Mistletoe Between Friends / The Snowflake Inn

by Samantha Chase

  Cam nodded and reached for his sandwich. “That only applied to food vendors on the street. I made no such promise concerning anyplace else that we dine.” He was teasing her, and she knew it. They ate their meals while they talked about what was on the schedule for Cam’s first meeting in the afternoon.

  Though she always listened and tried not to let her eyes glaze over, Lily was glad for the distraction of food. She knew the appropriate places to nod and had gleaned enough information over the years to make elementary comments on his work, something that Cam seemed to appreciate.

  “So are you ready for your presentation?” she asked as she dipped the last of her fries in ketchup.

  “I believe so. I always feel like I need to prepare more, but once I’m up there, I don’t really use the notes.”

  “That’s because you know this stuff like the back of your hand. You’re going to be great.” She gave him an encouraging smile. “What time will you be back to get ready for dinner?”

  Cam looked at his watch. “We should be done by five, so I’ll be back here by five fifteen to five thirty and then we’ll get ready. We’ll need to head out around six fifteen.” He finished the last of his sandwich and turned back to Lily. “What are you going to do with yourself this afternoon?”

  Reclining on the sofa with her hand on her full belly, Lily thought about her options. “I had thought that I’d just walk around, but the snow is really coming down out there and it’s nice and toasty in here and I’m pretty full so…”

  “You’re just going to hang here and nap, aren’t you?”

  She made a face at him. “Maybe,” she said defiantly.

  The phone in the room rang but Cam barely glanced up. “Can you get that, please?” Hopping up, Lily crossed the room. She noticed that Cam was doing his best not to smile.

  “Hello? Yes, this is Lily Cavanaugh. Wait… What? Um… No, I wasn’t… Oh, uh… Are you sure?” She paused and glanced over at Cam, who seemed deeply engrossed in his notes. “Yes, thank you. I’ll see you then. Bye.” Hanging up the phone, Lily turned and saw that Cam was finally looking at her. “Cameron Greene, what have you done?”

  He placed a hand on his chest and did his best to look as if he had no idea what she was talking about. “Me? What? What did I do?”

  Lily strode across the room and collapsed on the sofa next to him with a bounce. “You booked me an afternoon at the spa!” she cried excitedly. “I can’t believe you did that!”

  “Why? You said you wanted to do that, so I made sure that I scheduled it.”

  Her shoulders sank and she pouted slightly. “You don’t get it, do you?” Cam shook his head. “You didn’t have to do it. I was joking with you when I said it. Well, not exactly joking, but I would have taken care of it myself.” When he started to speak, she held up a hand to stop him. “It was very thoughtful of you, and it was a wonderful surprise. Thank you.” She leaned in and kissed him on the cheek—and had to remember not to linger, even though that was what she wanted to do most. “You are very sweet.”

  Just what every guy wants to hear, Cam thought to himself. Before he allowed himself to obsess on that statement, he stood and began gathering his papers. “I’m going to get changed and then head downstairs. I’ll meet you back here at five thirty.” He did his best to not look at her, but when he walked toward the closet to grab his suitcase and toiletries, he turned and saw that she was still sitting on the sofa and smiling at him.

  Words escaped him. Lily always managed to take his breath away. Others merely saw it as Cam being shy or socially awkward, but the truth was that most times when he was around Lily, he simply kept quiet to keep from ruining everything by blurting out how he felt about her.

  And the last thing that Cam wanted was to risk losing Lily.

  Chapter 3

  Lily felt completely boneless when she arrived back at the room three hours later. She had been pampered from head to toe and felt as if she could sleep for a week. But duty called and she had to make sure that she did her best to wow Cam’s colleagues tonight.

  Going to her luggage, she pulled out her cocktail dress and was thankful it had traveled so well. She decided on a quick shower so that when Cam got back to the room, he’d be able to do whatever he needed without her being in the way.

