My cock twitches in my pants, and I adjust myself as Eden leaves my office. Obviously she doesn’t know it was me last night, but I gave hints, to see if she’d take the bait. Why the hell did I do that?
Oh, because you want her to know it was you, and you want to fuck her again.
Okay, there was that and yes, it was all kinds of wrong, but it was all kinds of right, too. Still today was supposed to be about getting my head back in the game, and off my sweet manager.
Then why can’t I stop thinking about her?
Probably because she’s sweet and sexy and you’ve liked her since she stepped foot in the building two months ago.
I slowly pull my drawer out, run my thumb over her white lace panties, then pick up the card that had fallen from her purse last night. She left the copier room before me, and it was only after I turned the lights back on that I remembered something had fallen from her purse.
I pick the card up. Holiday Haven. She straight up and told me she wasn’t working two jobs, but isn’t this proof that she is? I wiggle my mouse to wake my computer and type in Holiday Haven.
What pops up in my search surprises me. It’s a holiday text hotline of sorts, a volunteer crisis counseling service where people who are feeling lonely and struggling with the holidays can reach out and text with someone else. A little thrill goes through me that she hadn’t been lying about moonlighting. Then again, she talked about trust being the most important thing in the world to her, so why would I think she was lying. That knots my stomach. She had sex with me in disguise. I didn’t tell her who I was. Talk about a motherfucking breach of trust. But she wanted to play, be naughty with Santa, and fuck man, I wanted to give her that much. How was that for logical reasoning at it’s worst? Seriously though, I thought it would sate my desire for her, when in fact it only made it stronger.
I look over the card again. Is she one of the counselors or is she the lonely one, in need of help? I hope it’s the former and there is only one way for me to find out.
But it will have to wait until later because right now I need to do a bit of research on chocolate body paint, and set up a late afternoon marketing meeting. I turn my attention back to my computer.
By the time lunch hour rolls around, I push from my chair and go in search of Eden. I stick my head into her office and her lids flutter in surprise to see me.
Abandoning her ramen noodles, she stands, and comes around the other side of her desk. Her skirt sticks to her leggings, giving me a great view of her sexy legs.
“Can I help you Mr…I mean Kellan.”
Keep it together Kellan. No matter how much you want to lock the door and bend her over the desk you can’t.
But those legs…
I clear my throat. “I set up a marketing meeting for later this afternoon. I want you to attend.”
Her eyes go wide. “Really?”
“We’re going to discuss the body paint you mentioned, and since the idea was yours I want you there. You seem to have an insight into it, that I don’t.”
“Oh, ah…” She looks everywhere and anywhere but at me. “I don’t really have an insight.”
No, maybe not. But she would soon enough.
“I mean I’ve tasted it before, but not in a way…I mean…’’
Coming to her rescue, I say, “You okay to stay late, or is there somewhere you have to be?”
She crinkles her nose, and goes quiet for a second. “As long as I’m out of here by nine, I should be okay.”
That must be when she hops on the Holiday Haven line.
“The meeting shouldn’t go that long. See you then.”
I leave her, and make my way to the gym to get a good hard run in—to clear all the dirty thoughts from my head. As I walk to the elevator, the staff clear a wide berth and shoot nervous smiles my way. Christ, they all think I’m a stick up the ass droid.
Bend over, see if I can get a rise of him.
My cock twitches at the memory of Eden spilling that little secret, and I jump on the elevator when it opens. Thankful I’m alone, I adjust my growing cock and take a few deep breaths. I change in the locker room, and jump on the treadmill when Jeremy from accounting comes in.
I give him a curt nod, but he looks nervous about something. He glances left, then right, takes in the two women on the exercise bikes—one of whom is smiling madly at him—then moves to the treadmill beside me.
“Kellan,” he says.
