I feel like I’m in a stranger’s body.
And this stranger loves Stephen Day’s touch.
BACHELOR
THIS SITUATION WITH Stephen is out of control. Totally.
“Alice,” I say, “You mentioned the fact that I have no ring. There’s no ring because there’s no engagement. I’m sorry about the club and the New Year’s Eve plans. Really, I am. I hope you didn’t put down a deposit.”
“No, dear. They wouldn’t take a deposit because it is so close to the day. We had to pay in full for twenty-five guests. Any additional guests will have to be paid for the day of the party.”
“Cheetah.” His voice slightly above a whisper as his fingertips rub the top of my hand he’s still holding, “This is why we don’t lie.”
“Exactly.” Gary nods. “Now fess up and tell us the wedding date.”
“We haven’t set one yet. And that’s not a lie.” Stephen’s tone is matter-of-fact.
“I can live with that.” Gary pushes his plate forward indicating he’s done with his meal.
Alice’s plate looks like it hasn’t been touched, and I wonder what, if anything, she eats. She’s super thin in an unhealthy way. Her leggings and oversized top are stylish but fuel her thinness.
Gary looks at his watch. “Stephen, we’re leaving shortly, and we really need to talk about the Zaunesia scenario. I’m sure you’ve told Jenny all about it.”
“Briefly. We’ve just met, remember?” Stephen releases my hand and pushes his chair back, folding his arms across his chest.
“And the party. Honestly, we can’t accept.” I cross my arms in an attempt to appear united in front of Gary and Alice.
“The engagement party is a done deal. Eight o’clock New Year’s Eve,” Alice states.
Maybe united isn’t the best way to appear.
Maybe the key will be in dividing.
That’s it.
I lean toward the table and start gathering the plates. “Stephen, it appears our dilemma as to how we will ring in the New Year has been solved. We need to thank Alice and Gary. I’m sure the party will be wonderful.”
Before Stephen can say anything, I grab a couple of plates, stand and lean toward him giving the impression I’m kissing him on the cheek. “Trust me.” I whisper my words.
And with no intention other than appearing like an authentic engaged couple, I place a small kiss on his cheek. My lips tingle at the unexpected sensation of his freshly shaven face. The tingling continues through my jaw and neck before it crescendos into the roots of my hair.
I start to move away from him, but he places his palm on the side of my face, guiding me so I’m looking directly at him. His thumb rubs my scar, and I can’t ignore the mixed feelings of ugliness and caring. “Don’t be long, Cheetah,” he says softly but loud enough for Gary and Alice to hear.
His ability to catch on quick makes me smile.
My smile is cut short as his lips cover mine.
I’m startled and mesmerized all at the same time. The kiss lasts too long.
My knees to weaken.
The dishes I’m carrying start to rattle.
I barely feel his tongue lightly brush my upper lip, causing a new slew of sensations. His hands steady the dishes as he leans back in his chair. “Hurry back.”
Hurry back?
I can’t convince my legs to walk away.
As he releases the dishes, I gather what strength I have to move one foot in front of the other. With a still shaky hand, I slide open the glass door and walk into the kitchen.
My arms tremble as I place the dishes into the sink.
My lips burn with the passion that is Stephen Day.
My heart becomes larger, like his kisses are the water necessary for love to grow.
Love?
I’m not in love with a man I met yesterday. Just because he makes me feel, doesn’t mean I’m in love.
It means I’m foolish.
Foolish to succumb to the first guy who shows me attention since my surgery.
My elective surgery.
I did not elect to feel this way.
“You okay, Miss Jenny?”
I turn around to find Phoebe standing at the island. I didn’t even hear her approach.
“I’m fine.”
“Gathering your thoughts?” she asks. “That’s what my mommy says she’s doing when she’s standing around not moving.”
This little girl has no idea how she brightens my mood. “Well, then yes, I guess I was gathering my thoughts.” And my wits, my heart, my composure.
