A Mistletoe Affair (11 page)

What he needed was to relish this time with Mason. In the blink of an eye he’d gone from a helpless infant to a fast-moving toddler ready to explore the world. Blink again and Mason would be in kindergarten, then high school, and then before he knew it, Jordan would be watching him move out on his own. He didn’t want to miss a minute of the precious time he had with him.

Besides, he’d grown used to working shorter hours since joining Oliver’s campaign. Although things had become hectic during the past few weeks of the election, for the most part, Jordan was home by six, as opposed to eight or nine at night. He had time to play with Mason instead of only going into his room and giving him a small kiss, careful not to wake him up. How was he going to go back to that when his housekeeper returned and they all went back to their old routine?

Simple. They weren’t going back to the old routine.

Working those crazy hours had been okay when he was single and trying to climb his way to the top, but his priorities had changed. He didn’t need the top. He had all he needed right here.

He kissed Mason’s head, a gentle smile lifting the corner of his mouth as he thought about the future that awaited them.

His cell phone rang.

Jordan sat Mason back on the floor with his blocks and picked the phone up on the third ring. He recognized Vicki’s number and couldn’t help the thread of excitement that coursed through him.

“Hello,” he answered.

“Hi,” she said. “How is Mason doing?”

“He’s just fine as long as no one touches the building blocks his grandma Nancy got for him. He’s a bit territorial when it comes to his toys.”

Vicki’s laughter flittered through the phone line, causing another rush of excitement to skate across Jordan’s skin.

“Well, I wasn’t sure if you two would be up for it,” she continued, “but I was wondering how you would feel about taking Mason to see Bright Nights at Forest Park in Springfield. There’s a big Christmas lights display there every year.”

“I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been.”

“I went a few years ago and it was incredible. I heard they’ve added even more displays since then. I was hoping to find some inspiration for my float and figured Mason would enjoy all the lights. It’s a two-hour drive, though. I wasn’t sure if you would be up for it.”

Jordan didn’t have to think but for a moment.

“We’d love to,” he said.

He heard the smile in her voice as she said, “Wonderful. Why don’t I pick the two of you up in a half hour?”

“I’ll see you then.”

Jordan raced to get both himself and Mason ready. He opted to give Mason a quick wipe down with a damp towel instead of a bath. His mother had drilled it into his head not to give him a bath too soon before bringing him out into the cold.

Jordan had just finished packing some toys, animal crackers and juice boxes in a bag when he heard a car pulling up. Excitement shot like a lightning rod through his veins.

Now that he’d decided to fully own this attraction that had been building between him and Vicki, he could barely contain the pleasurable exhilaration that flooded his brain whenever she was around. He’d allowed the turmoil he’d been through in his first marriage to scare him off from getting involved with anyone else, but he was not going to let that happen this time.

Honestly, this was the first time he’d even
wanted
to get involved with someone since Allison left. Who would have ever thought Vicki Ahlfors would be the person to break down the wall he’d erected around his heart? How had he allowed her to fly under his radar for all these years? He felt like a shallow, callous fool for not recognizing just how attracted he was to her.

Jordan considered himself lucky that Vicki had even bothered to give him the time of day. She could have held it against him that he hadn’t noticed her until after she’d gone through a complete makeover, but she hadn’t.

And
that
was what he was attracted to the most. She was so unbelievably tender and giving, and she had a heart of pure gold. She was more than he probably deserved.

No, she was
definitely
more than he deserved.

“You better not mess this up,” Jordan said.

The doorbell rang. He damn near ran at the speed of light to get to it. The moment he opened the door, one thing became crystal clear: there was no way in hell he could ever deny that these feelings were real. Just the sight of her warm smile had his skin tingling and long-dormant areas of his body coming to life.

“Hey there,” she greeted with a smile that could make every unpleasant thought in the world melt away.

“Hey,” Jordan returned, his body humming with energy now that she was near him again. He leaned over and captured her lips in a kiss so sweet it drew a moan from her. God, she tasted good.

“Well, hello to you, too,” Vicki whispered against his mouth.

“You have no idea how much I love doing that.”

“Mmm...I don’t know about that. I think I have an inkling.” That wicked smile tilting up her lips set off way too many naughty thoughts in his brain. A glimmer of shared desire flashed in her brilliant brown eyes before she said, “The feeling is mutual. And as much as I love doing that, I want to do more.”

