Holiday Playbook--A Christmas workplace romance

by Yahrah St. John

  She turned and found Wynn glaring at her.

  She swallowed and forced herself to breathe. Remembering her manners, she turned to Mavis. “Mavis, I’d like you to meet Wynn Starks. He runs Starks Inc., a health and sports drink company.”

  “Mr. Starks, you gave a great speech earlier,” Mrs. Bradley said. “I was moved.”

  “Thank you, ma’am.” He inclined his head. “Would you mind terribly if I stole Giana away? I’ve been waiting all night for a chance to dance with her.”

  “Oh, of course not. You young folks go right ahead.” She waved them off.

  Giana did the best she could to maintain her composure as he guided her toward the dance floor. She could feel his hot palm on her bare back as if he were branding her. Once there, he pulled her toward him, taking her hand in his and sliding his arm around her waist. Then she made the mistake of glancing up at Wynn.

  Everything about him was strong. The determined set of his clean-shaven jaw—though she’d preferred the five o’clock shadow from yesterday. The eyes as dark as midnight fringed by thick, ink-black lashes. The muscular, fit body, which showed he wasn’t afraid of a little sweat. She’d read his bio and knew once he set a goal, he did everything in his power to achieve it. To be a self-made billionaire at thirty was quite impressive.

  She hazarded him another glance, but shouldn’t have, because once she did, she was tethered to his gaze. She couldn’t look away even if she tried. He was mesmerizing. Enthralling. Magnetic. She dragged her eyes downward and instead found herself staring at his incredible sumptuous mouth and wondering what it would be like to have that mouth on hers.

  Oh God, she was in trouble.

  “What’s wrong, Giana?” Wynn asked, peering down at her. “Get more than you bargained for?”

  She didn’t cower easily; instead, she smiled sweetly up at him. “Of course not. I know exactly what I’m doing—trying to get an audience with an elusive billionaire who’s playing hard to get.”

  “Is that right?” he whispered so only she could hear him. His lips were centimeters from her ear. “I wonder if we should test that theory, hmm...?”

  “Test away.” The moment she uttered the taunt, Giana wished she could take it back, because Wynn pulled her even closer. And when his hips brushed hers, Giana felt the unmistakable imprint of his arousal. The room disappeared, and it felt as if they were the only two people in the whole world. She followed his lead and smiled wide as Wynn easily spun her around the dance floor.

  When the familiar song ended, Giana looked up and met Wynn’s gaze. Their eyes locked on each other, and Wynn thrust his fingers into her hair. Giana knew if he kissed her, he would possess her tonight. And so, with as much dignity as she could muster, she spun out of his grasp and rushed out of the room.

  * * *

  Wynn watched Giana flee like her dress was on fire. He understood, because he hadn’t expected to want to kiss her after that incendiary dance. However, once he’d seen her from across the room looking divine in a dress that had been made for her body, he’d been entranced, even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself. She’d given true meaning to the word radiant.

  Despite the fact that he’d shunned her on multiple occasions, he liked that Giana held her head high and shoulders straight and showed grit and determination. She was a force to be reckoned with. And as far as the gown and tantalizing heels, all he could think about was taking it all off her.

  When they danced, he’d been unable to hide how aware of her he was. When he’d finally touched her, the buttery-soft smoothness of her milk chocolate skin had blood and heat rushing through his body. If she hadn’t run away, he most certainly would have kissed her. As a matter of fact, he still wanted to.

  And why should he deny himself?

  It was time to end his self-imposed celibacy and get back to the land of the living—and there was a chocolate siren calling to him. Rich and spoiled, she was exactly the kind of woman he steered clear of, but she revved him up like no other woman ever had. He liked her fire and her fighting spirit.

  Before he knew it, Wynn was chasing after Giana. He caught sight of her at the end of the hall as she waited for the elevator. With long strides he nearly caught up. He saw her deer-in-the-headlights reaction when she realized she’d poked the tiger. Then she was stepping into the elevator. He had seconds to catch her or the spell would be broken.

