by Vivian Ward
“Oh hell no. He was just someone to have a little fun with for the evening.”
“Well, where the hell have you been? I thought you’ve been home this whole time?”
“Where have I been? That’s not really important. The real question is: how did you get home? I ran into Liam not long before I got home. He said he had been out looking for me.”
“Yeah, he thought you were going to do something stupid with that creep from the party so I sent him to make sure you were okay. Unfortunately, a lot of crap happened before he made it back. Christian Wilde brought me home in his limo.”
“Christian Wilde? Do you mean THE Christian Wilde? The notorious playboy Christian Wilde? What in the world did you have to do for him to give you a ride home in his limo?”
“It’s not even like that. I didn’t have to do anything.”
“Bullshit. Guys like Christian Wilde don’t just give girls a ride home with nothing to show for it. Come on, spill it, sister.”
“I’m serious. I mean, he did hit on me at the party after Liam left but I shut him down pretty quick and left. He ended up coming to my rescue a little later, though.”
“Your rescue? What happened tonight, Sarabelle?”
“It’s really hard to talk about and I don’t want you telling anyone, okay? You have to promise.”
Lexi nodded in agreement as she impatiently waited for me to spill my guts.
“Okay, after I turned down Christian’s advances, I decided to go into the garden behind the building the gala was in. You know how I love flowers. Anyway, there is this maze thing back there made with huge bushes. I went in to check it out and got lost inside. I know that sounds crazy but I was honestly lost. I ended up running into Kade Nichols and a woman in there making out. Well, the woman is married so she ended up running out as soon as she saw me. Kade was pissed that she took off and he felt that I should take her place since I was the reason she ran away. He started kissing me and, even though I kept trying to push him away, he was way too strong. He overpowered me and was determined to have his way with me. I tried screaming but he put his hand over my mouth and told me that nobody was going to come for me. Thank God Christian showed up from out of nowhere. He pulled Kade off of me and beat the shit out of him. I mean, he literally beat the shit out of him. It was crazy. He knocked him out and one of Christian’s security guards had to come and carry Kade out of there. Christian helped me up, led me out of the maze, put me in his limo and brought me home.”
“And that was it? He didn’t come in with you? Try to get you to thank him for being your hero?”
“That’s the thing, he didn’t. He walked me to the door and that was it. It was like the total opposite of everything I’ve ever heard about the man. Aside from his lame pickup lines at the gala, he was a perfect gentleman to me. I’m sure it had something to do with what I went through, but still. It was a surprise to me.”
“I’ll say. I’ve known about Christian Wilde for a long time and this is the first time I’ve ever heard something good like this about him. Anyway, enough about him. How are you? Are you okay?”
“Yeah, I mean, I guess I am. Honestly, I’m pretty freaked out. If he hadn’t shown up, I really think Kade was going to rape me. He had a look in his eyes that I’ve never seen anyone have before. He looked like a monster. I was so scared.”
Lexi wrapped her arms around me and pulled me in close to her. I started crying as she rocked me in her arms, playing with my hair in an attempt to get me to feel better. I always loved seeing this side of my sister. It was a small glimpse of the person she used to be and it gave me hope that we could once again become best friends like we once were.
She let me cry and cry until I didn’t have any more tears to give. Once I was done, Lexi grabbed some tissues from my nightstand and handed them to me, allowing me to wipe my eyes.
“You know, Lexi, I thought Christian Wilde was nothing but a lowlife pig but after the way he treated me tonight, I kind of feel something for him even though I know I shouldn’t. Please tell me I’m crazy.”
“You’re not crazy. Tonight, he was as close as you’re ever going to get to having a real life knight in shining armor coming to your rescue. Does that make him less of a pig? I don’t know. That’s a question that only you can answer. It does seem like you may have gotten to see a side of the man that very few people get to see. That has to mean something, right?”
“I guess so. Anyway, enough about me. I want to hear about your night. What in the heck happened to you after you left the gala? I tried calling you a couple times but could never get through.”
“Yeah, I ended up getting a little caught up as well. You aren’t the only one who ended up catching some feelings for someone tonight. There’s a guy that I’ve got a thing for as well.”
“The dude who was all over you tonight? He seemed like a creeper to me.”
“No, not him. He got ditched pretty quickly after I left the gala.”
“Who is it then?” I begged, dying to know who it could be.
“That’s not important, at least not right now. I don’t know if anything is going to come of it and I don’t want to look like a fool if it doesn’t. If it ends up working out, you’ll be the first one I tell.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.”
Lexi gave me a kiss on the forehead, proving once again that she was capable of being a caring, loving sister when she wanted to be. It also convinced me that she had two very distinct personalities.
She sat on my bed with me for another minute or two before leaving to go to her room. I stared at the ceiling for a little while thinking about everything that had happened that evening, both good and bad.
Eventually, I drifted off to sleep, passing out soundly until the late the next morning.
