by C. M. Steele
Perfectly Wrapped
A Steele Christmas Novella
C.M. Steele
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Epilogue
Acknowledgments:
To my husband and best friend who tries to help me stay off the internet but fails miserably. I love you to pieces.
My betas and proofers:
Thank you for all that you do. Audrey, Evelyn, Mary, Morgan, and Yvette—you all rock.
And to my readers…without you all I wouldn’t be living the dream.
Perfectly Wrapped
Rob—
Stepping into a shop to have a present perfectly wrapped, he never had any idea that he’d walk out with the most beautiful woman on his arm. A night of passion, caution thrown to the wind, and a goodbye note changed him forever.
Rebecca—
The first day as a gift wrapper, and she falls into the arms and bed of a customer. She couldn’t go back. Luckily, she didn’t need the seasonal position. Now if she could only forget everything about his strong arms, tender touch, and sensual promises he made.
This is a fast-paced romance wrapped up in sticky passion. Sweeter than ribbon candy in your stockings and hotter than the fireplace on these cold winter nights.
Copyrighted © 2018
All Rights Reserved
No part of this book may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without written expressed permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is purely coincidental.
Cover design: C.M. Steele
Cover Image: Deposit Photos
The use of actors, artists, movies, TV shows and song titles/lyrics throughout this book are done so for storytelling purposes and should in no way be seen as advertisement. Trademark names are used in an editorial fashion with no intention of infringement of the respective owner’s trademark.
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Chapter 1
Rebecca
"Becca, we're not having this discussion again. You are not getting a menial job. You're finishing school. End of story,” my brother barks, keeping his eyes on the road as we head back home from the store. We have a month before Christmas, and I want to meet people even if it’s just in passing. I don’t have real friends because he’s super protective of me, and the very few female friends I had left for college. In fact, both Lorena and Jess are going to U of I while I take online courses and figure out what I want to be.
I can’t believe he’s still this obstinate. "You're being unreasonable,” I protest, gnashing my teeth and clenching my fists.
"What the hell do you need to work for?" His voice softens as he finishes as if he’s willing to be reasonable. I know that he’s only looking out for me in everything decision he’s made on my behalf, but I’m getting to the point where I’m stir-crazy. Being closed off from the real world used to be just fine, but then again, I still had the girls to hang out with, so I wasn’t as closed off as I thought. Maybe it’s the fact that it’s cold, and I spend most days inside looking for something to do.
"Because I need experience,” I press, hoping that’ll win me some points. In high school, he didn’t want me to work because school was a priority and it’s the only job I needed. I understood that, but I’m in college, living off of him. He works his ass off, and the most I do is cook dinner and straighten up. There’s not a lot of that because he’s never around. And when he is, he’s working in his office. We’re about to be at the house, so if I don’t make my point now, he’s going to go into his office and be in there all night. It’s my only shot.
"You are ridiculous. You don't need to work." He hits the button for the gate, and it opens while scowls the entire time.
We pull into our driveway as our gate closes behind us. I need to find a point to make him understand that I can’t live under his protection and care forever. Working will give me the experience and independence I need.
"You are rich, and I am a moocher,” I say as I jump out of the SUV.
He slams his door closed and knits his brows, scowling at me. With a shake of his head, he walks around to the back and opens the trunk. I grab two bags, and he takes the other ten because he hates making more than one trip. I close it, and we walk into the house. He doesn’t say anything until he sets everything on the counter, then I hear him take a large, deep breath and let it out. "Moocher? Mom and dad left that inheritance to both of us, and what did you do with yours? You gave it to me to follow my ambitions. I did that. And since you want to argue with me again, I might as well tell you. I have a trust that you get at twenty-one. It's the inheritance, my first year of revenue plus interest."
"What? Why would you do that?" I’m completely flabbergasted that he would do something like that or me. I shouldn’t be. He’s the best brother and practically a father any girl could ask for. He’s been raising me since our parents died when he was eighteen. I don’t know how he managed it all, but he did.
“I’m only being fair. I’ve made more money than I’ll need in a lifetime. If you didn’t give me your half, I don’t know where I’d be, but it wouldn’t be buying, revitalizing and selling companies, and making a killing doing it. I owe that to you. It’s the least I could do.”
I’m going with my last resort. “That still doesn’t change the fact that I need to get out more. I don’t do anything, and you work all day. I’m bored and well I need friends,” I inform him while I put away the vegetables in the fridge.
I hear the pantry door close, so I look up to see him with his lips twisted and thinking. It takes him a few more seconds before he responds, “Fine, how about I find you a job?” I set the cabbage on the counter then squeal, jumping into his arms. “Relax, I said I’d find you a job, but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a great one.”
