12 Naughty Days of Christmas 2018 Read online

  Oh, great! He thought I was hinting.

  When they were seated and she had decided on her order, she set the menu aside saying, “Thanks for inviting me to dinner.”

  “Thanks for accepting. As much as I wanted to be alone this holiday, I’m actually glad to have someone to talk to.”

  “Even if it’s only the office ice princess?” she asked.

  “You brought that nickname on yourself, lady. And just to set the record straight, I wasn’t the one to give you that name. I always tried to stick up for you when the other guys were talking,” he said.

  “You did? Why would you do that?” she asked.

  “Let’s just say I admired you for sticking to your guns. Even if I thought it was an unrealistic rule, given the firm has no policy against it, I thought it made some sense, at first.”

  “At first?” she asked, surprised by his revelation.

  “Until you got your feet wet, got to know everyone, made your mark in the firm,” he explained.

  “And you think I should change that rule now that I’m a partner?”

  “Only if you find there’s someone you’d like to be with, who just happens to work there.”

  “What exactly are you saying?”

  “All I’m saying is if the day should come that you find yourself attracted to someone, you shouldn’t let the chance for happiness pass you by simply because you and the guy work together.”

  “So far, that problem hasn’t presented itself.”

  “And it might not. Tell me, though, why is it that an attractive lady, such as yourself, is unattached? I’d have thought the guys would be beating down your door. Are you so wrapped up in your career, you don’t want to eventually have a family?”

  “I was in a relationship that ended badly and I’ve not found anyone since then that I wanted to become involved with. I’m not opposed to it; it just hasn’t happened. In the meantime, I’ve kept busy building my career.”

  The waitress took their order. When she’d gone, Holly continued. “Now, since we’re getting personal, tell me why you’re not married with two-point-five kids, a dog, the big house and all that comes with it.”

  He chuckled. “There hasn’t been a woman yet who’s made me want all that. If I ever find the right one, I’ll make it happen and I won’t take no for an answer. I’ll make her fall in love with me.”

  I’ll just bet you would, too. Aloud, she said, “I’ve always thought you were a bit on the arrogant side. You sound pretty sure of yourself just now. What makes you so positive you could make someone fall in love with you?”

  “Oh, baby, if I loved someone like that, she’d have no choice. I’d shower her with so much love, she’d never want to leave me,” he replied in a low, husky voice.

  As shivers ran up and down her spine, she knew he spoke the truth. Any woman Christopher Winters chose to love wouldn’t stand a chance. She’d be his, completely, forever. His chocolate brown eyes, shock of dark hair and crooked smile, along with his muscular, well toned body would convince a woman to do exactly as he commanded, in the right setting. She was as sure of that as she was her own name. Submission, bending to his will, would be the only way. The arrogant manner, the sexy voice and his commanding presence told her exactly how it would be. Why was that so appealing to her?

  She looked down shyly before replying. Finally, she said, “And you think you could make a woman fall in love with you that way?”

  “Yes, I do,” he replied simply.

  Their dinner arrived and as she ate, she remarked, “This really is good. Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “Oh, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you,” he said with that crooked smile.

  What was he doing? Was this a big seduction game so he could go back to the office and brag that he was the one who melted the ice princess? Or was he being sincere? Whatever he was trying to do, he was succeeding, and she had to put a stop to it, if it wasn’t already too late.

  After dessert – homemade pie that was to die for – they browsed in a few of the shops. Holly picked up some old-fashioned candy to take back to the lodge with her.

  “We’d better head back. It’s snowing pretty hard out there now,” he said as she attempted to pay for her candy. He, too, had chosen candy. “Let me get that for you,” he said as he handed some cash to the cashier. He handed her candy to her.

  “Thanks, but you didn’t have to buy my candy after buying my dinner.”

  “You can buy me an ice cream cone tomorrow, while we’re shopping,” Christopher said with a grin.

  “Ice cream in this freezing weather?” she asked with a giggle.

