Xander wasn"t entirely certain he was succeeding. Rose looked a little overwhelmed. He could tell her brain was struggling to keep up with the fast-paced changes her life had taken since Wednesday night. Once she"d agreed to go with him, the wheels had been set into motion and there"d been no changing her mind.
Sweet-talking her boss into giving her the weekend off was like child"s play. Earlier today they drove to Hartford and caught a small charter jet provided by his publisher. The flight was short, but their time in the air was luxurious, with plush leather seats and a flight attendant who plied them with champagne and an amuse-bouche the moment they boarded.
They were picked up by a limousine, which made the rush-hour D.C. traffic a little easier to bear. Fortunately, it wasn"t a long drive from Reagan Airport to his town house. He asked the driver to take the scenic route, allowing Rose to see the glowing sights of the National Mall in the dim evening light. He wished he had time to walk with her down to the Reflecting Pool and chat with Lincoln, but if all went well, they would have plenty of opportunity to do that later.
"Do you like it?" he asked.
Rose chuckled and ran her fingers along the exposed brick wall. "It"s wonderful." She pushed aside the drapes to look into the small private courtyard in back. "That"s the perfect s.p.a.ce for entertaining. And this kitchen is like a dream. I love the double ovens and the grill built into the range. I bet you could make-" She paused and turned to him with a smile. "You don"t make anything in here, do you?"
"Not at all. I think I"ve microwaved popcorn and soup."
Rose shook her head and strolled back to the island to lean against the countertop. "Such a waste! And I cook at home in an oven older than Joey. It"s really amazing how much s.p.a.ce you have. It looks so small from the outside."
"It really is deceiving. It has a full finished bas.e.m.e.nt downstairs that"s perfect for a family room. There"s three bedrooms upstairs, too."
"It"s a big place for just you. How long have you owned it?"
"I bought it a few weeks after I was elected. I decided this was where I belonged and I fell in love with this place the moment I saw the bay window out front. I knew that if and when I married, it would be perfect for a family."
Xander wasn"t going to admit to her that the house had felt very empty since he"d moved in. He had envisioned the potential, but as the years went by and he remained single, the town house had almost started to mock him with its large hollow rooms. Just another reason to stay late at work.
But now he could just picture Rose baking in the kitchen while Joey played video games in the bas.e.m.e.nt family room. It was as crystal clear a vision as if she were really there, surrounded by pans and bowls of batter.
"Would you like to see the upstairs?"
Rose nodded, stifling a yawn. "I"d love to get up close and personal with a bed."
Xander smiled and scooped up her bag from the living room. "I can arrange that. We"ve got a big day tomorrow. You need your rest."
"Big day?" Rose asked, following him up the stairs. "I thought there was just the signing and the party."
"Well, yes. But preparing for those things takes time. I wanted to take you shopping in the morning before the signing. And after, I thought you"d appreciate some salon pampering."
Rose stopped on the stairs and frowned. "You don"t think what I packed is nice enough, do you? It"s the fanciest thing I had. I don"t go to many charity galas."
Xander turned and went back down a few steps until he could tip up Rose"s chin and force her to look at him. "Did I say what you brought wasn"t good enough?"
"No," she muttered.
"I want to treat you to a day of girlish pleasures. I don"t want you feeling self-conscious-like right now-when you walk into that ballroom. I want you to feel beautiful and confident, as if you belong there, because you do. You could walk in the room wearing cutoffs and I"d still think you were the most gorgeous thing I"d ever seen. But I thought you"d prefer something a little more glamorous."
Rose nodded and started back up the stairs beside him. "I didn"t want to come up here and be a burden. You have things to do, too. You don"t need to spend all your time cleaning me up to take me out."
They reached the landing and he gestured her to go right into the master suite. "Rose, I"m a man. I shower, put on a suit and show up. That"s all I"ll do ahead of the signing. My publisher sets it all up. I only have to arrive and sign books. I"ll switch into a tuxedo before the gala, but again, not a big deal. I"d much rather watch you thoroughly enjoy getting the royal treatment."