“Jeremy,” I greet in return, and refocus on the screen in front of me. I study the stock markets, but my mind is preoccupied. Shit, little Eden is becoming a distraction. I’m either going to have to fire her or fuck her. The first is not an option. This job is obviously important to her, and she’s brilliant. Not only that. Despite my staff thinking I’m Ebenezer Scrooge—a chip off the old man’s block—I’m not like him and not about to lay anyone off at Christmas. I’d take from my own pocket before I’d let that happen. One of the reasons I work my staff hard is so we can stay in business. If I don’t prove myself, my father will take this away and who knows what the next CEO would do, how many heads would roll to get a more profitable bottom line.
Fuck that.
After my thirty minute run, I shut my machine off and wipe my face. I turn to find Jeremy watching me. “Something on your mind?” I ask and toss the towel over my shoulder.
“I…I wanted to ask about the no-fraternizing rule.”
“What about it?”
“Is it really a thing? There’s someone I want to ask out?”
“I glance over his shoulder, catch the way one of my employees is gawking at Jeremy.”
“There are rules for a reason.”
“I know but, if we keep it a secret.”
“From the way she’s staring at you, there is no way you can keep it a secret,” I say.
Christ, if I’m not careful I’m going to give myself away, too. It’s hard to be in the same room as Eden without admiring her.
Then maybe you shouldn’t have invited her to the marketing meeting.
“Who?” Jeremy asks, and glances over his shoulder. “Oh, Jessica and I are just friends.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Well it’s Eden I want to ask out.”
“No fucking way,” I say, then immediately fist my hands. Dammit, that came out too loud and too strong, and why am I being a possessive dick.
Jeremy steps back. “Okay, okay,” he says. “I just thought I’d ask. No fraternizing. I get it.”
Too bad I didn’t.
Hypocrite. Goddam hypocrite.
I hurry to the shower and spend the rest of the afternoon going over numbers and kicking my ass as I do it. When four o’clock rolls around and the staff are leaving, all except marketing, I make my way to Eden’s office, fully intending to tell her she’s no longer needed at the meeting, but her chair is empty.
“Have you seen Eden?” I ask one her administrative assistant.
“I think she’s in the copier room.”
And just like that I get a hard on.
No way, no fucking way can I go in there looking for her, not without bending her over that copier again, and giving my identity away.
“Please tell her she’s no longer needed for the marketing meeting.” I smooth my hand over my tie and make my way to the small boardroom. I open the glass door, to find the marketing team all inside waiting for me. Eden’s nowhere to be found. Good.
I take my seat at the head of the table near the door. Destiny, our marketing direction, sits at the other end of the table, a white board and marker behind her, ready to jot down and expand on our ideas.
I’m about to start the meeting just as the door flings open and little Eden comes rushing in, looking far more rattled than I’ve ever seen her. She has a pink flush on her face, and a handful of files.
“Sorry I’m late. I had to run off some copies, and it took longer than I anticipated.”
“You were in the copier room?”
She gives me an odd look. “Yes.”
Is her face flushed because she’s remembering what she did in there with him—or rather Santa—on Friday? Could that be why she’s so rattled?
Damn I hope so.
Shit.
“Have a seat Eden.” I gesture toward the chair to the left of me. She makes a move to go and her files sail from her hand. Son. Of. A Bitch. Had she done that on purpose?
“Dammit,” she whispers.
She glances at me, like she’s waiting for instructions. Yes, normally I’d snap the files up for her, but now…not going to happy. No matter how hard that’s going to be on me.
“Hurry up Eden. You’re holding the meeting.”
“Oh, okay,” She says and goes down on her knees, her sweet ass aimed my way. It takes every ounce of strength—and I mean every fucking ounce I possess—not to let loose an agonized groan of want.
The room grows silent as we wait for her, and I notice the way her best friend Destiny is watching me. Does she know Eden slept with Santa, and more importantly, does Destiny know I was him?
Eden finally takes a seat and I’m about to begin the meeting, when another thought hits me. “Since I’ve asked you all to stay late, and work on this. I thought I’d order in. How does pizza sound?”
Sounds of surprise ring out around me and I casually let my gaze stray to Eden, who is turning an odd shade of white.
“Do you not like Pizza, Eden?”
