Page 2 of His Christmas Gift

If her father knew where she was staying, he’d throw a fit, but she didn’t want anyone at the office to know who she was, she didn’t want that attention.

“Mr. Thomas, what are you doing here?” she asked keeping her hand on the door as she stepped back, giving him enough room to move into her apartment.

“I wanted to ensure you were alright, and it’s Jasper,” he replied as she closed the door behind them.

His eyes took in everything and he didn’t like any of it. She shouldn’t be living in a place like this, she belonged somewhere grand, that equated to her beauty, certainly not here. There was no security to keep people from just waltzing into the building, like he had. A woman like her needed to be protected, pampered, adored.

Hell…he’d never had thoughts like these in his life. He’d stayed single for a long time and not because he’d never meant to marry. Partly because he’d had to work hard to fix the mistakes of others, the company he’d taken over and then his father’s, but also because there had never been a woman to tempt him into changing his life. One look into Melissa’s stunning eyes and that all stopped.

She was meant for a life far better than this. He wasn’t about to let her back in the same office space as his arrogant little brother. He couldn’t stand Callum most days and hearing the way he’d spoken to Melissa…he’d ended any chance to be redeemed.

Melissa deserved the world and he’d give it to her. He just needed to know what brought her to him. Her lips parted before a song began to play drawing her attention away from him and towards her ringing phone.

Melissa was about to assure Jasper she was fine when her cell phone rang, the song instantly telling her it was her father calling and she moved over to answer. If she didn’t, he’d simply call right back rather than leave a message. She shot an apologetic smile towards Jasper before answering, trying to control her voice with the way her pulse fluttered, as his intense grey eyes fell on her again. They were gorgeous; everything about him was gorgeous. “Hi Dad.”

“Hi baby girl, everything okay? I tried you at the office earlier and they said you weren’t there. You’re not backing out, are you?” he questioned making her smile lightly.

“No Dad, everything’s fine. I had a slight mishap earlier with a tray of coffee and came home to change. I’m not backing out of anything and I’m fine,” she added hearing his intake of worried breath. “I just didn’t quite feel up to going back for the rest of the day, that’s why you couldn’t reach me.”

“Alright, just making sure you’re not reneging, I can still get you into the program come January if you do.”

She held in a sigh, not about to let that happen.

“I’m not reneging. I promise, if you call me tomorrow, you’ll reach me at the office. Look, someone’s at the door; I’ll talk to you later, alright?” She was not about to get deeper into the conversation with Jasper listening in to her side of it.

“Be safe baby girl, I’ll hopefully get to town to see you at Christmas,” her father said allowing her to hang up before turning back towards Jasper.

“Sorry, my dad…he’s…” She paused, not knowing how to put it without admitting the truth.

“Protective of his little girl?” Jasper guessed.

“It’s a little more complicated than just that.” She sighed again moving to get her tea feeling her mouth dry as she looked at him.

“You have a deal with him on something it sounds like. I gather it somehow relates to your internship?”

“My father thinks he knows best for everything in my life,” Melissa said with a light grin at how easily he put things together. “In that regard, he wanted me to go to school to get my MBA this year and I begged him to not make me go against him. He finally relented, on the agreement that I had to at least work in business somewhere for a minimum of six months. I chose New York because I knew he wouldn’t be able to butt into things daily. He tried me at the office this afternoon; he likes to check up on me for numerous reasons as well as to see if I’ve changed my mind about business.”

“But you haven’t yet I take it?” Jasper asked and she shook her head no. “So, if business isn’t what you’re looking towards for your future, what is?”

“I’ve no idea, I just know that sitting in a boardroom, or in a cubicle day in and day out is not for me. Some people may be passionate about spreadsheets and quarterly reports, annual projections, but it leaves me deathly bored.” Her admittance made him laugh and she discovered she loved that sound. “I went for this internship because it was for six months and said there was no permanent position available afterwards, they wanted a recent graduate to help with some audit wrap-up and that was it.”

“No hard feelings when it ended, there’s mutual agreement that you part ways.”

“Yes.” She was glad he wasn’t upset about her reason for taking the position.

“Only my brother has taken advantage of you being an ‘intern’ and has used you as a do-all it seems.” Jasper offered the comment not in question but nearly fact and the way she pursed her lips told him he was entirely correct. He suddenly found himself not wanting to part ways with her for even the evening, let alone when the internship ended. He wanted to know more about her now that he’d met her, know everything to make her his. “You have to see the internship to its end in order to satisfy your father and haven’t argued about the work being outside of what you were hired to do?”

“I’m almost half-way through, I can bite my tongue and finish it out. If not, then my father has grad school on the backburner for me this coming January. That is not the future I want but my father is…”

“You’re an only child I take it?” Jasper guessed and she nodded. “Daddy’s little girl in every way and he wants a good future for you, the right job, right city?” he added making her laugh. “I’m amazed he’s allowed you to live here in that case.”

“He doesn’t know where I’m living. I didn’t want him trying to move here for the six months and told him I was staying somewhere nice. No, this isn’t my ideal apartment, but I can afford it without having to ask him for money.”

“Which I assume he will gladly dole out as long as he has a say as to what it goes towards?” Jasper mused and she nodded again. “I certainly can understand parental pressure, I had it to hire on Callum despite my reservations against him. So, I will hold my opinion as to what perhaps you should tell him in return.”

“Thank you and thank you for stopping by to check on me but I am truly fine. Thankfully, the coffee had cooled slightly and wasn’t scalding; now I simply have to walk back in tomorrow and face everyone.”

“There is no reason to worry about that, I promise Melissa.” Jasper forced himself up from his seat. If he didn’t leave soon, he would likely do something rash and he didn’t want anything between them to happen that way. “I will see you tomorrow, have a good night.”

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