She knew it was silly, that the only thing she wanted for Christmas was a glimpse of him… or was it too much to ask the universe for a smile from him, or a graze of his hand…
Pathetic.
The store would be closing soon, and she was starting to think she was out of luck. Maybe he didn’t want to brave the crowds so close to the holiday. Now that she thought about it, it seemed like he only popped in when the store wasn’t busy. Maybe he didn’t like to be around many others. And here she’d hoped that he’d been trying to show up when she would have time to serve him.
She’d fallen the first moment she saw him, and her heart and stomach both leaped each time she spotted him in her store. It had been fun for her to wonder every day if she’d see him until she figured out his schedule. He dropped by the store every-other Thursday, which meant she basically lived her everyday-working life on a countdown, waiting for the bi-Thursday sighting.
She never learned why exactly he came in only on Thursday evenings. She’d asked him once, but he shrugged it off, telling her he worked late on those days and liked to stretch his legs and walk around the store before he went home for the night.
“Mila.”
She jumped at the sound of his voice, a pleasant shiver going down her body in response. She turned, plastering on a big smile that was more than her regular customer service look. “Finn! Hello, what can I help you with today?”
Her whole body vibrated with an attraction to the tall man in his usual custom-cut suit, dark hair slicked back on top and trimmed short on the sides. And God help her, his piercing blue eyes. She ached to reach out and touch him, but she had to remember her place.
She acted as nonplussed as she could, though she was thrilled at his presence. She was surprised he'd snuck in without her seeing him, but she’d been so focused on the front door that he could have easily entered through one of the side entrances.
“How is your holiday shift going?” The rich timbre of his voice was enough to excite her, stirring up feelings that were much better left for after working hours.
“It’s been busy, that’s for sure,” she replied, trying not to let her attraction to him show. She focused instead on a display of sweaters that needed tidying.
“Oh, I don’t want to add to your workload.” He frowned slightly.
“You’re not, not at all!” Mila stopped folding the sweaters so she could give him her full attention. “I always have time for you.”
That time she was obviously flirty as she looked up at him through her lashes.
“Okay.” He cleared his throat as though flattered from her attention but trying not to let it affect him. “I need a gift.”
“I can definitely help you with that. Who is it for? Man, woman? Age?”
“Woman, about your age.”
“Ah, yes, of course.” Her heart sank. That's why he hasn't asked me out. He has a girlfriend. Duh.
Mila felt silly. For so many months, she'd entertained the thought that Finn had a matching crush on her.
“For my brother's wife. He's been out of town on business and is going to be in trouble if I don't help him out by getting something fantastic for his wife, Cicely.”
“Oh.” Her rush at an assumption left her feeling sheepish. She tried to recover, focusing on the business at hand. “What kind of gift are you looking for? Jewelry? Designer handbag?”
“I'm really not sure. Cicely has plenty of nice things. I really don’t think she needs anything. What’s a popular gift this year? A most-wished-for kind of thing?”
Basically, anything on the floor was desirable and was the best he was going to find on Christmas Eve in the hours before store closing. “How about one of these luxurious sets of bath bombs? You could pair it with this Bluetooth speaker and maybe throw in a book or two. You're kind of making a spa-in-a-box type thing.”
He nodded. “I like the idea, but to be safe, let's go ahead and throw in a tennis bracelet or something.”
A tennis bracelet, of course… why didn’t she think of that? Because I don’t have money like that to throw around on gifts. “Sure!” Her commission would be fantastic after the sale, enough to maybe treat herself to a nice meal after work from wherever might be open.
She gathered the bath bombs, speaker, and the bestselling book on display, then motioned Finn to follow her. “I can show you the jewelry on that side of the store.”
“Thanks.” He moved behind her, and she caught a few smirks from her coworkers as she guided him past the gift area into the jewelry den. The blue rugs and white lights in the room made all the diamonds and gems in the display cases sparkle. She loved to look at all the new items that came in but never imagined owning any of it herself.
She gestured to the case with the bracelets. “See anything that you think will work?”
He shrugged. “I really don't pay attention to what she has or what she wears. What do you think is nice?”
“Hmmm.” Mila gazed down at the expensive bracelets, far fancier than anything she figured she'd ever have in her life. “Well, you said tennis bracelet, so that would be these, here.” She moved behind the counter and used her key to unlock the display and pointed inside to the row of diamond bracelets.
“Would you wear one of those?” he asked.
She smiled ruefully. “If one of the salesgirls here was wearing one of these, there’d be some raised eyebrows.”
He chuckled, and she was treated to his winning smile. “What about those?” He gestured to the next case over with the solid bangles.
“Yes, those are very nice, and unlike the tennis bracelets, the styles change from year to year. That way, if she already has a tennis bracelet, you won't be buying her something similar to what she already has.”
After some discussion, she sold him on a bangle set. It was still a pricy pick, but her commissions wouldn't be as good as they would be if she'd sold the diamonds. Ah, well, still better than nothing.
“Can I get them gift-wrapped?”
