Christmas Treats - A Collection of Holiday Rom-coms

by Piper Rayne

  I pull the dress on, go to my vanity, apply a giant glob of curl volumizer, and quickly blow out my tresses, so they hang loose in bouncy curls around my shoulders. Then, I apply my signature smoky eye makeup, which is the only nighttime look I’ve managed to master; hence, it’s a signature style. Usually, I prefer a more natural palette.

  Strapping on my stilettos, I take one last look in the full body mirror to affirm that I am, indeed, smoking hot, then turn to the door.

  “Damn, girl.” Connor whistles. “You gonna make me reconsider this gay thing.”

  “We tried that, Con, remember?” I pat his arm with fondness.

  “Right, and we both prefer dick.”

  “Yes, and I admit I envy the man who gets yours.”

  “You never actually tried mine,” Connor reminds me.

  “True. And dick notwithstanding, I envy any person who gets to be loved by you.”

  “Aw, that’s sweet, Elle.” Connor pulls me into a tight hug from behind, kissing the top of my head. “You will always be my boo. You know that, right?”

  “I do.” I snuggle closer to him. “Now, come on, let’s get drunk and break some hearts!”

  “Now you talkin’, baby girl!” Connor whoops and smacks my ass. “I met this sexy bartender named James earlier today at Costco, so we are going to this hot new club, where there should be no one we know and no one who knows us in sight. You can go wild.”

  “Sounds perfect.”

  And it is. The club is all sexy and upbeat music, packed with people grinding and swaying under shimmering green, red and gold strings, some holding silver stars, and some cutouts of mistletoe.

  There’s a selection of red Santa hats, antlers, or green elf hats at the entrance. Con and I both go for reindeer antlers with a matching red nose, taking a selfie that goes straight on our socials.

  “Girl, we are on fy-er,” I exclaim to Connor’s deep laughter rumbling over the loud music.

  “Come on,” Connor yells, pulling me toward the bar. “James, this is Elle, Elle, meet James.”

  James, tall, lean, and wearing nothing but a pair of tight jeans and an open Santa robe, kisses Connor on each cheek. I stretch out my arm to shake his hand and get pulled into an identical double cheek peck.

  “You are gorge!” James declares with a heavy Texan accent and a wide grin, winking at Connor as he places three shot glasses on the bar. “What’s your poison, little reindeer? And the answer better be tequila.”

  “Tequila, it is.” I laugh, gesturing the glasses. James pours us shots, and we clink them over the bar, tossing our heads back and returning them with a slam.

  The rest of the night is a blur. Connor and I dance and laugh, heading back to the bar every few songs to fuel on tequila shots, then right back to the dance floor.

  On my way out of the toilets, where it’s quieter, I hear the familiar voice of a man followed by a girly giggle.

  My first thought is that it’s Connor. Being slightly tipsy, I decide investigating is a good idea.

  “Have you been a naughty elf?” the deep rumble of a voice I know all too well reaches my ears, and, if I’m being honest, all the way down to my panties as well.

  “I have. What are you going to do about it?” a teasing female voice replies.

  “Declan?” I ask when I find him huddled in a corner under fake mistletoe with an unknown brunette in a green elf hat. I cover my mouth to hide my giggles as he turns to me with a mortified expression, the white pompom of his Santa hat flopping onto his face from the speed in which he whips his head around.

  “Elle?” he practically squeals, batting the pompom away. “What are you doing here?”

  “Dancing, drinking, having fun.” I give up my pretense and let the laughter roll out. “I’m sorry. I was assured no one I know would be here, let alone my boss.”

  “Oh. She works for you?” The brunette relaxes, drawing back her proverbial claws.

  “Yes, she does,” Declan affirms, and I don’t miss how his eyes keep drifting down my body, though he’s making a valiant attempt to stay focused on my face.

  Ten points to Connor for the wardrobe selection.

  “I apologize for the interruption. Please proceed.” I snort again. “I’ll see you Monday, Dec.”

  “See you Monday, Elle,” he musters with an embarrassed looking half-smile.

