by Alexa Riley
The room is decorated from floor to ceiling. It looks like a winter wonderland in here. It’s perfect. I would love to wake up in a home like this on Christmas. It’s like a Christmas fairy tale come to life.
“Aren’t you just the cutest,” a man says, pulling my attention from the decorations. “You sure you don’t want one?” He winks at me, holding aloft a glass of champagne.
“No, thank you. I’m not quite old enough,” I admit. That and I think I’m working. Maybe. I have no idea what I’m supposed to be doing. I was a little shocked when I’d left the mall to find a car waiting to pick me up and bring me to Mr. Light’s party. I’m thankful, because the snow had started to fall and the tires on my car aren't the best for driving up the mountain.
He hums thoughtfully before taking a drink of his champagne.
I feel a little awkward because I’m unsure what I should do. I’m used to being around kids.
“You don’t want to be a little naughty for Christmas?”
I look around to see if anyone else is paying attention or heard his crude words. He leans in a bit more, and his cologne fills my lungs. I step back, almost stumbling over my own feet.
“I’m sorry. I’ll be right back.” I dart away as fast as I can, making my way towards a giant Christmas tree. I want to get away from him, and it’s a good camouflage. Feeling somewhat out of place with everyone else so dressed up, I want to hide. I seem to be the only one in costume. People glance at me, and I offer a bright smile, trying to mask my how awkward I feel.
When I see a cute little boy trying to get himself something to eat from the long buffet table, I kneel next to him. He’s pouting, and I have to hide my smile. I’m sure he doesn’t want to be here. I haven’t seen any other kids besides him.
“Can I help you?” I ask, making him turn to look at me. His face pulls into a giant smile, his eyes lighting up when he catches my outfit.
“Are you a real elf?” he asks. He reaches out to touch my ears and I laugh. “I thought elves had pointed ears.”
“Some of us do, and some of us don’t.” I touch the tip of his nose with my finger. He giggles. “I came here tonight to see you,” I whisper, leaning in like I have a secret only for him.
“You did?” he half-squeals, making me smile even bigger. He’s so freaking cute. A small dimple appears in his cheek. How I’d love to have a house full of children. I’d love to really play Santa for them, making them happy and warm.
“I don’t want you to worry that Santa is going to miss your house because you're not home. I promise he’ll get to you once you're all tucked in tonight. He won’t return to the North Pole without dropping your presents off.”
He lets out a little breath. “I was worried. I told my mom and dad we shouldn’t come tonight. I know I have to go to bed early so Santa can come.”
“Not tonight. That’s why I’m here. You have all the fun you want tonight, and don’t worry for one second. Come morning, your presents will be there.”
“Awesome!” he says excitedly.
“Now, how about I help you make a plate and we can eat it over by the Christmas tree. I know I want to snag one of those candy canes off it.”
“You don’t have to go? You can stay?”
“I told you. I came here for you.”
I make us both a plate and carry it over to the tree, where we sit down and eat.
“Oh, there you are.” A beautiful woman in a gold dress glides up to us, and I can tell immediately she’s his mother. She gives him a big smile. “Are you ready?”
He jumps to his feet, but not before giving me a giant hug. “Sleep tight,” I whisper in his ear. His mom mouths a thank you to me before taking her little boy’s hand and leading him through the crowd. After a second, the crowd swallows them up and I lose sight of them. It feels like more people have begun to fill the room, but I don’t see any more kids.
Pulling myself from the floor, I take the plates and drop them off on a table, unsure what to do with them. I decide to go back to my original plan—finding Mr. Light.
I make my way around the room, giving Merry Christmases and hellos with no luck in spotting him. Maybe he left. As I head out of the ballroom, I see a set of stairs and debate if I should try looking upstairs.
“Are you sure you don’t want to be naughty?” the man from earlier says from behind me. I whirl around. He’s pointing up at a cluster of mistletoe we’re both standing under. Before I can respond, he leans down toward my mouth.
Chapter Four
I’m in the library, being introduced to a few of the guests under Richard’s instructions. He said that if I could do a quick meet and greet, I could do whatever else I wanted to do and it would be okay if I ignored my guests. I wanted to walk out the second I walked in, but I put a smile on my face and tried to make it fast. The thought of Christmas in my house is making me anxious. She’s so close and I don’t have my eyes on her.
After what feels like an eternity, I’m able to excuse myself. I leave the group of donors with smiles on their faces, and Richard is appeased. I never wanted to have a party to begin with, but I needed the excuse to get Christmas close. A party was the one way I could ensure she would come, and it may be just the thing to keep her here, too.
I stalk down the hall and go to the entrance of the ballroom. I scan the crowd quickly, but don’t see her. I make my way to the great hall, where the buffet is laid out, and see that at least half of the crowd is out here.
One quick scan and I catch sight of her at the base of the grand staircase. I push through the crowd, and as I get to her, I see a man leaning down, about to put his mouth on her. I don’t stop to think before I react and grab him by the scruff of his neck and pull him away from her.
“Who the fu—” His words are cut short when I stare down into his greasy eyes. “Oh, excuse me, Mr. Light. I didn’t realize she was yours.”
