“I could do this all day,” I murmured against her lips, my hands caressing her curves.
“I can't,” she said, smiling, though she wasn't actively trying to leave.
“Stop by tonight,” I told her, kissing her once more.
“I'll see where I'm at. I want to do a good job! I have standards to uphold.”
*
I'd scheduleda lunch meeting with the C-suite executive team.
Beck, Walker's brother and the chief financial officer of Quantum Cyber, was back from our Boston office. He pointed to the spreadsheet up on the screen.
“Why in the world did someone spend over one hundred thousand dollars on Christmas decorations?”
“It's for theTechBizcontest,” Walker explained, taking one of the sandwiches from the platter.
“That thing?” Beck sneered. “I thought with making the investment into the gene therapy data algorithms, we wouldn't have to compete so much for talent.”
“We still need to,” I told him.
“But Christmas decorations?” Beck said, clearly scandalized. “When have we ever decorated for Christmas?”
“We do now,” I said coldly. “Get into the Christmas spirit.”
Beck stared at me with his mouth half open. “Who are you?”
“Owen found a girlfriend. One of the bake-off contestants,” Walker said. “He's a changed man.”
“So that's why you decided to be a judge,” Beck said thoughtfully. “Maybe I'll do it next year.”
“She lets him eat her Christmas cookies and everything,” Walker said.
“That's not appropriate talk for a workplace environment,” I growled.
“Get your mind out of the gutter, Owen!” Walker exclaimed, grabbing his chest and pretending to be scandalized. “I meant she makes you baked goods.”
“Youare eating cookies now?” Beck asked, shaking his head. “I wasn't even in Boston for two weeks, and it's like the world is completely different.”
*
Later that evening,after a long day of meetings, meetings, and more meetings, I went up to my condo. I was going to change into workout clothes then take Rudolph for a run. Over the last two weeks, the puppy had grown. He also was a ball of energy that had been cooped up in my office all day. I was secretly hoping Holly would be there waiting for me. But while there was a woman waiting for me when I stepped off the elevator, it wasn't Holly.
“Owen,” Amber said. She was dressed in an even sexier elf costume than when she'd ambushed me in the lobby a few nights ago. “I made you some cookies.” She shoved a plate at me.
“Please go back upstairs,” I said, ignoring the plate and making a mental note to tell Dana to keep the contestants out of my private area. But then I thought about Holly. I needed her to be able to come and go as she pleased.
“I know you love family, and I do too!” Amber launched herself at me, clinging to my suit jacket. Rudolph barked as I entered the code to unlock my door. “We'd be perfect together.”
“Find someone else,” I told her, prying her fingers off me. “I'm not interested.”
Amber started dramatically sobbing. I shut the door in her face. I really wished it had been Holly instead.
I texted her while I changed clothes.
Owen:Your sister was up here.
Holly:Stepsister.
