He gives a small wave of his hand, like it’s nothing, but it’s not nothing. It’s something big and he knows it too. “You don’t have anything to prepare for, this is just dinner, and a networking opportunity.”
“Christian, did you do this? Did you set this up for me?”
“I wanted you to meet him, but Cynthia is the one who put the invite on the table.” He gives me an apologetic look and adds, “I might have mentioned something about eating at the restaurant tonight. But Cynthia liked you. She wants to get to know you.”
“That’s nice,” I say absently as I swallow, hard. Opportunities like this don’t normally present themselves to a girl like me. I’m so used to doing everything on my own, the hard way, but Christian here is changing all that, putting me in situations I wouldn’t normally find myself in and making it easy for me to forget I come from the wrong side of the tracks. None of that seems to matter to him. I wouldn’t be here and he wouldn’t be introducing me to his friends if it did matter, right? Unless of course, somewhere deep inside him, he needs the girl he’s been spending time with to be a Harvard student, because only then would she be good enough.
But Christian isn’t like that. We only go to restaurants far outside of Kingston because they’re his favorite, and taking the back door to Wolf House was all about my injured ankle.
Right?
19
Christian
I glance at a very tired Maize as we take the late flight back to Kingston. She’s trying so hard to stay awake, but she keeps drifting off, a cute, contented smile on her face. It makes me happy to see her like this. She damn well deserves to be worshipped, and treated to a relaxing weekend. I’d love to take her back here. I really wasn’t kidding when I put that offer on the table and once again, she reminded me we were done this weekend.
I take her blanket and tuck it around her, and she moans something to me. I settle in myself, my mind going back to our dinner with the Saunders family. Maize was so nervous, but once she got talking about her love of law, she calmed down and we all had a terrific night—one that ended with Dean Saunders talking about some summer internships he thought she might be perfect for, giving her his card and asking her to call to set up a meeting.
It couldn’t have gone better and we all had a laugh when Cynthia leaned in to remind Maize her father was an ogre, which of course he’s not, but it’s clearly a private joke between them. He’s a great and fair man and I think he was very impressed with my girl here.
My girl.
I want to make her my girl. I want to keep her at my place longer—at least until Christmas. Maybe I’ll go over to her place and break a pipe or something. That thought makes me laugh as I adjust my pillow and doze a bit.
The next thing I know, the plane is landing and Maize is waking me. I take in her tired eyes, her mess of hair and the smile still tugging at the corners of her mouth. Once we get our luggage and hop into my vehicle, I begin the drive home. My hand creeps across the seat, and I capture hers. Her head turns my way and she takes me in as I drive in silence, a little lost in my thoughts.
She perks up a bit as I take the turn to my place, and not hers. “I should…probably head back to my place.”
“Tomorrow,” I say. “It’s too late now, and I don’t want you to wake anyone.” She falls silent and I’m about to open my mouth, determined to convince her, when she nods. Her phone pings, and she takes it from her purse and smiles.
“It’s Kaitlyn,” she tells me. “She just got back from being with her family and is asking how my weekend is going.” She sends her a text back and relaxes against the seat. “I told her I’d be moving back home tomorrow.”
“Okay,” is all I say. The house is dark, very quiet as I pull up and park in my spot. The guys are all probably tired from travel or not even back yet.
“The place is pretty dark,” she says.
“Yeah, let’s go in the front, and be really quiet. I don’t want to wake anyone.”
She nods, and for a second I think she has something on her mind, but whatever it is, she pushed it away and smiles at me. “I really had a great time.”
“Me too.”
We step outside, and the air is so much warmer here. I snatch the bags from the back and we quietly head inside. I usher her up the stairs and follow her to my room.
“Home sweet home,” she says and collapses on my bed, her arms and legs moving as if she’s making snow angels. I take in her curves, the way she looks so perfect, so right on my bed.
I open my small fridge and grab a bottle of water. I screw off the cap and give it to her for a drink.
“Thanks, I’m parched.”
She drinks, and hands it back. I take a big swig and set it on the nightstand, and go straight to undressing. She rolls to her side, a smile on her face as she watches me. “I’m going to jump in the shower.” I hold my hand out. “If you’re not too tired, want to join me?”
She gives a slow nod. “I’m tired, but I think we should end this vacation with a bang, don’t you?”
I hate hearing the word end on her lips, and I want to ask her to stay—at least until Christmas vacation—and then we can reevaluate afterward. I’m not normally a fucking coward,