A delicious shudder cascaded down Jordan’s spine.

It was obvious what they both wanted. A barrier had been crossed, a step taken. With those few words she’d just spoken, this new relationship they’d found themselves in had just moved to the next level.

“We don’t have to see the Christmas lights,” Jordan said.

If he called his mother right now she would be here in ten minutes, more than happy to take Mason for the night. He and Vicki could spend the rest of the evening exploring this new step in their relationship.

“Yes, we do have to see the Christmas lights,” she said, her smile widening. She reached for Mason, taking him from Jordan’s arms. “This little one is going to love them.”

Jordan’s chin fell to his chest.
So close!
He’d been so damn close to satisfying the fantasies that had overwhelmed him over the past two weeks. Instead, he was off to see Santa.

Jordan groaned. “Just let me grab Mason’s bag,” he said, sounding like a sulky teenager. He felt like one, too. A sulky, horny teenager who was being denied something he knew they both wanted.

“That’s a good daddy,” Vicki said. The amusement tinting her voice told Jordan that she was having way too much fun at his expense. “Can you bring a blanket, as well?” she called after him. “It’s going to be cold out.”

Jordan grabbed a blanket from the hall closet, and then met Vicki at his car. She was already strapping Mason into his car seat.

Jordan was once again struck by how right this all felt. She’d slid into place so seamlessly, as if she’d been a part of his life forever. It felt as if she belonged here, like she was the missing peg that fit so much better than his ex-wife ever had.

Jordan waited for panic to set in just at the thought of the word
wife,
but there was no panic, only a surprising sense of peace. It was crazy. Their relationship wasn’t even two weeks old. Sure, he’d known Vicki all his life, but not in
this
way. What business did he have thinking in terms of a wife? Hell, they had yet to do more than kiss. Granted, they’d shared some of the hottest, most intimate kisses he’d ever experienced, but still, that was the furthest they’d gone.

But they would go further.

Jordan’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.

If he’d read the signs correctly—and he was pretty damn sure he had—they would go a lot further. And soon.

The appendage behind his zipper responded to the decadent thoughts flooding his brain, setting him up for what was sure to be the most uncomfortable two-hour drive of his life.

Before they even broke past the Wintersage city limits Mason had already fallen asleep.

“The car really is like a sleeping pill for him, isn’t it?” Vicki said with a laugh.

“It’s my go-to lullaby. Whenever he’s having a hard time falling asleep, I strap him in and we take a ride. I should have known it was more than just crabbiness when he didn’t go out like a light when we went tree shopping.”

“Did you schedule a checkup with the doctor?”

Jordan nodded. “This coming Tuesday. She wants to see if the antibiotics are clearing up the ear infection. Of course, my mom thinks I should take him to a specialist in Boston just in case it’s something more serious. She was never this nervous with us kids.”

“But this is her grandbaby. I’m sure my mother will be the same way. Of course, at this rate, she doesn’t think she’ll ever have grandkids.”

“You still have plenty of time to make her a grandmother.”

Vicki shrugged. “All hope isn’t lost, but I’m much closer to thirty than I am to twenty.”

“Vicki, you have nothing to worry about. The right man is going to come to his senses and realize you’re the perfect woman to share his life with.”

The air in the car grew heavy with anticipation, saturated with desire.

“You think so?” she asked in a breathy whisper.

Jordan looked over at her. “He would be a fool not to.” He took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the back of it.

“Can I be honest with you?” he asked.

“Always,” she said. “I refuse to have it any other way.”

He glanced at her again, both surprised and turned on by her direct attitude. She knew what she wanted; it was
such
a freaking turn-on.

God, he wanted her.

Jordan blew out a heavy breath. “This scares the hell out of me, Vicki,” he admitted. “I’ve spent the past year and a half trying to convince myself that feeling this way for a woman again was more trouble than it was worth. But you’re proving that to be wrong. Every minute I’m with you, you chip away at the wall I built, and it scares me.”

“You have nothing to fear, Jordan. I’m not your ex-wife. I’m nothing like her.”

“I know you’re not.” He squeezed her hand. “You’re so different that it makes me question just how I could have ever been attracted to two women who are the polar opposite of each other.”

“Did you come up with an answer?” she asked.

