A Yowling Yuletide

by Celeste Hall

  "It turns out that our grandmothers were both a part of the secret group. I asked Rachel about it and she told me she had no idea. She also warned me not to talk to you about it because it would make you angry."

  "What group?" He asked, hoping Rachel was right. He could use a hefty dose of anger right now to counteract his lust.

  Miranda leaned forward conspiratorially and lowered her voice to a sensual purr that just about knocked him senseless and stupid.

  "They were witches," she murmured with a smile.

  Rachel was right, that topic was a hot button for him. Especially after his sister admitted to practicing Wicca with her friends. But for some reason he just couldn't bring himself to care right now. He was far to consumed by the woman seated in front of him.

  When he appeared too tongue-tied to reply, Miranda continued with her story.

  "Rachel told me about her friend Morgan's grandmother's Book of Shadows, and that they've practiced a few of the rituals inside."

  The redhead leaned even closer and Matt nearly whimpered as the move revealed a sneak peek down her blouse. Was she intentionally trying to kill him? The muscles in his chest and stomach were already so tense he could hardly breathe.

  "Well, my grandmother also kept a Grimoire," she revealed in an excited whisper. "But she wrote more than just spells and rituals inside. She also recorded all of the witches, who they married, and…um, unique traits that appeared in some of the children."

  "It was her fascination in genetics, do you see?" Miranda beamed at him.

  Matt was too spellbound by the woman to notice that she was waiting for some kind of response from him.

  "That's why you fell in love with me so quickly," she added, shocking Matt out of his state of mute captivation.

  Straightening abruptly, he shoved his chair back from the desk and quickly stood. Striding to the other side of the small office, he shook his head to clear it, before turning back to face her.

  "I think you should leave," he suggested with more severity than he actually felt. "This is not a work place appropriate conversion."

  "Stop talking like a lawyer and just think about it for a second,” she chastised. “Have you ever fallen in love so quickly, or so completely?”

  “You’re assuming a lot,” he growled, not ready to admit anything, especially to her.

  She shrugged and actually managed to look a little shy.

  “Well, I know that I’ve never felt this way about anyone before you.”

  The world bucked like a monstrous bull beneath him, nearly throwing him off. He thrust out one hand to grab the bookshelf beside him, desperately seeking to regain his balance, and nearly succeeded in toppling the heavy piece of furniture over instead.

  He turned on her with a stunned snarl, ready to shake the truth out of her if necessary. But the demand died unspoken on his lips, because her emotions were glowing bright and beautiful in those golden eyes.

  Miranda didn’t give him time to recover. Sliding off from the desk, she came to stand just in front of him. She was so short, the top of her head barely reached his shoulder, so she had to tilt her face way up to look into his eyes.

  When she placed her open palms upon his chest, his entire body trembled. It was like being touched by raw electricity. A crackling energy flowed between them, tensing every muscle and making him ache for what he’d tried so hard to deny.

  His arms instinctively moved up to embrace her, pulling her closer when he should have been pushing her away.

  Surprise and hope flashed through her golden eyes as they flickered down to rest upon his mouth, then the tip of her pink tongue darted out to moisten her lips. That gesture had nearly destroyed him the first day they’d worked together and it had an equally devastating effect upon his libido now.

  The fury and apprehension that he’d felt moments before vanished as he was overwhelmed by a fierce and unforgivable need to taste those lips, to discover if she tasted as good as she looked.

  Then, ever so slowly, she smiled and stood up on her toes. There was a hint of hope and pleasure in her eyes, even as her cheeks turned an enticing shade of pale pink. She was stepping outside of her comfort zone, seeking his acceptance and approval.

  It was impossible for him to deny all those soft, feminine curves filling his arms. The warmth of her body seduced him, as her inviting smile filled his mind with the endless fantasies that had haunted him all week.

  With a harsh curse, he tightened his arms fiercely around her body, lifting her up so he could capture her mouth beneath his own.

  Miranda made no attempt to stop him. Instead, she moaned and raised her arms to wrap them around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss.

  Her eagerness awakened a blaze of heat and lust that ripped through his body like a fiery tornado. It burned away all of his inhibitions and made him forget all of the reasons why he should simple put her down and walk away while he still could.

  He crushed her to him, wrapping her legs around his waist as he carried her across the floor to the desk. He seated her there, freeing his hands to fist them in all of that incredible red hair. It was every bit as silky soft as he’d imagined, drawing a ragged sigh from his chest.

  She was eager and supple in his arms, sending tidal waves of desire racing through every nerve in his body. He was drowning in need, rendered breathless and shuddering beneath the crushing weight of that need.

  Then she was wiggling away from him. Her hands were pushing at his chest, confusing him, forcing him to break that searing connection to her lips.

  His brows knit with confusion and a touch of anger, until he heard what it was that had her scurrying backward across the desk to climb off onto the floor and straighten her blouse and skirt.

  Her hair was a wild tumble of curls where his hands and played, and there was a rosy glow of guilty pleasure in her face that nobody could mistake. But there was no time for him to point out those details, as the harsh knocking came again and Brian abruptly opened the door to peek inside.