Christian 6
Six weeks. That’s how long it’s been since the night of the gala.
I haven’t heard a single word from Sarabelle or anyone else involved in the events of that evening. I’m not sure what I was expecting. I did everything the way I was supposed to. I played the good guy card exactly the way it needed to be played.
I would have thought I would have heard from the girl since then. I don’t know what she was waiting for. Maybe I had come on too strong when I introduced myself to her.
Even if that was the case, I figured I had proved something to her by not trying to make a move on her after I saved her from the attack. Perhaps I was overthinking things.
I knew where she lived. It would be easy to stroll up to her house and ring her doorbell. We also know plenty of the same people.
If I wanted to, I could make a couple phone calls and have her number within an hour. I had my ways of being able to contact her easily but I wasn’t going to do that. I wasn’t going to make an effort to contact Sarabelle. I knew that when the time was right, she would come to me.
She wasn’t the kind of girl that you could pressure to do what you wanted. I would have to be patient if I wanted to get her into my bed. Much more patient than I would have been willing to be with anyone before her.
Not the type of guy who would ever sit around pining for a woman who I may or may not ever see again, I went back to living my life the only way I knew how. I worked hard during the day and played even harder at night.
My evenings were filled with parties in exclusive VIP rooms, where I talked with envious men and danced with beautiful women, several of which ended up spending the night with me. Something was different, though. Before setting my sites on Sarabelle, taking these women home would leave me feeling like a stud but I wasn’t feeling it any longer.
These conquests that used to leave me feeling so full of life were now leaving me feeling hollow and empty. I didn’t know what was happening. All I knew was that I didn’t like it.
As the holidays approached, I set out to do some Christmas shopping for my mother and sisters. When it came to gifts for them, I never had any clue as to what I should buy them.<
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Normally, I would have my assistant pick something up for them but I wanted this year’s gift to have a more personal touch. Not wanting to deal with all the people in a busy mall, I decided to shop at Pamela Robbins, a beautiful little boutique store in the Scarsdale shopping district.
I walked into the store with no idea as to what I was even looking for. I didn’t know what my mother or sisters liked or have any clue what they may have needed. I decided the best thing to do would be to walk around the store and watch to see what others were buying for the women in their lives.
If there was something that seemed to be more popular than others, I’d pick it up for them. I was only strolling around the store for about ten minutes when I looked up and saw Sarabelle and her sister standing right in front of me. They were shopping and didn’t notice me so I decided to make my presence known.
“Good afternoon, ladies,” I said in a voice that was much more booming than I had intended it to be. Both girls looked up at the same time, Sarabelle looking as though she had seen a ghost and her sister smiling once she saw me, giving away that Sarabelle must have said something to her about me.
“Hey, I’m Lexi,” the twin said to me. “And I’m pretty sure you already know my sister, Sarabelle.”
Sarabelle started to blush as she looked down at the jewelry in the display case.
“Yes, the two of us have met. So what brings the two of you out here today?”
“We’re just looking around,” Lexi told me. “Trying to kill some time. What about you? Doing some Christmas shopping for a special lady?”
“Yes, several special women actually. I’m shopping for some gifts for my mother and sisters. The problem is, I don’t have any idea what I should be looking for.”
At that point, Lexi looked at me and shot me a wink. “That's a shame,” she said. “I need to run to the restroom real quick but Sarabelle is excellent at picking out presents. I’m sure she can help you choose something they’ll love!”
Sarabelle looked at her as though she was begging Lexi not to leave her but didn’t want to actually say the words out loud. Her sister just smiled and walked away, leaving Sarabelle alone and looking nervous.
“So here we are again,” I said to her in an attempt to break the ice a little bit.
“Here we are,” she replied. It was apparent that she didn’t have much to say to me. She looked like a deer caught in headlights.
“At least this is under much better circumstances than the first time we met.” I joked.
“Which circumstances were those?” she asked. “When you came onto me with one of the worst pickup lines in history or when you helped me in the garden?”
“I was referring to the garden but, wait, the worst pickup line in history? Do you really think it’s that bad?”
“You can tell me what you’d like for breakfast? Really?”
“Okay, so maybe you didn’t like it but I always go for what works.”
“That really works? Women really fall for that?”
“Well, you didn’t so I guess the smart ones must not go for it but yeah, it definitely works.”
Sarabelle rolled her eyes and went back to looking at the items in the display case.
“So, was your sister right? Are you really good when it comes to picking out Christmas gifts for people?” I asked her.
“That depends. I’ve always been able to pick out fantastic presents for my friends and loved ones. Of course, I know them all very well. I don’t know a thing about your mother or sisters so the results may not be as good. Why don’t you tell me about what they like so I can help you narrow things down a bit.”
“That’s a good question. I’m not really sure what they need or what they would want. I want to get them something that they’ll actually use on a daily basis rather than something that’s going to get shoved into a closet or put on a shelf never to be seen again. I love my mother and sisters to death and really want to be able to give them something thoughtful and useful this year.”
