His Christmas Gift ; Decadent Holiday Pleasures

by Janice Sims

  Someone sneezed and Giovanni glanced over his shoulder, hoping none of the stable hands was watching him. Or worse, recording him on the sly. It had happened before, and Giovanni didn’t want any secret videos of him posted online for the world to see. He didn’t make it a habit to talk to the horses, especially when staff members were around, but he’d felt a special connection to Trojan from the first time he’d ridden him around the grounds eight years earlier, and treated the horse like a family member, not a pet.

  Yawning, Giovanni stretched his neck from side to side, trying to alleviate the tension in his aching muscles. Having been up since dawn, he’d already worked out with his personal trainer in his home gym, had breakfast with a family friend and answered his emails. He planned to spend the next hour with Trojan, and hoped no one interrupted him.

  Humming along to the Spanish song playing on the sound system, he tied the horse to the fence, grabbed the black currycomb from the bucket and patted the top of Trojan’s head to remind him he was in good hands. He’d been around horses his entire life and loved grooming them. It was the perfect stress reliever. Twice a week, he groomed Trojan and looked forward to spending time with his beloved horse at the end of a long day. The horse whinnied then kicked his back hooves in the air, shooting mud at Giovanni, who shielded his face with his forearm.

  “Good one,” he said with a laugh, dusting the dirt off his hoodie. “But I’m still giving you a wash, so deal with it.”

  Gripping the comb, he moved his hands in a slow, circular motion to loosen the grime from Trojan’s coat. In the distance, he heard a woman’s voice and hoped Rosario hadn’t come to the stables to talk. She’d called his cell twice that morning, but he’d let both calls go to voice mail. He didn’t want to butt heads with her again. They’d done enough of that yesterday in her office.

  The last round of interviews for the executive chef position had been disastrous and afterward they’d argued about who to hire. Giovanni thought the silver-haired Dutchman with decades of experience in the culinary field would be a great addition to the club, but Rosario had refused to even consider him. He was the type of person their father had in mind for the position, and Giovanni didn’t want to disappoint him—apparently, however, Rosario did.

  Twenty-four hours later, he was still troubled by his argument with his sister. Tired of battling with her, he’d considered calling his dad for advice. Vincente should decide who to hire, not Rosario. It was their father’s club, his legacy at stake, but Giovanni knew if he confided in his dad about the interviews, Rosario would feel he betrayed her trust, and he didn’t want to do anything to ruin their close-knit relationship. Not after everything Rosario had done for him since his divorce. She’d been his confidante, his biggest supporter, even at times his chef and chauffeur, and he wouldn’t have survived the dissolution of his marriage or his injury at the US Open Polo Championship without her.

  Using the hose, he washed Trojan’s face with warm water. He shampooed his coat then scrubbed his tail. A shovel scraped against the ground, drowning out the music on the radio, and the air smelled of manure, but there was nowhere else Giovanni would rather be. He loved being around horses and wished he could spend the entire day in the barn.

  Lies! shouted his inner voice. You’d ditch Trojan for Elise in a heartbeat and you know it.

  His thoughts returned to Saturday night and he reflected on his argument with Elise at the pub. After she’d stormed off, he’d grabbed Jonas from the lounge and told him what happened, but by the time they’d made it outside, Elise was gone.

  Over the course of his polo career, he’d met people from all walks of life, but the Charlotte native perplexed him. Giovanni didn’t know what to make of her. She was a mystery—a complicated, fascinating beauty who intrigued him, and he wanted to know more about her. Not just the bits and pieces of conversation he’d pieced together during her conversation in the car with Jonas as they were driving to By the Bay.

  Giovanni shuddered at the memory of her argument with Mr. Verbeck. For a moment, he’d feared Elise was going to strangle her former boss for lying about her termination, but she’d pulled herself together. Rosario would have punched his lights out for calling her a cow, or worse. Giovanni was relieved that Elise had taken the high road even though Mr. Verbeck had insulted her.

