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“We ran into my mom yesterday at the mall,” Jamie told Alex in the car the next morning. She’d meant to tell him sooner, but he’d had a late work night and she’d fallen asleep with Lilli and Benton in their bed.
He turned to stare at her.
“Road!” Jamie admonished.
Alex looked back at it, but she could see him sneaking glances, probably trying to gauge how much of a disaster it had been from her expression.
“And?” he demanded when she didn’t speak.
“And the whole thing was, honestly, kind of surreal. She was working as one of the helper elves for the mall Santa.”
Alex's gaze flicked to her again before it went back to the road, shock written clearly across his face. “She was working as a mall Santa's helper elf,” he said slowly.
“Yes,” Jamie said. “I know. It was just strange. And she said that she wanted to change, and to get to know her grandkids.”
“She's not coming anywhere near them until we're sure that she's not going to cause any damage,” Alex said. He grinned, despite his concern. “You sure she wasn’t working on Santa’s naughty list? Trying to get a few more recruits?”
Jamie rolled her eyes but smiled despite herself. “Maybe.” She cleared her throat. “Seriously, though, I’d never let her hurt our kids.”
His shoulders softened. “I know that, babe. I know how much you care about our kids. I just don't want to let her do the same thing to them that she did to you.”
“And I’d never let her. I told her that she could talk to me. We'll sit down and I'll make sure that she's clear on where the boundaries are, and if that seems to be going well I might let her see the kids for a little bit. Somewhere supervised.”
“I want to go with you when you talk to her. I don't want you alone with her any more than I want the kids around her until we're sure that she means it.” He sighed. “And even then, Jamie, I'm not really sure that I'd trust her. She may want to change, but that doesn't mean she will. And it only takes a minute for her to say something cruel. I know she's your mother, but I'm not sure that she's worth the effort.”
“Believe me, you don't have to cut her any slack because she's my mother. I grew up with the woman. She didn't exactly endear herself to me. I'll be careful, Alex. I really will.”
“I trust you.”
Alex pulled the car into the parking space saved for the CEO and they both slid out. Jamie slipped her hand into his as they made their way into the office, and he squeezed it gently, looking down at her with a warmth that never failed to make her knees feel a little weak. How had she ever gotten so lucky?
“You're beautiful, Jamie. You know that?” There was an actual question in the words, probably prompted by the discussion about her mother, who had never let Jamie believe anything positive about her body.
Jamie smiled. “Yeah,” she said. “I know it.” She winked at him. “Only because you tell me so much do I have no reason not to believe it.”
“Good.” He turned then, and abruptly her back was against the wall of the empty hallway, Alex's body pressed to hers, and he was leaning down for a kiss.
Jamie arched up into it eagerly. They still hadn't managed to get any farther than some ultimately frustrating foreplay before one thing or another pulled them out of bed, and she was aching for him. A kiss wasn't quite enough, but it would have to do.
“I love you,” she said when they broke apart.
“And I love you, Jamie. More than anything.”
His hand still in hers, he tugged her toward the elevator and the workday that awaited.
Paul was waiting in the foyer when they stepped out onto the floor, and gave them both a broad smile. “Morning, Jamie. Alex. There's coffee waiting for both of you in your offices.”
“You’re a saint. I bet Santa’s got you at the top of his list.” Jamie slipped her hand from Alex’s, giving him a brief, office-appropriate peck before she turned toward her office. “Don’t forget,” she said, turning back to look at him. “We’ve got that party tonight at the country club. We need to leave here by six.”
Alex sighed. “Why did I even agree to go to that party?”
“Because he’s your brother, and because networking is essential to your business model,” Jamie answered.
“Fine,” Alex said. “Fine. I’ll be done with work at six.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
Jamie left him to get started, and went to retrieve the promised cup of coffee. It was exactly what she needed. Markie had been restless all night, and she hadn't exactly been looking forward to coming into the office at all, but they had to get things wrapped up if they wanted to take the holidays off, which meant coming into work.
Paul appeared in the doorway, and Jamie set down the coffee cup. “Thank you. I really needed that.”
“I figured you can't be getting enough sleep with three kids and Christmas coming up. Add work to that, and I don't really know how you do it all.”
“Oh, you're going to find out,” Jamie said, grinning at him. “Just you wait.”
“I'm not sure if I should take that as a threat or not,” Paul laughed.
“More like a warning.” Jamie paused for another long drink of coffee. Thank God for caffeine. “I'm just letting you know what lies ahead.”
“I'll keep that in mind.” Paul fell silent, looking like he wanted to say something but wasn't quite sure how.
“What is it?”
“Christine told me that you ran into your mother yesterday. She seemed kind of upset about it.”
Jamie sighed. “Our mother was working at the mall. She said that she wanted to see us.”
He nodded. “I'm not sure that's the best idea, to be honest. Christine's worked through a lot of her issues with your mother, but I don't want to see her sliding back into that place that she used to be.”
“Neither do I. We'll take it slow. Alex and I are going to sit down and talk with her to make sure that she's serious about wanting to change. I'm not exposing my children to her if she isn't, and I won't let her get anywhere near Christine either.”
