Stocking Stuffers: A Five Story Christmas Anthology

by E. J. Darling

  “What else are you going to do? Sit at home and watch every sappy Christmas movie you can find on TV?” He stepped closer. “He didn’t deserve you, and he definitely doesn’t deserve you being upset over him.” Jaime hit the button for the garage, anger lacing his words. For the few minutes it took to reach their level, they stood in silence.

  The tension in the air was unusual, thick in a way unlike ever before. She’d taken that ride with him a thousand times, but it felt different. Heavier. She stole a glance at him and found his eyes boring into her, giving her a look that sent warmth creeping from her toes to her cheeks. Snapping her eyes away, she took a shuddering breath. No, a weekend with him definitely could not happen.

  When the door opened, she immediately stepped out of the tight space. Before she took two steps, he grabbed her hand and pulled her to a stop. He’d never touched her intentionally before, and the contact shot through her, settling low in her belly.

  “Don’t let him rob you of Christmas. You love this holiday. More than any other.” Those dark coffee colored eyes bored through her, holding her captive in a grip stronger than his hand on hers.

  Christmas was her favorite, though she never would’ve thought Jaime noticed. The carols, the lights, and trees. The spirit of giving. It was the one time of year where everything seemed right in the entire world, and even malice took a holiday. Now her world was on end, and she had no idea how to set it right again.

  Going to Aspen might be a start.

  What she needed was exactly what Jaime offered. She needed an escape, a place to stay. A place devoid of memories, without anyone force feeding her carbs while sitting her in front of mind-numbing television, reminding her of what happened by cataloguing his faults in a poor attempt to help her get over him.

  Besides, he’d show up at her house at five the next morning no matter what she said.

  “Val?”

  She looked down at their joined hands, then back up to mocha eyes that seemed so much heavier than before, and nodded slowly. A weekend away from reality. A Christmas far from everything wrong with her personal life. A fantasy weekend she could enjoy before reality came crashing back down. It wasn’t as though she really had a choice, anyway.

  “Fine, yes.”

  He smirked and brought her fingers to his lips. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Chapter Two

  If Jaime ever got a minute alone with the fucker who’d broken her heart, he’d castrate the asshole himself.

  He had three days to put it back together, and he’d do it or go down trying. Four hours ago she lost her fight to stay awake, and he’d been content to let her sleep. The dark circles under her eyes the past month were evidence she hadn’t been getting enough. Val was his right hand, his most trusted advisor, and the only woman in his life who didn’t spend every minute trying to get her hands on his bankroll. The woman whose smile lit up the office as much as his life.

  She was also the woman who kept him up at night, who made him genuinely want a woman for the first time in his adult life, and who showed him what regret felt like when she came into the office sporting a rock on a very important finger.

  Up until a month ago when her smile vanished along with the rock, and never returned.

  As he eased the car into the garage, he glanced at her again, reluctant to wake her up. He pushed her hair off her face, the auburn waves falling back down to cover half of it as he whispered her name.

  Her nose scrunched and she shifted in her seat, but didn’t come fully awake before settling back, her features relaxed. Again he reached out, brushing his fingertips along her cheek as he swept her hair from her face, tracing the curve of her jaw as he pulled back. Her skin was warm under his touch, her hair like silk, and his fingers itched to feel more.

  When her eyes fluttered open, pale blue irises blinked up at him until realization settled over them and she sat upright. “I didn’t mean to sleep. I’m sorry, Jaime, that was so rude.”

  “You needed it.” He leaned back and got out of the car, ignoring the tightness in his chest at the feel of her. The same tightness he suffered for years having her so close, yet completely out of reach.

  The asshole who broke her never deserved her, he knew it the first time she came in with red rimmed eyes over four years ago. But, it wasn’t his place. So, he bit his tongue all that time, congratulated her when she presented her diamond to the office with a smile on her face. Ignored the gnawing in his stomach at the thought of the bastard with his hands on her. It didn’t matter if she affected him like no woman ever had, not as long as she wore that rock on her finger.

