Chapter 14
Our lives grew hectic over the next couple of weeks leading up to the Christmas holiday. I barely saw Oliver during the day as I immersed myself in his company, discovering the vast array of his holdings. It was amazing how he kept up to date on almost all of them, juggling numerous responsibilities with ease.
As Christmas Eve approached, I sensed that Oliver was up to something. He had a certain gleam in his eye that hinted at a surprise, probably a gift for me. He planned to close the offices at noon that day, and the employees were hardly working, enjoying a catered holiday breakfast and exchanging Secret Santa gifts instead.
"Ready to go?" Oliver asked, ducking his head into my office with a smile.
"Yes, just shutting down my laptop," I replied, quickly wrapping up my work.
"Do we need to pick up anything for tomorrow?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes twinkling.
"Only Matthew, Finley, and Sadie," I said, excitement bubbling within me.
Christmas at my parents' house promised to be special. Sadie and Finley would be announcing her pregnancy, and I knew my mother would be overjoyed at the prospect of a grandchild, even though she would be a young grandmother at forty-nine. She adored babies.
"I know them, but anything for dessert?" Oliver teased.
"You already sent pies and pastries. Give it a rest," I laughed, shaking my head at his generosity.
Oliver smirked, clearly pleased with himself. The day before, while we were at work, he had arranged for Vlad to drive the desserts up to Westchester and drop them off at my parents' home. My mother called to tell me we had sent too much; more than seven people could possibly eat. I told her to talk to Oliver since it was all his idea.
As we made our way to the elevator, we said our goodbyes to everyone we passed. The elevator was crowded, and Oliver sought out my hand, holding it firmly as we moved to the back of the car. He kept hold of my hand all the way to the limo, and during the drive to his penthouse, his grip never wavered.
When we arrived, Oliver turned to me with a mysterious smile. "Go upstairs by yourself," he instructed.
Curious and slightly puzzled, I nodded. "Okay, but what's going on?"
"You'll see," he said, his smile widening. "Just go upstairs, and I'll join you in a bit."
I couldn't help but smile back, my anticipation growing as I made my way to the elevator and headed up to the penthouse. Whatever Oliver had planned, I knew it was going to be something special.
“Why?”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes, “Does everything have to be a test? Just do as I ask for once.”
“I’m going.”
He waited until I was safely in the elevator and the doors closed to walk to the concierge desk. I wondered what he was up to. I went inside and changed into a pair of dark blue sweats and a gray Columbia t-shirt. Oliver strolled through the door about ten minutes later.
“What’s going on?” I asked with suspicion in my voice.
“Nothing. I had to get the mail,” he said as he held up a few envelopes then shucked out of his coat. I settled on the couch and picked up a magazine when I heard whining coming from outside the door.
“Oliver?” I called him but didn’t answer me and I listened closely, tossed the magazine on the coffee table and edged to the door. It was a soft whine and I yanked it open to find a blue hard-shell carrier with a red bow on the top. A card was attached that read “Merry Christmas, Mommy.”
Inside was a small black and white French bulldog, who looked strikingly similar to Blackie. I knelt on the floor and popped open the wire door, gently taking the pup into my arms. Instantly in love, I pressed my nose to the top of his head, cooing softly and cradling him.
"Do you like him?" Oliver’s voice came from behind me, filled with excitement.
I looked up to see him standing there, a huge smile lighting up his face. "He’s beautiful. How did you know I wanted a dog?"
"Come on, sweetheart. You think I don’t hear you? You talk about how much you love Blackie," he said, his smile growing even wider.
"How old is he?" I asked, marveling at the little bundle of joy.
"Ten weeks. He’s had his check-up and shots," Oliver informed me, his eyes twinkling with pride.
"We have nothing to feed him. We have to go out," I fretted, already planning a list in my head.
Oliver scowled playfully. "On Christmas Eve? Not a chance. Everything is taken care of. I have toys, training pads, a bed, bowls, puppy chow, and a leash. I wanted to get you a collar, but you need to pick out his name first."
"I can’t believe you did this," I said, my voice full of wonder.
"Merry Christmas," he said warmly.