“Thank you, Jamie. I appreciate that. And I know it means the world to Christine that you care so much about her.”
Jamie smiled. “She's my sister. Of course I care.”
“Well, given the way your relationship used to be, it's more than some people would do.”
“Maybe Mom’s feeling nostalgic with the holiday season.” She shrugged. “The feeling might just pass. And if it’s something real, we’ll find out first before any of us jump into anything.”
“You’re a smart lady. I can see how you and Christine are related.” He turned toward the door and stopped, looking over his shoulder. “Oh. I wanted to tell you. I'm thinking about using my Christmas bonus to buy into the company. What do you think? Will Alex approve? Should I wait until I’ve worked here longer?”
She clapped her hands and couldn’t stop the smile that spread across her face. More family in the family business. She loved it! “I don’t think you should wait. Honestly, the more trustworthy people who have stock in the company, the better. I think Alex would love for you to buy in.”
“So I’m trustworthy now?” Paul grinned at her.
“You had better be,” Jamie said, answering his grin with one of her own. “You married my sister.”
He laughed and headed out the door, the sound lingering even after he’d walked away. Jamie smiled, and settled down to work.
***
THE PARTY TURNED OUT to be exactly what Jamie had expected it would be: a bunch of wealthy businessmen trying to look like they were having fun. Not that the party itself was terrible. Mark had planned it well. There was live music, and the country club had been decorated with pine boughs and holly. Icicle lights glittered on the eaves. But Jamie was personally of the opinion that any time there were more than three CEOs in one place the atmosphere of business they exuded started squelching the party atmosphere.
Which hadn’t stopped Alex. All night he’d been winding her up. Or, probably more appropriately, they’d been winding each other up. Three kids and almost four years of marriage, and she was still intoxicated by him. His smell, his taste, his touch. She couldn’t ever seem to get enough. Jamie remembered thinking, back when they had first been together, that eventually that would have to wear off, but it never had and she was more than okay with that.
So, yes, it was wildly inappropriate and extremely distracting, but she hadn’t had sex in days, and she couldn’t help how every little thing he did in public reminded her of something else he did in the bedroom. Going by the look on his face whenever he thought he could get away with it, Alex knew that, and was more than a little cocky about it.
The event was a very formal affair. There was dinner in the restaurant, catered by Little Lake Country Club’s staff. Jamie and Alex had been seated with the head of Sunshine Cosmetics and her husband, and they’d been pleasant enough company, but all Jamie could think about was the way that Alex’s hand kept sliding just a little too far up her thigh under the pretense of resting on her knee. In retaliation, she’d made sure to drop her fork, leaning over with her head nearly in his lap to collect it.
It didn’t help that he looked like walking sex in his tuxedo. Jamie wanted to rumple the perfectly creased shirt and tailored pants. Wanted to get her hands all over him and...She cut off that train of thought before it went any farther and took another bite of the delicious grilled fish they’d been served. Her own dress was deep red and slit up the thigh, a little daring after three kids, but if the way Alex had dragged her in for a soul-searing kiss when she’d walked out of the bedroom was any indication, she looked good in it.
He wouldn’t stop touching her. A brush of his hand along the exposed skin of her thigh, fingers slipping through the slit in her gown to touch her, his hand hidden by the long table cloth. Later, a soft caress of his finger along her bare shoulder and arm, his breath ghosting over her skin and causing goosebumps to break out as he leaned over to whisper dark and low in her ear. Damn, even just the way he held his fork, his thumb caressing the handle while his eyes—dark in the low light—locked on hers, made heat coil through her. Jamie caught his attention and finished off her glass of champagne, tipping her head back to let him watch the muscles in her throat work. His fingers curled tighter around her thigh. It was honestly a wonder that Maria and Tyler hadn’t noticed anything yet.
When dinner was over they made their way out through to the ballroom, Alex leaning over to speak to her where no one could overhear.
“I cannot wait to get you out of here. And out of that dress,” he said, low and quiet in her ear.
“How much longer do we need to stay?” she whispered back. “I see a few of the bigger investors for Reid Enterprises and the country club over by the bar. Maybe you should go say hello,” she said, her breath catching as Alex licked his lips, his gaze straying to her mouth. “Alex,” she said again, realizing that his attention was completely gone, all his focus on her. “Go talk to them, tell them they’re valued and whatever, and then take me home.”
The growl in her tone certainly got his attention.
“Fuck. Okay,” he said, forcing himself to focus. “Meet me back here in twenty. I am not waiting any longer than that for you. I’ll take you here if I have to.”
While he talked to the men at the bar Jamie mingled through the crowd, stopping occasionally to chat with people she recognized as important, and keeping an eye on the clock. She knew just the right smile to put on, the right moments to nod as though she was paying attention to the conversation when all her thoughts were on Alex and how much she wanted him. Dragging him into the closest bathroom was beginning to feel like a viable option.
“Enjoying the party?” Mark asked from behind them.