  “Oh,” the senior law partner gaped, looking from Matt to Miranda, and then back to Matt. “Sorry, I just figured you were on the phone, I was going to drop these on your desk for you to read later.”

  He made a halfhearted gesture using the bundle of papers and files in his hands.

  “Sorry.” He started to close the door, but Matt quickly stepped forward to stop him.

  Brian’s shocked expression was enough to shatter the fantasy that he’d momentarily fallen into.

  “Actually, I was just on my way out,” Matt growled. “I’ll take them with me.”

  He didn’t dare look at Miranda as he quickly shouldered past the older man and escaped into the hall, grabbing the paperwork from Brian’s grasp and hurrying towards the exit.

  “I’m not feeling all that well,” he shot back over his shoulder. “It looks like it’s going to be a slow evening anyway, with all this snow, so I’m going to finish up my work from home. I’ll see you Monday.”

  Yanking open the front door, he was struck by a blast of snow laden wind, reminding him that he’d left his coat hanging on the peg in his office. But he wasn’t going back for it now, not with that seductress waiting for him.

  By the time he reached his car, he was half frozen, but it helped to clear the last of the lust from his body.

  On Monday, he’d call the temp agency and have them replace Miranda with a new receptionist. Preferably an old, ugly man.

  It Came Upon a Midnight Clear

  "I'm sorry, but we're currently experiencing blizzard conditions in most of northern New York." The woman on the other end of the phone call did not actually sound sorry at all. It might be because she'd already told Matt the same thing half a dozen times.

  He'd called the temp agency early Monday morning, hoping to find someone less attractive to work the front desk, but he was being told that was impossible.

  "We were lucky that Miranda lives in Aspire, nobody else is willing to make the drive out there
until the weather clears," the woman explained yet again.

  Matt considered using tears or bribery, but he suspected he'd get the same results either way. He'd have to survive another week working with Miranda, or go back to managing the front desk himself.

  That latter option sounded really good, until he considered the need to explain the switch to the senior partners Brian and Greg. They would definitely not understand and he couldn't risk jeopardizing his position at the firm.

  A good attorney needed strong people skills. His bosses knew that and would look critically upon any sign of weakness in him. If he ever wanted to make full partner, he'd have to figure out this Miranda situation quickly and discretely.

  She was seated at the front desk when he arrived at the office and immediately flashed him a huge smile, as if he hadn't half devoured her and then left her to make all the excuses to his boss just a few days earlier.

  The girl not only looked like an angel, she had the heart of one too. For a moment he was filled with guilt, but he shook it off, along with a thick layer of snow that had settled over his new coat and hair.

  “The postal service made it through today,” she informed him, ignoring the cold shoulder he was offering. “There is some mail here for you. Also, Brian left me a stack of papers related to the file you took home on Friday.”

  Matt’s eyes cut towards the desk, seeking the paperwork, but instead found themselves glued to the girl. She was wearing a dark green dress that perfectly hugged her figure and dipped dangerously low in the front. From her ears hung little green Christmas ornaments in the same shade of green, with gold glitter highlights.

  The colors amplified her exquisite hair and the gold of her eyes, rendering him speechless in admiration.

  She tilted her head slightly and smiled, drawing his gaze straight down to her mouth.

  He could still remember how she tasted. It was all he’d been able to think about all weekend, no matter how busy he’d kept himself around the farm. That, and the way that she’d felt in his arms, so soft and eager.

  She’d claimed that she loved him, but that was impossible. People didn’t have soul mates and there was no such thing as instant love. Instant lust, yes. He could admit that he had an undeniably fierce desire for her. But he would not accept the possibility that it could be anything more.

  Dragging his eyes away from her took herculean strength.

  “Leave it on your desk, I’ll grab it later,” he told her. Preferably at some point when she wasn’t sitting nearby, which meant he’d probably be working late tonight, waiting for her to go home for the evening.

  “Alright,” she agreed before he could escape down the hallway. “But I do have a couple more questions for you.”

  He hesitated, but kept his back to her.

  “Yeah?”

  "What time will you be picking me up on Friday?"

  He tensed, realizing that she had not forgotten Rachel's invitation to come to Christmas dinner with his family. Even after all that he'd said and done to chase her away, she still wanted to spend time with him.

  He knew that he shouldn't feel flattered or glad that she was being so stubborn, but he was. Still, he'd have to firmly turn her down. It was hard enough being around her at work. There was no telling what trouble his libido might get them into if they were left alone together at the farm.

  "Rachel was wrong," he lied boldly. "We don't actually have room for any more at our table this year."

  For a long moment Miranda remained quiet. He started to fear that she might be crying but when he turned she was standing directly behind him.

  How the heck had she moved so quietly? This was the second time she'd managed to creep up on him this way. She moved like a predatory cat, silent and graceful. But her eyes were flashing golden flames as she confronted him.

  "Have you ever read A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens?"

  He blinked, confused by the question.

  "No, but I've seen a few movie adaptations."

  "So you understand the concept of the Christmas ghosts and embracing the spirit of the season?"

  "Sure, whatever." He was having a hard time thinking clearly with her this close.