  I take a few steps, then venture a look over my shoulder and don’t miss the daggers the girl he’s with shoots at him when his eyes follow me walking away.

  “Okay, I’ve officially maxed myself out tonight,” I declare to Connor when I return to the bar. “You good?”

  “I am A-Okay, baby girl,” Connor assures me with a not-entirely-sober smile, his red nose falling off when he blows a kiss at James across the bar, who promptly catches it and tucks it into his pocket. “Talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Night, Con.” I kiss him on the cheek before waving at James and exiting the club to wait for my Uber when out of nowhere, a large hand rests on my shoulder.

  My first instinct is to turn and smack the motherfucker up the head full force with my purse. My second is utter mortification when I realize I just assaulted my boss.

  “Shit! Dec, are you okay?” I ask in a rush and run my palm over the part of his head I bashed.

  Way to cop a drunk feel, Elle. Mental high five!

  “Yeah. Good instincts.”

  “Sorry about that.” I wince, offering him his Santa hat, which fell to the sidewalk.

  “No, no, I’m glad you have good survival skills,” he hurries to assure me with an amused smile. “I wanted to make sure things weren’t going to be weird in the office.”

  “Why would they be?” I frown.

  “I, uh… I don’t know.” Declan scrunches his nose in thought. “You look…” He stops to think of a word, “You look wow, by the way.”

  “I know,” I reply with a sassy grin, walking up to my Uber that has just arrived. “Have fun, Dec. Watch out for those claws, though. Your naughty elf seemed ready to pounce.”

  “See you Monday,” he says again with a chuckle, and I wiggle my fingers at him.

  Well, that was worth leaving the house for.

  4

  Declan

  “You and Eloise meeting with Carmine today?” My best friend, Lincoln, asks.

  When we were assigned to the same dorm back in the academy, we became fast friends, a friendship that survived us landing our dream spots on the force in different states.

  Even my leaving the force to follow Isiah Peak in his private endeavor didn’t hinder our friendship, which I was thankful for considering I trust very few people in this world. In fact, it was probably one of the main reasons I agreed to Zane’s offer. Moving to LA meant having my best bud close again after almost five years of long-distance.

  “Yeah,” I affirm. “You at the station?”

  “Yeah, I got some new cases.”

  Linc works in the LAPD’s Detective Bureau, specifically in the Cyber Crimes Section of the Commercial Crimes Division. And he is exceptionally good at his job.

  “Cool. Want to catch the game at my place later?”

  “Sure,” he replies, though I can tell his mind is already on a case. “It’s her first time meeting him, right?”

  He’s been asking a lot about Elle since he saw me follow her out that night at the club. Not that I can blame him. She’s more beautiful than most girls I’ve met, and she dialed it up to full divinity mode for the club, with her shimmering curls bouncing around those sexy antlers, and that dress which was hugging her every curve, barely hiding those long toned stems, looking sexy as sin in strappy red heels. She even made that ridiculous clown nose look hot.

  “Yeah, we’ve finally worked out the pitch,” I reply, pushing back the unfamiliar feeling of annoyance at his constant questions. “And if Elle’s going to be my second in this operation, she needs to know the frenemy.”

  Lincoln bursts out laughing. He’s met Carmine a couple of times, and, a
s much as we both like the guy, he can be a piece of work.

  “Well, tell her to wear that green dress,” Linc suggests. “You could offer Carmine a house made of shit, and he’d say yes.”

  And that right there breaks my self-control.

  “She’s a professional, Linc. Not some piece of ass I’m going to dangle in front of Carmine like candy. Have some respect.”

  “Okay, geez, it was a joke,” Lincoln huffs, and after a few seconds of thoughtful silence, probably concludes I’m right. “Yeah, that was out of bounds, Dec. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s fine,” I wave him off. “I’ll see you tonight, get the beer.”

  “Yep. Bye.”

  The next order of business is texting Elle where to meet me. I pull up her contact to do just that, but somehow it comes out as “I’ll pick you up in 30.”

  Great.