“Yes,” he said. “I discovered that substance is so much sexier than style. Not saying that you don’t have style,” he quickly interjected. “You’re gorgeous, Vicki. And it has nothing to do with your hair or makeup or any of that other stuff. What makes you gorgeous, what makes you the sexiest woman I’ve ever met, is that beautiful heart of yours.”

She leaned over the center console and kissed his cheek.

“Thank you for saying that,” she said. Entwining her arm with his, she rested her head against his shoulder and, with a touch of playfulness in her voice, said, “But you don’t mind the new wardrobe, do you? I treated myself to a nightgown that I’m pretty sure you would appreciate.”

Jordan groaned so loudly he was sure he’d wake up Mason. “Please tell me I’ll get to see it soon.”

She looked up at him and grinned. “Seeing as I bought it yesterday with the sole purpose of seeing your face when I put it on, I would say that’s a yes.”

“Thank God,” Jordan breathed. He put a bit more pressure on the accelerator. “Let’s get through these damn lights so we can get back home.”

Chapter 8

V
icki spent the remainder of the drive to Springfield trying to talk herself out of telling Jordan to find the nearest U-turn so they could return to Wintersage. Now that they both knew what would happen when they got back home tonight, the desire to get there was more than she could stand.

However, all thoughts of rushing through their evening vanished the moment they arrived and Mason caught his first glance at the brilliant display of Christmas lights. The wonder in his wide brown eyes—eyes that looked so much like his father’s—wrapped a ribbon of warmth around Vicki’s heart. His little mouth formed a perfect O as they drove underneath the arched lit sign welcoming them to the annual Bright Nights at Forest Park holiday display.

As they pulled up to the attendant to buy tickets, they discovered that instead of driving through in their own vehicle, for a small fee they could take a horse-drawn carriage ride through a portion of the display.

“It’s pretty cold out here. You want to?” Jordan asked.

“Absolutely,” Vicki said. “We have a blanket, remember?”

“Is that why you told me to bring the blanket? You’d already planned this?”

“No, but I’ll take credit for it anyway,” she said with a cheeky wink.

After parking, she suggested that Jordan take Mason into the gift shop while she scheduled the carriage ride. She spotted them at the huge display of stuffed snowmen and reindeer.

Sidling up next to Jordan, she said, “The next carriage leaves in fifteen minutes.”

“Uh-oh,” Jordan said. “This one can do some damage in fifteen minutes. He already wants everything he sees.”

“Me and him both,” Vicki said as she browsed the shelves. She found several items for her float—a wooden train set that she could put under the tree with the American version of Santa Claus, and several angels that would look perfect with the Papa Noël from France.

“These are gorgeous,” she said, picking up a set of jewel-toned wineglass charms.

“Check out the monogrammed ones.” Jordan nodded to a nearby shelf.

“Oh, I have to get these for Sandra and Janelle,” she said. “They’re perfect stocking stuffers.”

By the time she’d finished shopping, Jordan had to run back to the car to deposit their packages, which numbered too many to take on the carriage ride. Vicki had opted for a private carriage to take them through the winding tour instead of the shared one.

The horse hoofs clopped along the roadway as they passed under the arching lights of Seuss Land, which brought the stories of Dr. Seuss alive through Christmas lights. Vicki couldn’t contain her laughter as Mason’s eyes grew wide as saucers. He squealed with delight, reaching out and trying to touch Horton the Elephant from the beloved
Horton Hears A Who!
book.

“Please tell me you have all of Dr. Seuss’s books and that you read to him every night,” Vicki said to Jordan.

“I don’t have them all, but you can bet I’ll have the entire collection ordered by the weekend.”

Mason’s chubby finger remained in a pointing position as he oohed and aahed over
The Cat in the Hat
and
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
done up in thousands of twinkling lights. The tour continued through the Garden of Peace, with its dozens of flowering blooms and angel wings. Vicki nearly gave herself whiplash looking from side to side at the gorgeous display.

She turned at the sound of Jordan’s low chuckle.

“What’s so funny?” she asked.

“You,” he said, amusement coloring his voice. “You’re as enthralled as Mason.”

She felt her cheeks heat. “I can’t help it,” she admitted. “It’s just so amazing to see what they’ve created with Christmas lights.”

“You can create something just as beautiful with flowers,” he said. “I’ve seen you do it before.”

“So you don’t think I’m wasting my time with this float?”

“Who said you’re wasting your time?”

