“You do?” I look at him in surprise and he shrugs. “They could use it, I don’t. The alcohol though, that’s another story.”
He raises his eyes and I laugh softly. “Yes, I did see rather a lot of that too. Best you keep me away from it, I can’t be trusted.”
“Oh, I don’t know, I kind of love my little inebriated fairy, she’s so much fun.”
He grins, and this time I roll my eyes. “I bet you do.”
We head across to the fridge and are soon pulling out packets of eggs, bacon, ham, butter and tomatoes. My stomach growls as it senses a pleasurable experience heading its way and Oliver says quickly, reverting to the boss he is, “I’ll fry up some eggs and bacon, see if you can find some bread and butter, maybe get the coffee going. There should be some plates and cutlery.
I do as he asks and love the way this feels so normal. The fact I’m naked in nothing but his hoodie doesn’t seem that strange anymore. My feet are seriously freezing though and the cold hard floor of the cafeteria isn’t helping, so I say with a groan, “My feet are seriously freezing, I may just run and grab my hold ups. At least they will help a little, I won’t be long.”
He nods, “I kind of have a soft spot for those myself. I don’t suppose you’d grab my trainers from my bag, you make a good point.”
Leaving him to it, I head back and laugh at how ridiculous this all is. It’s as if we are living in the biggest penthouse because this skyscraper is above the clouds and the rooms are huge. I find that I’m loving this little utopia we have created and the thought of all those candles burning, waiting for us to return to our cozy cabin, reminds me I should really go and blow them out because the last thing we need is a fire to add to our problems.
It doesn’t take me long to reach it, and as I look around at the space Oliver has created, a warm feeling settles in my heart. He did this—for me. He took our imagination and made it real. It’s like a lovely dream, and I can’t wait to come back and spend some time here with him.
Quickly, I blow out the candles and make my way to his office and look for my discarded hold ups and his trainers. I hear a buzzing sound as soon as I head inside and see my phone shining like a beacon in the dark.
My heart sinks when I notice I have several missed calls from my mother and grabbing it, I say quickly, “Mom, sorry I didn’t call.”
“Where are you, I’ve been out of mind with worry, are you ok, this snow is off the scale?”
“I’m fine, I never made it home last night.”
“Where are you then?”
I’m not really sure what to say and just resort to saying dismissively, “A friend put me up.”
“What friend?”
“You, um, don’t know them.”
“Them, man or woman?”
“Um, man actually.”
Her sharp intake of breath makes my heart sink–here we go.
“A man, what man, is it someone special, can I meet him, have you known him for long, is he handsome, rich, is he good looking?”
“Mom, enough, he’s just a friend.”
“Friend with benefits perhaps, are you sleeping with him?”
“Mom!”
I can’t believe what I’m hearing but then again, it doesn’t surprise me. Mom is more desperate than me for me to meet someone.
“Carla, this is news.”
I hear her shout, “Johnny, Carla’s with a man, um, yes you heard me, a man. What do you think about that?”
The next voice I hear is my father’s. “What man, who is he? Do I need to come over there?”
“No dad, he’s just a friend and I’m pretty sure you couldn’t come over here if you tried.”
“No snow will keep me from defending my girl’s honor. Text me the address, I’ll get my skis on.”
I start to laugh and love how good my parents always make me feel. They care so much and I love them so hard it hurts.
“Listen, dad, tell mom I’m sorry I never made it for lunch but I’m ok. I’ll head your way as soon as the snow clears enough to let me. Happy Christmas and don’t eat too much, otherwise you’ll fall asleep during the usual Christmas movie.”
“But you won’t be here, it won’t be the same.”
“I know.” I feel a pang because it’s tradition that I always curl up on the couch with my dad after Christmas lunch and watch a Christmas movie, while mom fusses around clearing up. She never allows me to help, and I don’t push it because I love my time with my dad. We don’t get enough moments like that, and I’m sorry to miss it.
My stomach reminds me it needs to eat and I say hastily, “I’m sorry, dad, I should go. I’ll call you later. Make sure you give mom a kiss from me.”
“I love you, Carla, have a good day and we’ll do this all over again when you make it back.”
As I cut the call, it brings me to my senses a little and reminds me of what’s real. I’m missing Christmas day with my family who I love and I have never missed spending Christmas with them. It’s the first time and it feels a little weird.
I’m wearing a stranger’s hoodie after fucking him several times in the office block where I work. I’m about to go and eat with him and then probably have more delicious sex in our own private cozy make believe cabin. Strangely, this is turning out to be the best Christmas day of my life, even though it doesn’t seem real. Like a parallel universe where only magic happens and when the snow melts and we walk out of here, I wonder if reality will be so amazing.
16
Oliver
I appear to have changed overnight because I haven’t thought of work once since I met my naughty fairy and now, I’m finding the greatest pleasure in cooking for her in an industrial kitchen on Christmas day, when I would usually be at my parents thinking on ways I can leave and return to work without upsetting them.
