Mistletoe Match (No Match for Love)

by Lindzee Armstrong

  “Sometimes I think I’d happily take a smaller paycheck if it meant less responsibility.”

  “And what is it that you do?”

  “I’m a businessman.” He squeezed her hand, exerting the barest of pressure. “I get to come to parties like this and meet beautiful women like yourself and get paid for it.”

  “Such a vague answer.” One that had her struggling not to smile. How long had it been since someone flirted with her?

  “I prefer the term mysterious. Here.” He slipped off his tuxedo jacket and draped it around her shoulders, his hands lingering. “You looked cold.”

  “Thank you.” Michelle clutched the lapels tightly around her shoulders, discretely sniffing the jacket. Mercy. Cinnamon and apples—this guy smelled like Christmas.

  Austin cleared his throat and took a step back. “So did your cousin win the flat screen?”

  “They hadn’t given it away yet when I left.”

  “They were in the middle of the door prizes when I had to step into the hallway.” He took her hand and gently tucked it into the crook of his arm. “I think I won anyway.”

  She was going to fall right out of her flats, the butterflies were making her so unstable. Thank heaven she hadn’t worn heels, although he was tall enough she could’ve. If this is what happened when she wandered into the wrong bathroom, she was going to try it more often. Maybe she’d hold off on getting a cat after all.

  They walked into the pavilion at the end of the walking path and stared out at the small koi pond. Moonlight reflected off the surface, making Austin’s eyes sparkle even more.

  “So, Michelle. What’s your story?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, what is a beautiful woman like you doing at a Christmas party with her cousin? Surely you’ve got someone else to spend time with.”

  She reminded herself to breathe. “Not at the moment.”

  “Then we’re in the same boat.” He took a step toward her, the heat across the millimeters between them a physical fire. His eyes flicked upward, and she followed his gaze.

  “Huh,” he said. “Mistletoe.”

  “You don’t say.” The words sounded breathy, even to her own ears.

  “In medieval England, it was considered bad luck not to kiss if caught under the mistletoe.”

  Thank you, ridiculous superstitions. “Seems like an unwise way to start the New Year.”

  “Or to end one.” Slowly he reached out and grasped her arms, pulling her toward him. His eyes locked onto hers, seeming to search for some sign of hesitance.

  She took a step closer.

  A smile lingered on his lips and he lowered his head, pausing a hair’s breadth away. Michelle let her eyes drift closed and bridged the distance.

  His lips were the exact perfect mix of plump and firm. She melted against him, and somehow his jacket slipped off her shoulders. Her hands buried into his incredibly soft hair. A hand pressed against her back, urging her closer as he deepened the kiss and she eagerly responded. His scruff rubbed against her cheek, and she barely held back a shiver at the delicious sensation. It had been so long since she’d been held close by anyone. So long since she’d been kissed.

  This moment was absolutely perfect. Maybe he’d ask her out, and they’d spend the next six months volunteering at the animal shelter on weekends, and—

  What on earth was she thinking? She didn’t know this man from Adam. The pleasant fuzz of alcohol began to fade, and confusion took its place. She pulled away, breathless from the intensity of affection after so long without it.

  “I can’t believe I just did that,” she said. “I’m not usually that type of girl.”

  “I wouldn’t mind doing it again.”

  Michelle put a hand to her hair, trying to steady her breathing. If she continued down this path, the perfect moment would be stolen from her when things came to their inevitable end. “I’d better get back to the party.”

  “Can I at least have your number?”

  She wanted to give it to him. But she wanted to preserve this perfect moment even more. One perfect moment in a sea of broken ones. She had a plan, and she was sticking to it. She’d had her fling. Now she was done with men for good.

  “It was very nice meeting you, Austin. Very nice.” Impulsively, she pulled him toward her for one last, lingering kiss. Then she turned and ran from the garden.

  Austin stuck his hands in his pockets, watching Michelle sprint out of the garden and out of his life.