  The hot water felt heavenly, and it was a real task to force herself out of the shower. Soon she had her hair done and her makeup applied, and all that was left was to get dressed. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was just five fifteen. The thought of sitting around for an hour in her dress was not the least bit appealing. She was racked by indecision, so when she heard Cam’s key in the door, she breathed a little sigh of relief.

  Cam wasn’t sure what he’d expected when he got back to the room, but Lily all dolled up and wearing nothing but a silky, pink robe that barely came to her knees was not it. Her long, blond hair was softly curled and covered her shoulders, and she had done something smoky with her eye makeup that had him wondering if taking her to dinner with a room full of scientists was really such a good idea. After all, they could order dinner in the room and just be done with it. Then he wouldn’t have to share her time with anyone.

  And he’d get to find out what she was wearing under that silky, pink robe. His mind wandered to the image of nothing but silky skin and maybe, just maybe, a hint of lace.

  “How did your presentation go?” Lily asked, thoroughly breaking his train of thought about locking her in the room for the night for himself.

  Forcing himself to look away from the beautiful sight she made, Cam gave her the basics of the meeting and his presentation as he walked around the room putting all of his things in specific places. The strawberry scent she favored had permeated the room, and he found himself inhaling deeply, trying to draw her into his lungs.

  “Do you want to take a shower? I made sure that I was done before you got back so that you could have the bathroom to yourself.”

  “The suite has two bathrooms, Lily,” he said. “There wasn’t a need for you to rush.”

  She smiled at his thoughtfulness. “Yes, but the second one doesn’t have a tub or a shower. Anyway, I cleared out all of my girlie stuff so that it won’t get in your way.”

  Cam didn’t want to think about her girlie stuff. He didn’t want to think about lotions and lingerie and God knew what else she had that always made Lily so…Lily. To get his mind away from that direction, again, he asked how her afternoon of pampering had gone.

  “Oh, Cam,” she said as she walked across the room and sat on the bed while he took his suit out of his case. “It was amazing, absolutely the best. I almost needed someone to carry me back up to the room because I was like a wet noodle.”

  She was sitting in the middle of the bed with her legs tucked to the side, and Cam could see from his vantage point that she’d had her toes painted a fiery red and that her legs—which looked amazing—were so smooth they glowed. “I was so relaxed when I got back here that I almost took a nap.”

  “You should have. We have time.”

  Lily shook her head. “I never would have been ready, and as your girlfriend, I am determined to be prompt. I know how important that is to you.”

  He shook his head at her as he walked toward the bathroom to put his things in there so he could get ready. “While I appreciate the effort, I don’t expect you to morph into a complete stranger. I’m used to the Lily who makes me wait and is laid back and relaxed. If you get all punctual on me, I’m not going to know what to do,” he teased.

  He watched her intently while Lily teased him back as he walked around the room collecting his things. More than anything, Cam wished that he knew how it felt to just let himself relax like that. He’d been serious and studious his entire life because that was what was expected of him. What would it be like to break free, just for a while, from this mold that he had created for himself and to simply f
eel?

  And with that thought, he closed the door to the bathroom to get himself ready.

  * * *

  Lily sat back and relaxed as she listened to the water from the shower and did her best to not think about Cam naked there. That would not be a good thing. Well, it would be a good thing, but not good for her as she was trying her best to keep to the role of pretend girlfriend.

  Figuring that she had some time, she opted to get dressed while Cam was getting ready. Knowing him, he probably would be completely showered, shaved, and dressed in fifteen minutes or less. Hopping up from the bed, she took her dress off the hanger and laid it on the bed. Stripping off her robe, Lily stepped into her dress, zipped it up, and grabbed her stilettos before checking her reflection in the mirror.

