Chapter 28

“YOU WERE TERRIFIC,” Erin said when she and Preston got back to their office. “I had no idea you’d spoken to Teresa. It’s a great plan.”

“I didn’t feel like I’d given you enough support for the work you were doing,” Preston said. “I want to become a better partner.”

“You don’t want to, like, have your old job back? Seems like you could do it now, much more effectively.”

“God, no! I’ve improved enough to be able to read my prepared statements aloud. But I haven’t improved as an executive officer. You were right that I’ve been hanging around the office too much. I should be back out at Cloudhaven keeping that project on track. I should be making trips up to St. Louis to check on the Allard project. I should be doing the things a Chief Architect does. Most of all, I should be having faith in my Chief Executive. You are what our company has needed for seven years—ever since I took over as Chairman of the Board.”

“Don’t short-sell yourself, Mr. Carver. You’ve done a lot to create a corporate culture that is employee-positive. And you have clearly established the vision. I like working with you.”

“Um ... Would you like to start the holiday season with me Saturday? I’d love to put aside the business and cook a nice meal for Jerry and his girlfriend.”

“Mmm. Jerry’s girlfriend thinks that would be a great idea. She’ll see him at five for a little goodnight kiss.”

“Yes. He’s looking forward to that.”

It appeared that the Chief Architect/Chairman of the Board and the Chief Executive had mended their fences. Now Erin could think about her relationship with her boyfriend. And the more she thought about it, the more pleased she was. She began to look forward to Christmas as she’d thought she never would again.

The last two days before the holiday vacation were busy, though. Preston had discussed the bonus policy with Ms. Lincoln, but he hadn’t actually written the policy or amendment to the bylaws. That needed to be taken care of so the board members could review it and discuss it at the January meeting.

They worked on it and went out to Jerico House to review the draft with Lawrence and Jacqueline. After a few more revisions they sent the draft off to the members of the board. They gave a little gift to their assistant and told her to have a good time visiting her family, then found themselves alone in the penthouse.

Lawrence and Jacqueline had invited the couple back to Jerico House for dinner, which cooled their potential ardor for the night.

“What are your plans for the holiday week?” Jacqueline asked.

“I don’t really have family to visit. I might find a way to see a friend from Cleveland. My bowling team is planning a little party the day after Christmas. It’s our usual bowling night, but there’s no league play that night, of course,” Erin said. “Aside from that, I’ll probably watch sappy Christmas movies and eat peppermint fudge.”

“Are you going to make peppermint fudge?” Preston asked excitedly.

“Oh, it’s one of my specialties,” Erin laughed.

“I’d love to learn that one. I’ve never been successful making candies,” Preston said.

“Then I invite you to my kitchen for a change.”

“And as we are inviting people, we will officially invite Erin to share Christmas with us,” Lawrence said. “Please join us.”

“Oh, thank you! Of course, I’d love to.”

Matilda called everyone to the table for a very homey meal of chicken alfredo on pasta. The atmosphere was relaxed as everyone settled down for the vacation. The stresses of the office melted away.

Erin had driven to Jerico House and returned Preston to the office. She declined the invitation to join him and said she’d see him Saturday afternoon. She drove home with her heart racing.

Her whole body was tingling with anticipation. She could have joined him. All she had to do was accept his invitation to come up for a nightcap. With the kissing and petting in the car, though, she knew they wouldn’t be drinking if she went up to the penthouse.

Yes. She’d made her decision. As a famous basketball player had once said, it wasn’t a question of if, only of when. Erin had decided.

Jerry was chopping vegetables for his special stew when she arrived Saturday afternoon and she quickly joined as his sous chef.

Of course, she didn’t get her hands on a vegetable or a knife before they’d kissed. It was definitely a kiss with intent. He sautéed the onions and garlic, then added the meat. After adding broth, he put in the potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables. The kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma.

Between each step, the couple found themselves locked in an embrace that became more passionate with each step.

“Jerry, how time-sensitive is dinner?” Erin gasped after an intense kiss when everything had been added to the kettle.

“Dinner?” he asked as if only just considering the subject. “Oh, this one isn’t time-sensitive at all. I can reduce the heat to simmer and let it cook for a couple of hours. Why?”