She shrugged. “My family. My father and brothers, in particular, but even my mom to a certain extent. They think I’m going to make a fool of myself.”

“Did they actually say that to you?”

“Not in so many words, but when I told my father and brothers about it over Sunday dinner this past weekend, they did everything they could to discourage me. I told my mom about it first, just to gauge her reaction, and she basically said the same thing. They think I’m going to be humiliated.”

“Vicki, you have as good of a chance of winning that float competition as anyone else. No, you have an even better chance, because you want it more.” He took her hand and gave it an affirming squeeze. “Forget what your family thinks. Don’t allow it to cross your mind again. You’re going to kick ass in that float competition.”

“Thank you,” she said, a gentle smile touching her lips. She held up a finger. “But don’t use that language in front of Mason.”

“Can I do this in front of Mason?” he asked before leaning to the side and capturing her lips in an easy kiss.

Their fingers remained entwined throughout the rest of the tour. The carriage meandered through Jurassic World, with its towering brontosaurus, triceratops and an exploding volcano. After Mason’s reaction, it was obvious that a few toy dinosaurs would have to be added to the shopping list.

Once the carriage ride was over, they returned to the car and continued on the driving tour, viewing the Noah’s ark display, Peter Pan and Captain Hook in Never Never Land and the charming Victorian Village.

After parking the car once again, they walked through Santa’s Magical Forest to Santa’s Cottage, where Mason took pictures on Jolly Ol’ St. Nick’s lap. Following picture taking, they walked through the rows of trees, their twinkling lights imbuing Forest Park with a magical touch.

“Here we are. The arching reindeer,” Jordan said, unfolding the blanket and laying it on the ground.

“What makes the arching reindeer special?” Vicki asked. Before he could answer, a teenager dressed in an elf costume interrupted them. The young boy carried a tray with two steaming paper cups and a basket of chocolate-chip cookies.

“What’s this?” Vicki asked.

“I thought it would be nice to sit for a while underneath the stars, both the real ones and the thousands they’ve put here in the trees,” Jordan answered.

Her heart melted at his thoughtfulness.

At the same time, her body hummed with anticipation of what was to come. The heated looks they’d shared across the carriage and Jordan’s tender yet sensual little touches throughout the night had turned her body into a throbbing ball of nerves. She needed relief in the form of a release she was more than ready for Jordan to deliver.

Vicki’s face heated to unheard-of levels. It felt heretical to have such erotic thoughts while surrounded by the innocent, festive Christmas lights.

The copse of oak trees provided a perfect spot for them to settle with Mason. Jordan lay on his back and held the giggling baby high above him.

“Wow, you’re getting heavier every day,” Jordan said with a laugh as his elbows started to buckle under Mason’s weight.

“He is growing quickly, isn’t he?” Vicki agreed. “You’ll look at him one day and realize that your baby is gone. He’ll reach those terrible twos soon, then the next thing you know it’ll be time to start school.”

“Don’t remind me,” Jordan said. “I’ve already missed so much time with him because of my work schedule.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “I’m beginning to rethink my approach to this whole thing.”

Vicki tilted her head to the side. “What thing?”

“This. Life. The future.” Jordan placed Mason on the blanket between them and set several of the toys he’d bought at the general store in front of him. “A few times a year the partners bring in this consultant to talk about the work/life balance. I’ve always seen it as a load of crap, because even though they tell you they want all associates to have a healthy balance between work and family, everyone knows that the more time you give to the firm, the quicker you’ll rise in the ranks.”

His eyes found hers. “I’m not sure rising in the ranks is what I want anymore. I’m starting to learn that there are many definitions of success. Who’s to say that raising a healthy, happy son doesn’t make me just as successful as bringing in seven figures a year?”

“It’s not as if you need the money,” Vicki pointed out.

“It’s never been about the money. It was always about winning. It’s
still
about winning. I just think the prize has changed. I don’t want the things I used to want in life. Those things aren’t as important to me anymore.

“My mom said something to me the other day and it’s been gnawing at my brain ever since. She said that my dad would have given anything to have more time to spend with me and Sandra when we were growing up.”

“I’m sure he would have.”

“If you’d asked me a few years ago—hell, a few
months
ago—if I felt neglected by my dad, I’d have called you crazy. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that, in a way, I
did
feel as if Woolcott Industries came before me.

“Damn,” he added with a low, self-deprecating chuckle. “Could I be any more of a whiner? It’s not as if I have anything to complain about. My parents gave us everything we could have ever asked for.”