  The red cocktail dress was a risky choice, but she wanted to be festive. It was strapless and clung to her in all of the right places, and the pumps were just the right combination of sweet yet sexy. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out a pearl choker with a diamond clasp that matched the earrings she had put on earlier. She was admiring herself in the mirror, thankful for the fact that her panties didn’t leave a line, when Cam opened the bathroom door. The look on his face stopped her cold.

  He was dressed in nothing more than his black trousers, and Lily couldn’t help but stare. His hair was still damp from his shower and uncombed, and all in all, he looked incredibly…yummy. The scowl on his face, however, was not.

  “What the hell are you wearing?” he demanded.

  Lily looked at herself and mentally cursed. She had been so worried about saying something to embarrass Cam that she’d never thought about needing to dress more conservatively than her normal style. Whenever Lily got nervous, she made jokes. “It’s a dress, Cam,” she said with a little laugh. “What does it look like?”

  She saw him take a deep breath before he spoke. “I know it’s a dress, Lily. I’m not blind. But isn’t it a bit much for a business dinner?”

  “Oh, well,” she stammered, then walked over to her suitcase and pulled out an ivory cashmere sweater and put it on. “I was going for festive with the red and figured the sweater would tone it down a bit. If you don’t like it, I can skip tonight’s dinner and shop tomorrow for something a little more appropriate.” She was nervous and sorting through all of her clothes to see if her other dresses were more subdued in style, so she never heard Cam’s approach.

  Gently placing his hands on her shoulders, he stopped her and simply said her name. When she didn’t make a move, Cam turned her around to face him. “Hey,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m used to being in stuffy, conservative mode, and I never really gave a thought to how a woman would dress for one of these events. You look beautiful, and I don’t want you to skip dinner tonight. I want you with me.”

  His words warmed her, and she began to feel like her old self again. “Only if you’re sure, because I would completely understand if…”

  Cam placed a finger over her lips to silence her. “I want you with me,” he repeated and smiled when she nodded. “Okay then. Let me finish getting ready, and we’ll head downstairs for drinks.”

  “You wouldn’t happen to have a red tie with you, would you?” she asked hopefully.

  “Are we just meeting?”

  Rolling her eyes, she shrugged and went to hang up her belongings, something she should have done when she got in. “I’m sorry. What was I thinking?” Lily went back to the task at hand, and five minutes later, Cam walked out of the bathroom looking like something out of GQ. His black suit fit him perfectly. The snowy-white dress shirt was pressed within an inch of its life, and the black silk tie looked immaculate against it. His hair, which was always styled to near-military precision, was impeccable, and his black wire glasses were the perfect accessory.

  “You look incredibly handsome, sir,” she said and brushed at imaginary lint on his jacket just so that she could touch him. She turned them toward the mirror so she could see how they looked side by side and then frowned.

  “What’s the matter?” Cam asked, thoroughly confused because he was smiling at how they looked.

  “It’s all wrong,” she said, walking over to the closet. “I have a black dress with me. I’ll change into that one, and then we’ll look more coordinated.” Then she mumbled, “If only you had a red tie.”

  Cam sighed loudly. “This is all over a tie?”

  “And maybe a hanky for your pocket.”

  “What do you suggest that I do? I don’t have anything red.”

  “I have a pair of red panties that I can stuff in your pocket,” she said with a sexy grin—and nearly burst out laughing at the shocked look on Cam’s face. “Relax, relax, I was just kidding.”

  Cam looked at his watch and then her. “Don’t change, Lily,” he said as he walked into the living room, picked up the phone, and called the front desk. Two minutes later, he was back in the bedroom. “It’s taken care of.”

  “What? What’s taken care of? Who did you call?”

  Without answering her, Cam did his share of unpacking, placing his clothes in the closet beside Lily’s. “Cam? Come on. Who did you call?” She was hot on his heels with every step he took until he sat on the sofa to wait. “You are the most frustrating man I have ever met,” she huffed, sitting beside him.