“Hmmm, that doesn’t really make things easier. Can you tell me about what types of things they like to do? Is there anything they do on a daily basis?”
“Let me think. Oh, I can tell you that my sisters love going into the city. They don’t go every day but they go as often as they can. They hate driving through the city so they take the bus or subway. That keeps them outside quite a bit during these freezing winter months. They are always buying beautiful coats so they don’t need anything like that.”
“What about a nice pair of gloves and a scarf? Are those some things they might need?”
“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen any of them wearing gloves or a scarf.”
Sarabelle nodded and led me away from the jewelry counter and over to the area that held the winter clothing. Never in my life would I have thought about buying them gloves or scarves but they made sense. They would be practical gifts that would get plenty of use.
It would also show that I had been paying attention to them all these years. Sarabelle pulled out a few different pairs of gloves but none of them really fit my sisters styles. I thought she would become frustrated but she was very patient and kept looking.
She must have gone through thirty pairs before coming across a pair of black Diane von Furstenberg gloves that were perfect for my oldest sister. After a little more searching, she also found a purple pair of the same style for my youngest. I realized that she and Sarabelle were about the same size.
“Would you mind trying on the purple glove so I can get an idea of what it might look like on my sister?”
“Sure,” she replied as she took one of the gloves and slid it onto her hand before doing the same with the other glove. I have to admit, the gloves were stylish and looked like something that both of my sisters would wear. I’d still have to find something for my mother but this was an excellent start. “So what do you think?” she asked.
“I think my sister will love them,” I said as I took her hand, still inside the glove, and brought it up to my mouth, kissing it lightly. Sarabelle blushed and looked away from me in embarrassment. “I want you to know that I appreciate your help today. I’d love to thank you by taking you out to dinner tonight. What do you say?”
Sarabelle 7
Talk about putting me on the spot. I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do. He seemed like he was being sincere.
Maybe he really did want to take me to dinner for no other reason than to thank me for helping him out. My heart wanted to believe that but my brain was telling me to get real.
This was the same man who had tried using his sleazy tricks to get me into his bed just a few weeks ago. He is notorious for being a player and saying whatever he has to say to get what he wants. I know that I shouldn’t fall for the tricks of a playboy but I couldn’t help it.
Looking into his eyes, I could see no hint of deception whatsoever.
“Fine, you can take me to dinner tonight. Just don’t go throwing any of those cheesy pickup lines around this evening, okay?”
“You have my word,” he promised.
We continued looking around the store, picking out a few more items for his sisters before looking at some jewelry pieces for his mother. I loved the way he spoke about his family. He didn’t have a bad word to say about any of them.
I could tell that he loved them very much and they were very close and tight-knit. It was exactly the way my family used to be. I longed to be a part of that type of dynamic again. One day, it would happen, I just didn’t know when.
My sister had to have been watching our every move because she managed to stay away until the very last moments of our shopping, only popping up as Christian was about to check out the items he was purchasing.
“Oh, there you two lovebirds are. Looks like the shopping went well then?” she asked sarcastically.
“It was fine,” Christian responded. “Your sister has a knack for knowing what other people will like, even if she doesn’t know them
personally. She could probably make some kind of business out of that type of skill.”
“I told you she knew what she was doing. My sister might not be good at much but she can shop for other people like it’s nobody’s business.”
“I agree but I have to get going now. I’ll see you tonight, Sarabelle. Will 7:00 be good for you?”
“7:00 will be fine,” I replied as my sister turned to me, her eyes full of questions. “I’ll explain later,” I whispered into her ear to prevent her from asking any more questions.
As we drove home, Lexi would not shut up about the fact that Christian Wilde said he would see me at 7:00 and kept asking what that meant exactly.
“Lexi, it’s really nothing,” I protested. “I helped him find some presents for his mom and sisters and he’s grateful for it. He wants to take me to dinner as his way of thanking me for my help.”
“Yeah right! Guys like Christian don’t just take you to dinner to thank you for your help. Guys like him take you to dinner as the appetizer before taking you back to his place to use you as the main course.”
“I assure you that’s not the case here. He knows that nothing is going to happen. I made that perfectly clear inside the store. This is a dinner and nothing more. I’d appreciate it if you’d stop trying to make something out of nothing.”
“Fine, I’ll shut up. I still say you’re wrong but whatever.”
Back at home, I paced in my room debating what I was going to wear. I didn’t think the evening would count as a date so I didn’t want to get too dressed up.
At the same time, I couldn’t imagine him taking any girl someplace that wasn’t entirely upscale, which would require me to dress as nice as possible. I didn’t want to but I yelled for Lexi to come in and help me.
“I have no idea what to wear. I don’t want to give him the wrong idea, you know?”
“Well, where is he taking you Sarabelle?”
“I have no idea. He just said dinner. I know he’s going to try to impress me by taking me somewhere super nice. I don’t know what to do.”