You Had Me At Christmas: A Holiday Anthology

by Karina Bliss

  Kate let out a sad laugh. No, of course he hadn’t hurt her. He had destroyed her, which is why she left him. She wasn’t equipped to deal with that kind of pain.

  “You’re not answering me, and if you don’t I swear I’ll call the police myself…”

  “He didn’t hurt me. He was amazing and wonderful. And sweet. And perfect.”

  “And?”

  Kate felt her mouth tugging down in a way she couldn’t control. Then her shoulders were shaking and she realized this wasn’t simply crying. This was sobbing. Instantly Sally was up and had an arm around her shoulders while Kate struggled to get herself under control.

  “Oh honey, it’s okay. Let it out and you’ll feel better.”

  Kate pulled away from her and stood up, not able to take the comfort Sally was offering—especially when she’d been at fault. It was easier to keep moving, even if it was just pacing back and forth in her office.

  “No, you don’t understand. I’m the one who ran. The one who hurt him. I just couldn’t… I mean it was all too much. I was lying there in his arms, thinking it was the first time I hadn’t been alone since my mother died, and I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t risk letting him become that important to me, because what if he…”

  Kate closed her mouth, uncertain of what she’d been about to say. Surely she wasn’t worried he would die. He was a strong, healthy man in his forties. It would be ridiculous to be so maudlin.

  “Left,” Sally said. “The word you are looking for is left.”

  Kate put her hand over her mouth, because she knew her jaw was gaping. “Oh my God,” she whispered. “Am I really doing that? Am I afraid every man is going to be like my father?”

  Sally moved closer, but she didn’t try to touch her. Kate would have flinched if she had. Her entire body felt oversensitized.

  “I’m no shrink, but it makes sense doesn’t it? The first impression you had of a man in your life was your father. Leaving you and your mother. You told me the story. Trust me, we’ve spent enough time drinking margaritas together at happy hour for me to have picked up on your deal. You’ve had a few shallow relationships in your life, but nothing solid. Instead you put all your energy into this company.”

  Kate drew back like she’d been struck. “You mean this company that pays your salary. Makes it possible for your husband to go back to school to get his doctorate.”

  Sally held up her hands. “Hey, I’m not saying this as any kind of criticism. I know what you’ve built, Kate, and hell yes I appreciate it because it pays the bills. I’m only saying that I’ve watched you for years, keeping men at arm’s length, and it’s not because you weren’t attracted to them, it’s because you were wary of them. This guy somehow got further than most, but because you’re afraid you cut and ran. Did you even tell him why?”

  Kate shook her head. “No. I got up in the middle of the night and left him.”

  “You need to call him. Better yet, you need to go see him. Explain why you’re afraid. Give him a chance to overcome that.”

  “I can’t!” Kate snapped. “I was horrible to him. He tried to text me and I… I didn’t answer. Then he said he would come looking for me because he was worried… I told him goodbye and that was it. Then I blocked him on my phone and deleted his number.”

  “Wow,” Sally said. “You must have really liked him to be so thorough in your bridge burning.”

  As if she had walked miles, Kate dropped onto the couch on the far wall of her office. She thought of all the times she’d slept on this couch when work would keep her busy well past midnight. It had been easier to pass out at the office than to bother going home.

  This company. Her most long-term lover. As long as she was in control of it, it would never leave her. Never disappoint her.

  “I really liked him,” she whispered, letting herself hear the words.

  “Hey, you can fix this…”

  Sally stopped and turned her head. Kate could hear it too. There was some type of commotion happening outside. Kate got off the couch and left her office. She could clearly hear her receptionist raising her voice to someone.

  “Sir, you can’t come into this office without a visitor pass. I need you to leave.”

  “That’s not happening. Look, just tell me which way her office is.”

  Kate gasped and looked at Sally. “It’s him.”

  Sally’s eyes grew wide and she mouthed a silent O.M.G.

  “I will not, and if you don’t exit this building, I’m calling the police.”

  “Fine, tell them I said hi. There’s one in particular who might remember me.”

  Then he turned the corner into long hallway that ended at Kate’s office, and Kate sucked in her breath. He was wearing his black leather coat and a pair of jeans that had seen better days, and for some reason she found the combination incredibly sexy.

  She wanted to run into his arms and at the same time she wanted to run back to her office and lock the door. Yep, that was one heck of a contradiction. No matter what the outcome of today was, she probably should start thinking about therapy.

  “Holy crap, he’s hot,” Sally muttered next to her.

  Kate turned to her friend. “Can you please go talk to Mary?”

  “Right. No cops.”

  John walked up to her and Kate could feel everyone’s eyes on them. What a show for the boss to be putting on display.

  “How did you find me?” she asked when he was close enough.

  “LinkedIn. You said you were an entrepreneur. You said you had an assistant. I knew you lived in South Jersey. I took a chance. It only took a couple hours to find your picture. The company’s name was listed. Once I had that, the address was easy.”

  He’d searched for her. For hours. Granted it had been online, but there was still a little thrill there.

  “Huh. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say.”

  “For one, how about I’m sorry.”

