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holiday."
    “OK...Where are you?  I need to see you.  Tonight."
     
     

Chapter 4: Letting Go  
     
     
    Three knocks on the solid oak door echo out into the bedroom where I'm sitting, anxiously waiting for Jake Sterns to arrive.  Thank goodness I had a chance to change into something more casual.  But, as I glance down at my Juicy Couture cashmere pants and matching zip hoodie, I'm feeling like exactly what I am; a divorced soccer mom.  I swallow hard in my throat.
    I jog quietly across the hardwood floors and stop in my tracks before opening the door.
    With a deep breath, I firmly grab the door handle and open the door to the man who I couldn't get out of my thoughts.  My eyes hit his and I recognize the familiar burn of his gaze.
    "Hello, beautiful."  The deep voice makes my heart jump.
    His smile is quick and disarming.  His eyes slowly crawl down my body and then back up to my eyes.  I feel like I'm watching a predator size up his prey.
    "I still can't believe you came here," I said quietly.
    Even my ex would never have done anything like this, not even way back in the beginning.
    "I'm glad you are here," I admit.
    Glad?  I'm three sheets to the wind and I still can't slow the palpitations leaping from my chest.
    It's not that he didn't scream sexy CEO before, but he is way out of my league.  He looks every bit of what he is; successful, rich and ready for a good fucking.
    Oh my God!  See!  That Jack Daniels is even causing me to mind swear.  That's where I don't actually say the word out loud, but I sure as hell think about it.
    I stand there staring at him, unable to focus on the proper protocol.  As Mom would say, he looks holiday handsome.  He is wearing dark navy slacks, a white button-down shirt and a red tie that I really want to peel away.
    “Do you mind if I come in?  I feel like I might run into you,"  he asks me with a bit of a slur to his words.
    “Sure…yeah…come in and sit down."  I close the door as I stretch my arm out toward the couch.
    “Ohhhh,” he says leaning over as if he’s about to collapse across the leather cushions.
    “You alright?” I ask, wincing inwardly.
    “Yep, I’m good.  Merry Christmas…” he says with a chuckle, trying to stabilize himself.
    “Although it may not appear this way, I am, in fact, a semi-respectable businessman.  But on a rare occasion...or maybe not so rare these days...I like to have a few drinks and find a way to pretend that I don’t have the pressure that seems to like to smother my every breath.”
    “Oh,” I said and then grimaced, “Well, that doesn’t sound good…now does it?”
    “Enough about me…let’s talk about you.  So, how’s your Christmas Eve going so far, until I showed up drunk and ruined your holiday?”
    “Well, it’s not going as I might have expected.”  My fingers wiggle and rub around my eyes as I find myself consumed with nerves and fatigue.  “I’m heading back home tomorrow morning after my family’s Christmas breakfast.  You might say I’m just not myself these days.”
    “Ohhh...” He looks down, then scrunches his eyebrows and asks, “When did you get into town?”
    “Ummm, about four hours ago?” I say with sarcasm as I cross my arms across my chest.
    “Oyster Cove isn’t your kind of town, eh?”
    “No, no, it’s not that.  It’s just that I’m not quite myself right now.  I went by myself to my family’s big holiday gathering, and it was a stupid decision.  I should have just stayed home and worked through Christmas.  I should have known better.  By the way, would you like something different to drink?  Maybe coffee or water?”
    He leans across the table and stares at the fully stocked bar behind me.  He then glances back at me with a look of a child preparing to disobey.
    “I think I see a fantastic looking bottle of Le Reviseur Cognac over there.  Would you like a glass?”
    “Sure,” I say after a slight pause.  It’s probably not the smartest answer