12 Stocking Stuffers

by Beverly Barton

Austin grinned at Teddy’s display of defiance, and jotted down the message on a notepad situated near the phone. “Will do.”

  “You will come with her, won’t you?” Susan asked hopefully.

  Austin’s insides clenched tighter. “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it,” he lied. Not only was he certain he wouldn’t fit in with the Spencer clan, he didn’t think Teddy would appreciate him tagging along to meet Mom and Dad. “I have other plans.”

  “Surely you can make the time to meet Teddy’s family, even if it’s just to stop by for a few minutes?”

  Was it his imagination, or was there an underlying disapproval in Susan’s words, like what kind of guy was he if he couldn’t even make the effort to meet his girlfriend’s family? He felt like a schmuck, yet it was his own fault for allowing the fabrication to stretch so far. But how was he to know who knew Teddy’s secrets?

  The excuse did nothing to ease the twinge of guilt he experienced. “I’ll see what I can do,” he compromised. Hopefully, Teddy would be able to smooth out the mess he’d made of things.

  “Great.” Enthusiasm infused Susan’s voice. “It was nice talking to you, Austin. I’m looking forward to meeting you.”

  “Uh, same here.” He disconnected the line before anything more could be said. Hanging his head, he shook it in dismay.

  Hell, what had he done?

  “I heard the phone ring while I was in the bathroom.” Teddy’s voice drifted from down the hall as she approached the living room. “Did you catch the call, or did the answering machine pick it up?”

  “Don’t I wish,” he muttered.

  “Excuse me?”

  Straightening, he faced her, just in time to see her drop a lipstick tube into her small black beaded purse and snap it shut. During her absence she’d put on a pair of heels, lengthening those eye-turning, shapely legs of hers. She looked like a million bucks.

  The irony of that assessment wasn’t lost on him. “That was your sister-in-law, Susan.”

  Teddy came to an abrupt halt in front of him. “Oh?”

  He thrust his hands into the front pockets of his trousers. “And she’s now under the assumption that I’m your boyfriend.”

  “Oh, no,” she groaned.

  “I’m sorry, Teddy,” he rushed to apologize, not that his own regret could make up for any damage he’d done. “I had no idea who you told about your ‘significant other,’ and it came out before I found out who she was.”

  He expected her to be angry, or at the very least upset, but she appeared more worried than anything. “Oh, it’s not all your fault. I adore Susan, but even if you hadn’t said you were my boyfriend, she would have come to that assumption on her own. Everyone in my family wants me to find a decent man and settle down.” The disgust in her voice was evident.

  He didn’t get that impression from Susan, but then again the other woman had been quite enthusiastic about Teddy being in a relationship again. Family dynamics were a curious thing.

  “I’ll just give her a quick call and explain our one-night arrangement.” Startled by the sound of her own words, she amended hastily, “I mean, set her straight about our business deal.”

  So, she was back to business, was she?

  Teddy reached for the phone, tucked it next to her ear and punched in a series of numbers. With a forced lightness, she added, “The last thing I’d want is for my entire family to think I’m seriously involved with someone. They’d be all over you like piranhas, picking you apart, piece by piece.”

  Her analogy wasn’t a pleasant one, but it served to remind him of where they stood with one another—on opposite sides of the tracks. There was no way her family would approve of a guy who fulfilled women’s fantasies, and was struggling to maintain a landscaping business.

  A frown creased Teddy’s forehead, and with a deep sigh, she set the phone back into the cradle. “The line’s busy.” She gave her gold watch a quick glance. “I’ll have to catch up with Susan later. We need to get going.”

  Picking up her black shawl from the couch, she settled it over her bare shoulders and headed for the door. Minutes later, they were in Austin’s black Mustang, following Teddy’s directions toward the Bay area.

  Silence filled the interior of the vehicle, except for the low volume of mellow music drifting from the speakers. Austin glanced briefly Teddy’s way. She sat in the passenger seat, staring out the window, quiet and subdued. Reserved even. Was she mulling over the conversation he’d had with her sister-in-law? Or was she more worried about the Christmas party ahead?

