Your Christmas Love

by Layla Hagen

  She grinned. “Probably not. But I still think it’s worth thinking about it.”

  “Tell me what your observations are.”

  “Well, for example, mothers tend to complain that we’ve separated kids’ clothes by ages on opposite sides of the floor. If they come shopping with all their kids, they have to run around a lot more. I also spoke to the cashiers, and they say that they get a lot of complaints about books being on a separate level from the candles and presents corner.”

  “Can you write all that down somewhere?”

  “Already ahead of you, boss. So, what did you need me for?”

  “What?”

  “You said you wanted me to come straight here after I was done.”

  I tipped forward, grinning. “I was just looking for any excuse to be alone with you. Your sexy little costume was messing with me.”

  Her mouth popped open. I very nearly closed the distance and kissed her.

  “Doesn’t happen often,” I said.

  “So, I’m special?”

  “Damn right, you are.”

  She pushed a strand of hair behind her ears. There was some commotion on the corridor, and I stepped back to what would pass as professional distance. She glanced at the plant she’d placed on my desk.

  “Thank you for the plant, Sienna.”

  “Of course. Just thought you’d like it. I ordered some for the other departments a while ago.”

  “So I’m not special at all?” I pushed. Her eyes lit up with fire.

  “We’ve moved on from simply upgrading you from grouchy boss to special treatment?”

  “You’re saying I’m not deserving of it?” I teased. She laughed.

  “Well, you’re about fifty percent less grouchy than before. I’ll give you that. Points earned.”

  “You’re not easy to negotiate with.”

  “My family keeps saying that too.” Flashing a smile, she added, “So I just saw a new entry in your calendar. You’re leaving for a meeting?”

  “Yes. Take the day off.”

  She snapped her gaze to me, finally. I’d been very close to touching her cheek, turning it so she’d look at me.

  I was looking for any excuse to touch her. Any at all. Only if I did, if I gave in to that impulse, there was no saying how much further I’d push both of us.

  “What? Why?”

  “You said you’re expecting a reward. Here it is.”

  “But I’m not tired. I mean, I can do my job.”

  “You’re never going to just agree with me right off the bat, are you?”

  “I think you know the answer to that. So, about the meeting?”

  “It’s an old college friend of mine who specializes in brand consulting. I want his input on the slides we have so far.”

  “Okay. Let me know what he says. You didn’t put in the end time for it.”

  “That’s because I’m not sure how long it’ll last.”

  “Does that mean we won’t work tonight?”

  “No. That’s why I said you could take the day off.”

  I’d been expecting her to seem relieved, but she merely gave a small “Oh.”

  “You look disappointed.”

  She shrugged, but her eyes were bright and fiery.

  “I like our evening sessions.”

  “And you still insist I’m not special?”

  She pointed a finger at me. “I won’t answer that. Who knows what other ideas you’ll get?”

  “Indeed. Who knows?”

  I caught her hand, keeping it to my chest. She licked her lips. Her eyes widened. I almost pulled her closer, but then I’d kiss her until she admitted I was special, that she did think about me just as often as I thought about her, and we weren’t that far along.

  Yet.

  ***

  The meeting was across town, in my friend’s consultancy. Thomas and I went way back to our college days, and I trusted his feedback. I wanted his advice. I wasn’t leaving anything to chance.

  While opening the presentation, I realized I should have taken Sienna with me. She was eager and smart, and she’d worked on the presentation just as much as I had. It was an opportunity for her to gauge Thomas’s reaction in real time.

  I texted her right away.

  Winston: Want to come over to the meeting? You worked on this too.

  I wasn’t sure where she stood after today’s encounter, but Sienna answered in less than a minute.

  Sienna: YES! DO I GET TO PRESENT TOO?

  I chuckled. I could imagine her dancing around the office again. No, damn. I had to get that image out of my mind.

  Winston: Sure.

  Sienna: I’m on my way

  Sienna: !!!

  Only Sienna could send an extra message with exclamation marks. Chuckling, I informed Thomas that my VP of branding would arrive soon. I began explaining in broad strokes what this was about but waited for Sienna to dive into the presentation.

  I kept telling myself that I’d asked her here because it was a great opportunity for her, and not because I wanted to see her, be near her. I’d almost convinced myself, and yet, when she entered the room, I automatically smiled.

  “Hi, Mr. Dunhill. I’m Sienna. Nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise. Call me Thomas.”

  “Okay, Thomas.”

  “Shall we begin?”

  “Yes.”

  “Winston tells me you’re walking us through the first half of the presentation.”

  She nodded excitedly, walking to the wall where the presentation was projected. She talked with eloquence and authority. She was magnificent. I’d been right in asking her here.

  After she finished the slides, I presented too before we all sat at the table.

  “You have a solid, fresh approach. I’m surprised at how well you’ve integrated the new ideas into the traditional aspects people associate with Statham. You’ve run the profitability numbers to see when you’d break even?”

  I nodded. “Yes. It’s looking good.”

  “And we’re not done with that yet. We’ve got a financial expert doing some liquidity modeling, just to make sure we’re on the right track,” Sienna said.