  Now that rock was gone, the finger free to be claimed by someone who deserved it.

  The only question remaining was whether or not he could risk their working relationship for the chance at more. If she’d ever entertain more than a weekend getaway, a holiday weekend, with him. He only had three days to convince her they could make it work. “You go up, I’ll carry everything in.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” She appeared near his elbow by the trunk and smiled up at him, the pressure in his chest increasing tenfold. It wasn’t flirty, it wasn’t coy. It wasn’t the practiced smile of an escort or the predatory smile of a woman who smelled his bank account. It was just a smile. Just Val. “I can carry my own bag.”

  Without waiting for a response, she slung it over her shoulder and turned toward the door. He failed to keep his gaze from her backside as she walked, the sway of it with every step held him captive as he pulled his own bags from the trunk and closed it. It was a hell of a fucking view, one that tormented him five days a week. The torment ended when her relationship ended, and then it was pure torture while he waited for the right time to test the waters.

  “Which bedroom is mine?”

  The question halted him for a moment as he pondered, but he quickly resumed digging his keys out of his pocket. “You can have my parents’ room. It has a whirlpool tub in the bathroom and a king size bed. Plus, there’s an amazing view of the mountains.”

  “I can’t take that room.” She tilted her head to look up at him. “You take it, I’m sure you were going to before you invited me along. I won’t use the tub, it would be wasted on me. Just a regular bedroom is fine.”

  Usually the idea of a bubble bath in a jetted tub with a glass of champagne brought women close enough to orgasm, the mere mention of the skylight above pushed them over the edge. All without him even touching them. “You’re sure?”

  “I’m sure. All I need is a bed to sleep in. Maybe that unlimited bar you promised me.” Her lips downturned as she darted her eyes away.

  “No frowns, Val. You aren’t the pity party type, and we aren’t going to throw one. We need to go out and get a tree tonight so it’ll be ready to decorate tomorrow, there’s only two days until Christmas.”

  She looked up at him and her eyes brightened as they reached the top of the stairs. “Tonight?”

  He returned her infectious smile and nodded. “I told you we’d get it tonight. I brought you up here for Christmas, and I intend to show you just how magical Aspen can be this time of year.” Magic he hoped would bring her into his arms.

  He stopped in front of the door across from his parents’ and opened it, revealing a bedroom swathed in blue. The walls were a pale blue, the comforter several shades darker, and curtains to match. A tall bureau stood against one wall, a TV mounted above it, and a king sized bed took up the middle of the room with a nightstand on each side. “If you’re sure you don’t want the master, you can stay in here.”

  Val walked deeper into the room and tossed her bag onto the bed. "This is perfectly fine, more than fine. This bed is twice the size of my bed at home.”

  The thought of her in that bed tightened his gut. What possessed him to put her in his bed, of all the bedrooms in the house, he wasn’t sure. But, as she set about unpacking, he couldn’t help feeling she belonged there.

  Maybe she slept nude.

  A shake of his
head forced his mind away from what state of undress she may or may not sleep in. The last thing he needed to do was picture her naked. In his bed. Though he was sure it was a hell of a sight to see, and wanted like hell to see it.

  “Regretting inviting me?”

  He looked back up at her and saw the frown. “Why would you think that?”

  “The look on your face right now looks suspiciously like regret.”

  He shook his head again. “No, I’m not regretting inviting you.” The only regret was how their relationship might change if this weekend didn’t go to plan. Which is exactly why it had to. Without a single hitch. “I’m going to unpack. Get ready and we’ll head out in a half hour.”

  “You’re not my boss up here, you know.”

  When she smiled again, a rush of heat flooded his veins and settled in his cock. The urge to reach out and touch her face, push her hair away so he could see it unhindered, was strong enough he fisted his hands to keep them at his sides. “We’re leaving in a half hour.”

