by Holly Rayner
“What brought you to D.C., then?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Connections, mainly. John was a friend of mine that needed an extra pair of hands running his finance firm, and I was looking for any excuse to come out here. It worked out in its own way.”
Yvonne thought about the co-owner of the firm, John Smalls. He was a younger man like Zadid, who had come from wealth as well. She found herself fascinated with a world she had only ever glimpsed into. The world of the rich and connected.
“But you go home every Christmas, so surely you still have ties back there.”
“Of course I do,” he replied.
His tone was unreadable. There was something behind it that he wanted to hide, but Yvonne couldn’t quite pinpoint what it was.
“My father used to throw the most elaborate birthdays for me. One time, I had a camel-themed party, and everyone was trained on how to ride before we had a massive race through the desert. It was one of the most exciting moments of my life. We finished the night with a party in our family’s ancient ballroom, like we do every year.”
She noticed that he was changing the subject from home in the present. She thought back to Zadid’s melancholy face the other day when she’d found him alone in his office. What was going on back there that he didn’t want to talk about?
Deciding to let it go and enjoy the moment, she sank a little deeper into the couch. The fire had transformed into glowing embers, the night stretching on as snow continued to plummet from the sky.
“You’ve reminded me—my dad’s birthday is next week and I need to remember to call him.”
“My dad’s birthday is next week, too. It will be the first time I’ll miss it.”
“What day?”
“The twenty-ninth.”
“Get out! That’s my dad’s birthday too!”
“And does he throw an elaborate feast for the occasion, like mine does?”
Yvonne let out a chortle. “Hardly. His favorite way to spend the day is alone on the lake, followed by a doze in his lounger in front of the TV with a craft beer. I’m pretty sure that’s how he’s finished every birthday in the last thirty years.”
Zadid laughed. “He sounds like a man who has his priorities straight.”
“I think he does,” Yvonne agreed, enjoying the comfortable flow of conversation between them.
She had always been able to chat easily with Zadid, but in a business setting, everything always had a barrier up. There were so many things she wished to talk about that she couldn’t say, wanting to stay professional.
They sat in comfortable silence for a while, Yvonne feeling sleepy and content. She sat up and stretched her arms into the air.
“I think it’s about time for bed,” she said, turning to look over at him.
He reached for her hand, the meaning in his eyes clear as he tugged her to his chest and captured her lips with his own in a sizzling kiss. Yvonne met his passion, the taste of him exactly as she had always imagined—delicious.
Her body responded accordingly, aching for him in an instant. When he pulled back, their faces stayed close as he held her cheeks between his palms.
“I’ve wanted to do that since the day I started working for you,” she breathed.
He nodded. “You and me both.”
With that invitation, he pulled her close once more, lying back on the couch as he pulled her on top of him, the two of them exploring one another in the cozy darkness of her apartment. Finally, he sat up, still kissing her as he hooked his arm beneath her knees and lifted her up.
“Bedroom?” he asked, breaking their embrace for a moment.
“That way,” Yvonne murmured, nodding in the right direction.
He nodded, kissing her again as he somehow walked at the same time, not bumping into a single item of furniture as he found the open doorway to her bedroom and laid her down on the soft mattress.
From the living room, the gentle glow of her Christmas tree shone through the doorway as they made love, Yvonne living out every fantasy she had ever had of Zadid. He certainly lived up to her wildest dreams.
They came together in a rush of passion before falling asleep in each other’s arms, warm, safe and content.
It was easily the best Christmas of Yvonne’s life.
Chapter 8
A weak sun peeked through the bedroom window as Yvonne shifted slightly, aware of a muscular arm wrapped around her. She blinked as she opened her eyes, glancing down to see Zadid’s hand cradled in her own, and she smiled, snuggling deeper against his chest. His arm tightened around her, signaling that he was also waking.
Not sure how to handle this new turn of events, she turned in the circle of his arms and glanced up at him from beneath lowered lashes, looking to see how this was going to play out.
He stroked her hair as he gazed down at her. “Oops,” he said.
She giggled, beaming up at him. “Oops,” she agreed.
There was a pause as they worked to find the words to get them through the light of day. With the magic of evening light and glowing fires gone, they were now faced with the stark reality of morning, where they would have to navigate the consequences of their actions—whatever they may be.
“You don’t happen to have any coffee, do you?” he asked.
“I do. If you’re still in the holiday spirit, I have eggnog-flavored creamer as well.”
“That sounds fantastic,” he said.
They stood, dressing as Yvonne cast shy glances over at him. He was just as stunning in the light of day as he was in the dark, his muscular body flawless in the sunlight. She ignored the pang of disappointment as he dressed, his sweater wrinkled from being quickly abandoned, thrown on the floor. She bit back a grin at that, feeling proud of those wrinkles.
They stepped back out into the kitchen, where the dinner from the night before still cluttered the entire area.
“Yikes,” Yvonne said, picking up plates and bringing them to the sink.
“Allow me to assist. Many hands make light work.”
