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 DC several times over the past month and a half to see Sara, he’d never once stopped in Virginia to see his friend. But 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 his friend was attending the party so when he showed up this afternoon it would be one less surprise for him. 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 DC. Since Jake assumed his sister was still unattached he hadn't questioned the statement.
While not a complete lie, he'd struggled getting the words out when he'd told Jake the week before. Today his plan was to get Jake alone as soon as they got there and tell him the truth. He'd already figured out what he planned to say. So for now 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 her presence like a man in the desert craved water. 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 DC, 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 and his body began to 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 usual easy-going banter because of his guilt. What would they be like after today? I never should have waited this long.
While he didn't regret his relationship with Sara for a second, he did hate the strain it put on his friendship with Jake who was still unaware. He thought of Jake as the brother he didn't have and the possibility of losing that friendship weighed heavily on him.
On the plus side they would only be in Newport with by her family for two nights. Saturday they'd head to Martha's Vineyard for the rest of the weekend. He smiled at the thought as the jet touched down.
Damn, I'm a lucky SOB. The moment he stepped off the plane and 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 phone glued to her ear oblivious that he was watching her. With her attention focused elsewhere, he took his time giving her the 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 stored 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. But the way he saw it, 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 phone into her oversized shoulder bag and turned. He knew the very 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 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 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? 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 my father we're here and you need to talk to Jake,” Sara said, her voice resigned.
Before Christopher could comment, 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?”
“No, I'll show him up later. Which room is he in?” 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.
“My parents aren't here yet?”
“They were delayed. Callie 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 that 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 th
e 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. A room where you could retire and get lost in a book. 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 breath.
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.”
They both remained silent as they walked and Christopher made sure they never touched. When they reached an empty couch Sara sat but he remained standing.
“Aren't you going to sit?” Jake asked, sitting with his arm around his wife.
“I need to talk to you.” Christopher's tongue felt like sandpaper in his mouth. “Alone.”
Jake's expression stilled and grew serious. “Let’s go across the hall to my father's office.” Jake kissed Charlie and stood.
Both men remained silent as they left the room and went across the hall. Although the office was another of his 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 after one of my meetings with the senator,” Christopher launched into his prepared lines and watched his friend's face. “We've been seeing each other.”
Jake came to his feet 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.
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 it at the wedding and it'd only been growing stronger and stronger ever since.
“Yeah, I'm sure.” The words flew from his mouth. Later he may regret them 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 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.
Christopher felt 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? He 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 society 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 that she reverted to that behavior when she was in a professional or society settings 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.
“Warren said to keep everything as planned,” Callie answered, confused eyes darting back and forth between Christopher 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 noticed 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 the 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 while he and Jake discussed the current basketball stats. He was unaware of the women’s conversation but noticed that 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.