  “Fine. Half hour. Now, leave me alone so I can change.” She waved him away as she turned back to her bags with a light laugh.

  A smile and a laugh all in a day. Perhaps Christmas magic was in the air already.

  He took one last lingering look before shutting the door and going to his parents’ room to unpack and, with any luck, figure out how to calm his unruly dick.

  Chapter Three

  When the door clicked closed, Val exhaled hard.

  Jaime was her boss, and some lines were not meant to be crossed. Ever. Especially for what would amount to nothing more than a rebound in the woods. Even if the look he gave her made her feel like Red running into the Big Bad Wolf.

  Their relationship had been simple until a month ago. A month ago she ignored her attraction to him, and how it starkly contrasted with the lack of attraction to her ex. They’d been together a long time. They were comfortable. You didn’t need butterflies to be in love. But now, trapped in a cabin with Jaime, there was no ignoring it. Or the way he looked at her like he might feel that same attraction.

  She booked him escorts, tried not to imagine him naked, or what sex with him would be like, and ignored the way he made her feel with just a glance. Likewise, he ignored her stares, and the puddles of drool on the rare occasion she saw him shirtless when he changed in the office. Looking was one thing, she wasn’t blind. Touching was quite another.

  She needed something to occupy her mind. Something other than sensuous lips she wanted to feel over hers, abs she wanted to explore with her fingertips, and a bulge she couldn’t get out of her head.

  Something like finding a tree for Christmas.

  She changed as quickly as she could and met him downstairs to ensure he wouldn’t take off without her, which she had no doubt he would. When Jaime laid down an ultimatum, he followed through.

  As she descended the stairs, the vision of him in a gray sweater came into view and caught her off guard. She’d never seen him in anything other than business suits and button down shirts. The informality, the relaxed and comfortable Jaime, was a sight she wasn’t prepared for. Her mouth went dry as she stared, until he gave her a knowing smirk and used his fingertips to close her gaping mouth.

  “I don’t wear suits at home.” The tease was accompanied by a laugh as he playfully tugged on the sleeve of her own sweater. “Just like you don’t wear skirts and those fancy silk tops you hate. Come on, it’s already dark.”

  As she followed him out the door into the woods beyond the cabin, she didn’t bother to hide the smile. She wanted to pretend otherwise, but his knowledge of such tiny details, proof he paid attention to her, made her feel good. It was a different feeling, one she wasn’t accustomed to at all. Usually she had to remind people about her preferences. But not with Jaime.

  He knew.

  He always knew.

  The farther they walked, the colder she got. While she’d initially assumed finding a Christmas tree in Aspen would be an easy errand, she found trees in the wild possessed far more defects than those on a farm. Most were either too big, too small, or too sparse. Of course, it didn’t help they were hunting by flashlight. After she rejected the hundredth tree in under an hour, Jaime let his exasperation show.

  “These aren’t trees out of a box, Val. They aren’t going to be perfect.” He gestured to a tree a few feet away. “How about that one? It’s about seven feet, like you wanted, it’s about the width of my arms spread wide, which is what you wanted. It has one bald spot, but we can turn that toward the wall.”

  When she followed his gaze, she found everything he’d promised and more. A broad grin and a happy giggle came as she nodded. “Yes! It’s perfect.”

  “Thank heaven for small miracles.” He held the small axe out to her and a smile tilted half of his mouth upward. “Ever use one of these?”

  Val’s eyes grew wide and she couldn’t shake her head fast enough. Sharp knives were pushing it, an axe was out of the question. Clumsy didn’t touch on her ineptitude with sharp objects, and she sported enough scars from cooking to prove it. She’d take off her entire hand if she used it. “Absolutely not.”

  He laughed and stepped closer to her, placing it in her hand. “Come on, I have to hold the tree up. This is going to take two people, and since I’m the stronger of the two, I should probably be the one preventing the tree from falling on you. You’re not getting out of our Christmas weekend that easily.”

