Gift for the Boss: Billionaire Romance Christmas Novella (5 page)

Jamie moved back to press her back against his front as he wrapped his strong arm around her. Completely sated, and lost to the unbelief that someone as great as him would even consider her, she started to drift off into sleep.

"Merry Christmas, baby," he mumbled against her skin.

"Merry Christmas," she whispered and tightened her arm around his as he held her.

"Did you mean what you said earlier?"

Jamie reached up and covered her mouth as she let out a long yawn. "Mean what?"

"That you wanted forever with me?" He nuzzled the side of her neck and tightened his grip around her.

"Absolutely. You're all I want." She closed her eyes, wishing she could have heard what his response was, but their day had been too long, and she was too tired to keep her eyes open anymore.

Christmas Day

Jamie woke the next morning to find Alex gone already. A smile touched her lips, and she snuggled under the covers further, letting the memories they’d made the night before rush across the back of her eyelids. He was such a generous lover, and for the few moments where he slipped into carnality, and took for himself, she was delighted. His body was made for sex, but his heart for love. He was the full package, the one she wanted to spend the rest of her life getting to know.

It was almost too much to hope that he would feel the same toward her, but he seemed to. The fact that they both had changed so much in the last ten months meant something. He was jolly. She giggled as she thought of his Santa costume again. But he was happy, and he was working on his relationship with Mark, due in part to her, but he wasn't the only one who was changing. She wanted a clean slate with her own family.

She waited a few minutes before realizing Alex wasn't coming back any time soon. After getting out of the warmth of the blankets, she walked into his large walk-in closet and stretched, yawning loudly. He must have moved them to the bed sometime during the night, though she couldn't remember when.

Grabbing one of his plain white button-down shirts, she slipped it over her shoulders and buttoned it up. Jamie stopped by the bathroom to check herself and couldn't help but smile. A year ago she'd never have gone out to greet a guy with her hair a mess and her lips swollen like they were. She'd have taken a shower, fixed herself up, and tried to cover all the signs of their love-making.

Alex left her feeling beautiful, adored – loved. It changed everything.

Walking out into the living room, Jamie paused and glanced around. "Alex?"

He didn't answer, and she walked around the house looking everywhere for him, but found it empty. Slipping on a pair of jeans and some outside boots that Alex had sitting on the back porch, she walked down to her old place to get the present she wanted to give her new beau for Christmas. He didn't want anything that money could buy. Of that she was sure. Not only did he have everything, but he had mentioned it far too many times over the last few months that she wasn't to spend any money. None.

She sat down at her kitchen table with a pad of Christmassy paper and a pen, and tapped her lips with the writing instrument a few times.

Having been gifted with words, she tried to decide between a poem and a song, or maybe a letter. He would be back soon, and they were welcoming Mark in a couple of hours. How she was up so early after spending the night having the best sex of her life, she had no idea.

"A letter might work best." She pursed her lips and started to write, quickly filling up three pages of how much he meant to her. He'd given her back her confidence, her belief in something better and bigger than settling, and her heart. He needed to know more now than ever that she was completely sold out for him.

She got up and walked to her jewelry box at the back of the studio apartment and pulled out a small white rock with the world 'believe' engraved on it. Her father had given it to her when she was six. It was one of the most precious things she still had from her childhood. It seemed a little silly, but she couldn't shake the fact that it was supposed to be Alex's now.

She tucked it into a piece of white paper and put the letter with it in a small Christmas bag. After checking out the apartment to make sure everything was ready for Mark's visit, she walked back up to the house and kicked off the boots.

Slipping out of her jeans, she left the gift sitting on the coffee table and went into the kitchen to start working on a big breakfast. Alex loved to eat, and one thing she’d learned was that breakfast was his favorite.

The back door open and the sound of him verbally shivering caught her attention.

"Jamie? You up?" he called out to her.

