His Christmas Gift ; Decadent Holiday Pleasures

by Janice Sims

“And that’s the truth?”

  “Absolutely,” she insisted, placing the clipboard on the nearest shelf. “I have no reason to lie. But why are you asking me about my relationship with Antoine? Did someone say something to you? Is that why you’re here?”

  Giovanni raked a hand through his hair, wishing he could go back in time. Feeling guilty for upsetting Elise, he searched for the right words to say to put her fears to rest. He shouldn’t have asked her about her personal life. He was her boss, not her man, and he’d overstepped. “I saw the notes on the chalkboard and thought maybe you and Antoine were an item,” he explained. “Elise, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you or to create distrust in your mind about your colleagues. Everyone thinks you’re great. And so do I.”

  Giovanni didn’t know what had come over him. One minute he was apologizing to Elise and the next he was devouring her lips.

  And once he started kissing her, he couldn’t stop.

  Chapter 8

  Alarm bells rang in Giovanni’s mind and a stern male voice that sounded like his father told him to leave the kitchen—or else. Instead of heeding the warning, he tightened his hold around her waist and inclined his head toward her, deepening the kiss.

  Elise must have been in shock because she remained perfectly still with her hands hanging rigidly at her sides. Tasting a hint of maple syrup on her lips, he licked them slowly, savoring the sweet flavor on her tongue. Aroused by her scent and the warmth of her mouth, he struggled to control his emotions, and imagined them making love. Wanted her in his bed, tonight. Elise was a stand-out beauty who’d seized his attention the moment he’d first laid eyes on her, and Giovanni was smitten with her. He liked the idea of having a fling with the feisty chef with the charming drawl, and hoped Elise shared his feelings.

  Elise moaned. The sound was music to his ears, a turn-on. Her arms closed around his neck and her hands played in his hair, fingering his ponytail. Knowing that she was enjoying the kiss and she wanted him, too, bolstered his confidence and assuaged his guilt. His instincts were right, bang on. Elise was attracted to him and their chemistry was undeniable, unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. And his body yearned for more.

  Giovanni backed her up against the door, slamming it shut with his right hand. Perfect. Now he didn’t have to worry about anyone interrupting them, ruining the moment. He hadn’t kissed anyone in months, hadn’t wanted to until he’d first locked eyes with Elise, and he didn’t want their spontaneous make-out session to end. Not until he had his fill of her.

  Heavy breathing filled the air, mingled with their desperate moans, and groans. Giovanni knew what he was doing was wrong, but he couldn’t tear himself away from her. Didn’t want to. He wanted to continue kissing and caressing her. He cupped her bottom in his hands and rubbed himself against her, wishing he could fulfill his desires right then and there.

  His cell phone rang from inside his back pocket, but Giovanni ignored it, wouldn’t have answered it if his life depended on it. Nothing mattered more to him than kissing Elise, than pleasing her with his mouth and hands. He caressed her shoulders, her neck, played in her hair. Giovanni didn’t know why he’d thought he could stay away from Elise. He couldn’t. He thought about her every day, even though they’d only known each other for a couple of weeks, and was tired of avoiding her at the club.

  Kissing her was like a birthday present, more exhilarating than test-driving an Italian sports car, and now that Giovanni had experienced the pleasure of her lips, he could never go back to just being her boss, even if he wanted to. Ten days ago, he’d reamed Rosario out for hiring Elise, and now he was kissing her with everything he had. What his sister didn’t know couldn’t hurt her, and as long as they were discreet, no one would ever know they were lovers. At the thought of being intimate with her, shivers rocked his spine and an erection stabbed the zipper of his Armani dress pants.

  Giovanni cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks as he tenderly kissed her. He was done—wasn’t going to fight his feelings for her anymore. Why should he? His marriage had imploded, but that didn’t mean he was a failure, a lost cause when it came to relationships. Unlike most of his friends, he’d rather have one special woman in his life than a dozen, and had no desire to play the field. He wanted to know more about Elise and liked the idea of wining and dining her after dark.

  “Elise? Elise? Hello? Are you here?”

