Her Christmas Wish ; Designed by Love

by Sherelle Green

  “Don’t you want to take some pictures?”

  “I already did.” As if it were the most natural thing, he reached down and entwined their fingers. He smiled at her once more and they headed back to the hotel in companionable silence.

  Serita was glad for the reprieve because she needed to think. She wanted to blame the crazy feelings swirling around in her belly on the romantic surroundings, but she’d had the same ones earlier while standing in an empty conference room, so it had to be something else. What is going on? Okay, the man gave new meaning to good-looking, was a total gentleman and intelligent. And the kiss. It had only lasted a short moment, but even now the remnants of his warm, soft lips against hers lingered. With all of that, she would challenge any woman to remain unmoved.

  When they arrived at the hotel, Jeremy walked Serita to her room. Standing outside the door, he said, “Thank you for your company this evening. I really enjoyed myself.”

  “So did I.”

  He seemed to be weighing his next words. “About the kiss...”

  “You don’t need to apologize again, Jeremy.”

  “I appreciate that, but since we agreed to spend time together this week, I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me.” He stared at a spot above her head briefly, then back down at her. “I’ve never done anything like that before, and I can’t explain why I did it tonight. There is something about you, Ms. Edwards, that has me acting out of character. I have the utmost respect for you, and I don’t want you to think otherwise.”

  Serita remembered him talking about his upbringing and imagined it played a part in his thinking. She was admittedly flattered and, at the same time, wondered how she’d get him to do it again. “You’re not the only one acting out of character, because I think I’d like you to kiss me again.” She had never done something so bold in her life, and as the words tumbled out her heart rate kicked up once more.

  He studied her. “Are you sure?”

  Keeping her eyes on his, she said, “Positive.”

  “Then, we should step inside your room. We don’t want to give anyone walking down the hallway a show.”

  Exactly what kind of show could a simple kiss cause? Surely it wouldn’t be much more than what they’d shared at the plaza. Then again, she didn’t want anyone from the conference to know her business, so he might be right. She used the keycard to open the door and was thankful that she’d left the room in reasonable order. Contrary to her daring request, as soon as the door closed, butterflies began doing a salsa in her belly. She placed her purse on the desk and turned to find him standing with his back against the door. He straightened and came to where she stood. He tilted her chin, bent and covered her mouth with his. The kiss went from sweet to hot in a millisecond. His tongue swirled slowly around hers and a soft moan escaped her. Without breaking the seal of their mouths, Jeremy turned. He sat on the bed, pulled her down onto his lap and deepened the kiss. His hand caressed her back, hip and thigh. She was completely unprepared for the whirlwind of sensations that gripped her, and she grabbed the back of his head to keep him in place. He left her mouth and trailed kisses along her jaw and throat. Serita’s head fell back and her eyes closed. The way he touched and kissed her made her feel like... She didn’t know how to describe it.

  “Serita,” he murmured between kisses. “We should—”

  “Don’t stop.” She had no idea where the words had come from and she might be crazy, but she didn’t want it to end. Any of it.

  “If we don’t stop now, we may end up taking this further than either of us anticipated.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  His head came up sharply and he searched her face, as if wanting to be certain she meant what she had said.

  “Yes, I’m sure. You said we could do whatever I wanted to do this week. Tonight, I want you.” She would deal with the rest tomorrow.

  Chapter 3

  “I need you to know that I don’t take this lightly, Serita.” Jeremy had never been one to indulge in meaningless flings and preferred long-term relationships. Serita had drawn his attention from the first moment he had seen her and his attraction had risen steadily. And knowing she lived close enough to visit made him even more confident that their paths had crossed for a reason, the least being their love of robotics.

  Serita stared up at him. “I thought this was just—”

  He cut her off with a gentle kiss. “This is not just anything.” He wanted to say more but held back. For now he would concentrate on giving them both pleasure. The rest could wait until he knew for sure what he was feeling. He slanted his mouth over hers once more, tasting, teasing. She met him stroke for stroke, making his arousal climb another notch. Jeremy took his time touching every part of her body, lingering on her toned thighs, the sweet curve of her hips and her round breasts.

  “Jeremy,” she whispered.

  He loved hearing her soft sounds of pleasure and the way she called his name. “What, baby?”

  “I need you inside me.”

  “I’ll give you everything you need, everything you want, but I can’t rush this.” He kissed his way down the front of her body, pushed her shirt up and placed fleeting kisses around her smooth belly and up to the valley between her breasts. Jeremy slowly, methodically stripped away her clothes, leaving her clad in nothing but a black lace bra and matching bikini panties. With her hair spread all over the pillow, she made for an erotic picture and he felt himself growing harder. “Do you know how sexy you are?”

  Serita laughed softly. “I don’t think that’s the case, but it’s a nice thing to say.” She reached up to take off her glasses.

  Jeremy gently grasped her hand and placed a kiss in the center of her palm. “Leave them on.”

  “You want me to leave them on?” she asked, her brow knitted in confusion. “Why?”

  “They make you look even sexier, and I can’t tell you how much they turn me on. If it makes you feel better, next time I’ll wear mine, too.”

