Your Christmas Love

by Layla Hagen

  I wanted to be done today so I could make it to the Bennett gathering tomorrow.

  I must have given my discomfort away somehow, because Winston suddenly asked, “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. My back is a bit sore.”

  He pointed to the couch. “Let’s take a break. Sit. Rest.”

  “Back to bossy, are we?”

  “You haven’t seen bossy yet, Sienna. Sit.”

  When I turned around, a bout of dizziness hit me. The room swam in front of my eyes. My vision faded at the corners, and then I couldn’t see at all anymore. I could feel myself losing my balance and expected to hit the floor any second. Instead, a strong arm curled around my waist. Warm fingers splayed on my neck.

  “Sienna?”

  I blinked a few times, until my vision returned.

  “What happened?”

  “Whoa. Just some dizziness. I’m fine now.”

  He still hadn’t let go of me, but I didn’t mind. Honestly, I still felt a little unsteady. But the more my senses returned, the more aware I became of him.

  The soft palm, yet callused fingers. The nearness of his lips. The concern in his eyes.

  “Sienna, are you sure you’re okay?”

  I nodded, but that just triggered another round of dizziness. I closed my eyes again.

  “Fuck, you’re not. Come on, let’s get you to sit.”

  He walked me backward to the plastic-covered couch, pushed me down on it. I fell like a stone and nearly made him tumble too. He propped his palms on the headrest, stopping his fall. I was trapped between those muscle-laced arms.

  He grinned. I grinned back. Holy shit, he was close. His mouth was hovering just above mine. I barely resisted pulling him closer.

  “I didn’t eat anything since this morning. I think my blood sugar just dropped.”

  “I’ll get you some water.”

  Before I could even open my mouth to tell him it wasn’t necessary, he was in the kitchen already. I liked having this sexy man in my house, fussing around me.

  So, when he returned with a glass of water and a piece of chocolate from my stash, I just whistled appreciatively.

  “You’ve just earned that upgrade.”

  I rose to my feet. Winston frowned, stepping right in front of me.

  “What are you doing?”

  “We still have a wall to finish.”

  “You should sit still for a few more minutes.”

  “Winston, I don’t need you to babysit me.”

  “I disagree.”

  “I’m fine, really. The chocolate did the trick. I’m good as new.”

  I was too close, and yet, I didn’t seem to have the wits or strength to step back, even though I knew I should put some distance. I needed some reprieve from the constant tension that had surrounded us today, pulling me toward him like a magnet. But my feet just wouldn’t move, and Winston stayed put as well.

  “Sienna—”

  “Winston—”

  I didn’t realize what he intended to do until I felt his hand at the back of my head and his mouth on mine. I couldn’t think beyond how much I wanted this—him. Fisting his shirt, I pulled him even closer, felt him smile against my mouth before his tongue coaxed mine.

  He kissed me until I trembled with anticipation and need. He tugged at the straps on my shoulders, as if he wanted to yank them away. His mouth was hot and urgent, exploring me.

  The hand at the back of my head kept me exactly at the angle he wanted. The deeper he kissed me, the more I wanted. As if knowing how much I yearned for his touch, he brought a hand around my waist, bringing me flush against him. My breasts pressed against his chest. Energy speared me, zapping every cell. My nipples turned hard.

  My body thrummed with need. I was greedy for more of him. I wanted his fingers on my bare skin, his mouth... everywhere. I felt like I was about to lose my mind—my decency for sure.

  When he pulled my lower lip gently between his, drawing little circles with his fingers at the back of my neck, I clenched my thighs, trying to ignore the ache between them. He’d turned me on with nothing more than a kiss! And when he pulled back gently, I groaned in protest, almost pulling him back to me before reality tugged at the corners of my mind.

  Winston was my boss! What had I been thinking? Well, I hadn’t. But in my defense, the man kissed so well, I was proud I could even remember my own name.