He pushed open the French doors that guarded the entrance to his bedroom and stepped aside to let Rose go in ahead of him.
"I feel like I"m already getting the royal treatment. Fancy jets, limousines, champagne...and then this place. My bedroom looks like a cheap hotel compared to yours."
He watched Rose stroll into the only room in the house that felt fully lived-in to him. His bedroom was his retreat, his only perfectly private and safe place in the world. He might have let his decorator go a little overboard in this room, but he loved the result.
"Look at this bed!" she said, gesturing toward the king-size mattress with the ma.s.sive carved wooden four-poster bedframe that dominated the far wall. The sheets were dark brown silk, like the color of Rose"s eyes. The comforter was a delicately st.i.tched patchwork of silk, leather, tapestry and velvet in shades of brown, beige and blue. A large mahogany credenza at the foot of the bed hid away a fifty-inch flat-screen television that would rise up with the push of a b.u.t.ton.
"It"s just a bed. It might be fancy, but in the end, it serves the same purpose. I recall your bed being most excellent for lovemaking and sleep. What does it matter when my eyes are closed?"
Rose sat down on the edge of the bed and groaned aloud. "It matters. It sure as h.e.l.l does." She flopped back against it and sighed. "This is like sleeping on a cloud of velvet. Even with my eyes closed, I can tell this is better."
Xander set her bags over near the small seating area and made his way over to where she was lying. "I don"t know," he said. He eased onto the bed beside her and propped his head up on his elbow. "I think I need a thorough comparison before I can make a judgment. We should do everything on this bed just the same as we did on yours."
Rose chuckled and turned her head to look up at him. "I thought I needed my rest for the big day ahead."
Xander placed his hand on Rose"s stomach and stroked over her blouse to play at the edge of the underwire in her bra. "Sleep is overrated."
Ten.
Rose felt like an impostor.
She certainly didn"t look like one, thanks to a luxurious private shopping spree at Neiman Marcus and half a day at an upscale salon having her hair, makeup and nails done. She supposed if you threw enough money at the cause, you could transform anyone"s appearance. Tonight she looked more like a princess than a waitress.
Her strapless gown was like something out of a fairy tale. It was a shimmering dusky gold, almost pinkish, with intricate beading on the fitted bodice that exploded out into layers of flowing, glittering tulle. It had movement and sparkle, ideal for dancing, and it went perfectly with the strappy gold heels with Swarovski crystals her shopping a.s.sistant had chosen.
Her hair was swept up into an elegant twist that highlighted the long line of her neck and decolletage. She wore a rose-gold choker studded with tiny diamonds at her throat and a matching bracelet on her wrist. She looked sophisticated and elegant-as though she fit in with the rich and important people all around her.
But that was on the outside. On the inside she was just a n.o.body from Cornwall. A single mother. A waitress. The daughter of a felon. Surely there wasn"t enough fancy clothing and makeup to cover that up. Eventually, someone would notice she didn"t belong here.
Walking into the ballroom on Xander"s arm, she"d felt like Cinderella going to the ball, minus the mice and the pumpkins. Her fairy G.o.dmother came in the form of a black American Express card with Xander"s name on it. Her prince had bought her entire outfit for tonight, plus a more casual dress she"d worn to his afternoon signing. Rose couldn"t look at the total when they were done, but he hadn"t even flinched, signing the slip with a smile.
Now he beamed with pride beside her. He"d wanted Rose to be confident and he"d given her every reason to feel as if she fit in. Every eye that fell on her was followed with a warm smile in greeting. Some of the men"s gazes were heated with attraction. Some of the women"s eyes were tainted with a touch of jealousy. But they all looked at her. Or at least, they looked at Xander and then wondered who the woman with him was.
"Are you okay?" Xander asked as they blended into the crowd.