  Giovanni sighed. He didn’t want to see Elise at the club every day. He’d never met a woman more comfortable in her skin, and her confidence was a turn-on, hence why he didn’t want to hire her. Every time Elise was around, his desires raged out of control, threatened to consume him. In many ways, Elise reminded him of his ex-wife, which bothered him.

  At the height of his career, he’d run with a crowd befitting a star athlete, but he’d secretly longed to find love. All he’d wanted was someone to share his life with, and he’d foolishly thought his personal assistant, Marisol Le Torre, was the woman of his dreams. He couldn’t have been more wrong. These days, he hardly thought about his ex-wife, but when he did, his blood boiled. She’d screwed him over, made him the laughingstock of their friends, and he’d never forgive her for abandoning him when he needed her most.

  “Oh, my, what a mess. Let me take Trojan from you, Mr. Castillo, so you can clean up.”

  Giovanni surfaced from his thoughts just in time to see one of the equine trainers take the hose from his hand and snuggle against Trojan. “Thanks, Alyssa. I’d better go. I lost track of time and if I don’t hurry, I’m going to be late for my first meeting of the day.”

  “No problem, Giovanni. See you on Friday, same time and place, right?”

  “Absolutely.” He patted Trojan’s head with one hand and retrieved his iPhone from his back pocket with the other. Scrolling through the day’s new stories, he marched out of the barn, across the field and into the polo club. It wasn’t open to the public yet, but it was a flurry of activity. Employees vacuumed, fluffed the pillows on the padded armchairs in the waiting area, polished every wooden surface and watered the plants and flowers in the lobby.

  Giovanni glanced up from his phone and acknowledged everyone he passed with a nod and a smile. Deciding to shower in the men’s changing room, he continued past the front desk to the fitness center, mentally reviewing his Tuesday schedule.

  A text message popped up on the screen and Giovanni groaned. His dad wanted to see him, and Giovanni had a sinking feeling that Vincente wanted to talk to him about his future plans. Oh, brother. Here we go again.

  Every time he saw his dad, he implored him to quit polo and take the reins of the family business once and for all. Castillo Enterprises owned hundreds of lucrative commercial properties from Argentina to New York, and if Vincente had his way, Giovanni would be the head man in charge.

  Giovanni shuddered at the thought. It wasn’t going to happen. He planned to play polo for many more years to come, and wouldn’t let Vincente—or his medical team—talk him out of it. Polo was his life, what he was born to do, and he didn’t want to do anything else. For years, his dad had begged him to join him in the family business, but he had stood his ground, hadn’t lost sight of his goals. He’d refused to give up on his dream, and his hard work had paid off. He’d won every award in polo there was, but he wanted to shatter more records and cement his legacy in the sport he loved more than life itself.

  “There you are! I’ve been looking everywhere for you.”

  Giovanni looked up just in time to see Elise rushing toward him waving her hands wildly in the air. Her voice was animated, full of excitement. Her smile was so bright, it lit up the lobby and, for a moment, all Giovanni could do was stare at her. Marveling at her natural beauty, he realized she glowed from within.

  He was surprised to see her at the club, thought maybe she was a vision of his imagination, a breathtaking illusion. He hadn’t thought they’d ever cross paths again and wondered what Elise was doing there two hours before the club was open to the public. Add to that, s
he was beaming, and he didn’t understand why. Three days ago she’d insulted him then stormed out of his favorite pub, and now Elise was staring at him with an awestruck expression on her face, as if he was the man of her dreams. The thought heartened him and warmed his six-foot-four frame.

  Pocketing his cell, Giovanni stared at Elise with keen interest. He’d never seen a pantsuit look so good, and liked how the lightweight material skimmed her curves. Curls cascaded over her shoulders and Giovanni imagined himself running his hands through her long, silky hair. His hands itched to touch her, to caress her skin, but he’d never act on his impulses.

  “Giovanni, thank you!” Elise gushed, throwing her arms around his neck. Hugging him tightly, she rocked him from side to side. “You’ve made me the happiest woman alive!”

