“Jude would never—”
“No. Because she loves you. And so do I.” She stroked his cheeks with her thumbs, wanting to take away the doubt she saw in his eyes. “You made me see the strength within myself. Now it’s your turn to let me show you yours.”
Something flared in his eyes. “What strength?”
“Your ability to care. Your loyalty. Your humor. Your excitement. Your enthusiasm. Your incredible focus. The way you make me feel like the center of the entire universe. You have so many strengths. So many.”
For a long moment he just stared at her. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I know you don’t. But you have to know, I don’t walk away from people just because they’ve hurt me a couple of times.” She managed a smile. “Hey, I stuck by my stupid family for years and years and years, remember?”
All the tension seemed to drain out of his body. He put his arms around her. “When I said that stuff about me getting bored, that was an excuse,” he said hoarsely. “I don’t think I could ever get bored with you.”
She grinned. “You better bloody not. I might be forced to do something stupid to entertain you.”
His hands reached for her face, tilting it back so her mouth was there for him to kiss. And when he did, a dark cloud that had been hanging over her for so long suddenly disappeared.
She pressed against his chest, remembering something. “What’s in that bag?”
Joseph gave a breathless laugh. “Oh hell. That.” He released her, picked up the bag where he’d dropped it by the door, and held it out to her. “A present for you, honey.”
Christie took it and pulled out a long, heavy box. Then she tugged the top of it and stared at the contents. A pair of Ugg boots.
“You’re kidding me,” she breathed. “No way.”
“Only the best for you, Naughtygirl.”
She looked up into his blue eyes. Saw in them everything she’d been secretly hoping for since the moment she’d first seen him. “Now I know you love me, Studman. Or should I call you Love Machine?”
He laughed and then maneuvered her over to the edge of Ben’s desk. “Didn’t we decide Love Machine was better? Now come on, Cinderella, let’s see if they fit.”
“Wait,” Christie said, putting a palm against the hard warmth of his chest. “I have a better idea.”
Joseph raised an eyebrow. “Tell me.”
Starting to feel breathless at her own daring, Christie went over to the door and with a certain amount of deliberation, locked it.
“Oh,” Joseph said softly. “That kind of idea. In your boss’s office? Are you sure?”
She turned around and met his hungry blue gaze. “Hey, they don’t call me Naughtygirl for nothing, remember?” And grinned. “Now can we see if the boots fit?”
They did.
And when everything else came off, Christie’s Ugg boots stayed firmly on.