“I like it very much.”
“What’s your favorite pizza joint? I invited you to be a part of the team today, the least I could do is order from your favorite place.”
She puts her hands on her lap, exchanges a quick look with Destiny, then turns back to me. “I like Jacks, down on Truman.”
I glance around the room. “Everyone okay with that?”
A chorus of yesses surrounds me.
I take out my phone, search the restaurant and put my order in online. The team members are all talking quietly when I finish. “It should be about thirty minutes.” I wave my hand toward Eden. “I invited Eden today because she came up with a great idea for Valentine’s Day, and I’d like to hash out some details.” I hand the floor over to her and she tells the team about her chocolate body paint idea.
Excitement bubbles through the room. We make candy, and this is a stretch for us, taking our business in a different direction, but we’ll be tapping in to a new market. Yeah, my girl is brilliant.
My girl?
Well, not really.
“I think it’s an excellent idea,” Destiny says. “We’ll be reaching a whole new market segment.”
“Exactly, which is why I called you all here today. We’re going to have to do some deep research. Come up with a strong slogan, one that tells a story.”
“Why don’t we let the body paint do that?” Eden pipes in.
All eyes turn to Eden.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“What if the paint tells the story? We make it a quill that dips into the chocolate, and lovers can write love messages on each others bodies.”
“Keep going,” I say, excitement moving through me because I think she’s really on to something here.
“Well we could even make the chocolate bottle look like an ink pot, and have sugar free chocolate, gluten free etc. I’d buy that. I mean…if I had…I...”
“Brilliant,” Destiny says coming to her rescue. She stands grabs a pen and draws an inkpot on the board.
“If you put feathers on the other end of the pen, it could work as a pleasure aid, too.” Eden adds.
I nod. “You seem to have given this a lot of thought.”
“It just came to me,” she says.
“Well I like the way you think Eden. You should join these meetings more often.”
Destiny turns her focus back to me, and we all sit around for the next half hour exchanging ideas, until my phone pings, indicating the pizza and drinks have arrive.
“Take a break, stretch out. I’ll be right back.”
Excited by Eden’s idea, I hurry to the lobby. The truth is, if this new product proves to be a success, it will definitely elevate my bottom line, and show my father that I have what it takes to run a successful candy business—all thanks to Eden. I think a big bonus is in order. Then maybe she’ll buy herself some nicer sweaters. Although I have to admit, those ugly ones with the bells and ribbons and packages are kind of growing on me, and making me want to unwrap her. Again.
I pay the courier, and carry the five big boxes to the boardroom. I enter to find Eden and Destiny in the corner taking quietly and casting glances my way. I’m fueling the fire, I know, but I can’t seem to help myself. For some reason I like toying with Eden, like keeping her guessing, and just a little off balance. She can never find out it was me though. She’d be mortified and likely quit. I’d never want to embarrass her like that, and the last thing I want is for her to leave Sweet Bites. I really should put a stop to all my teasing now. That thought sours my stomach because I don’t want to. I want to be with her again, and I want her to know it’s me.
A little uneasy, I set the five big boxes on the table. “Dig in.” I say and help myself to a big slice. I drop down into my chair, crack a soda and take a long pull. Once everyone is finished eating, I check my watch. “I can’t see any reason for you all to stay any later. I’m sure you can work on this tomorrow, and get me your thoughts and designs by late afternoon. I’d like to have a sample for our clients as soon as possible.
Everyone begins to file out, and when Eden walks past me, I say, “Eden can I have a word with you. In my office.”
“Oh, sure. Just let me put these files on my desk and I’ll be right in.”
My cock twitches as I make my way back to the office, and do a quick search on the closest sex shop. I memorize the address, and when Eden knocks, I try to keep my voice and actions professional.
“How about a little research trip?”
What the hell are you doing, dude?
“Research trip? For what?”
“I think I’d like to check out the competition. See how they’re bottling their chocolate, and how it tastes. I want to make sure we come out with a superior product, and I need to do all the market research I can.”