  "You love me, Matt. And I love you. Don't throw it away like Scrooge did."

  Love. She'd said it again. He just wished it didn't sound so good when she said it. She made him want to believe in love at first sight, even if it was impossible.

  He cast a condescending scowl over one shoulder.

  "I suppose you're going to warn me about Christmas ghosts now?"

  Rather than looking hurt, her saw a spark of surprised humor light her face.

  "That's not a bad idea," she grinned. "If you won't believe me, maybe it's time for a little Yuletide magic."

  His scowl blackened considerably. He wasn’t really sure if that kind of supernatural magic existed, but if it did, it was probably dangerous.

  "You shouldn't play around with stuff like that," he growled, worried about her, although he told himself he had no right to be. "I don't want to think about you getting hurt."

  She raised one lovely eyebrow at him, wordlessly pointing out the way he had treated her ever since she'd arrived at the office to help him.

  That simple gesture hit him in the gut like a freight train, effectively flattening his anger and leaving him a wreck of regret and guilt.

  "Sorry," he sighed, running a shaky hand through his hair. He didn't like the monster he'd become in an effort to drive her off.

  "I better get back to work," he muttered, taking a hesitant step towards his office. Then he paused and almost turned around to face her.

  What if he just explained to her what he was feeling? What if he told her that he couldn't trust himself to care again? Would she accept his reasons, or would she challenge them as Rachel had?

  He shook his head again and walked away, unaware of first hope and then disappointment that shown in Miranda's eyes.

  Matt strode straight to his office, locked the door, and didn't come out again until he was sure that she'd gone home for the evening. He even called the front desk to check and was relieved when the answering service picked up.

  Outside he was nearly thrown off his feet by a gust of icy, snow laden wind. It was nearly white-out conditions and he had to seriously consider whether it might be safer to just spend the night at the office rather than risk the road.

  After a long hesitation he finally chose the road. If the snow was still blowing this hard tomorrow Brian and Greg would simply close the office. Which was a godsend for Matt because it meant one more day he wouldn’t have to fight his temptation for Miranda.

  The snow was piled knee high around his car, requiring that he dig down a bit before he could even open the door. Thank goodness he'd thought to put snow chains on his tires that weekend, or he never would have made it out onto the street.

  The snow plows had been busy trying to keep the roads clean, but the wind was making it a challenge. There was still several inches of the powdery white stuff covering the asphalt, but he drove slowly and arrived safely at the farm.

  The snow plows didn't clear private farm lanes, so he parked the car in his mother's driveway and then walked across the pasture to the house he'd converted from their old stable.

  He chuckled a little as he kicked off his soggy shoes just inside the garage entry door. Tanya would never have lasted a winter in this house. He tried to imagine the woman hiking through the pasture wearing one of those ridiculously short skirts and mile high designer heels.

  Then he stopped, blinking in surprise. That was the first time he'd actually thought about Tanya since Miranda had shown up in his life.

  Yes, he'd thought about the pain left in her wake, but never about the woman herself.

  Even more surprising was the way he felt right now. He'd actually laughed at how ridiculous and high maintenance she'd been, and how impossible it would have been for them to have a future here. A future together.

  R
achel had been right. Tanya was totally wrong for him.

  Miranda, on the other hand...

  His lips curled into a slow smile as he recalled all the mornings he'd watched her bustle into the office, shaking off snow like a fastidious feline.

  She wasn’t fond of being cold and wet, but she was feisty enough to accept whatever the weather threw at her. Just like she'd accepted all the crap Matt had been throwing at her over the past week.

  He felt another wash of guilt tighten his gut and wished that he hadn't been such an asshole to her.

  Miranda was an amazing woman, but he just didn't think he could trust himself in another relationship.

  He'd pretty much destroyed the last one by pushing too hard and too fast without considering what Tanya felt or was being motivated by.

  What if he did the same thing to Miranda?

  He started heading for the master suite and a hot shower, when a sound made him hesitate.

  Was that just the wind or somebody screaming?

  Tilting his head from one side to the other, he listened, trying to discern the source of the alarming sound. After a few seconds he realized it was coming from the garage door where he’d just entered.

  Padding barefoot back to the solid barrier, he wasn’t really sure what to expect. But it wasn’t the diminutive red tabby cat that raced past him through the open door and vanished somewhere beyond the open kitchen space.

  “Damn it,” he growled, realizing it could be any number of half-wild cats that lived and hunted among the old farm outbuildings. But none of them were housebroken, so why would the little creature choose to take refuge from the storm here, rather than in the warm barn or the hayloft with the rest of its relatives?

  Perhaps the snowstorm had caught it off guard in the pasture? The snow was thick and deep out there. It must have found the trail that he’d broken through and followed him all the way home.

  Well, Matt was sure of at least one thing, he had to get it out of the house before it left him with a mess to clean up.

  Due to the storm, he thought the best option would be to put a few towels into a box in the garage for it to sleep tonight, then in the morning he could carry it back down to the barn where it belonged. But after an hour of searching every possible hiding place, he began to wonder if he'd imagined the cat.