“Deal.” Hayley made herself pull her door shut. Olivia stayed in the driveway, arms crossed over her chest against the cold, and watched her, until she drove away, then she lifted one hand in a wave. Hayley drove for a minute or two before the weight of the past twenty-four hours finally sat on her. “Holy shit,” she said, to the emptiness of her car.
But then she smiled. She couldn’t help it. And she kept smiling all the way back to the Evergreen. Maybe she was going to smile like this forever.
She was okay with that.
The atmosphere inside the Evergreen was jubilant. Festive. There wasn’t a huge number of staff working, but there were some, as guests still needed to be taken care of. Not to mention, Tessa had an amazing Christmas dinner spread that Hayley was sure was currently knocking the socks off every guest with a seat in Split Rail.
She took the back halls to the elevators and zipped up to her room first, as putting on clean clothes that weren’t sweats that belonged to Olivia was necessary. Once in her room, she tucked her leftovers into her minifridge, unboxed her miniature fairy house and set it lovingly on her dresser, changed quickly into something not too worklike but still presentable, donned her manager name tag, and headed down to see how things were going. On the elevator ride down, her phone vibrated in her back pocket and she realized she’d silenced it yesterday and had left it that way. She pulled it out and took a look at the newest text. Olivia.
Come back. I miss you already.
Hayley felt herself flush with heat as she remembered their night. And their morning. She swallowed hard and texted back. I miss you too. And damn if that wasn’t the absolute truth.
It was pretty much the first time she’d even looked at her phone since arriving at the Santinis’ yesterday, and now she saw she had several unanswered texts along with a couple of calls. There was a text from Serena, asking if she was in town—meaning Manhattan. Another from her brother Max, wishing her a Merry Christmas. She sent him a quick one back. A voice mail from her brother Jason—Hayley gave him extra points for taking the time to actually dial his phone and speak. A voice mail and a text from Guinevere.
“Oh, joy,” Hayley muttered as she scrolled to find the voice mail. From Guin. Who never, ever left voice mail messages because she thought they were “too primitive. What is this, 1994?” Hayley hit Play and put the phone to her ear.
“Merry Christmas, you gorgeous thing. I hear you’re up north. Are you celebrating all alone up there in the mountains of East Jesus? Listen, honey, I know we’ve had our issues, but the truth is…” Here, Guinevere paused, seemed to hesitate, and then her voice softened. “I miss you. I miss us, and I think you probably know that maybe you were hasty in suggesting we take some time apart.”
Hayley shook her head. This was such typical Guinevere Aston. If there was one thing she’d excelled at during their short time of dating, it was telling Hayley what she thought and how she felt, as if Hayley was confused and needed clarification on her own brain.
“Anyway,” the voice mail went on. “Come home for New Year’s Eve. I’ll take you out and then we’ll head to the Ritz where Carlo’s throwing his usual amazing bash. I already told him we were coming, so…wouldn’t want to disappoint him and his crew, right, sweetie? Call me.” Then there was the smacking sound of an air kiss and the message ended.
Five different responses flew through Hayley’s head—none of them pleasant—so she simply pocketed the phone and decided she’d make some rounds, then spend an hour or two in her office on email and such. Christmas dinner with the Santinis had happened at noon, so it was still only early evening, and when Hayley peeked into Split Rail, she was happy to see it was almost full. Their rooms might not have all been booked, but they’d obviously gotten some outside guests for Christmas dinner.
She wandered around, went back upstairs to check on the rooftop bar, which had a handful of guests and a stunning view now that the snow had cleared out and all the lights outside were visible. She checked in with the cheerful bartender on duty and thought how nice it was that even the staff who had to work today were happy and smiling.
Jacob, the dorky young guy Hayley remembered, was working the front desk, and as Hayley approached, she noticed that he seemed to have gained a little confidence. Or maybe it was holiday spirit. Either way, she liked his presentation, the way he stood tall instead of hunching. The way he looked the guest he spoke to in the eye instead of letting his gaze dart around with uncertainty.
“Hey, Jake,” she said, clapping him on the shoulder and nodding at the guest as she passed by them.
