Authors: Anna Kristell
He entered her with one swift thrust, throwing her senses into overdrive.
Matching his movements, her hands caressed his back. She wrapped her legs tightly around his waist, as he firmly lifted her buttocks, pushing himself further inside. His actions sent both of them spiraling into a world of hot, sweet, exquisite delight.
As he tenderly kissed her, he whispered, “Only you, Sunny.”
“Chase…I...lo…” She kissed him deeply to stop herself from telling him how much she loved him.
“We’d better get some sleep,
baby. We have a busy day tomorrow. I’ll call the Board members first thing in the morning.”
“And so, Ladies and Gentlemen, after much thought and deliberation, my wife and I have decided to decline the latest offer made to us by the Thomlin Corporation for the purchase of our company. May we take a vote on that?” Chase looked around the table
the next morning.
The Board voted unanimously with Chase and Sunny
. Russell was sent to take care of letting Thomlin’s people know.
“Will there be fallout from this decision?” Marty asked her son after the meeting.
“I hope not. I hope they’ll back off now, for good.”
“Sunny, we need to have lunch one day before the trip.” Marty
spoke to her daughter-in- law. “We need to make some plans.”
“That would be great. I think everything
’s pretty well in place, though.”
“I’ll treat you to lunch anyway. How does that sound?”
“Tomorrow is good for me.”
“Tomorrow
it is. I’ll just meet you here.” Marty kissed both of them and waved goodbye as she walked out the door.
“She likes you, you know
,” Chase said after his mother had gone.
“I like her too and I’m glad she approves of our little arrangement.”
“Sunny...about that…surely you realize, as I’ve told you before, this is no longer a marriage- of-convenience for me. I hope it isn’t for you, either.”
“I absolutely adore being Mrs. Chase Dupont. And quite frankly, I’ve never thought of this as anything other than a real marriage. Not since our wedding night when we made the decision to become lovers.”
“A decision I’m certainly glad we made.”
“I’m sure you are…”
She leaned up and kissed him. “You know, your desk is still virgin territory for us…”
“Baby…you know I’d love to try that, but there is way too much buzz in this building today for us to be that brave.”
“Now who’s saying no?” she teased.
“Well, I’d certainly hate for Russell to burst in here after he talks to Thomlin’s people and find us doing the deed on my desk, wouldn’t you?”
“Might be fun…but I’m joking, Chase. You know that I would never…”
“I know…you
’re a tiger in my bed, but behind closed doors. And that’s fine, Sunny.” He kissed her just as his secretary Lisa announced on the intercom Russell was waiting to see him. He and Sunny exchanged a look as he told Lisa to send him in.
Russell entered the
office taking the chair he was offered. Facing the two of them, he said, “I’ve talked with Thomlin’s people and I’ve had the paperwork refusing the offer delivered to their office. It should be there this afternoon.”
“What did his man say?”
“Not much, really, he thanked me for getting back to him so quickly. He said he’d be in touch after he spoke with Mr. Thomlin.”
“Well done, as usual, Russ.” Chase stood up and shook his trusted attorney’s hand.
“Thank you, Russ,” Sunny said as she also shook his hand.
“I knew when Chase told me about you
, you were going to be an asset, Sunny, and you’ve proven yourself to be a worthy partner. This company can do big things with the two of you at the helm.”
“Thank you so much, that means a lot coming from you.” Sunny blushed as she replied to his kind words of praise.
“Best decision I ever made, was not letting this one get away.” Chase smiled as he put his arm around his wife.
“I’m happy it’s worked out. Now if I may be excused,
I’m going to return to my office.”
“Thanks again. We’ll talk soon.”
After Russell had left, Chase turned to Sunny. “It seems, my dear wife, that you’ve made a hit with everyone in my life. My children, my mother, my staff, my friends, and now my attorney, all adore you.”
And what about you, my dear husband, do you adore me?
They were interrupted by a phone call so Sunny went into her own office to get some work done before it was time to pick up the children.
She looked at the family photo on her desk and smiled. It had been taken on her wedding day.
The day that changed my life forever, she thought. Drifting back to the evening last spring when Chase Dupont had entered her life, she realized she’d fallen in love with him that night at dinner. Wow, she thought, I’ve loved him from the start.
Forcing herself to concentrate on the new menu selections that needed her attention, she finished her work quickly, emailing the managers of each store with her choices
. When she was ready to leave, she went in search of her husband to let him know. As she was about to enter the office, she heard his voice.
“Lindy, you and your father need to accept our decision and move on.
Goodbye, Lindy.” He slammed down the phone as Sunny entered.
“She’s not happy, I take it,” Sunny remarked.
“Of course she’s not. I didn’t figure she’d take the news well. And as I’ve said before, an angry Lindy is not a good thing,” he said, frowning.
“Maybe it’s a good thing we’ll be at the
beach house for several days. It’ll give everyone a chance to cool off.”
“That’s probably true. Are you leaving now,
baby?”
“Yes, I’ll see you at dinner. Don’t stay late. You need to get some rest.”
“Yes, Ma’am,” he agreed as she leaned over to kiss him goodbye.
The night before their flight
to Florida, an exhausted Sunny fell into bed.
“Tired,
baby?” Chase asked as he joined her.
“Just a little, I can’t wait to get to Florida tomorrow. I want to walk on the beach the first thing.”
“We probably can do that. There will be plenty of people there willing to spoil our kids, while we take some time for ourselves, I’m sure.” Looking at her tired face he added, “Come here, I’ll give you a massage. No strings attached. It’ll make you sleep better.”
