by Holly Rayner
“Are you here alone?” he asked. He sounded concerned, and Yvonne shook her head.
“My friend just got engaged. She invited me out to celebrate.”
His brows furrowed, then, and she wondered at his expression. “My best friend just got engaged, and he invited me out to celebrate with them.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “Kyle and Mackenzie?”
He nodded, realization dawning in his eyes.
“They never fail to try and set up their single friends, do they?”
Yvonne released a breath, shaking her head. “No, apparently they do not.”
“I’m Shane,” he said, holding out a hand for her to shake. “And I have no intention of trying to find romance tonight, if that takes the pressure off.”
She chuckled, placing her hand in his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Shane. I’m Yvonne.”
“Ah, the famous Yvonne Hunt. I’ve heard tell of your charms, of course.”
Yvonne didn’t have the heart to tell him that she hadn’t had the same pleasure. Mackenzie had never once brought up his name.
Before she could come up with a white lie, the door opened again with a jingle and the kid behind the counter looked up.
“Can I help you, sir?”
“I’m good, thanks. I just wanted to chat with my friend.”
Yvonne’s skin tingled at the sound of that voice. Looking up, she saw Zadid standing there watching her, his eyes darting from her new friend to her and back.
“Zadid! What brings you out tonight? Is this the lonely hearts club skating party or what?”
“Given that Mackenzie is making out with her fiancé on the ice right now, I suppose not. I happened to see you all from my window upstairs and came down to offer my congratulations.”
Seeing that there was something beneath the surface, Shane nodded to Yvonne and stood, walking carefully out on his skates. “It was nice to meet you. I’ll be out celebrating the happy couple.”
“Sounds good. Nice to meet you too, Shane.”
He nodded to her and to Zadid before walking out. Yvonne still sat with her shoes half-on, staring up at Zadid.
“Are you really going skating?” he asked.
She looked down at her rented skates, wondering just the same thing. She glanced back up at him. “Did you have something better in mind? Perhaps you could join us.”
“I’m not sure that’s such a good idea…it’s not something I’ve ever done before.”
She thought for a moment. Not wanting to make him feel uncomfortable, her mind drifted toward the snowman competition.
“I’ve got a better idea. Come on,” she said, plopping her skates back on the desk.
The kid looked up, confused. “I’m not allowed to give refunds on these…” he said.
“No worries,” Yvonne replied. “Have a great holiday.”
“You too,” he mumbled.
Yvonne opened the door and gestured outside for Zadid to follow. His eyes were filled with suspicion as he walked past her.
“What exactly do you have in mind, Yvonne? I’m not a big fan of surprises…at least when they happen to me.”
“Relax. It’s nothing that involves you standing on a pair of blades over a slippery surface. This should be enough for Christmas Eve.”
She waved at Mackenzie, who was talking to Shane as she looked over. Yvonne nearly laughed at the obviousness of her friend’s frustration regarding her thwarted matchmaking efforts. She turned away, arriving at a massive pile of manmade snow.
“Snowman Making 101,” she announced to Zadid, gesturing at the pile.
He stared at it, finally turning to look at her with a small grin. “If I’m being honest, this is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
“I told you I’d give you an amazing Christmas experience—we just get to start a little early. The rest will come tomorrow night.” Her voice was so filled with deeper meaning that she blushed, grateful that the cold air already had her cheeks feeling rosy.
Zadid didn’t seem to notice any innuendo, instead opening the gate and folding a ball of snow into his gloved hands.
He turned back to look at her expectantly. “Well? Shall we?”
“Always straight to work, aren’t you?”
“I thought we were having fun,” he said, confused.
Yvonne laughed. “Yes, but even when we’re having fun, you manage to structure it out. Just let it be,” she said, taking the snowball from him. “For instance…”
She didn’t finish, launching the snowball at him and catching him completely by surprise.
“This is called a snowball fight,” she said, quickly making another one. “Get ready to lose your first round!”
Zadid grinned wickedly as he made a new ball of his own, tossing it in her direction. It landed cleanly on her shoulder, and they both laughed.
“I appear to be a natural winner at this game,” he said. “Now, keep your snowballs to yourself while I build the perfect snowman.”
He began packing and piling snow up until it resembled a large blob. Poking his fingers into the top to make a face, he stood back next to Yvonne to admire his handiwork.
“Not bad for a first try,” Yvonne said, amused.
It looked nothing like the snowmen of her youth, but she didn’t want to burst his bubble. Zadid was clearly quite proud of the achievement.
“I’d say it’s exceptional,” he replied, a teasing glint in his eye as he met her gaze once more.
They stared at each other in the shining light, a loaded silence passing between them.
“I should get going. I have a few more things to get done before tomorrow,” he said.
Yvonne felt a rush of disappointment, but hid it from him. She was the master of doing that—hiding her feelings from the handsome Sheikh.
“Do you need any help?” she asked. She was beyond tired, but the thought of more time with Zadid was always appealing.
He shook his head. “I don’t. Besides, it’s getting late, and I’m assuming you have quite a bit of work to do tomorrow before we have our party.”
