To my delight, the grumpy beauty finally introduces herself. “It’s Holly.”
Joy looks shocked as her boss tells me her name, and I smile at her with a brief side-glance. Shaking her head, she leaves me and her boss alone again.
“Holly, like the Christmas plant—you werebornto be festive.” The compliment doesn’t land with her.
She frowns even more, scoffing, “That’s why I don’t give my name to most people. I don’t want to be associated with this shameful holiday.”
“Shameful?” I gasp dramatically, trying anything to earn a grin. “Well, clearly you just need some more Christmas cheer.”
She shakes her head, her eyes travelling over me. “That’s definitelynotwhat I need.”
Is she flirting with me? I don’t want to be too cocky, but…thoseeyes. Dark as the night but full of something you just don’t see in women my age.
Something that makes me want to give hermorethan Christmas cheer. It’s time to lay on the charm.
I drag my tongue over my lip slowly, watching as her eyes dart to it. They widen slightly, the reaction I was hoping for.
Most women don’t expect me to have a split tongue—though I don’t knowwhythey wouldn’t. My snakes have it, so why wouldn’t I?
This is the opportunity, while she’sintrigued.
“Are you a dreidel?” I flirt, already earning an eyeroll. “Because I’d like to give you a spin.”
Frowning, she says, “Christmas puns arenotgoing to get you anywhere, I can assure you.”
Getting a bit closer, I lower my voice. “No, but my feet will.”
“You think you’re so clever, don’t you?” She matches me, lowering her voice and standing her ground.
She’s taller than most of the women in the office, but I still tower over her. The way she looks up at me, those dark eyes full of what I can only hope is lust—it’s intoxicating.
Now I’m not sure if I’m doing this for her, or for me.
Maybe a little bit of both.
I reach into my back pocket, pulling out the mistletoe I’ve been carrying for thisexactmoment. Holding it above us, I put on a shocked expression.
“Oh my—well, we seem to have found ourselves under the mistletoe.” I grin, shaking it above us. “We have to kiss.”
While she may still be frowning, I can see the way she considers it as she looks between me and the mistletoe.
She tilts her chin up, and I begin to lower my head, my heart skipping a beat. No way thatactuallyworked. Maybe Joy was wrong, and Holly doesn’t hate Christmas as much as Joy thought.
Just as my lips are about to touch hers, she whispers, “You didn’treallythink that I’d kiss you because of some dumbass Christmas cliché, did you?”
Pulling back only slightly, I keep my face inches from hers, mistletoe still held above us. Disappointment floods me, more than I expected.
I don’t even know her, but Ireallywanted to kiss her. My snakes must agree, as they let out a chorus of disappointed hisses.
“Are you telling me youdon’twant to kiss me, Holly?” I say lowly, scanning her face.
The red in her cheeks tells me all I need to know, but I won’t force a kiss—or myself—on her. I’ll be damned if she’s able to resist my charm, though.
Something in her gaze flickers, the lust intensifying. “Oh, I do—but not here.”
“Oh?” The corners of my lips curve up.
She drags her fingers down my chest slowly. “Come back to my place with me when thisgoddamnsnow stops.”
