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A few minutes later, my laptop dings with a new email. W. Sanders has written back providing a blurb for the author as well as several inspiration boards and a description of her author’s characters.
It’s going to be a Christmas themed cover, but she’s specifically asked for a non-cheesy type. Strangers who strike a mutual agreement of Christmas dating to woo their families.
Okay, so from here I need to know whether they want a cover with a couple or something more object based? I respond to her email.
While waiting for a response from W. Sanders, I’ve responded to a couple of other emails I’ve received inquiring about graphic designs. One is a marketing design request and the other is a request for assistance with a new logo for their business.
The bell of the front door dings and my eyes fall to the source of the noise. For some reason my heart does a funny little trill thinking that maybe she’s come in, and then sinks when it’s not her.
It’s still early.I remind myself. I didn’t notice the other night that Sugar and Spice has already been decorated for Christmas.
Of course, they have. It’s almost mid-December. My eyes stream over every inch of the room. Each table is lined with holiday centerpieces. There is a holiday display in the front window. Lights and garland are wrapped around the outside of the wall menu behind the counter. Christmas used to be such a magical thing, but these days it’s just so commercialized that it’s lost all the magic it used to provide. I shake away the thoughts and get back to the work at hand.
For the rest of the morning, I reply back and forth with W. Sanders. I do a couple of mockups for the customer requesting a logo and I email more information on the marketing design needed for Trippy’s Kayak Shop.
The next time I look at my clock, it’s lunch time and still no sightings of my mystery woman. I wonder if this is a stupid idea. Wanting to give her a little more time, I decided to order a mediterranean wrap with tomatoes, cherry peppers, onions, feta cheese, romaine, and hummus.
The bell on the door rings two more times in the next hour and still no Willow. I’m starting to give up hope that she’s actually going to show and realize there’s stuff at home I could be doing instead. Plus, I’m sure Sugar and Spice wouldn’t mind if I gave up the table I’ve been hogging all day.
I start to pack up my stuff when the bell on the door rings once more. Third time’s a charm? My eyes slide to the door and the sight before me makes my heart pound.She’s here.
It’s the feelings of a first crush that I’m having. I haven’t been interested in anyone since last year. My heart instantly shatters. I’d liked Shelby, but it obviously wasn’t meant to work out. It seems to be a theme in my love life over the years. Willow’s eyes find mine and the corners of her lips lift in a smile.She remembers. I wave at her and she waves back. I eavesdrop like a creeper while she orders a peppermint hot cocoa with extra marshmallows and a sandwich.
After she grabs her food from the counter, I wave her back to my table, but instead of sitting with me, she sits a table over.
She reaches up to pull the scarf away from her neck before setting it down on the table. Her puffy winter jacket and gloves come off next. Underneath all those layers, she’s wearing a tight, burgundy, long sleeved shirt with jeans. Dressed down from last night, but still just as sexy. I can’t help but allow my gaze to peruse her, sliding up from her black boots to those soft eyes I want to drown in. Perfect hips, the right size breasts, and now my cock is hard yet again.
“Willow.” I nod at her.
“Hello again, Oliver.” Her smile hitting those pale blue eyes.
I scoot my chair over, trying to get closer so we’re not shouting at each other across a table, and a blush coats her face. A telltale sign that she likes me, or that I at least make her nervous.
“How are you today?” I ask, completely bemused by her presence.
“Good. Man... this morning has been a little crazy, but overall, I can’t complain. Busy makes the day go by faster, and when you love what you do, it’s almost a bonus.” She takes a sip of her drink and her glasses fog a little from the steam.
“So, what do you do that you love so much?”
“Oh, I’m a personal assistant to an author.” The email from earlier pops up in my mind and I instantly wonder if she could be my infamous W. Sanders.
“Anyone I know?”
“Depends… how many romance books do you read?” She eyes me, a hint of laughter in her voice.
I chuckle. “Well, as of this morning I’m working on a new book cover for a romance author.”
Her eyes widen in excitement. “Oh, very cool. I’d ask who for, but I’m assuming that’s not something you’d want to willingly give out to a stranger.”
“I can’t exactly give it out, but… I can blink once for yes if you guess.”
She taps her forefinger against her plump pink lips and my eyes follow the movement. I get the mental picture of how those lips would look wrapped around me.
“Hmm… is it Eliza Lee?” I blink twice for no.
“Okay, okay. Let me think…” She bites the inside of her cheek like she’s trying to really concentrate.
“What about… Sidney Hawk?” I blink twice again for no.