  “So, who is Bartholomew?” he asked, voicing the one question that had been on his mind since Susan mentioned him.

  “I’m gonna strangle Susan,” Teddy muttered darkly.

  A grin quirked the corner of Austin’s mouth. “Pardon?”

  “Bartholomew Winston is a past mistake,” she said succinctly, without looking at him. “And one I’d rather not talk about.”

  The resentment in her tone was unmistakable. “All right,” he conceded, now even more curious about this mystery man of her past, and what had happened between them.

  Again, silence reigned. As Austin exited the freeway and neared the hotel where the Christmas party was being held, the more tense Teddy seemed to become. He no longer suspected that her uneasiness stemmed from Susan’s call. It was all about the promotion she was up for—if Louden fell for their little game.

  Tonight would tell.

  Pulling the Mustang under the valet awning, he put the car in park and turned toward Teddy. He touched her knee, his fingers rasping along her silky stockings, and she jumped in response. She jerked her luminous gaze, now filled with anxiety, to his, but the slight tremble he felt where his fingers lay idly against her thigh told him she was very aware of him, and the intimacy of their situation.

  He tilted his head, regarding her with genuine concern. “Hey, you okay?”

  She moved her leg out of his reach, dislodging his gentle touch. She gave him a smile that appeared more like a grimace. “Sure, I’m fine,” she said in a tone too bright and chipper.

  He stared at her for a long moment. Beneath all that forced cheerfulness, there was something incredibly vulnerable about her—not that he’d expect an independent career woman like Teddy to ever admit to such an emotion. No, she wanted to be strong and confident, and in control. A part of him understood that. Respected it, even.

  “Teddy,” he whispered, wishing she’d ease up and relax around him. Otherwise, Louden Avery would know he was a fraud, and that revelation would defeat Teddy’s purpose. But before he could express his concerns, a young man opened her door and offered a gloved hand to help her out of the car.

  Austin sighed, gave his vehicle over to valet and met up with Teddy on the curb. Settling his palm on her lower back, he ushered her through the automatic glass doors that whooshed open for them. She stiffened, but didn’t protest the hand resting so familiarly where her spine ended and the curve of her bottom began. There was nothing inappropriate about the way he touched her, yet he got the distinct impression that she would have preferred he didn’t.

  Knowing she was forcibly resisting what was between them, irritation gripped him. She was nervous, he acknowledged that, but she was giving off the wrong kind of vibes if she expected everyone to believe they had something going on. He wasn’t sure what to do about her remoteness, but his mind mulled over various ideas.

  They followed the signs for Sharper Image’s party through the lush, expensively decorated lobby to a glass-enclosed elevator that shot straight up to the thirty-second floor and overlooked the bay. Stepping into the lift behind Teddy, Austin pressed the only button available that would take them to the tower’s ballroom.

  The elevator, dimly lit inside to make it easier to look outside, slowly made its ascent, giving the occupants plenty of time to admire their surroundings. The evening sun had set almost an hour ago, but nightfall allowed them to appreciate the expanse of water beyond, and the twinkle of lights from
the boats coasting along the ocean. A quarter of the way up, they had a breathtaking panorama of the Bay area.

  The atmosphere was romantic, made more so by the intimate four-by-four cubicle that confined them. Teddy didn’t seem to notice, or appreciate, the ambience. She stood at the brass bar lining the thick glass enclosure, her gaze lost on something off in the distance.

  “Nice view,” Austin commented, in an attempt to strike up a conversation. Standing behind her, the view was fantastic—she had a nice bottom that deserved a lingering glance.

  “Hmm,” was Teddy’s noncommittal response.

  He rubbed a finger along his jaw and tried again. “It sure is an awfully long ride up. The possibilities of what a couple could do with all this time is endless.” He didn’t disguise the sexy innuendo in his voice.

  “Hmm.” His suggestive comment didn’t faze her.

  Frustration nipped at him. If he couldn’t even shock her into acknowledging him, then they were in for a disaster of an evening.

  Finally, the right idea came to him, the shock value of which would either set her off, or wind her down. He was hoping for the latter result.