“Merry Christmas, Hayley,” he said, then went back to what he was doing.
Hayley slowed her pace as she entered Olivia’s office. It was weird how she felt different now, how she noticed things. She could smell Olivia in here. Even though she’d left yesterday and hadn’t been back, her scent lingered. Cinnamon. Musk. It immediately made Hayley’s throat go dry and sent a pulse to beat low in her body. She could envision Olivia sitting in her chair, squinting at her computer monitor, and suddenly, Hayley missed her like crazy. Instead of continuing on into her own office, she took a seat at Olivia’s desk. Sat back in the chair, rubbed her palms over the smooth desktop. A foam stress ball in the shape of a tiny beach ball sat on the desk, and Hayley picked it up, squeezing it a few times as she sat there and looked at Olivia’s workspace, feeling a new connection to her after their night together.
There was a photo on the corner of the desk of the Santini family, young versions of Olivia and her siblings along with two adults. Taken before her father died, obviously. Hayley reached for it, jostling the computer’s mouse as she did so, which woke up Olivia’s computer. Hayley brought the photo frame closer and studied the family, smiling as she scanned over Olivia’s not quite teenage face. All her current features were there, especially her big, dark eyes, which she’d obviously had to grow into. Hayley smiled as she ran her fingertips over the glass, then glanced up at the computer screen as she set the frame back in its place.
On the screen was a document, a list of paragraphs and numbers and totals. Hayley looked closer and read for a moment or two before realizing what it was. Olivia had typed up a plan. A viable plan complete with costs, returns on investment, and total increased profit for the next five years at the Evergreen. And while Hayley was not at all well versed in this type of thing, it seemed to make sense. She did a little searching through Olivia’s computer files and discovered this was her seventh version, each one written six months or more apart. Had she sent them? If no, why not? If yes, were they getting into the right hands?
Benton Markham’s voice boomed through Hayley’s memory right then.
Write up a report for me. A proposal of some kind telling me what needs to be fixed and why. Include cost analysis in it.
She had protested—or tried to—because she had no idea how to come up with a cost analysis. And now here one was, right in front of her, all worked out right down to the last penny. Then she heard him again.
You’re on thin ice already, young lady.
Her stomach churned a bit, as it always did when her father sounded like that with her: annoyed, impatient, and her favorite—disappointed.
Before she could think about it, she emailed the document to herself from Olivia’s computer.
Chapter Nineteen
The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve was always a bit chaotic at the Evergreen. Many of the guests who’d stayed over Christmas tended to stay through New Year’s Day. There were also many guests who came just for the night, to celebrate New Year’s Eve at Split Rail or on the rooftop bar, dance into the night, and crash safely in a hotel room rather than trying to drive home. In fact, New Year’s Eve was one of the Evergreen’s busiest nights of the year, so a lot of planning and prep work went into it.
Due to all that work, Olivia hadn’t had a ton of time to spend with Hayley. Sometimes, she felt like that was a good thing because they’d really kind of jumped into thin
gs on Christmas Eve—not that she regretted it for one second, because she so did not—and maybe slowing down was a smart move. Other times, she’d see Hayley from a distance, talking or laughing or something and she’d get a flash of Hayley beneath her, breathing ragged, blanket balled in her fist, Olivia’s name on a whisper over and over again…
“Hey.” Hayley’s voice interrupted Olivia’s very naughty thoughts as she peeked her head out of her office. “Are you free for lunch?”
Olivia cleared her throat, hoped her face wasn’t as red as it felt. A hope that was useless, judging by the amusement of Hayley’s expression. “Um. Lunch. Let me see.” She grabbed her phone, scrolled to her calendar, not because she didn’t know if she had an appointment but because she’d suddenly lost track of what day it was. Okay. Friday. Got it. “Yes. I have about forty-five minutes until I have to meet with Tessa about the New Year’s Eve schedule for tomorrow night.”
“Forty-five minutes, huh?” Hayley gave one nod and stepped out of her office fully. “That should work.” She gestured to Olivia to follow her out of the offices and past the front desk, where Stephanie was checking somebody in. The lobby was bustling with skiers just getting ready to head to the slopes. “Come with me. I have something to show you.”