Mila paused before figuring out how to answer. The gift-wrapping station had been backed up for days.
He must have observed the answer in her face. “It's okay, I'll figure something out.”
“No, you don’t have to.” She stopped him. “I’ll take care of it. I’m just not sure how long it would take. They're a little behind, and we're closing soon, but I can make it happen.”
“I suppose I can wait.”
That wouldn't work. She could do it herself, once the store closed and she finished her tasks, but she couldn’t have a customer just hanging around, waiting. “How about this? I can get them wrapped for you and then delivered to your home.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I didn't realize you offered delivery service here.”
She blushed. “Not normally, no, but you're a great customer, and I'd be honored to do it for you.”
“It's Christmas Eve. I don't want to take away from where you need to be.”
She shook her head. “I don't have anywhere to be. It's just me.” She smiled a little sadly.
“Okay.” His piercing eyes peered down at her as though he wanted to ask her more, but he didn’t.
She rang him up and took down his address. She wouldn't exactly be in trouble for doing it, at least not if she didn’t share the information. Better to ask forgiveness than permission.
As the Christmas music played, she watched Finn make his way through all the colorful decorations and head out the doors into the softly falling snow. His bag of purchases sat behind the counter with her, and Mila had to wonder at what her brain had conspired. She was holding Finn's address in her hand and would soon be heading to his house.
Chapter 2
It suited Mila to do a delivery that night. Ever since she’d left home for good, she’d not really celebrated the holidays. It was just another day for a single girl. Normally she’d go out with her group of friends; that’s what they did for holidays like Halloween or Valentine’s Day, but for Christmas, everyone
else migrated back to their families.
Mila didn’t have that choice.
She sighed as she followed the directions on her phone’s GPS to Finn’s home. If she didn’t trust the app so much, she would’ve turned around a long time ago, swearing there were no houses out here in the boonies.
Overhead, heavy clouds had sucked the stars out of the sky, making the night even darker. The weatherman had threatened rain followed by an ice and snowstorm later that night, but so far, the roads were clear. She’d drop off her package and be home long before any of that mess got started.
Mila pulled her car in through the open wrought iron gate and took a look at the mansion as she approached. She couldn’t remember ever being this close to a house so big in person. Unlike extravagant dwellings she’d seen on Lifestyle of the Rich and Famous-type shows, this small palace seemed very dark, lacking windows, and was made of somber stone. In the dimness of night, she couldn't tell what color they were, but they were dark enough to be black.
Hers wasn’t the only car approaching the mansion. She watched as fancy vehicles drove to the front where a valet service took over their care. The people exiting the vehicles were dressed to the nines, clearly about to attend a lavish party. The latest couple was a man in a tux and a woman in a sparkly red floor-length gown.
It must be a Christmas party. Mila was almost relieved. It meant that there were plenty of people there, and likely caterers and other service providers milling about. That meant she could make her drop-off quickly and leave unnoticed. See, nothing to be nervous about.
She followed a graveled path that led away from the front entrance, around to the back of the house where a few less ritzy cars were parked. She parked her junker beside them and took a deep breath to calm down. He’s having a party. You won’t even see him, she reminded herself.
She took the gift bag—which held the four impeccably-wrapped items—out of the car and found her way to the back door. The air felt heavy with the impending storm, so she had to be careful not to let the gifts get wet if it started raining.
Despite the presence of the other cars, no people hung out in the area. No one out on a break taking a smoke or a vape or talking on their phone. Between the lack of people and the darkness—with just a single light over the door, leaving the rest of the area full of shadows—Mila’s flutters over possibly meeting up with Finn were changing to a different kind of nervousness. The kind tinged with fear.
Even so, it gave her a slight thrill. And maybe she was wrong about Finn being busy. Maybe he was waiting for her. Maybe he knew she’d be at the back door and would open it up, invite her in, and then suddenly they would be standing under mistletoe…
Get it together, she laughed at herself, knowing how frivolous that fantasy was. Finn was a customer, a man with so much money that he didn’t flinch at five-figure price tag tennis bracelets. She was a service provider, and he’d have no extra thoughts toward her once he’d left her store.
It was as simple as she’d offered to deliver the present, a desperate attempt to create time with him, and even though he’d given her his address, it didn’t mean he had any feelings for her.
No, she was just the salesperson delivering something meant for his sister-in-law.
Deflated, she knocked on the back door and waited.
And waited…
She stood in the silence, hearing the vehicles in the distance and a few crickets nearer by.
She knocked again, a bit harder than the first.
She’d thought someone would be watching the back door–a caterer, party organizer, security person, but maybe she was wrong in the same way she’d been about finding someone hanging out on a break. Everyone must’ve been too busy with the party, and so no one would be at the back to help her. Would she need to go to the front to leave the present? I really don’t want to be seen...
“Who the hell are you, and why are you making all that racket?” The door flung open, and a thin, hunched-over old man with twitchy eyes, a patchy white beard, and wild frizzy hair hollered at her.
