Star-Crossed Curves: BBW Erotic Romance Boxed Set

by Carolina Moon

  “Now, outside…”

  “Outside?”

  “Yeah, I want you to handle that as well.”

  “But, I don’t generally…” she began. “I mean I can’t… Evan, this place is huge.”

  “Get some help. Surely, you know some big, strong guys who would work for you,” he said with a wink.

  Rissa felt her chin go up in defiance. “As a matter of fact, I do.”

  “Good, I’ll set up a payroll account for you to use so they’ll be compensated fairly. You can handle all that,” he said and then went on to describe what he wanted done to the outside, as if the matter was solved.

  Again, Rissa followed him around the front of the house, taking notes and making mental adjustments to what he was asking.

  Finally, they arrived back at the front door and he took one of her hands in his. “You’re cold. Let’s get you back inside.”

  With a hand on the small of her back, he ushered her back into the room where they had started. An elderly woman was sitting where Rissa had been earlier. She looked up quickly when they entered the room.

  “Mother,” Evan said, kissing her pale cheek. “I’d like you to meet Rissa. She’s going to be handling everything for the party.”

  “Hello, Mrs. Brogan,” Rissa said, reaching out to shake the woman’s hand.

  The woman simply looked up at Rissa. “This is a very special celebration,” she said.

  “Yes, ma’am, I understand. I’ll do my best to make it perfect,” Rissa assured her with a confidence she did not feel.

  “It’s something we’ve all wanted for a long time,” Mrs. Brogan shot a look at Evan and then returned her steady gaze to Rissa.

  They chatted for a few more moments and then Rissa told Evan she had enough to get started and would contact him shortly.

  “Let me show you out,” Evan said,

  Again, there was that hand on the small of her back as he guided her toward the front door. Curious warmth flooded through her that she couldn't quite ignore.

  “Oh, one more thing,” he said, steering her in another direction. “I forgot to show you where we’re having dinner.”

  They stepped through another door into a dining room as big as the home Rissa shared with her mother. There was a table that would easily seat 25 people, several buffets and cabinets all filled with gleaming china.

  “Evan, this is just beautiful,” she said, gazing around the room.

  “Good, I’m glad you like it. Of course, there won’t be room for all the guests in here but we’ll worry about that later. And I’ll have our cook go over the menu with you as well,” Evan said.

  “Okay. How many people are you expecting?”

  Evan shrugged. “I’m not sure. You see, we have a Christmas celebration every year on the same day. There’s sort of a standing invitation but this year is really special so I’m not sure how many extra people will show up.”

  Rissa let that one pass without pressing for more information. She had more important matters to attend to at the moment and this party was only two weeks away. Her mind was already whirling with ideas and plans and she could hardly wait to get to her sketchbook to get some sort of outline down on paper.

  And that’s when he kissed her.

  His full lips pressed against hers in a kiss that was tender and demanding at the same time. To her surprise and shock, she found that she could not pull away and, in fact, found herself responding. Big hands slid up her arms, creating that curious, wonderful warmth again. They continued their journey across her shoulders and finally, he stroked the back of her neck under her hair with his fingertips.

  When he finally pulled away she gasped. “What the…?”

  With a wink, he pointed upwards.

  Mistletoe. Mistletoe hung in the doorway directly over their heads. “You always kiss a beautiful woman when you see her standing under the mistletoe.”

  Rissa was speechless for a few moments and then she realized she was blushing, heat causing her cheeks to flame. “I’d better leave now,” she said, practically running for the massive front door. The limo was waiting outside and she climbed inside, her body a mixture of emotions. When she looked back through the window, Evan was standing on the steps, arms folded across his chest.

  What was wrong with her? So what, he kissed her. It wasn’t like they’d never kissed before. In fact, he’d kissed her the night before. Was it just only a few hours ago? And she had the feeling he just knew that when he kissed a woman, she would fall at his feet, helpless and hopelessly in love.