  She huffed as she got to her knees in the snow at the base of the tree. It was freezing. She was freezing. Now her knees were going to be wet and freezing. Christmas in Aspen wasn’t starting out as magically as he’d implied it would.

  As he stood over her to grip the trunk in order to keep it steady, she turned to tell him as much and found her face in his crotch. The bulge she spent years ignoring was inches from her nose, and there was no ignoring it in that moment. Even in the frigid mountain air her body heated as her breath caught, and she wondered what he would do if she dropped the axe and set about handling a whole different piece of wood.

  “Val?”

  She looked up and swallowed hard, licking her lips as she shoved the fantasy from her head. The look he gave her only served to stoke the fire, his eyes full of the lust she felt. She needed alcohol. Alcohol and a good lay. While Jaime could provide the first, the jury was still out on if she wanted him to provide the second.

  Another lie.

  She definitely wanted him to provide the second. Preferably multiple times. In multiple places, and multiple positions. But, a wild weekend couldn’t stay a wild weekend when she had to face him every Monday through Friday until one of them retired or she quit.

  “Unless you want it to freeze off, I suggest we get started. It won’t be any good to either of us frozen.” He stroked his chin thoughtfully, turning his gaze skyward. “On second thought, that could prove interesting.”

  The light teasing broke her from her lust fueled fantasy, and she rolled her eyes. “I’d call you cocky, but I’m sure you’d just turn that dirty.”

  He picked up the axe and handed it back before standing up once more to stabilize the tree. “Bet your ass, I would.”

  “Trust me, I will not be betting my ass to you.”

  His deep laugh filled the Aspen air. A laugh she loved hearing, and heard far too seldom. While she wouldn’t consider him a serious person, he was always in control of himself. Smiles came freely, but his laugh was reserved for special occasions.

  Like holiday retreats in the mountains.

  They were able to cut the tree down, get it to the house, and set it up in less than an hour and a half. As they were standing back admiring its placement in the living room, Val admitted he chose a good one. With the tree tucked into a corner, the bald spot was invisible, leaving only a full fir begging for decorations.

  The cabin was massive, and the living room had a large A frame design to it. They arranged faux holly and ivy along the mantle of the fireplace, tucking candles int
o it to recreate a Victorian look. Jaime scattered mistletoe along the beams crossing over the living room and put the wreath out on the front door. The space was far from decorated, but it wasn’t a bad start for the end of a long day.

  Jaime stood beside her as they took it all in, close enough their arms brushed. Then, he uncrossed his and let them fall to the side, their knuckles sliding together. Electricity danced over her skin with each pass of his hand over hers.

  She needed to get herself under control, stop imagining he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Stop pretending innocent accidental touches were intentional movements meant to set fireflies loose in her stomach.

  Even if he was flirting, flirting didn’t mean wanting. She’d seen him flirt with dozens of women and it never meant anything to him. When she got home after the holiday, she was calling that escort agency and booking herself a date with brown hair and mocha eyes. The dreams of Jaime needed to go.

  Dreams of what it would be like to kiss him. Every inch of him. What it would feel like to have his lips on her. Hands on her. Body covering hers.

  Then his pinky hooked around hers and held it.

  An unmistakable curling of his finger around hers. Tightening, not letting go.

  She looked at their hands, and then at him as she trailed her tongue over her bottom lip, consciously keeping her breathing under control.

  Forget the escort service, she wanted Jaime.

  Consequences be damned. She deserved a fantasy after the past month. They were both adults, they could work together after the fact. They just couldn’t let anyone know. It would be fine. Everything would be fine.

  She’d get coal for Christmas.

  But, it would be fine. Having sex with him was something she might or might not come to regret, but turning down sex with him would haunt her on her death bed.

  He raised his hand to cup her cheek, then followed the path her tongue made with his thumb as he turned to face her. “I’ve missed your smile.”