Deluxe Cinderella Chronicles 3 Story Box Set

by Lisa Renee Jones

  She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Depends. What do you have in mind?”

  “Whipped cream?”

  She shook her head.

  “Hmmm. There are other acceptable choices.”

  She smiled, and ran her finger over his full bottom lip. His playful nature really made her happy. Troubles seemed to disappear when she was with Matt. “Like what?”

  “Did I mention I really like Hershey’s chocolate?”

  Her brow lifted. “Do you?”

  “I do. I put it in my cereal. On my pancakes. On…everything.”

  Lauren smiled. “Everything?”

  Matt lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers. “Got any?”

  “I have strawberry.”

  He laughed, soft and sexy, and she felt it from head to toe. His mouth slanted over hers, and his tongue did a slow slide past her lips. With slow, sultry movements, he tasted her. This was a kiss of passion.

  A knock sounded on the door. “Lauren honey, are you home?”

  Lauren pulled away, hands going to Matt’s arms. “I really wasn’t prepared for this much reality in one day.”

  The knocking started again. “Lauren, honey, open up. I’ve been worried.”

  Lauren leaned around Matt. “Coming, Mother!”

  Matt smiled as he pushed a piece of hair behind her ear. “You met Gina. Now, I’ll meet your mother.”

  Despite an effort at smiling, she failed. Matt’s hands settled on her waist, and he lifted her to the ground. Her outfit was a wreck and obviously the prior day’s work clothes. She ran her hand over her skirt, and then looked at Matt.

  He shrugged. “At least we have clothes on this time.”

  “There is that,” Lauren said with a heavy sigh. “If we’d gotten the syrup out it would have been trouble.”

  Matt tapped her nose and chuckled. “Think how much fun we would have had though.”

  Lauren gave him a look. “You won’t be laughing when she finishes with us. The woman is as nosy as they get. I love her, but she’s difficult.”

  “It’ll be fine.” He leaned against the counter and inclined his chin toward the door. “Go let your mother in.”

  There was no sense putting off the inevitable so Lauren did as he said. The instant the door opened, her mother flung her arms around Lauren. “Oh, my God, sweetie. I have been so worried. You didn’t come home last night and your phone went straight to voice mail.”

  It was a miracle this was the first time she’d been missed. And yes, her phone had gone dead. Lauren hadn’t planned on all night at Matt’s so she’d been without her charger. “I’m fine, Mom.” Lauren motioned for her to come inside.

  She started forward, her eyes sweeping Lauren’s clothes. “You don’t look fine. You look…” Her eyes went to Matt. “Well, hello. I’m Helen, Lauren’s mom.”

  Lauren shut the door and turned to look at Matt, seeing what her mother must be seeing. Looking quite breathtaking in black slacks and a blue pullover, he presented the picture-perfect image of tall, dark and handsome.

  “Mom, this is Matt Monroe.”

  “Hi,” Matt said offering her his hand and a charming smile.

  Helen accepted, and to Lauren’s surprise, looked a bit shy under Matt’s scrutiny. “I have to say I’m shocked. Lauren never brings men around.”

  Inwardly, Lauren cringed. Great. Just what she needed. Her mother’s mouth running to Matt.

  “Well,” Matt said. “That’s encouraging news.”

  “Thanks for the insight, Mom.”

  Helen’s gaze traveled from Lauren to Matt as her eyes narrowed on him. “Come sit down, and talk to me, Matt.”

  Lauren rolled her eyes. “Mom, please. I don’t need you telling Matt all about my—”

  Matt looked at her with a brow raised. “About your what?” Amusement filled his eyes.

  “About me.” Lauren pinned Matt in a stare. “Anything you need to know, I’ll tell you.”

  Settling onto the couch, Helen eyed them both. “I’m not planning on divulging your secrets especially since I don’t even know what they are. I simply wanted to visit.”

  Matt grinned at Lauren. “Go pack. I’d enjoy visiting with your mother.”