She rolled over on her
stomach. He poured the cool lotion in his hand and began gently massaging it into her skin. He could feel the tightness of her shoulder muscles and he concentrated on loosening them. He massaged her back for several minutes before moving to her legs.
“Ah…are you sure you weren’t a masseuse in former life?”
Sunny asked.
He chuckled
. “Feel good, does it? No I was never a masseuse, just thought you could use some attention.”
“You’re too good to me,” she murmured drowsily.
He finished the massage, kissed her and said, “Sleep now, baby…I’m right here.” He pulled her into his arms and gently rubbed her brow until she fell asleep. She slept soundly until the next morning, when she was awakened by Ali, Brice, and Chase entering her room with a breakfast tray.
“Breakfast in bed for my lady,” Chase informed her as he set the tray on the bedside table.
“We helped,” Brice chimed in as Ali handed her the morning paper.
“Why thank you. Why are you all being so sweet this morning?” She took the paper from Ali and reached for a glass of orange juice.
“It’s the first day of our adventure, Mama,” Ali told her.
“We love you, Mama.” Brice said as he climbed up on her lap and gave her a wet smooch.
Tears sprang to her eyes as she looked over the little boy’s head at Chase. He smiled and said, “You’ve worked hard this week getting everything ready so these two can have the holiday of a lifetime. You deserve to be pampered. Now eat up, we have a plane to catch. I’ve fed the kids already.” Looking at the two youngsters, he said, “You two leave your mama alone so she can enjoy her breakfast. Come with me and we’ll load the car.” He looked back at his wife and said, “Enjoy.”
What a sweetheart
, she thought, as she sipped the coffee he had laced with her favorite flavor of creamer, white chocolate. He’d also made waffles and they were heavenly.
Well, he
does own a chain of restaurants so I shouldn’t be surprised that the man cooks
. She finished her meal and set the tray back on the nightstand. Swinging her legs over the side of the bed, she realized as she stood up, the stiffness was gone from her shoulders. The massage must have worked. After she’d showered and dressed, she took the tray to the kitchen, and put her dishes in the dishwasher.
She noticed that her mother
-in-law had arrived. “Marty, you’re here. Are you as excited as we are?”
“Sunny, dear, you have no idea what this holiday means to me. Just to see Chase, Ali, and Brice so happy
, and to be able to share all of it with your mom, and Alma, and George, and Alice, and John, and most of all with you. You’re the one who’s put the smiles on those three faces.”
“They’ve put a smile or two on my face as well. My life was no bed of roses when I met them. I had gone through a rough patch myself.”
“Laura told me about your dad’s death and then about your fiancé. I know you’ve had your share of troubles too. But that’s all in the past now. You and Chase are a family.”
“Yes, I really believe we are.” She was hugging her mother
-in-law as Chase entered the room.
“Are you two getting all mushy and sentimental already? We haven’t even gotten to the beach house and seen the Christmas tree yet.”
“Oh you…just go about your business.” Marty shooed him away, wiping tears from her eyes.
“We’re ready to roll whenever you two stop the waterworks….jeez…women,” he muttered good-naturedly as he walked toward the door. “The kids are already buckled in.”
Marty looked at Sunny and smiled. Taking her arm, the two women strolled happily to the car to begin their first family vacation together.
“Oh, the house is gorgeous, Alice, you
’re amazing.” Sunny looked around at the tree and decorations in the beach house and decided the woman had outdone herself.
“That’s what I told her when I got here. Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Here go the waterworks again…” Chase laughed. Everyone looked at him.
“Mom and Sunny started tearing up right before we left, you know, the old sentimental Christmas mood thing.”
“Chase Dupont, you hush your mouth right now. If we want to be sentimental, we will. It’s a woman’s prerogative,” Marty said as she hugged her son.
“That’s right, hubby dear, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll behave.”
“Uh oh…Chase, I think I’d hush if I were you…the wife has spoken. Take it from us old married men…you don’t want to make them mad at Christmas time.” John laughed as George shook his head in agreement.
“Okay, I know when I’m licked. You women cry and carry on all you want to this week. I promise not to say another word.”
“When’s Laura getting in, Sunny?” Alice asked as she set freshly baked pumpkin bread and sugar cookies on the table. There was milk for the kids and a fresh pot of coffee for the adults.
“
Tomorrow morning. She had a holiday party she wanted to attend tonight. One of us will need to pick her up.”
“You and I can do that if you want
,” Chase offered.
“Okay,
hon, she’ll like that. I think I’ll go up and unpack now. Maybe we can take that stroll on the beach we planned.”
“I’ll bring the bags up. George or John, would one of you mind helping?”
“Sunny, let me help you with the kids things,” Marty offered.
“And Alice and I will keep the munchkins entertained
,” Alma told them, as she smiled at the two children who had been her pride and joy, since the day they were born.
With Chase
’s and Marty’s help, the bags were unpacked and the clothes put away in no time.
When the last of it was done, Marty
said to her son, “Get out of here. Take your beautiful wife for a romantic stroll on the beach. Dinner won’t be until later since we snacked on Alice’s goodies.”
“Can’t argue with that, can we,
baby?” Chase grinned at Sunny.
“No, I guess not. Let me change into more appropriate beach clothes first.”
“I think that’s my cue to leave. Take your time, you two. The kids are well occupied.”
Chase
looked at his wife incredulously after Marty walked out. “I think my mother was actually encouraging us to have sex, just now.”
“I think your mother wants another grandchild.”