Immediately, I’m suspicious. Releasing my tight hold on him, I step back and narrow my brows before giving him one condition. “I’m not working for you.”
“Of course not because then I couldn’t fire you when you messed up.”
“Whatever,” I mutter, rolling my eyes and heading back to put away the groceries.
“I’ll make a couple of calls. Trust me when I tell you. Work isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.”
I roll my eyes because he’s probably going to find a job that’s going to make me want to quit on day one. “I bet you’re going to get me a shitty gig, but that’s cool. I just want to be out in the world. Even college is through a computer screen.”
He throws up his hands, surrendering before stealing a banana, then he states, “Fine. I told you I’d do it. Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a meeting I have to prepare for with my board of director
s.”
“Understood. Dinner will be ready in an hour,” I tell him. I don’t know what for. He’s going to be so busy working that he forgets all about it every single time.
“See that’s why you can’t get a job. Who will feed me?” he jokes,
“Find a wife,” I throw out.
“Touché.” With a wink, he leaves the room. Sometimes I wonder if he’s ever had a girl before. He’s been raising me all these years, and I’ve never seen him with a woman. I stop even thinking about it because I’ve got dinner to get started.
About an hour later, I go looking for him in his office because dinner’s done. I can hear him on the phone with someone, but I knock anyway. “I’m coming, Becca.” I laugh and walk back to the kitchen.
I set up the plates at the kitchen table since we have no use for the massive dining room table. He takes another three minutes, but I hear him running to the kitchen.
“Sorry, but I was on the phone with an acquaintance of mine. They could use someone seasonal.”
“Really?” I squeak, dancing around the kitchen.
“Yes, you have an interview tomorrow at Oui with Mr. Grey Goren.”
“Yay! Thanks, James,” I hug him again, getting a smile from my brother.
“Enough woman. I want to eat my dinner,” he grumbles, nudging me away. I’m too excited to eat. I barely eat my food before running upstairs to find something to wear for my interview. I squeal a couple of times throughout the evening. Tomorrow can’t come fast enough.
Chapter 2
Rob
“I have to get my mom a present before they leave,” I mutter to my friends. We’re having our monthly lunch for the past six months since I met James. We’re usually too busy for more than that. James and Mason are overseeing companies and flipping others. I’m on my way up thanks to working with them once. Unlike them though, I prefer to relax before going to bed and starting over again, so I work no more than sixty hours a week. The rest of my time is spent on working out and eating.
“Where are they going?” James asks, taking a drink from his beer.
“They’re taking a two-month long trip around Europe.” It’s a big adventure for them. My mother has wanted to visit Europe forever, but my father worked his ass off until he retired this year. Now, he and my mom are taking a much-needed vacation.
“Wow, that’s pretty nice,” Mason adds. “I would get her something for the trip. My mom likes anything I get her, but my mom thinks I can do no wrong.”
“That’s my mom, too.” As an only child, I’m their baby. Now they’re just waiting for me to find a girl and give them a horde of grandchildren. I’m not there yet, but when I find the right girl, they’re going to get more grandbabies than they can handle because I want a large family one day.
All of us are thirty and under and now all millionaires. I owe a great deal to Mason who helped me after I worked as a vice president for him at one of the companies that he flipped two years. James and I met about six months ago, and he’s excellent when it comes to work ideas and possible investment opportunities. We’ve gotten along, but he’s very closed off about his personal life. I’m only twenty-five, but I’ve earned my way up the millionaire mountain.
“Oui has very nice, expensive gifts for moms,” James adds.
“Yeah, I heard the same thing from my assistant. I’ll stop there tonight since it’s not far from my office.”
“Are you guys doing anything for the holiday?” James asks.
“No, I’m not doing shit. Maybe we should get together and have some food and watch football,” Mason throws out.
I nod, taking a drink then add, “Sounds like a plan. We can pick who’s house later. I would say my place, but that means you’d all have to drive into the city on your day off.”
“Yeah, that works for me. I’m thinking we do it at my house. My mom just started dating this guy, so I don’t know what her plans are for Christmas at this point, but if she’s around, she’d love to feed all of us,” Mason adds. “I’m glad that she’s finally getting out there.” My parents are happily married, so I can’t imagine my mom dating again, but Mason thinks it’s good, so that’s all that matters.
“I’ll bring my sister with. She’s been dying to get out and driving me nuts lately. She’s supposed to start her first day of work today.”