  Oh crap, Lauren thought. The man had a big mouth.

  Helen perked up. “Pack?”

  “She’s spending the weekend with me,” Matt said as if there was absolutely nothing wrong with the words coming out of his mouth.

  Helen looked at Lauren but her expression was curiously indiscernible. “Go pack, dear. Matt and I will be just fine.”

  Her gaze moving from one to the other, Lauren wasn’t sure what to make of all of this. She threw her hands in the air and marched toward the bedroom. To make matters worse, she was almost certain she heard them laughing as she did.

  Could her life get any more complicated?

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Monday morning came way too fast. The weekend had been heaven and Lauren had wanted it to last forever and ever. At the inhumane hour of six o’clock in the morning, already dressed for work, Lauren sat in a coffee shop. Matt stood a few feet away at the register ordering their drinks.

  Just an hour before, they’d been making passionate love. She sighed and propped her hand under her chin, supported by her elbow. The weekend had been amazing. Perfect. And now, it was…over. Matt left town this morning for the rest of the week. This should come with relief. It would be a cooling-off period. A chance for them to separate themselves from one another.

  But even as she worked to bring herself back to reality, her thoughts drifted to the prior day, and she found herself smiling. They were both so excited about the BG account that they had actually worked through some of the presentation together. They laughed, and joked, but at the same time really made progress. Somehow combining work with their time together made what they were doing worse, yet, she couldn’t help herself. The shared excitement for advertising had taken hold and dominated. She’d wondered if he’d felt as she had. As if work intruding on their weekend somehow made it dirty or wrong. She almost laughed out loud at that. It was wrong.

  They had spent Sunday seeing one of the new action flicks. A definite guy film, but she hadn’t minded. A chick flick would have just made her want to jump him in the theatre. As it was, she had struggled to keep Matt in check when the lights went down. Pigging out on candy and popcorn had been fun.

  “You’re thinking way too hard. Save whatever it is until I’m out of town.”

  Lauren looked as Matt sat down, sliding her coffee in front of her. She hadn’t even seen him approach, she’d been so deep in thought. Eyeing him, she reached for her coffee. “You still haven’t told me what you and my mother talked about.”

  He smiled. “I’ll let you try and entice it out of me when I get back in town.”

  Lauren frowned. “I’m serious.”

  “So you’ve told me the other twelve times you’ve asked.” He winked. “You’ll just have to use your arsenal when I get home.”

  She made a face. “I already tried that several times and it didn’t work.”

  Matt laughed. “But wasn’t it fun?”

  The warm sweet coffee touched her tongue. It tasted good but her stomach was doing funny things. She sat it back down, not so sure drinking it was a good idea. Matt leaving was bothering her more than it should.

  Studying her, Matt reached across the table and touched her hand. “What’s wrong, sweetheart?”

  She sighed and looked up at him. The way he called her ‘sweetheart’ really tugged at her heartstrings. He did it a lot. That and ‘baby’ were his two endearments. “I don’t really know. I just feel…” How did she explain what she didn’t understand?

  “I wish I didn’t have to leave,” he said, as if he’d read her mind. “I promised Bret I’d go to a fashion show they’re holding in Los Angeles.”

  Lauren was about to respond when she saw the receptionist from Carlson walk in the door. She stiffened. “Oh God, Lo
ri just walked in. What’s she doing out so early?” Lauren fixed Matt in an accusing stare. “I told you this was too close to work.”

  Matt narrowed his gaze on her. “We’re dressed for work. It simply looks like we’re discussing the campaign.”

  Lauren nodded, but she felt the truth in the churn of her already-upset stomach. “Right.” And she had some swampland to sell.

  Matt pushed to his feet and dropped a couple of bills on the table. “Come on.”

  Lauren looked up at him. Wouldn’t leaving make them more obvious? “Where are we going?”

  Matt’s expression was indiscernible but she noted the flex of his jaw as if he was grinding his teeth. Then in a low, intense voice, “Somewhere where I don’t have to pretend I am not the man who made love to you all weekend long.”