  His eyes flew open and his heart stopped. At the sound of his sister’s voice, panic ballooned in his chest, making it hard to breathe. The color drained from Elise’s face. Giovanni pressed a finger to his lips. Backing away from him, she straightened her crooked clothes then fanned her cheeks. Thinking fast, Giovanni turned off the lights. He couldn’t think of anything worse than Rosario finding them in the storage room, and hoped they weren’t discovered.

  Questions troubled his mind. What was Rosario doing in the kitchen? Shouldn’t she be in her office returning emails, answering phone calls and closing deals? Another thought came to mind, chilling him to the bone. Had Rosario spotted him entering the restaurant? Had she rang his cell earlier? Was she standing in the kitchen, waiting for them to surface from the storage room? Fearing the worst, Giovanni reached into his back pocket, took out his cell phone and lowered the volume.

  Damn. His suspicions were right. Rosario had called twice while he was in the storage room with Elise. He’d been dazed, so caught up in the moment, he’d forgotten about his position and his responsibilities as CEO of his family’s polo club. Guilt tormented his conscience. He’d lost his control, his composure, had allowed his flesh to get the best of him. He’d never want to do anything to embarrass his family or the polo club, and hoped his actions didn’t come back to haunt him.

  Footsteps echoed in the kitchen and the tension in the storage room thickened. Giovanni couldn’t see Elise, but he sensed her unease, her growing fear as the footsteps got closer to their hiding spot. They were too old to be playing hide-and-seek, and Giovanni felt foolish for putting them in such a precarious position, but he didn’t have any other options. It was either hide or run, because if Rosario caught him in the storage room with Elise, she’d kill him with her bare hands—then rat him out to their father.

  The footsteps faded and Giovanni released the breath he was holding. There really is a God! Turning on the light, he wore an apologetic smile. He hoped he looked sincere, because he was.

  “Giovanni, please leave. I have things to do.”

  I wish you’d do me instead! Intent on being heard, he leaned against the door and met her gaze. Elise touched the silver chain at her neck, fiddling with the heart-shaped tag pendants. Giovanni had mixed feelings about their encounter. He felt guilty for kissing Elise without asking her permission first, but their spontaneous make-out session had given him an adrenaline rush. If it were up to him, they’d still be pleasing each other.

  “This is why I didn’t want to hire you,” he confessed, his voice so husky he didn’t recognize it. “I was afraid my emotions would get the best of me and one day I’d act on my desires. What I did was reckless and impulsive, and I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Her face softened. Her shoulders visibly relaxed, and she exhaled a deep breath. Giovanni did, too. Turned out he was worried for nothing. Elise wasn’t mad at him; she understood him.

  “It happens, even to the best of us. Don’t beat yourself up about it.”

  “Phew,” he said, plucking at his dress shirt for effect. “I thought you were pissed at me.”

  “I’m not, but I will be if you don’t get out of here and let me get back to work.” Glancing at her wristwatch, she gasped. “Oh, no! The staff meeting starts in ten minutes and I haven’t finished writing the agenda yet!”

  Giovanni scratched his head. We were in here for half an hour? Too bad it wasn’t an hour, he thought, stroking his jaw. Imagine what we could do with more time.

  “I
have to go. See you around.”

  Elise reached for the door handle but Giovanni captured her hand in his own and pulled her to his chest. Hungry for her, his gaze dropped from her eyes to her mouth, but this time he didn’t act on his impulses. “Not so fast, Dancing Queen.”

  A giggle fell from her lips and the sound warmed his heart. Elise was full of fun and excitement, and her sultry smile was dangerous. Deadly sexy. Gave him goose bumps. If she didn’t have a meeting to prepare for, he would pick up where they’d left off. Or scoop her up in his arms and make a beeline for his office.

  The thought shocked him. He was acting out of character, as if he’d never been in the presence of a beautiful woman before. But he was weak for Elise and suddenly couldn’t control his feelings.

  “We need to talk about that kiss and what it means for us—”

  “No, we don’t,” she insisted in a firm tone. “It’s no big deal. It meant nothing. In a week, I’ll be a distant memory, and you’ll be on to the next girl. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a staff meeting to prepare for.”

