Page 6 of Once Upon a December
“A holiday party? You?” He teased and watched that smile twitch upwards again, “I thought the Grinch was vehemently opposed to all that sort of Christmas cheer?”
Beside him, he heard Julian gasp. He held his smile and waited. To his utter amazement, a deep, throaty chuckle greeted his ears and sent those butterflies into flight again.
“I am, but the party isn’t for me. It’s for my employees.” The man turned his attention to his assistant and gave a small nod of his chin, “Thank you, Julian. You can leave us.”
Felix smiled softly as the young man shot him a look. He gave his own small nod assuring his almost friend that they were going to be fine in here. At least he hoped they were going to be. He waited until the door shut behind Julian and then turned his attention back towards the gorgeous, mysterious man opposite him only to find he’d moved closer and was barely a foot away.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Felix Michaelson.” He smirked again and extended a hand, “I figure its safe to assume you had no idea who I was yesterday so let me introduce myself. Gibson Frost.”
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Frost.” He took the hand the other man offered and fought a shiver when their skin slid together.
What was that? Attraction wasn’t new to him, not even to someone he was pretty sure he didn’t like. But he was intrigued and damn if his curiosity and his southern head wasn’t getting the better of him because he liked the feel of that big, smooth hand in his. Wondered what it would feel like on other parts of his body.
He met those intense quicksilver eyes again and found Gibson Frost watching him intently. He hadn’t released Felix’s hand yet and the way he was looking at him wasn’t at all cold now. Felix swallowed hard because that was a look he had years of experience reading.
Desire.
Oh damn, Felix tried to keep his breathing even. The little voice in the back of his head had told him that he was in trouble the moment he walked into the room. He’d thought that he’d end up kicked out of the office and ruined. Now he wondered if staying might not be the thing that ruined him forever.
Chapter Four
Gibson couldn’t believe that of all the people in the world, this was the one who had walked into his office. The man from yesterday, the one who had yelled at him, the one that had found a way into his every errant thought since their encounter. He’d spent every second of his little free time wondering just who the brash stranger was and if he would ever see him again.
It was a strange reaction. He knew that. But there had just been something about the exotically beautiful man that he hadn’t been able to put out of his mind. It wasn’t just that he hadn’t been afraid to challenge Gibson either. It had been something more. Something about the fire in his dark eyes, the steel of his spine, the fierceness of his defense of his family and his refusal to back down, had captured Gibson’s attention and refused to let go even after the man was long gone.
Now he was here again. He was in Gibson’s space, in his office, and despite that first flash of shock he’d seen the other man hadn’t faltered. He hadn’t apologized for his behavior the day before or explained that he hadn’t known who Gibson was at the time. No. Instead, he’d risen to Gibson’s challenging words with his own and damn if Gibson wasn’t completely enthralled by this man that he couldn’t and shouldn’t be attracted to.
As if what he’d seen yesterday wasn’t reason enough to make him keep his distance. He had no reason to believe that this man was gay, bisexual or even questioning. He’d seen Felix with a woman who was heavily pregnant. Odds were good he was married and about to become a father. As if being straight wasn’t enough reason for Gibson’s dick to chill the fuck out, Felix Michaelson was here because he had accepted a job with Frost Financial, which made him an employee, even if he was a temporary one.
Gibson’s dick had just spent too much time alone lately.
He pulled his hand away and forced himself to stop smiling at the man. Hell, he’d probably scared Julian. His assistant wasn’t accustomed to seeing anything but his scowls yet here he was smiling at a total stranger. Not only that, but a stranger that had dared to taunt him inside his own sanctum. Normally he’d have thrown down a threat or tossed the disrespectful person out of his office.
But he couldn’t bring himself to send this man away. Not yet. He wanted to know more about him. It had been a long time since he’d found himself so intrigued with another man. His love life was non-existent and his sex life was… well, it was best to stop thinking about sex in the presence of this seemingly irresistible man.
“Come in.” He motioned for the other man to follow him and headed back towards his desk. “We have an hour to discuss your plans for the holiday party before I need to return to my real work.”
A snort followed him as he crossed the room and the other man’s voice, “Spend a day with me and I’ll prove to you that parties can be plenty of work.”
“Was that an invitation?” Gibson turned in front of his desk and leaned against the edge despite his original plan to put the massive thing between himself and this man that he didn’t trust himself around.
“Absolutely, Mr. Frost.”
“Gibson.” He found himself saying even as he fought a smile, “And my schedule doesn’t allow time for running around town buying streamers and confetti. That’s why I hired you.”
The man crossed his muscular arms over his chest, “You didn’t hire me. Your board did.”
“You’re correct, which is why you’re here. The board hired you but ultimately this business bears my name so this party must reflect the proper atmosphere for Frost Financial, which leaves me with the burden of hearing your proposal and either approving it or working with you to fix it.”
“My plans won’t need fixing.”
“Cocky.” His lips twitched and the word rolled out before he could bite it back.
“I have reason to be.” The other man gave a slow, lazy smile that made Gibson think about dirty, filthy things even when it shouldn’t.
They were still talking about the party right? He cleared his throat and tried to get his head on straight. Tried to think with the northern head on his body. The party, a holiday party, a Christmas party, and those thoughts brought back the kind of memories that instantly chilled his heated blood.
Gibson cleared his throat, “My board tells me that you’re the best.”
