She went quiet for a moment before saying softly, “Christian… that’s… wow… I… that’s really beautiful.”Feeling a sudden wave of emotion, I quickly pivoted. “So, what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”“I wanted to ask if I should bring anything.”“Just that gorgeous ass of yours, sweetheart.”“I’m serious. I want to bring something.”“I’ve got everything under control.”“Alright… then wine. I’m bringing wine.”God, this woman was stubborn.“My driver will be at your place in an hour.”“Okay.”I hesitated for a beat, then murmured her name, “Lena…”“Yeah?”“I can’t fucking wait to see you.”⸻I WAS SO WRAPPED UP in setting our table that I’d forgotten to notify the doorman to send Lena straight up. When he rang to say she’d arrived, I decided to have a little fun.“Put Miss Venedetta on the line, please,” I told him.She came on, her voice like velvet. “Yes?” My dick stirred at the mere sound of her. She wasn’t even in front of me yet, and I was already hard just knowing she was in
Lena: Are you certain that’s what you want?There was no hesitation as I typed my reply.Christian: It’s what I’ve wanted from the very beginning. Those little tests were your idea.Lena: I’m nervous.I pressed call instead of playing the texting game of guessing what she was really thinking. She answered on the first ring.Christian: What did she say to you?Lena: Avery?Christian: Who else?Lena: I already told you.Christian: Tell me again. I feel like I’m missing something.Lena: I don’t remember her exact words.Christian: Tell me what you do remember.Lena: Well, she basically followed me while I was in the bathroom. Then she said she was doing a service to all women by warning me about you.Christian: Go on.Lena: There wasn’t much more. She said I wasn’t worth her time and that I’d figure it out on my own eventually. Then she told me to ask you why you’re so determined to destroy her best friend’s husband’s company.Christian: I already told you about Liam and Genevieve. He’s
There was something strangely sweet about his confession. Another song filtered through the speakers, and we drifted in silence for a while, our bodies moving as one, fluid and easy.Resting my head against his chest, I let out a breath. “This feels nice. Honestly, I didn’t think I’d enjoy it.”Christian brushed his nose along my temple. “Same here. I usually can’t stand things like this.”That wall I always kept up? It was slowly crumbling around him. But it didn’t take long for life to remind me exactly why I built it in the first place.We were seated at a large, circular table arranged to host at least a dozen guests. Christian took the time to introduce me to the couples on either side, though a few seats remained unoccupied.“And what line of work are you in, Lena, was it?” The man to my left, Braxton Harlow, offered a pleasant smile. He was older, but still had that distinguished charm, with silver hair that contrasted sharply with his sun-warmed skin. Christian was deep in a c
Christian Merrick definitely had a mischievous, sugary streak beneath that polished exterior.Intrigued, I ripped open the next envelope. Nestled inside was a box of emerald green Betty Down There Hair Color. A sticky note was affixed on top, scrawled in his familiar handwriting: Wasn’t sure if the rug matched the drapes.Grinning uncontrollably, I thought to myself: Keep this up, and you’ll be finding out firsthand very soon.⸻THE BUZZER WENT OFF AT EXACTLY 7:30.I pressed the intercom button and spoke into it, then unlocked the building’s front door. “Is this Celibacy Central, Manhattan edition?”“Regrettably, yes.”I hit the buzzer again to let him in and left my apartment door ajar as I waited.The sound of his footsteps echoed as he walked confidently down the hallway from the elevator, each purposeful stride making my heart race faster. He was dressed in a sharp tuxedo, looking like sin in tailored form. Honestly, he might’ve been the most devastatingly attractive man I’d ever
LENATHE FOLLOWING DAY AT WORK, the deliveries began—and they didn’t stop. Bouquets of roses in waves of color: red, pink, yellow. Every hour, without fail, another dozen would arrive at my desk. At first, I didn’t understand why Christian was doing it. But eventually, it clicked. It was the story I’d shared about my father and the rose ceremony. That memory I’d buried. A card had come loose from the first bouquet—one I hadn’t noticed until later. The message, scribbled in simple pen, read: These are long overdue. The weight in my chest tightened, filling with a blend of warmth and ache I couldn’t quite name.That evening, we were supposed to attend the gala together. I’d been dreading it all week—completely out of my comfort zone. I felt that nervous buzz in my belly from the moment I stepped into the office. During lunch, I swung by Bergdorf’s and held two formal dresses at the counter, unable to decide between them.Returning to the office, I found a takeout container on my desk, t
He drew back slightly, his palms cradling my cheeks with careful intent. “Talk to me,” he said, his voice roughened by emotion. “Please. What happened to make you so guarded?”“I’m just… scared of getting hurt,” I admitted quietly.“Who did that to you?”The answer didn’t come easily. Even I couldn’t fully grasp where this fear stemmed from. I’d never had my heart broken by a boyfriend or been betrayed in love. In fact, I’d never truly been in love before. Whatever this was I felt for Christian—it was unfamiliar territory, and I wasn’t ready to confess that to him. Still, if there was one place to start unraveling this knot inside me, it was probably my father. So instead of confronting the feelings I barely understood, I gave him a piece of my past. Something that might offer some clarity, even if I wasn’t certain it explained everything.“When I was around ten, my parents split up,” I began, glancing at him before focusing on the floor. “My dad ended up marrying a woman from our nei