  Well, she wasn’t that kind of woman. And now, she was determined to show him that two could play at this game.

  Back at the office, Miller and Kelli were waiting. They both looked a little concerned when they saw her.

  “Are you okay?” Miller asked. “You look kind of flushed.”

  “I’m fine,” Rissa assured him.

  “How did it go?” Kelli asked.

  Rissa took a deep breath and tried to calm her frazzled nerves. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. And I have a few hundred phone calls to make.”

  “But you think you can handle it?” Miller asked.

  Rissa nodded and headed for her office. Closing her door, the first thing she did was call her mother.

  “Hello.”

  The sound of her mother’s voice always calmed her jangled nerves. They chatted for a moment and then she asked to speak to Maggie.

  “Maggie, is Johnny still out of work?” Rissa asked.

  Maggie’s son, as well as over a hundred other men and women, had lost their jobs when the Brogans closed down a local manufacturing plan that they owned five years before. Most of them were still out of work and she was sure Johnny could put together a dependable team of men.

  “Now what do you think?” Maggie asked with a laugh.

  “Tell him to round up about ten of his strongest buddies and come to the catering shop this afternoon. I’ve got a big job and I need their help for a couple of weeks,” Rissa said while making a note to get the needed hiring forms.

  “Will do,” Maggie said. “That’ll keep him out of my hair for a while.”

  “But he’ll be in mine,” Rissa laughed. Maggie’s handsome son, Johnny was a notorious flirt. He’d been married at least three times and always had several girlfriends on a string. Even though they’d been friends since they were children, Rissa continued to turn him down when he asked her out, much to Maggie’s disappointment. Rissa didn’t need that kind of drama in her life.

  With Kelli getting all the paperwork ready for their new employees, Rissa set about finding all the greenery, wreaths and poinsettias she could get her hands on. When she heard commotion outside, she realized it was late afternoon and she hadn’t even stopped for lunch. Rissa opened her door to discover that Johnny and his friends had arrived in full force.

  Kelli was handing out paperwork and explaining the situation.

  “Riss, baby,” Johnny all but shouted when he saw her.

  Rissa smiled at the handsome, broad shouldered man dressed in tight jeans and a green flannel shirt. Johnny was big and loud and friendly and everyone liked him immediately. He swept her up in a hug that lifted her right off her feet.

  “Put me down,” she said, laughing and pushing away from him. “Is that any way to treat your new boss?”

  Everyone laughed at that and Rissa suddenly felt confident that she really could pull this off.

  “Yes, ma’am. Johnny’s Posse is at your service,” Johnny said, taking off his ball cap and bowing courteously. “What would you have us do, miss?” Now he was using a British accent and everyone was laughing again.

  Rissa explained the job at hand and when she announced where they would be working, she saw the men begin to grin.

  “We’ll get started first thing in the morning,” Rissa continued. “I’ve already scheduled some deliveries and there will be more to come. It’ll be lots of heavy lifting, climbing. You’ll need basic carpentry tools and there will
probably be some wiring for lights involved. I’m sure between the eleven of you there’s enough knowledge to write a small DIY encyclopedia.”

  All of the men nodded, eager to get started.

  “Pay?” Johnny said.

  Rissa nodded. “You’ll get paid at the end of every day here at the office. How does that sound?”

  “I say some cash just in time for Christmas is a winner. Three cheers for Rissa,” Johnny announced, putting his arm around her possessively and pulling her close to his side.

  The crowd cheered and then, after a few more questions they filed out one by one. Johnny turned at the last moment and blew Rissa a kiss which she pretended to catch. And then she turned to receive the teasing she knew she was going to get from Miller and Kelli.

  Rissa fell into bed that night, totally exhausted but happy with her progress. She slept soundly and woke up earlier than usual. Dressed in jeans and a sweater, she surveyed herself in the mirror. With a shake of her head, she realized the jeans hugged her curves just a little too tightly but decided to wear them anyway. She would be running in and out, overseeing deliveries and the temperatures were supposed to drop all day long.

