Page 60 of Unwrapped

“Look at you, defending him. Listen to this. Come closer.” I imagine her waving Mona closer to the desk. “He told me his girlfriend is meeting him for lunch today. That’s why I took my lunch early. I want to see this woman for myself. I bet she’s drop-dead gorgeous. Probably a model. If I were a few years younger and fifty pounds lighter, honey, this girlfriend would have some serious competition.” She lets out a loud laugh as she taps on the desk.

“Sherry, please stop—” Mona starts to say more, but Sherry interrupts her.

“He’s been a lot nicer since he met this girl. You don’t think he gave us Christmas Eve off for our benefit, do you? No, he wanted to spend time with this woman. I should send her some flowers.” She cackles. The elevator door opens, and she shrieks, calling out Miranda’s name.

“Look at you, girl. You look like you got yourself a little tan too. Mona didn’t tell me you went on vacation.” As if everyone is supposed to run their personal time by Sherry. “You’re right on time. The boss’s new girlfriend will be here any minute and we can gossip about them the minute they leave for lunch. By the way, Glen was asking me about you. Give me your phone number so I can give it to him. You two would make beautiful babies.”

This ends now. I make myself known as I clear my throat loudly when I approach the desk. Sherry looks up and smiles.

“Your guest isn’t here yet, Mr. Bain,” she says, her eyes roaming my body.

“She’s here, Sherry,” I say. She looks totally confused, so I turn to Miranda and plant a loud kiss on her lips. The kiss goes on long enough for her to look embarrassed by the time I end it. I’m immediately satisfied when Sherry’s mouth hangs open. “Tell your nephew it’s time he finds someone else, and the Bahamas was great. Miranda and I had a great time. Thanks for asking.” I turn to Miranda. “Ready for lunch, sweets? Hungry?”

“A little bit,” she says, blushing.

“Are you coming, Mona?” I ask.

“Um, no. Someone has to stay here to make sure Sherry doesn’t die of shock.”

That gets a laugh out of everyone but Sherry, who watches us, mouth unhinged until the elevator door closes. As soon as I have Miranda alone, I pin her against the elevator wall. “I’ve missed you.” I try to sniff the side of her neck, but her thick scarf is in the way. “Stupid scarf. I liked it better last week when you were half naked on the beach. I really liked it when you were completely naked in our bed, riding my face.”

“Don’t talk about my scarf. My boyfriend gave it to me for Christmas.” She lifts the ends of the Burberry scarf and holds up her matching gloved hands, then puts them on her head. “Hat and gloves too. He wants to make sure I’m warm at all times.”

“I bet your boyfriend is crazy about you. Probably thinks of no one and nothing but you.”

“Let’s go to your place, and you can feed me this.” She grabs my crotch. “I miss not being able to have this whenever I want.” Images of the five days we spent in paradise flash through my mind. Lying naked on the massive four-poster bed in the master bedroom. Swinging in the hammock as the ocean breeze kissed our skin.

Having her with me all day without the threat of her mother in the background, my girl was as relaxed as I’ve ever seen her.

“What are you thinking about?” she asks as we step out of the elevator

“Our time in the Bahamas.” The minute we step outside, the harsh January wind whips around us. “And how I wish we were there right now, back on our favorite hammock. You wrapped around me.”

She stops in the middle of the parking lot and kisses my cheek. She then hooks her arm through mine as we continue the short walk to my car.

“Poor Nicky. Does it matter where we are? Can’t you hear it?”

“Hear what?”

“My hips. Doesn’t matter where we are. They still say Nick, Nick, Nick.” She lets go of my arm and starts to walk backward, and despite the long, bulky coat she’s wearing, I can still hear the Siren’s call of her hips. “Nick,” she says, swinging in one direction. “Nick.” She swings in the other. “Nick.” And back again.

By the time she’s done, she’s against the car door and I pin her against it. I grab her hips and bring them to mine. “Nick, Nick, Nick,” I say against her lips as I roll her hips.

“Oh, Nick,” she says against my mouth. “Yes, Nick.” Kiss. “More, Nick.” Kiss. “Deeper, Nick.” She breaks eye contact and looks at my lips. “Your place, Nick.” I bend down and kiss her. Despite the harsh New England winter, the kiss sets my blood on fire. Much too soon, I pull away from her and open the door.

“Can’t go to my place, baby. I have a meeting in a couple of hours, and an hour with you just won’t be enough right now. Besides, there’s something I need to talk to you about, and you know how distracting you are when you’re naked,” I tell her as I start the car.

“Fine.” She sighs. “But since you’re coming over for dinner tonight, that means no nookie until tomorrow.”

“Think about this, sweets. One day soon, my place will be our place and nookie will be available twenty-four seven.” It’s the first time I’ve voiced that thought out loud, but I’ve been thinking about it since our trip. She looks at me, eyebrows raised, and a smile on her lips. “I know. I know. We just celebrated our one-month anniversary, but I’m just looking to the future.” I pick up her hand and kiss it. “You’re my future, but that’s not what I want to talk about today. Let’s get you some food and we’ll talk.”

CHAPTER 38

MIRANDA

“Not as good as yours,” Nick says with a mouth full of guacamole. He dips a chip in it and offers it to me.

“I was thinking about what you said in the car.”

---