The Billionaire Princess (13 page)

"You stay out here and explore while I call him." Now that he made the decision he wanted to execute it. Once he did maybe he could enjoy his time alone with Sara without feeling guilty.

Sara's mouth turned downward. "Not wasting any time."

"Make yourself at home." After brushing a kiss against her cheek, he came to his feet. "I'll be back soon."

The walk from the garden to his study was about as pleasant as a walk to the gallows. Regardless of how he felt about making the call he knew it was the right thing to do. Walking into his study, he pulled his phone from his pocket and brought up the contact list.

The phone rang several times before Jake finally answered. "What's up?" Jake asked. "How's the filming going?"

"Finished it."
Christopher tried to formulate a good opening in his mind.

"That didn't take long. Sara still in LA or is she already back in DC?" Christopher could hear a lot of noise in the background.

Jake gave him the opening he needed. "She's still in California." The words that came out were not the ones he intended.

“Having some fun I hope, but knowing her, she's probably working,” Jake said.

Anything work related was not on the agenda for the next few days, at least if he had anything to say about it.  “A little of both,” Christopher answered.  His decision to come clean with his friend faltered the longer they spoke.  “She came up here to Alicante to tour Hall headquarters and meet with Caroline to coordinate some speaking engagements.”  The more he spoke the larger the hole he dug for himself.  There was no way he could come clean now about their relationship.

“Good, I'm glad she didn't fly right back to DC.  With all the hours she puts in I wonder sometimes who is the senator, Sara or Healy.”

Christopher tapped his index finger against his desk.  Now that he'd started the lie he had to go along with it.  “I noticed that in LA, but it’s her life.”

The background noise on the other end of the call became louder and Christopher used that to bring their call to an end.  “Sounds like you're busy over there, let’s talk later.”

“Yeah, I'm out in the field today.  But listen, next time you're in the area stop by and visit us,” Jake said.

“Will do.”
  A strange combination of relief and shame filled Christopher.  His conversation accomplished nothing.  Damn, how could he have chickened out like that?  He came to his feet.  Well, if nothing else Sara might be pleased.  She'd been unenthusiastic about the idea of telling Jake now anyway.

Men. It never ceased to amaze her how ridiculous they could be. Sara flipped open her laptop. After Christopher left the garden, she went back inside rather than explore alone. The way she saw it she might as well get some work done while Christopher fulfilled his end of what she decided to call the “man code.”

The notion that a man couldn't date a friend's sister without some kind of permission was insane. Did all men really think that way? If Jake had dated one of her friends, it wouldn't have fazed her in the least. Evidently men had their own bizarre notions.

Sara opened her email account. She'd checked it only a half hour ago, but already five new messages waited for her. Quickly her eyes ran down the subject lines. Nothing looked urgent thankfully. Her mind wasn't in the right place to answer important emails.

Why did he have to tell him now? She stared out the window. Couldn't it have waited? A month from now they might decide whatever they thought existed between them
didn't  and her brother never had to know. If dating was as big a deal as Christopher thought, her relationship with Jake may suffer when the romance turned sour. All their lives she and Jake had been close even when they were sent to different boarding schools. The thought of losing her brother sent icy chills through her heart. Her relationship with Dylan still hadn't recovered fully after her treatment of Callie. And her relationship with Callie was far from normal. With all that, she didn't want to add Jake to the list.

There was an easy way to avoid that
. Part of her had wanted to follow that path, but another wouldn't let her. Since Phillip she hadn't felt anything toward a man except suspicion. At least not until Christopher danced with her at the wedding. Maybe it was selfish of her but how could she not pursue seeing where things went?

Beethoven's Fur Elise erupted from her phone on the desk. Her mother's ringtone instantly took her away from her thoughts. Thankful for the distraction, she answered.

"Did you know your brother got married?" Elizabeth Sherbrooke asked, her voice still accented even though she'd lived in the United States for almost thirty years, without saying hello first.

Thanks for leaving out some of the details Jake.
"Yes. But I only learned about their plan when I arrived in Hawaii."

"Who else knew?"

Sara didn't miss the catch in her mother's voice. "Callie and Dylan. They helped arrange things. Jake's friend Christopher was there too." She decided not to add that Maureen had been there. Knowing that they'd invited Charlie's mom but not her seemed cruel. If Jake hadn't mentioned it, neither would she.

"I can't believe he did this. He should've had a proper wedding like Dylan."

Irritation bubbled up toward her brother when she heard the sadness in her mom's voice.  While she understood her brother's desire to have their wedding private and media free, she still thought he should have included their parents. "It's not what they wanted. And if they could have had you there without the media bandwagon they would've." Despite the irritation, she felt the need to defend Jake and Charlie's decision.

"You sound like your father."

Sara didn't see how that was a bad thing, yet she kept that thought to herself. She listened for several more minutes as her mom talked about how wrong it had been of Jake. During the lecture she remained fairly quiet. For the most part her mom only wanted someone to share her displeasure with and apparently she couldn't do that with her husband. Only when she heard a knock on the door did she interrupt her mom.

"Mom, I'll be back in DC next week. I'll call you then and we'll meet for lunch." She opened the door and let Christopher in the room.

As she wrapped up the conversation Christopher remained in the doorway one shoulder leaning against the casing. She couldn't pinpoint exactly how she knew but he wasn't any more relaxed now than before. Did that mean Jake hadn't taken the news well?

"I thought you'd still be outside." He pushed away from the door frame when she put the phone down.

