Chapter Nine

Christopher glanced out the window at the crystal-clear blue sky late Thursday afternoon, his lunch untouched on the table beside him. He had to tell Jake this weekend about his relationship with Sara. While he’d flown to D.C. several times over the past month and a half to see Sara, he’d never once stopped in Virginia to see his friend. He could no longer procrastinate.

This weekend, Sara’s father had a surprise birthday bash planned for her mom at Cliff House in Newport, and he expected the entire family to be there. Sara had told Christopher he could skip the party if he wanted, but going an entire weekend without seeing her wasn’t an option for him. Since their time in California, they hadn’t spent a weekend apart He either flew out to see her, or Sara traveled to his place.

At least Jake already knew he was attending the party, so when he showed up this afternoon, it would be one less surprise for the guy. He’d told Jake that Sara asked him to be her date for the evening after his most recent meeting with her and the senator in D.C. Since Jake assumed Sara was still unattached, he hadn’t questioned the statement.

While not a complete lie, getting the words out had been a struggle the week before. Today his plan was simple. He’d get Jake alone as soon as they got there and tell him the truth. He’d already figured out what he planned to say. Until then though, all he could do was wait.

“The plane is making its final approach, Mr. Hall,” the flight attendant said.

Christopher looked up from the laptop screen and nodded. The hum of anticipation coursing through his body went into overdrive, canceling out the anxiety in his gut. It had only been a week since they’d been together, but he craved Sara’s presence. How she’d become so important to him in such a short time was beyond him. It felt as if they’d been together for years, not just six weeks. She knew his moods and listened without complaint when he vented. She remembered to have his favorite foods around when he visited her in D.C., and she knew how to drive him insane with a simple touch.

Sex with her was incredible. He’d been with women before, but he hadn’t known such ecstasy with any of them. Just the thought of what he had to look forward to tonight made his body throb. With a groan, he slammed his laptop closed, trying to forget how he really wanted to spend the night. Before he could get her alone, he had to get through his conversation with Jake.

Christopher’s jaw clenched at the thought of that conversation. Already their conversations lacked their usual easygoing banter because of his guilt. What would they be like after today?

Fuck. I never should have waited this long to tell him.

While he didn’t regret his relationship with Sara for a second, he did hate the strain it put on his friendship with Jake. He thought of Jake as the brother he didn’t have, and the possibility of losing his friendship weighed heavily on him.

On the plus side, they would only be in Newport with Sara’s family for two nights. Saturday they planned to escape to Martha’s Vineyard and spend the rest of the weekend there. He smiled at the thought as the jet touched down.

Damn, I’m a lucky SOB. The moment he stepped off the plane, he caught sight of Sara’s profile by a black Lincoln Town Car with tinted windows. Still dressed in the business suit she’d most likely worn to work, she talked on the cell phone glued to her ear, oblivious that he was watching her. With her attention focused elsewhere, he took his time giving her a once-over, starting at her feet. Slowly, his eyes traveled up her bare legs—legs that he knew for a fact were toned to perfection. His fingers tingled as he imagined running his hands up her calf to her thigh. His eyes continued the trek up to her waist where he knew he’d find a tiny birthmark a few inches from her navel. A tailored blazer covered her breasts, but a picture of them was burned in his memory. Today, like most days, she had her blonde hair pulled up in some kind of fancy twist exposing her elegant neck. Later tonight he’d run his fingers through her hair, and with any luck he’d find it draped across the pillow next to him in the morning.

He knew hoping for that was a bit of a long shot. She’d already warned him they wouldn’t be sharing a room during this visit. Evidently her mother had some old-fashioned ideas about unmarried couples sleeping together in her house. The way he saw it though, what Mrs. Sherbrooke didn’t know wouldn’t hurt her, so if they remained discreet they might still be able to spend the night together. If not, he suspected he’d be taking a few ice-cold showers during his stay at the mansion.

Christopher got within two feet of her before she tossed her cell phone into her oversized shoulder bag and turned. He knew the second she saw him because the lips he dreamed about kissing all week broke into a smile that lit up her entire face. He skipped a verbal greeting and pulled her against him. Hungry to taste her, he captured her mouth with a kiss as she draped her arms over his shoulders. Unable to get enough of her, he used his lips and tongue to coax open her mouth. When she opened for him, he thrust his tongue inside, eager to taste her again. At the same time, he slid his hands under her blazer. The fine silk of her shirt was soft under his hands, but he knew the skin it covered was even softer. He was about to grab a fistful of fabric and yank it out of her waistband, when he got a brief whiff of airplane fuel. Slowly, their surroundings came to mind. Kissing at an airport was one thing, ripping off Sara’s clothes was entirely something else. Releasing the fabric, he dropped his hands from under the blazer and turned down the intensity of their kiss.