  On a mission, Elise picked the clipboard up off the storage shelf, yanked open the door and marched into the kitchen. All Giovanni could do was stare at her. He wanted to go after her, but stayed put. He didn’t want Elise to think he was desperate. Or worse—think less of him.

  Giovanni didn’t chase women down, but he wanted to pursue her, longed to kiss her again. He’d monopolized enough of her time, though, and worried what would happen if he was still in the restaurant when the kitchen staff arrived. No doubt Antoine would get suspicious, and Giovanni didn’t want the nosy restaurant manager to start asking him questions about everyone’s favorite chef.

  “Thanks again for breakfast. It was incredible, and I enjoyed your company immensely.”

  Glancing from the clipboard to her tablet, she nodded absently, a confused expression on her face. To capture her attention, he cupped her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him. Lowering his face to hers, he brushed his mouth against her lips, relishing the feel of her. Giovanni wanted to spend the rest of the day kissing, but he had to get back to his office. Reluctantly ending the kiss, he straightened to his full height then strode out of the kitchen.

  Damn. He’d done it again. Crossed the line. But it was worth it—Elise was worth it—and he wouldn’t let her downplay their connection. Not after what had happened in the storage room.

  Marching through the lobby, Giovanni wondered if he’d blown it with Elise. There was no telling what would happen the next time they were alone, and even though he didn’t want to tempt the hand of fate, he decided he’d return to the restaurant at the end of the day, once he was sure Rosario was gone for the night. Better yet, he’d call the restaurant, order his favorite entrée for dinner and request that Elise deliver it to his office.

  A grin claimed his mouth as a plan took shape in his mind. Elise was wrong. Their first kiss was a big deal. It had meant something to him and he wasn’t going to deny himself the pleasure of her sweet, delectable mouth. Giovanni wanted Elise, and he was going to have her, even if it meant breaking the rules. He only hoped his family didn’t find out he was pursuing Elise and ream him out for sneaking around with her. He’d made the mistake of dating an employee once before, but this time he’d be smart, wouldn’t do anything stupid like fall in love or propose. They’d have a holiday fling and, when their relationship had run its course, he’d move on.

  Entering his office, he couldn’t help but grin at the thought of the feisty chef—and all the fun they could have after dark in the restaurant kitchen.

  Chapter 9

  “There you are! I knew I’d find you in here with the catering staff instead of socializing with the other guests.” Lifestyle and beauty expert Demi Harris waddled into the stone-accentuated kitchen of her fiancée’s estate with a scowl on her lips, and Elise knew she was in trouble with her friend. Elise adored Demi and didn’t want to upset her, so she wore an apologetic smile.

  “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t help cook at your baby shower?”

  “Elise, you’re a guest, not a member of the catering staff, so take off your apron, back away from the stove and get out of the kitchen,” Demi instructed, blowing her bangs out of her face.

  A laugh tickled Elise’s throat. It was hard to take Demi seriously when she was huffing and puffing her words like the Big Bad Wolf. The social media darling and tech entrepreneur Chase Crawford were polar opposites who’d met in Ibiza and instantly hit it off. Now, they were happily engaged and expecting twins. Demi and Chase were a strong, committed couple, and every time Elise was around them, they renewed her faith in true love.

  “I’m eight months pregnant with twins. You shouldn’t be stressing me out.” Looking adorable in a diamond tiara, a printed trapeze dress and jeweled ballet flats, Demi cocked her head and hitched a hand to her hip. “Now, go into the great room and mingle with all of the fabulous people at my star-studded baby shower, or else.”

  Elise gave the mom-to-be a hug then tenderly rubbed her stomach. She’d been one of the first guests to arrive at Chase’s Southampton estate, and her mouth had dropped open when she’d entered the ten-bedroom mansion. Stunned by the opulent decor, Elise, having never seen so much gold, crystal and marble in one place, was scared to touch anything. “I can’t leave now. I’m about to make shrimp cocktails.”