Now I’m just working out how long this snow could last and hoping it takes several weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever been this happy. For some reason it’s as if the world has stopped spinning and I’ve been granted a few hours of pleasure that doesn’t have any ties that go along with it. We are living in a bubble that only we belong to and thinking of the afternoon I have planned; I am looking forward to that more than anything.
When I see her heading my way in my hoodie with those sexy hold ups in place, I swear my heart stops beating for a moment for fear of interrupting a moment of the purest pleasure. She is so beautiful, and she has been under my nose for some time now, working in my business, flirting with random guys just to give her a little excitement through a mundane day.
She holds out my sneakers and smiles and I can’t stop staring, which makes her look a little uncomfortable as she shifts on her feet and says awkwardly, “Um, sorry, is something wrong?”
Snapping out of it, I take the sneakers and smile gratefully. “Thanks, breakfast is nearly ready, I hope you’re as hungry as I am. Thank God I never actually got around to installing vending machines in favor of food cooked from scratch.”
“You were really going to do that, I’m sorry Oliver, but that would have provoked my immediate resignation.”
She winks and the smile on her face makes me stop once again and just stare in amazement at this miracle of nature who has fluttered her way into my heart so quickly.
She turns and looks thoughtful. “Ok, where was I?”
I watch as she moves across to the counter and starts preparing toast and arranging the plates, and I snap out of the spell she has obviously cast over me. We need to eat, that’s definite, so I should get my head back into that important business at least.
Cooking with my fairy is the most fun I’ve had in the kitchen probably ever, and the conversation never dries up. Soon I am dishing up plates of hot food that is just what we need and as we sit at one of the tables and tuck in, I feel as if I’m heaven.
“You know, this is seriously good, Oliver, you’re wasted at that computer.”
I smirk. “What can I say, I’m a man of many talents.”
&nbs
p; “Oh really, what are they?”
She winks and I laugh softly. “So, tell me, other than being the naughtiest of Christmas fairies, what do you do for the rest of the year?”
Immediately, I regret asking because her eyes cloud over and she looks nervous. “Um, nothing much, anyway, what would you be doing right now if we weren’t snowed in?”
She changes the subject effortlessly and to be honest, I’m glad. I don’t think either of us are ready for reality to get in the way of what we have going on here, and I understand her reluctance. If we talk about personal stuff, it may complicate what this is. I know what we’ve done is overstepped the boundaries I have set in place and she is probably nervous about that, so I nod and say playfully, “Well, obviously I would be playing with the toys that Santa left me while my mom cooked the turkey. I would probably be fighting with my brother over what I want to watch on the television—he always wants to watch the most boring programs, whereas I always want to watch a sappy Christmas movie where the guy meets the girl, falls in love, clears up a misunderstanding and saves Christmas.”
She laughs and her eyes sparkle as she nods vigorously. “Me too. I love the Christmas channel; in fact, I start watching it as soon as it comes back online. There’s something so addictive about watching Santas and Mrs. Santas working alongside ordinary people to bring some magic into their lives. You know, I always watch a Christmas movie with my dad after dinner, it’s tradition.”
“Then we should watch one as soon as we finish up here. I’m guessing there’s a good one on today, after all, it is Christmas day.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
She chews on her mouthful of food and smiles, and something in my heart shifts. It intrigues me as to why she danced her way into my office last night because looking at her now, she appears so innocent, so normal, a regular girl next door, not the type of girl who would lap dance her boss who she had never met, in a drunken episode.
I need to know more about her and yet I’m aware she is scared of revealing anything, she is a mystery lady who I am keen to know better and as she sips her coffee, I can’t stop staring at those beautiful green eyes that are looking at me with interest.
Snapping out of it, I push my plate away and sigh with relief. “I needed that; I appear to have worked up quite an appetite.”
She nods. “Me too, I can’t think why.”
She looks around and then says with a renewed excitement, “Ok, we should clean up and then go and put the finishing touches to our cabin.”
“Oh yes, I forgot we were on a mission.”
She giggles and then says with mock firmness, “Ok, no distractions. We need to do this to save Christmas.”
She winks and stands to clear away our plates, and I follow her to the large dishwasher and take great pleasure in helping her stack the plates and bowls and clear up the mess we made. As soon as the last dish is cleared away, she says with determination.
“Now it’s time to fell a tree.”
17
Carla
I’m glad Oliver didn’t continue with his questions. If he finds out anything about me, I would probably regret it. I’m not sure why, but there is something at the back of mind that is keen to keep this casual. If I tell him anything, it lets normal in and I want to experience the magic for as long as possible. At the moment I can be anything, I’m no longer Carla Evans, office whore who allows alcohol to make bad decisions on her behalf. I’m a mythical creature who does things Carla Evans would be appalled at. I’m not sure when I became the girl who just worked and slept. I’m guessing we’re alike in some ways because I am the female version of him.
I have worked so hard to get to where I am now and I have a good job that I never once thought I’d reach so early in my career.