“Okay.” She smiles before walking back to the couch.
I hear the sliding door open, and Alice walks in carrying a plate.
Just one.
And her hands shake slightly. Is the plate too heavy or did Gary just kiss her?
I’m betting on the plate.
“Those guys are talking about that Zaunesia situation. It’s senseless to me. Especially since we see that Stephen is smitten with you. There’s no way anyone will convince me he was interested in the king’s daughter. No matter how young and beautiful she is.”
“How young and how beautiful?” I ask.
“Put your claws away, honey. Too young to be taken seriously, and not beautiful enough to compete with you.”
I shake my head. “I’m not beautiful anymore.”
“I disagree. And apparently Stephen disagrees, too.”
Gary and Stephen come in from the patio, each of them carrying a variety of plates and bowls which they set on the counter.
As soon as Stephen sets his dishes down, he slides over to where I’m standing. It’s like I’m a magnet for his body. And when he is this close, I find it hard to think straight. It’s like I can’t think of anything but him.
“I think everything is settled then.” Gary leans against the counter. “We’ll be in touch. Make sure you keep Alice posted on the number of guests you’ll be adding.”
Stephen slowly, meticulously, caresses every inch of my shoulder as he places his arm possessively around me, drawing me close to his side. I must admit we do mesh together well.
“We will keep you posted.” Stephen gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Won’t we?”
“Yes. We will.”
Alice playfully slaps Gary on the arm. “Why don’t you cuddle with me like that anymore?”
“I got your cuddle, tonight in the hotel room.”
“Gare, seriously?” Stephen says.
Gary laughs. “Ease up, kid. I’m all talk and you know it.”
“This gal needs a little more than talk.” Alice is tapping her foot, indicating she doesn’t find Gary’s joke funny at all.
“You two, take it to the car. We’ve heard enough.” Stephen starts to shoo them out of the kitchen.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Wait right here.” Alice holds up her finger indicating she’ll be right back.
She heads toward the foyer. An awkward silence ensues as we wait for her return. Moments later she’s back, a big purse slung over her shoulder. She pulls out a package wrapped in red paper with a big green bow. “Here.” she holds out the present toward Stephen and me.
“Guys, no presents. We’ve never done presents.” Stephen’s stance tenses.
“You’ve never had a fiancée before. Open it. It’s a together gift.” Alice pushes the gift even closer to us.
Her smile is huge. Gary looks excited, too.
Stephen’s arm drifts from around my shoulder and he unwraps the gift. A medium-sized burgundy velvet box begs to be opened. As his masculine fingers open the velvet lid he pulls out a beautifully decorated Christmas ornament. Its lavender background is dotted with white, glittery angels and the words “Stephen and Jenny—first Christmas” make their way around the ornament.
“It’s beautiful.” My words come out soft and comforting, like we are engaged and it is a gift for us.
“You shouldn’t have.” Stephen holds the ornament delicately, like it’s going to burn him if
he holds onto it too long.
“We hope you like it.” Gary nudges Alice. “Can’t return it.”
He and Alice laugh like he’s made a really funny joke, and it’s all I can do to keep from crying at this point. “Definitely nonreturnable.”
“You need a tree to hang it on. Shame on you guys for not having any decorations. Especially with a little girl around.”
“Honey.” Gary gives Alice what they probably call the look. “Quit the lectures. They’re grown, and we need to go. Merry Christmas.” He hugs Stephen, then me.
The minute all of us start walking to the front door, Stephen drapes his arm over my shoulder again, like he’s stopping me from running out with them.
If it wasn’t for Phoebe, I might.
After saying goodbye way too many times, Stephen finally shuts the door as Alice and Gary leave.
He leans against the door. “Trust me? I believe I’ve trusted you right into celebrating a false engagement on New Year’s Eve.”
Stepping back I create more space between us. “It does appear that way. But I have a plan.”