  Her words sounded garbled in his ears, didn’t register in his brain. Instinctively he moved closer to her. She smelled of lavender and her light, floral fragrance aroused him. Holding her to his chest, he inhaled her fragrant scent. Elise felt even better than he imagined, and when she pulled out of his arms, disappointment flooded his body.

  “Sorry about that,” she said with a sheepish expression on her face. “I’m a hugger, but I didn’t mean to smother you. I’m just really stoked and pumped and grateful to you right now.”

  Giovanni touched his chest. “Grateful to me? For what?”

  “For putting your feelings aside and hiring me to be the new executive chef!”

  Dread pooled in the pit of his stomach. What!

  “I signed my contract in Rosario’s office ten minutes ago, but I’m still shaking.” Elise giggled, but she spoke in a serious voice. “I won’t let you down, Giovanni. I promise. I’m going to be the best executive chef you’ve ever had.”

  His jaw dropped. It was the last thing he’d expected Elise to say and her words were a shock to his system. Anger welled up inside him, but he didn’t take his frustrations out on Elise. It wasn’t her fault Rosario had disregarded his wishes.

  Conflicting emotions battled within him. On the one hand, he liked the idea of getting to know Elise better, but on the other hand he worried one day his desires would overwhelm him, and he’d act on his feelings—and that would be a disaster for the polo club.

  “I better go,” she said brightly, glancing at her wristwatch. “I have to meet Antoine in the kitchen in five minutes, and I don’t want to be late.”

  Giovanni couldn’t think straight, struggled to form a coherent sentence. Polo was a difficult sport to play, with technical skills such as horse riding, good posture and mental and physical toughness. Even a small mistake could result in fractured bones, paralysis and even death. But Giovanni had never been so stressed out in his life. Elise was all curves, temptation in a fitted suit and heels, and his temperature rose to dangerous heights when she touched him.

  “See you later, Giovanni. Thanks again!” Elise waved, then dashed through the lobby and into the restaurant. Her perfume lingered in the air, tickling his nose and arousing his flesh.

  Balling his hands into fists, he marched past the reception desk and down the sun-drenched corridor. In the management area, he heard telephones ringing and the distant sound of conversation. The sweet, heady aroma wafting out of the staff room roused his appetite, but Giovanni was too angry to think about eating, not when he had to settle a score with his sister.

  Giovanni entered the corner office, decorated with round wall mirrors, fluffy carpet, modern furniture and pastel-pink colors, and slammed the door so hard the windows rattled. Rosario jumped in her seat then rested a hand on her chest. “Gio, don’t do that,” she scolded from behind her U-shaped glass desk. “You scared me half to death.”

  “Why did you hire Elise Jennings behind my back?” Giovanni realized he was shouting and lowered his voice, but there was nothing he could do about his erratic heartbeat. “We agreed to meet this afternoon to make a final decision, so why did you offer Elise a contract without discussing it with me first?”

  “A decision had to be made immediately, and I did what I thought was best for the club.”

  “What was the emergency? Why couldn’t you wait until our three o’clock meeting?”

  “Because I was worried we’d lose Elise to another restaurant and end up back at square one,” she explained in a somber tone. “Antoine is friends with the assistant manager at the Palm, and he let it slip that Elise was his top choice for their sous chef position. I couldn’t risk him hiring her, so I beat him to it. Brilliant, right?”

  No, it was impulsive and foolish, he thought, strangling a groan. And I wish you’d talked to me first. After all, I am the CEO. I should have a say in who we hire.

  “Why didn’t you let me know what you were thinking? Why didn’t you give me a heads-up? You know I don’t think Elise is the right person for the position, but you hired her anyway.”

  Rosario raised two fingers in the air. “I called you twice this morning and left you a voice mail, as well, so don’t get mad at me because you were too busy sulking to return my call.”

  “Whatever.” A thought popped into his mind. “Did you approve her salary demands and the Christmas events she discussed during her interview?”