  Getting my shit together, I secure an address and drive up to Elle’s building, waiting for her to come out. When the door opens, and she steps into the sunlight, I find myself unable to tear my gaze away.

  Even when she’s dressed for work with a bright-pink skirt and a white blouse, she’s perfection personified. The fabric glides over the soft skin of her never-ending legs, and her bright curly hair whips behind her as she hurries her steps.

  Just as she bends down, I lean forward to open the door, getting an eyeful of her cleavage. Oh, boy. I take a deep breath, ordering my blood to backtrack up north.

  “Good morning,” she greets with a bright smile, handing me one of the travel mugs she’s holding.

  “Good morning to you, too.” I smile back, examining the cup in my hand. “Born to be a girl boss?”

  “The other says to put on your lipstick and hustle if you prefer.” Elle holds up her own mug.

  “I can be a girl boss.”

  “It’s a privilege to be a girl boss,” Elle declares and sips on her coffee. “Not everyone gets to drink from my boss lady mugs, I’ll have you know.”

  “I’m honored.” I raise my cup in her direction and take a sip. “Good coffee.”

  “French press.”

  “Fancy.”

  “I’m a fancy kind of girl,” Elle replies with the same sassy grin from that night she caught me with Flora, now no longer in the picture due to the jealous attack she had after I followed Elle out.

  No amount of explaining that it was about work helped calm her down, and telling her she was overreacting, considering we were only on our fourth date and I was gone for less than five minutes, pretty much assured there won’t be a date number five.

  Not that it was looking bright, to begin with. Flora wanted someone to always put her first, and I always put the job first.

  “You ready, fancy pants boss lady?” I ask Elle when we pull up at the lot on Bleeker Street, Carmine’s gold Jaguar already waiting for us there.

  “He cannot be that bad,” Elle scoffs and rolls her eyes.

  “Not bad. Just with a strong personality.” I circle around to the passenger side, opening the door and offering Elle a hand. Warmth spreads up my arm and through my chest when she takes it, and Elle looks at me through her lashes. She faces me with a soft smile playing on her lips, and the faint scent of freshly baked sweets wafts to my nose, taking over my senses.

  “Oh, there you are!” Carmine rushes toward us, and it’s almost as if he and Elle coordinated outfits, what with his bright blue polo and large, white-rimmed sunglasses. However, his are decorated with rhinestones. He’s also wearing one of those hats that always remind me of gondola operators in Venice over his dark brown hair. “I have been waiting for ages.”

  “We’re ten minutes early,” I point out.

  “Are you?” Carmine stops and rubs his neatly trimmed beard in thought, then catches sight of Elle. “Oh, my.”

  “Eloise Bloom meet Carmine Capello,” I introduce. “Carmine, Elle is my second in command for the Bleeker project.”

  “I can see why you chose her.” Carmine lowers his shades to reveal dark brown eyes, then proceeds to shamelessly scan Elle head to toe.

  Despite knowing there is nothing sexual about his appreciative gaze, I still feel that pesky annoyance bubbling in my gut.

  “I chose Elle because she’s a brilliant architect, and her creative thinking will benefit your unique flare.” I force myself to stay under control, though I can’t stop that little jab at the end.

  What the hell is wrong with me?

  “We’ll see,” Carmine replies, flashing his pearly whites. Standing between us, he loops his arms through ours, leading us to the center of the empty lot.

  “Show me what you got, Moretti.”

  For the next couple of hours, the three of us go through the various teams’ designs, using Zane’s patented software to show Carmine how each facet of the new complex connects, intertwines, and layers into a grand plan we hope he’ll be satisfied with.

  Carmine surprises me with his sharp and on-point comments, his vision truly exemplary and unique.

  But what really blows me away is how easily Elle accommodates him. She knows how to tweak each aspect of the design, whether it be the architecture or landscape, even interior, to keep the flow and avoid us having to redo the entire blueprint.

  Between the two of us, me on the technical side and Elle on creative, there’s no stopping us. We may just hand in the final blueprints for Carmine’s approval by Christmas, which means that, against all forecasts, the entire team will be free to use their complimentary week off during the holidays.