  “Sienna did a lot of the heavy lifting,” I said.

  He turned to her.

  “I’m impressed. Winston, you didn’t tell me you had such a brilliant branding expert. Any way I can persuade you to leave Winston for me?”

  No way, no how. I accepted that Bennett Enterprises was her endgame, but I wouldn’t lose her to anyone else.

  “I can match any offer you make,” I informed him, hoping he took my dismissal for what it was: a warning to stop.

  He didn’t.

  “I don’t know, Winston. I’m sure I can add a few perks to steal her away.”

  He was watching Sienna with curiosity, which was when it became clear he wasn’t interested in her just on a professional level. A vein pulsed in my temple.

  “I’m happy at my workplace,” Sienna said. “Do you want to look over some of our backup ideas? We haven’t fully finalized those, but between Winston and I, we can cover most details.”

  “Sure.”

  For a second time today, my focus was split between Sienna and the subject we were discussing. I respected Thomas as a business brain, but he was a jackass in his personal life. In college he’d proudly told everyone about the notches on his bedpost. He hadn’t changed, and I wouldn’t allow Sienna to fall in his trap.

  By the time we’d debated the pros and cons of each tactic and idea, it was very late.

  “I can’t stay any longer, but I think we’ve covered everything,” Thomas said. “Sienna, I have tickets to a horse race next weekend. Would you like to join me? I think you’d like it.”

  He was looking pointedly at her.

  “Sienna and I have an appointment all day on that Saturday,” I said sternly. I had no intention of giving him the slightest opportunity to make a move on her.

  Sienna’s eyebrows shot up. Thomas shook his
head. “He’s making you work overtime? Just putting it out there, but that’s rarely the case in my consultancy.”

  “Stop trying to steal my branding expert, Thomas.” I tried to sound casual and teasing, but by the way Thomas jerked his head back, I’d failed. Sienna pressed her lips together.

  “Thank you for your time,” I told him as he walked us out.

  “Sure. Let me know how it goes.”

  Once we were alone outside, Sienna turned to me, crossing her arms over her chest.

  “So what are those big weekend plans I don’t know anything about?”

  “Sienna...”

  “Don’t Sienna me. I don’t understand what’s happening.”

  “I went to college with Thomas. I know him. He wasn’t just inviting you over because he thought you’d like the race.”

  “I caught on to that, Sherlock. He was asking me out.” She blinked. “Wait a second. You were jealous.”

  “I was.”

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe this.” She covered her mouth with a hand, but I still caught her giggle.

  “You find this funny.”

  “Yes.”

  “Sienna, I think about you all the time. All. The. Time. This morning, I could barely concentrate on my call.”

  She giggled. Again. I stepped closer, swallowing hard. I almost kissed her, just to see how she’d react.

  “About those plans. I’m going to Burlington to talk to the board next weekend. If they think the rebranding is going to save the store, they could persuade the bank to vote for an extension of the credit line. I wanted to ask you to join me.”

  “Wow. I... I didn’t expect that.”

  “You’re smart. I think it would be a great opportunity for you to meet them.”

  “Of course it would. But are you sure? It’s an important presentation.”

  “And you’re more than up to being the one to present. Honestly. It might be even better if they hear certain things from you rather than me. Your enthusiasm is genuine.”

  “Why Burlington?”

  “That’s where the board meetings always are. It’s tradition to go to Vermont. Do you already have plans?”

  “On Sunday, but I could shift them around.”

  “No need. We can come back Saturday with the last plane. I’ll tell the travel agency to take care of the plane tickets and hotel.”

  She bit her lip, running a hand through her hair.

  “Come on, Sienna. It’s not like you to turn down an opportunity.”

  “You’re getting better and better at those tricks.”

  “No trick. I just know what you want. What fuels you, what motivates you.”

  “Fine, I’ll come to Vermont. But just so you know, you’re playing dirty.”

  “Nah, it’s just smart negotiating. Just like you did with me to convince me to join the Santa game at the party.”

  “Hey, that’s different. It’s good for the team to see you as being one of them.”

  “You think that’s why I said yes?”

  Her eyes widened, and she gave me a nervous laugh. I knew exactly what she was nervous about. I also knew one thing for sure: things between us would change during the Christmas party. I’d see to it.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Sienna

  The rest of the week was so busy that I barely had time to breathe. Everyone was in a rush to get everything ready for Black Friday. Winston had put our evening meetings on hold because there was so much going on. On Thursday evening, I was so tired that I could barely keep my eyes open.

  Thanksgiving at Jenna and Richard’s house was just as fun and loud as usual. The whole house smelled like sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. The turkey was roasted to perfection. I especially loved the signature blend of cranberry and orange stuffing. Usually, delicious food and being surrounded by my favorite people was a recipe for relaxing, but tonight I was on edge. Everyone at the table had tomorrow free, but I didn’t, since it was the biggest day of the year for everyone working in retail. Winston had instead given us the Friday after that free...well, my colleagues had the day off. Winston and I were flying to Burlington.

  I returned home early from dinner but was so pumped about the next day, running numbers in my head, that I could barely sleep. When I woke up, I felt a little groggy. The day was as wild as Black Friday could be, and we hit record sales, not just at the San Francisco store but all Statham branches.