Rose nodded, but it was a lie. She didn"t want him to know how nervous she was when he was so concerned about her enjoying herself tonight. She appreciated how hard he was trying to make this trip special. He genuinely wanted her to move to the area. She should be happy that he wanted to spend as much time with Joey as he could. That he was willing to support them in a town so expensive.
Instead she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It always did.
"Would you like some champagne?" Xander asked. There were several bars set up along the edges of the ballroom and one nearby.
"Please," she said, although she knew that meant being left alone for a few minutes. It was worth it to get enough of a buzz to relax her body and mind. Maybe then she could enjoy herself the way he wanted her to.
Xander squeezed her hand and then disappeared through the crowd of people to the bar.
Rose took a deep breath once she was alone to calm herself. There really wasn"t a threat she could see. Just a bunch of rich people mingling and sipping c.o.c.ktails. Not exactly a dangerous situation, but still her heart was racing, her body tense and prepared for a fight-or-flight response.
Her entire life, she"d doubted that she would ever be able to make it in Xander"s fast-paced, glamorous world. When Xander had asked her to come with him to Georgetown, she"d been too afraid to go. Even if her mother hadn"t been sick, she would"ve sought out an excuse. Fate had forced her hand and here she was in D.C., testing the waters at last. She was certain that she would immediately be fingered as an outsider, but so far, so good. She"d gotten a few glances, but at least no one had called security on her.
At his book signing this afternoon, she"d sat beside him the whole time. She"d made herself useful by opening up the books to the correct page for him to autograph. There must have been at least two hundred people in line to see him, many with touching stories about their own foster experiences. Xander had been gracious to them all, making each person who came up feel important, even after three solid hours. He had an amazing way with people.
She had to admit that the clothes and the salon treatment were nice, but they weren"t what gave her the confidence to come to this party. They weren"t what encouraged her to stand taller and smile at strangers. It was Xander"s faith in her. He sincerely believed in her. He didn"t see the other people here as being better than she was. Xander inspired her to be the best version of herself she could be. She wanted to be the kind of woman Xander could love someday.
She glanced over her shoulder at the line for the bar. He was standing there, chatting with the woman ahead of him. His Valentino tuxedo fit him like a second skin, his black satin bow tie the perfect touch to his flawlessly starched white shirt. He looked so handsome with his light brown hair brushed back and his wide, charming smile. The elegant-looking woman talking to him seemed dazzled. She leaned in, placing a light hand on his lapel as she laughed at something Xander said.
Rose sighed and turned away. She didn"t want to watch anymore. She didn"t know anything about that woman, but it only took a moment for her to know in her heart that this woman was more suitable for Xander than she would ever be.
"Here you go. One gla.s.s of courage."
Startled, Rose spun on her heels to find Xander standing behind her with champagne flutes in each hand. "Thank you," she said, taking the one he offered. She took a healthy sip, closing her eyes and feeling the warmth spread from her stomach to the rest of her body. It did wonders to calm her. After a moment, she was finally able to focus on the party itself and not on that woman or whether or not everyone was looking at her. "So what is the schedule for tonight?"
Xander picked up a program from one of the nearby tables. "Looks like mingling, dinner, speeches and then dancing. Somewhere in there they"ll plug my book and ask for money. I"m sure they"ll be a lot more subtle, though."
"Sounds like we have a long night ahead." She eyed her mostly empty gla.s.s. "I"m going to need more champagne."
"Not necessarily. We can leave now, if you like."
Rose frowned and turned to him. She hadn"t expected that at all. Why buy all these fancy clothes just to leave after ten minutes? "Why?" she asked. "Did I do something wrong?"
Xander slipped his arm around her waist and pressed his palm against her hip to pull her closer. "Not at all. I just underestimated how beautiful you were going to look tonight. You always look amazing, but with the hair and the dress, it"s enough to make a man weak in the knees. It"s like prom all over again. I can"t wait to get you home and out of that gown."