  His eyes were full of lust. His grip on my waist was so strong that if it weren’t for the thick fabric of the overalls, I might have finger marks on my skin. Winston did not look as if he had any intention of letting me go.

  Honestly, I didn’t want him to. I liked the feeling of having his arms around me, his body pressing against mine.

  I didn’t know if it was because he’d shown up here to help even though he didn’t have to, or because we’d shared personal tidbits about each other, but this was not just about attraction. I felt vulnerable. It scared me, yet I wanted to hang on to everything he made me feel.

  “You taste so good,” he murmured. His lips were hovering at the corner of my mouth, his hot breath tickling me. I slowly let go of his shirt but drew my hand downward in a small spiral, past his navel. I had no idea what I was doing. I just wanted to touch him, explore him.

  He gripped my wrist, stopping the descent.

  “Stop doing that or I’ll kiss you again, and this time, I won’t stop at a kiss.”

  His voice was rough, almost strangled. I pulled back a notch, looking straight in his eyes. They were darker than I’d ever seen them and so intense that my breath faltered.

  I cleared my throat, and he dropped his arm. I was so nervous that I was tongue-tied. I didn’t know what to say, or what this meant.

  “So, thanks for today,” I said awkwardly.

  He flashed a wicked smile. “My pleasure entirely.”

  My skin prickled. Holy shit. I took another step back, just in case.

  “I can finish what’s left to do.”

  “You want me to leave?” His tone was playful, but there was still something wolfish in his expression.

  I blushed. “No, but we’ve worked for hours.”

  “You don’t think I’ll leave you alone, do you?”

  “You won’t?”

  “No.”

  I hadn’t expected this. “Why not?”

  “I want to make sure you’re okay. I’ll keep an eye on you. And cook us dinner in the meantime.”

  I stared at him. “Are you serious?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I have a proposition for you. I’ll finish the last wall. We need to wait two hours before applying the second coat of paint anyway. I’ll cook you an early dinner in the meantime.”

  I was silent for a few seconds, processing this unexpected turn of events, then decided to just go with it. So far, this day had surpassed even my wildest imaginings. I was looking forward to what more it could bring.

  I had giant butterflies in my stomach. He wanted to take care of me.

  That was... I couldn’t even process it. I was too overwhelmed by warm and fuzzy feelings, and my fingers itched with the need to grab his shirt and pull him closer.

  “Well, okay then.”

  “Sit and relax while I finish that wall.”

  “Okay. On second thought, I’ll take a shower. I’m all dirty.”

  He frowned again. “What if you get dizzy again from the hot water?”

  “You want to babysit me in the shower too?”

  “Are you inviting me to watch?”

  I blushed, licking my lips. Winston held my gaze. Lust replaced the amusement in his eyes.

  “Winston...”

  He smiled. “Don’t turn the water temperature too high.”

  “Wow. You want to check the temperature too?”

  I crossed my arms over my chest. I wasn’t mad at him; quite the contrary. I detected real concern in his voice, and I just wanted to hug him for it. But I had a hunch that I was better off pretending like I wasn’t onboard with this, or wh
o knew what kind of ideas this stubborn man might get?

  “Don’t say that twice, or I’ll take you up on it.”

  I’d been right. If I didn’t draw a line in the sand, he was liable to get naughty ideas.

  “I was joking.”

  “I wasn’t.” His voice, his entire body language was dripping sensuality. Licking my lips, I drew in a deep breath.

  “I won’t be long, but in case you finish the wall, wait for me to start on dinner.”

  “You don’t trust me around here alone?”

  I pointed a finger to the spot where he’d nearly set my panties on fire with that sinful kiss.

  “I think it’s safe to say I don’t know your true intentions, mister.”

  “I can lay them all out for you. Better yet, I can show them to you.” He stalked closer to me, and I was instantly too caught up in him to step back and keep a safe distance. “I’ll kiss you until you beg me for more, Sienna.”

  “Don’t.”

  “Why not?”