“Who are you?” I snarl, ready to rip his throat out.
“Kody. Kody Smith. I work in accounting.”
I catch movement off to the right and see Richard appear. He’s gives me a look, and I let go of Kody and toss him in Richard’s direction.
“Take care of that,” I say, looking him up and down. Richard nods in understanding. He’s not only out of the party, but I want him out of my company as well. I don’t employ sleazy assholes, and I won’t knowingly keep one around.
Thankfully the crowd isn’t too ruffled and the exchange is somewhat minor. I give the surrounding people a glare, and they all look away, going back to their conversations. When I turn, I see Christmas behind me with an odd expression in her face. I take a slow step toward her to make sure she isn’t upset. I didn’t fully gauge the situation before I reacted, but it didn’t look like she wanted the guy to touch her.
“Are you okay?” I ask, and she nods, lowering her eyes to my chest.
I can’t help myself. I reach out, touching her arm, and her eyes fly back to mine. The dark green reminds me of an evergreen. I could stare at them all day. Her blonde hair falls in soft waves down her back, and her bangs are swept to the side. She’s got on her work costume, which is all too adorable. I’ve studied it for weeks. Christmas is what some might call a “big girl” with her generous curves and ample chest. But I love the way her waist dips in a little and her thighs are the widest part below that. I have a hard time keeping my eyes above her cleavage. I’m resisting thinking about how soft it would feel if I rubbed my face there, between her pillowy breasts. My cock aches for attention, but I ignore it. Right now, I want to make sure she’s okay.
“Are you sure?” I press, trying to read her thoughts. My rough hand smooths down her warm arm until my fingers find hers and I entwine the tips of my fingers with hers. It’s a gentle touch, but I swear I can almost feel her heartbeat through them, and it’s in time with mine.
“Yes,” she whispers, and then clears her throat. “Yes, thank you. I didn’t mean to cause a scene, but I don’t know him, and I think maybe he had too m
uch to drink.”
I don’t agree with her, so I keep quiet, slowly rubbing the tips of our fingers together and watching her speak. Her voice is so sweet and melodic. It’s like an angel singing to me. She’s truly a creature beyond this world, and I find myself drawn to her even more.
She gives me a soft smile, and I see the blush creep across her cheeks. She’s shy, and something about that makes my protective instincts rise. I want to get her out of here. Away from all these eyes and to a place where she’s only mine. Where I’m her only focus and she has no other interest except me. That may make me an asshole, but I’m past the point of caring. I want her all to myself and to have her full attention on me. This woman has got a grip on me by the balls, and I would roll over and do anything she asked as long as I could be hers.
“Mr. Light?” someone says from behind me, but I ignore them.
“Did you get something to eat?” I ask Christmas, wanting to make sure she’s taken care of in all ways.
She smothers a laugh and nods. Then she looks over my shoulder at the person who is trying to get my attention. “I think he’s trying to speak to you.”
“I only want to talk to you,” I say bluntly. I’ve waited to speak to her for so long, I don’t want to waste another second.
“Excuse me, Mr. Light.” The person says behind me again, but it’s a fly buzzing in my ear, and I use my free hand to swat away his existence. It’s dismissive and probably rude, but again, I don’t care.
“Would you mind coming to my office, Miss Winter? I’d like to speak to you about why I asked you to come here tonight.”
Curiosity flares in her eyes, and after a second of hesitation, she agrees. “Yes, that would be great.”
I pull her hand up, loop it into the crook of my arm, and lead us up the stairs and away from the crowd. Every step away from the noise is a step towards where I want her to be. Alone with me.
Chapter Five
“Wow,” I exclaim on entering Mr. Light’s office. I go straight for the giant window that sits behind his desk, inviting myself farther into the room. The snow is falling in thick waves onto the mountain, lit only by the moon. The city lights don’t encroach on his space. “This window would look beautiful with lights around it to light up the snow.”
“I’ll have it done,” he says immediately.
I look over my shoulder at him. He stands with his legs slightly spread and his arms crossed across his chest. He’s watching me, but his face reveals nothing of what he’s thinking.
“Your office isn’t decorated like the rest of the house.” I turn to face him. His space in here is dark, just like him. The wood of the desk is a deep brown, matching the wood floors and the bookcases lining the walls.
“Maybe you could decorate it for me. You do a wonderful job at the mall with the decorations.”
The simple compliment warms me, and a blush hits my cheeks.
“I think whoever did the party does a better job than me.”
“No. I disagree.”
“It’s so beautiful,” I counter.
“I’m starting to find a lot of things about Christmas beautiful.”
I drop my eyes from his, trying to hide my ever-deepening blush. I don’t know how he’s doing that so easily. When he says Christmas, it feels like he's talking about me and not the holiday. The room grows quiet, and I peek up through my eyelashes to see him staring at me.
“Are you closing the mall?” I blurt out, unable to hide my thoughts. Finally, his face changes and his mouth tightens. I drop my head and look down at the floor again. His non-answer is pretty much an answer. I think about everyone losing their jobs and wonder why he would want to close it. I know the mall does well.