“Well, I guess. Just let me grab my coat.”
“Don’t worry, you’ll be back home before nine.”
“Okay, thanks.”
She disappears down the hall and comes back with her purse and jacket. She tugs it on, struggles a bit with one of the sleeves.
“Here let me help.” I stand behind her, close, catch her sweet raspberry fragrance and it’s all I can do not to push her hair to the side and run my lips over her neck. I fix her jacket, turn her to face me, and adjust the hood.
“Thanks,” she says her voice a breathy whisper, her body practically quivering.
Fuck man, I love the way she responds to me.
“I did a search on the closest sex shop that sells body paint,” I tell her.
Her steps still as we reach the elevator. “We’re going to a sex shop?”
“Sure, that’s the only place that sells body paint.” I steal a glance at the pink crawling up her neck. “Do you have a problem with that?”
“No, no problem at all.”
We climb onto the elevator, and she presses her back to the wall, her arms crossed. We both remain quiet, listening to the piped in music as we descended. The doors open and I wave my hand for her to step out.
“We’ll take my car.”
Light snowflakes are falling when we get outside, and Eden pulls her hood up. I grab my fob and unlock the door to my Prius. I follow her around to the passenger side.
“What are you doing?” she asks, when I reach for the handle.
“Getting your door for you.”
Her eyes widen. “Oh, thanks,” she says as she slides in. What, has no man ever opened a door for her before? Christ, she’s not a jerk magnet; there are just a lot of jerks out there. It’s about time this woman found a man who’s going to treat her right.
I slide into the driver’s seat, and start the engine. Her teeth are shivering so I jack the heat.
“Sooo, cold,” she murmurs.
“Winter in Pennsylvania,” I say and exit the parking lot.
“Why do we live here?” Her eyes are playful when she glances at me.
“Because we have the best chocolate in the world.” The car starts to warm as I drive along the dark streets, traffic still heavy this time of night. Ten minutes later, as I pull into the parking lot of Pleasure N’ Treasure, light flecks of snow begin to fall.
“Doesn’t look too busy.”
“Good,” she says quickly.
I turn to her, note her clenched hands. “Eden if this makes you uncomfortable in any way, you can wait here.”
“No not at all,” she says. “It’s not like I’ve never been in a sex store before.” She lifts her chin as she says it, a good indication that she’s fibbing. “We’re both adults right, and this is for research,” she adds and with that she opens her door and climbs out.
Those light flecks of snow grow heavier, thicker as I meet her at the front of the car, and when we reach the store, a little bell over the door jingles indicating our arrival.
“Welcome to Pleasures N’ Treasures,” the lady behind the counter says. “Can I help you find anything?”
“Just browsing,” I say, as Eden shakes the snow from her hair and looks around at all the product, her eyes big. I lean into her, and give her a nudge, to set her into motion. Together we browse the shelves, and some of the faces Eden makes as she looks at the toys are downright hilarious.
I pick up a toy and examine it. “This looks like a dog’s chew toy,” I whisper to Eden and she covers her mouth as she laughs.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“And this,” I say, picking up some strange product that looks like it belongs on the end of a vacuum. “I have no idea what it is?”
“It’s the womanizer deluxe,” the clerk says. “It’s aammmaazzzinggg.” She winks at Eden. “If you know what I mean.”
Eden’s face is all kinds of pink as I look the machine over. “Oh, I get it,” I say. “You place this—”
“Omg, Kellan,” Eden says and turns away.
“Are you sure I can’t help you find something?” the lady asks, amusement in her voice.
“Chocolate body paint,” Eden says quickly, like she can’t wait to get out of the store.
“Right this way.” We both follow her, and I continue to examine all the little toys, my mind racing on all the sexy ways Eden and I could play with them.
She leads us to the aisle with the chocolate, and waves her hand. “Right here.”
“Thanks,” I say, and pick up the tub. I look it over. “We need to make our packaging more attractive.”
“This looks like it could be a tub of my face cream.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t taste like one.”
