Christmas Ever After Read online

  He groaned at her sudden movement as he pulled away to look at her, needing to see her. Her lips were swollen from his kiss, glistening as her mouth darted out and back in once before she bit her lip, effortlessly seductive.

  He groaned at the visual — she had no idea how beautiful she was, how the sight of her drove him to heights of desire.

  His hands strayed under her small blouse all while his eyes fixed on her, eager to catch every nuance of her pleasure.

  My wife.

  

  Two days later, he had surprised them with a ski trip to Mont Tremblant in Canada, he took time off work for the first time ever to take them on a vacation, his first, ever since he turned eighteen.

  He wanted the memories he made there to last him a lifetime. He was awed by the surprise and happiness on both their faces when they got to their lodge. Miranda kept pinching herself like she thought it wasn’t real. Trinity just walked through everything in a daze, as if she couldn’t believe her own eyes. She told him that it was her first international trip.

  They made memories to last a lifetime, both during the day teaching Miranda and Trinity how to ski and at night, delving so deep into Trinity’s body, worshipping it, exploring it while she drove him crazy with her responses.

  He regretted having to leave after only three days.

  

  He looked out at the office view with unseeing eyes, wondering if he was ever going to enjoy walking to that window and looking through it. Probably not, but a new habit and something else always drove him there. Thoughts of her always drove him out of that headspace that loved work and into a delicious kind of chaos.

  “Trinity," he murmured under his breath and sighed heavily.

  Michael dry washed his face and tugged at the offending tie. His suit jacket was already abandoned, but he was no closer to seeing a solution.

  The problem?

  He wanted it all.

  They had made love that night in the garage, on the car, with a passion that burned so hot he clenched his fist to ease the potency of the memory riding him.

  Delved so deep into her, she had taken him in return, afterwards he had taken her up to his room and they had spent the night unsleeping and unspeaking, only moans, ground and tortured outcries of maddening pleasure.

  In the early morning light, she had slipped from his room, eager to reach it before Miranda woke up.

  He had wondered if it was all a dream, a fantasy of his overheated brain, but he knew it was real.

  Come breakfast she had been warm to him, but—

  “God!" He groaned, disgusted at himself but unable to stop the need welling up inside him. They continued to make love every night, but before the first blush of dawn, she would return to the room she shared with Miranda.

  He wanted her, he wanted it all. He was beginning to think the temporary marriage would not be enough to cure him of this need, and come to think of it, he didn't see an end in sight.

  He wanted to go to sleep with her in his arms, then wake up without all that furtive sneaking, and enjoying that early morning sleep together.

  He was going to tell her that he wanted more from, he wanted everything.

  The door to his office opened and the familiar steps came up behind him.

  Michael stubbornly remained looking at the skyline view that was truly magnificent.

  "I have some news you’ll be happy to hear."

  "Out with it, Opa."

  “Well, I decided that I'm going to sign the company over to you... completely," he announced with a flourish.

  Michael turned to him, eyebrows arched. He scoffed.

  "Having a family has changed you. I had my doubts, but now I see that I wasn’t wrong to insist on you getting married."

  Michael agreed, but he was not about to let him know that. "I see."

  "You should be glad," Michael senior prompted.

  "I am."

  And he was, though in a distracted sort of way. Getting full responsibility for the company only meant more work, and that was not the thing he wanted right now…

  For the life of him, he couldn't understand why he had ever wanted it.

  TRINITY

  T rinity couldn't take a breath without a laughter spilling out. When she caught a look at herself as she walked past a mirror, her smile widened.

  For the first time since she had discovered her husband’s insurance fraud, her feet had found ground.

  Stop smiling, she told herself, but it didn't dim her shine at all.

  She was so happy she almost danced her way into the kitchen.

  One look assured her everything was in place, but there was no Celia. Trinity looked down at the wristwatch Michael had gifted her and decided to wait on Michael to share her news.

  The chauffeur was already on the way to get Miranda, that way the three of them could celebrate. The sound of a car in the driveway interrupted her thoughts; she walked down the hall and through the doors, making sure to keep her feet on the ground. She had to resist the urge to run and jump up in joy while shrieking, but she did.

  Michael.

  He stood beside the car with that intense look that melted into a soft smile when he caught her eye. He handed his briefcase to a hovering servant and walked towards her in long strides that had her breath hitching for different reasons.

  "Someone seems very happy to see me." He observed with a small smile of his own.

  "I’m not," she said, and he looked at her with uncertainty. She quickly continued, “I am happy to see you, but I have good news that I can’t wait to share.”

  "Oh nice, I have some good news as well," he murmured closely before he caught her lips in a quick kiss.

  This was the first time he had kissed her so publicly, and the sudden passion between them drove the thoughts out of her head. Without controlling herself, a low moan passed from her lips.