  Wynn reached out and blocked the elevator doors from closing. It beeped loudly as he stood in the entrance regarding her. She recoiled back against the wall, because she knew she’d been caught and there was nowhere to hide.

  He stepped in and the elevator doors closed, sealing them inside.

  Four

  Giana straightened her spine. She, Giana Lockett, who’d never run away from a fight, had fled once she’d come into full contact with Wynn Starks. “What do you want?” Her voice cracked, and she hoped he didn’t catch the breathiness.

  “Giana.” The way he said it felt like a caress against her skin. “We both know why I’m here.”

  “Do we?” she countered.

  “Are you really going to hide behind bravado rather than acknowledge what’s happening?” His dark brown gaze bored into hers. “All right, I’ll play along.”

  “Nothing is happening here. I assumed you came after me to take me to task for showing up at your precious charity event.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, no doubt. I was angry.”

  Was, meaning past tense? So, he wasn’t upset anymore? Why did Giana suspect that didn’t bode well for her? She didn’t like the heated look in his eyes, as if he was imagining her without any clothes on. But hadn’t she imagined him in the same way? She needed to get out of here before...

  Clonk.

  The elevator skidded to an abrupt halt, and the lights went out, plunging them into darkness. Rather than panic, Giana reached inside her purse and produced her iPhone and turned on the flashlight. She shined it on Wynn. “What the hell is going on?”

  “We must be stuck,” he said with a shrug. “It happens.” He reached for the box on the elevator panel containing the emergency phone and dialed out. Giana heard his side of the conversation as he spoke to the person on the other end. “Yes, there’s myself and another occupant. All right. We’ll be here.”

  Once he’d hung up and closed the box, Giana asked, “What did they say? How long are we going to be stuck in here?”

  “Not long. The elevator company has been called and they’ll be here soon. Are you claustrophobic?”

  Giana shook her head. She didn’t relish the idea of being locked up for an indefinite length of time with a man she was inappropriately attracted to. She should be focused on business, not those thick lips of his and what they could do to her.

  Good Lord, get a hold of yourself, Giana! She smoothed her hair back, and when she glanced up, she found Wynn was staring at her again.

  “Shall we pick up where we left off in the conversation?”

  “Must we? We could be here for a while given that it’s—” Giana glanced down at her Cartier watch “—after ten on a Saturday night. I doubt elevator technicians are going to be rushing to our rescue.”

  “Is there something else you’d rather be doing, Giana?” He smiled at her from the other side of the cab. “Because I can think of a few things off the top of my head.”

  Giana knew where he was heading, but an idea sparked in her mind. “Since you’re a captive audience, I can tell you why the Atlanta Cougars are the right team to handle endorsements of your sports drink.”

  “And that’s how you would like to spend your time alone with me?” He quirked a brow. “Hmm... I beg to differ.”

  “What else would there be?”

  “Perhaps I should show rather than tell you.” Within the span of seconds, Wynn went from leaning against the wall to moving toward her. All Giana could do was ste
p backward, so that she was up against the elevator wall. Wynn cupped either side of her face, tilting her face upward. Her phone slid out of her hands to the floor with a thud. “Tell me you want this as much as I do.”

  Giana nodded. “Yes.”

  Wynn stared at her lips for what seemed like an eternity before he leaned in to brush his mouth across hers. The kiss was featherlight considering the rampant tension between them, so Giana leaned closer for more. Their lips met again, and this time the kiss turned incendiary, causing adrenaline to surge through her veins.

  Giana’s lips parted in an unspoken invitation, allowing Wynn inside. His tongue slid between her lips, tangling with hers, and Giana moaned. The kiss obliterated rational thought, and Giana forgot time and space. Instead, she exulted in his drugging kisses and craved the satisfaction his mouth could give. Wynn understood, because instinctively, he deepened the kiss. Giana clasped her hands around the back of his head for a better fit.

