My Hot Holiday (5 page)

He looks at me with a look that screamed “
Did she just say that?!?!
”

He smiles and says, “Are you trying to play tricks on me?”

“I’m actually serious.  Not that this makes any difference, but I have never said anything like that in my entire life.  It’s just this whole knowing I’ll never see you again thing is pretty intoxicating.”

“This all sounded perfect until I became the gardener you want to play out fantasies with...”

“You are funny and sexy, too.”

“Does that give me extra credit?”

“Yes!” I say as I pull his tie to draw him in closer to me with rapid speed.

His lips hit mine and I feel that jolt of electricity again.  Soft and gentle, they make me feel dizzy and my whole body tingles with excitement.  Then, I pull away.

“I should let you know something…”  I pause as I allow the panic to pump through my veins.

“Something that I can’t believe I’m about to admit…”

“What?”  He asks with a furrowed brow.

“I haven't done THIS in...like, uh...2 years..."

"THIS meaning what, exactly?"  He responds inquisitively.

"Sex."

"Well, that's something that we definitely need to fix.  Now.  No more talking, Jillian."

Somehow his demanding tone makes my body want him more.  I feel my heart pause, before it begins racing viciously in my chest.

With the speed of a biting snake, I grab his tie again and drag his lips to mine.

To my surprise, he jerks back and loosens the tie that I held so tightly, tossing it to the coffee table before turning his back to me.  His eyes lower, focusing on my breasts that are moving up and down as my breathing intensifies.

Nothing matters now but the heat of his lips and feel of his strong hands slowly kneading up my thighs.

His mouth traces the curves of my neck, nuzzling me gently, then nibbling and biting.

I feel my own rush of heat again as a flow of warmth swarms between my thighs.

Oh my God.  Can I really handle Jake Sterns?

"I want you," he whispers.  "Come here."  He tightly grabs my wrist, drawing me onto his body as he leans forward.

I feel as if I'm in a dream, I can't utter a sound.  Nothing will come from my lips, no matter how hard I try.  I try to smooth my movements as I straddle him.  His hands grip the zipper of my top and push it open to reveal my perspiring chest.  I help push it past my elbows until he tosses it to the floor.

"You are perfect Jillian," he groans.  His eyes widen, and I feel a sense of confidence emerge.  His hands slide through my hair, drawing my head back.  One of his hands softly cups around my neck, tilting my head back as the other touches my lips.

"You are what I need.  You are my Christmas gift," he says, his voice rough.

My legs are shaking so intensely that I wonder if he will question me.  It's been sooooo long...too long.  Can I do this anymore?  Do I even remember how?  I am terrified, yet I don't want to stop.

He reaches around my back and unhooks my bra.  He slowly pulls the material away, intoxicating me with the smell and feel of his hot skin.  His eyes slide over my nearly naked body, igniting my insides like a torch in the night.

Something causes me to let go of myself and trust this man who is practically a stranger.

It’s pretty obvious Santa thinks I was good this year.

Chapter 5: Bliss
 

Merry Christmas, Jillian Reece.

Bliss.

Lying in the most comfortable bed in the world, feeling all happy and insanely satisfied, letting the morning sunlight hit my eyelids.  I stretch my arms toward the ceiling, and collapse back onto the comfy mountain of pillows.

Oh, THIS is a good morning.

Last night was AMAZING…

Fabulous.

Spectacular.

Could I use any more adjectives?

Let’s just say Jake knocked it out of the park.  A grand slam.

I open my eyes again, sit up, and cherish this surreal moment.

Jake’s in the shower, so my thoughts begin to wander to what last night means in the big scheme of things.  In fact, I wonder if it means anything at all to the gorgeous man I shared a bed with.  God, he really knows his way around a woman…

Stop it, Jillian.  Focus!

I feel so damn good, I can’t deny the power of a good...well, you know.

My eyes are transfixed for what seems like an eternity, watching the snow falling gently onto the tall pines near the deck.  Suddenly, I muster the strength to break my stare and my eyes find him with a towel wrapped around his waist.

He looks more stunning than any man I'd ever known.  Just when I expect him to throw out words of bountiful joy, his head snaps around and urgency screams through his body.