He reached for the plates and began to wash them as Yvonne made quick work of cleaning up the rest of the mess. By the time she looked over, the dishes were washed and put away, the kitchen all cleaned up.
“Thank you,” she said, and he nodded.
“Of course. I’m sure were it not for me, you would have had time to do this last night, so it’s the least I can do.”
Yvonne felt her cheeks heat a little. “Looks like we didn’t have time for the pie, either! I don’t think I’ve ever forgotten to have some pie on Christmas, but I think this year’s distraction was worth it,” she said, blushing, and he grinned at her.
“It was my master plan to save it for breakfast. I’m used to royal feasts, but after last night’s meal, there’s no way I could have managed pie as well… I had a much better dessert, anyway,” he said, cutting two slices as she chuckled.
“Well, Christmas can continue a bit this morning, then.” She pulled out a pair of festive mugs and brewed two steaming cups for them both, adding the eggnog creamer.
They sat together at the kitchen table, drinking their coffee and eating their pie as they evaluated the storm’s damage. Everything appeared to be clear, based on the reports Zadid was able to bring up on his phone.
“I’ve never seen so much snow in my life,” he mused, staring out at the foot of snow pressed against Yvonne’s balcony door.
“I can’t believe we didn’t see it coming,” she said. “I should become a meteorologist, so I can get paid to spin a wheel and guess the weather.”
“But that would mean you wouldn’t be working with me anymore. You’re a great asset Yvonne; I hope you know that.”
She gazed down into her coffee. It was hard to find the best way to talk with him now. What would it be like, going back to work with him in a week?
“Thanks,” she murmured, finishing her cup.
“Thank you for showing me how great Christmas can be. It was a wonderful holiday, even
as it was my first away from home.”
“I hope I could make it a little special,” she said, finally looking up at him.
His brown eyes were smiling at her as he stood, finding his jacket and shrugging his arms inside as he buttoned up for the cold outside. Yvonne felt a sense of loss, wishing that he could stay, but knowing that it would be better for him to leave. They were in uncharted territory now, and perhaps some time apart would help them better discover how to be around each other as time went on.
Perhaps he was the man she had been searching for all her life, finally arrived. There would be no knowing, but given the way he continued to look at her, she had hope that perhaps there was a chance for love in her life after all.
“You most certainly did,” he replied.
She stood and walked him to the door. He opened it, pausing as he turned to look at her one more time.
“Thank you again, Yvonne.”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek, wrapping her in a gentle hug. She hugged him back, breathing in the scent of him, unsure if she would get the chance to experience him in such a way again. After all, he was her boss. Perhaps what had happened was just a momentary fling, brought on by champagne and firelight. Perhaps it wasn’t.
“You’re welcome here any time,” she said, her meaning clear.
He nodded and turned, then, making his exit. She watched his retreating back, his broad shoulders hidden beneath the layers of clothing he wore. Her mind drifted back to how her hands had skimmed over that strong back, his skin hot and smooth beneath her fingertips. She was besieged with a sense of longing that she tried and failed to push back, closing the door to block the tantalizing view of him.
She pressed her back against her door, looking out at her apartment. The cold ashes in her fireplace were a reminder that her dream had come to an end, and the reality of a new day had arrived. Even in his absence, Yvonne felt cheerful and reinvigorated, ready to take on the world and a new year. Turning on another Christmas movie for good measure, she began packing up all of her decorations, moving on from the holiday even as she wished it had never come to an end.
As she shoved the last box into her closet, she heard a knock at the door. Her heart leapt as she made her way over, throwing the portal open and fully expecting to see Zadid there, perhaps ready to proclaim his everlasting love for her.
Her father stood outside the door with a cup of coffee and a box of donuts in his hand.
“Hey, Sprout,” he said warmly, though his cheerful expression drooped slightly at the sight of Yvonne’s disappointed face. “Not who you were expecting?”
Collecting herself, Yvonne smiled at her father, leaning in to give him a hug. “No, but what a pleasant surprise! What brings you to the big city, Dad?”
“I felt bad about leaving you hanging on Christmas, so I figured I’d bring a little post-Christmas cheer to you. You’re so good about coming out to see us all, but we don’t make it to you enough.”
Yvonne secretly agreed with him, but she didn’t voice that opinion. Instead, she ushered him inside, casting a glance down the hallway, as though she could wish Zadid into existence. She chuckled at her own foolish behavior. She was worse than a middle-schooler with her crush, but now that she had had a taste of Zadid, she craved him even more.
“How was your Christmas?” her dad asked, sitting at her kitchen table.
Yvonne joined him, opening the box of donuts and selecting one with a thick chocolate glaze. She took a bite of the pastry and sipped at her coffee before answering, remembering a similar breakfast she’d shared a few hours ago with the man of her dreams.
“It was fantastic. I’m glad I got to see everyone, and my friend and I had a great time together yesterday.”
“What friend was it?”
Yvonne hesitated, not sure how to answer that.
Her father picked up on the pause, gazing at her intently. “Yvonne Hunt, did you have a man over here yesterday? Like a Christmas date?”