  “Next time?”

  “Mmm-hmm, but we can talk about that later. Right now, I want to kiss you again.” He traced her lips with his tongue before reclaiming her mouth. Their tongues danced and curled around each other, and he groaned.

  She grabbed the hem of his shirt, pulled it up and over his head, then tossed it aside. Giving him a sultry smile, she skated her tongue across his chest.

  He sucked in a sharp breath. After leaving the bed, he removed the rest of his clothes, dug in his wallet for a condom and donned it. He climbed back onto the bed and lowered his body on top of her hers, being careful not to place all his weight on her. His hand traveled down her left leg and back up her right to her center, where she was already wet. Her legs parted to give him access, and he used a finger to circle her clit. Her legs trembled and she opened wider. Jeremy slid one finger in, followed by another, moving them in a steady rhythm. She cried out and arched against his hand. A moment later, she screamed his name as she came. Jeremy withdrew his fingers, shifted his body and guided his erection inside her. Her tight walls tightened around him and he shuddered.

  Serita moaned softly and wrapped her legs around his back.

  “You feel so good.”

  “Mmm, so do you.”

  He smiled and started moving, teasing with short strokes, then long, deep ones. He rotated his hips and ground against her in slow insistent circles while lowering his head to take one dark nipple between his teeth. As he sucked gently, he kept up the languid pace and closed his eyes as the pleasure increased.

  “Ohh...” Serita lifted her hips and gripped his shoulders.

  Their breathing grew louder as Jeremy pumped faster and harder, rocking the bed. He crushed his mouth against hers and changed the rhythm again.

  Serita wrenched her mouth away and screamed his name again as she convulsed all around him.

  A heartbeat later, a ra
w expletive tore from his throat as the most intense orgasm he’d ever experienced shot through him with a force that stole his breath and left his entire body shaking. He held her tightly as they both trembled with the aftershocks. He held himself above her for several seconds before collapsing on the bed, rolling to his side and taking her with him. His heart still thumped erratically in his chest, and his breathing was harsh and uneven.

  She stroked his cheek. “That was incredible.”

  “Yes, it was.” He sensed something different, an emotional connection unlike anything he had ever felt with a woman. They shared another passionate kiss, then lay quietly in each other’s arms. At length, Jeremy glanced over at the nightstand clock. It was just after ten. As much as he wanted to hold her all night, he had to make sure his presentation was perfect. “I need to go. I’m presenting tomorrow and I want to run through everything.”

  Serita lifted her head. “I didn’t know you were one of the presenters. What time?”

  “One.”

  “I’ll be there.”

  “Thanks. Can you do me a favor and record it?”

  “Sure. I’ll get there a few minutes early so I can get a good seat in the front.”

  “I don’t know about you sitting in the front. You’re pretty distracting.”

  She smiled. “You’re good for a girl’s ego.”

  “Just speaking the truth.” He captured her mouth in a long, drugging kiss. Reluctantly he rose from the bed and began to dress.

  Serita pulled on a robe and followed him to the door.

  “Are you attending a session in the morning?”

  “Yes, why?”

  “I was hoping we could have breakfast.”

  “We could always do dinner in one of the hotel’s restaurants.”

  “I’ll go with that.” Unable to resist, Jeremy leaned down to kiss her. His hand slid inside her robe and she clamped down on it.

  “Your presentation comes first. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  Their eyes held. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined what it would be like to touch and kiss her the way he had, to make love to her hours after they’d met. And he couldn’t wait to do it again.

  * * *

  Wednesday afternoon, Serita sat in front of the room recording Jeremy’s presentation. She had to give it to him—the man was a gifted presenter and knew how to keep the room interested. He spoke with a relaxed demeanor and it made her suspect he did this kind of thing regularly. She had a hard time focusing on his words, however, because the sight of him reminded her of what they had shared last night. Serita didn’t make a practice of sleeping with men she’d just met. The only ones lucky enough to get that far—and it usually didn’t happen until weeks or even months into the relationship—were men she dated exclusively. She didn’t know what had possessed her to break her rules for Jeremy and thought she might have some regrets later. At this point, though, her only regret was that the evening had ended so early.

  Serita got so lost in her thoughts, staring at Jeremy, that she instinctively lowered the phone. She jerked it back up and met his amused gaze. She hoped whoever he’d planned to let see the video wasn’t his boss or someone tied to his job. She refocused her attention on the presentation.

  “One of the biggest factors for using robots in surgery is minimizing invasive procedures. Previously, surgeons had to make large incisions to access a site, but, with these machines, patients can look forward to smaller incisions and scars, reduced risk of infection, shorter recovery times and, most importantly, less pain and discomfort. If you’ve ever had surgery, you’ll be cheering.”

  Chuckles and nods of agreement greeted his statement. As he continued to discuss the advancements and growing popularity, Serita could only marvel at his knowledge. She could see him commanding a college classroom easily. When it ended, more than half the audience surrounded Jeremy, asking questions, telling him how much they enjoyed his session and shaking his hand. Serita sat off to the side and waited until everyone left.