“Can we buy a Christmas tree? Mommy and I didn’t get one yet and Santa won’t have anywhere to leave my presents.”
Being in the presence of Stephen obviously causes my guard to drop. Of course Phoebe is an extra quiet girl, but I can’t believe I didn’t hear her walk in.
“As soon as Jenny and I have a talk, we’ll go look at trees.” Stephen locks the front door.
“All of us?” Phoebe asks. “Miss Jenny, too?”
He shakes his head and I swear his eyes roll slightly. “Yes.”
“Okay. I’ll listen to my music until you have your talk. I hope the talk doesn’t take long.”
“It shouldn’t. Jenny and I will be out on the terrace.”
With those words spoken, Stephen walks out of the foyer. I shadow Phoebe into the keeping room where she plops herself on her favorite couch, and I continue outside.
“We need to clean up lunch.” I nod toward the few items still left on the table.
“When we’re done.”
The afternoon breeze is nice, but I’m glad I’ve worn long sleeves and jeans. Much tamer weather than in New York, but there’s a storm brewing inside Stephen if I had to guess, and I think the air senses it.
“Would you like to sit?” He holds a chair for me.
“Sure.”
He settles in the chair next to me. So close.
“Okay, tell me what this ‘trust me’ bit is all about.”
I can only hope he sees this the way I see it. “I’ve decided since they wouldn’t believe I lied about the engagement that we might as well stop trying to fight that battle and start a new one.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s simple. They left here thinking we are totally in love and engaged, right?”
“Yes.”
“So, in a couple of days, or whatever time frame you think is appropriate, you call them, tell them we got in a big fight, and the engagement is off.”
“Are you serious?” he asks.
“Yes.”
He rubs the back of his neck like my words make him tense. “That’s your plan?”
“It is. People call off engagements all the time.”
“If they didn’t believe us telling them we weren’t really engaged, what makes you think they’ll believe we’ve called the wedding off?” His fingertips press against the table.
“Like I said, people do it all the time. You call them and tell them they need to stop by on their way back in town. That I’ve broken up with you and you’re devastated.”
“Why do I have to be devastated? You should be the one who is devastated.” He stares hard at me, his lips forming a straight line. Flat lined, like his attitude toward me right now.
“But then you wouldn’t need them to come by. They know and love you. When they see how torn up you are, they will believe you.”
He raises his eyebrows and tilts his head. “Unfortunately I think you have a point.”
Dare I relax a little? “Not what you expected?”
He huffs out a laugh. “Jenny, you are so not what I expected.”
My heart doesn’t know whether to flip or flop at that statement. I decide it’s going to flip. “I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
“Take it however you want. You’re the one who got us into this disaster.”
I hold my hands out, palms up. “So it’s only fitting that I get us out.”
Stephen leans closer, pushing the hair I willingly let fall across my face behind my ear. “Your hair feels soft.” The wind lifts his hair a little as he gently rolls strands of my hair across his fingertips.
“A good shampoo will do that.” I wonder how his hair feels? I wish I had the nerve to find out.
“I think it’s more like good hair genes.”
I think Stephen has a plan. And it’s to slowly drive me crazy. Me and my lips remember how his lips stirred an unforgettable passion in me. Being this close to Stephen is not good for me. “We’re not doing too well with the boundary thing.” I cringe at how breathy my voice is.
“No, we’re not.”
His gaze mesmerizes me. “We’ll work on it.”
“Yes, we’ll work on it.” But instead of working on it and letting go of my hair, he pushes through my tresses until he’s gently caressing the back of my head.
“Stephen.” I whisper his name, not wanting to break this spell.
“I’m sorry, Cheetah. I seem to be having a bit of trouble with the boundary concept.”
Stephen, we’re used to you pushing boundaries. It’s one of the qualities we love about you because you know when it’s time to stop pushing. But this time, it seems you’ve pushed too far. Gary’s words replay in my mind. “I can’t say I wasn’t warned.” My heart starts racing. I can’t take my gaze away from his amazing face, his lips. I don’t realize I’m holding my breath.