  Meaning delivered with a punch. She felt his words with the poison intended. He was mad. Lauren stood, not making eye contact with him. She felt the burn of reciprocating anger. They walked out of the coffee shop while Lori paid the cashier.

  Her heels hit the pavement, accented the silence between them. The car was around the corner, out of view. For that, Lauren was thankful. Yet, with every step she took, her temper pitched a level higher. Matt held her door open for her, but still, they made no eye contact. It was all she could do to bite her tongue.

  Once they were both inside, Lauren turned to Matt. “I can’t believe you’re mad. Don’t you see what this could do to me?”

  Matt stared at Lauren for long moments and then turned away. Gripping the steering wheel, he bit back words. As crazy as many might think him, he’d made a decision this weekend. He loved Lauren and wanted to marry her.

  “What I see is you overreacting.”

  “Overreacting?” Lauren said incredulously. “How can you say that? What if she tells someone?”

  He turned just his head to look at her. “Then you tell them we were working.”

  “But we weren’t.”

  Now she wasn’t making sense. “No one knows that but us.”

  “Lori knows. I know she does.”

  “Lauren, I’m not sorry we’re seeing each other. Gossip happens. Whatever she says I’ll deal with it.”

  She glowered at him. “It’s not the same for you as it is me. You’re the boss!”

  Drawing a breath, Matt counted to ten in his mind. The chances that he might be less than objective about this situation were high and he knew it. Lauren had valid reasons to be concerned. Yet, a part of him wanted to just say, “marry me” and shut them all up.

  “At what point will you be willing to disclose our relationship?”

  “I don’t even know how to respond to that.” Crossing her arms in front of her body, she angled her body away from him. “When would you if you were in my shoes?”

  He forced himself to take a mental step backwards. “You’re right, Lauren.” His hand went to her arm. “I know how it would look for you.”

  She turned to him then. “I have a lot to lose,” she whispered.

  He brushed his knuckles down her cheek. “I know, sweetheart. I know.

  Glancing at the clock. “I have to go to the airport. I’ll call you tonight and we can talk.”

  Her bottom lip trembled. “You don’t have to. I’m fine.”

  “I want to,” Matt said. “Now kiss me like you’re going to miss me.” But he didn’t give her time. He kissed her with everything he had. A long, passionate kiss meant to tell her how special she was to him.

  * * * * *

  Lauren shut her office door thankful for the escape to privacy. Watching Matt drive away had almost brought her to tears. What the heck was happening to her? She didn’t cry over men.

  Before she could even make it to her desk, a knock sounded on her door. Damn it. “Come in.”

  Lauren settled into her chair as Celia walked into the room looking more than a little distressed. “Why do I know I’m going to hate what you’re going to tell me?”

  Celia shut the door and crossed the room before she responded. Once she was seated directly across from Lauren, she asked, “Are you seeing Matt?”

  Lauren’s eyes fell shut. This was not happening. She forced herself to make eye contact with Celia. “Why would you ask me something like that?”

  Celia cleared her throat. “Lori saw you two together.”

  The office had been open all of a half-hour and already Lori had spread the gossip. It made Lauren mad. “Tell Lori if she comes up with a good idea for the BG account she might just get invited to coffee as well.” It wasn’t like Lauren to be snide, but she was really ticked. And hurt.

  Celia smiled. “I thought it was something like that. I’ll pass the word.” She made a face. “I better start with Greg, who loves trouble almost as much as he does his own looks.”

  Lauren would have laughed if she didn’t feel so much like screaming. “Great,” she muttered. Then, louder to Celia. “I’m going to look like dirt before this is over.”

  Celia sighed. “I wish I could say that wasn’t true.”

  Lauren waved a dismissive hand. “But you can’t, so don’t bother.”

  “Sorry sweetie,” Celia said as she stood up. “I’ll do what damage control I can.”

  Lauren nodded. “I know.”

  But the truth was, Lauren had made her own bed, and now she had to lie in it. And this time without Matt.