"Yeah. I'm starting on breakfast." She cracked three eggs into the frying pan and figured he would come into the kitchen with her. When he didn't, she stuck her head into the living room. He was sitting at the couch, her letter in his hand and his head turned down as if reading it.

"Oh. That's from me." She walked toward him and chided herself. As if he was too dumb to realize the damn gift was from her. She was the only one in the house.

He stood and rolled the stone in his hand. She didn't notice the tears in his eyes until he glanced up. "I love it."

"Oh, shoot, Alex. I didn't mean to upset you. I just wanted you to know that you've given me my life back. Or a life really." She moved toward him and unbuttoned his jacket before sliding the snow-laced coat from his big shoulders.

"You've done the same for me." He slipped the stone into his pocket and pulled her into a warm hug. "I'll carry it everywhere. I wanted to always be reminded to believe in the impossible. That's what's happened between us. I thought I would just settle, and I see now that you thought you would too. But we don't have to."

"No. We don't. I hope it's enough. It's not much." Jamie adverted her eyes as she questioned the value of the gift.

He pulled her against him tightly and pressed his cold lips to her, showing her that it wasn't about the amount of money spent. He kissed her long and deep, exploring her mouth as if getting to do it for the first time.

She slipped her warm hands under his sweater and rubbed the thick muscles of his back, reveling in how good his skin felt against her hands.

"Oh, fuck." She jerked back as the smell of burnt eggs caught her attention. She raced to the kitchen and pulled the black mass from the stove, running it toward the back door.

"Jamie," he called after her as he followed her, but she didn't stop until she was standing on the patio.

A little furry brown puppy turned from where he was tied to the porch, and looked up at her before tilting his little head to the side.

She set the pan on the ground at the edge of the patio, away from the little guy, and let out a soft sound of adoration.

"So freakin’ cute! Alex! Come check this out!" She sank to her knees and picked up the fur-ball, snuggling him against her chest. "Oh, I love him. Whose do you think he is?"

Alex wrapped his strong arms around her from behind and kissed the side of her face. "Yours. Merry Christmas."

"What?" She turned in his arms as tears blurred her gaze. "Are you kidding me? I've wanted a dog for years."

"Really? I kinda always wanted one too. Just never figured I was home enough to take care of one. Then I figured we could manage between the two of us. So I spent the past two months trying to find the right one. He was a stray at the pound, and they called this morning. I was on a wait list."

"So are we just foster caring for him?" Her smile drooped as the little pup started to lick her chin and neck. "I can't do that, Alex. I'll fall in love." She glanced down as tears rolled over her cheeks. "I already have."

"Baby." He wrapped her up tightly against him, pressing his lips to the top of her head and breathing in deeply. “He's not just here for Christmas. He's here for good. He's yours for the rest of your life... If you'll have him."

Something about his words hit her deep inside her chest. "I want him forever."

"Good. Something tells me that once you picked him up and pulled him close to you, that you'd have no choice. He wasn't going anywhere anyways." He smiled and touched her chin, leaning down and pressing his lips to hers. "Best Christmas ever."

"Agreed, now you take Jake, and I'll go try again on these eggs." She handed off the little bundle.

Alex moved down to untangle the puppy’s leash. "Jake? You've named him already?"

"I'm efficient if nothing else." She brushed her hair down the back of her head and left him to deal with the dog. The smile on her face was nothing compared to the warmth that pumped through her. Getting a dog together was like another step in their relationship. It would help them see how well they would do as parents if that was ever to be the case.

***

Jamie finished loading the dishwasher after breakfast and walked to the living room, wanting to join Alex on the couch. Jake was snuggled up on the floor beside him, making small mewling noises as his little legs moved back and forth.

"What do you think he's chasing?" Jamie asked, sitting down next to the handsome man who'd stolen her heart more times than she could count.

"Probably a hot girl. Good thing I've got the hottest one in the world." He turned and wrapped his arms around her before pressing a hot kiss to the side of her neck. "What time is it? I want to see what's under this shirt."

