Page 31 of Sleighing You
“I think you are. Is it because I’m your boss? StoryBook is a family run business, and I want you to be comfortable. I can shift everything so you only report to my dad and sister.” He paused and stepped back… the space between us feeling suddenly vast and cold. “And you can always say no. Our relationship will never affect your job. I’ll call HR tonight and we can both sign a report stating what happened here.”
I wasn’t entirely sure I believed that my job wouldn’t be affected. I think he wouldtrynot to let it affect my career, but the truth was StoryBook Christmas was a family business. And Chris’s job would always be more secure than my job with the company. End of story. So the question remained… was I willing to risk it?
I didn’t have the answer to that yet. All I knew was that I didn’t want to pull away from this. From us. I tended to overthinkeverythingin my life, but for once, I wasn’t. For once, I wanted him, wantedthis, and I could see it slipping through my fingers if I spent too much time worrying about my job… my job that Ialwaysworried about. My job that always came first, above friends and relationships. “Unabashed pleasure,” I whispered.
His eyes widened as I leaned toward him, gliding my hands over the woven knit of his sweater. The muscles beneath bunched with my touch, and it was like holding knitted cotton draped over a slab of granite. I leaned forward, stopping just shy of his lips.
There was something so sexy in that moment—our lips hovering over each other’s. Connection and electricity buzzed between us, causing my body to awaken. Shimmers of anticipation pulsed through me, and I clenched between my legs, desire pooling there like liquid heat.
My tongue did a slow sweep across his bottom lip and he growled, his hands clenching at my hips harder, needier, grasping me closer to his body until he firmly pressed me against him. His erection pushed against my hip. As I gasped, he utilized the moment to slide his tongue into my mouth, kissing me deeper in a tangle of silk.
He paused, pulling away from the kiss and looking down between our bodies. In my kiss-drunk haze, I blinked. What was wrong? Why was he stopping? Was I that out of practice that he had to pause in the middle?
He poked the front pouch pocket of my sweater. “What the hell is in there?”
I glanced down at the front pouch and pulled free the mistletoe that Kandi had slipped me. Lucky mistletoe.
His brow arched in a long sweeping stretch over his eye. “Is that a mistletoe in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?”
“I had plans for tonight,” I replied with a grin. Which wasn’t true… it was a big, fat lie. I had no idea I was going to stumble upon Chris’s rental home. And I really had no idea he would kiss me tonight.
“I can see that.”
“Yep, between the mistletoe in my pocket and the expired condom in my purse, I’m ready to party.”
He bent, kissing my neck and I could feel his smile pressed against my skin. “Don’t you worry. I have plenty ofnon-expired condoms.”
With that, he scooped me into his arms and headed for the stairs.