  The writing was on the wall. You play, you pay. Lauren had to end things with Matt if she had any hope of making a living in advertising.

  As she had known from the beginning, he would survive the end of their affair, but her career might not. If she had any hope of salvaging her future in advertising, she had to get busy rebuilding what was left of her reputation.

  Which meant she had to leave Carlson.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  On Friday morning, Lauren sat at her desk, absently tapping a pencil on the wooden top, and trying to figure out how to get out of that night’s BG party. Matt would be arriving back in town just in time to make a showing with the guest of honor from BG by his side.

  Seeing Matt would be hard enough without doing it in front of the entire staff. Matt had called every night he was away. Each time she hadn’t answered, letting the machine pick up. By Thursday his messages weren’t so nice anymore. He knew she was avoiding him, and actually demanded she call him.

  She laughed at that. He didn’t know her well if he thought demanding would work. The phone on her desk rang, making her jump as it pulled her out of her reverie. Lauren grabbed it. “This is Lauren.”

  “So it is.”

  Matt’s very irritated voice made her stomach flutter. “Oh, uh, hi.” Busted. She should have known he would call the office after last night’s message.

  “Talk to me, Lauren.” His voice was low, but intense.

  She dropped the pencil. “I don’t know what to say.”

  “That’s becoming your famous line for everything you want to avoid. Why can’t you say what’s on your mind?”

  “Fine,” she said. “You want to know what’s going on? I can’t see you anymore.”

  Silence. One beat. Two. “Is that what you really want?”

  She knew the answer was “yes”. Knew it. Why something different came out of her mouth was what she didn’t know. “No,” she half-whispered. “You know it’s not.”

  “Do I?”

  “Yes,” she said in a shaky voice. “You do.”

  “Then why are we even having this conversation?”

  She didn’t want to do this on the phone but on the other hand getting it over with had its plus side. Like no more worrying about how and when to say what was on her mind. “If I keep seeing you, then I’m going to resign.”

  Silence again.

  “I can’t do both,” Lauren added.

  “We’ll talk tonight.” There was no give to his voice. “It’ll work out. I promise.” His voice was different now, gentler. “Deal?”

  “Talking won’t change anything.
I wish it could but it won’t.”

  “It will,” he said firmly, and then lowered his voice, “I missed you, Lauren.”

  God, he was making this hard. And though she knew she shouldn’t say it, she did… “I missed you, too.”

  So much for her resolve.

  * * * * *

  Lauren chose a form-fitting dark blue dress to wear to the party. Underneath, she wore red lace panties and a matching bra. For Matt. She didn’t even pretend differently. She wanted to be with him just one more time. How many times had she said that before? Just one more time…

  But this time would really be the last time.

  It had to be.

  How ironic that the party was at the hotel she and Matt called their secret little world. It gave the night a certain seductive quality.

  Reaching for her purse, Lauren stilled at the sound of a knock on the door. Her heart flip-flopped. For some reason, she knew it was Matt. She raced across the room and pulled the door open. He stood there, a suitcase in hand, dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, nowhere near ready for the party, looking rugged and sexy.

  “What are you—” She never finished the sentence. Matt stepped inside the apartment, kicked the door shut, and kissed her. It all happened in a split instant. Strong arms pulled her close, and the warm seduction of his mouth slanted over hers. Lauren melted, plain and simple. He felt like coming home. Like everything she had always wanted and never had.

  And she had missed him.

  Echoing her thoughts, he pulled his mouth from hers and looked down at her. “I really missed you, Lauren.”

  In his eyes, she saw the sincerity of his words. Inside she felt them. Her hands moved down his shoulders, absorbing the muscles. Needing him. Wishing there were no complications to overcome. “I really missed you, too.”

  “Show me.” His words were husky, his hands scorching as they traced her waist and then her hips. “Show me how much you missed me.”

  “There’s no time,” she said in a hoarse voice as his lips brushed the sensitive skin on her neck.