I stood up with the puppy in my arms and went to Oliver. His sapphire eyes shone with affection, and I stood on my tiptoes to give him a kiss on his sensual lips.
"I guess I’ll be taking a back seat to this little fellow," he teased.
"Not a chance, but you are very high on my list," I replied with a smirk.
I carried the puppy inside, and Oliver took the carrier, placing it in the foyer. I put the puppy on the floor and sat down with him. He walked around, sniffing and stopping every few seconds to look around, unsure of his surroundings.
"What shall I name him?" I mused aloud.
"It’s up to you. He’s yours," Oliver said, watching us with a contented expression.
The puppy eyed the tree and made a beeline for the many presents stacked under it. Before I could grab him, he was hidden in a sea of red, green, silver, and white gift bags of different sizes, moving further underneath. I shoved them out of the way and grabbed him before he got lost.
"I should call him Mischief or Trouble. He’s already getting into some," I said, laughing.
Oliver disappeared into his office and came back with a doggy bed, bowls, and training pads. I wondered if he got some cleaning solution for dog urine, remembering Blackie’s accidents on Matthew’s carpets. Our home had expensive furniture and carpets, and I was sure Oliver wouldn’t be pleased if the dog used any of them as his toilet.
I put the puppy down again, and once more he made a beeline for the tree. I managed to grab him before he burrowed in and out of reach.
"Definitely Trouble," I declared.
"Then Trouble Fox it is," Oliver said with a chuckle.
"Where was he?" I asked, curious about how he had kept the surprise.
"With the concierge. I had my security staff taking care of him," he replied nonchalantly.
I rolled my eyes. "Really? That’s not their job."
"They were guarding him. He is part of the family," Oliver said, his tone serious but his eyes twinkling with amusement.
Trouble ended up falling asleep on his doggy bed after we played with him for a little while. He was utterly pooped. We ordered Chinese food, and had it delivered, setting up a cozy dinner as we watched him doze on his bed near the terrace doors.
“He’s so sweet. Thank you for a wonderful gift,” I said, glancing lovingly at the little pup.
“There’s plenty more where that came from,” Oliver replied with a grin.
“I know. For you too.”
“Would you like to open some up tonight?”
“Maybe after dinner. It’s weird not being with my parents,” I admitted, feeling a pang of homesickness.
“We could go if you want to. I’m sure Vlad won’t mind the drive,” Oliver offered.
“Absolutely not. I dragged it out of him that he was spending the night with his girlfriend. How does he even have time to date with the schedule you keep him on?” I asked, half-teasing, half-serious.
“I’m not that bad. Besides, I’m sure he’s more than happy to do it with the bonus I gave him.”
“How much?”
“Let’s just say it’s a lot. He does a lot for me,” Oliver said, nonchalantly.
“For us. Did you call Jonah?” I asked, changing the subject.
“He’s doing fine. As long as he’s behaving himself.”
“Did the crew go home for the holiday?”
“I suspect most of them did. I gave them off for a few days. I think Charles stayed, and Jonah’s not going anywhere. I bet a few others stayed also.”
I dug my chopsticks into a container of sesame chicken, putting a small piece into my mouth. “Do you miss not sharing holidays with anyone?” I asked, curiosity mingled with concern.
“I never took time to think about it. I occasionally went on trips with Dax or Wilmer. Ivan was playing hockey, so we almost never saw him during the holidays.”
“It hurts me to think you were alone,” I said, my heart aching for him.
“Don’t be hurt. I chose to be alone. I was busy with my business. Holidays were just ordinary days until you came along. If I had business overseas, Japan, China, or Australia, it was the next day already and business as usual.”
“That still makes me sad,” I murmured.
“You changed all that. Thanksgiving was the first holiday in a long time that I spent with family.”
He plucked a piece of fried shrimp from the white cardboard container and held it to my mouth. I gently bit into it as he pulled the tail away and dropped it on a napkin.
“You’re sexy,” he said, his voice low and husky.
I licked my lips. “So are you.”
He grinned at me with a wink and popped another piece of shrimp in his mouth. God, I loved him.
We finished our dinner, savoring the last bites of our meal, and I felt a warm sense of contentment. The flickering lights from the Christmas tree cast a cozy glow over the room, and Trouble snored softly from his bed, his tiny body rising and falling with each breath. This Christmas was already shaping up to be the most special one yet.