Eden follows me to the cash and I pay. The clerk gives us a wink and says, “Have fun you two.”
Eden says, “Oh, it’s not—”
“Don’t worry, we will,” I say, and Eden glares at me.
“Why did you say that?” she asks as we head to the door.
“No reason.”
“Now she thinks we’re going to use this on each other.”
“We are.”
I can practically hear her brain racing as I open the door and gesture for her to exit. I take a quick peek at my watch. It’s only six-thirty. Plenty of time for us to try out the competitor’s product and get her home for nine.
“You want me to try the paint out with you?” she says over her shoulder as she steps outside
“Market research,” is all I say. “We have to taste it, play with it a little.” The sexy little bedroom noise that catches in her throat teases my already hard cock.
I follow her out but the ground is now covered with snow, and her feet go out from beneath her.
“Omg,” she shrieks, but I catch her before she falls. I drag her to me, her back to my chest, and put my chin on her shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I ask.
“Yes, thank you,” she says, her voice soft, breathless. I tighten my hold on her. “The ground is icy. I had no idea.”
“The temperature is dropping, and the snow is moving in faster than forecasted. We need to get out of here. The roads are going to be treacherous. Will you be okay, if I let you go?”
“I think so.”
I slowly release her, but she wobbles again, so I put my arm around her, anchor her to my body and hold her like that as we cross the near empty parking lot.
I help her into the passenger seat, climb in and turn the car on to get her warm. After adjusting the temp, I jump out, and grab my snow scraper from the trunk. She cracks her window.
“I can help.”
I smile at the offer, am touched by it really. She’s far different from the women I’m accustomed to. “You stay warm. I got it.”
Once I’ve cleared the window, I shake the snow from my coat, and get into the warm car. “Damn it’s a mess out there.” I ease my car from the parking lot, and my tires crunch over the snow covered roads. Good thing I have the top of the line snow tires. “No way can we go back to the office. We need to get home.” I cast a glance her way and catch the worry in her eyes. “I don’t like the idea of you driving home on these roads.”
“I don’t have a car. I bus.” She points to the closest bus stop. “Just let me out here.”
What? Is she serious? I give a hard shake of my head. “I’m not dropping you off downtown in the dark during a storm.”
“I have to get home soon,” she says, almost frantic.
“I know. Before nine.”
She fidgets with her purse. “Well, it’s a phone thing. I don’t have to be home, per say.”
“Where do you live? I can drive you.”
“Kentville Heights.”
“That’s on the other side of town.” I go quiet for a moment. I know what I’m about to do isn’t smart or rational, but when I’m around her, that seems to be par for the course. “I have an idea.”
“Yeah?”
“I’m ten minutes from here. Why don’t you stay at my place tonight.” She opens her mouth, to protest no doubt, so I cut her off. Why the hell is this so important to me? “I have a ton of space, and lots of spare rooms. You can have your pick.” She makes a face and stares at her lap. “You can do your nine o’clock calls in the privacy of your own room.”
“I’m not sure…the bus.”
“It’s too dangerous for us to be on the roads, and I’m not letting you out when I don’t even think the busses are running. What kind of guy do you think I am, anyway?”
Her lids slowly lift, that sexy demure look in her gaze when her eyes meet mine. “I think you’re a very nice man,” she says.
My heart squeezes.
Careful dude.
“Okay, good. Then the decision is made. You’re coming home with me.”
“You’re kind of bossy, too,” She says under her breath.
“Well I am the boss.”
“I didn’t mean it was a bad thing.”
Jesus fuck. Demure Eden is such a contradiction. Sweet and quiet in the office, but underneath it lays a strong, empowered woman who likes her man in charge behind closed doors.
I concentrate on the road ahead, and creep along. The ten-minute drive taking close to thirty. I pull into the buildings underground parking, and turn off my car.
“This is where you live?” she asks. “Docs Apartments?”
I nod. “Yeah, you know the place.”
“Heard of it. These places have a great view of the Allegheny River.”
“It will be really pretty tonight with the snow falling.”