She grinned up at him. “You assume correctly. It’s going to be great, and I’m glad I got to show you a little extra here, tonight, too.”
“Me, too,” he said, another pause spreading between them.
Yvonne wished she had the courage to say how she really felt. Instead, she opened the gate, the two of them walking past the lovebirds on the ice, waving farewell.
“You sure you don’t want to hang for even a little bit longer?” Mackenzie asked Yvonne, staring pointedly at Shane.
“I’m good, actually. Congrats again, you guys, and merry Christmas!”
Zadid walked her to her car before waving farewell and heading back inside the office. Yvonne watched his departing back until he was gone before turning on her car and heading home.
There was so much not being said between them. Yvonne just wished she knew what it was!
Chapter 6
As Yvonne pulled into the garage attached to her building, she found a parking spot reasonably close to the elevator and sat for a moment. She had managed to eat two large feasts and have a snowball fight with a handsome man, which had her feeling beyond exhausted. Her sweatpants were calling her name.
Stepping out into the heated interior, she reached the elevator and rode up to the tenth floor. She had often mused that her hallway looked more like a hotel than an apartment building. Muted sconces lined the walls, which were painted with red and cream-colored stripes.
As she reached her door, she made quick work of shoving her key into the lock before stepping inside, the warm scent of home wrapping around her like a comforting hug.
There were two things that had led Yvonne to pick the apartment she had. One was the red brick fireplace in the corner, which was currently festively set up with a garland of pine and a solitary stocking with her name on it. The other was the stunning view of the city, the National Monument glowing in the distance. A small balcon
y opened up toward that view, and Yvonne pulled the glass door open, stepping outside and wrapping her arms around herself.
Her mind drifted to the thought of Zadid at her door the next day for dinner, and her heart fluttered at the thought. He was everything in the world a man ought to be. He was a strong leader, a good friend, and a kind person. Yvonne had been there through every discussion when he had negotiated benefits for his team, and when he had pushed for more corporate charity work—through it all, he had others in his mind, and he was a very generous man.
Yvonne released a puff of air, breathing in the scent of snow not far off. As she stood alone on her balcony on Christmas Eve, she felt the emptiness that she had, for so long, been able to ignore. She remembered her two wishes, and idly wondered if there would be any chance of them coming true in the New Year. There was always hope, wasn’t there?
She shivered, stepping back inside her cozy little home and making her way to her bedroom, where she made quick work of changing into a pair of college sweatpants and a white T-shirt. Brushing her teeth, she plopped into bed, exhausted after a day of food, driving, and repressed emotions.
As she nestled into her pillow, she imagined Zadid wrapping his arms around her, the heat from his body enveloping her as they lay together, cozy and warm.
She was out within minutes.
It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that Yvonne cracked open an eyelid, peeking over at her bedside clock. It was nearly noon, and Zadid would be over in just a few hours!
Jumping out of bed, she padded over to a closet filled with boxes. She sifted through them, finding every scrap of Christmas décor she could. She wanted, more than anything, for Zadid to experience a true American Christmas, and she wanted to have all the bells and whistles ready.
She carried the box out of her bedroom and into the living room, where her sad little Christmas tree stood undecorated in a corner. She frowned at it, just now realizing that she had bought it with the best of intentions, only to never have time to actually decorate it. Kneeling down, she opened her large box and located her ornaments, setting them down next to the tree so that she and Zadid could decorate it together.
After putting up the rest of the decorations in her house, she found a pile of old Christmas movies that she loved, and squealed with delight. “Ah! I haven’t watched this in so long! You, my friend, are going in right now,” she said, giddily talking to the DVD in her hand.
She plopped down on the couch, fully intending to have the movie on in the background while she got her apartment ready. She streaked her finger along the coffee table in her living room, only to find it coated with dust. She crossed her arms and looked around. “First things first. Let’s get this place cleaned up.”
She picked up the remote, turning on her favorite festive movie, and spent the next hour scrubbing and tidying her apartment. She cleaned the kitchen and bathroom from top to bottom, all while singing along to the film’s score as songs came up. And she even managed to begin the turkey, launching its long journey toward completion at the end of the day.
When the first movie came to an end, she found a black-and-white classic and plopped it in, really feeling the Christmas spirit as her apartment sparkled. Deciding she needed a break after so much cleaning, she opened the fridge and poured herself a glass of cool cider, plopping a cinnamon stick in for good measure.
Curled up under a soft blanket, Yvonne was engrossed in her film as she sipped at her drink, convinced that she had plenty of time to get ready before Zadid arrived. As the movie approached its final scene, there was a knock at her door.
Yvonne’s heart leapt out of her chest. What time was it? Glancing over at her microwave clock she realized it was time for Zadid to be there, and she hadn’t prepared any other food at all! Not only that, but she looked a fright!
“Uh, who is it?” she called out, desperately hoping it might be anyone else so she had a minute or two to get ready.
“Zadid. This is the right place, isn’t it?”
She laughed, trying to keep the sound musical, like a gentle tinkle. She was pretty sure it came out more like a desperate croak. “Is it six o’clock already? My how time flies!”
