A Chase for Christmas

by Candace Shaw

  After Linda left, he leaned back in his chair and let their brief yet insightful conversation sink in. Was she implying that Blythe could possibly be the one? He wasn’t sure about that, but he did find her and her artsy ways intriguing. Her different hairstyles always piqued his interest. They ranged from punk rock to braids to afro puffs, her soft natural curls sometimes blown out straight down her back, not to mention an array of colors like purple or blue intertwined in. Her earthy-bohemian fashion selections that included tie-dyed shirts, ripped jeans and eclectic flowy maxidresses and skirts were always sexy on her curvy frame.

  She was down-to-earth, intelligent and just about the nicest and most compassionate woman he’d ever met. Her low, raspy voice had a way of capturing his full attention whenever she spoke, leaving him mesmerized. The effect she had on him was uncanny, and the fact that he was attracted to everything about her scared him a tad. Usually he never went too deep with a woman because he didn’t want to get too close if he knew it was going to be a fling or relationship that wasn’t going to lead to marriage. But Blythe Ventura had pulled at his attention for over a year, and now perhaps it was seriously time to find out why, beyond the fact that he found her gorgeous and sexy.

  After the meeting, Preston walked Hope to her fenced-in green area for some playtime before dropping her off in the loft. She usually went everywhere with him, but because of the construction of the Winter Wonderland, he didn’t want to risk the chance of her stepping on a nail or otherwise getting hurt.

  Pulling up to the event venue, he spotted the ice-skating rink being set up on the side of the building. He parked next to Blythe’s Lexus and grabbed his jacket from the passenger seat before heading toward the entrance.

  He waved and gave a thumbs-up to the crew outside. “Looking good. Thanks for volunteering.”

  The transformation of the vast warehouse was amazing, but he’d known Devin and his crew would have it together. They built million dollar homes in the Southeast, so Preston knew this event would be a piece of cake. Some of the men were on a break while a few others were putting the final touches on their assignments. He spotted Devin and Sasha conversing, and paint fumes led his attention to Blythe, who was seated on the floor, painting. He wanted to head straight toward her, but Devin waved in his direction, and Preston mustered a fake smile as he approached the couple.

  “Hey, man. Things are really shaping up,” he complimented Devin, shaking his hand. “I’m impressed.”

  “Yeah. I told you my boys got this.”

  “Well, I see my vision coming to life, and it’s amazing.”

  Preston’s eyes scanned the makeshift walls painted white to give Blythe a blank canvas. He briefly glanced in her direction again and tried to concentrate on what Sasha was explaining about Santa’s Village and the train for the children to ride. However, all he could focus on was the beauty bobbing her head to the music in her purple headphones while painting penguins ice-skating. The loose-fitting khaki cargo pants did nothing to hide her shapely curves. He was somewhat disappointed that her hair was tied in a scarf because he was curious to see what unique style it was in. She halted midstroke and slowly turned her head in his direction. She didn’t seem too surprised as she smiled and waved before returning to the penguin wearing a pink ballerina skirt. How did she know I was here?

  “I’m glad everything is to your liking,” Devin stated. “We’ve been here since six this morning and are about to call it a day, but we’ll be back at the same time tomorrow to build the North Pole and Santa’s Village and finish up a few other things.”

  Sasha glanced at her iPad. “The Christmas trees are arriving Wednesday morning, so I think by Friday you will definitely see your vision taking shape.”

  Preston nodded. “Oh, I see it now. I really do.” His gaze sped past Sasha and onto Blythe, who’d stood and stretched her arms out along with a yawn. Is she leaving, as well?

  “The arcade games, merry-go-round and Ferris wheel will arrive two days before the event,” Sasha continued, wearing a bright smile as she gazed at her husband.

  Preston looked back and forth between the doting couple, who seemed to have forgotten he was there. “Am I missing something? Or is this an inside joke for married folks?”