  Kate heard someone gasp. “Can we do this in my office?”

  “Right. Forgot. Boss lady. You lead the way.”

  Kate turned and he followed her down the hall. Once inside her office she closed the door, but she could almost imagine her employees would find ways to casually walk past her office so they could see what was happening inside.

  “I’m sorry,” she said quickly. It seemed to deflate him. Like maybe he’d been expecting her to put up more of a fight.

  “Did I do something wrong? Did I cross some line I didn’t know was there? Geez Kate, did you even enjoy yourself?”

  “Of course I did,” she hissed, realizing he was talking about last night. “You know I did.”

  “I thought so, but something made you get up in the middle of the night and leave.”

  Kate walked over to her couch and sat down. She patted the space next to her so that he would follow. When he sat it was close enough that their arms brushed and she could smell him. She wanted to lean into him and rest her head on his shoulder. She could honestly say she’d never had that impulse before in her life.

  The way she’d treated him though, she doubted he would let her.

  “It wasn’t the sex. The sex was amazing. At least I thought so.”

  “It was amazing for me too. Usually women don’t go running out of my home in the middle of the night after amazing sex.”

  Kate took a deep breath. “I freaked out.”

  John nodded. “Okay. Something I can appreciate. Now you tell me why.”

  Kate closed her eyes. She supposed the least she could offer him was the truth.

  “The first time we talked, Christmas, I told you my father left when I was kid.”

  “I remember.”

  “He was a gambler, a bad one, which meant he also left us in a lot of debt. My mother and I worked hard and got through it, but it left its scar I guess. This place is a testament to my goal of getting as far away from that place of despair as I could. I never really grieved for him. I was too angry. Still am if I think about it. When people
used to ask me why I never married, I used to say it was because I had to give everything to growing the business. But I think that’s not the whole truth.”

  John turned to her. “I’m sorry your dad was an asshole but I’m not that guy, Kate. I don’t cut and run.”

  “I know,” she said. “I think that’s why I was scared. I was lying there next to you watching you sleep… you’ve got this really cute snore, by the way.” She smiled. “Anyway I thought to myself that I had never wanted anything more. It scared the hell out of me, because then I thought about what it be like if I trusted you and you left me.”

  “It would hurt. How do you feel now?”

  “Pretty terrible.”

  “You didn’t save yourself anything, but you deprived yourself of what could have been something wonderful.”

  Could have been.

  “Is that what you came here to tell me? That we could have had a good thing?”

  John stood. “I wanted to know if I had done something to upset you. I wanted to know if you suddenly realized you’re too damn good for me.” He looked around the office. “I mean, look at this place. Your office is bigger than my whole damn boat.”

  “No. And no,” Kate said firmly.

  John looked at her as if deciding whether or not he believed her. Then his chin jutted out a little and she could see he’d made up his mind. “Go get me your phone.”

  “My phone?”

  He raised his eyebrows as if to say he was in no mood to be questioned, and Kate got up and walked over to her desk. She picked up the smart phone and handed it to him.

  “Unlock it and I’ll put my number back in.”

  Trying not to smile like some lovestruck girl, she unlocked it and handed it to him. He was going to give her a second chance.

  She watched him tap in numbers. “Oh, and you have to…”

  “Unblock me. Yep. Got it.”

  Kate winced. “Sorry.”

  He handed her back the phone with a grim expression. “It’s okay to be scared, Kate. I get it. I’m not going to lie, you scare the shit out of me too. But if it happens again, you don’t run. We talk about it. Deal?”

  She put her hand out for him to shake on it. “Deal.”

  “Okay,” he said, using that hand to pull her against him. “Let’s try this again. Kate McCullen, will you have dinner with me, John Abbott.”

  John Abbott, she thought. It was a nice name.

  “Yes, John, I will.”

  “Good. Now kiss me, so I can get back to work. My boss is going to kill me. Fortunately he’s a sucker for romance.”

  Kate offered him a peck on his cheek. “The glass, my employees.”

  “Fuck that,” John said and dipped her over her his arm, kissing her as if he was Rhett Butler and she was Scarlett.

  When he finally pulled her back to standing, Kate’s face was beet red and yes, her employees had gathered around her office to enjoy the show. The traitor Sally was front and center, giving her a thumbs up.

  “I’ll never live this down.”

  John gave her a quick swat on her backside, which had her blushing even more.

  “I’ll call you,” he told her.

  “I’ll answer.”

  He smiled and opened her door, and the sea that was her extended family parted ways. John walked up to the receptionist Mary with a bashful smile. A smile even the stern Mary would forgive.

  “Sorry for crashing.”

  “Who is this man?” Mary wanted to know.

  Kate smiled. “Everyone, this is John. And he’s…”

  “I’m her boyfriend. Get used to seeing me around. Later, babe.”

  She gave him a wave and watched him walk back down the hall. A few moments later she could hear the roar of his motorcycle taking off.

  “That’s right. I have a boyfriend,” Kate said proudly. “Now get back to work!”

  Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed One Naughty Christmas Night! I love to hear from readers so please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads before you go to let me know what you think.