  What was it that made Wynn’s kiss different from other men’s? It wasn’t just a matter of technique, although Wynn knew exactly how to use his mouth, tongue and teeth. It was the passion, the all-consuming hunger, and Giana couldn’t do anything but grip his bulging biceps and hang on for the ride.

  Wynn stirred her to a fever pitch, making Giana ache. When his knee nudged her legs apart so he could settle himself between them, her sluggish brain allowed it. That’s when she felt the press of his arousal against her, and her belly clenched in response. He moved his hands upward to cup the weight of her breasts in his palms. He gently squeezed the flesh, making her nipples tighten and causing a tumult of sensations to rush through her.

  Giana was panting by the time Wynn wrenched his mouth away. His eyes blazed down at her as he brushed some wayward strands of her hair from her forehead. “I want you, Giana.” His voice had a sexy rasp that made her heart flutter.

  “I want you too.”

  That’s when his hands left her breasts and began moving downward while his lips trailed kisses down her ear to her neck. That’s where he stayed, causing Giana to clasp his lapels. Then she felt cool air against her legs. Wynn was lifting her dress and caressing her legs, steadily moving his fingers upward toward the soft flesh of her thighs.

  “Part your legs for me, Giana,” Wynn whispered in her ear.

  Giana closed her eyes. She couldn’t believe she was making out with Wynn in the elevator, but she did as he asked and shuddered when his hands slipped between her legs. “I—we—shouldn’t...”

  “Oh, this tells me we should,” he murmured as he parted her folds and found her drenched. His mouth returned to hers while his hand continued with the most devastating intimate exploration Giana ever endured. She tried to fight the feelings, but it was a futile effort. Wynn’s touch was skillful, and her whole body stiffened as a powerful climax overtook her.

  “Wynn!” she cried out as she came and convulsed against his hand.

  When the shudders finally subsided, he murmured, “You’re incredible, Giana. I have a room upstairs because I didn’t want to drink and drive. When we get there, I can make love to you properly.”

  Giana felt as if he’d poured a bucket of ice water over her head as she came down from her high and realized the mistake she’d made.

  She was thankful the elevator lurched downward then, and the lights flickered on, because it allowed her a few precious seconds to smooth down her dress and hair before the elevator doors pinged open. A technician was there, but Giana didn’t even look at him as she rushed out of the car, through the lobby and out into the night air.

  She jumped in the first taxi she saw. “Go. Go. Go!” she yelled. She had to get away from the scene of the crime as soon as possible.

  * * *

  Wynn swished the two fingers of bourbon in his glass back and forth and took a long gulp as he stared out of the hotel window. He’d commandeered the top-floor suite, which came with an impressive view. He was trying to understand what had gotten into him tonight. Was he frustrated? Had he gone too long without a woman? The latter could be true. All he knew was he’d been unable to walk away from Giana tonight.

  On the dance floor, the look that passed between them had been pure lust, and it had overwhelmed him more than anything he’d ever experienced. His arousal had been almost unbearable. He’d been caught in the grip of something elemental, and he’d felt powerless to stop it. That was why he’d gone after her into the elevator, paving the way for their first kiss.

  And the kiss had been epic!

  He could still remember the way she tasted. The way she felt in his arms. The sounds she made when she came. He doubted he could forget her sweet moans when his fingers had been buried deep inside her. He’d nearly come from feeling her flesh spasming around his fingers. He had little control left, and Wynn knew if the elevator hadn’t started working again, he would have taken her right there up against the wall.

  Wynn downed the remainder of his drink and headed for the shower. Once inside, he turned the taps as cold as he could take them. After Christine, his mantra was that all women were shallow and conniving and untrustworthy. So why, after the cold shower, was he still having trouble forgetting Giana Lockett?

  Why? Because he’d gotten a taste of her, and now that he had, he wouldn’t be satisfied until he had the entire meal.

  Five

  “Giana, I’m surprised to see you,” her brother Julian said when she stopped by his new home the following afternoon. Julian had just married Elyse Robinson, the daughter of their father’s former business partner. They’d returned from their honeymoon last week.