“Please do that.”

He reduced the heat, made sure the kettle wouldn’t either stick or boil over, and turned back to her.

“Now, Jerry, my love, take me to bed.”

“To ... Upstairs ... My bed ... You want ... I mean...”

“Yes. I want. I’m ready.”

He might have needed it spelled out for him, but once he got the point, he moved into action. He swept her up in his arms and carried her up the stairs as she continued to kiss his face and his lips. They fell to the bed, continuing to kiss and pet, pulling at each other’s clothes until both were naked.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered as he continued to pet her breasts and move down to her butt. “I can’t believe we’re finally going to do this.”

“I can’t believe we waited this long,” she answered.

Once they were committed, they slowed down and simply explored each other’s body. Erin was lost in his touch and he feasted on her as if he was starving. No part of her went unkissed.

Soon, he was positioned to consummate their love when he suddenly rolled to the side and reached into his side table drawer. He pulled out a condom.

“Oh, God! Thank you. I was going to say that. Thank you for remembering.”

“I’ve ... um ... never had sex without a condom. Not that I’ve had sex that often with one either.”

“If we ever get to the point where we decide to have children, you can throw them away and never use them again. Until then, though, let’s stay safe.”

“The very thought of children with you makes me so excited I’m shaking.”

“Let me help.”

She took the condom and rolled it onto his erection, then threw a leg over him and perched above.

“Is it okay this way?”

“Wow! Yeah. It’s really okay.”

She slowly lowered herself onto him, joining them for the first time.

“I never even considered falling in love with you,” she said. “I don’t know how it happened.”

“I fell in love with you while you were still waiting tables in the diner. I want to be with you.”

“Sharing an office hasn’t spoiled it for you?”

“You have to be kidding. I’ve been going crazy with desire. This. This is everything I want.”

They moved together and Erin thought how much more satisfying this was than anything in her short marriage. This. This was also what she wanted.

“I mean ... Really ... Just wow!” Preston managed as they cuddled together.

“I have to agree,” Erin sighed. “Just wow!”

“I don’t know what to say. I’ve never felt this way. Is it normal? Is this what it feels like to really be in love?”

“My experience has left me a long way short of this. I know sex affects the way we feel in the moment. I suppose we should wait to see if we feel the same tomorrow.”

“Will you stay, Erin? Don’t go away tonight.”

“I think I probably have a change of clothes and my nighttime necessities in the car. I don’t see a reason to go back to my apartment.”

“Did you plan this?”

“I don’t think this could have really been planned. But I was open to it. Jerry, we’ve been getting closer and closer to this moment for weeks. Ever since the annual meeting when we kissed. When I kissed you. I was so brash.”

“You couldn’t have done anything in that moment that I wanted more. Maizie ... Erin, all my life I’ve thought love and ... and anything that comes after that ... was just a fantasy. I couldn’t love because I was unlovable. Who wants to be with someone who is so tied up in anxiety all the time. Is it ... Is it really possible?”

“You are not unlovable, Jerry ... Preston. We might have different ways of expressing our anxiety, but everyone gets anxious over something. I’ve been tongue-tied. Even since I was hired as CEO—I mean, that very night—I went home and cried myself to sleep because I didn’t know if I could do this and I was ashamed of having taken your job. I was so afraid it would mean that we could never have a future. I refused to let myself even consider it.”

“I insisted that I could never be involved with you because you were my employee and that was just too much of a cliché. Would I ever be able to believe you wanted me because of me instead of because of your job?”

“Do you think all the women you dated or met were just after your money?”

“I always thought I was just a guy, maybe with some social problems. I even asked a girl out when I was a senior in high school and she accepted. It was great. I fell madly in love with her and she became my first lover. But then she tried to convince me that she was pregnant with our child. It wasn’t possible. We’d never made love without a condom. It turned out that she was pregnant, but by another guy in our class. She wanted to force me into marrying her so she and her child would have a rich life with everything she wanted. Including her other lover. I was devastated. I thought I was in love with her and she was just in love with my money. From that point on, I just assumed everyone I met was.”