  Devin chuckled and patted Preston on the back. “Nah, man. We have this thing about Ferris wheels. She’s just giddy about one being here.”

  Sasha hooked her arm around her husband’s. “We fell in love on one...on our second date, and when we got back together after being separated for five years, we made up on one, and he proposed to me on top of one. It’s just special to us.” She paused as Devin kissed her tenderly on the cheek. “But getting back to the event. Everything is pretty much on schedule.”

  “Perfect. You two are wonderful. I’m going to explore. Thank you for your hard work and dedication thus far. This is really shaping up.”

  “No problem, man. We both want to put a smile on the children’s faces. We’ll see you tomorrow,” Devin said as he and Sasha departed from the conversation.

  Preston walked around a bit and noticed each area was roped or taped off according to the plans. The game and activity stations, the train tracks throughout, the merry-go-round area and the photo booths were all as he’d envisioned them, and he couldn’t wait to see the children enjoying themselves. When he finally made it to his true destination, he found Blythe sipping from a Starbucks cup and sitting crisscross on the floor. Maybe she wasn’t leaving just yet. She removed her headphones and placed the cup next to her.

  “Hey, Prez. Like what you see?”

  “Is that a trick question?” A wicked smile inched across his face. “Do you really want me to answer that?”

  “Do you ever quit?” she teased.

  He lowered his head and his voice. “Do you want me to?”

  Laughing sarcastically, she shook her head. “You’re a mess.”

  “So that’s a no, because you shook your head.”

  Smacking her lips, she turned her eyes away from him momentarily. “Do you like the mural?”

  “Yes, I love it. The ice-skating penguins are cute. I’m sure the children will love it, as well.”

  “I just hope I can finish this tonight. I won’t be able to come back until Wednesday to do the polar bears skiing in the Alps on the opposite wall.”

  “I can help.”

  Tilting her head, she tried suppressing a smile that turned into a cute smirk. “You’re not dressed to paint.” Her eyes roamed over his gray dress slacks and blue sweater.

  “I can take the sweater off, and I’ve had these pants for years. No biggie if they get some paint on them.” He shrugged, glancing around as Devin and his crew began to leave. “Besides, you’ll be here alone soon, and I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. Everyone here is my responsibility.”

  “We’re not in a dangerous neighborhood, but I appreciate the help.” Standing, she faced him. “I think I have an Atlanta basketball cap in the car. Wouldn’t want to get paint in your hair, pretty boy.” Reaching her hand up, she ran her fingers through his silky curls, winked and sashayed away.

  “Alright, woman,” he called out. “Don’t start nothing you can’t handle.”

  She continued walking but looked at him over her shoulder. “Well, that’s something we’ll never find out. However, I’m sure I would do just fine. It’s been a while, but I’m not inexperienced.”

  The image that conjured up in his head of them naked and laid out in front of his fireplace shocked the hell out of him. He was supposed to be focusing on the project, not flirting with Blythe to the point of wanting to know just how experienced she was.

  * * *

  The heat rising to her cheeks had to be noticeable as Blythe made it to the car. The cold air that hit her face did nothing to cool or calm her down. Had she really just flirted back with Preston
? Did she really run her fingers through his hair? What the hell had she been thinking? And then she’d had the audacity to agree to let him assist her in painting. Sure, she was behind and needed the extra help, but she’d planned to call Mandi or her other assistant Allison to see if they had some free time that evening since Paint, Sip, Chat was closed on Mondays. She’d figured the girls could use some extra Christmas shopping money and was about to call them when Preston and his sexy curls approached.

  Popping the trunk, she found the hat and noticed cars and trucks of Supreme Construction workers driving away. The ice-skating rink company had arrived around the same time as she had, but the sun was setting, so no doubt they would leave soon, as well. She waved goodbye to the Montgomerys as she trekked back inside while praying that she could concentrate on the task at hand. Being in such proximity to Preston wasn’t going to be easy, especially now that she’d actually responded to him. That was a big no, and she couldn’t do that again. He was her best friend’s brother, and she couldn’t cross that line. But his cologne was pure torture and wreaked havoc on her. Ideally the paint fumes would drown out his tantalizing scent.

