Chapter One
Colette snapped the latches of her briefcase closed and grinned as she slid it beneath her desk. It would be the first time in ages that she wouldn’t feel it bumping against her leg as she left the office. Her desk’s surface was clear, all her files either locked away or given to a co-worker to handle while she was on vacation. Vacation! She was actually going away for an entire week.
“I must say, you look like you’ve lost twenty pounds.” Looking up, she saw Paul standing in the doorway, a large smile on his face. “Not that you need to lose a single ounce as there’s hardly any of you at all.”
Colette couldn’t help but give a soft groan though it was accompanied by a smile. She’d been teased her entire life about her size. The fact that she only topped the height chart at five feet—if she cheated a bit by lifting herself onto her tiptoes—and that she didn’t tip the scales at one hundred pounds even when soaking wet, had been an annoyance she’d had to endure. People often misjudged her due to her appearance. While she was twenty-six years old, and a professional woman with a successful career, she could pass for a child yet to reach their pre-teen years. It wasn’t until she met Dalton Windsor that what she’d considered a curse turned into the greatest blessing.
“I feel lighter,” she said, rising from her executive desk chair that, of course, had been customized to lift her to the height necessary to work at her desk. “All the weight of worry about our cases is now in your hands.”
“Yeah, thanks for reminding me,” Paul said with a frown that morphed into a grin. “Seriously though, I can’t complain. If anyone deserves a vacation, it is you.” They walked out of her office together, the rest of the staff already gone for the day. Waiting for the elevator, he asked, “So, where is your husband taking you?”
“I don’t actually know,” Colette answered truthfully. “Da…um, Dalton wanted it to be a surprise. All I know is that we are leaving bright and early tomorrow morning for a full week of nothing but fun!” A week in which she would have no responsibilities other than enjoying herself. Well, that and making sure that she obeyed her daddy.
Paul chuckled and allowed her to precede him into the elevator before pushing the button for the lobby. “Well, wherever it is, it sounds like you’re excited. In fact, you are practically glowing, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were about to bounce up and down like a little kid.”
Colette barely managed to catch herself before she broke out into giggles. What would this astute lawyer think if he knew how close he’d come to the truth? What would he think if he knew that the moment she got home and shed the navy blue pleated skirt and the white silk blouse that she would also be shedding the professional persona she’d worked so very hard to attain? More importantly, what would he think learning that just the thought of the next few days had her tummy tingling, her nipples puckering, and her panties dampening?
She smiled and shrugged. “What can I say? I love surprises.”
The elevator reached the lobby, and they strode across the expanse of white marble that made up the floor in the swanky building. Paul held the door open for her and she thanked him, not even having to duck to pass beneath his arm.
“Oh, it’s snowing!” she said, the surprise evident in her voice.
“Didn’t you listen to the forecast this morning?” At the shake of her head, he grinned. “Ah, that explains the fact that you are coatless. They predicted a cold front rolling in before noon. I'm guessing you didn't leave the building for lunch?”
“No, I worked through lunch in order to clear the rest of my workload,” Colette said as she fought to keep from shivering and it wasn’t all due to the unexpected blasts of cold air that continued to whip around them or the fat white flakes that fell. Part of her shudder was directly a result of the fact that Paul’s words had her remembering Dalton calling from the study to take her coat. Having already grabbed her briefcase and with one foot out the door, she’d pretended not to hear. Once the elevator deposited her on the ground floor, she’d also ignored the doorman’s suggestion she return for a coat.
“I just run to the car and then my office,” she’d said, giving him a smile and a little wave as she breezed through the door he held for her.
Climbing into the waiting car, she’d rolled her eyes when hearing, “Miss Colette, you should be wearing a coat. I’ll wait while you run back upstairs,” Harrison, their driver admonished.
“No need and besides, I’m late,” Colette said, ignoring his disapproving look as she pulled a file from her briefcase. Now she wished she’d listened to one of the three men…most especially her husband. The feel of a cold blast of wind lifting her skirt had her attention coming back to the present as she fought to keep the pleated fabric from flying higher and exposing what else Paul would most likely be shocked to see.
“Here, take my coat,” Paul offered, already in the process of shrugging out of his overcoat.
“No, but thank you,” Colette said, one hand holding her skirt down, the other crossed across her torso for warmth.
“Well, at least step back inside. It wouldn’t do for you to become ill—not at the start of your vacation.”
“The car should be here any minute—”
“I insist,” Paul said, taking her arm and moving her back towards the door they’d just come through. “What would your husband think if I allowed you to freeze to death? I’ll wait until the car arrives.”
Colette didn’t have much choice as he opened the door and practically gave her a little push to assure her feet moved. She had to admit, the air in the cavernous lobby was far warmer than that outside the thick panes of glass that ran floor to ceiling across the front of the building. Besides, Paul was right. It would be just awful to catch a cold before the first official day of her holiday dawned.
It wasn’t but a few minutes before she saw a black sedan pull up to the curb. Her heart quickened as she saw the back door of the car opening without benefit of Harrison stepping from the vehicle. It could only mean one thing—she wouldn’t be riding home alone. She watched as her husband unfolded his large frame from the depths of the car and began to climb the marble steps. Her shudder was accompanied by an automatic covering of her bottom before she yanked her hands free, remembering where she was. Glad that the security guard seated behind the circular desk was turned away, she pushed against the heavy glass door which refused to budge. The wind whipping Paul’s coat was evidently strong enough to keep the lobby door closed. She was about to try again when she caught sight of her husband’s face as he reached the top of the stairs to meet Paul. Unable to hear their conversation didn’t keep her from understanding that Dalton wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that his wife was tucked inside the building because she wasn’t dressed properly for the inclement weather. When he looked up, their eyes meeting through the glass, she felt the skin of her bottom began to crawl and she had to fight against the urge to clasp her nates again, witnesses be damned.
Great! What a way to start your vacation, you idiot! Putting on a brave face, she gave Dalton a little wave and a huge smile, glad to see his expression soften. Paul pulled the door open with a grin and a chuckle.
“Wherever you’re taking your wife, I hope it’s warm,” he said to Dalton as she stepped outside. “Little thing doesn’t have enough body fat to keep warm.”
“Don’t worry, I promise Colette will feel quite toasty soon,” Dalton said, moving towards her.
His words might have sounded promising yet Colette doubted her husband was talking either about the destination of their upcoming vacation or the coat—the one she should be wearing—he had removed from where it had been draped over his arm and was holding open. Tamping down her urge to begin a banal excuse, she turned her back to him, slipping her arms into the sleeves. Instantly feeling much warmer, she thanked him.
“You’re welcome,” Dalton said, turning her around in order to button it up and tie the belt around her waist. His tone was conciliatory but judging by the look in his eyes, she knew that he was truly only concerned with warming one particular portion of her anatomy.
The thought had her tummy flipping and her words pouring out despite her resolve to remain mute. “Goodness, can you believe this weather? Who knew it would start to snow?”
Dalton’s quirked eyebrow had her face heating. Digging her hole deeper wasn’t helping so she turned to her partner. “Thank you, Paul,” Colette said in her most grown-up voice. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
“Sure thing. Have a great time, you two. You can tell me all about the fun you had when you get back.” He gave her a hug, and took a couple of steps before turning back to say, “Stay warm.”
Not about to assure him her husband would make sure she was warm, Colette just nodded before turning to Dalton. She looked up, way up, as Dalton was four inches over six feet, unable to contain a shudder despite the warm coat she now wore.