One Night Forever (The Cinderella Chronicles) (16 page)

Their hotel visits had
never included food or serious conversation. Not that he hadn’t
tried to get to know her. Every attempt had been smashed. He would
order snacks from room service, but they rarely ate much.
Conversation had been after-sex pillow talk. Yet, he was willing to
bet that he’d pulled more from her in the brief encounters than she
realized.

She let her guard down
during those times, telling him her likes and dislikes. He knew
about how she had always wanted a dog, never had a best friend
until she was an adult, and how much she loved chocolate,
crème-filled cookies. And he loved each and every one of those
things.

He’d already hinted about
tonight being different. Enough that she knew the game was over.
“It smells good,” she said, kicking off her shoes, and then sitting
on the floor beside him. And as he expected, she tucked her legs to
the side, and tugged on her skirt. Always a lady. She could be so
sexy and sensual, yet, so prim and proper.

The combination was one
he found adorable.

“
Um,” he said.
“It smells better than good. I’m hungrier than I realized.” He took
a bite of an egg roll. “So, Tyler said your mom’s a
teacher?”

“
Was,” Lauren
said lifting the top off her paper bowl. “Cancer made teaching
difficult. She’s never returned to full strength. They say she will
but it’s been a year. I don’t think it’s going to
happen.”

“
And you
single-handedly took care of her.”

She shrugged. “I did what
anyone would have done. I love my mom.” Averting her gaze Lauren
took a bite of her food.

“
You put your
career on hold from what I’ve gathered?”

Lauren shrugged. “Waited
tables, took six years to finish college. I brought her to live
with me.”

Her tone was
matter-of-fact, but Matt sensed she felt anything but. “And now?”
he asked looking at her over his wineglass as he took a
drink.

Lauren picked at her
food, and avoided eye contact. “She moved in with a close friend,
who happens to be a nurse. But they live in my building. It helps
me to know I’m near if she needs me.”

“
And now
you’re starting your life all over again.”

She looked up at him.
“Yes,” she said. “Which is why I don’t want to screw it
up.”

He set his glass down,
shifting so he faced her. She kept her side profile. “And you think
sleeping with me is going to do that,” Matt said.

“
Maybe,” she
said, averting her gaze to the table.

Matt’s chest tightened at
her words. Needing to comfort her, to offer reassurance, he ran his
hand down her hair. “I won’t let that happen. You have my
word.”

She turned her head and
fixed him in a steady stare. “I know you wouldn’t intend to, but
other people’s actions can’t always be controlled.” She was
referring to people like Greg and they both knew it. “Besides, I’ve
made my choices, and I take responsibility for what I
do.”

Each day, each hour, each
word that passed between them only made him respect her all the
more. It suddenly felt important that she know how special she’d
become to him. “I never bring women to my home.”

She tilted her head to
study him, her eyes holding a question.

“
I know what
you’re thinking,” he said, giving her a small smile. “I brought you
here the first night I met you. Even then, I knew you were
different.” His voice softened. “And you are, Lauren.”

She was silent so long it
was unnerving. Then, she pushed to her feet and walked across the
room, stopping in front of the balcony window. With her back to
him, she’d shut him out. He stood up and followed her to the
window. Standing behind her, he gently touched her arm. Lauren
whirled and faced him. “Sometimes I get so mad at you
Matt.”

His eyes narrowed.
“What?”

“
This isn’t
what this is supposed to be like. The price is too high. Why can’t
you just leave things alone?”

Fear motivated her words,
he had no doubt. “Sometimes the reward is greater than the risk.
You just have to be willing to reach out and take it.” He resisted
the urge to pull her into his arms. She needed the space to decide
about their relationship on her own. It hurt to think about her
turning away from him, but he had to give her the space to do
it.

“
We can’t go
on the way we have. We both know this. But Lauren, I can’t walk
away without seeing what is here.” He paused, and inhaled a slow
breath. Contemplating his next move. “This is your decision. It
always has been. The minute you want to stop, we stop. Tell me to
take you home and I will.”

She stared at him, her
chest rising and falling in a slow but heavy fashion. As if each
intake of air was meant to cleanse or perhaps calm. An array of
emotions crossed her face. But when Matt was certain she would run,
she surprised him. “The food’s getting cold.”

A smile turned up the
corners of his mouth as he held his hand out to her. “Then, by all
means, let’s eat.”

With only a slight
hesitation, her hand slid into his. “Yes, let’s.”

Once they were seated,
they ate in silence for a bit, both deep in thought. After some
careful consideration, he knew he treaded dangerous water. Matt
decided he had to keep pushing. “Do you remember your father at
all?”

She sat down her fork and
turned her full attention to the question. “No,” Lauren said
thoughtfully. “I wish I did. Pictures and my mom’s stories are the
only memories I have.”

“
I
understand,” he said. “I’m adopted.”

“
You’re
kidding,” she said, eyes going wide.

“
I never knew
my real parents. I have wonderful parents and a sister I’m close
to.”

“
Is she
adopted as well?” Lauren asked.

“
Nope. They
say once a couple adopts they get pregnant. And sure enough, that’s
what happened.”

“
Wow. I’ve
never known anyone adopted.”

He laughed and tapped her
under the chin with his finger. “You make it sound like a
disease.”

Lauren blushed. “Oh,
sorry. I didn’t mean to make it sound like that.“

“
It’s okay,”
he said tossing his napkin on his plate and pushing his plate to
the side. “I’m used to it.”

“
Why is your
name different than the business name? Aren’t your parents the
owners of the firm?”

“
The business
originated from my mother’s side of the family. Carlson is her
family name.” They had something else in common Lauren didn’t know.
Matt reached out and took Lauren’s hand. “My mother died of cancer
several years ago.”