  My heart was pounding furiously. Somewhere in the recesses of my mind, I had a whole list of reasons.

  But I just shook my head, smiling lightly. “I’ll go shower now. And if you insist on starting dinner, I won’t say no. I just wanted to help.”

  “Go shower. I’ll take care of everything else.”

  I couldn’t hide my smile, and when he winked at me, I grinned like a schoolgirl. This day was just full of surprises.

  I was glad for the excuse of taking a shower, because I needed some time to think. Of course, thinking was impossible knowing that this sexy man was just a few feet away, cooking me dinner.

  Those fuzzy feelings were still wrapped around me like a warm blanket. I just couldn’t shake this sense of joy, and why would I?

  I liked being happy, and Winston decidedly knew how to make me smile. Scratch that. I was still grinning.

  Who would have thought that the man I’d dubbed as grouchy was a skilled charmer?

  To be fair, I had a lot of emails to prove my initial assumption, so I wasn’t feeling too guilty.

  I dressed in jeans and one of my good tank tops. I wasn’t trying to impress. Okay, maybe I was. But the man had just seen me in stupid overalls the whole day. Before leaving the bathroom, I also splashed a little makeup on. Just some mascara and blush. It wasn’t obvious, just made me look fresh. I wanted to redeem my image of consummate professional somehow.

  But I was afraid I’d completely messed that up when I’d let him kiss me. Hell, I hadn’t just let him. I’d practically jumped his bones.

  I squared my shoulders. There was no point chastising myself over what happened.

  I just had to do better from now on.

  The minute I left the bathroom, I realized that I had no idea what doing better meant.

  Winston had finished painting and was cooking in the small kitchen. He’d taken out a carton of eggs, vegetables, rice, and some condiments I hadn’t used in... forever. I hoped they hadn’t expired.

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Fried rice with veggies.”

  “Looks yummy.”

  He made a come-here motion with a finger. My legs moved toward him of their own accord. Winston didn’t take his eyes off me. Before, he’d watched me as if I’d been wearing sexy lingerie. Now, he watched me as if I was naked.

  At any rate, I felt naked.

  As soon as I stepped next to him, all my doubts and questions faded. It was impossible to be near him and not be completely consumed by him.

  He took a spoonful of rice, holding it in front of my mouth.

  “Tell me if you want me to add anything else.”

  “I trust you,” I said.

  He cocked a brow. “You just made a big show of not trusting me.”

  “I trust you when it comes to food.” I amended with a huge smile on my face.

  “Taste it.” He sounded bossy, and I hoped it wasn’t too obvious just how much I liked it. This was different than at the office. Playful. And the kiss had changed things between us, I just wasn’t sure how.

  “This is delicious. Wow. So that’s why everyone uses condiments. I just kind of forget about them. Except vanilla, rum, and cinnamon when I bake. I’ll make a salad—”

  “No, you won’t. I’m cooking everything.”

  Before I could add anything more, he placed his hands on my shoulders, walking me to the chairs, making me sit down. Feeling his fingers on the bare skin of my shoulders, his thumbs pressing gently at the sides of my neck, made me simmer all over. The skin on my arms turned to goose bumps.

  “I see. So this is what you meant when you said I hadn’t seen bossy yet. Just so you know, I’m reconsidering that upgrade.”

  “I’m more than happy to prove my case. I know how to go about it.”

  He lowered his gaze to my mouth. I was past simmering right now. A full-on inferno billowed inside me. Oh yeah, another kiss would convince me. I wasn’t even sure of what anymore, but it didn’t seem important.

  How could I be so smitten already? This man affected me unlike anyone before.

  “I like the sight,” I commented.

  He half turned, cocking a brow. “Do you now?”

  “Enjoyed it all day. At least now I don’t have to pretend I work while doing it. I am memorizing all that display of muscle... to have something to replay in my mind when I’m alone.”

  His gaze darkened. I was flirting, but it felt so good. Maybe the tension between us had escalated because we’d both been reining ourselves in.