  Reaching back to the button panel, he pressed the red one marked Stop. The elevator came to a slow, whirring halt somewhere between the lobby and the thirty-second floor.

  She spun around, panic etching her features. “Oh my God! We’re stuck!”

  A lazy, unrepentant grin kicked up the corner of his mouth. “I deliberately stopped the elevator.”

  Her jaw dropped. “You what?”

  He knew she’d heard him, so he didn’t bother wasting precious time by repeating himself. Instead, he closed the distance between them and braced his hands on the brass railing on either side of her hips, trapping her between the cool glass and his solid body.

  A small, stunned gasp escaped her lips, and her body immediately grew rigid. “What are you doing?” she demanded.

  His grin widened at her haughty tone, but it certainly didn’t deter him. Moving closer, he pressed his thighs against hers, and pushed a knee between her legs to keep her in place. “You know, if you don’t relax and shake off that tension that has been building since we left your place, we’re never going to convince your boss that we’re lovers.”

  Teddy dampened her bottom lip with her tongue, then released a long breath. “You’re right,” she admitted, and clearly expected him to release her.

  Not totally convinced of her acquiescence, which he suspected was an act for his benefit, he kept her pinned right where he had her. The shock value was about to increase. “What do you think, Teddy, should we start the party off with a bang and give your co-workers something to talk about?”

  Even in the dim light illuminating the interior of the elevator, he could see the suspicion in her gaze. “What do you mean?”

  He caressed the back of his hand down her soft cheek, strummed his fingers along her neck, watching as her deep brown eyes darkened with the first stirrings of desire. “How about a quickie at eighteen floors up overlooking the bay?”

  She gasped in wide-eyed astonishment, then a burst of laughter bubbled up from her chest. “You’re outrageous!”

  He chuckled along with her. “You have to admit that the thought is thrilling…maybe just a little bit.”

  She glanced down at their position, and he wondered if she realized what a perfect support that brass bar behind her would be. It would be just a matter of lifting her dress, removing her panties, unzipping his pants and letting her sit on that sturdy bar with her back braced against the window as he slid inside her and she wrapped her legs around his hips…

  He nearly groaned at the erotic image, and knew she was thinking the same thing by the way the pulse at the base of her throat fluttered.

  She swallowed hard, and managed a slight shake of her head. “Austin…”

  He conceded to the warning in her voice, but the erection straining the front of his trousers wasn’t nearly so cooperative. “Okay, making love here and now might be a bit too scandalous, but how about necking? That’s pretty harmless.” Before she could object, he skimmed a hand along her hip to her waist and stroked her belly with his thumb through the silky material of her dress. “I want to kiss you, Teddy,” he murmured huskily as his head dipped toward hers. “Will you let me?”

  Her chin lifted, bringing her lips closer to his. “We shouldn’t.”

  He smiled. “Maybe we should, to help get rid of all that tension.”

  She pulled back a fraction and frowned at him. “I’m perfectly fine.”

  “Yeah, that’s why you get skittish every time I touch you,” he said wryly. “Just enjoy the evening, Teddy. Have fun with the charade. When I touch you, flow toward me…” Lifting his hand, he smoothed it down her spine in a luxurious caress. She softened, her back arching until her lush breasts brushed his chest. Even through his starched shirt, he could feel her tight nipples, and it nearly drove him crazy. Keeping his thoughts centered and focused on her, he lowered his mouth near the side of her head. He breathed in that floral fragrance that was uniquely hers, and his senses spun. “When I whisper in your ear, close your eyes and think of something sexy, so it looks as though I’m murmuring naughty things to you, even if I’m just asking you to pass the salt.”

  She let out a long breath, and he pulled back just far enough to look at her face. Her eyes were closed, her expression soft and slumberous, certainly relaxed. Her body followed suit, growing pliable beneath his slow caresses. “Can you do that, Teddy?” he asked.

  Her lashes lifted, revealing a need as strong as the one coursing through his veins. “Yeah,” she whispered, her voice sultry-soft in the darkness of the elevator.

  “Good.” He marveled at his ability to remain so calm when his hormones were clamoring for something more elemental. “And how about that kiss? Can I have it?”