“Where are we going?” Olivia asked as she stepped onto the elevator with Hayley and five guests.
“My room,” Hayley said, not looking at her.
Every drop of moisture in Olivia’s body went south and she swallowed hard, instantly turned on and amazed by the fact.
Four minutes later, they were in Hayley’s suite, kissing like two schoolkids trying not to get caught. The instant the door had closed behind them, Hayley had been on Olivia, beating her to the punch by a mere second or two. Olivia pushed Hayley’s blazer off her shoulders and left it on the floor near the small kitchen as they stumbled together, never breaking the kiss, across the living room and into the master bedroom. They fell onto the bed, and soon, shoes thumped to the floor, clothes flew, and a struggle for power ensued.
Olivia won, smiling down from above Hayley as she slid her fingers inside and Hayley cried out. “I’m taller and stronger,” she whispered in victory, her lips nearly touching Hayley’s as she began to move her hand. “I win.”
The pace of Hayley’s breathing picked up, her hips beginning to move with Olivia’s rhythm. “Or maybe I’m the one who wins,” she said through clenched teeth as her orgasm then ripped through her body, her fingers digging into Olivia’s hair as she pulled her down on top of her.
“My God, that was fast,” Olivia commented, and she could admit to feeling rather pleased with herself. “I’m surprised.”
“I’ve wanted you for four days,” Hayley said, smiling, eyes closed. “I’m not.”
And before Olivia could utter another word, Hayley flipped their positions, pushed Olivia’s bare legs apart, and ran the wet, hot flat of her tongue over Olivia’s center, from bottom to top. Once. Slowly.
“Oh, my God,” were the only three words Olivia could come up with, so she said them over and over until Hayley picked up her pace and Olivia arched off the bed like the string on a bow. She blindly grabbed for a pillow and held it over her face as more sound than she’d ever made in bed in her life exited her lungs with startling force.
There wasn’t much time left for cuddling, but they managed to work some in. Olivia pulled Hayley onto her shoulder, held her tight, and marveled at how perfectly their bodies fit together, as if they were made specifically to lie in this position.
“I would love nothing more than to stay right here all day,” Olivia said, then sighed. “Unfortunately, I have to be downstairs in…” She turned her head to glance at the clock, and her eyes flew open wide. “Shit. Ten minutes.”
Hayley lifted her arm and leg and rolled to her side, effectively unlocking Olivia from the bed. Then she propped herself up on one elbow and watched as Olivia scurried around the suite, grabbing all her articles of clothing, dressing as she went.
“Have you seen my underwear?” she asked. When she looked up at Hayley, the white lacy bikinis were dangling from one finger. Olivia grinned as she snatched them back. “Thank you, baby.” She gave Hayley what was meant to be a quick kiss on the lips, but Hayley hooked a hand around the back of Olivia’s neck and held her long enough to make it much more. “God,” she said, out of breath—again—as she freed herself, took a step back and stood up straight. She stepped into her panties, then her pants. Once she was fully dressed, she allowed herself a moment to just…stare. Because Hayley, lounged on the bed like that, on her side, hand propping up her head, completely naked? The sexiest thing Olivia had ever seen. Like, ever.
She waved a finger in the general direction of Hayley’s form. “That, by the way? An excellent look for you.”
“Yeah? Why, thank you. You should come over here and take a closer look.”
“Ha! I’ve met you, and I am fully aware of what would happen if I came one inch closer.” She loved the expression on Hayley’s face in that moment. Sated, sexy, happy. Olivia’s entire body relaxed a bit. “You look gorgeous,” she said softly.
Hayley’s cheeks reddened and she looked down, almost shyly. “Thank you.”
“I’ve gotta run. See you downstairs?”
Hayley nodded, and with a quick wave—because Olivia wasn’t kidding about what would happen if she’d stepped within grasping reach of Hayley’s naked body—she left the suite.
