Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26073 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
"You're serious?" I sit forward in my chair so fast my legs fall off the desk, thumping against the floor. The ball lands beside my chair with a soft thud as a crack of laughter escapes my lips. "Oh, this is fucking great! I was planning to skip out early, but now I'm definitely staying for the whole shit show."
"I'm not playing Santa," Blaze growls.
"Yeah, you are." I grin, amused for the first time in four damn days. "As soon as she smiles at you, you're going to cave like a sandcastle, bro. I can't wait to see this shit."
"I'm not playing Santa."
I only laugh harder. We both know he's playing Santa tonight. He can't tell Georgia no. He's completely incapable of it.
"I hate you," he mutters.
I laugh again, pounding on my desk.
He turns and storms out, muttering under his breath.
I chuckle again and then pull up the cameras to figure out where the hell December is in the building. To my surprise, I find her right outside my office doors, talking to Ruby. I watch her like a fucking creep for a long moment, my dick lengthening in my pants. She looks beautiful in her black slacks and frilly red top, her hair in two buns on top of her head. She isn't a scared little lamb as she chats with Ruby. She's the same sweet angel I've never been able to forget. Only she's more. So fucking much more.
I know she remembers me. It drives me crazy that she won't admit it. Especially after what happened in my office the other morning. She felt what was between us. I know she did.
I shove my chair back and hop up, striding across my office.
"I've dreamed about coming to work here for the last six years," December says softly, her back to me. "I never thought I'd get the opportunity. Now, I'm messing it all up."
"Nonsense, dear," Ruby says, patting her hand. "You may have had a rough start, but that's not the end of the world. You're doing great with the designers, and you've still got plenty of time to win Blaze over to your side."
"I nearly took his finger off with his boots," December whispers, mortified.
"He has too many fingers anyway," I say.
December stiffens, spinning to face me. Her big blue eyes and pink-stained cheeks bowl me over. Goddamn, she's ravishing. Has she really been dreaming about coming to work here for six years? Because of me? In this unguarded moment, I see the truth painted across her gorgeous face and know that's exactly why. She's here because of me. She never forgot me either.
So why is she running? Why is she hiding behind her sister's name?
"Alaric James," Ruby chides. "Don't tease the poor girl. She's had a rough morning."
"I heard," I say, crossing the outer office toward the two of them, my gaze locked on December. The pulse in her throat jumps before speeding away from her. "Is my brother giving you trouble, angel?"
"No, of course not," she hurries to assure me. Her blush deepens to a rosy red. "I, um, I accidentally hit him with his boots when I tried to hand them to him." She swallows hard. "He makes me nervous."
"Blaze does that to people," Ruby says dryly. "It's that scowl. The man never smiles."
"He's already forgotten about it."
"He has?" December asks hopefully.
"Yep," I say, fairly sure I'm not lying to her. All he's thinking about right now is Georgia. We could drive a fucking herd of elephants through the lobby, and he wouldn't give a shit at the moment. "He's got other things on his mind."
"Oh." December exhales a tiny, relieved breath.
"Speaking of other things," Ruby says. "The caterer will be ready in fifteen minutes. You need to go down to meet them. I refuse to do it this year, Alaric. I gained five pounds sampling all of the hors d'oeuvres last year."
I glance at her to see a knowing gleam in her eye as she looks between me and December. Ruby Goines is a genius, and I don't pay her nearly enough.
"De…Jillian can help me," I say, catching myself at the last minute.
"Oh, I can't do that," December disagrees, eyes wide. "I'm supposed to be helping set up Santa's workshop."
"We have an entire team of interior decorators to oversee that," I say. "But there's only one of me and about a thousand different hors d'oeuvres. You're helping me sample them, angel."
December looks to Ruby for help.
"He's the boss," Ruby says with a shrug. "My life is far less difficult when I don't argue with him."
December gulps.
"You've been avoiding me, sweet December," I growl as soon as we're alone in the elevator. I back her up against the chrome wall, planting one hand over her head to block her in. "I don't like it."
"Back up," she whispers.