The crackling of the wrapping paper proved irresistible to Trouble. As we opened gifts and pulled tissue paper from the colorful bags, the puppy rolled around, trying to chew on the wadded balls until Oliver grabbed a bag and started shoving the garbage inside.
My fiancé had been incredibly generous with his gifts. I unwrapped several pairs of precious stone earrings, sexy lingerie—which I suspected was more for his benefit than mine—cashmere sweaters in various shades of blue, Christian Louboutin heels and boots, a gift certificate to La Roma Day Spa, a Cartier watch, and a gold bracelet. And that was just the beginning; there were still several bags with my name on them under the tree.
Oliver, on the other hand, was notoriously difficult to shop for. What do you buy for a man who has everything? I had opted for several silk shirts with his monogram, silk boxers, and chocolate paints, which made his eyes light up when he opened them. I also chose some unusual gifts for his desk at work—stress relievers and a personal vibrating massager for his neck. When he took it out of the bag, he raised an eyebrow at me.
“What exactly is this used for?” he asked, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
“It’s for all the knots in your neck when you’re tense,” I explained, trying to keep a straight face.
“When I’m tense, I just walk next door to your office. There are other things I can do to relieve stress,” he said, his voice low and suggestive.
I felt heat creep up from my neck as I remembered what we did in my office during lunch a week ago. Oliver had come in after a particularly difficult negotiation for a piece of property, ranting about what a bastard the former owner was. I had ended up riding him until the tension melted away and his bark simmered to a whisper.
“Don’t remind me,” I said, feeling the blush spread across my cheeks.
“Oh, I won’t let you forget,” he teased, pulling me close for a kiss. His lips were warm and insistent, and I melted into his embrace.
“There are rules,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
“My company, my rules,” he said smugly.
I leaned back, crossing my arms. “I knew you would say that. It still doesn’t make it ethical just because it’s your company.”
“I’m not screwing just anyone. I’m making love to my fiancée.”
I smirked. “Doesn’t make it right. I’m sure human resources would agree.”
“Will you tell them?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Why would I do that? I’d have to admit to my bad behavior.”
“That means you condone that type of behavior,” he said, moving closer, feeling the heat rise between us.
“As long as the behavior is aimed toward me by only you.”
“I hope so, or else I’ll fire the offender’s ass.”
“Hypocrite,” I mumbled, the word slipping out before I could stop it.
Oliver chuckled. “Thank you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Open more of your gifts.”
By the time we opened half our gifts, I was ready for bed, exhaustion pulling at my limbs. I knew I’d sleep tonight. Oliver would just have to behave. I placed a few towels in the large carrier and gently put Trouble inside, bringing him into the bedroom.
I wanted him to be close. After changing and brushing my teeth, I settled into bed. Oliver left the Christmas lights on outside on the patio, their soft glow casting a warm ambiance. I loved watching them while we lay together. He took me in his arms and kissed the top of my head, and I stroked his bare chest.
“Thank you for a lovely evening,” he said, his voice a soothing rumble.
“Ditto. I still can’t believe you got me a puppy.”
“Hopefully he won’t make noise during the night.”
We weren’t so lucky. A couple of hours later, Trouble was whining and crying in the carrier. I shook the grogginess from my head, slipped out of bed, and opened the carrier.
“Is he okay?” Oliver asked, his voice thick with sleep.
“Yes. He’s probably just lonely. Blackie was the same way.” I cradled the puppy in my arms, his tiny body warm and soft against me. He fell back to sleep, and I carefully placed him back into the carrier. He gave us another couple of hours before he stirred again. This time, I felt one of the towels in his crate was wet. He must have had to pee. I changed it and slipped him back inside, where he quickly fell back to sleep.
Returning to bed, I felt Oliver’s arms wrap around me again, pulling me close. “You’re amazing, you know that?” he murmured into my hair.
I smiled, snuggling into his warmth. “I try.”
“Goodnight, Ryleigh.”
“Goodnight, Oliver.”