  “You were right, Dec,” Carmine declares, staring at Elle with awe. “She really does get my flare.”

  “You make it easy, Carmine.” Elle links her arm through his, walking him toward the cars. “The way you talk about your art, with so much passion and conviction, reminds me of Connor, my best friend.”

  “Is that so?” Carmine coos. “What art does Connor practice?”

  “Sculptures, mainly environmental.” Elle pulls out her phone and shows us a gallery of sculptures combining driftwood and scrap metal. Every few photos depict a large black man in the midst of crafting the impressive pieces.

  “I may have to take a look at those,” Carmine observes, lowering his John Elton style sunglasses to get a better look.

  “Con would like that very much,” Elle exclaims with glee.

  “Elle, it was more a pleasure than I can put into words.” Carmine clasps her hand and plants a kiss on its back. “Dec, you didn’t screw up. Good for you.”

  “Geez, Carmine, thanks,” I reply with a chuckle, clapping his back. “We’ll be in touch when we have the final blueprints.”

  When we’re back in the car, I start the engine, waiting for Elle to buckle up, but she just sits there with a broad smile practically bouncing in her seat, so I wait with an amused glare.

  “That was amazing!” she finally lets out with a squeal, throwing her arms around my neck, her patisserie scent hitting me full force, and before I can think better of it, I wrap my arms around her to return the hug.

  “You are amazing.” I laugh along with her, reluctant to let go but knowing I must. “Come on, we have a lot of work to do if we want to have a normal Christmas vacation.”

  “Thank you, Dec.” Her eyes twinkle when she leans back in her seat and fastens her seatbelt and grabbing my hand before completing her sentence. “For taking a chance on me.”

  “Always.” I smile at her, wishing I could take another.

  5

  Eloise

  Another late night at the office with Declan.

  These hours with him have been taking their toll on my double-A battery stock, but it’s almost over. Less than two weeks, and it’s Christmas.

  Today is particularly trying since we’re tackling architecture meets security, which means Dec and I are the only ones here. And boy is my spank bank of Declan Moretti fantasies having a field day out of this scenario.

  Not that I would ever act on any of them, but the fine line between professional and
personal is constantly blurring with every flirty glance and private joke Dec and I share. The intimacy of our relationship grows the longer we spend time together.

  Despite our conscious efforts to never touch, the sexual tension between us is off the charts, and there’s no telling how much longer we’ll be able to hold back.

  Going over the final blueprints, I fine comb the details in hopes of calling it a night soon, as it’s getting rather late.

  “Dec, I had a thought,” I call out. Since my new status came with a private office, Dec had the one next to his vacated to make communicating easier as we work. It isn’t a large office, but I managed to squeeze in two vintage dark gray armchairs in a corner with a small round wooden coffee table that Connor washed gray to match, finishing the look with a colorful woven rug. All finds from a grand tour with Carmine through a lesser-known flea market in the city.

  “Yep?” Declan pops his head in, eyes tired and hair messy from running his fingers through it too many times.

  Aaaaand, his sexy just leveled up. Again.

  “About the location of the entrance points.” I indicate for him to come and look at what I am working on.

  Declan gazes over my shoulder, examining the blueprint. He’s so close the heat emanating off his body causes my cheeks to flush, his breath gently swaying the strands that fell out of my impromptu bun.

  “So, um, this door…um, should be moved to the west side of the building, and…” I stop my explanation when he chuckles softly, my face further heating up. “What?”

  “Nothing. Sorry. Proceed,” Declan prompts, and I try to shake off the embarrassment.

  “So, the door. From this entrance point, we can offer maximum privacy and…” I trail off when I realize Declan has drifted so close to me, his chest is now pressed against my back. “Are you sniffing me?” I whisper rather loudly, possibly in dread, because Declan freezes for a few seconds before inching away, leaving me flustered and kind of sorry I didn’t shut my trap.

  Why can’t I be one of those girls who just go with the flow when their hot boss presses his hard body against them and takes a whiff?