Until his lips touch mine.
Again. For the second time in the span of an hour.
I barely close my eyes, ready to sink into all he is, when he ends our kiss. He scoots back his chair and stands, crossing his arms. “I don’t even know what to say. I don’t act like this. This is not who I am. There’s something so, so…”
“So what?” I ask, curious.
He shoves his hands in his pockets and rocks back and forth on his feet. “As much as I hate to admit it, there is something captivating about you.”
His tone and his words clash. “You don’t have to make it sound so painful.”
“Maybe I’m practicing for the moment you break my heart.” His smile indicates he’s teasing me.
“Oh, you know you’ll be back to normal in no time.”
He shakes his head. “I don’t think I know what normal is anymore.”
IT’S REALLY DIFFERENT shopping for a Christmas tree in Florida than it is in New York. And it’s really different shopping with a guy who’s so hot he’d melt the snow if there was any and a little girl who can’t see but has so much joy about everything that I can barely wrap my head around where she’s coming from.
Steven hasn’t been home for Christmas in the past few years, so there are no decorations in the Day house. Buying ornaments is on the agenda as well.
“Here we are ladies. The Christmas tree farm.”
Stephen is such a gentleman, opening my door and Phoebe’s door. His demeanor has a very protective nature to it. Protective in a good way, not in an overbearing, creepy way.
As we walk across the gravel parking lot, I pull my sweater around me as a breeze kicks up. Not complaining though. A sweater is so much better than the heavy coat, scarf and gloves I’d be wearing in New York. The scent of pine drifts past me, bringing with it a nostalgic sense of days gone by. Days when I’d go with my mom and dad to buy a tree.
“They smell so good,” Phoebe says before I can voice my thoughts. “I love Christmas.” She grabs tighter onto my hand. Stephen is on t
he other side of me, and it doesn’t escape my notice how I’m surrounded today by people I didn’t even know forty-eight hours ago.
And, I’m starting to feel comfortable around them.
The familiar tune of “Jingle Bells” is being piped in, blaring from speakers set up around the area. Phoebe starts to skip to the tune. I find myself skipping along with her.
“You ladies dance well.”
I stop abruptly at the sound of Stephen’s voice.
“Don’t stop on my account.”
“Are the trees close?” Phoebe pushes the nose of her glasses. The glasses she told me she wears only when she’s outside.
“Right over here.” We walk down an aisle, green pines to our left and right. The trees are already cut, waiting for somebody to take them home.
Phoebe stops walking and points to the left. “What about that one.”
How she even knows there’s one there is beyond me, but there is a nice tree right where she is pointing. “Let’s look.” I cringe as the words leave my mouth.
I have to be more mindful of the words I choose.
Trees of all shapes and sizes are leaning against a makeshift wall.
“Here, I’ll hold it up and you ladies tell me what you think.” Stephen picks out a medium-sized one and steadies it. The branches fall into place.
Still holding onto Phoebe’s hand, I walk around the tree.
Phoebe wiggles her hand out of mine. Her arm juts out as she walks straight ahead. After taking a couple of steps her fingers brush the tip of one of the tree limbs. She takes a couple more steps before she starts running her fingertips across the branches. Then she runs them up and down as far as her little arms will reach. “I think it’s beautiful.”
I look at Stephen who is still holding the tree but looking in the opposite direction of me and Phoebe. He’s not paying either one of us a bit of attention. I follow his gaze to see what could be holding his interest.
My heart drops as a very cute brunette comes into view.
He is such a bachelor.
The brunette appears to be alone. Petite. Stylish.
I try and shake off the unwanted jealousy.
“Stephen. Focus.” I nod toward Phoebe.
“What?” He looks confused.
Rich in Hope (Richness in Faith Trilogy Book 2) Page 7