Page 19 of Past and Present

“Don’t get mad, but I called your mom to find out the details of their road trip. They’ll be in Phoenix on Christmas day. I thought we could fly to Phoenix on the twenty-third, get married the next day and then disappear for a Christmas honeymoon and not come back until January first.”

“Well, if you already talked to mom we kind of have to do it, don’t we?”

Lance chuckled. “I didn’t tell her why I wanted to know. It would be a surprise for them too. I told her we were still trying to make our Christmas plans.”

Marissa looked down at her engagement ring. “It sounds like a lot of work.”

He reached up and took her hand. “Riss, not to sound like a douche, but I’m a billionaire. We can pull it off with very little work on our parts. That’s what we have staff for.”

Marissa grinned and hopped off the desk. “OK. Let’s do it.”

“Yeah?” Lance questioned with one eyebrow quirked upward.

“Yeah,” Marissa said, nodding her head.

He stood and pulled her into a hug. “Thank fucking God you said yes because I’ve already put a bunch of things into motion.”

She smacked him on the shoulder.

He caught her wrist as she brought it back down to her side and yanked her into him. His other hand fisted into her hair.

“Just because we’re about to get married doesn’t mean I don’t own you, little girl.”

Marissa swallowed and nodded her head. “Yes, Sir. I know.”

He grinned and pressed a kiss to her neck. “Good. Just making sure we understand each other.”

“I should get back to my office.”

He pressed a kiss to her cheek. “I love you, Riss. Thank you for being mine.”

She stepped into the outer office and waved at Jill and Kimberly who were huddled at Kimberly’s desk.

Kimberly gave her a grin. Jill’s expression wasn’t so friendly, and Marissa resisted the urge to scowl back. She was finally getting to marry Lance. There was very little that could ruin her good mood today.

Marissa grabbed a candy cane on her way into her office where she sat and returned the calls Cameron put on her desk.

The last call was from Austin Yates, a friend she’d made at Club Solitaire in Colorado.

“Girl, I feel like I’m in college again trying to plan games for this damn Christmas party. You got any dirty ideas?”

Marissa unwrapped the candy cane and popped it into her mouth.

“I could probably think of something,” she said.

“Well, think fast. I’m supposed to have everything ready by the board meeting on Thursday.”

“Why isn’t Lance coming to the board meeting?”

“Said y’all couldn’t get away until Friday and he would patch in virtually.”

Marissa thought about their schedule. It was pretty packed the rest of the week.

“OK. Well, how about a candy cane sucking contest?”

Austin snorted. “Perfect. I’ll add it to the list.”

Someone spoke to Austin in the background.

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