She didn't show that she was startled. Keeping her composure, she replied, “Hello, I have a delivery for Finn.” She held up the gift bag to show the man.
He didn’t so much as glance at it as he grunted at her and turned back into the house, leaving the door wide open for her to enter.
“Can I just leave this with you?” she asked, not moving from the doorway.
He mumbled incomprehensibly and waved his hand around in the air to motion her in.
“No, I don’t need to come in. I can just leave it with you and be on my way.”
“I'm not a delivery boy,” the man snapped, opening an industrial-sized refrigerator and pulling out a bulging white pouch. “I’m getting a snack and leaving.”
Not knowing what else to do, she entered, closing the door behind her. She looked away from the man for only a moment, but when she turned back, he was gone.
“Hello?” she called out but got no answer.
What do I do now?
She stood in a kitchenette much too small to be the kitchen of the manor. It must’ve been a secondary space meant for the servants. She couldn’t tell if the room was regularly used, which meant she definitely wasn’t comfortable leaving her delivery there. Who knew when someone would find it and deliver it to Finn—or if anyone even would?
She peered around, looking for any sign of another person, and when she came up empty, she weighed her options.
She really didn’t want to get in the way of all the guests arriving if she went around to the front. Plus, the valet drivers probably weren’t receiving packages, so she’d just be directed inside, and then she’d be in the thick of the party, clad in her work clothes, and completely out of place.
If she sat in the kitchen and waited for someone to show up, she might be there all night.
If she wandered through the house, she was intruding.
Even so, the last option seemed the best. At least she held the package to prove she wasn’t just a random stranger off the street, and if she was lucky, she would run into someone who could help her. Besides, why go around to the front when she was already inside? Too bad she hadn’t gotten the old man’s name so she could let anyone who found her know who let her in.
She walked to the far side of the kitchen and peeked her head out the door. The dark hallway that met her was as empty as the kitchen.
“Anyone there?” she called, just to receive silence again.
The door opposite her was closed, as were the rest going down the hallway. Wanting some extra protection against being mistaken for an intruder, she pulled off her jacket and fished her store name badge out of her pocket, affixing it in place on her blouse. That, plus the bag with the package, should be enough to help her explain what she was doing there if needed.
Mila slowly trod down the hall, past another two closed doors. She didn’t bother knocking on them, figuring they were either empty or occupied by people who wouldn’t be happy to be interrupted by a stranger. Mila was confident that she’d find someone moving around in a common area, someone whose job it was to help around the place, so she continued.
The farther she went, the louder the sound of music, chatter, and laughter became, and before she knew it, she was looking into a giant room full of people.
For a moment, she was completely in awe of the sight. People in exquisite fashion looking absolutely merry as they mingled.
And then she saw something strange.
Two men, each with their faces buried in a woman’s neck.
Oh, that’s quite the PDA for a party like this, she thought. She saw another couple across the room doing the same thing. Oh, God. What kind of party had she walked in on? She couldn’t believe someone as quiet and unassuming as Finn would be a part of something so…unconventional.
Then she saw a head pull away from a neck and a bright red drop of blood slid down the woman’s neck. The man dipped back in to lick up the crimson stream.
The sound of thunder boomed and crackled, sending a slight vibration along the floor and up her body.
When she blinked, the view of the man and woman was gone. Replaced by a body wearing a black old-timey three-piece suit. She sucked in a sharp breath and tipped her head back to stare into those beautiful blue eyes.
“Mila!”
Chapter 3
Finn cursed himself for losing track of time. He should have been more vigilant about keeping watch for Mila’s arrival, but he’d been pulled into political banter, smiling for the higher-ranking vamps and trying to be a polite party co-host.
Had she seen too much? Of course, she’d seen too much. Her face was ghastly white, and her green eyes as wide as saucers. Her long dark hair—usually pinned up neatly while she was working—had worked free of her clips and was cascading over her shoulders. He resisted the urge to reach out and touch one of the wavy locks.
“I b-brought the gift.” She held out a pretty gift bag to him, complete with tufts of tissue paper and other little streamer things.
“Thank you for this. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you arrived. How’d you get in?”
“A man, I-I didn’t catch his name, he opened the back door.” She turned slightly to look down the hall she had just walked, and he thought she might take off running. Fear filled the air. What should he do if she ran? Could he keep her here against her will?
“Well, hello there.” His brother, Haskel, appeared next to him. “Who is this lovely specimen.”
Finn grabbed her hand and slid her halfway behind him, holding himself between Mila and Haskel. “This is Mila. She was just dropping this off and is about to leave.”
“Of course, she’s not about to leave.” His sister-in-law, Cicely, was attached to her husband. “Don’t you hear the rain pelting the building? That’s way too dangerous for her to drive in.”
“I’m a good driver, actually,” Mila replied, leaning out to the side to see around him. Cicely and Haskel flashed matching grins that said this was an opportunity they were not going to let go of. He wanted to groan and rub his aching temples, but he didn’t want to frighten Mila any more than she already was.
Holidays Bite: A Limited Edition Collection of Holiday Vampire Tales Page 42