  “Of course. You can eat ice cream anytime, can’t you?”

  “Well, now that you mention it, yes, I guess so.”

  They hurried to the car, shivering, and he drove back to the lodge, carefully maneuvering the car on a road that was starting to get slick. When they had reached the lobby, after running through the snow-covered parking lot, he said. “Let’s stand by the fire and warm up for a minute. I’ll walk you to your room after that.”

  “I’m capable of finding my way,” she replied.

  “I wouldn’t be a gentleman if I didn’t make sure you got back to your room safe and sound, now, would I?”

  “Since when do you worry about being a gentleman?” she teased.

  “You wound me. I’ll admit that, at work, I’m a fierce competitor, but this is vacation, real life. You might find that you actually like the real me,” he said with a chuckle.

  As she watched him warming his hands by the fire, she was sure he was right. And that fact scared the living hell out of her.

  After a fitful night of sleep filled with erotic dreams about Christopher, Holly finally gave up and got out of bed. She brewed a pot of coffee in her room and sat down by the window. Watching the beautiful winter snowfall, she tried to clear her muddled head. It was still dark outside and the scene was breathtaking. Why was he in her head? A few days of bantering back and forth, a dance at the party, and one dinner shouldn’t change her opinion of him so drastically, should it? Of course, he’d always been in her dreams, but this was real. He was paying attention to her, as if he actually liked her.

  And he was planning to go shopping with her later today.

  Her cell pinged and she picked it up. It was probably Hunter or her mother letting her know they were in Colorado. As she looked at the face on the phone, she smiled. It was a message from her brother. Unlocking her phone to read it, she learned they had landed safely and were just getting ready for bed. The time difference was going to take some getting used to. He figured about the time they got used to the two-hour difference, it would be time to come home.

  She replied, telling him she’d gotten up early and was watching the snowfall with a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of her window. She wished him a happy holiday and told him to give her love to Allie’s family.

  Looking out the window as she set her phone down, she saw that the sun was peeking out. The phone next to the bed rang. She jumped, startled. Who could be ringing her room at this hour?

  “Hello,” she said warily as she walked to the nightstand and answered it.

  “Are you awake?” a husky male voice asked.

  “Christopher, is that you?”

  “Whom were you expecting?” he responded.

  “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you this early.”

  “I couldn’t sleep. I’ve been up for hours, drinking coffee and watching the snow from my window.”

  She giggled. “I’ve been doing the same thing.”

  “Maybe we should be doing it together. Your room or mine?” he asked suggestively.

  “Very funny,” she replied.

  “Since we’re both awake, would you like to get dressed and go down to the dining room for breakfast? They open in a little while.”

  “I can be ready in a half an hour. Will they be open then?” she asked, in a slightly breathless voice.

  “I�
��ll meet you in the lobby. They should be open by then.”

  “Okay, I’ll see you in a bit.” She hung up the phone and hopped in the shower, allowing the warm steamy water to cascade over her body. Revived afterward, she dressed in jeans and a blue sweater. As she pulled on a pair of stylish boots over her jeans, she smiled. Who would have ever thought she’d be getting up at the crack of dawn on her holiday break to have breakfast with Christopher Winters? She was almost looking forward to seeing him again – almost – until she remembered her dreams from the night before. How could she look him in the face without thinking of the way he’d held her, spanked her, and loved her all night long in her dreams?

  Shaking her pretty blonde head to rid her mind of the erotic thoughts that wouldn’t go away, she took a deep breath and left her room. By the time she reached the lobby, he was there, waiting for her, smiling, as she walked toward him.

  “You look chipper for an early Monday morning,” he said as he walked beside her to the dining room.

  “I’m on vacation, remember?”

  “If down time does this for you, you should take it more often. You look… so different,” he said in a low voice.

  She blushed as they entered the room. It was empty. Apparently, none of the other holiday guests had gotten out of bed this early. They sat down, ordered their breakfast, and as they enjoyed another cup of coffee, she said, “Are you still planning to shop with me today?”

