Louboutins and flirtiest Alice + Olivia LBD â all demure and lacy at the front but completely open at the back, it was the perfect first-date dress. Not too distracting and super demure as far as the girls were concerned, but when I got up to use the ladiesâ room, it gave him something to think about.
âIâm jealous,â he said, leaning in just close enough for me to feel his breath on my neck. âI bet Iâd have more fun with you and your friends than I will with my family.â
âWell,â I said, holding his gaze and taking a sip of my refreshed drink. âI canât lie to you. I am a lot of fun.â
He kept up the eye contact for a moment longer before breaking away and laughing, shifting his napkin in his lap.
âSo, I know itâs the holidays and weâre all going to be stuffing ourselves stupid pretty soon, but they have these awesome little iceâcream balls here that I canât resist.â He draped his arm along the back of the booth, letting his fingers brush against my bare back. âYou up for dessert?â
âOh, Joe,â I said, the light of triumph in my eyes. Reaching out, I brushed his hair back into place. âIâm up for anything.â
*
When my alarm rang the next morning I had no idea where I was, but after a couple of seconds blinking up at a familiar light fixture, I realized I was in my room, just at a different end of the bed from where I usually found myself at seven a.m. on a Tuesday. Rolling over to silence the alarm, I squinted through a curtain of curls at the man fast asleep beside me. We had given the song âO Holy Nightâ a whole new meaning. Stretching out my legs, I rested my toes on my headboard and flexed my calves. No need for Soulcycle this morning; Iâd gotten my cardio already.
Joe stirred, reaching an arm across the bed and narrowly avoiding swatting me in the face. Never the kind of girl to miss an opportunity, I rolled over, shuffling into the sweet spot between his chest and his chin, my shoulder nestled into his armpit, my hand resting on his smooth, toned abs. I wanted to wake up like this every morning for the rest of my life. Without words, Joe turned over onto his side, wrapped his arms around my body and pressed against me. Perhaps he wasnât entirely awake, but one part of him definitely was. Happily it was one of my favourite parts.
âGood morning,â I whispered as his hands began to explore their new-found territory.
âShh,â he replied, his face pushed into my hair, his hips pushing into me. âDonât talk.â
Even someone with as much to say for themselves as me couldnât really argue with that.
Chapter Five
âI canât believe you brought him home with you.â Sadie tossed her Louis Vuitton weekend bag into the trunk of the hire car and slammed the door. Hard. âYouâre such a whore.â
âI canât believe Iâm letting you crash my Christmas,â I replied, gunning the engine and turning down the carols on the radio. âYouâre such a bitch.â
First thing Wednesday morning, Sadie and I loaded ourselves into a hire car in the West Village. My plan was to leave early, get settled into the house and then take care of work. The pitch to MUMH was all but done. After Iâd seen off Mr Davies, aka the future Mr Jenny Lopez, Iâd pulled off the most impressive pitch of my career. Even Erin was impressed, and between being an uber-WASP and an exhausted mother of two, Erin was never impressed. We were still waiting for a couple of financial notes, and then it was ready to send. Since weâd closed the office as an early Christmas treat to the staff, I didnât see any reason why I couldnât send it from my happy holiday getaway.
âYou know you love me,â she said, long legs folding up in the passenger seat. âHow long is this drive?â
âMaybe five hours?â I