  As the next week rolled in, the Christmas office party and my trip with Winston were consuming my thoughts. On the morning of the party, I arrived at the store with pep in my step. I’d come before everyone else, once again, mostly because I wanted to get a head start on my tasks. I knew that once the afternoon rolled in, my focus would drop. I’d probably walk around giddy until the party. I’d bought a present for Wanda from accounting. I knew Wanda pretty well, but I’d slyly interrogated her after I found out she was the one I was buying a gift for. Grinning, I plugged in earbuds, listening to my favorite remix of “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas” and filling the spreadsheet I’d promised Winston would be ready by the end of the week. It was Thursday today, but I wanted to send it to him early. He was giving me a huge opportunity by inviting me to present alongside him, and I wanted to prove that I was worthy of that chance.

  I liked to exceed expectations, not only those of others but my own. Which meant drastic measures were necessary. I took a small hourglass out of the top drawer of my desk. It only had enough sand for twenty minutes, so I turned it upside down periodically, allowing myself a five-minute break every hour so I wouldn’t get a stiff back.

  I was so focused on the spreadsheet that I didn’t realize I wasn’t alone until Winston said, “Good morning.”

  I startled in my chair, looking up to find him standing right in front of my desk. My heart rate immediately accelerated, as it usually did around him.

  “Winston, you scared me. I thought I was the only one here.”

  He smiled. Good Lord. Why did he have to look so damn sinful and sexy?

  “I have something for you.”

  “Oh?”

  He placed a small gift bag in front of me.

  “What is this?”

  “It’s Secret Santa day, right?”

  “Yes. Wow. You drew my name?”

  “No.”

  I frowned. “I don’t understand. Oh, no. You misunderstood the rules. You have to buy a present for the person whose name you picked. And you can’t let them know it’s from you.”

  I regretfully looked at the bag. I already thought about it as my present. But Winston had bought it for me, so... technically it was mine, right?

  I mean... it probably wouldn’t be a good fit for just anyone.

  “It’s yours, Sienna. I’ve bought a present for the person I’ve been paired with, but this... this is for you.”

  I looked up at him, my heart beating at lightning speed now.

  “What is it?” I asked.

  “Open it.” His voice was low, commanding. Heat coiled through me. Licking my lips, I grabbed the bag, setting it in front of me. My breath caught. I focused on the bag again. It was easier that way, even though the energy between us wasn’t lessening in intensity. If anything, it increased.

  I felt Winston round the table, coming nearer to me. The skin on the back of my neck prickled as I pulled at the bow that kept the handles together.

  Inside it was a gorgeous hairpin with a butterfly on it.

  “Winston, this is stunning.” My voice wasn’t quite right.

  “I saw this and imagined how it would look on you. I wanted you to have it. I knew you’d love it. You always wear these things in your hair.”

  The fact that he’d paid so much attention got to me in an unexpected way.

  “And I’d love to see it on you. Let me put it on.”

  My breath caught. I made the mistake of tilting my head, looking up at him. The ferocity in his green eyes made it impossible to do anything but cave to whatever
he demanded.

  I nodded slowly, handing him the pin and staying as still as possible.

  I felt so exposed, so open. I held my breath when his fingers brushed my temple, replacing the hairpin I was wearing with the one he’d bought for me. He dragged his fingers from my temple down my cheek. I hoped he wouldn’t go even lower, that... ahhh, turned out to be just wishful thinking. He only skimmed his fingers down my neck, but I was barely hanging in there.

  “There. It looks great on you.”

  “Thanks, Winston.”

  He took a small step back but was still close enough to make my body hum.

  “Ready for tonight?” I asked. “It would be cool if you could stay a while.”

  Winston’s smile grew more pronounced.

  “Of course I will. Have to cash in on that open promise you made.”

  “I never promised!”

  “Yes, you did. Got me to join, didn’t you?”

  “If you were so sure I’d accepted, you wouldn’t bring it up.”

  “Just thought I’d remind you. Say yes, and I’ll stay however long you want me to.”

  “You’re negotiating?”

  He tilted his head. “Anything to get what I want.”

  “And what’s that?”

  “A ‘yes’ from you, Sienna.”

  My palms grew sweaty. Just when I thought I had a grip on things, Winston changed the rules of the game. I couldn’t say no, could I? If it kept him here, it was good for everyone’s morale. Who was I kidding? I wanted to say yes to whatever this man demanded of me, pure and simple.

  I nodded, and his eyes turned almost feral. That hum in my body intensified by the factor of a million.

  For the rest of the day, I had a ball of anticipation and euphoria lodged in my stomach. Every time I touched the hairpin, I couldn’t help smiling to myself, just as I couldn’t help the butterflies in my stomach or the electrifying heat jolting through me.

  Later that afternoon, one of my colleagues, Jane, approached my desk.

  “Hi, Jane. How can I help you?”

  “I want to ask your advice on something.”

  “Sure.”

  “So, in the gift exchange, I got Winston.”

  “Okay.”

  “I bought him socks. You think that’s okay?”