  Upon entering the lobby area, she locked eyes with Preston as he spoke on his cell phone. She stifled a huge gulp and managed to keep her gaze on his face and not on his bulging tanned arm muscles on display. He’d mentioned earlier taking off his sweater in order to paint, and he had. Now, thanks to the flimsy white T-shirt that showcased his tight abs, she was able to be even more frustrated with his presence. Handing him the hat, she skedaddled back to the penguins and set up the task she needed him to do. Afterward she continued sketching out another penguin ice-skating. Ten minutes had passed and still no sign of Preston. Perhaps he had a date and decided to leave. However, she caught him out of the corner of her eye, approaching her wearing a charming smile.

  “I’m back. Had to ask Linda to check on Hope for me. It’s almost her dinner and outdoor time.”

  “Too bad you didn’t bring her. She’s a sweetheart.”

  “Yeah, that’s my girl. So, what do you need me to do?”

  Stop being so damn handsome, she thought. And nice.

  “Follow me.”

  He did as instructed until they ended up in front of the scene that she’d sketched out earlier before he’d arrived to check on the progress.

  “The three penguins standing on the snow and drinking hot chocolate. Think you can paint those?”

  “No problem. What color should their hats and scarves be?”

  She pointed to one of the scarves. “If you look closely, you’ll see I noted the color in pencil. The paints and the brushes are already laid out.” She nodded her head to the nearby table covered with a tarp.

  “Cool. I promise to stay in the lines.”

  “I’m sure you will. I’m going back over here to finish the skating penguins. Let me know if you need anything.”

  They worked in silence, and she was grateful. She’d glance at him every now and then, amused at his full concentration on making sure he was indeed staying in the lines. She was impressed by his attention to detail and the fact that he was doing a great job. When he attended the paint party last year, she’d noticed he was very adamant about his painting being perfect. And even though he wasn’t an artist, he was still an artistic and creative person, and it showed through in the over-the-top graphics on his video games.

  After a while, the silence became irritating because she’d grown accustomed to painting to music. She decided to tell him about an idea she had.

  “Prez, I was thinking since the children know Hope, I could add her to one of the murals. Maybe on one of the small stand-alone walls in Santa’s Village. That way you can keep it afterward.”

  He turned his head toward her, and a sincere and delicious smile formed on his face. Dang it, maybe I should’ve sent it in a text message at a later time, she thought. The man was absolutely glowing with happiness at her suggestion, making him scrumptious all of a sudden.

  “I love that idea. Do you need Hope to pose for you?”

  “Um...no, but if you have pictures of her, that would be great.”

  “Sure, I’ll text them to you and perhaps take a few more when I get home.”

  “Thank you.” She stopped painting and strolled over to him. He’d just finished one of the penguins. “That’s looks awesome. You’re a pro, Prez.”

  “Thank you. You know, we may be here awhile. How about I order some dinner for us and have it delivered? It’s almost six o’clock, and I haven’t eaten since lunch.”

  “That sounds great. I don’t know this side of town, so I’m not sure what restaurants are over here.”

  “Not a problem. I’ll have one of my assistants pick it up.” He set the paintbrush down and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “So, just pick any restaurant in the city. Do you like Ruth’s Chris Steak House? I’m in the mood for surf and turf. I may order something from there for me, but wherever you want is fine.”

  “Oh...okay.” For a second, she’d forgotten the man was a multimillionaire with access to anything he wanted at any time he wanted it. She was thinking pizza, maybe a burger, with a soda in a red Solo cup. He was thinking steak and lobster with champagne in a crystal glass.

  “I like steak...um...so that’s fine.” She shrugged nonchalantly.

  “You hesitated. What would you like? It’s on me.”

  “Honestly, I was going to order a pepperoni pizza with a salad from the pizza place I passed around the corner before you showed up. They deliver.”