After one final pass over her lips, he released her mouth. “I’ve missed you. It’s felt much longer than a week.”

“I know.” Sara placed a hand on his cheek and smiled. The gentle caress of her hand on his face once again ignited his desire that had been burning all week. If they didn’t leave soon, it wasn’t going to matter where they were.

“I’m ready to go if you are,” Christopher said before pulling her hand off his face to kiss her palm.

Sara readjusted the strap on her shoulder bag and gave him a nod before starting toward the car for the short ride from Newport Regional Airport to Bellevue Avenue.

This was not the first time he’d visited Cliff House, but he was once again awed by the beauty and grandeur of the mansion. While he’d amassed several grand homes around the world, he preferred to keep them sleek and modern. This place epitomized the elegance and formality of a different century. And while his homes may be grand, he could picture raising a family in them. Not so of Cliff House. He knew Sara and Jake had spent a lot of time here as children, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t picture it. Had she run through the grand foyer and between the marble pillars with mud on her sneakers? Or dribbled a basketball in the ballroom with its gilded ceiling? Neither event seemed likely, so what had she done here? He knew she’d left for boarding school rather young, but what about before that?

“I’d say let’s sneak upstairs before anyone knows we’re here, but I know the Secret Service has already told Dad we’re here. And I know you want to talk to Jake,” Sara said, her voice more resigned than anything else.

Before Christopher could comment, Trevor, the mansion’s butler, approached them. “Your brothers and sister are in the library waiting for you,” the butler said in his monotone voice. “I’ll have your things brought up to your rooms. Would you like me to show Mr. Hall to his room?”

“Don’t worry about it, Trevor. I’ll show him up later. Which room is he in this weekend?” Sara asked.

“Your sister put Mr. Hall in the guest room across from yours.” The tiniest of frowns appeared and then disappeared from the butler’s face, leaving Christopher to wonder if he’d seen it at all.

“Trevor, my parents aren’t here yet?”

“They were delayed. Callie and Dylan arrived last night to finish up the preparations for the party,” the butler answered.

Sara nodded once and then led Christopher toward the library. The closer they got, the tighter the knot in his stomach got. How much easier it’d be if Sara could tell Jake herself. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t do. Even if she didn’t understand why, he knew Jake had to get the news from him and no one else.

Sara pushed open the door to the library, which he suspected was larger than the one inside his old elementary school. While grand in size like everything else in the mansion, he didn’t find it as ornate as the rest of the home. The room’s designers used all the right elements to create an atmosphere of restrained elegance and wealth: dark wood paneling, built-in floor-to-ceiling bookcases, and antique leather furniture. This was a room where you could retire and get lost in a book, which was something he’d done on more than one occasion when he’d visited Jake and his family during college. He paused and gently pulled at his collar, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe.

A slight nudge in his side told him he’d been still for too long. “Do you want me to come with you when you talk to Jake?” Sara asked softly, as they walked toward the other two couples in the room.

“You can’t be there.” He wished she could be though.

They both remained silent as they walked, and Christopher made sure they never touched. When they reached an empty sofa, Sara sat, but he remained standing.

“Aren’t you going to sit?” Jake asked. He sat with his arm around his wife and looked like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“I need to talk to you.” Christopher’s tongue felt like sandpaper in his mouth, but he managed to get the words out. “Alone.”

Jake’s expression stilled and grew serious. “Let’s go across the hall to my father’s office.” Jake kissed Charlie and stood. “Be right back.”

They both remained silent as they left the room and went across the hall. Although the office was another of Christopher’s favorite rooms in the mansion, he didn’t even glance around as they entered, and Jake closed the door behind them.

“What’s up?” Jake asked, sitting in one of the two matching leather wing-backed chairs.

Rather than sit, Christopher remained behind the other chair and rested his arms across the back. “Sara didn’t ask me to be her date for this weekend after one of my meetings with the senator,” Christopher launched into his prepared lines and watched his friend’s face. Time to drop the news. “We’ve been seeing each other.”