Christmas was my favorite holiday, but I was slow to get up. Trouble had woken me once more, and I didn’t want to get out of bed. Oliver, ever chipper, got up before me and took the carrier out of the room. I assumed he was feeding the puppy and starting to train him to pee on the pads or outside on the patio. I fell back to sleep and was next awakened by Oliver as he pushed up my t-shirt to place kisses on my back.
“Merry Christmas,” I mumbled, my voice thick with sleep.
“Merry Christmas to you. Are you planning to get up?” Oliver’s voice was warm, playful.
“What time is it?” I asked, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
“A little after eight. Trouble is fed and napping on his doggy bed.”
“Did he pee?” I asked, my maternal instincts kicking in even as I remained buried in the sheets.
“Yes, and poop. He’s smart,” Oliver replied, a hint of pride in his voice.
“I hope he won’t soil any of the carpets,” I said, finally opening my eyes.
“I didn’t get him without expecting such. He’s a puppy. Accidents will happen. We can have the carpets cleaned.”
“You’re very agreeable this morning,” I noted, smiling at his optimism.
He moved the covers off my behind and gently bit into my ass cheek. “You have to admit you’re the only one I’m agreeable with, and that’s all the time.”
“Not always,” I teased, turning to look at him.
“But most of the time.” He continued to rain kisses on my body, heating me and making my core flood with desire. I knew my panties were probably soaked when he came up for air.
“I’d like to make love to you before we shower. Is that possible?” he asked, his eyes darkening with want.
“You’re negotiating?” I arched an eyebrow, half-amused, half-aroused.
“Will it work?”
“Why don’t we do it in the shower? Kill two birds with one stone.”
“Now that sounds like a negotiation.” Oliver scooped me up against his body, and it was then I realized he was wearing a sweat-soaked gray t-shirt.
“You worked out?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes. You said I’m getting older, so I need to keep in shape.”
“You’re ridiculous.”
“And you’re gorgeous.”
I was sure I wasn’t. My hair was probably a matted mess, and I didn’t wash my mascara off last night, leaving me with raccoon eyes. It was confirmed when Oliver put me down to undress in front of the vanity mirror.
“Ugh, look at me,” I said, cringing at my reflection.
“I have, and I am,” he said, pulling off his shirt and discarding it in a hamper at the bottom of the linen closet.
“I think you need glasses.”
“I have them.”
“For reading. I think you need them all the time.”
“What kind of superficial ass do you take me for? I love all of you, no matter what you look like on the outside at a particular time.”
I turned to face him, his sincerity melting away any lingering insecurity. “You always know the right thing to say.”
“It’s because I mean it,” he replied, taking my hand and leading me toward the shower.
“I love you,” I said huskily.
“I know.”
“Jerk.”
He chuckled. “There’s the sass I can’t get enough of.”
I giggled as he pushed me under the water and massaged shampoo in my hair. By the time we came out of the shower, our skin was like prunes. Oliver made sure to work me over with his tongue before he penetrated me against the tiled wall. We did this twice before we came out and dried each other.
“Thank you for a fun Christmas morning.”
“No, thank you, Miss Stewart.”
We stayed away from each other as we dressed for the day. There was an electrical charge in the air and if we ignited it again, we would never get out of here. I chose to wear a pair of jeans and a light blue cashmere V-neck sweater that Oliver had given me for Christmas. I topped it off by inserting beautiful sapphire studs in my ears, another gift from him. They reminded me of his gorgeous eyes.
Oliver chose a pair of black slacks and a gray cowl neck sweater. He looked handsome and almost boyish with his hair slightly tousled. By the time we left, it would be neatly styled. I went to him, rubbing at the scruff that lined his jawline.
“I like when you don’t shave.”
“You want me to grow a beard?”
“Not a beard but I like this,” I said as I rubbed his face.
I took my hand away as I saw his eyes grow dark. It was a look I knew well and signaled he was aroused.
“I think we should have a light breakfast,” he said.
“I’m starved but light is right because my mother will go crazy like every year. Prepare to be stuffed.”
Oliver puffed his chest out. “If she serves like she did on Thanksgiving, I’m ready.”
He took my hand, and we walked out to the kitchen where I found Trouble sleeping in his oversized dog bed. He raised his head when he saw us. I went to him, and he whined as I petted his soft baby fur, crooning about what a good boy he was. I let him get settled before I stood up and turned to see a spread of bagels, muffins and pastries on a tray.