  He shouldn’t have kissed her. But Victoria’s call had left him feeling vulnerable, and he’d been caught up in the magic of the moment.

  He let Michelle go, despite every molecule in his body commanding him to run after her. Just because Victoria was doing her best to make him miserable didn’t give him a free pass to kiss random strangers. Running into Michelle had felt like a Christmas present just for him, and he’d been more than willing to go after the rebound.

  Except that kiss hadn’t felt like a rebound—it had felt like a part of his soul was finally whole. What had started out as an attempt to forget the disaster that was his life had quickly morphed into a real desire to get to know Michelle better. She hadn’t felt like a random stranger, but a friend he’d reconnected with after a long time apart. A friend he very much wanted to spend more time kissing. She’d molded into his body like they were two halves of a whole.

  Austin let his gaze flick to a shadowy corner of the garden, his anxiety heightening. He could just make out the silhouette of someone hiding behind a large willow tree, almost completely concealed by the shadows and branches. He hadn’t considered a reporter might follow him into the garden, but a split-second after kissing Michelle, he’d caught the flash of a camera lens. At least the firestorm he’d walked into when accepting the job from Wellsprings Pharmaceutical was localized to the surrounding community—and the local press. Victoria was unlikely to hear about the kiss.

  He stooped down, swiping his tuxedo jacket off the pavilion floor and giving it a shake. He slipped the jacket back on and brushed at his lapels. The coat was still warm from Michelle’s body and smelled faintly of watermelon. It had been a long time since he’d been so instantly attracted to a woman.

  Austin waited in the garden for another five minutes, giving Michelle time to escape back to the Christmas party without another awkward run-in. Then, even though he wanted nothing more than to seek her out and beg for her number, Austin walked back into the grand ballroom.

  Jeannie, his high-strung personal assistant, was at his side the second he entered. “Where have you been? Mark wants to introduce you to the company, then give you a few minutes to speak to the employees.”

  “I had to take care of something,” Austin said. Michelle was somewhere in the building. Every nerve ending called to her. “I’m ready now.”

  Jeannie spoke into her headset, then glanced up at him. “You’re up in five.”

  Austin nodded, trying to hide the exhaustion seeping into every pore of his body. He’d loved his position as marketing director of his father-in-law’s medical supply company. But he’d given up the job when Victoria gave up on their marriage. He never should’ve proposed to her. Doubts had whispered to his mind while they were dating, but the heady excitement of new love ultimately clouded his judgment. He’d wanted so badly to believe her when she professed to wanting nothing more than to settle down and start a family. It hadn’t taken long after Mariah’s birth to realize that free-spirited Victoria wasn’t the mothering type. After finding out about Roberto, Victoria’s boyfriend, Austin hadn’t contested the divorce.

  “It’s been a rocky year here at Wellsprings Pharmaceutical,” Mark said from the front of the room. He looked out of place in a suit and tie instead of his usual flip-flops and cargo shorts. He was young for a CEO, close to Austin’s own forty years, but he commanded a room like a man with twice as much experience while maintaining the laid-back attitude of a frat boy. “Their Only Voice has decided to take on the
role of playground bully, and unfortunately, we’ve been their victim. But they can’t keep us down for long. We are still here for you!” The crowd went wild at the company slogan, and Mark held up a hand until the room had quieted back down. “We donated one million dollars to charitable institutes this past year. Stock is up five percent. And last week we announced we’ve hired a top-rated marketing director to make sure that next year is beyond awesome. Let’s hear it for Austin O’Neal.”

  Here we go, Austin thought. He took a deep breath, then plastered on a smile and waved to the crowd as he made his way through the round tables dotting the ballroom. Cameras flashed from the back, where the local media had been invited to cover the event at Austin’s recommendation. No time like the present to try and sway public opinion in their favor. The previous marketing director had made a tense situation infinitely worse with his attitude around the press. Being caught on camera nearly running over a dog had been the last straw.