Jake stood and walked toward the huge antique desk in the room. Turning back around, he crossed his arms, his gaze focused on Christopher’s face. “How did it happen?” he asked, his voice cool and insistent. Definitely not a tone he remembered Jake using with him before now.

Christopher ran a hand through his hair. “We talked a lot at your wedding,” he began, choosing his words carefully. Jake didn’t need to know what else happened at the wedding. “And again at a literacy fundraiser in Providence. Then while we worked on the commercial in California, we got close, and we’ve been together since.”

Christopher noticed the muscle in Jake’s jaw flex.

“So when you said she went to Alicante to tour Hall headquarters and meet with Caroline, you lied? She was up there to be with you?” Jake asked, his voice hard.

“Yes.” Christopher nodded. “When I called that day, I intended to tell you, but decided it needed to be done in person.”

“That was almost two months ago.” The muscle in Jake’s jaw flexed again.

The strike count against him was quickly adding up. “Yeah, I know I should have told you sooner. I’m sorry.”

Jake paced a few times in front of the desk then stopped. With his hands on his hips, he faced Christopher again. “You’re sure about this?”

He knew what Jake was asking. Did he want to risk their friendship? No, but at the same time, he couldn’t ignore his feelings for Sara either. He’d felt them at the wedding, and they’d only been growing stronger and stronger ever since.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” Later he may regret it, but for now he had to follow this path.

Jake took a step toward him. “Good luck then. Make sure you treat her right.”

Christopher heard Jake’s warning loud and clear. “No need to worry.”

“Keep it that way and we’re good no matter how it turns out between you two.” Jake smacked him on the back.

It took some effort, but he forced down the sarcastic reply on the tip of his tongue. If the tables were reversed and Jake was involved with any of his sisters, he’d be saying the same things.

“We better join the others,” Jake walked over and opened the door.

While he’d rather take Sara aside and spend some time alone with her, he followed Jake back to the library, unsure what to expect.

The last time he’d been in a room with Sara and Callie, it’d been a bit like watching two people walk across a floor covered in eggshells. When Sara told him her relationship with Callie was strained, he’d thought she was exaggerating, but after the meeting the three of them had with the senator, he’d changed his mind.

“Elizabeth called while you were gone. They won’t be here until early tomorrow morning now. She didn’t go into details, but something came up,” Callie said when Jake took his seat next to Charlie.

The corners of his mouth curve upward as he sat down. Would now be too soon to ditch the rest of the family and go where they could be alone? Christopher figured he wouldn’t get much objection from Sara. She sat next to him, straight as an arrow with her hands clasped in her lap. She presented a perfect picture of a refined society woman. How long had it taken to drill that behavior into her? If he were to guess, he’d say years. But she didn’t always act that way. During their time together, he’d noticed she reverted to that behavior when she was in a professional or society setting and when she was emotionally uncomfortable. When they were alone, she relaxed. She’d slouch on the sofa watching television or rest her head in her hand while she read a book.

He draped an arm across her shoulders for moral support and waited to see where things went.

“What about the party tomorrow? Is it still on?” Jake asked.

A canceled party, he liked the sound of that. Then they could spend all their time alone at his place and forget about the rest of her family.

“Warren said to keep everything as planned,” Callie answered, confused eyes darting back and forth between him and Sara. “Even if they don’t get here until the afternoon, the party isn’t until seven.”

So much for an easy out. He’d have to settle for sharing Sara for part of the weekend.

“Looks like you’re stuck here with the rest of us, Hall,” Jake said, one eyebrow cocked knowingly.

Jake sounded like he always did. Christopher couldn’t detect any anger or coldness in his friend’s voice. “Speak for yourself, Sherbrooke. I don’t consider myself stuck here.” The muscles in his body relaxed, and for the first time, he realized how tense he’d been.

“The others might believe that, but I know you too well.”

Charlie nudged Jake in the side. “Leave him alone.” Leaning toward him, she whispered something in his ear. Christopher didn’t hear Charlie’s question, but he was confident he knew it.

“I’ll explain later,” Jake replied before asking Dylan about the progress on the new home he and Callie were constructing in Connecticut.

An hour easily passed by with the three couples in conversation. Always the business executive, Dylan asked him numerous questions about his company, and he discussed the current basketball stats with Jake. He was unaware of the women’s conversation but did notice Sara added little to it. Instead, Callie and Charlie seemed to be talking with each other while Sara listened.