  “Can’t a sister drop by?” she asked, glancing at him and noticing his shirt was unbuttoned.

  “Of course you can,” Julian said, fussing with his shirt as she walked into the foyer. “But you usually call first.”

  Giana glanced around the living room and saw it was set up for a romantic indoor picnic, complete with candles and flowers. Her hand flew to her mouth. “Oh my God, Julian. I’m sorry. How dense can I be? You are newlyweds, and I interrupted a private moment. I’m going.” She started toward the door.

  Julian grasped her arm. “It’s okay. You’re here now. C’mon in.” He motioned her to the leather sofa and sat down next to her.

  “No, it’s not. I have to remember you’re not my single brother anymore. I can’t just drop by when the mood strikes,” Giana replied, turning to face him. “In the future, I will be sure to phone ahead. Please give Elyse my apologies.”

  “You can give them to her yourself,” Julian said when Elyse came down the stairs dressed in a silk loungewear set that suited her slender figure. It was hard to believe she was in her second trimester.

  “Elyse, I’m so sorry,” Giana began, but her sister-in-law interrupted her.

  “Like Julian said, you are family, and you can always stop by.” Elyse leaned over the couch and gave Giana a quick kiss on the cheek. The new Mrs. Lockett looked radiant; her light fawn-colored skin positively glowed with health. Marriage and pregnancy agreed with her.

  “Thank you. I need to talk to Julian.” Giana was at a loss for words. “Would you mind giving us a minute?”

  “Not at all,” Elyse said. “Make yourself at home. I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”

  Once she’d gone upstairs, Giana finally shifted toward Julian. “I’m truly sorry for stopping by unannounced, but I’ve made a horrible mistake, and I know you’ve been in my shoes.”

  Julian threw back his head and laughed. “You mean because I’m the screwup?”

  His laughter was infectious, and Giana couldn’t resist laughing, too. “Well, sort of.”

  “Don’t sugarcoat it, sis. I’ve always been the troublemaker in the family, but you and Roman, you could do no wrong. What’s going on?”

  “I made out with Wynn Starks in an elevator,” Giana blurted.

  “Oh, really? I�
��m intrigued. Tell me more,” Julian said, leaning back on the couch.

  “We got stuck in an elevator and, well, one thing led to another.”

  “You slept with him?”

  She heard the shock in her brother’s voice and understood because it was completely out of character for her. Julian was the one who’d been a ladies’ man before marrying Elyse.

  Giana shook her head. Although she might have wanted to, and Lord knew her body craved it last night. “No. Once the elevator started working again, I made my escape.” She must have looked a sight when the doors opened, with her hair in disarray and her lips devoid of lipstick. Wynn was probably wearing it, but she hadn’t stayed to find out.

  “What’s the problem?” Julian said. “You had a little fun in the dark. And when the lights came on, the party was over.”

  “Julian!” Giana slapped his arm. “C’mon, be serious here. I’m supposed to be trying to convince Wynn to bring his business to the Cougars.”

  “You can still do that, but the waters are a bit muddied.”

  “What do you suggest I do?”

  “Talk to him. And you’ll either come to a decision on the business deal or you’ll end up in bed together.”

  “I’m only interested in one of those options,” Giana replied.

  Julian cocked his head to look at her. “C’mon, Gigi. It’s me you’re talking to. You can be honest, which is why you came here.”

  Giana exhaled. He was right. She knew Julian wouldn’t judge her and she could speak her mind. “I’m attracted to him. Could I see myself jumping his bones? Absolutely, but I also want to show Daddy what I can do.”

  “Gigi, you have to stop trying to please the old man and do what’s right for you, even if means you’re a little selfish and spend some alone time with Wynn.” Julian winked, and Giana rolled her eyes. “I’ve seen you work hard for years, and does our father really see you? I know he didn’t see me because I wasn’t the heir apparent or the star quarterback like Roman and Xavier.”