  If you would like to read more stories like this sign up for my newsletter:

  http://eepurl.com/b09klT

  Or visit my website:

  www.stephaniedoyle.net

  And check out my latest release:

  The Bad Assassin

  Zeke Rodgers, the government’s deadliest agent, is known only as the Poltergeist. He’s on the run, and getting lost is the only way to stay alive. Luckily Hope’s Point Alaska, is the end of the world. Now he’s living a quiet life, his past a memory.

  It’s all about to go to hell.

  When Eve Donner stumbles into Hope’s Point to do research, she’s the only woman in a world of uncivilized men. One man has decided she’s worth protecting – but Eve has no idea her new bodyguard is one of the most badass killers alive.

  Zeke’s past quickly catches up to him and bullets start to fly. However, he can’t keep his mind – or his hands – off the sexy scientist.

  He’ll have to find away. Because he can protect her, or he can trust her.

  He can’t do both.

  Get your copy today!

  Twelve Kisses Until Christmas

  by

  Jennifer Lohmann

  About the Book

  Selina Lumina wants nothing more than to escape her small hometown in Idaho and her abusive stepfather, and fulfill her dream of working in the art world. But things like that require money, and that’s something she just doesn’t have. But when a handsome stranger sits down in her section at the local diner, he might be just what she needs. Software developer Marc Murcowski recently made millions selling an innovative app and, bored and lonely now that he seemingly has no purpose in his life, makes her an offer she can’t refuse.

  As they travel together across the country and their desire for each other grows, Selina must decide if she’s willing to throw away the life she’s always dreamed of for a chance at happiness with Marc.

  About the Author

  Jennifer Lohmann is a Rocky Mountain girl at heart, having grown up in southern Idaho and Salt Lake City. When she’s not writing or working as a librarian, she wrangles three cats and one elderly dog. Fortunately, the boa constrictor is better behaved. She lives in North Carolina with her own personal Viking.

  Dedication

  To the Ginger Viking. I quite literally could not have done this summer without you. You make it all possible.

  Chapter One

  Out of the small gap between the dirty, cheap, cream-colored curtains, Selina Lumina watched her stepfather park in the driveway, leaving both left wheels on the snow covering their front lawn. She let the curtains fall closed and contemplated her possible exits. The Christmas lights her mom had strung on the front stoop the Friday after Thanksgiving would make it easy to watch Gary stagger up the front walk before he stumbled on the ice on the stairs, but there was no way he was drunk enough she could slip past him unnoticed.

  Her heart beat a little faster, fear making it difficult to swallow, slowing her movements, and clouding her ability to come up with a plan. Two facts lingered at the front of her mind, shoving out everything else, even as she tried to take deep breaths and think: Gary was drunk. And her mom was at work.

  The hard fall of Gary’s boots on the front step broke through the panic that had frozen her in place, and she bolted for her room. She shoved every piece of furniture she passed into the path between the front door and her room, tripping over her own feet as she hurried. She banged her shin against the coffee table and took the corner so quickly that she smashed her hand into the edge of the wall.

  “Ouch.” She cradled her hand to her chest, swallowing her holler. Tears welled in her eyes at the pain in her wrist bone, but she didn’t slow down. Terror burned through her body, propelling her forward. She burst into her bedroom just as she heard Gary slide his key into the lock at the front door. Both doors slammed shut at the same time. Selina twisted the small lock in her doo
rknob while Gary ran into the stool by the front door.

  His first obstacle.

  The stool had stopped him once before. A kitchen chair had stopped him another time. And the ironing board yet another. As she sank against her bedroom door, her back against the hard wood, she knew that no piece of furniture she put in Gary’s way would stop him forever.

  Her cheeks were wet as she dropped her head between her knees. Gary had always been a creep, but he’d gotten worse since losing his job. To make up for the lost income, her mom had started working more, and he’d come to Selina for company. A couple of strange touches, some innuendos that had made her cringe, and then he’d grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him.

  Yelling and kicking had worked that time. Gary had been apologetic the next morning before going out to the library to apply for jobs. He’d even gotten one and worked at it for a month, going out and drinking with his buddies while her mom worked nights, and then he’d gotten fired again. The drinking started earlier and earlier in the day, and her mom worked later and later. Innuendos had changed to outright statements about needing to “get some” and her mom not being around.

  She covered her mouth with her hand to cover her breathing. Her car was parked out front, but maybe if he couldn’t hear her, he would think that she had gone out with friends. She used to go out with her friends, especially before she’d adopted her mom’s solution and started waitressing as many hours as Babe would let her. If she wasn’t at school, she was working.

  Gary ran into another piece of furniture, and she cringed. Tonight had been one of those nights when her exhaustion had caught up with her and she’d needed to come home to sleep.

  He pounded on the door. “Selina!” he slurred. “I know you’re in there. Let me in, baby.”

  Baby. Bile rose up in her throat at the endearment. Gary always started off nice. Baby. Sweetie. Good time.

  Gag.

  Before the night was over, baby would turn to bitch and he’d stop promising her that she’d like it. They both knew he didn’t care if she would like it.