Page 33 of Her Secret Santa

I leave the joke about the freezing temperatures outside unspoken, laughing at her enthusiasm and snagging a coat from my closet. Even if it wasn’t cold out, this dress is only about half an inch from being indecent, and I’m not interested in risking that.

“I have to get going,” I say, tugging the heels on and trying to find my balance in them. “Can you lock up when you leave?”

“Oh, I’m spending the night,” Allie says with a mischievous grin. “I wantallthe details in the morning. We’ve both been way too busy for me to get all the juicy details, but I’m not letting it slide this time.”

I roll my eyes affectionately and press a kiss to her cheek before grabbing the bracelet and my bag. The stairs are tricky to navigate in my heels, but I make it down and hail a taxi without twisting my ankle.

The ride to Eternity is quiet, and I use the time to settle myself. It’s been a big day for me, but instead of feeling drained like I usually would, I feel oddly energized.

I’m excited to see what my Elite has in store for me tonight.

I show up a few minutes early, the bouncer letting me in, before tying a mask around my face and putting my bag and coat in a locker. The cool metal is starting to become familiar, and it soothes the flutter of nerves in my stomach. I select my bracelets and follow the Floor Master out of the room.

My Elite waits for me at the bottom of the stairs.

It looks like he’s just as impatient for tonight as I am.

“You’re early,” he says as I reach him. His eyes are dark and burning with desire as he trails them over my body. There’s something almost familiar about them, a spark in the back of my mind that makes me want to get a look at the man behind the mask. “I picked well. You look stunning.”

“I was late last time. Had to make up for it, didn’t I?” I tease with a cheeky grin as I step into his arms, melting into the feeling of his broad hands against the small of my back. “Thank you, Sir.”

He ducks his head to take my lips in a kiss, all insistent demand, and it makes my whole body go liquid and hot. He tastes like expensive whiskey and need. I want to taste him for hours. When he pulls back, I can’t stop a smile from blooming over my face. He thumbs at the corner of it, the look in his eyes softening to something closer to genuine affection.

“Happy, pretty girl?” he asks, his voice almost too low to hear over the music.

“Today was a good day,” I say, just as quietly. “And now I’m here with you. I’ve got plenty to smile about.”

His grin regains its sharp edge and he tugs me just a hair closer, the blunt edge of his nails digging into my hips through the dress. He’s hard already, pressed against my thigh, and my mouth waters at the promise in his dark eyes.

“Then let’s see if you can keep that pretty smile going when your lips are around my cock, little one.”

I shudder at the heat in his tone, already desperate to show him how good I can be.

“Lead the way, Sir.”

Chapter Fourteen

CLARA

Isit anxiously at an empty table that stretches almost the length of the entire room. The conference room I’m in is huge—which makes sense, the whole building is huge. I’ve seen it from the outside, a towering monolith of glittering windows, the Hawthorne name branded proudly across the top of it. I didn’t expect it to feel just as massive inside.

The flash drive in my hands feels much heavier than it is, and I rub it between my palms in an attempt to ground myself. It contains the entirety of my graphic design portfolio—my entire website and the two pieces I’m currently working on. I feel woefully under prepared.

I spring out of my seat when the door swings open to reveal an older blonde woman, with a perfectly neat bun, wearing a skirt suit that probably costs more than any clothes I’ve ever owned. I’m wearing a neat sweater and thrifted slacks, hoping I don’t look as out of place as I feel. She meets my eyes with a pleasant, if distant, smile, and pulls the door closed behind her.

“Ms. Sanders?” she asks, stepping forward and holding her hand out. “I appreciate you making time to see me this morning. My name is Heidi Roberts, feel free to call me Heidi.”

I fumble to shake her hand, feeling instantly outclassed. She’s exactly the kind of the person I expect to be employed in such a prestigious company, and it’s obvious how out of my depth I am.

“Heidi, it’s lovely to meet you. Thank you so much for having me,” I say as she drops my hand and gestures for me to take a seat again. “Please, call me Clara.”

“Clara, I’d like to inform you that this interview is really just a formality, so I won’t waste too much of your time.” My heart sinks as she flips through a folder in front of her. I recognize my own work, printed out and organized neatly, but she skims right past it to some paperwork. I know I shouldn’t have gotten my hopes up, but it’s still a heavy blow to realize that I’m not really being considered. “We’ve already chosen the projects we’d like you on, but until the new year, in-office work will be limited, so you’ll be doing much of your onboarding at home.”

I blink at her in confusion.

What?

She looks up from the folder with that same perfectly professional smile, but it falters when she sees the blank shock on my face.

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