She was right—we needed time away from each other to figure things out. Or at least she did. With a weighty heart, I gave the snow globe another shake and made a wish. I wished my tiger would come to the same conclusion as me: we plain and simple belonged together. With a twitch, my hopeful cock toasted to that. But deep inside my soul, I knew a relationship was a remote possibility. I sucked at them. In fact, I’d never had one.

  Donning my ski gear, I clunked downstairs to the lobby in my heavy ski bo
ots, my skis and poles under my arms. Kristie was already in the lobby. She was all dolled up in an expensive hot pink fur-trimmed ski jacket and matching ski pants. Furry earmuffs covered her ears, and she wore a thick layer of pink lipstick in the exact shade of her outfit. I didn’t want that lipstick anywhere near me, but she was all over me before I could say, “fuck off.” I finally managed to pull my lips away from hers without creating a scene. I thought about stopping at the concierge and asking for an antiseptic wipe on my way out. The thought of having to share a chairlift with her was repulsive.

  We took the shuttle and got to Baldy in no time. There was a long line for the lift. While we waited for a chair, my bubbly companion babbled on non-stop about all the fun she and her twin sister had had so far from ice skating to skinny dipping in the heated pool. She boasted how everyone recognized them from their print ads and commercials. For sure, a movie offer would be coming soon. I half-listened, interjecting an occasional “wow” or “cool.” My mind was elsewhere. Focused on someone else. My tiger. She was roaring in my head.

  I was actually glad there was a wait for the lift because I dreaded getting on it with bubblehead. She had no control over her sexual appetite nor did her sister. Up until now, I couldn’t get enough of the titillating twins alone or together—they were perfect hook-up material—but something inside me had changed. Let’s cut to the chase. Some sweet little Boise girl with a dimpled smile had shown me there was something more. There was a connection between my cock and my heart. And she was in my bloodstream bringing them together. Making me feel emotions and sensations I’d never felt with anyone.

  After twenty long, cold minutes, we finally got a chairlift meant for two. The temperature had dropped significantly, and the sky had turned an angry shade of gray. It looked like it was going to snow. I followed Kristie into the lift and sat as far away from her as I could. That didn’t last long. After I lowered the safety bar and hung up our skis, she scooched across the seat until she was almost sitting on my lap. I jumped when her hand reached for my fly and pulled it down. Peeling off her gloves, she reached under my briefs and grabbed my dick.