She glanced down at the beaded sweetheart neckline of her dress and the ample cleavage on display. It was more than she was normally comfortable showing, but she couldn"t help it. The moment she"d stepped into this gown at the store, she"d known it was the one. Xander had told her not to look at the price tags, so she hadn"t. She"d just tried to pick the dress that made her feel the prettiest. Any doubts she"d had were erased the moment she stepped out of the dressing room and met Xander"s approving gaze.
He liked it as much as she did. She hadn"t even bothered trying on any more dresses. It was the dress. So she didn"t exactly feel like casting it to the ground in a fevered rush. "I hate to disappoint you, but even if we go home right now, I"m not taking this dress off. It"s too beautiful and I look too good in it. I might even sleep in it."
Xander rubbed a bit of the rough golden tulle between his fingertips and shook his head. "I don"t recommend that. But if you want to leave it on, I can always just flip all this fabric up over your head."
Rose laughed and slapped his hand away as he tugged at the layers of her skirt. She would never understand how he could be in a room of such beautiful and powerful women and only have eyes for her. "We"re not going home. You promised me a party with dancing and we"re sticking it out."
Xander opened his mouth to argue with her but was interrupted when a woman came onto the stage and asked everyone to take their seats. Defeated, he escorted her to a table near the front and helped her into her chair. They sat through several courses and several speeches. Most of the speakers praised Xander for his contributions to Fostering Families, including donating a portion of his book sales to the organization. The cover was projected onto a screen and attendees were reminded that Xander had autographed copies in advance that were available for purchase during the event.
After they spoke, the servers brought out the dessert course. Hers was what they called a chocolate bomb. It had a layer of hardened dark chocolate over a decadent dome of light chocolate mousse. It had a dense brownie crust and a toasted hazelnut in the very center. She dissected the dessert as she ate it, trying to figure out exactly how she could re-create it for the diner.
By the time she"d figured it out, Rose realized that she"d lost Xander. From the moment they stepped out of their car at the hotel, he"d had people talking to him. It had stopped during the meal and speeches, but now attendees were up dancing and mingling again. Xander was a few feet away chatting with a couple gentlemen she didn"t know. It looked as though he"d gotten one bite of his dessert before he was hijacked.
That was a shame. It was good.
Rose tried entertaining herself, waiting for him to return. She finished her dessert and chatted idly with the woman beside her. The woman"s husband had also vanished. Looking around the room, there were more than a few ladies sitting at their tables talking while men cl.u.s.tered in groups. Rose finally excused herself to get another drink and milled around the ballroom. The edges of the room were decorated with photos and other displays from the Fostering Families Center over the years.
At last she made a circle back to her table. Her drink was empty and the b.a.l.l.s of her feet were aching. It had been a long night and it was time for this coach to become a pumpkin again. Xander had been missing for almost an hour. Why had he even brought her to this event? He could"ve come alone and not felt guilty about ignoring his date half the night. If he didn"t show up soon, she was going to get a cab. She"d just have to figure out where he lived first....
"Would you honor me with a dance, Miss Pierce?"
Rose turned in her seat to find Xander the Elusive had returned to her side. "I"d about given up on you."
"I know. I"m sorry. I"ve broken free. Dance with me before someone else comes up."
She reluctantly got up and let Xander lead her to the dance floor. Despite the late hour, it was still crowded with couples dressed in their finest.
"You"re so stiff," Xander complained. "Relax. Dancing is supposed to be fun."
Rose shook her head. "I"m not sure why you brought me with you to this. I should"ve just stayed in Connecticut where I belong."
Xander stilled on the dance floor, his brow furrowed with concern. "Why would you say that? Aren"t you having a good time?"
"I am," she sighed. "It"s fine, but you"re busy. Everyone wants to talk to you. I feel like I"m a burden."
"You"re anything but a burden. In fact, you"re the only one here that I want to talk to. No matter what you think or how much you worry, know this-I want you here. You belong here. With me. Not just tonight, but every night."