He gave Sara credit though. Despite her obvious unease, she didn’t flee. She stayed with the group the entire time. When Dylan said he needed to make a few calls before dinner, Sara retreated from the room with him. More comfortable now, Christopher stayed with Jake, Charlie, and Callie for a little longer before his concern sent him looking for Sara. Prior to this afternoon, he’d never seen her so tense.

***

Now that was fun. Sara removed her silk bathrobe from her suitcase and hung it up in the closet. Her parents acted as a bit of a buffer when they all got together. Without them, the strained relationship between her and Callie seemed more visible. Even Christopher’s presence hadn’t helped. He’d been preoccupied talking sports and business with her brothers.

Dinner tonight would be similar. Wonderful. Tomorrow should be a different story though. Her parents, as well as other family members and friends, would make it easier to hide the fact she and Callie rarely spoke. Then on Saturday, none of it would matter because they’d be off to Christopher’s house on Martha’s Vineyard.

Even though the island was a short boat ride from Newport, she hadn’t visited in a long time. Before Christopher suggested the trip, she hadn’t thought about the island at all. Thinking about it now lightened her mood.

Dropping her empty suitcase inside her closet, she closed the door and turned her thoughts to a more pleasing topic, Christopher. Although work kept her busy during the week, he was never far from her mind. When something important occurred, the first person she thought about calling was him. She looked forward to their daily conversations because he always managed to cheer her up, even when she was having a bad day. Regardless of their schedules and the time difference between them, they’d talked every day since their first trip to California. While she always filled up her fair share of the conversation, Christopher talked about his day too. Sara found that a novel experience. The men she’d dated in the past had either wanted to do nothing but talk about themselves or had shared nothing.

We should’ve tried this sooner. Who knew where they might be now? Maybe they’d be married and living in California.

Sara froze halfway to the bathroom. They’d been a couple less than two months. She shouldn’t be thinking about marriage or anything close to it. Their relationship was too new. True she enjoyed his company and they had fun together, but that was no reason to rush anything. Besides who knew how deeply his feelings ran? Over the past few years, his name had been paired with several women, so she knew he did his fair share of dating. She didn’t think he was a confirmed bachelor like Dylan had been before Callie, but that didn’t mean he saw marriage in his immediate future either.

Take it slow. Don’t lose your head like before. Phillip’s image came to mind and a shudder passed through her body. No, this time she’d be extra cautious. She didn’t need a repeat of her last relationship.

“Okay, if I come in?” Christopher called through the closed door. At the sound of his voice, the mental image of Phillip evaporated.

“Perfect timing,” she whispered so he wouldn’t hear. Sara crossed the room and opened the door. “You’re done visiting already?”

“You’ve been gone a while, and I got lonely without you,” he said, placing a quick kiss on her lips. “Are you okay?” He studied her face, the concern visible in his eyes.

Sara turned partially away from him before she answered. “I wanted to unpack. I know we’re only staying two nights, but I don’t like having my clothes in a suitcase.”

“You didn’t seem like yourself downstairs.” Grabbing her hand, he gently pulled her back toward him so they again faced each other.

Not a conversation she wanted to have, Sara wrapped her arms around his waist and leaned into him. She knew just how to distract him. “Just a little uncomfortable, but I’m fine now.” She placed a kiss at the base of his neck then started to make a path upward.

“I could tell. Have you ever...” Christopher stopped and a low groan escaped from his mouth when Sara reached his earlobe and sucked on it.

Empowerment surged through her when he couldn’t finish his sentence. Pulling back, she looked up at him with a coy smile on her face. “Have I ever what?” She reached for the first button on his shirt and undid it.

By the time he answered, she had three more buttons undone. “We can talk about it later.” Christopher tried to undo the top button on her blouse, but the tiny buttons wouldn’t cooperate with his large hands. “I give up. Either you do it, or I’m ripping the damn thing off.”

As if she hadn’t heard him, she pushed his shirt open and placed a hand on his chest. Through the cotton fabric of his undershirt, she could feel the rapid beat of his heart.

“Sara.” His voice came out as a half groan when she kissed his neck.

“You’re impatient. Do you know that?” She’d worn the blouse enough times to know exactly how to work the annoying little buttons free. For a second, she contemplated doing it slowly to see how he’d react. She dismissed the idea almost right away. Sara wanted to feel his skin against hers probably as much as he did.