I feel his finger under my chin as he lifts my face to look up at him. I don’t know how he moved without me hearing up. My mouth opens a little at the softness now on his face. He looks so much more handsome like this. The smell of him wraps around me, and I want to lean into him.
“You want the mall to stay open? It stays open. Say the word and I’ll give it to you.” He rubs my chin with his thumb, back in forth in slow motions.
“I don’t want it to close.”
“Done,” he says, dropping his hand. I smile up at him, and he returns it. It doesn’t look like something he does often. No laugh lines mark his face. “But I’m going to need you here. Not there.”
“I-I…” I stumble over my words, not understanding what he means. “I’m here now.” I point out the obvious. I’m still not sure why I was asked to come.
“I need you more than tonight. In fact, I’ve set up a room for you.” His words are flat, carrying no emotion in them. He seems like he’s not used to having to ask someone for something. Or maybe he’s not used to people at all. That's what the rumors are, but there’s a party downstairs that says otherwise. I can't piece this man together. One moment he’s charismatic and happy, and the next, brooding and reclusive. Which one is really him, and why do I have a heavy desire to find out?
“Okay,” I say, and watch the smile come back to his mouth. I like that. I like it a little too much. It’s not like when I try to make other people smile. This feels different, like a victory not many can get from him. “But tomorrow is Christmas. Should I come back—”
“No,” he says hurriedly. “I’ll need you for the rest of the night until the party is over. And the roads will be too bad for you to leave by then, I’m sure.”
“Others will be doing the same, driving down the road.”
“I have no concern about the others.”
I take a step toward him and place my hand on his chest. It’s a bold move to step into his personal space, but something about him and his strength is pulling me to him. I’m not able to control my body as I close some of the space between us.
“I worry. Maybe we should cancel the party if you think people can’t get back down the mountain safely.”
His eyes drop to my hand, and I feel his breathing pick up.
“I have trucks clearing the road all night.”
“I have a feeling you wanted to make sure no one got stuck here,” I giggle, and watch the side of his mouth pull into a half-smile. “So if they can leave, can I.” The smirk drops. “Not that I’ll be going,” I add, wanting the smirk back on his face.
He raises his hand and brings it to rest on mine, as if he thinks I’m going to take it away.
“Should we get back to the party? It’s why I’m here, after all.”
“I don’t want to go back down there with all those people.”
“Then why did you invite them?” I flex my fingers under his hand, savoring his warmth.
There’s something that’s passing between us, a familiarity. It’s like we’ve known one another for decades instead of moments. The pull between us is growing, and for a second my heart squeezes. It’s like I’ve been looking for my lost half and now here he is, standing in front of me. Which is insane, because I don’t even know him.
He doesn’t answer my question. “I don’t want you to go down there, either,” he admits, puzzling me even more. I don’t want to go. Well, not if he’s not coming with me.
“I think you need to be a little more festive.” I pull one of the candy canes I stole off the tree from my pocket and place it in his suit jacket pocket. “There.”
I go to pull away from him to head back to the party, hoping he will follow. But he doesn’t free my hand from his chest.
“We’ll go together, but you’ll stay at my side. I think you’re festive enough for the both of us.” A pang of hurt runs through me at his words and the idea that he doesn’t like my outfit. Maybe he thinks I look silly. His laces his fingers with mine, using his other hand to pull the candy cane from out of his suit jacket. He pulls me towards his desk and opens the top drawer with a key. He places the candy cane inside and locks it again. He puts the set of keys in his pocket, and I raise an eyebrow.
“Was that the mall holiday ad?” I ask, having caught a g
limpse of it in the drawer. “I did that one! I helped make the design and everything. I’m even in it.” I beam at him as he pulls me from the room without responding.
“You sure are moving fast to a party you don’t want to be at,” I giggle at him. His hand tightens in mine, but I think I catch a twitch of his lips.
“I just want it to be over and for everyone to go,” he mumbles.
“But not me?” I tease, but he once again doesn’t respond. “Fine. Fine. Fine. Don’t answer another one of my questions, but know this, Mr. Light. I’m going to make sure you enjoy every second of this party.”
I’m still unsure of what my role is at this party, but I know one thing. I can make Mr. Grumpy a little happier.
Chapter Six
“Call me Nic,” I whisper in her ear as I pull her toward the dance floor.
“All right,” she says, and I can hear the shyness in her voice. “Some of my friends call me Chris.”
“I like Christmas,” I admit, not wanting to be like her friends. I want to be special to her.
“Me, too. I think people don’t like using it other times of the year.” She smiles and shrugs, but I make a vow to only call her by her full name.
“Dance with me?” It’s a question, but we are already in the middle of the dance floor when I pull her to me, placing her hand in mine and my other on the small of her back. There’s no room for her to say no.
“I’m a terrible dancer,” she admits, but I press her soft curves to my body and tighten my grip.
“Me too. So we’ll go slow.” I smile at her, feeling the pull of my cheeks. I can’t remember the last time I smiled so much.
The band is playing a soft version of Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire, and I move in time with the leisurely beat. I look into her dark green eyes, thinking about how I’ve waited so long to have her in my arms and here she is.