Page 34 of Under the Mistletoe
“Wow. Icy.” I look down at her, grinning, seeing her nose tint pink almost immediately, her smile wide just as the flashes start.
“Donovan, who's the woman on your arm tonight?”
“Where have you been hiding her, Donovan?”
“Smile, we want our shot.”
I grit my teeth and pull Jessica even closer as the cameras click incessantly, almost blinding me. She stumbles as the cameramen get too close, and I hold her tighter, wanting to shield her from all of it. I push us to the car as Gordon steps forward to help, and I guide Jessica inside quickly before I follow, Gordon running to the driver's seat and tearing away from the curb.
“Whoa. That was…”
“Are you alright?” I don’t mean to bark at her, but I turn, facing her, my hands holding her shoulders as panic looms about what she just experienced. My eyes roam over every inch of her to ensure she’s whole. “They’re vultures. Had I known they were there…”
“I’m okay.” Her voice is almost angelic as her hand comes to my face and rests against my cheek. It’s then I notice I’m breathing hard, overwhelmed. “I’m fine… I’m okay…” Her thumb rubs slowly against my cheek, soothing me, and as I meet her eyes, I take a deep breath. The fight-or-flight leaves me. I don’t usually care about photographers. I’m so used to them, I rarely react. But having them intrude on Jessica, having them put cameras in her face, pushing us to get their shot, made me furious.
“Are you sure?” My eyes drop, taking another look over her. She isn’t like the other women I have around me. She isn’t smiling for the cameras. Angling her body so they get her good side. She isn’t waiting to be front and center on the magazines or the gossip sites.
“I mean… it was almost as rough as a sprinkler sale at the start of spring… but yes, Donovan, I’m fine.” She smiles gently at me, and I grab her hand, pulling it from my face and holding it tight.
“Is it an issue… being photographed together?” It’s like she can read my mind.
“It will be on the front page tomorrow,” I admit, feeling terrible for dragging her into my world like this. I didn’t think. I didn’t think about how this would look. If she’s upset over the break room gossip at work, then this is going to be a whole new level.
“But they’ve seen us together before.” Her frown is still cute, even though in this instance, I don’t like it on her face.
“Previously, it was a work event. A well-documented networking business night. This…” I trail off as she sits back into the seat, this time right next to me, not moving to the side, leaving room between us, but her shoulder butts up right against mine. Instinctively, I lift my arm, dropping it around her shoulders, and she snuggles in. Just like that, I feel at ease. I lift my other hand to hold hers, resting our grip on my thigh, our fingers playing together.
“Dinner at an expensive restaurant, your hand around my back, both of us getting into your car… less so.”
“Can you handle it? Can you handle me?” I almost whisper the words, because while I don’t know what’s happening between us or what we’re doing, I know if she can’t handle this media storm that’s going to start brewing about us, then we can’t be anything.
“I can handle it… as long as you're with me… as long as we handle it together?” She tilts her head up, her hair brushing against my chin until her eyes meet mine. Her lips are right there. Ripe for the taking.
“I’ve got you.” I’m even quieter this time. It’s not a promise. It’s a fact.
She nods, barely. Her fingers brush tentatively, like she’s testing the weight of the moment.
“I don’t need easy,” she says. “I just need real.”
And she is. Right here. Right now. Real and with me. I lean forward, even though I shouldn’t. She meets me halfway, and when my lips brush against hers, I know I’m in the right place.
Moving my hand to cup her cheek, I feel her grip on to the lapel of my jacket as she pulls me closer. I relish it, how much she wants this too. In full control, I deepen the kiss, sweeping my tongue across hers, and I realize there’s really no going back. I knew that once I felt her lips, I wouldn’t be able to stop. And right now, in this car, I’m proving it. Her body turns to me, and I hold her closer with my other hand wrapped around her back. A soft moan crawls up her throat as her palms glide up my chest and curl around the base of my neck, the sound only spurring me on more.
Her lips are soft, my kiss demanding, and her body feels all too good against my own.
But at the thought of her body and all the things I want to do to it right this second, my brain kicks into gear, and I pull back a little, leaving the two of us breathless.
“Fuck…” I swallow, knowing there’s only one way forward for me.
“Wow…” Her eyes glisten and search mine, the tension around us so thick I can barely breathe.
“Mmmmmm… it’s going to be harder for me to keep my hands to myself now, but it was worth it.” My voice is almost a rumble as I brush the hair back from her face, wanting to see all of her.
“So worth it…” she whispers as her lips curve into a seductive grin, and I know I’ve met my match.
14
Jessica