  “How did I do?” Jeremy asked.

  “You were fabulous.”

  “Are you sure? I didn’t think you were paying attention. I saw you drifting off into space the whole time,” he teased.

  Her mouth fell open. “I was not.”

  “What were you thinking about?”

  She couldn’t very well tell him that she’d been thinking about how it felt to have his hands touching her, his naked body against hers as he thrust deeply inside her. “I wasn’t thinking about anything except how knowledgeable you are on the subject of medical robotics. And what makes you think I wasn’t paying attention? You weren’t looking at me.”

  “Baby, I never lost sight of you. Even when I wasn’t looking directly at you, I could still see you.”

  She didn’t know what to say. How could he have been paying that much attention to her and still give a perfect talk? And he’d called her baby. The possessive way he’d said it almost made her think she was his baby. Not knowing how to answer, she changed the subject. “Here’s your phone. I recorded the whole thing. Is this for your job?”

  “No, my family. My brother wanted to see it, and I’m sure my mom will ask, so I’ll have it when she does.” He propped a hip on the table, stroked a finger down her cheek and brushed a soft kiss over her lips. “Thanks for coming. It was nice to have a familiar face in the audience...made it much easier.”

  Still reeling from the gesture, she managed to say, “You’re welcome, but you didn’t have anything to worry about. You’re a natural and should think about teaching.”

  “Nah, I like being hands-on. I can’t see myself standing behind a podium every day. It’s only four. Do you want to get dinner now or wait until later? If we eat now, we’ll have a little time to explore.”

  Serita stood. “Then I say we eat now.” She waited for him to gather his belongings, then they dined in one of the hotel’s restaurants. Because it was later in the day, they opted for another walk where she could practice taking selfies.

  “You’re getting better,” Jeremy said, checking out the last one.” He handed the phone back. “I have a proposition for you.”

  “What is it?”

  “How about we skip tomorrow’s presentations and take the high-speed train ride to Seville? It’s about two and a half hours.”

  She thought for a moment. She hadn’t expected to meet someone like him and their time together would be over in a couple of days. “Let’s do it.” She wanted to store up as many memories as she could.

  * * *

  The next morning, they boarded the AVE train for the journey to Seville. Afterward he arranged for a taxi.

  “Where are we going?” she asked a few minutes after the driver pulled off.

  “I figured we could take a short city tour without having to walk.” Jeremy pointed to a spot. “A horse-drawn carriage ride. What do you say?”

  She had a lot of things to say and ask. Foremost in her mind was why he kept choosing all these romantic activities, as if they were a couple.

  “Serita? If you’d rather do something else, that’s fine.”

  “No, that’s not it. I’d love to do the ride.”

  He paid the driver and helped her out of the car. “What is it?”

  She tried to choose her words carefully. “The intimate dinners, a carriage ride, the kisses and the...you know...last night. All this stuff gives the impression that we’re dating or something, and we both know that’s not the case.”

  He smiled. “No, we aren’t dating at this moment, but as I told you before, I want us to keep in contact. I like you and, hey, you never know what might happen in the future.” He gathered her in his embrace. “How about we just enjoy this beautiful city and let the rest take care of itself.”

  Once again he’d slid in a comment that alluded to them seeing each other beyond th
e week. As much as she enjoyed his company, Serita’s last couple of failed relationships had left her gun-shy, and she didn’t know if she wanted to put herself through the hassle of getting her heart broken again. “Yes, let’s just focus on now.” Minutes later, she found out that Jeremy had actually made a reservation. The hour-long ride took them past several of Seville’s city landmarks, including the Golden Tower built by moors to control navigation of the Guadalquivir River, a former tobacco factory from XVIII and the Plaza de Americana, a square inside a park containing two museums. During the tour, they enjoyed Spanish champagne, fruit and sweet treats.

  Jeremy draped an arm around Serita’s shoulder. “Serita, I want to thank you for agreeing to be my tourist partner this week. I don’t think I would’ve enjoyed Madrid as much had we not met.”

  His serious expression had her heart thumping in her chest. “I’m having a good time, too, so thank you for asking.” The tender kiss that followed sent a flurry of sensations flowing through her.

  The corners of his mouth tilted in a slight smile and he pulled her closer.

  For the remainder of the ride, Jeremy continued with subtle touches and caresses, each one drawing Serita further into his sensual aura. By the time they made it back to the hotel, her mind and body were in such turmoil it took only one kiss for her to go up in flames. She took his hand and pulled him into her room. The fiery kisses began again and Serita closed her eyes. If she wasn’t careful, she could easily fall for him.

  Chapter 4

  Friday afternoon, Serita sat in her room thinking about Jeremy. She hadn’t seen him today because they attended different sessions. She had made plans to have dinner tonight with Caroline when they’d had breakfast on Monday and now wished she could cancel. Tomorrow would be her last full day in Madrid, and she wanted to spend as much of her time left with Jeremy. She still hadn’t told him about her potential move back to Sacramento. Things were good right now and they had both gotten caught up in the magic of being abroad, but she couldn’t see it lasting. It never did.