  “Thank you so much for that warm welcome, everyone,” Austin said. “I’m excited and eager to be here.” Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration. His three children had been less than thrilled when he announced last month that they were moving from Las Vegas to Los Angeles. They’d all asked why they couldn’t stay with their mother in Nevada. Austin hadn’t told them it was because she didn’t want the responsibility. After their phone call, he had a pretty good idea why. In January, the happy adulterers were moving to Brazil “because it sounded like fun.” At least she’d agreed to come down in a few weeks and take the kids to Santa’s Village. Victoria finally had her life of freedom, and she wasn’t about to let motherhood ruin that.

  Awesome.

  Christmas lights twinkled all along the ballroom, and candles flickered in the middle of the tables. Austin gave his prepared speech, trying to focus on the positive while being mindful of how the media would try to twist his words. At the end of the day, he couldn’t change the fact that he was the marketing director of a pharmaceutical company that still did testing on animals—something Their Only Voice refused to let the community forget. But Wellsprings did everything in accordance with FDA guidelines, and animal testing helped people. Austin would calm the public’s concerns while helping them realize that Wellsprings was actually the good guy.

  Applause followed him off the stage at the end of his speech. If nothing else, he didn’t think he’d given the media any more ammunition. Mark, on the other hand … Austin had seen the numbers, and he knew Mark exaggerated the stock numbers—not outright lied, but hadn’t given the whole truth either. Stock was up five percent overall, but it had fallen three percent in the last quarter. And it was mostly due to public perception thanks to Their Only Voice’s merciless campaign. His first order of business would be to arrange a meeting with the animal rights group and see if he couldn’t smooth some ruffled feathers. At the very least, it would be a good opportunity to assess how deep the damage actually went.

  The party dragged on for an eternity, but at last Austin made his escape and drove to his new home in the city of Yorba Linda. His neighbors’ houses were all resplendent in Christmas lights, but Austin’s remained dark. He thanked Lucy—a college student he’d hired to help out—for staying late, then wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a glass of water.

  “Daddy?”

  Austin set his glass on the counter and crouched down next to his seven-year-old, Sydney. “What are you doing out of bed?” he asked, ruffling her hair.

  “I wanted you to sing me a song goodnight.”

  “Well then, that’s what I’ll do.” He picked her up and she clung to his neck. Austin kissed her soft cheek and carried her up the stairs. Why didn’t Victoria realize what she was missing out on—what she was giving up? Austin had made his peace with the fact that Victoria was more interested in her much younger personal trainer than in the man she’d spent sixteen years married to. But he would never forgive her for abandoning their children as well.

  Austin gently laid Sydney in her bed and stroked her hair. “What song would you like tonight?”

  “The one about shooting stars.”

  Austin nodded and started singing his own favorite childhood song—one he was pretty sure his mom had made up. Sydney’s eyes drifted closed, and Austin kissed her on the forehead. He peered into Spencer’s room and saw the boy sprawled across his Iron Man comforter, once again sleeping on top of the sheets instead of under them. Austin slowly opened the door, wincing when the hinge squeaked. He picked up the blanket that had been tossed to the floor and gently laid it over his son. Next, Austin walked across the hall and peered in on Mariah. Her bedroom walls were covered with pictures of boy bands, but at least she was asleep in her bed instead of glued to her phone, eagerly awaiting texts from friends. When had she morphed from his sweet little girl into this hormonal thirteen-year-old he rarely understood? Mariah was so angry now—Spencer, too. Austin couldn’t figure out if they were mad about the divorce, the move, or both. Probably the latter. At least Sydney was still her sweet self.

  When Austin crawled between his own sheets he automatically gravitated to the left side, leaving the right empty. He grunted when he realized what he was doing and scooted to the middle of the king sized mattress. Now he could take up as much space as he wanted without listening to Victoria complain.

  But as Austin drifted off to sleep, he wasn’t thinking about Victoria and their many fights over her desire for freedom and his desire for stability. He wasn’t worrying about work, and the challenging situation he’d face when meeting with the animal rights group.