  “You’ve done more than enough.” Demi untied Elise’s frilly pink apron, ripped it off and tossed it on the granite countertop. “Let’s go. I want to introduce you to Chase’s extended family and my girlfriends who drove up from Philly, as well.”

  “But I’m having fun in here,” she said, gesturing to the tray of perfectly shaped bacon cheese bites she’d helped prepare minutes earlier. After grabbing a mocktail and posing for pictures with Demi, she’d slipped into the kitchen to help make appetizers for the well-heeled guests. There was no shortage of star power at Demi’s Saturday-afternoon baby shower. Everywhere Elise looked, there was an A-list celebrity posing for pictures. “I’ll finish up in here then rejoin the party.”

  “No, you’ll rejoin the party now,” Demi said in a firm voice, flipping her lush auburn curls over her shoulders. “The Crawford family loves throwing brunches, formal dinners and cocktail parties during the holidays, and I want them to meet my beautiful, talented friend, whose cooking is to die for, so she can cater all of their upcoming events.”

  “I like the way you think, Demi. Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “The way I see it, it’s a win-win for everyone. You’ll wow my future mother-in-law with your decadent holiday recipes, she’ll feel indebted to me for introducing you to her, and our relationship will finally blossom.” A mischievous expression crossed her face, and a smirk curled her plump lips. “And if that doesn’t work, I’m relocating with my man and our babies to Papua New Guinea!”

  Giggling, Demi led Elise through the kitchen, down the hallway and into the great room.

  Giant pink and purple balloons were swathed around columns, heart-shaped paper lanterns hung from the ceiling, a diaper cake towered above the glass bookshelf, and lavish flower arrangements with long-stemmed roses perfumed the air. Round tables, fashioned with tutu-style skirts, were covered with an assortment of appetizers, desserts and candy, and baby bottles with nonalcoholic drinks.

  A gold metallic banner that read Welcome to Demi’s Baby Shower stretched from one wall to the next, and pacifier wreaths were positioned along the fireplace mantel. Over the years, Elise had been to many family celebrations, but she’d never attended such a glamorous baby shower, and it was obvious the Crawford family had spared no expense for the first-time mom’s party.

  “Demi, how are things? Starting to get excited about the big day?” Elise asked, raising her voice to be heard above the music and chatter.

  “Friend, you have no idea. I can’t complain, because overall I’ve
had a really good pregnancy, but these days I feel tired and heavy and irritable. I can’t wait for January fourth to arrive so I can see my beautiful twin girls, and my feet again!”

  Elise touched her stomach. She wondered what it would be like to be pregnant. Demi often joked about her symptoms—the itchy skin, the lower back pain, the mood swings—but Elise still envied her friend and wished she had a family of her own. Demi had a life most women dreamed of, and Elise hoped one day she’d meet her soul mate, too. Someone thoughtful, romantic and attentive, who’d put her needs above his own. For years, Elise had been so busy chasing her culinary dreams she’d had no time for the opposite sex, and she didn’t know the first thing about having a successful relationship.

  Maybe if you’d dated more, you wouldn’t have thrown yourself at Giovanni yesterday, quipped her inner voice in a righteous, matter-of-fact tone. You were all over him! How will you ever live that down?

  Swallowing hard, Elise finger-combed her hair behind her ears then adjusted her burgundy keyhole dress.

  To assuage her guilt, she’d convinced herself that Giovanni had been the aggressor, that she’d been an innocent victim who hadn’t known what to do when he crushed his lips to her mouth. But last night in bed she’d replayed their encounter repeatedly in her mind and forced herself to face the truth: they’d kissed each other and it had been one of the most exhilarating moments of her life. No one had ever kissed her with such passion before, with such hunger and intensity, and Giovanni’s exquisite technique had left her speechless.

  The spontaneity of the kiss and the risk of being caught in the storage room had added to the thrill of their wild, frenzied encounter. Twenty-four hours later, Elise was still walking on air and her debonair boss with the juicy lips was the reason why. Giovanni had dominated her thoughts all night, and she’d woken that morning thinking about him—and the kiss that had taken her breath away.