Rose gasped, the sound swallowed by the big-band music. Xander pressed his palm into the small of her back and began moving again, pulling her across the floor with him. She could only cling to him and follow his lead.
When the song ended, they stayed on the dance floor, Xander holding her close and looking deep into her eyes. "I don"t just want you to move to D.C., Rose. I want you to move in with me. I want us to be a family. A real family."
Rose couldn"t breathe and it had nothing to do with the dancing. It was wonderful. Amazing. Fantastic. But it was Xander"s words that had truly thrown her for a loop.
He wanted her to move to D.C. and live with him. That meant he really was serious about going public with their relationship and with Joey"s paternity. He didn"t care about her father"s criminal past. She was just blown away. And a part of her was thrilled and relieved.
The other part of her was scared to death he was making a huge mistake. Would it really be the nonevent he believed it all to be? Was it possible that they could have the happily-ever-after she"d fantasized about? She tried to look at the bright side, but life had taught her that things didn"t always work out the way you planned.
She pushed those thoughts out of her mind and instead grasped at his tuxedo lapels with both hands. With a hard tug, she brought his mouth down to hers. She poured all of her anxiety, all of her fears, all of her excitement and antic.i.p.ation into the kiss. He met her measure for measure, wrapping his arms around her waist and pressing her tight against him.
"Take me home," she said at last when their lips parted. Home, she thought. Could that beautiful town house really be her home someday?
Xander took her hand and led her through the crowd to the exit. They waited anxiously for their car to pull up out front and then rushed into the house the moment they arrived. Rose kicked off her painful shoes in the entryway, then ran barefoot up the stairs with Xander on her heels.
They burst into his bedroom together, the chase turning into a slower pursuit as Rose turned to face him. He slowly backed her across the floor until she felt her spine meet with the carved wood post of the bed.
When she stopped, Xander slipped out of his jacket and tugged off his tie. Then he knelt down. "I"m going in," he said with a sly smile as he sought out the hem of her dress and tugged it up high enough to disappear under its layers. She felt his fingers gently stroking her upper thighs, his hot breath searing her bare skin. She braced her hands on the wooden column behind her when his fingertips grazed across the satin of her panties. She stiffened as he applied pressure to just the right spot and a bolt of pleasure shot through her.
"Oh, Z," she whispered, her eyes fluttering closed. She felt his hands seek out the waist of her panties and gently start tugging them down the length of her legs. Rose adjusted her stance, kicking out of them and leaving herself completely bare beneath the exquisite gown.
Xander let his hands roam all over the soft skin of her legs, creeping higher and higher. She felt the flutter of his touch running along the cropped curls of her s.e.x, then the explosion of sensation as one finger dipped deeper and stroked her aching, moist core. Her heart started racing in her chest as he pushed her closer and closer to her release.
Her o.r.g.a.s.m was hard and intense, very nearly rocking her off her feet with the powerful spasms. Only his steady grip on her waist kept her stable until the last tremors shook her legs.
Xander climbed out from under her gown and stood to pull her into his arms. She was like a rag doll, stumbling against his hard body. She felt as if there were no more bones left in her legs. "I"ve got you," he said. "I won"t let you fall."
She knew that. Unlike her father, Xander meant it. Even back in school, Rose always knew she could count on Xander to be there for her. When her mother"s time was short and her father was only worried about himself, he"d been the constant in her life. She felt as if she could do anything with him beside her.
And when she pushed him out of her life, she"d been in a free fall. When she needed him the most, she"d been too scared to ask for his support. The cost had been too high. But it had taught her to stand on her own. She could survive without him, even if she didn"t want to.
Now he seemed to be offering her the opportunity for the two of them to try again. She was tired of being alone. If she was honest with herself, she wanted Xander back. Rose wanted him in her bed and in her life and her son"s life. If that meant moving to D.C., she would go.
Rose turned her back, holding the post once again to offer the zipper of her dress to him. She felt the graze of his fingertips at her shoulder blades where the dress began, and then heard the loud slide down to the base of her spine.