  “Keep that up, Sienna, and there will be no dinner.”

  “No can do, mister. I’m super hungry. Is this how you’re planning to take care of me? By starving me?”

  “How about I just kiss you until you forget about everything else?”

  I narrowed my eyes. “That doesn’t count as taking care of me. Get back to work.”

  His smile was deliciously happy as he returned his attention to the pan. The rice was preboiled, so it took no time at all for dinner to be ready.

  When we both sat at the kitchen table, I became aware of how tiny it was. I could barely move in my seat and not touch Winston: either his hand or his legs under the table.

  Okay, so my previous assessment was incorrect. Here we were, openly flirting, and yet the tension was escalating.

  I laughed, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. I wanted to know more about him.

  “So, what made you decide to finally take over the stores?” I asked.

  He chewed carefully, eyeing me intently.

  “The store’s previous general manager didn’t do a great job. When he retired, I took a look at our numbers. He took additional financing from banks to solve short-term liquidity problems. He put the store in San Francisco as collateral and screwed up everything.”

  “Wow. I didn’t know that.”

  “No one does except the CFO and her right hand. So I didn’t want to trust someone else with the stores during such a delicate time. This company feels like home to me. I practically grew up on Statham’s floors or in my parents’ office. I want to preserve it.”

  I was speechless. He was a remarkable man. I hadn’t thought it possible that I’d find him even more endearing, but he’d just proven me wrong.

  “Why don’t you take on investors? Or a partner?”

  “No. Banks are one thing, but a partner or an investor would want decision-making power, possibly equity. The stores are a family business. I don’t want strangers in the mix.”

  “Okay.”

  “Please don’t talk about this with anyone. I’m handling it, and I don’t want to cause panic.”

  “My lips are sealed.”

  I was in his confidence. The news he’d shared was definitely not an occasion to smile, but I was smiling nonetheless.

  “Winston, you’re brilliant. You’ll get the store through this, I’m sure of it. Every company that’s been active this long has its ups and down and moments of crisis.”

&
nbsp; “Thanks for putting it in perspective.”

  He looked troubled. I had to get his mind off the store. But how to do it? I could flirt, of course, but instinct told me I should stay on neutral ground. Who knew where that flirting might escalate? When it came to Winston, I couldn’t foresee even one step ahead.

  Praise was my weapon of choice today.

  “I did a course in crisis management in college, and we did about thirty case studies of big companies going through tough moments. And they didn’t have someone as brilliant as you at their helm.”

  That brought a smile to his lips. “You’re extra nice with me, Ms. Hensley. Any particular reason?”

  “Just saying it like it is.”

  “I didn’t know you held me in such high regard.”

  “Now you do. And...no more talking shop.” I continued with the praise, though. It was working. “Your veggie rice is delicious. Whenever I cook this, it tastes like nothing.”

  “It’s all in the seasoning,” he said with a wink.

  “Shucks. I guess I should have paid more attention to your recipe instead of ogling you.”

  He trapped my legs between his under the table. “I guess you should have. Or I can just drop by again and we can cook together.”

  Damn... the way he said cook had the same effect on me as if he’d said shower together.

  “Why would you do that?” I asked.

  “You know why.”

  I lowered my gaze to my plate, feeling warm all over. After we finished eating, we cleaned the table together.

  “Anyway, we still have to apply the second coat of paint.”

  “I like a man who keeps his word. I’d forgotten all about it.”

  Winston wiggled his eyebrows, leaning in until I thought he might kiss me again. I was ready this time.

  Instead, he simply spoke against my lips. “I’ve earned that upgrade, haven’t I?”

  I laughed. “Still considering. Better be careful. Not in the bag yet, so don’t mess things up.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it. I have great plans for us, Sienna.”

  Heat simmered on the surface of my skin, as if he was touching me. I didn’t have to ask to know that those plans were definitely of the dangerous variety.