Free For Love's Sake Only by Lena Matthews Page B

like she’d ever made such an effort with any other man in her life. That alone should have told her of her feelings, but now that she knew, now that she really knew, she just wanted to bask in the glow.
    She was in love.
    Charlotte was almost to his side before he spotted her, but when he did, his entire face lit up with joy. It was the most beautiful sight Charlotte had ever seen. Her man, happy to see her. Coming to his side, Charlotte stood up on her tiptoes and placed a warm kiss against his firm lips. Although she wanted to strip him bare and have her wicked way with him right there where they stood, she knew she couldn’t, so she kept her kiss quick, not wanting to tempt herself more than she already was.
    Pulling back, she smiled up at him. “Hi, stranger.” Ty encircled her waist, holding her to him, and smiled back at her. “Sorry I’m late.” Spurs & Mistletoe: For Love’s Sake Only
    63
    “I didn’t even notice,” she lied, no longer caring how long it took him to get there, just thankful that he was.
    “You look beautiful.”
    “As do you. I didn’t know you owned a suit,” she kidded stepping back to admire him up close.
    “My good jeans were at the cleaners.”
    “I bet. You know ...” Charlotte took his hand in hers, about to say something else, when she noticed the boisterous party had seemed to die down a bit. Glancing around she saw several people avert their eyes quickly, as if they hadn’t been staring. Smiling mischievously, Charlotte couldn’t help but to agitate the situation a little. “Good thing I like being center of attention.”
    “I think we should give them something to really stare at.” Ty leaned forward and covered her mouth with his own before she could utter a word, and the second his lips touched hers, Charlotte lost all will to.
    All thoughts of their surroundings, of the people staring, all fell to the wayside as she gave in to Ty’s demanding kiss. She was becoming an addict to his kisses. It had only been five days, as Tamara noted, since she had last seen him and yet she couldn’t stop kissing him.
    She didn’t want to.
    Ty was the first to break away, which was a good thing, because Charlotte could have kissed him all night. “I think we got their attention.”
    “I’d say,” Tamara called from behind her.
    Flushed, Charlotte backed up a step, desperate to get some air to her burning lungs.
    “We were just trying to prove a point.”
    “What, that you two need to either go to a hotel or charge a fee?” Winking at Charlotte, Tamara held her hand out to Ty. “Hello, I’m the best friend, confidante, and one of the many women who are gnashing their teeth in envy.” 64 Lena Matthews
    Roaring with laughter, Ty took her hand in his own. “It’s very nice to meet you at long last, Tamara. I’ve heard many good things about you.”
    “Not as good as some of things I’ve heard about you, I bet.”
    “Really?” Turning his smiling blue eyes toward Charlotte, Ty asked, “What has she said?”
    “She’s said --” interjected Charlotte, refusing to allow Tamara to get started, “-- that if my so-called friend says anything, she will die a slow death. A very slow and painful death.”
    “You never let me have any fun,” Tamara pouted. Sighing, she turned back to Ty.
    “Would you care to dance?”
    “It would be an honor,” Ty said, taking her hand and placing it in the crook of his arm.
    “I’ll be back.”
    “I’ll be here.” Charlotte smiled, glad to see that the two of them were getting along.
    The two of them no sooner made it to the dance floor, than Charlotte was suddenly surrounded by several of her female co-workers. “Who is he?” one of them asked boldly.
    Charlotte turned to the lusting women and said the one thing she thought they needed to know. “He’s mine.”
    There were too many men staring at Charlotte’s ass for Ty’s peace of mind. Not that he couldn’t take any or all of them at any given time; he’d just hate to