Page 27 of His Off-Limits Christmas Gift

“No way,” she argued. “Next time you go home, you look at that property and it’s the same tree.”

“It is not.”

She laughed again, charming me with the sound. I could tell it wasn’t easy for her to lower her guard completely, but I was working on her. She was opening up, even if it took critiquing Christmas décor, which somehow led to Halloween decorations, and then the rumor that Rockton had spirits from beyond the grave.

It wasfun. We teased each other without a hitch. No awkward pauses popped up between us. Like friends, with the hint of something more, we had lunch, hung out, and just talked.

When I sought her out at the office, annoyed with how busy we’d both been to the point that I’d missed her, I intended to merely spend some time with her. Whiling away most of the afternoon was a much better outcome.

We quieted while the server came—again—and asked us if we needed anything, but we both said we were fine. Our plates had been cleared away a while back, and our drinks were still refilled, untouched because of how much we were talking and laughing.

“Yikes. We’ve been hogging this table for hours,” she said after checking her watch.

I didn’t mind. Because it meant I could hog her.

“It’ll be fine.”My tip will make up the difference.“It’s nice to break out of the office like this.”With you.

“You can say that again.” Her brow creased as she lowered her gaze.

“What do you mean?” I hated the possibility that she might not be having a good time at the office. Julie was dismayed thatshe’d only be there temporarily, but I got it. She came to New York for a slight escape. Not a relocation. I wouldn’t expect her to change her life for me or that job just like that.

As far as I could tell, though, she was enjoying her employment.

“Nothing.” Still, she didn’t look up. The mood had changed from the light-hearted banter.

“Aw, come on. What is it?” I didn’t want to push, but she had to be joking if she thought she could shift moods like that and expect me to believe nothing was on her mind.

“Is something wrong? At the office?” That seemed to be the trigger that made her quiet.

“Nothing is wrong, per se.” She sat up and faced me directly. “But I overheard a little bit of gossip before you found me on that floor doing the copies.”

“Gossip?” I arched a brow. “About you?”

“No.” She grunted a weak laugh. “How could anyone gossip about me? I’m a nobody. No one knows me to gossip about me.”

“Then what kind of gossip?” I laughed once. “If people are spreading that ridiculous story about Juan being an extra in that Christmas movie being filmed down the block, it’s bogus. He was just talking crap.”

She laughed lightly. “He couldn’t be an extra. He’d steal the stage.”

“I know, right?”

She cleared her throat. “Gossip about you,” she finally answered.

“Me?” I pointed at myself. “Oh, that’s nothing new.”

“It isn’t?”

I shook my head. “I’m one of the few with the CO rank. The bosses always get crap.”

“Huh.”

She didn’t seem convinced, and I hated that the fun mood had been killed. “All right. Spare me. If it’s bothering you, I’m only going to stay curious.” I rolled my hand at her. “Lay it on me. What’s the damage? Or non-damage. Gossips aren’t going to make or break my day, Rach.”

“That you have a habit of drinking a lot at the holiday party.” She cringed.

I nodded. “That’s more true than not. It’s a night I don’t enjoy much.”

“Then why go at all?”

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