“Look who you’re talking to, Jordan. Do you know how many nights I stayed up past my bedtime, waiting for my dad to come home from the office so I could share the perfect grade I received on a test, or so he could read the remarks my teacher made on my research papers? Even though I knew he would be too tired to really pay attention to it. I started to resent AFM with a passion, yet at the same time I knew that without Ahlfors Financial Management, I wouldn’t have the life my dad was working so hard to give us.”

He stared at her. “You’re right,” he said. “I did resent it. Maybe, in a way, I even resented him.” Jordan shook his head. “I don’t want Mason to grow up resenting me. I don’t want him to think that I’m putting anything ahead of him.”

“Then don’t,” she said simply. She pointed to Mason. “That little boy is the center of your world. Do what you have to do to keep him there.”

He smiled at her. “Good advice, Ms. Ahlfors. I think you may have missed your calling. Maybe you should have been a life coach, or whatever the heck those people are called.”

Vicki laughed. “What do you know about life coaches?”

He rolled his eyes. “Not much, and I’m just fine with that. Allison thought a life coach was the answer to everyone’s problems.”

Vicki acknowledged the blend of emotions that rioted through her at the mention of his ex-wife. It was insane to feel even a drop of jealousy. Allison wasn’t the one here with Jordan tonight.
She
was. Why would she still be jealous of his ex?

Yet even though she knew she would probably regret it, Vicki heard herself ask, “What about Allison? Do you have any contact with her at all?”

“She calls occasionally,” Jordan said with a shrug. “As in maybe four times in the past six months. Her excuse is that she’s dating some jet-setter and they’re always traveling.”

“That’s no excuse. With all of the technology available these days, she can tell Mason good-night via video every night if she wanted to.”

“You hit the nail on the head. She
could
do that if she
wanted
to. She doesn’t. Allison’s only concern is Allison.”

Vicki reached out and covered his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “I’m sorry she isn’t at least there for Mason.”

“Allison didn’t want to be a mother, I knew that. Hell, I wasn’t all that sure I wanted to be a father. I hadn’t really thought about it. But when Mason was born—” Jordan shook his head “—he changed everything. From the moment I first heard him cry, I wondered how I’d ever lived my life without him in it.”

“You’re so lucky to have him,” she whispered, looking down at the baby with a wistful smile as he played with the plush toy snowman. She brought her eyes to Jordan’s again. “You’re lucky to have each other.”

“What about you?” he asked. “Do we have you? Because that’s what I want, Vicki. I want you in our lives.”

That did it. Those few words, spoken in that velvety-soft voice, melted her heart.

“I want to be in your lives,” she said. “There are no words to describe how much I want that.”

He shook his head again, his eyes filled with wonder. “Why did it take me so long to see how amazing you are?”

“I’ve been asking myself that question for years,” Vicki said with a wry grin. “Don’t worry, I won’t hold it against you. I’m just relieved you finally came to your senses.”

She leaned over and they shared the kind the kiss she would love to come home to every single day for the rest of her life.

They sat underneath the tree’s twinkling lights for a while longer. Jordan played catch with Mason, rolling the ball covered with fat snowmen that he’d bought from the gift shop along the blanket. After the temperature dropped to unbearable levels, they finally got into Jordan’s car and headed back for Wintersage.

“Thank you for tonight,” Vicki said, reaching across the console and covering his arm. “This is my favorite time of the year, and tonight you showed me just why that is.”

“Thank you for inviting us to join you,” Jordan said. “I haven’t taken the time out to enjoy the holidays in years. I’m beginning to see just how special it is. I think this trip to Springfield will become an annual thing.”

“I’ll mark it in my calendar. If I’m invited, that is?”

He sent her a look that said she knew darn well that she was invited. The thought warmed Vicki from the inside out.

The snow began to fall in earnest as they drove along Interstate 291.

“I thought they said the snow wouldn’t be here for another few hours,” Vicki said, pulling out her phone and checking her weather app.

“It definitely wasn’t supposed to be this heavy,” Jordan pointed out.

Vicki held the phone out to him. “Looks as if the forecast changed in just the past few hours.”

By the time they arrived back at his house, the snow wasn’t only falling, it was coming down in thick, heavy sheets and was accompanied by swirling wind that made the driving conditions treacherous.