Jamie turned and gave him a real smile. “It’s lovely. You and Erica really outdid yourselves.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” Mark laughed. “But we did manage a pretty successful shindig, I think.”
“We’re glad you and Alex could make it,” Erica said. She was wearing a long blue gown with an empire waist, and she looked absolutely stunning. Jamie made a point of telling her so and got a dazzling smile in return.
“We probably can’t stay too much longer,” Alex said, appearing at her side to slip his arm around Jamie’s waist and draw her in against him. “Have to get home to the kids, you know.”
“Oh. Of course. We wouldn’t want to keep you.” Mark reached out and clapped a hand against his brother’s shoulder. “We’re just glad you made it. Go home and take care of the little ones.”
Jamie didn’t need that offer twice. She said her goodbyes to Mark and Erica, and then to Christine and Paul, who were working their way around the room with far more enthusiasm than Jamie had left for the party. A few more brief farewells, and they were out of the club and free, finally.
In the car Alex’s hands were everywhere. Jamie was glad they’d brought the driver, because she wasn’t sure that either of them could have properly concentrated on the road. With the partition up, they had enough privacy to up the ante, and both were set on taking thorough advantage. Alex curved his hand over her thigh, tracing his fingers up the sensitive inside and leaving her breathless. His lips brushed against her jawline.
Jamie slid her own hand up his leg, pressing the heel of it to the bulge in his suit pants. He was half hard already and getting harder, and all she wanted was to feel him inside her. He groaned into her neck, reaching up to cup her breasts in his hands as he worked his way down toward her collarbone, leaving little bites and licks behind. Jamie’s hands caught at his shoulders, her nails scraping against the heavy fabric of his jacket. His thumbs stroked over her nipples through the fabric of her clothes, just enough sensation to tease.
She reached under his coat, smoothing her hands over the strong muscles of his back. He nipped at her neck, licking along her bare shoulder down to her collarbone, and groaning as she settled her weight on top of him.
“Fuck, Alex, I’ve been going crazy all night. Please,” she begged as his hand slid all the way up her thigh and lightly brushed her sex through the lacy underwear she’d worn just for this occasion. He rubbed his thumb roughly against her, groaning as she gasped and bit his neck, reaching between them to push her palm against his erection, now fully hard and straining against his pants.
“Jamie,” he breathed. “I’ve wanted you since we left the house tonight. Fuck.” His thumb pressed quick circles over her clit, and Jamie arched against him, panting. “How do you still do this to me?”
Damn, she was so close.
Another press of his thumb, rubbing the textured lace against her, and that was it. Jamie dropped her forehead to his shoulder and came, shuddering in his arms. She swallowed the cry of his name that wanted to escape her throat, still conscious of the driver in the front seat.
Alex’s hands stroked over her sides as she came down from the height of orgasm. She knew her skin must be flushed. Her carefully pinned hair was coming loose, locks of it falling against her cheeks. One glance into Alex’s eyes and she chuckled at how obvious their antics would be to anyone who saw them. His jacket was mostly off, his shirt twisted around his torso, and his eyes were dark and dazed. He was still hard against her.
She looked out the window, trying to assess where they were, and was surprised to find that they were moving down familiar streets, just a few minutes from the house. It seemed that Alex would have to wait. Jamie tried to smooth her hair back into a semblance of something orderly so that the driver wouldn’t immediately know they’d done everything but fuck in the backseat. Alex straightened his suit jacket.
When the car stopped Alex stepped out first, taking a moment to speak to the driver through the front window before reaching in to help her out. Jamie took the offered hand, shivering a little at the chill winter air that slithered down the neck of her coat. Alex pulled her in close and hurried them both into the house.
They didn’t bother taking off their coats and shoes at the door, just chased each other up the stairs to their bedroom, shutting the door firmly behind him. Instantly she was on him, unbuttoning his jacket and pushing it off before getting to work on the buttons of his shirt. She wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him before breaking away to push him towards the bed, running her hand over his erection as she grabbed his pants by the waistband to pull him with her. Alex groaned and followed the pull, more than willing to go wherever she was taking him.
Jamie paused just before the bed to step out of her heels, and Alex, impatient, stripped her coat off and ran his hands up her sides. His mouth found her shoulder, sucking at the curve.
“Alex,” she gasped, looking over her shoulder to catch him watching her with hungry, dark eyes. “Unzip me?”
He didn’t need to be asked again. His fingers found the zipper and yanked it down before she could warn him to be slow. There was no sound of ripping fabric, so Jamie assumed that he hadn’t damaged the dress as he slid it down her hips and it crumpled to the floor. If he had, she could just get it tailored anyway. She had more important things to think about at the moment, like Alex’s hands on her and his breath spilling warm against the nape of her neck.
Long fingers, nimble with plenty of practice, unfastened the catch of her bra, and Jamie sighed in relief as she tossed it to the side, turning and wrapping her arms around his neck as she leaned up for a kiss that he gladly gave. His tongue slipped into her mouth, filling her senses with the taste of him.
There was a sudden knock on the door.