  "Beautiful," he murmured. She ducked her head quickly, but he caught her chin and lifted her face back to his. His next words held a hint of uncanny hesitation. "What’s your news, can’t wait to hear it?"

  The two of them walked hand in hand to the living room where he tugged her into a loveseat, his warmth searing her shoulder blades. The man was intense even when he was not saying a word. And that turned her head and stoked certain fires.

  "Come on out with it, you’re busting at the seams.”

  "I got into school!" Her excitement and joy made a quick reappearance.

  "Congrats, babe, you’re smart. Of course you’d get in," he said his words close to her ears.

  When she turned to look at him and saw his genuine joy, it drove her smile wider. "I've always wanted to go but…”

  "I know, and now you can.” He regarded her happily.

  "I am just so excited. I never thought it would be possible."

  "Which school did you choose?" he asked, leaning back to remove his jacket and place it on the arm of the chair.

  With that one question, her joy dimmed — maybe she hadn't exactly thought this through.

  "The school’s in in Seattle."

  Why did she make it sound like a question? Of course, it was Seattle, and a few good miles away from Boston.

  He tensed, turned to look at her for one quick second. “Seattle?"

  "They offer the best educational curriculum and the campus is decent. There are good schools for Miranda and I could probably get a sitter on some nights when I need to study, and thanks to your generous marital present, I won’t have to work. This means more time to spend with Miranda, and I would be able to drop her off and pick her up from school most days since there is an elementary school near the university.”

  “When do you start?”

  “Next fall, which is perfect since our deal will be done by then.”

  "Well, I am happy for you. You should go for it," he replied with a soft smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.

  "Thank you." The words seemed out of place and awkward, like she had rui
ned the former camaraderie between the two of them.

  Should she have kept her mouth shut?

  No, but why was she feeling so guilty and low?

  "I’ve told you my happy news, now what’s yours?" she asked, trying to infuse a bit of cheer into the morose environment.

  He smiled at her attempt, barely a curve of his lips, but it encouraged her to hold his hands. His eyes travelled down to where their two hands were joined before he looked up at her with a smile bigger than the last. She leaned closer and kissed him. He kissed her back, slowly. It lacked the explosive passion of the other kiss he had given her outside the car.

  She leaned back and looked up into his unreadable eyes, wondering why the feeling of dread was blooming in her gut by the second.

  "My grandfather has agreed to sign over the company to me," he informed her with a steady look.

  She couldn't keep the shock out of her features, even her voice betrayed her.

  "I... I am so very happy for you."

  "Thank you." But he looked anything but pleased.

  "This is what you always wanted—” she blurted.

  "I guess."

  "We should celebrate,” she added quickly

  "Of course.”

  "Excuse me, I’ll go tell Celia.” With those words she fled, her heart breaking inside.

  "Trinity—"

  The voice came from behind her, but she ignored it. There was no reason to stay anymore since she had gotten her life back on track, and he had gotten the company he wanted. Initially, she had planned to stay until next year before moving to Seattle, but now she could move sooner.

  There was no reason to stay here anymore.

  She couldn't continue to live in this house, only to be reminded continuously that it was all just a deal. She needed more than that, more than that effortless kindness, more than the genial politeness. She loved him, loved him the moment he had opened up to her in the car, but now she knew she was only delaying the inevitable.

  She had been just a listening ear, and she wanted more than the role of a woman desired.

  She had done that before, and couldn't do it again. She wanted to be loved more than anything, and be loved by him. That was the real reason she was leaving—

  Love.

  MICHAEL

  T he indecision put a toll on Michael. He cursed at himself under his breath — he needed to leave already, but he couldn't just bring his body to do any of that.

  They had gone back to being strangers, strangers who had a business deal and an energetic girl between them. Their sudden familial air was gone, and with it those perfect little moments when time seemed to slip away, just the three of them falling into their happy place.

  Now she no longer looked at him nor speak to him unless it was necessary. Worst of all, she couldn't stand to be in the same room alone with him.

  There was always something to be done; a perfectly reasonable excuse to give. That or she would make sure Miranda was with them — the perfect buffer. She was moving away from him, shifting back from the passion and affection that still shimmered between them.

  It had been a few days since she had dropped her bombshell. Since then, he had not held her, not kissed her, or seen her smile by the curve of lips solely for him.

  And by God he missed it.

  He missed her.

  Sometimes, he woke up at night with aches and regrets that threatened to undo him if he didn't take his mind off them.

  He raised his hand to knock but backed away before he could do something stupid.

  What was he going to say — that he wanted to make love to her?

  It was stupid, so stupid.

  When the door swung open, she almost crashed into him, stepping back at the last moment. She leaned against the door, a blank expression on her face.

  "Can't sleep," he prompted.

  “No."

  "I was heading to the kitchen for some water," he offered awkwardly.

  "Me too."