"What time is it?  Do you know?" He asks me swiftly, almost in a panic.

"Time?  No.  It is probably around 9...I've lost track.  Why?"

Oh, no!!!  He's going to run out of here NOW?  I sit up and stare at the floor for a few seconds, not quite able to believe what I’m witnessing.  What am I going to say?  Quick, what am I going to say?  Okay, what I’ll say is, I'm fully aware that our night is just that, ONE night, and I don't expect to see him again.  Well, that's not ENTIRELY true -- but it sounds good.  Firmly I tell myself not to freak out -- and take a big breath, preparing for his inevitable departure.

"I need to find my phone.  I was supposed to finalize a merger last night, and the CEO was supposed to call me with his answer when his plane landed in London," he says, while running his hand through his sexy wet hair.

"Oh!"  I say, feeling relief sweep over me.

That's good, right?  But, wait a minute...

"I didn't realize you were working on Christmas."

This is literally the only thing I can think of to say in response.

Maybe he really isn't just saying this to leave my bed?  Could he be serious?  There’s probably a better chance of growing daisies in Hell, but who am I to say?  The drunken divorcee who just let a stranger do things to her that children and young adults should never hear about?  Yep.  Not exactly firing on all cylinders, Jillian!

"Yes, business is business.  Mergers are complicated," he tosses out sternly over his shoulder as he zips his pants and runs his hand across his face.  He begins to retrace his steps, and I wrap myself in a blanket and follow him, still unconvinced that he isn't just trying to bolt from my love shack.  Oh God.  My drunken words haunt me.  Did I REALLY tell him I was in a love shack on the phone?  Life would be a lot easier if conversations were erasable, like video.  Better yet, it would be perfect if we could instruct people to ignore would we just said, like when we attempt to leave voicemail and have the option to delete it and start over.  That’s beside the point!  FOCUS!

I pick up the part of the blanket that's dragging behind me and walk over to the brown leather sofa, trying not to give away how terribly mortified I am.  I sit down, run my eye over the area, and spot a phone in the crevice between the cushion and the arm.  Shit.  It's just mine, isn't it?  Somehow I thought I was about to be a hero.  Oh well.  All these phones look alike these days.   I reach for it and it begins to vibrate in my hand.  Who is calling me?  Not now.  Wait, this better not be my mother again.  The screen illuminates and my boss’ name flashes across the display.  Wait?  Why is MY boss calling me on a holiday?  This makes absolutely no sense to me.  Jake spots me as I'm about to answer the call, and I suddenly feel a dart of panic as I see him lunging toward me.

"What are you doing?  That's my phone!!!"

"What?  No, no I think it's mine..." I say, forcing myself to respond in a calm tone as he snatches the object of desire from my hand.

He races to answer, and I expect this to go from bad to worse.  What will my boss think of a man answering my phone?

Then, the proverbial train wreck begins to unfold right before my bloodshot eyes.

"Chuck...I’m so glad to hear from you.  Merry Christmas.  Have you just landed?" He suddenly sounds like the businessman I first laid eyes on.

Okay, what on earth is going on?  Jake Sterns is currently on the phone with MY boss.  He is silent for a moment, and I feel panic grab me by the throat.  I know I drank a lot last night, and I'm still riding the high from the best sex I've ever had in my entire life.  That can't possibly make me delusional, can it?

I stare at him pacing the floor -- phone to ear -- in disbelief, feeling my face prickling with shock and residual lust.  This is a nightmare.  Now, like a bad Lifetime movie, I begin to understand how this is about to end.  Jake is buying my company.  He is the man behind all the rumors we've heard for months at work.  They begin to flash like lighting into my head.

“A merger could mean job cuts around the first of the year.”

"Publishing companies are dying a slow death.”

"Copywriters and editors will be the first to go."

OH DEAR GOD!  I just slept with the man who is just days from firing my ass!

Now I feel as if I’m going to cry.

"Okay, well, I will call my partner right away and have an answer for you by midnight,” he snaps, abruptly ending the conversation.  He pivots around to see me staring at him in shock.

"Where were we?" Jake lowers his voice.  "Sorry about that."