“Is this open?” Zadid asked, turning the knob.
To her horror, it absolutely was. The door pressed inward and in walked Zadid, looking clean-cut and handsome as ever in a cashmere black sweater and dark jeans.
When he saw her, the corner of his lip turned up slightly. “I didn’t think to ask about the dress code. Did you mention it was pajama casual?”
Blushing to the roots of her hair, Yvonne fought the urge to dive behind the couch to hide her mortification. Finally, she shrugged, her hands in the air. “I lost track of time. I’m so sorry, Zadid. I don’t even have the meal prepared yet!”
Zadid closed the door behind him, glancing past her shoulder to see the movie playing. “That’s a good one. I’ve seen it once or twice,” he said.
She peeked back, then looked at Zadid. He was already standing directly before her, his cologne teasing her senses. He was holding a stunning poinsettia in one hand and an immaculately wrapped gift in the other.
Lifting both in her direction, he waited for her to take them. “I believe this is the customary plant to bring to such a gathering as this. Also, a gift.”
Yvonne awkwardly accepted his gifts, convinced that she might turn into a tomato at any moment. Not only was he the star of her daydreams, he was also her boss! How could she let him see her like this?
Seeing her distress, Zadid placed his hands on her shoulders, forcing her to look up at him. “It’s no big deal, Yvonne. Why don’t you go get dressed, if it will make you feel more comfortable, and we can cook dinner together? I’m not afraid to get my hands dirty in the kitchen.”
His kindness melted her heart, as it always did.
She grinned up at him from beneath shy lashes, setting his gifts on the (thankfully clean) coffee table. “All right. I promise I won’t be long, and I will make it up to you. Here, we’ll start with this.”
She walked over to the kitchen and opened the fridge, deftly popping open a bottle of champagne and pouring it into flutes with little holly berries painted on the sides. She handed one to Zadid, but he held out a hand.
“I couldn’t possibly drink the first champagne of Christmas alone. Please, I’ll keep guard over these and you go change. Then, we can share the toast together.”
“Fair enough,” she agreed.
She left the movie on for him to watch while she closed her bedroom door. How could she have been so foolish? She was usually so good about time management, but the seasonal cheer must have relaxed her a little too much. Reaching for a Christmas tree-colored cowl-neck dress, she made quick work of changing, doing her best to brush last night’s curls into soft waves.
Minutes later, she made peace with what she was able to do in such a short period of time and stepped back out into the living room. Zadid was comfortably seated on her couch, enjoying the film. When he heard her door open, he stood, walking to meet her in the kitchen.
When he did, his eyes ate her up.
“Yvonne…” he began, and she looked up at him, wondering what he would say.
Did he ever think of her as more than an assistant? Sometimes, when they were together, it was as if the room was on fire, but no one could see it but the two of them. Then, a moment later, he would turn and the feeling would be lost—the world turned cold.
She lifted their flutes and handed him one, looking back up into his eyes, which continued to search her own.
“Your eyes are the most unique shade of green I’ve ever seen,” he said. “It’s as though they are tiny lakes, reflecting a summer forest.”
“Thank you?” she replied, her voice questioning, unsure if he meant that as a compliment or not.
“You’re welcome. To beauty, and a wonderful holiday season,” he toasted, confirming that it was, in fact, a compliment.
She clinked her gl
ass against his and took a sip, grateful for the alcohol in that moment. Setting their glasses down, Zadid clapped his hands together.
“So, what are we doing first?” he asked, gazing in the direction of the oven.
Yvonne stepped further into the kitchen, opening the fridge and pulling out a series of ingredients. “Fortunately for us, I had the presence of mind this morning to get the turkey cooking, so that should be done in about an hour. Until then, we’re going to need to boil and mash these potatoes, cook up some veggies, and bake a loaf of bread. It couldn’t hurt to finish everything off with a pie, either, could it?”
“You’re the expert. I’m afraid I must defer to you in this situation.”
She nodded, handing him a knife and piling up green beans and carrots in front of him on a cutting board. “You get to be on chopping duty, then. Can’t be giving my new sous chef any big responsibilities since he’s so inexperienced with the menu.” She winked at him teasingly. “I’m going to baste this turkey so that it doesn’t turn into jerky.”
“You’re quite the poet, Yvonne.”
She smirked up at him as she knelt to spread liquid on the bird in the oven. “You didn’t know I was a poet?”
“Really?” he asked, actually sounding convinced.
Yvonne laughed, closing the oven. “No.”
“You’re much funnier when we’re not at work,” he observed.
Yvonne felt pleased at that comment, smiling at him as she picked up a knife and helped him chop. Together, they made quick work of the preparations, and as Yvonne placed the potatoes into boiling water, she grinned.
“Ready for the real fun?” she asked, and Zadid lifted an eyebrow.
“I’m always ready,” he said, crossing his arms as he looked at her with a smug expression.
She nodded in the direction of the Christmas tree, still barren with the ornament box sitting beside it. “Well then, let’s do some tree decorating! You’re getting the whole run of the Christmas experience today.”