In moments, their clothes were in a pile at their feet. Inch by inch, Christopher’s eyes traveled down her body, making it throb. At the same time, his hands caressed her breasts then traveled down her stomach to her waist. “Perfection,” he said, his voice low and purposefully seductive.

Sara opened her mouth to say the same thing about him, but didn’t get the opportunity. Instead, Christopher pulled her against him, then set out to turn her brain to mush as he worshiped her mouth, all the while moving them back toward the comfort of her bed.

***

With one arm lying across his waist and her head resting on his chest, Sara remained perfectly still, content to stay in bed while Christopher slept. During their time together, she’d learned just how busy his life was. He wasn’t a CEO who sat behind his desk all day while others took care of everything. He thought nothing of flying to two or three different states in a day for meetings. If he slept now, his body needed it. Dinner wouldn’t be served for another hour. As long as they left themselves enough time to dress, there was no need to rush now.

Then again, maybe they could skip dinner. The idea held merit. If her parents were around, she wouldn’t consider it. While her mom assumed Sara had been intimate with men, she didn’t like it flaunted in her face. Mom had felt the same way about Jake and Dylan’s relationships.

How much of a hard time would Jake and Dylan give me in the morning if we don’t show up for dinner tonight? Jake would be the worst. He’d always been the one to tease her unmercifully. Most of the time, she tried to avoid it. This time, however, it might be worth it.

Glancing up, she expected Christopher to still be asleep. Instead, she found a pair of eyes staring back at her. “You’re awake.” Sara pushed herself up on one elbow.

Christopher’s finger traced a path along her jaw. “Your powers of observation are outstanding.” He tried to keep from smiling, but the corner of his mouth inched upward.

Without a second thought, she stuck her tongue out at him.

“I wouldn’t do that unless you plan on using it.” This time a devilish smile spread across his face.

“We don’t have time. Dinner is in an hour, unless you want to skip it,” she said hopefully.

His eyes scanned her face, and she wondered what he hoped to find. “I’m fine with either, but I’m guessing you’d rather skip dinner with the family tonight.” Christopher’s expression turned serious.

He placed a light kiss on the top of her head, and she lost another piece of her heart to him.

“I’d be happy right here all weekend.” He tightened his hold around her. “I don’t think I’m the reason you want to stay up here though. You looked pretty uncomfortable in the library earlier.”

Damn. She thought she’d done a good job of not showing how she felt today. “You know about my relationship with Callie.” The hand gliding down her arm left a path of heat in its wake, which started to spread through the rest of her.

“Have you tried apologizing? Maybe if you sit down with her and explain everything, you can clear the air between you.” His tone contained a degree of warmth and concern.

Please not him too. Did her brother and Christopher realize what they were asking? Sara sat up, the heat she’d felt moments before gone. Sure, she could apologize, but what if it didn’t matter to Callie? Then not only would she have made a fool of herself, but one more person would know how stupid she’d been. Who would want to open themselves up like that?

“Now you sound like Jake.”

Christopher moved so he sat alongside her, his back leaning against the headboard. “Don’t tell him I said this, but sometimes he has a good idea. Not often of course, maybe once a year. This might be his one for the foreseeable future. ”

Suddenly the blanket on the bed became the most fascinating thing she’d ever seen. “And what if she doesn’t forgive me? That would be humiliating.”

“It’s possible. But what if she does? What do you have to lose by trying? A lifetime of afternoons like today?”

What she wouldn’t give for a smart reply. “I’ll think about it. I’m not promising anything.”

“I won’t mention it again unless you bring it up.” Christopher covered her hand with his.

Sara breathed a mental sigh of relief, once again appreciative that he never pushed his views or desires on her. While he may voice both, so far he always left it at that—a rare quality in successful, powerful men. Or at least the ones she knew.

“So what do you say? Should we skip dinner or not?” he asked, his index finger slowly drawing a line up her arm.

For a moment, she paused and again considered the hard time Jake and Dylan would likely give her in the morning. In this case, anything they dished out would be worth it for more alone time with Christopher. “Let’s skip it. Why don’t we relax here for a little longer and you can tell me what Jake said. Then later we can head out somewhere for dinner—maybe The Spiced Pear.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Christopher agreed before recounting his conversation.