  “Hiring Johnny and his friends was very nice of you,” Lilly said, sipping her coffee.

  “I need their help. That place is huge and Evan is asking the impossible,” Rissa explained. “Just because they have money…”

  “The Brogans have had their share of bad luck,” Lilly cut in a little too sharply and then she softened her words with a smile.

  “Well, Johnny and his buddies are going to get some of that money for helping me make this happen,” Rissa said.

  She received a warm thank you hug from Maggie when she arrived and then was informed that a limo was waiting to take her to the Brogan mansion. Groaning in frustration, Rissa grabbed her coat and headed out the door. This was going to have to stop!

  Johnny and his friends arrived in pickup trucks just as she was stepping out of the limo. He ran around to open the door for her before the driver could get there and he saluted her smartly when she stepped out. Everyone was laughing, including Rissa and the driver. Then Johnny hugged her warmly, lifting her off her feet again.

  “Put me down, you oaf,” Rissa squealed.

  Over Johnny’s shoulder she saw Evan standing at the top of the steps looking down at them. And he didn’t look happy.

  “Okay, deliveries should start any minute, guys,” she said, announced pulling out of Johnny’s grip and taking charge of the situation. “I’ve asked for the trees to be delivered first so we can set the big items. Wreaths and more florals will come later today and tomorrow.”

  “We’ve got it handled, boss,” Johnny said with another salute and a wink.

  Rissa handed him the plans she had drawn the day before, pointing out the more specific items she needed him to pay particular attention to. Every once in a while she would glance at Evan, who kept vigil on the steps.

  And he still didn’t look happy.

  “Now, I’d better go see what’s eating the master,” she whispered to Johnny.

  Once inside, Evan closed the door and led her toward the library. “Who is that?” he asked abruptly, turning to face her.

  “You told me to hire some help. Johnny and his friends are my employees,” Rissa explained.

  “Is that all?”

  “What?”

  “You looked pretty chummy,” Evan said, his jaw twitching slightly.

  “For your information, Mr. Brogan, Johnny and I have known each other since we were children. There are times in my life when he has been my best friend, the only one I could turn to for…”

  “For what?” he cut in.

  “For support and…” Rissa was so furious she felt tears stinging her eyes. This was none of his business. Then she grew angry with herself for feeling as if she needed to explain it to him. Her fingers automatically went to the silver locket hanging around her neck.

  “I’m sorry,” Evan said, catching one of her hands in his. “I just don’t want someone taking advantage of you.”

  “I would trust these guys with anything,” Rissa snapped, pulling her hand from his. “Now I need to speak to your cook.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he said with a lopsided grin that made her soften a little. He led her through the dining room, and a smaller room which she assumed was a butler’s pantry, although it had a small desk and a bookcase full of recipe books. He stopped just before entering the kitchen, so abruptly that she ran into him.

  “What?” she asked when he turned to face her.

  Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her, his mouth warm and tender against hers, his fingers sliding up into her thick hair, combing it gently. When he pulled away they were both breathing hard and Rissa saw the fire in his eyes for the first time. Without a word, he glanced upward. Rissa followed his gaze only to find mistletoe hanging in the doorway above them. She shook her head.

  “Evan, please…”

  “I just can’t seem to break away from tradition,” he said with a shrug.

  “The cook,” Rissa reminded him, forcing herself not to smile.

  All through her conversation with the cook, Rissa’s thoughts kept going back to Evan’s kiss.

  The next few days were a flurry of activity. Delivery trucks came and went. Johnny and his crew were miracle workers, strong and quick to spot problems and come up with solutions. She finally convinced Evan to stop sending the limo to pick her up. She spoke with Miller and Kelli on a regular basis but the Brogan party was taking up every ounce of her attention and energy.