  They turned into the kitchen and he dutifully grabbed a bottle from the fridge, deciding to make them hot chocolate instead.

  "Have you told Miranda?"

  "Yes," Trinity answered. "It was not a great scene, and definitely not my best moment as a mom."

  "Kids are resilient right? She’ll calm down soon enough." He made sure to keep his tone light, his manner calm as if it didn't mean anything.

  On the contrary, it meant the world and to pretend otherwise cost him…It cost him so much, but he hoped that his easy manner would make her relax, and take the tension away from her suddenly skittish form.

  The electric kettle suddenly stopped with a small click and she removed it, and she poured the water in the two waiting mugs before turning to face him for the first time since they entered the room.

  "Right," she responded as she put a few scoops of chocolate powder into the cups.

  TRINITY

  T rinity had never been in this position before, and she wondered if there was a rule book, or some sort of manual to help guide her. She had never been on the end of the glares of her daughter, ever. It was usually the two of them against the world.

  Now, Miranda barely said a word to her, and Michael had been overly polite.

  He didn't hesitate to go straight to the point, enunciating every word clearly but only if the question couldn't be answered in monosyllables.

  He responded to everything in monosyllables and a low tone while wearing that imposing expression she had come to despise.

  That was a few days ago — now he just reverted to the man she had married in the beginning, the one that left for work early and came back late at night. Miranda was bound to be fast asleep by then and Trinity couldn't dare his company, not alone. The late nights had soured Miranda's moods further, until she was not speaking to Trinity who couldn't help but feel guilty

  She had changed everything, and she understood that her baby was sad, but it would only be for a little while.

  What she could not understand was Michael's surliness to her… They were both getting what they wanted from their arrangement.

  They never planned on forever — she even had the fancy paper to prove it. It was a business arrangement, even though she wished it was different. He had saved them and in return got the company he always wanted. Why was he suddenly so cold when she could remember the passion that burned so hot between the two of them?

  Maybe their tension had just been on her side. Maybe he had only taken advantage of their proximity, and now that their closeness was gone, he was moving on.

  Maybe it meant nothing, and just a quenching of physical thirst on his part.

  But it meant everything to her, every gesture, every touch. All of it.

  She knew she couldn't stay and allow herself to be suckered into another relationship that was not emotionally complete.

  She couldn't do it again. Not with him.

  It would break her and this time the fallout would be worse.

  The thoughts drove her to seek a sort of sanctuary in the kitchen, only to find herself wilting under the regard of the older woman who looked at her with faint disapproval after Trinity told her story.

  "I understand why you want to go but, I can't help but disagree with you," Celia finally answered.

  What do you know? She wanted to scream out in frustration but settled for a morose, “I can't stay here."

  She had thought the silence was a thing that would soon fade away, but it didn’t. It only deepened her sense of guilt and regret.

  Those feelings were normal, in regard to her daughter. But to Michael too? Sure, she loved him, but she was not about to allow herself to stay when she knew she was not needed nor wanted.

  "Don't think I can't see what you are doing," Celia’s voice filled the room and Trinity was happy the two of them were alone in the expanse.

  "What am I doing?" Trinity challenged.

  "Running away from your problems," Celia responded with a challenge of her own. />
  "I'm not running, I just don't want to be in the same position I've been in before."

  "And what position is that?" Celia raised her Eyebrows, almost disappearing into her hairline.

  "Unrequited love hurts," Trinity replied, her voice filled with regrets and pains she had thought was long behind her, long buried.

  "For a smart girl, I question your mind sometimes. You have everything — you have a man who is willing to provide for you, and take care of your sudden whims and love your girl like his own, yet you're running away instead of talking to him about what you’re feeling."

  "I still... I can't stay in this marriage; emotions were never supposed to enter the picture. We had a business deal," she said bitterly.

  "And who is to say you can’t change the deal?" the older woman challenged again.

  "He would have said something," Trinity retorted, completely incensed at having to state the obvious.

  "Knowing him, knowing all of him, do you really believe that?" Celia's question struck a strong chord in her mind, driving her to deep thought.

  Her mind went unbidden to his revelation in the garage that night, and she felt like a fool suddenly.

  He had all but told her he was new to this. He had been hesitant, but he had definitely not faked it, even with the lack of the words she wanted to hear. She decided had something good and she was not going to throw it away because of the mistakes of another man.

  "I should probably talk to him before I move out, huh," she decided quickly.

  "Atta gal." Celia nodded with a full-blown smile, the first Trinity had ever received.

  Her phone rang and she looked down at the caller ID. It was Miranda’s school.

  "Ma'am this is the principal of Hamilton Academy."

  At the introduction, a tendril of fear wrapped around her heart. She froze when the frantic words filtered into her mind.

  "We can't seem to find your daughter; she’s missing," the principal continued.

  “What the hell do you mean she’s missing?”

  “I understand this is very serious, but I need you to calm down.