I might catch a case of holiday cheer if I’m not careful.
Shifting my attention away from the horrid thing in my hands, I stare at him. “It’s either the sweater or a movie—your choice.”
“What are the odds of convincing you of both?” He holds my chin steady with two of his fingers, planting a quick kiss on my lips.
When he pulls back, I give him the most deadpan expression possible. “Choose.”
With a small smile, he takes a few steps back to the bag. What is he doing? He hasn’t answered yet.
He reaches in, pulling outanothersweater. This one though is a simple gray, no pattern at all.
“I was prepared for this. How do you feel about a knit sweater withnopattern?” He makes his way back to me.
Taking a deep breath, I let my shoulders fall. “Fine. I’ll wear that sweater, and we can watchoneChristmas movie.”
The smile I earn is enough to make any ice inside of me melt. What kind of power does this man possess over me? And how did he get it?
He kisses my cheek, exchanging the sweater in my hands. “While you change, I’ll make the hot chocolate.”
As he disappears to my kitchen, I stare at the sweater in my hands. He knows me so well already, and it’s only been, what, a few weeks? If that.
The last time someone knew me well…
I don’t want to even think about.
Shaking my head, I slip off my blouse and toss it onto an armchair. The new sweater is incredibly soft against my skin as I pull it on—he did well with this one.
Hell, he’s just done well in general.
For his age, he’s really surprising me with the level of commitment and effort he’s put in. All for a fling…
Maybe he really was serious about wanting more than a fling.
“It’s perfect, in my opinion.” Felix’s voice snaps me from my thoughts.
He waltzes into the room, two mugs in hand. They’re topped with whipped cream, so high that all it’ll take is one wrong move for it to be on the floor.
As I take a cup in my hand, I give him a small smile. “Thank you…and this sweater is lovely.”
“Anything for you.” He smiles softly before plopping down onto the couch carefully. “Now, it’s movie time!”
All day my mind has been clouded, keeping me from focusing on my work. Realizations of just how much I enjoyed last night swirl inside my brain.
Followed closely by waves of denial that just aren’t big enough to wash the realizations away.
Damn it, maybe the holidays aren’t bad. Maybe I’ve been too hard on everyone around me for simplyenjoyingthem.
I need to do the right thing, no matter how hard it is.
Pressing a button on my desk phone, I buzz Joy. “J, can you come here for a moment?”
There’s no response, but I hear frantic footsteps on the other side of the door. When it flies open, Joy’s eyes are wide, hands clutched by her chest.
As she approaches my desk, she hesitantly asks, “Did I forget to do something, boss?”
“No.” I shake my head; Joyneverforgets to do anything, so why would she think that was it? Because I’m demanding and generally unfriendly, that’s why.
Her wings flutter faintly. “What is it then, boss?”