I work hard to prove I was worth the risk and have been given my own ad accounts to look after under the watchful eye of Mr. Garrison. Being a PR consultant was always my dream and I’m keen not to mess up my future for a fling with the boss, so, I’ve decided to play this cool and enjoy it for what it is because once I start thinking on it, I will lose more than my job because I am fast realizing Oliver Steele is everything I could wish for in a guy and I am so heading for a broken heart if I let him in.
So, I switch off from feelings and reality and revert back to the fairy I became and say with excitement, “Come on, I know just where to find one.”
I’m not sure why I decide to jog there, maybe it’s the fact he’s dressed in his exercise gear but I start to jog and say over my shoulder, “We need to work off that breakfast.”
“I can think of better ways to burn a few calories.”
He sounds a little put out and I laugh. “You’d have to catch me first.”
I up my pace and his laughter follows me as I sprint through the deserted offices, wondering if this was such a good idea after such a filling meal.
I love the freedom of where we are. Real life has been left out in the cold as we become two people living an impossible dream. I’m loving every minute of this and when I find what I’m looking for, I stop and turn, feeling like a triumphant explorer who has found treasure and say with excitement, “Here it is.”
Oliver stops beside me and laughs. “Perfect.”
We stare at the Christmas tree that looks a little tacky now I think about it, that we put up to decorate our office. It’s certainly nowhere near as special as a real one and the decorations are a little cheap but it’s better than nothing, so I say with determination, “Ok, shall we take the decorations and lights off first, there should be a waste bin we could use?”
“Why bother, we could just unplug the lights and carry it between us.”
“Where’s the fun in that? We need to enjoy the process. Where’s your imagination?”
He makes me laugh as he growls, “In the gutter, my little fairy.”
His expression sends heat straight to my core as I see the lust in his eyes and I roll mine and say firmly, “Come on, you’ve got to work at the magic of Christmas, you know, it’s what makes it more fun.”
Grabbing the nearest waste paper bin, I thrust it at him and say bossily, “Here hold this, I’ll strip the tree.”
He makes to speak and I say firmly, “Keep your comments to yourself, there may be children present.”
I wink as I begin to strip the tree. “So, tell me, did you always want to be in public relations, or was it just a case of stepping into your father’s shoes because it was expected?”
“No, I always wanted to be a fire fighter.”
“Impressive, are you upset it never worked out?”
“A little but I love what I do. It would be bad if I didn’t.”
“Why?”
“Because I virtually live here. I just go to my apartment to shower, sleep and change clothes and then I’m back.”
“That’s sad.”
“It is.”
I feel a little sorry for him. “Don’t you have any hobbies, distractions—anything?”
It seems hard to believe this is his whole life, and he nods. “I have the gym. I head there after work most nights and do a couple of hours before grabbing takeout on my way home.”
“That’s not living, Oliver, that’s existing.”
“What about you then, what do fairies do when they hang up their wand for the day?”
My heart beats a little faster because I’m on dangerous territory, if I reveal too much, I could let him inside and I’m not sure I want him knowing anything about me I’m not prepared to share, so I laugh dismissively, “Fairies sleep, eat and shop. End of.”
“What, no boyfriends, no dates, no…”
“No.”
“That’s sad.”
“Says the man who has his brother buy him sex for Christmas. I still can’t believe that really happens.”
He laughs as he catches an oversized bauble I throw at him. “It is sad but better than a pair of socks, wouldn’t you say?”
“I’d prefer the socks, I m
ean, eew, you don’t know where those Christmas thingies have been, just saying.”
He shrugs and unplugs the fairy lights as I begin winding them off the tree. “I suppose it is a little sad when you come to think of it, but I quite like the thrill of it if I’m honest. I don’t have time to date. Occasionally, I meet up with someone I’ve connected with on my dating app, but they never really make me want to see them past the obvious.”
“Then you’re beyond help, sir. Now let’s get this beauty upstairs.”
He stares at me with such a depraved look in his eye, I squirm a little. I’m guessing he’s in as much a hurry as I am to snuggle down in our little cozy cabin and enjoy some more naked attraction. I’m not sure how it happened that I woke up as a nympho fairy, but I’m going to run with it because I haven’t had so much fun in years.
18
Oliver
It’s not easy carrying a six-foot tree through an office, and I lose count of how many desks we clear as we drag it to the elevator. It’s even more of an issue actually trying to get it inside and we can’t stop laughing as it resists every attempt to squash it, along with ourselves, into a space that was never designed for this purpose.
We finally manage it and as the elevator moves upward, my fairy giggles from somewhere behind a fake branch and then groans. “I think there’s a branch tickling parts of me it shouldn’t.”
“That’s not a branch.”
I laugh at my own joke and she giggles again, which makes me happy. For some reason, I’m happy with her. Maybe it’s because we’re in this weird parallel universe away from the rest of mankind, but I feel so free with her. I never laugh. I don’t crack jokes and I don’t take pleasure in the simplest things.
My life is spent making money - end of. Normal things are just inconveniences that get in the way of making more of it and for the first time in several years, I am me again.
Deck the Boss: A holiday office romance Page 6