Shock filled her features
and her response came slow. “I’m sorry.” Her voice was low. “That
must have been incredibly difficult.”

“
It was. It
still is sometimes. My father has never quite been the same since.”
He lost himself in thoughts of his mother for a moment. “She had
this game she played with us. Want to try it?”

Lauren laughed. “I don’t
know. I’ve never been very good at games.”

“
This one is
easy.” Matt pushed the table so that they had more room. Leaning
against the couch, they faced each other. “Okay, this is how it
works,” Matt said. “It’s the question game.”

“
The question
game,” Lauren said. “Okay. Got it. I hope. Whatever that
is.”

“
What’s your
favorite food?” he asked.

“
You know the
answer.”

“
Pizza,” Matt
said. “Right?”

“
Yes. What’s
yours?”

“
You know the
answer,” he said and winked.

“
Pizza,” she
said with a smile”

“
Right. Now
your turn. Ask a question.”

“
Do you like
scary movies?”

“
No, hate
them. You?”

“
Hate them,”
Lauren agreed.

They went back and forth
for fifteen minutes, laughing and teasing each other, and learning
about one another. With each question, Matt watched Lauren relax a
bit more. “Favorite vacation spot,” he asked.

Lauren’s expression
clouded and she stiffened. “I don’t have one.”

Matt gave her a probing
stare. “So maybe one day I can take you to mine. Want to know where
that would be?”

“
No.” She
laughed but not with humor. “I’ll stay in my grounded, not-so-fancy
world, and leave fancy vacations to you.”

Clearly he’d touched a
sore spot. Most women would jump on a chance for a free trip.
Lauren seemed offended. He reached out and took her hand. “As hard
as you work, you will be choosing your own vacation spot very
soon.” He stared into her eyes, making sure she saw the admiration
he felt for her. “Because you earned it.”

She swallowed and then
nodded. “Thank you,” Lauren said softly.

“
Do me a
favor. Dare to dream. What you can image you can make real. Close
your eyes and let me describe my favorite spot.”

He smiled when she did as
he said. For long minutes, he told her about St. Thomas, a tropical
getaway of pure relaxation he longed to revisit. When he finished
and refilled their wineglasses, he answered all kinds of questions
she had about traveling. It seemed once she allowed herself to
dream she went all the way. He liked seeing her relax. Even sensed
how much she needed to ease up on herself and live a
little.

Not that many didn’t say
that about him, but he at least enjoyed some of life’s luxuries.
Lauren hadn’t. A part of him longed to give those things to her. It
was a crazy thought, but one that rolled around inside him and grew
more powerful.

Lauren started to get up.
“I need to use the bathroom,” she explained.

“
Do you
remember where it’s at?”

And just like that, she
stiffened, withdrawing again. “You know I do.”

Before he could ask why
that was a bad thing, she stood and walked away. Damn. All that
progress and now she’d completely clammed up again. He considered
his actions for all of two seconds. Then, Matt was on his feet. A
man had to do what he had to do. It appeared he needed to make love
to her until she finally gave herself to him. Mind and body.
Because, after tonight, he knew…he wanted it all.

Chapter Nineteen

Lauren shut the door of
the bathroom. If only she could do the same with her emotions. Her
back pressed against the wood, thankful for her temporary escape.
She didn’t want to keep talking to Matt. Damn him for doing this to
her. She didn’t want to know him any more than she already
did.

Every second
spent, every word spoken, made her
feel
more.

When this stopped being
about sex, she became lost. Without control. And falling in— Her
teeth sunk into her bottom lip. Falling in love. Her chest
tightened painfully. She’d thought about this before. About loving
Matt. What it would be like if things weren’t as they were. Him
being her boss. Her being his employee. The facts were clear. No
matter how hard she fell for Matt, they could never have a future.
She knew it and so did he. So why was he even trying to get to know
her? It made no sense.

This had to be kept in
perspective and all about sex. Her mind raced. Her heart pounded
like a drum in her chest. There had to be a way to get things back
on track. Which left her where?

An idea formed, rolling
around in her mind until a slow smile turned up the corners of her
lips. She hadn’t even show appreciation for her gift. A gorgeous,
sexy lingerie set lay beneath her clothes. Lauren pushed off the
door and started stripping. With her movements came excitement and
relief. Now, she could enjoy this evening. Getting back to the core
of their relationship—sex—would allow her to enjoy the
evening.

No more worries about the
future. No more thoughts about love.

She stood facing the
mirror. Being with Matt had become a confidence builder. He had a
way of making her feel sexy. Why that was she didn’t know. The pink
silk of her bra was a bright color but sheer. The tops of her
breasts were exposed with only the darkness of her nipples covered
by the thin fabric. She had been blessed with generous but not too
large breasts that were high and firm. She hadn’t realized what a
blessing that was until this moment. Maybe she just never gave
herself any credit.

Lauren smiled. Feeling
sexy came to her like a gift. One Matt seemed to deliver. She
refused to analyze why that might be. Instead, she thrilled at the
way she filled out the bra. And the panties…a tiny, barely-there
triangle meant to entice. Touching her leg, she eyed the pink
stitching on the black thigh-highs, wishing for her heels, now in
the living room.

They would complete the
look.

Imaging how Matt would
react to her outfit, she fluffed her hair. Wine and desire had
dilated her eyes. Anticipation had her body thrumming with warmth.
Her nipples ached for his mouth. Turning, she looked at her butt in
the mirror, the way he would. She sighed and turned back around,
unable to resist a fat check. And she passed. Not fat. That, in and
of itself, was a testament to how she’d grown. Matt had helped. He
wasn’t responsible for her evolution. Yet, he’d certainly given her
opportunity to explore and freely express herself.