Sara's eyes followed him as he came toward her, his well-muscled body moving with a nonchalant grace, causing her heart rate to accelerate. "I got lonely so I came in to answer a few more emails." The air around them hummed with energy.  Did he sense it too?

Christopher wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against his body. "I'm all yours now."

Sara opened her mouth to reply, but Christopher silenced her with a kiss. Whatever questions she had for him died as white-hot heat shot through her body. Gradually, he worked the hem of her shirt out of her waistband and slipped his hands underneath.  Caught up in the moment, she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him lead her toward the king-sized bed. With a slight nudge, he pushed her down on the bed. Coming down on top of her, he used his forearms to prop himself up just enough to not crush her or stop his exploration of her mouth.

The need to touch him sent her hand wandering to the hem of his shirt. Slipping her hand underneath, she ran her hand up his back enjoying the feel of his muscles beneath her hand. Lost in the heat of his kiss and touch, her world stopped when he pulled his mouth away from hers.

“Am I a more attentive host now?” he sounded short of breath. In one smooth movement he rolled off her and onto his side, propping his head up with his hand.

“A little, but there's still room for improvement.” She enjoyed teasing him.

A sensuous smile with enough heat to melt her favorite pair of Jimmy Choo heels spread across his face. "Really." He leaned toward her, his intentions clearly written on his face.

Sara licked her bottom lip, excitement and apprehension coiling in her stomach. Every time he got close like this she forgot her promise to herself to take things slower this time. Christopher placed the gentlest of kisses on her neck. Inch by inch he moved up her neck leaving a trail of scorched skin behind as he continued his path to her mouth.

"I hope you finished everything because you won't be getting back to it tonight." He looked down at her, his eyes dark with desire. Standing, he grabbed the collar of his shirt and yanked it over his head, tossing it to the floor.  His pants quickly followed.

In response Sara sat up and pulled her own shirt off then reached for his hand and pulled him back down next to her on the bed.

***

Christopher's heartbeat echoed beneath her head as she trailed her hand over his bare chest, his skin warm to her fingertips. Pure contentment radiated through her body. If she didn't move from this spot today she'd be happy.

"How did your mom take the news?" Christopher asked.

Sara's hand paused.
"Um, what?"

“When I first came in you were talking to her, remember? I knew I was good but I didn't realize I was that good," he teased as he trailed his fingertips up her bare arm.

Even though Christopher couldn't see her, she rolled her eyes at his ridiculous comment. "You think pretty highly of yourself don't you?" She leaned up on one elbow so she could see him.

"You weren't complaining a while ago," Christopher smiled knowingly.

Ignoring the comments seemed like the best recourse. "She took it about as well as expected. It's going to be a while before she lets it go." Moving her hand once again it traveled down his chest over his ripped abdomen and circled his navel right above the sheet. "What about you? How did your conversation go?" The hand caressing her arm stopped and for half a heartbeat he didn't respond.

“I didn't tell him.” Once again his hand began to move up and down her arm.

“You didn't tell him?  What happened?”  He'd been so insistent earlier, and she didn't peg him as one to flip-flop on his decisions.

Christopher frowned as he pushed himself up to a sitting position.  “I couldn't tell him over the phone.  I need to do it face to face.  He deserves that.”

“Oh.” She didn't understand what difference it made in the long run, but by his expression it obviously mattered to him.

“Next time I visit you in
DC, I'll drive over and see him.”

“Are you sure you don't want me to do it when I get home?”

He wrapped his hand around hers.  She'd noticed how no matter where they were or what they were doing, he liked to be in physical contact with her.  In the beginning the constant contact felt unnatural, she'd never been with someone like that.  Now she felt empty without his touch.

“No, it has to be me,” Christopher said with a shake of his head. "Are you hungry?" he asked, intentionally changing the subject. "I'm starving right now."

If he wanted change to conversation she'd let him. "A little."

He didn't wait for her to continue. Instead he rolled off the bed and her eyes followed him. She loved looking at him completely naked, to take him all in. He didn’t seem to mind because he made no attempt to dress. The warmth stinging her cheeks almost matched the heat she felt building inside her as she continued staring. How easy would it be to get him back in bed for a little while?

Before she could attempt to get him back beside her, he pulled his discarded pants on. "You in the mood for anything specific?" His shirt followed and Sara almost sighed with disappointment.

Yes, you.
"Anything is okay." Sara kept the sheet tucked around her while she collected her own discarded clothing from the floor.

Sara snuggled closer and automatically the arm around her shoulder pulled her in. They were cuddling on the couch in his home theater, watching a classic Hitchcock film. It seemed the only movies they could readily agree on were the classics. Hanging around watching movies hadn't been their original plan for the day. They had discussed taking his yacht for a trip along the coast but rain and high winds convinced them a day on the water might not be the best idea. Despite the change in plans, she wasn't complaining. In fact she found their current situation more enjoyable than a day on the water. When she returned home in a few days, it would be these moments she’d miss the most. Living and working in DC didn't leave much time for nights like this. Although even if she did have the opportunity, she wouldn't want to spend the time with anyone else.

Christopher was slowly working his way into her heart. Not only did they share many of the same values, but he was also kind and truly seemed to care about her, not just her last name. He asked questions about her likes and desires and he answered any questions she asked. She wouldn't call what she felt love, yet she suspected her feelings could easily turn into that. And while she knew her own feelings well, she couldn't gauge his. Instinct told her he wouldn't risk his friendship with Jake for a short fling. The two had been friends for too long. Still that didn't mean his feelings ran as deep as hers.