  He was thinking about the copper-haired teacher with the wide eyes and enticing lips.

  A cold nose nudged Michelle’s arm and a whine invaded her dreams.

  “Not now, Bella,” Michelle whispered. The handsome man held her in his arms, the mistletoe weaving a magic spell over them. His hands threaded through her hair, pulling strands loose from her side bun—

  A rough tongue ran up the side of her cheek.

  “Bella!” Michelle shrieked. But the dog just licked her again. Michelle laughed, giving her a hug. “You rascal.”

  Bella stared straight ahead with unseeing eyes. Michelle had stolen her from a cosmetic company where she worked as an intern in college. Bella had been barely more than a puppy and already blind from the tests. Michelle had always loved animals, but hadn’t realized animal testing was still practiced in the United States until then. The night she stole Bella, she also joined Their Only Voice.

  The dog let out a happy bark, then settled down, resting her head on Michelle’s stomach.

  “I kissed a guy last night,” Michelle whispered, scratching behind the animal’s ears. “A total stranger.”

  Bella yawned.

  “Yeah, I can’t believe it either.” There was a reason Michelle rarely drank alcohol. At least she’d had the good sense to run away and not give him her number. But that kiss … She’d felt it from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, a delicious shiver of belonging she hadn’t experienced in years, if ever.

  Maybe she should’ve given him her number. Hudson certainly had thought her crazy for running away.

  Bella whined, prodding Michelle with her nose. The poor girl hadn’t been outside in hours. Michelle rolled out of her bed, stretching until her back cracked. Then she followed Bella downstairs.

  Sometimes neighbor kids kicked balls into her yard and didn’t latch the gate on their way out, so she made sure it was shut, then let Bella outside to take care of business. Hudson had miraculously won the flat screen, so Michelle spent the rest of the weekend grading papers at his house while they enjoyed the spoils of their labors.

  On Monday morning, Michelle set about getting the new student’s desk and supplies ready. A few minutes before the first bell rang, the principal walked in with a little girl and incredibly tall man.

  Michelle blinked. Did a double take. No way.

  The man was Austin.

  His eyes widened, the choco
late-caramel sparkles showing the same surprise she knew was reflected on her own face.

  “Good morning, Miss Collins,” Principal Rhodes said. She placed two hands on the young girl’s shoulders, bracelets jangling on her thin arms at the movement. “This is Sydney, your new student.”

  Creamy white skin and a petite stature made Sydney look like a porcelain doll—no surprise given the stunning beauty her father possessed. Dark chestnut hair sun-kissed with bronze was styled into two braided pigtails hanging over each shoulder. She was impeccably dressed in a plaid skirt and red top with a sparkly silver Christmas ornament applique. Large blue eyes framed by dark lashes stared up at Michelle with anxiety.

  First days were always so hard.

  “Welcome, Sydney.” Michelle kept her voice cheerful and soothing, not wanting to add to the girl’s nerves. “I’m so excited to have you in my class.”

  Sydney took a step toward her father.

  “I love your shirt,” Michelle said. “Christmas is my favorite holiday. Do you like Christmas?”

  Sydney gave a shy smile, revealing two missing front teeth, and nodded.

  “Good,” Michelle said. “I’ve got an ornament really similar to the one on your shirt on your homework folder this month. Want me to show you?”

  “Okay,” Sydney said quietly.

  “I’ll leave you in Miss Collins’ capable hands,” Principal Rhodes said. “Mr. O’Neal, please contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.”

  “Thank you,” Austin said.

  Principal Rhodes nodded and left, the jangling of her bracelets echoing in the quiet room even after she’d left. Michelle showed Sydney her desk and homework folders, all too aware of Austin. The intense heat of his gaze burned through her as she explained class procedures to Sydney.

  The bell rang and students trickled into the classroom. Michelle snagged Chloe, one of the friendliest students in the class, and introduced the two girls. Was Austin going to stand there and stare at her all day?