He sounded so excited, Yvonne could hardly keep from gushing. Still, Zadid was her boss. While her father would be excited at the prospect of a relationship for her, she doubted he would be as excited if he knew the details of their relationship.
“No, I did not. At least, not like the way you’re implying. My friend and I had a nice dinner and played board games before he went home, thank you very much.”
“How did he get home? There was a storm warning last night. I was going to call to make sure you didn’t leave the house, but I didn’t want to come off as an overbearing parent.”
“You have never come off as an overbearing parent,” she replied, and he shrugged.
“Maybe not, but still. Your mother and I are worried about you, Yvonne. We want to see you happy.”
“I don’t need a man to be happy,” she snapped, her tone testier than she’d intended.
“Of course we know that, but there’s something missing from your life. You think we don’t see it, but we do. We know you’re not fully content, and we want nothing but for you to be perfectly, blissfully happy.”
Yvonne sipped her coffee, not sure how to respond.
“You talk to Mom?” she asked.
“We’ve always communicated about you. We’re co-parents, remember?”
“Yeah, but you never seemed to talk outside of changing the guard on the weekends.”
“That you knew about. We talked about you all the time. I’d often get advice from your mother, and vice versa. It may not have seemed like it, Yvonne, but we’ve never stopped parenting you as a team, no matter how far apart we were.”
A rush of emotion hit Yvonne at that statement. She had always felt so torn apart since their divorce, so divided. To hear that they still worked together to try to help and guide her was as heartwarming as it was heartbreaking.
“I got you a birthday present. Now that you’re here I can just give it to you instead of mailing it,” she said, desperately wanting to change the subject. She walked to her bedroom and pulled a little box from her closet, setting it in front of her dad, who smiled at it.
“You never forget my birthday,” he said.
“Of course not. Why would I?”
“Sometimes it’s just nice to have an adult daughter. You have a thoughtfulness we’re still working to instill in your siblings.”
Yvonne’s soul cheered at such a compliment. So often, she felt like an afterthought.
He opened her gift—a set of new fishing lures—and he hugged her as though she had given him a million dollars.
“I can’t wait to use these in the summer! We should head out on the boat and fish together with them, hey?”
“I would love that,” she agreed, really meaning it.
“I’m sorry I haven’t done a better job of keeping in touch with you, Yvonne. Consider it my New Year’s resolution, okay? I’m going to be a much better dad to you, from here on out.”
Yvonne wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight. “You’re already great, Dad.”
“Not true. If I were that great, you’d have told me who exactly was at your house yesterday.”
“Well, we’ll work on it together, shall we?” she said with a smile.
He nodded, the two of them sharing another donut together and some good conversation before he stood to make his exit.
“I’m going to pick up some groceries before I head back,” he said. “Cheryl wanted a thing or two to top up the Christmas leftovers, and now that the roads are clear, I can actually get them.”
“Thanks for coming out, Dad. It’s good to see you.”
“You, too, Peanut. Take care of yourself, okay? I’ll be in touch soon.”
“I will,” she promised.
With that, she said goodbye to her father once more, but instead of feeling empty, Yvonne’s heart felt quite full.
Yes, it had definitely been the best Christmas ever.
Chapter 9
Yvonne was comfortable in her pajamas as she settled on her couch
with a bowl of popcorn, a pot of tea, and every intention of spending New Year’s Eve at home watching Times Square from the comfort and quiet of her living room.
As she crunched on her snack, her phone beeped, signaling a text, and she lifted it to see who was wishing her a happy new year, hoping for the millionth time for it to be Zadid.
It was Mackenzie.
“Come out with us. You know you want to!”
Yvonne stared at the screen, contemplating her response. She had spoken with Mackenzie a few times after the holiday, never mentioning what had happened between her and their handsome employer. Every time her phone beeped, she was racing for it in the hopes that he would reach out and invite her to dinner, something—anything. Even just to say hello!
His radio silence had been disconcerting, and left Yvonne wondering just what her life would be like at work in a few days’ time.
She texted Mackenzie that she was quite content to stay at home for the night. Then, there was a knock on the door.
With a sigh, knowing where this was about to head, Yvonne stood and quickly walked to the door, throwing it open.
“You’re coming,” Mackenzie declared, her tone brooking no argument.
Peeking behind her friend’s shoulder, Yvonne saw Kyle and Shane looking uncomfortable as they shifted from foot to foot.
Mackenzie crossed her arms over her sparkly party dress, determined. “You have bailed on me every time I’ve asked you out over this break. It is New Year’s Eve, Yvonne! This is not the time to sit at home like an old maid. You are a young beautiful woman in a city full of fun. Can you please act like it? I know you have a little black dress in there somewhere. Go grab it and let’s get going!”
Yvonne stared at her friend, wondering just how hard she would have to work to convince Mackenzie to let her stay home. She then glanced back at her lonely couch, with nothing but popcorn and tea to spend her evening with. Perhaps it would be good to get out. If anything, she could try to distract her brain for a little while instead of constantly replaying Christmas in her mind.