  Finally, just at dusk one evening, the last tree was draped with lights and ready to be tested. The solar lights that lined the drive and walk were already flickering on. Electronic luminaries lined the steps which would guide guests inside and a gigantic wreath hung over the front door. The décor was simple but stunning with lots of green garland punctuated with large red bows.

  Rissa stood in the middle of the circular drive, shivering in the cold and waiting for Johnny to make a last minute adjustment. He ran to stand beside her and threw one arm around her shoulders.

  “Ready?” he whispered.

  “Ready,” she said, nodding.

  Johnny gave a signal and the entire front of the Brogan mansion became a sophisticated wonderland of glittering lights and warmth. The sight took Rissa’s breath away.

  “Oh, my god, it’s perfect,” she squealed, hugging Johnny tightly. “You guys rock!”

  Johnny hugged her back and kissed cold cheek. “We aim to please, boss,” he said and gave the thumbs up to his friends who had gathered around them.

  “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you,” Rissa said to the men. “This is absolutely beautiful. Now, I want you guys to take off. It’s getting late. And take tomorrow off. I’m sure you’ve got Christmas shopping to do. We’ll start inside the day after,” Rissa shooed them away like unruly children and turned toward the mansion again. She could hardly wait to show Evan what they had done.

  He was coming down the steps toward her as the last pick up drove away. Dressed in a black tux with a long wool coat, he looked more handsome than she had ever seen him.

  “I was just coming to get you,” she said, smiling happily.

  “We’re going to have to leave soon. The never ending round of Christmas parties,” he said, explaining the way he was dressed. “But I heard all the commotion and wanted to see.”

  Rissa caught his hand, turned him back toward his home and made a broad sweep with her arm. “A few final touches and I think the outside is ready for your guests.” She watched him closely for a reaction.

  Evan’s face was hidden in shadows and showed no emotion as he slowly scanned the front of the house, his gaze pausing here and there. Finally he turned to look down at Rissa. “It’s beautiful,” he said softly. “Just beautiful.”

  For a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her again but he cleared his throat and stepped away from her.

  �
�I think mother will approve,” he added as the limo pulled into place at the foot of the steps. “You are a gem, Rissa.”

  Rissa felt herself blushing, strangely disappointed that he had not kissed her. “Thank you, Evan. Now, off to your party. I’m heading home. Tomorrow will be a planning day for me. I’ll be working out some last minute details with your cook and housekeeper.”

  As Evan hurried toward the steps, his mother appeared at the door. She watched him patiently help her down the steps and into the car. Then she walked to her own car, cranked it up and turned on the heat full blast.

  Chapter Four

  Blessedly she would be working inside all day and, although the weather man was calling for falling temperatures and the threat of a blizzard, Rissa was able to dress in somewhat lighter clothing. Instead of jeans she wore dress slacks, a silk blouse and a dark blue jacket that dipped in just enough to show off her waist.

  The Brogan’s housekeeper and cook were more than happy that Rissa was handling the arrangements for the party. In fact, they welcomed her expertise. Evan invited her to join him in the sun room to eat lunch, which she thankfully accepted. While they ate, they chatted about the party and she noted a few more changes to be made in the menu. Also, while they ate, the snow fell faster and faster.

  They finished lunch and she stood up to return to where she had been meeting with the cook. Evan followed her to the door.

  “Would you like for me to have my driver take you home?” Evan asked, motioning toward the large bank of windows where they could see the snow deepening quickly.

  “No, thank you, I’ll leave in a little while. My little car does just fine in the snow,” Rissa said.

  He caught her shoulders with both hands, stopping her in the doorway. As he pulled her back against him, she felt his hot breath caressing her ear and then his warm mouth on the side of her neck. Closing her eyes, Rissa gave in to the pleasure flooding through her for just a moment and then she looked up.

  “Mistletoe,” she said, trying to steady her voice.

  “Mistletoe,” he breathed, releasing her.