  “Of course, if you still want me to tag along. I can show you some of the sights, take you to the most unique shops,” he replied as he sipped his coffee.

  “I’d like that,” she said shamelessly. What was she doing?

  “Holly, I’m seeing a whole new side of you these past few days, and I have to say, I like it. Gone is the harsh, all-business ice princess who wears her business suits and her hair up. You seem warmer, softer and definitely more agreeable. I like your hair down, by the way. It’s too pretty to wear up.”

  “I wear it up for work mainly for convenience. I also need to look like I know my stuff. Clients don’t care if I have long, blonde hair. They care if I can win their case for them.”

  “I understand that, but you’re a very beautiful girl. You tend to hide behind the suits, the hairdo and those reading glasses you wear at work. You look like a different person – soft, happy, sweet,” he said, again treating her to his sexy, crooked grin.

  “Is that how you like your women? Soft, happy, and sweet?” she asked, venturing where she knew she shouldn’t go.

  He nearly choked on his coffee. Regaining his composure, he said, “I like a woman who is smart yet soft, so, yes, I guess so. I like a woman who can be a hellcat in the courtroom and a warm, loving little girl on the home front. I like you, Holly Evans. I’ve known that from the day I met you, but now I know it even more.”

  “What kind of game are you playing?”

  “I’m not sure I understand that question. This isn’t a game. I’m genuinely enjoying our time together. I’ve always enjoyed bantering with you, but somehow, the past few days have been different. Like I said, I’m seeing you in a whole new light. And I like what I see.”

  “I don’t know what to say.” The waitress brought their food; taking a bite of her bacon, Holly wiped her mouth with her napkin and went on. “I’m enjoying this too, but we both know when this week is over, we’ll go back to Lebanon and back to the office. And we’ll be working together on a big case. A case in which the outcome will determine whether or not you make partner, so maybe this isn’t a good idea, the two of us becoming friends.”

  “Friends?” he asked. “Oh, baby, I think we’re moving past the friendship stage. You surely can’t deny it.”

  “An even worse idea,” she said.

  “Says who? I got the distinct impression from Nick and Carol that they think it’s a good idea. They’re not going to be opposed to us getting together. And as for working together, hell, we’re both professionals. And we’re both good at what we do.”

  “But, say we did get together this week, and I’m not saying we will. Just say we did. What happens when the week’s over? What happens when we go back to the real world? Right now, we’re in a sort of fantasy world. We’re in a mountain lodge, enjoying a beautiful winter wonderland, about to celebrate a holiday together that we both thought we’d be spending alone. It would be so easy to let go, to give in to what we’re feeling, but we have to go back to the real world.”

  “I don’t see that as a problem. We’d go back to the real world, as you put it, we’d go back to work, to our lives. But we’d be together. I’m not looking for a holiday hook-up, Holly. I’m attracted to you, and I’d like to see where this mutual attraction leads us.”

  “What if it doesn’t lead anywhere except a week long tryst? What then, can we work together after that?”

  “Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to be an issue. I told you last night that if I ever found a woman I was truly interested in, then I would make her fall in love with me. I was awake the entire night, fighting the feelings I have for you, the feelings that have been there all along. They’ve come to the surface in the past few days, stronger than ever, and they won’t be denied any longer.”

  “I-I don’t know what to say,” she said as she took a sip of coffee.

  “Say that you feel the same way. Say that you want to see where this leads.”

  “Oh, Christopher, I feel something, too. I can’t deny that, but I’m afraid.”

  “What exactly are you afraid of? Surely, you’re not afraid of me?” he asked.

  “Well, in a way, yes. I’m afraid if we give in to this – whatever it is we’re feeling – and we find out it’s nothing more than a hot hook-up, I’ll be devastated and embarrassed, and it will ruin things at Blair, Klingle and Evans for both of us. Even more so when it becomes Blair, Klingle, Evans and Winters.”

