Page 22 of It Must Be Love

"Nothing." I shook my head and found some clothes.

"Your mother wanted to talk about Christmas," she continued as I got dressed.

I put on jeans and a navy blue cashmere sweater. The housekeeper had already packed my suitcase. She knew what I needed when I traveled.

"What about Christmas?"

"Your parents are renting a chalet in the Swiss Alps. She wanted to make sure we didn't have other plans."

I wondered what Naya would do for Christmas. Would she be alone? Fucking hell! Why was I spending so much time thinking about her? She was an employee, a friend's sister…she meant nothing to me.

And, yet, I remembered her small smile as she presented, that quiet elegance with which she answered questions. She never got rattled. Ethan had said as much to me when he'd told me was going to promote her.

"No matter what's thrown at her, she keeps her cool. You should see her with her team. She's compassionate and they love her."

"I don't need people to love their manager, Ethan."

"But it helps tremendously."

"Whatever. She reports to you. She fucks up, it’s on you."

"I still can't understand why you have a problem with her?"

"I don't," I snapped. "She's on your team, do what you want with her."

Why the hell had I had such animosity towards her?

"Amias?" Ann prodded.

"What?" I asked as I put on my watch and looked for appropriate footwear.

"Christmas?"

Fuck! I wasn't even sure if Ann and I would be together at that time. I was starting to feel more and more that this relationship wasn't working. I didn't want to be with someone who was cruel to others like Ann was to Naya. She wasn't normally like that. She had a whole lot of friends who liked her and most of my friends, except for Hayes, adored her and thought she was one hell of a catch, and I was one lucky son of a bitch.

"I don't know, Ann."

"What's to know? They're chartering a plane, and we can fly with them. It's just for a week. You know I love skiing in Switzerland."

"Fine," I muttered. It wasn't worth getting into an argument about. It was a whole month away. I'd figure it out, eventually.

She went on tiptoe and kissed me. Her arms went around me and her familiar scent, Good Girl Gone Bad by Kilian filled my nose. I knew what perfume she used because I bought her those as gifts. They retailed at a thousand dollars for 250 ml. I never gave it a second thought. I spent more on jewelry and bags for her; this was pocket change. I wondered how Naya would feel about getting such a perfume.

What did she smell like?

Roses, my brain immediately flashed. Yeah, roses. I may not have consciously registered it, but I knew. Her scent was subtle, not cloying like Ann's.

"Amias?" Ann whispered.

"Yeah, babe." I absently stroked her back.

She looked up at me and smiled. She was one of the most beautiful women I had ever laid eyes on. She had perfectly symmetrical features. Her eyes were a deep blue, her cheekbones sharp…she was movie-star gorgeous. She loved me. I knew that. But did I love her? I always thought I did. But I wondered now if I knew what the fuck it really meant to love someone? How did I define love? Was the convenient and familiar relationship with Ann love? Or was it just convenient and familiar?

I suppressed the groan I wanted to let out. I was a thirty-five-year-old man seeming to be having a midlife crisis trying to understand the meaning of life.

Ann's eyes were bright with excitement. "I want us to get engaged."

I swallowed. I didn't know how to answer her. I didn't want to hurt this woman. I'd known her for a long time. I cared about her and even loved her, or at least I thought I did. I didn't know yet if I wanted to get married to her. I had so many doubts. I didn't want to be rushed. I had to let her down gently.

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