Page 35 of Matchmaking Under the Mistletoe

Me: More like four…

Lizzie: HELL YES!

Lizzie: Christmas miracles really do exist!

Lizzie: Damn it, I’ve gotta get back to this sketch I’m working on. It’s gotta be done before I leave for Christmas and I’m really not sure I can get it done in the next three days. But really sis, don’t forget you deserve to be happy, and fuck anyone or anything that tells you otherwise.

I feel my throat clog at the sincerity of her text. Damn it, I’ve missed her pep talks over the last few years.

Me: Love you big, sis.

Lizzie: Love you bigger Mills, and don’t you forget it.

I throw my phone back in the cupholder just as Brian returns to the truck with a stack of papers folded into a notebook. He jumps in the front seat and leans over, kissing me quickly before he pulls back and throws the truck in reverse.

“Ready to head home and decorate that tree?” he asks, placing his hand over mine, and rubbing my knuckles with his fingertips.

And in that moment, I realize Brian’s house has become more of a home than the cold and uninviting penthouse I shared with Allen ever was. My sister’s right. I’m gonna soak in every moment, every kiss, and every earth-shattering orgasm and worry about the rest later.

I lean over and press a kiss to Brian’s temple, before saying, “Yep, let’s get ready to deck the halls.”

CHAPTER 17

BRIAN

“Yes, ma’am… Yep, we can do that… All righty, yes, ma’am, we’ll see y’all then,” Millie says, before putting her phone away and ending the call with a frustrated groan.

“Oh my gosh, I swear every time I think I’ve answered all of Miss Sally’s questions, she finds another reason to call me,” she says, rubbing her face with her hand.

“Join the club,” I say with a grimace.

“Okay, I’m pausing for coffee. I’ll be right back,” she says, standing from her chair, and making her way out the door of my office, where we’ve spent the entire day working. Millie’s been wrapped up with calls for the Gingerbread Gala, and I took the day off from my mayoral duties to catch up at Deer Valley. I told myself that my reasons for making that decision were purely work related, but a larger part of me wanted to spend more time with Millie after the weekend we shared.

Before Millie, weekends were for volunteering with some of the various committees I serve on, filling in at the inn, and occasionally grabbing a beer with a couple of the guys like Will from the high school. But after we picked out the tree on Saturday, Millie put me to work helping her decorate, workingher magic on the eight-foot tree until every inch was covered in lights and pastel ornaments. Yesterday, I briefly considered coming into work to give her some space, not wanting Millie to feel suffocated after living and working with me for the last several weeks. Instead, she suggested aHome Alonemarathon, and we’d settled in on the couch in front of the tree. We spent the majority of the day tangled up, kissing and teasing each other until we finally gave in. I’ve gotta say, after fucking her in the glow of the lights, I’ve never been more in the Christmas spirit.

The rational part of my brain keeps telling myself I need to slow this down between us. Not because I want to, but I’m scared if we move too fast, I’ll run her off. At the same time, I can’t seem to help myself when I’m around her.

The door opens again, and Millie walks in carrying two cups of coffee. “Here you go. I’ve still got a ton of work to do, so it looks like we’re in for a long night.”

“Thanks,” I tell her, taking the cup and trying to hide my grimace at the cinnamon aroma I can already tell is coming out of the cup.

Damn it, I really fucking hate cinnamon.

Taking a few sips of the offending liquid, I gesture to the desk where Millie has been working. “You know, at this time of night, I think we could have gone for a glass of wine instead.”

She takes a long drink of her latte before answering. “I definitely thought about it, but the line for the restaurant is out the door. There literally hasn’t been a day since I got here that they weren’t wrapped up.”

“Yeah, I’m excited to see the numbers from this quarter. Between all the guests we’ve had and that magazine write up, we’ve never been this busy.”

“That’s great,” Millie says, throwing herself into her chair and turning back to her notes.

“So, how’s it coming over here?” I ask, leaning in toward her.

Millie runs her hands through her hair and groans. “I feel like I’m never gonna get everything done. I know I’ve done this a hundred times, but I’ve always had a team of people making sure everything runs smoothly. And bless Miss Ethel and some of the other ladies, but every time I try to ask them something, they get distracted and start asking me questions.”

Chucking at her frustration, I reach out and push a piece of hair behind her ear. “Oh Mills, I don’t believe that for a minute. Well, except for your volunteers being nosey. That I completely believe. But really, you don’t have anything to worry about. I’ve seen all your plans, and they’re fucking incredible.”

She smiles at that, and I can’t resist the urge to pull her to me. As soon as I’m close enough, I reach down and kiss her. I’ve barely touched my lips to hers when I remember where I am.Damn it. I swore I wouldn’t take advantage of being her boss.I can’t explain why kissing her at home is any different than in the office, but all my hesitation from before surges back at the thought of her feeling like I’m taking advantage of the situation.

---