“What’s this?” I asked, my eyes widening as I took in the spread on the table.
“Breakfast. Do you want a latte?” Oliver asked, already moving toward the coffee machine.
“Yes, please. When did you get these?” I picked up a cranberry muffin, my favorite.
“I ordered them and picked them up when I went downstairs to work out,” he replied, his back to me as he set up the machine.
“Why didn’t you have them delivered?”
“Because you’re nosy and I wanted it to be a surprise.”
I scowled at him, crossing my arms. “I’m not nosy. I’m curious.”
“That’s what you’re calling it?”
“It’s more appropriate.”
“Uh, huh,” he said with a smirk.
I couldn’t help but smile at his back as he busied himself with the latte. Taking a napkin, I bit into the muffin, savoring the tartness of the cranberries. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast while Oliver occasionally checked his phone for emails. It was a workday overseas, and I knew he was waiting for some information from a Japanese company relating to machinery for one of his factories.
A half hour later, we were ready to begin our drive to my parents' house after picking everyone up. It was chilly, but we wouldn’t be outside long. Anders usually liked to get a game of touch football together in the backyard, but I doubted many people would participate. I didn’t like football, and Sadie was pregnant, which my parents and Sadie’s family didn’t know but would find out today.
Vlad was waiting in front of the building with the limo, and he took Trouble’s carrier from me, setting it inside. The puppy was whining, so I moved to where he was and took him out, setting him on my lap. He quieted and put his head down on my leg. I was already in love with my little boy. I looked up at Oliver, who shook his head.
“Keep that up, and he’s going to be one spoiled dog,” Oliver said, a teasing glint in his eyes.
“You should talk about spoiling.”
“It’s my pleasure.”
“Hypocrite,” I whispered, a playful grin tugging at my lips.
Oliver grinned as we headed toward Matthew’s building. When we pulled up, he came out with his doorman, Martin. Matthew was carrying Blackie’s carrier while Martin was loaded down with colorfully wrapped presents. Vlad exited the vehicle to place them in the trunk while Matthew slid into the seat beside Oliver. Blackie immediately barked, and Trouble raised his head, then stood up on my lap.
“Shit, is that a puppy?” Matthew asked as he smoothed his perfectly coiffed hair.
“Yes, it is. My fiancé got me a puppy. His name is Trouble.”
Matthew chuckled as Blackie continued to bark and he opened the carrier to let him out.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Oliver said.
“Blackie is a sweetheart. He won’t hurt Trouble.”
Blackie came over to my lap and climbed up on the seat. Trouble was curious and sniffed at the older dog then plopped down on my lap again with disinterest. I petted Blackie and he sat down next to me, occasionally sniffing at Trouble.
“Looks like they’ll be buddies,” Matthew said.
By the time we got to Finley and Sadie’s building, the dogs were asleep, and I couldn’t stop petting either one of them. The same procedure was repeated as my brother and soon to be sister-in-law came down with their arms loaded with presents. Oliver and I escaped the ritual by having Vlad drop our presents off the day before with the desserts. Sadie sat on the other side of me, cooing over the puppy as we drove toward Hudson Brook.
“When are you springing the news on Mom and Anders,” I heard Matthew ask my brother. I looked up at Sadie.
“You told him too?” I asked.
“Finley did. Everyone knows except your parents and my family so act surprised.”
Sadie’s parents, Kristen and Mark, and her triplet brothers, Paul, Peter and Perry would be sharing Christmas with us. It would be joyful as well as tension filled because Mark had just been laid off from his job as a budget analyst and their financial situation was precarious. It was especially so since the triplets would be going off to college next year. I was hesitant to ask Oliver if he could help.
“I can do surprised, I had plenty of practice.”
Oliver raised his eyebrows. “You should be used to it and if you’re not, you should adjust. I plan to surprise you often for the rest of your life.”
“Surprises aren’t necessary.”
“But they keep life interesting so humor me please.”
Sadie and I giggled and chattered on about our weddings while Matthew, Finley and Oliver discussed the financial markets. It was a subject I found boring and argumentative.