  “A hot hook-up, you say? So, you admit it would be hot between us.”

  She blushed again. “You know what I’m saying.”

  “Yes, I’m afraid I do. We’ll just have to make sure it doesn’t affect our work.”

  “You’ll go back to the office if this doesn’t work out and brag about being the one who got the ice princess in bed, won’t you?”

  “I never kiss and tell, Miss Evans,” he replied solemnly. “And I wouldn’t do that to you. I told you before, I have the utmost admiration and respect for you and your work.”

  “I think we need to concentrate on seeing the sights today. We can’t rush into this; we just can’t.”

  “I’ll do whatever you want to,” he said. “If I was only out to seduce the office ice princess, would I say that?”

  “Okay, fair enough,” she replied.

  “Now, tell me why you were awake, staring out the window, when I phoned you this morning?”

  “The same reason you were,” she said with a grin.

  “Really now?” he asked. “That intrigues me. I wonder if your dreams were as vivid as mine were.”

  “I thought you were awake all night.”

  “I was, except for the few hours I fell asleep and dreamt of you.”

  “You’re really laying it on thick, Mr. Winters,” she replied curtly.

  “Is it working?”

  “Finish your breakfast so you can show me the sights. And I mean the sights of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, not the sights of Christopher Winters.”

  “You drive a hard bargain, Counselor. But I’ll behave myself.”

  She laughed as she finished her breakfast. They lingered over coffee, discussing things they liked to do in their off hours.

  “I love watching old movies on television,” she said.

  “You too?” he asked. “I have an entire collection.”

  “And I read whenever I have time. I brought my e-reader with me on this trip.”

  “Did you, now? I still prefer the paperbacks or hardbacks. I haven’t gotten into the e-books yet,” he replied.

  “Oh, you should get one. I h
ave several titles on mine. It’s so much easier than lugging books around.”

  “Maybe I’ll have to try that sometime. And what kind of books did you load on that reader? Hot, trashy romance or boring old law journals?”

  Her cheeks turned scarlet, giving him the answer to his question. “I wonder if any of the shops are open yet,” she said, glancing at her watch.

  “Uh, uh, uh, trying to change the subject?”

  “You wouldn’t be interested in the stuff I like to read in my spare time.”

  “Really? Somehow, I get the feeling we may just be interested in some of the same things. What deep, dark secrets lurk in that heart of yours, Holly Evans?” He winked. “Just think. You’ve survived two hours in my presence and the world hasn’t fallen apart.”

  “Very funny; you know if you didn’t always act like such an arrogant ass at the office, I would have decided I liked you a whole lot sooner. And maybe we do share the same interests, who knows?”

  “You thought I was an arrogant ass?” he asked in surprise.

  “Yes, everyone thinks that,” she replied.

  He laughed. “That’s so funny. I’m really a nice guy.”

  “I’m beginning to realize that fact,” she replied as she smiled at him.

  “I guess my attitude at work is sort of like the façade you hide behind at the office.”

  “Maybe so,” she said. “Odd, isn’t it, how I thought you were arrogant and you thought I was… icy?”

  “But I knew under that icy exterior, there was a hot-blooded woman begging to be set free. Did you know that behind the arrogance was a sweet, lovable teddy bear?”

  She sputtered, “Ha, I wouldn’t exactly call you a sweet, loveable teddy bear.”

  “What would you call me, dear Holly?” he asked in a husky voice.

  Blushing, she knew she couldn’t tell him what she was really thinking, that he was a hot, sexy hunk. She couldn’t tell him that if they did get together, she would submit to him totally, body and soul. No, she couldn’t tell him that. Instead, she said, “That remains to be seen, Counselor.”

  He threw back his head and laughed heartily. “Fair enough, sweet lady, fair enough. Let’s go back to our rooms and get ready to go into town. I’ll meet you in the lobby again. And sometime, we need to discuss some of these mutual interests in depth.”