  Seemingly seduced by all that had come before, she lifted a hand, sifted her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck and brought his mouth to hers. “Yes,” she murmured, and gave him a deep, hot, tongue-tangling kiss more potent than any aphrodisiac.

  Passion rose swiftly to the surface, shattering his control. He gripped her hips and rocked urgently against her, swallowing her gasp when his thigh moved upward and pressed against sensitive flesh.

  He had to have her. His palm touched her silken thigh, the same moment a shrill ring filled the small cubicle, vaguely penetrating the fog of desire that had settled over him. By the second ring, Austin realized the emergency phone in the elevator was the annoying culprit.

  Reluctantly dragging his mouth from Teddy’s, he reached behind him, managing to grasp the receiver without moving away from her. They were both breathing hard from their erotic encounter, and he had to take a deep, steady breath before speaking.

  “Yes?”

  “This is security,” a gruff voice came over the line. “Everything okay up there?”

  His gaze locked on Teddy’s, noting the combination of amusement and arousal glowing in the depths of her eyes. Feeling incredibly daring, he trailed a finger along the rhinestone strap holding up her dress, down to the dip of cleavage swelling from the bodice. “Just taking a little time to enjoy the fabulous view.”

  Teddy let out a giggle at his double-edged comment, and she slapped a hand over her mouth to contain her laughter, her eyes sparkling. He managed, just barely, to contain his own chuckles.

  “Keep the elevator moving, buddy,” the security guard grumbled, sounding put out. “We’ve got a crowd of people down in the lobby waiting their turn.”

  Hanging up the phone, he flipped the Stop switch, and his stomach dipped as the elevator glided upward. “We still have a long way to go,” he said, coming back to her with a wicked grin. Framing her face between his palms, he murmured, “Where were we?”

  He didn’t wait for her to answer, but resumed the kiss that had been interrupted with as much enthusiasm as before. Mouths met, lips parted and tongues entwined silkily. No resista
nce, just a mutual hunger that spiraled and tightened between them.

  He kissed her with deep thoroughness, wanting to brand the moment in her mind forever. And in return, he was equally seduced. She was soft, provocative and sweeter than honey. He wanted to taste her skin to discover other flavors and contrasts, ached to run his tongue across the breasts crushing against his chest. He wanted to be anywhere but in a roomful of people, making polite conversation and pretending to be Teddy’s lover.

  He wanted to be the real thing.

  Too soon, he ended the sensual embrace, but the thrum of desire remained.

  “Damn,” he whispered as he rested his forehead against hers, his body inflamed and his mind fogged. “Are you sure you don’t want to ride the elevator back down and try a quickie?”

  She groaned, and when he lifted his head, he saw that she was smiling. And much more languidly than before. Her rich brown eyes shone bright with passion, her cheeks wore a rosy hue, and her lips were swollen from their shared kiss.

  Male gratification flowed through him. He’d achieved his goal. Not only did Teddy Spencer appear to be a woman well satisfied, but her tension had abated.

  She blinked, and as if finally coming out of some drugging trance, her gaze blossomed with worry. Her fingers fluttered to her hair, which Austin had been careful not to touch. “Oh, God, I probably look a mess!”

  Grinning, he adjusted her shawl to cover the shoulder it had slipped from during their interlude. “You look beautiful. A little tousled, but certainly convincing.”

  “I can’t believe we did that!” she admonished gently.

  He stroked his hand over her bottom, and felt her shiver. Her uninhibited response pleased him. “And just think, we’ve got the whole evening ahead of us.” He winked at her.

  The elevator came to a slow, smooth stop at their final destination, a soft ping announcing their arrival. Knowing they only had seconds to compose themselves before they greeted the entire staff of Sharper Image, Austin straightened his tuxedo jacket, then at the very last moment slid his hand possessively into Teddy’s.

  The insulated doors whooshed open and a dozen curious eyes clamored to sneak a glimpse of the couple who had stopped the elevators midway up to the thirty-second floor. Austin watched eyebrows rise, grins split across surprised faces and murmurs of disbelief and amusement filter from one person to another.