  Her face brightened. “I sure did! I love the idea of creating more holiday traditions at the club and fully utilizing the space. With Christmas around the corner, it’s the perfect time to shake things up around here, and I want to attract more powerful, influential people to the club.”

  “Great,” he grumbled, shaking his head. “You’re letting her call the shots.”

  Confusion darkened her features and Rosario stared at him for a long moment. “Giovanni, I’m disappointed in you—”

  “Why?” he challenged. “Because I have the guts to disagree with you?”

  “No, because over the years I’ve shared with you how hard it is for me to be heard and respected as a female COO, even though I have an MBA from one of the best business schools in the country.” Her gaze landed on her university diplomas proudly displayed on the wooden bookshelf. “You of all people know how hard it is for a woman to succeed in a male-dominated field. I was hoping you’d hire Elise because she’s the best person for the executive chef position, period.”

  Her words were a painful blow, a fist to the gut, and for the first time in Giovanni’s life he was speechless. Was Rosario right? Was he being stubborn and unfair? Was he putting his needs above what was best for the club? Giovanni dismissed the thought; refused to believe it. He wanted the club to succeed, wanted Rosario to be named Vincente’s successor, and he was going to do everything in his power to help his sister’s dreams come true. But that didn’t mean he was going to agree with everything she said and did.

  “It shouldn’t matter that she’s young, black and beautiful—”

  “I never said that it did, but I know for a fact those things will matter to Dad.” Giovanni took a deep breath and slowly counted to ten. They were supposed to be a team, and even though Rosario had hired Elise behind his back and then had the nerve to insult him, he was determined to keep the peace.

  “Leave Dad to me.” Rosario had a determined expression on her face and spoke with confidence. “I know what to do to get through to him.”

  “Sure you do. Just make sure you tell Dad that hiring Elise was your idea, not mine.”

  “Oh, I absolutely will, because there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s going to love her.”

  Giovanni considered her words, gave them some serious thought. Elise was delightful, full of energy, optimism and excitement, and it was hard not to like her, but Giovanni didn’t think his dad would be swayed by Elise’s charm. Upon meeting her, he wouldn’t be surprised if Vincente fired Elise on the spot and hired one of the male candidates who’d interviewed for the position instead. “What makes you so sure?”

  “Elise is going to wow Dad with her talent, her creativity, her
charisma and her adorable Southern drawl.” Rosario put on her reading glasses. “And she’ll impress you, too.”

  She already has! Giovanni thought with a heavy heart, raking a hand through his hair. That’s why I don’t want Elise to work here! It’s a recipe for disaster.

  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do, and you need a shower.” Rosario wiggled her nose and waved a hand in front of her face. “You stink!”

  “And you’re impossible,” he shot back.

  Silence engulfed the office and the tension in the air was thicker than smoke.

  Worried he’d lose his temper if they started trading jabs, Giovanni yanked open the door and left without another word.

  He never should have gone to Rosario’s office in the first place. It had been a waste of his time. She was as controlling as their father, and Giovanni had a better chance of winning RuPaul’s Drag Race than getting through to his sister. It was her way or the highway, but as he relived their argument in his mind, his frustration waned and his anger abated. Why did he care who Rosario hired for the executive chef position? He wasn’t staying in the Hamptons indefinitely. Once he convinced his doctors he was healthy, and his dad returned to the club full-time, Giovanni was buying a one-way ticket to Argentina, and no one was going to stop him.

  Heartened by his thoughts, Giovanni entered the men’s changing room at the fitness center, grabbed his toiletry bag from his locker and found an empty stall. He had nothing to worry about, was stressing out for no reason. In two months’ time, he’d be back with his team, training hard, and Elise—and their sizzling attraction—would be a distant memory.

  Giovanni turned the water on full blast. Closing his eyes, he allowed the steaming hot water to wash away the grime on his skin and his fears for the future. Soon he’d be back with his team, doing what he loved most. But until he left for Argentina, he’d stay far away from Elise and her delicious, decadent cooking.