  Five minutes later, there was a knock at the door and Cam went to answer it. When he turned and walked toward the bedroom, he had a small bag in his hand and a smile on his face. Lily quickly jumped up to see what he was doing. Just as she walked through the double doors, Cam pulled a red silk tie and pocket square from the bag.

  “Okay, I take it back. You are not frustrating; you’re adorable.”

  “Good,” he said as he tucked the pocket square in place. “That’s what I was going for—adorable.” Lily walked up to him, and before he knew what she was doing, she had his tie undone and was pulling it from around his neck and wrapping it around her wrist. He arched his brows in surprise. “Nice trick.”

  She smiled a saucy smile. “There was this belly-dancing class. You’d be amazed at what I can do with a silk scarf.” Before Cam could respond, she had the new red tie in place and was tying it in a perfect Windsor knot. Standing back, she admired her handiwork. “There. Now we’re perfect.” Turning them both toward the mirror, she smiled brightly at their reflection. “Right?”

  Cam had no words. Lily stared at him for a moment before he nodded and stepped away, clearing his throat. “Ready to go?”

  Lily trailed after him and grabbed her purse. Cam was waiting by the door and held it open as she walked through. She murmured her thanks and waited for him to close the door. Silently they walked toward the elevator, and once they were inside, she forced him to face her. “Okay, what’s the matter?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “You got all quiet and sullen back there. Is this because of the tie? I mean, if it’s going to make you so uncomfortable that you won’t even talk to me, you can change it back. It’s not worth all of this.” She stood and crossed her arms defiantly and waited for his response.

  “I’m fine, Lily. It’s just that you… Well, you took me a little by surprise back there,” he said, his voice croaking slightly.

  “Me? What did I do?”

  “Wanting to put red panties in my pocket, whipping my tie off and wrapping it around your wrist while telling me you do stuff with silk scarves… That’s just a…whole other side of you that I… We… Well, we never discuss. It’s just taking me a little longer than you to wrap my brain around this whole new phase of our friendship.”

  Lily had really wanted to stay mad at him, but his honest admission and the embarrassment on his face were more than she could bear. With a laugh, she stepped in, wrapped her arms around him, and gave him a hug. When she felt him stiffen, she immediately stepped back and smacked his arm. “Stop doing that!” sh
e said loudly.

  “Now what did I do?” Seriously, the woman needed to come with a manual because he couldn’t keep up with her. If this was what most women were like in a relationship, then moving overseas was definitely the better option because the up-and-down mood swings were beginning to make him dizzy.

  “You are going to have to get used to me touching you and hugging you and acting flirty with you, or nobody—not our friends or our family—is going to believe this nonsense that we’re trying to feed them, and this will end up being yet another exhausting holiday season! Now unclench a bit,” she demanded as the elevator indicated that they had arrived on the floor of the banquet hall, “and take my hand and let’s go mingle.”

  Cam did just as she instructed, but he had a sense that he was in over his head. Even though the room was full of his peers, he was most definitely out of his element.

  * * *

  Four hours later and back at the room, Cam was a man with a major conflict. All night Lily had been the perfect date. She was friendly to everyone and spent time speaking to all the colleagues he introduced her to. When they were seated for dinner, she actively participated in all the conversations, even if just to ask a question—which all of the men at the table were more than willing to answer for her. She seemed to be completely in her element. Some of the other wives or dates had seemed bored or impatient, but Lily’s gift was bringing her genuine interest in people to every conversation. She had dazzled his colleagues, and he’d felt proud and possessive.

  And then they’d danced.

  Cam wasn’t sure what had happened. They’d danced with one another dozens of times over the course of their lives, and yet tonight was…different. As they’d swayed to the music, the way Lily had felt in his arms was simply amazing. There were at least four different times when he’d wanted to pull her even closer than they already were and just keep her there.

  And then there were the times when they had gotten too close and all he’d wanted to do was take her back up to their room and say to hell with their friendship and finally—finally!—make Lily his own.