I reach for the handle and she stiffens. “I don’t even have any clothes or even a toothbrush.”
“I have an extra toothbrush. And you can borrow some of my clothes. Tomorrow when the weather is better I’ll take you home before work.”
“Thanks. I wouldn’t want to climb out of your car tomorrow morning in the same clothes as I wore today. People would talk. Get the wrong idea about us.”
Fuck them.
“Yeah, we wouldn’t want that.”
I grab the bag from the adult Pleasure’s N’ Treasures store, and meet her at the front of the car. We get in the elevator, and I put my penthouse suite key into the slot. From my peripheral vision, I catch the widening of Eden’s eyes.
The elevator doors open to my suite and we step off. Eden walks around tentatively, carefully, taking in the big apartment. She walks up to the floor to ceiling window and looks at the river below. “Beautiful,” she whispers.
“Hungry?” I ask her.
She turns to face me. “No I’m good. Still full from the pizza.” I hold my hand out for her coat and she shrugs out of it. Jesus does she have to move her hips like that?
I hang our coats up. “How about a drink then?”
“Would love one.”
I go to the kitchen. “I have beer, wine, champagne—”
“Wine is good.”
I pour us each a glass of white wine, and carry them into the living room. We sit on the sofa facing the river, and I study her as I take a sip. “What do you do for fun, Eden?”
A flush moves into her cheeks. “Well…I uh…”
I lean toward her. Is she going to tell me her most recent fun event was sex with Santa in the copier room.
“Truthfully, I haven’t had a lot of time for fun lately. Destiny is always riding me about that. She wants me to get on Tinder.”
The sadness in her eyes catches me off guard. “How come you haven’t had time for a lot of fun? Is the boss working you too hard at Sweet Bites.”
She chuckles, takes a sip of her wine, and says, “No, I love my job.”
“Good.”
“I could as you that same question, you know. You work twenty-four seven. When was the last time you had any fun?”
“Point taken.” I sip my wine, and relax against the sofa. I like being here with her. Suddenly my apartment doesn’t feel so big and lonely. “The thing is,” I begin. “I know I work everyone hard but if I can’t prove to my dad that I have what it takes to make a profitable bottom like before my thirtieth birthday in March, he’s going to take the company from me.”
Why the hell am I telling her this?
She sits up a little straighter. “You’re kidding me.”
“I have no idea who’ll take over or what cuts they’ll make. I care about the staff more than an inflated bottom line, Eden. I don’t want to see anyone fired.”
Her eyes soften, and the little curl of her lips fucks me over.
“You’re a really good guy.”
I push back into the sofa. “I know what they say about me around the office.”
Her hand creeps across the cushion, and touches mine. “And yet you let them call you names when deep down you’re only doing what’s best for them. You’re like our own secret Santa.”
Oh, Jesus, she has no idea.
I glance at her hand, and she quickly pulls it back. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t mean—”
“No, it’s okay.” Fuck man, I want her hand back on mine. But I shouldn’t be doing this. “So what is it you have to do at nine?”
She shrugs. “Oh, it’s just this phone thing I do?”
“Phone thing?”
“Well it’s not moonlighting, or anything,” she says quickly. “It’s volunteer.”
“Go on.”
“Some people struggle through the holiday, and I volunteer at Holiday Haven. Just to talk to those having trouble. Give them an ear to bend, a friendly text when they have no one. I try to be available before and after work.”
I swear to fuck my heart just grew two sizes.
Is she really this sweet? I shake my head, past mistakes telling me there has to be a catch. I went down this road once only to get run over by an eighteen-wheeler.
“It’s a great thing you’re doing,” I say quietly.
“Thanks. I…never really had much growing up. It was just my mom, my younger sister and me, and mom worked hard but we couldn’t afford presents.” A tiny smile touches the corner of her lips, like she’s remembering her past. “The biggest gift she ever gave us was herself, you know. Her undivided attention, her love and compassion. She showed us the true meaning of Christmas. It wasn’t packages and parcels, it was helping in the community, giving what you could to those who needed it more.”