"You've already seen it. All night last night." She pushed at him playfully before crawling into his lap. “Mark’ll be here soon.” She straddled him, loving the way she fit against him so well. His long- sleeved t-shirt and jeans left him looking comfortable, and yet still so GQ. The man was beyond fine. Nothing was going to diminish that.

"And I want to see it again." He slid his hands up her thighs and over her naked hip, up to her breasts. He squeezed softly as his eyes moved up to lock onto hers. "Hell, woman! You turn me on. I could get hard just watching you make scrambled eggs. What the hell, Jamie? You’ve turned me into a horny CEO."

"I don't know how, but I like it a lot." Jamie rolled her hips, rubbing herself against him.

He lifted one hand to his mouth and slipped his thumb in, half smiling around his lips. He tugged the white shirt she wore up and cupped her naked mound as he pressed his thumb into her.

"Ride my hand and come for me. I wanna see the expression on your pretty face when you reach your peak. Make this my best memory of Christmas." He pulled her down for a long kiss as she groaned and rocked against his hand.

It didn't take long and she was close. He pushed at her shoulder softly, forcing her to sit up as he continued to work her.

Jamie let her eyes lock on to the needy look on his face as his watched both the sex and her face, as if in anticipation of what was to come. Namely her.

"I can feel how close you are. Bounce on it. Take it." He reached up and pinched at her nipple through the shirt as he worked his hand against her, deliciously fast.

She groaned as the orgasm started, and let her head drop back. His hand wrapped around her chin and forced her to sit back up.

"I wanna see, Jamie."

"Then fucking see," she bit out as she let herself dive into the deep end of pleasure with him. He was incredible, and she reveled in every subtle twitch of his hand on her.

"That's it, girl. So fucking hot. So wickedly hot." He continued his assault until she pulled back, letting out a long groan.

"Fuck! You’re amazing." He pulled her down for a long kiss as he fondled her naked rear.

Jamie jerked up as the front door open, and Mark's deep voice echoed down the hall.

"Ho! Ho! Ho! Get up you hoes. It's Christmas."

"Oh, fuck." Jamie scrambled up, tripping over the coffee table and running to the bedroom before Mark could make it into the living room. She closed the door quietly and turned, pressing her back against it and trying to catch her breath.

They'd gotten so wrapped up in each other she hadn’t noticed the time. After forcing her heart to slow a little, she changed clothes, pulled her hair into a ponytail, and walked out into the living room.

Alex was kneeling in front of the dog, but glanced back at her with a naughty smile on his handsome face. "That was a close one. Almost exciting."

"Not at all exciting. Where's your brother?" Jamie slipped her hands into her jeans pockets and glanced around.

"He's putting his stuff in the apartment." Alex stood. "I shook his hand with my sexy fingers and he looked a little concerned; told me it smelled like sex in here."

"No, the fuck he did not!" Jamie's heart almost stopped as all color fled her face.

"I'm kidding, Jamie." He pulled her close and kissed her. "I'm just kidding. He didn't say anything, and you'll be happy to know that I behaved myself."

"You better had."

"Or?" He lifted his eyebrow and tightened his hold on her. "You gonna spank me?"

"Nope. You'd like that far too much." She nipped at his lips and turned as the back door opened and Mark walked in.

"How's my favorite should-be sister-in-law?" he chuckled and walked toward them.

Jamie pulled from Alex and gave his brother a big hug. "Good, and glad to see you."

"Need me to talk some sense into my older bro?" He gave her a big bear hug and picked her up off the floor. "I mean, really, if he's not going to make a move... I sure will."

"Watch it," Alex grumbled playfully and tugged Jamie from Mark's hold. "Your eggs are on the back porch. Jamie made them special for you."

Jamie swatted at Alex, and glanced over her shoulder. "No, they aren't. Come in here, and I'll make you anything you want."

Alex growled again, and Jamie couldn't help but let his possessiveness remind her that she wasn't the only one in love.

He was too.