Luck was with her, as the elevator was empty when she stepped in, and she looked at herself in the mirrored wall, wondering if somebody could tell what she’d just done simply by looking at her. The face that stared back at her was… Olivia felt the grin spread across her face even as she watched it appear on her reflection. Her face was happy. That was the best way to describe it. Her lips were a little swollen; she’d grab some lip gloss on the way to the restaurant. Her hair was tousled, and she finger-combed it as the car stopped on the third floor and picked up a middle-aged couple. Her cheeks were flushed, but it could easily be that she’d been…working vigorously. Yes, that was it. She turned and smiled at the couple.
“Are you enjoying your stay?” she asked, gave them her best open assistant manager expression, and tried to ignore the gentle throbbing that still pulsed between her legs.
* * *
The kitchen at Split Rail often reminded Olivia of a beehive. Worker bees buzzed all around, chopping, sautéing, preparing, while the queen bee (Tessa, of course) directed their actions, pointing here, ordering there. Olivia knew the best thing for her to do was stay off to the side until she was noticed. Otherwise, she’d get stung.
She’d stopped by her office quickly on the way, avoiding what she was sure was a knowing look from Stephanie—though how could it be?—to stroke on some lip gloss and grab her tablet. Now, she stood in the corner and waited for Tessa to finish whatever she was showing her sous chef and notice her. Which she did.
A few moments later, they were headed to an empty conference room just a couple doors down the hall. They sat down, Tessa squinted at Olivia, then pointed. “You got laid,” she said, so matter-of-factly Olivia sat blinking at her for a full ten seconds.
“What?” It was the only thing she could think of to say, and she infused it with as much indignation as she could.
Tessa laughed right in her face. “Seriously? You think I don’t know you by now? Your hair is flat in the back, your eyeliner is smudged…”
“Maybe I put a hat on and…had to go outside in the cold, which could smear my makeup.”
“Your shirt’s on inside out.”
Olivia gasped and looked down. “Shit.” With a groan, she got up, closed and locked the door, and righted her shirt.
“I don’t have a ton of time.” Tessa jerked her chin toward Olivia’s chair. “Sit. Spill.”
And Olivia did. She told Tessa every little tiny detail from the moment Hayley had arrived at her mother’s house right up until how Olivia had been flat on her b
ack in Hayley’s bed less than half an hour ago. Everything. All of it.
Tessa sat quietly, did a lot of blinking, but let Olivia talk until she was finished. After a moment, she said, “Wow.” Then more blinking. Then “Wow” again. Then she nodded. “Okay. Well, there you go. Your course of action became clear.” Then she let go of a soft laugh.
Olivia stayed quiet.
“Oh,” Tessa said, more serious. “Oh, okay. You don’t just like this girl, you like her.”
The lump that lodged in Olivia’s throat was unexpected, and she tried—unsuccessfully—to swallow it away. The look she tossed at Tessa was a large portion pathetic and she knew it and she hated it. She was not pathetic. That was not one of her go-to emotions. But this? The whole Hayley thing? She was at a loss.
“Talk to me,” Tessa said, and purposefully pushed Olivia’s tablet aside.
With a shake of her head, Olivia did. “I just don’t even know. There’s so much around this that…God, so complicated.”
“Like?”
“Our jobs, for one?” Olivia didn’t actually add a duh, but it was there.
“Mm-hmm. What else?”
“Well.” Olivia stared at her as she thought. Looked down at the table. Over toward the door. Back to the table. Up to Tessa’s amused expression, eyebrow arched.
“Exactly. Honey, you need to chill the hell out. I am serious as a heart attack right now.” She stared at Olivia until she was apparently satisfied that she’d been heard.
“Okay.” Olivia breathed in, breathed out, nodded. “Okay.”
“Listen to me.” Tessa folded her hands on the table in front of her. “I know you’re Miss Control Freak.” When Olivia opened her mouth to protest, Tessa held up a hand, palm out. “Don’t even try to argue with me on that because we both know it’s true.” She waited while Olivia closed her mouth again. “Mm-hmm. As I was saying, let me put it simply. You, my dear, are a control freak, and this whole thing? This is completely out of your control.”
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