“That’s great. I can’t believe I never met her. Then again, we know you like to keep her protected,” I add. Some shit went down with a family friend, and their parents were killed, so he keeps her from everyone. It’s a little overboard, but that’s not my call. I might be in the same position if I was him.
“Hey gentlemen, can I get you anything else?” Nicky, the waitress asks. She’s been our server here for the past year. “
“No thanks. Just the check,” Mason says. She’s been into him, but he’s not giving an inch. We used to think it was because she wanted a big tip, but I overheard her one day after I entered the bathroom how she wanted to have his babies. Since then, Mason’s not as civil, so she doesn’t get any ideas.
“Are you sure?”
“Positive,” he utters. She walks away, and then he releases a deep breath.
“Damn, I can’t believe she still tries. It’s not like I’ve ever flirted with her,” Mason exclaims, running his hands through his hair.
“Maybe it’s time we changed the meetup. How about next time we order food and get some beers and watch some basketball or football?”
“I’m definitely up for that,” Mason agrees.
“My condo is close by,” I add.
“We could definitely do that.” She comes back two minutes later and leaves the check. “It’s my turn,” he adds, snatching up the bill.
“It is, but she’s eyeing your ass. I’ve got it.” I stand up and take it from him. Before he can say anything, I walk up to the register, dropping a hundred and walking away.
We all head out in the same direction to our different office buildings in the same half-mile stretch. I have the longest walk, but it’s good for me because it helps me clear my head.
The second I get inside my office building, I have twenty people ready to talk to me. And that’s why I choose to only work sixty hours. People think the world is going to fall apart if I don’t get their question answered first, or that we’re somehow going to lose clients if I work under eighty a week. Hiring a competent staff is key to running a great company. It’s something the guys taught me, and I live by.
“Is the building on fire?” I ask my assistant as I walk into my office.
“No,” Liz says, dropping her head as if scolded, but maybe she’ll learn some damn patience, and that rushing doesn’t please me at all. I’m a very relaxed guy because stress is a killer. I don’t get stressed, and if I start, I remind myself that the problems are best handled when calm.
“Then it can wait until I get my coat off.” I hang up my coat and take a seat at my desk, rolling up my sleeves so I can tackle whatever problems she has to throw at me.
“Now, that I’m settled in, what is it?”
“We have a problem with two of our IT employees.”
“Yes, and?”
“They’ve begun a relationship, and now they’ve broken up, and things have gotten contentious in their office.” The three IT managers share an office while the other six IT employees share a bullpen type set up in the open cubicle space.
“Okay. Send them in to see me in about an hour. I’d like to get my food down before I have to get annoyed. Anything else?”
“Yes, we have three new clients that would like to meet with you about marketing options.” I own a marketing firm that’s the largest in the city. We have over three hundred clients and have room to take on many more. Several of the companies are located in my building, leasing the space from me. It brings in the revenue to maintain the building plus, it makes their dealings a little more personal which works for both of us.
“Great, that’s great news.” Every new client is
money in the company’s coffers.
“Yes, and your dad called to remind you that you are driving them to the airport.”
I roll my eyes because I haven’t forgotten. “Thanks. I’ll give him a callback. And please have the proposals for Newton’s Red Apples on my desk before the end of the day. I want to make sure we send them before they go on holiday break. It seems the world shuts down at Christmas time.”
“I will. And did you want to look at the marketing materials for Bennet’s clothing?” she asks.
“Oh, they’re finished?” I wasn’t expecting that until next week.
“The mock-ups are, and the department wants your final approval if possible.”
“I’d like to see what they are aiming for. Bennet’s is huge for us. Also, we need to send out the holiday gifts. Have you started the order?”
“I have. We should have it all finished by next week. Several of the admins assisted in getting everything organized. As for the Christmas party, the event space has been rented and the food ordered. All we need is the décor. The staff can do it themselves, or the company can add that to the request. We have until Wednesday to let them know.”
“I’d rather have the venue take care of the decorating. You know there’s a liability if one of my employees falls while trying to hang some damn snowflakes or anything like that,” I sputter out in annoyance. The thought of something so minor costing me and the company just irks me.
“Great. I’ll let them know.”
“Thanks, Liz.” She nods and tips her stylus at me, then she leaves my office to get on it.
Chapter 3
Rebecca
I can’t believe I got the job on the spot. I’m sure my brother had a lot to do with Mr. Goren hiring me, but then again, they want to be on James’s good side just in case they need financial help. They have me in back prepping for my first customers by wrapping empty boxes they use for décor around the store. I take to it easily, and before I know it, I’m behind the wrapping counter.