My heart thumps against my ribcage. “She sounds amazing.”
“She was. She passed away a couple years ago.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shakes her head. “Thanks.” Her lids flutter, a hint of moisture beneath. “What were Christmas’s like for you.”
“I’d say the complete opposite of yours. I was given everything, toys, bikes, train sets you name it, but no one to teach me how to ride, put the tracks together with me.”
‘I’m sorry, Kellan.”
I take in the warmth on her face, the sincerity. “Thanks.”
She inches a bit closer. “Dad left us when we were young. I never knew him. I don’t know whatever happened to him. I just hope he found the peace and happiness he was looking for.”
Where was the anger? The girl with daddy issues? Lord knows I’ve met numerous of them in my social circle. “You’re not mad?”
She frowns. “I’m sad about it.”
“That was a pretty shitty thing for him to do. He didn’t take care of his two daughters or your mother, send money, help with the bills?”
“No, but we managed without him. We had love and didn’t need things.” She blinks and shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know why I’m telling you all this.”
“Maybe because you always do the listening instead of the talking. Like you said we all need someone to talk to.”
“Who do you talk to?” she asks.
I stiffen at that. “I…well…I grew away from my college friends when I started working here and getting my shit together. Like I said, my folks were a lot different than your mom. Very self centered, and my Dad worries about the bottom line more than anything. The only time I ever got to see him when I was a kid was if I came into the office.”
Her eyes are soft, full of compassion. “So you don’t have anyone?”
“I guess right now I have you.”
The smile that comes over her face lights up my room, fills it with hearth and home, something that had always been missing from this place. “Yes, you do have me.”
For a little while anyway.
“When you were little, what was the one thing you asked Santa for, one thing you really wanted but never got.”
She laughs a little. “Well I always wanted a Nintendo Game Boy, but they were too expensive. I learned early on Santa wasn’t real, and not to ask for things.” She goes quiet, thoughtful for a moment. “Do you like what you do?” she asks.
I nod my head. “You know, I do.”
“Why is your Dad holding the company over you?”
I scrub my chin. “I was a bit wild back in the day. Drank too much, played too much. It’s a wonder I ever graduated. Maybe he’s worried I’ll slip into my old habits.”
She laughs. “You? A bad boy? I never would have guessed.”
“I think I acted out, just for the attention.”
“I understand that. We all do odd thing for attention, don’t we?”
The sudden visual of her dropping her pen and bending over for my attention grips my balls. Jesus, I want her again. Does she want me again too? What if I make a move on her and she runs, never to come back to the office?
But what if she doesn’t?
With a desperate kind of need gripping me, I’m about to inch closer, press my lips to hers, but go still when her cell phone pings. “Is that a Holiday Haven text?”
“No that’s not a text. It’s Destiny. She has her own special ring.”
“You should grab that. She’s probably worried about you getting home.”
I leave the room to give her privacy and head to my bedroom to get her something to wear to bed, although the thoughts of her in my clothes…well, that shit is messing with my cock big time.
Down boy.
I rifle through my closet, grab her a t-shirt and a pair of my workout sweats. They’ll be big, but they have a drawstring. I walk back to the room to find her fingers flying over the phone. I can just image the look on Destiny’s face when she finds out Eden is at my place. But as I watch her text, an idea forms.
I come back into the room, and she sets her phone down.
“Everything okay?” I ask.
“Perfect.”
“These are big, but they’re just for sleeping. Come on, I’ll show you to your room and you can get changed.”
She stands, and I make my down the hall. Her feet shuffle on the wood floor behind me, and an odd burst of happiness wells up in me. I love having her here.
“Right here,” I say, and point to one of my spare rooms. This one has a view of the river. If you’re up early enough, you’ll see the most spectacular sunrise. It’s worth setting your alarm for.”
“I will. Thanks.”
“Go ahead and get changed. I have a couple calls to make.”
I leave the room, shut the door behind me, and pull my cell phone from my back pocket. I punch in the number I’d already memorized this morning.