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“Don’t you have a spouse or something?” The question blurts its way into the air before I can think to stop myself.
He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms over his chest. “Not currently.” His eyes pinpoint onto my left hand and I shove it between my thighs so he can’t spy my empty ring finger.
But then he’s lookingbetween my thighs, and that’s more mortifying. My face flushes deeper and I look at the space behind his left shoulder to keep from looking him in the eye. “Well maybe you should,” I stammer. “A wife would keep you from working so much.”
“Concerned about me, Miss James?” He leans to his left to place himself in my direct line of sight again, a small smile curving on his lips. “I’m touched.”
Lana clears her throat and stands quickly, tossing me a wink before she leaves me alone with my nemesis.
“You don’t need me for this,” I tell Nicholas, trying to convince him not to take my evenings away. “I’m sure there are plenty of others available who will gladly help you with… whatever the task is.”
He tilts his head to the side as he continues staring at me.Always staring.“But I wantyou. No one else is suitable.”
My heart pounds loudly in my ears and I decidedly ignore the way it skips a beat at his words.What harm will it do?I mentally ask myself. I already think of the man all the time; actually being in the same space as him might make thinking about him more tolerable.
Plus, theovertime.
“Fine,” I concede finally, pursing my lips. “Email me the parameters and I’ll look them over.”
His smile broadens. He knows he’s won.
“Excellent. I’ve already sent them; the job description and purpose is in your inbox.” He turns back to his office and steps inside before turning back on his heel and looking at me from afar. “Oh, and Miss James? You can have the rest of this afternoon off to prepare for tonight. I look forward to seeing you there.”
He dismisses me by returning to his desk, and I swivel around to check my email as soon as he’s seated.
The latest email, sent while I was on break, has a red exclamation point forpriority.Whatever the job is, it must be important.
Annual Holiday Wishes Charity Event: Information Enclosed
I skim the email to get to my new job descriptor and nearly fall out of my chair.
The designated employee shall dress appropriately for the season, wearing red and green holiday attire and/or an “elf” costume and greet children and their families as they approach Santa with their Holiday Wishes.The specifics go into detail about managing lines, dealing with families who cut in said line, orindividuals older than is appropriate requesting time with Santa.
Why the hell would anyone sane want to sit in an old man’s lap and tell him their wish like they’re five years old? I shut my eyes and block out the reasons barraging my brain like bullets. I shouldn’t kink shame anybody, but it takes balls to hijack a family event for some alone time with Santa.
But what if Santa’s hot?I practically hear Lana ask.
“Santa won’t be hot,” I mutter, printing out the email so that I can read it on the go. “There’s no way Santa will be hot.” Once the paper prints and I shut down my computer for the day, I glance back at Nicholas through the glass pane, wondering what a finance guy has to do with a Santa-themed charity event—
His voice pierces my thoughts.We’ll be spending evenings together for the week.
There’s no way,no waythat he could be—
An unbidden,forbiddenimage of Nicholas in a red Santa suit, the top robe open to reveal chiseled abs and a salt and pepper happy trail leading down, down, down—
I crinkle the papers in my hands and high-tail it out of there, my entire body burning with desire for the confident, sexy, off-limits older man who drives me insane with his rules and his voice and his sinful smirk—
With a groan, I step into the cold December air and pray it cools me off.
If Nicholas is playing Santa tonight, I am totally,royallyfucked.
2
Julie
The address in the email leads me to the local shopping mall, as expected, but instead of going inside where it’s warm and standing by a makeshift stage, I follow the directions to the courtyard and expect to be briefed on my job.
I donotexpect to see Nicholas already dressed in a form-fitting Santa suit, sans fluffy white beard, sitting atop a golden throne giving orders.