  “Done. I’ll be back.” He punched some numbers on his cell phone screen and jetted toward the lobby area.

  She strolled back to her part of the mural and prayed he would be gone for a while so she could catch her breath and think straight. Preston Chase was becoming more and more of a distraction to her. In the past few days, she’d seen and conversed with him more than she had in the year she knew him. They weren’t friends. He was just Tiffani’s big brother. On the occasions when she did see him, it was only for a few moments. He’d compliment or flirt with her, and she’d brush him off and not think about him until the next time she saw him or his sister mentioned him. And now here she was, working on his project and getting to know the man Tiffani always said he was. Considerate. Compassionate. Caring. Blythe figured of course he was those things to his family because he loved and cared about them, but for the last few days, she was seeing him act that way to others, as well. But that didn’t mean she was going to act upon the possibility that she had an innocent curiosity crush on him. Crush? she thought as she laughed out loud. I’m a grown, thirty-year-old woman. I don’t have a crush on him. Besides, his niceness doesn’t erase the fact that he is a bachelor who loves his playboy lifestyle.

  He returned moments later. “Hey, there. My assistant should be here in about an hour with our food. I figured we could eat in the lobby area since it smells like paint fumes in here.”

  He picked his paintbrush up and started on the next penguin. She just hoped he’d put his sweater back on while they ate. His muscles flexed every time he stroked the paintbrush, causing her to sigh in silence at the sensual movement. “No problem. That’s where I was going to eat, since there’s a flat screen and a table out there.”

  “The skating rink crew left, so it’s just us now. Aren’t you glad I stayed?”

  Is that a trick question? She definitely was comfortable with him. Perhaps too comfortable, and that scared her. The last thing she needed to do was fall for a man with whom she knew a relationship was going to be out of the question. Blythe couldn’t believe this was happening. She’d ignored his advances for a year, and now she actually thought she liked him after all. What the hell is wrong with me?

  “Yes. I wasn’t going to stay too much longer, though. The guy who owns the place is coming back at ten to lock up.”

>   “No, I wasn’t coming back at ten to lock up. You must’ve met Thomas, who manages the place.”

  “Oh...you own it?”

  “I do as of two weeks ago. I decided to buy it instead of renting it so I can do whatever I want and have other events here, as well. When I saw it, I envisioned so many fun times for the children. Oh, and Broderick went in with me. He figured it would be a great investment as well.”

  She wasn’t surprised that Tiffani’s husband, who was one of Atlanta’s wealthiest real estate moguls, had also purchased the building.

  “Great idea.”

  “Yeah, the space is big enough for all kinds of events for the children. Linda has already scheduled a circus and a play group to come in the spring. I may rent it out, but for the most part I have first dibs, of course.”

  They painted for another hour, sometimes speaking briefly about the mural or the event. They’d made a lot of progress, and Blythe hated to admit that she was glad he’d stayed. His assistant arrived and informed them everything was set up in the lobby area. Blythe retreated to the ladies’ room to wash her hands before meeting Preston. She was quite elated to see that the table was set up with a beautiful floral arrangement of different colored roses, china, wineglasses and cloth napkins. Preston was already there, sipping on water and changing the channel of the television with the remote.

  “Oh, wow. You did all of this? For pizza?” Puzzled, she headed toward the table and was grateful he’d placed his sweater back on.

  Standing, he walked around to the other chair to pull it out. She sat and ran her fingers along the gold fork handle.

  Preston settled back in his chair, facing her, and tucked his white napkin into his sweater. “I wanted something nice for you for all of your hard work with the project.” He opened the box to display a yummy-looking pepperoni pizza. “There’s also a salad.”

  “Oh, my. I don’t know what to say. You didn’t have to bring fine china. The roses are lovely.”

  “They’re yours. I just wanted to say thank you for all of your work and dedication. You saw my vision and ran with it. It’s like you’re in my head. I appreciate it.”