"It's no problem," I say, trying to sound focused and sober.  As his words and actions sink in, I'm a bit dazed.

"So, you have to leave?  On Christmas morning?  Sorry I couldn't help but hear your midnight deadline,” I question, working to choke back the tears.

"Yeah...it's a done deal.  I just have to get my partner on board, and we'll be the new owners of Wilshire Publishing."  His voice strengthens with excitement.

"Congratulations!" I say quickly, feeling faint.  "You must be thrilled?" I manage.

"Yes, it's been a ton of work," he fires back.  "The only bad part is having to tell people returning from Christmas break that they no longer have a job…not the best way to start the New Year.  That part is never easy.”

So, it is true.  I am toast.

"Oh, I can imagine.  Are you going to have to do that this time, too?" I ask him tentatively, pulling the blanket tighter around my cold, half-naked body.

"Yes.  The question that we still have to answer is how many jobs will be cut.  We are still working out the numbers."  He begins to pace the room again.  "Sorry for talking about talking so much business...especially after THAT.”  He motions toward the bedroom and furrows his eyebrows again.

"I'm sorry, tell me what you do for a living again?"

###
 

Don't miss the next installment of Jillian and Jake's story, available late December 2012 from Kate Crown!  Keep reading for a preview.

“This is ridiculous.”

I glance over at the driver’s seat.  My 65-year old mother grips the steering wheel with textbook 10:00 and 2:00 symmetry, while she drives me to work on my first day back from Christmas break.

She shakes her head.  “No, it’s not!”

Deep breaths…don’t panic!  I’m 37 years old, and my mom is behind the wheel of my Toyota.  It’s only temporary.  It’s just one day.  I can handle it.

“I love you, honey, and I’m not going to let some rich CEO get the best of my daughter.”

I raise an eyebrow.  “Did you pack my lunch for me, too?  You know PB & J is my favorite, right?”

“I’m just saying, Jillian, that you have to expect the worst.  I saw how you looked at Christmas breakfast, and I don’t ever want see you in that kind of shape again.  Until the kids come home, I’m going to watch over you.“

She’s right.  I am pathetic.  The thing is that she doesn’t even know the half of it!

If the divorce 19 months ago wasn’t bad enough, then Christmas Eve was surely the clincher.  I had the best sex of my life with a perfect stranger and then 5 minutes past afterglow, I discovered
Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome
was about to be my new boss.

Welcome to 2013, Jillian Reece!

Okay…A little explanation.  After that escapade, I showed up the next morning for Christmas breakfast at my parents’ house crying and drunk.  It’s also quite possible I said a few things to Aunt Lucy that I should have kept to myself, but geez!  Give me a break!  Her fourth husband was gay, and everyone knew it but her.  I was just restating the obvious.

Anyway, back to me.

I tell myself I’m going to be fine for the thousandth time.  I’m not emotionally unstable, am I?  I know exactly how much I can handle.

Well, sort of.

Once I get back in the office and discover that I’m not about to be fired by, the first man to give me repeat orgasm  on the very first try, everything will be just fine.  I know it.  Mom doesn’t know about that part, though.  No wonder she thinks I’m crazy.

“Mom, you really don’t need to worry about me.  I’ll be fine.  I know you need to get back to Oyster Cove soon.  Dad needs you, too.”

I’ll admit it has been nice having her with me for the past week, but this has gone on long enough.  I need to put on my big girl pants and move on.  There will be no more thongs around this tush for a long, long time.
Mr. Tall Dark and Handsome
has definitely closed my shop for a while.

Mom would pass out cold if she had any idea that I invited a drunk (albeit gorgeous and rich) stranger to my cabin on Christmas Eve and let him have his way with me.  I know.  It’s not my finest moment.  All seemed to be going just splendid, until I discovered that mere minutes after Jake merged with me, he merged with my company.  I guess that’s why you get to know people before let them seduce you in a book store or tie your wrists to bed posts.

Here’s the REAL reason I am about to lose my grip on my panties.  Jake has no idea that the woman he unwrapped like a Christmas gift and left glowing like Rudolph is NOW his employee.  I’m one of 50 copy editors at Wil
shire Publishing who may be on the chopping block with the takeover.