Cinderella Christmas (2 page)

He was smiling down at her with an expression that clearly said,
you and I could have a whole lot of fun.
Oh yes, she knew why her boss was like catnip to women. He never led them on, never promised what he couldn’t deliver, but while they were with him they had a hell of a good time.

And she would, too. Memories of this night would warm her soul in years to come. She’d think of it as the Christmas she’d had the courage to seduce her boss.

Then he touched her. His large hand gently cupped her chin.

Her knees almost buckled. She set her small black velvet bag on his desk.

“Does Santa know where you are, Miss Naughty?” He caressed her cheek with his thumb and dropped his hand.

Something in him sparked her desire to play along.

“We’re way behind in toy production, but I managed to sneak out. I told him I wanted to pay a visit to Mr. Nice and deliver a special and very unique present. Personally.” She knew there was a dare in her eyes he had to see.

“I’m not that nice.”

I knew it.

“But I’ll take that present if you’re still offering it.”

She took a deep breath, then said, “Oh, I think you’re nice enough for what I have in mind.”

“And that would be?”

Eve glanced over and up at the large bunch of mistletoe hanging on the chandelier over the seating area on the far side of Nick’s office. She’d been here earlier today in full-on PA mode, making sure all the last minute plans for the party were in place. While Nick had been occupied with one of the caterers, she’d raced upstairs and hung the mistletoe.

Nick frowned up at the mistletoe. “Where did that come from?”

“Magic,” she whispered, placing a finger on his lips. “We naughty elves are experts at mischievous Christmas magic.” She lifted her finger, then slowly trailed it down his neck. She touched the breastplate of his costume and whispered, “You’d be a hard present to unwrap, a Roman soldier like you.”

“I think I could make an exception for a naughty elf.”

She was almost drunk with chemistry. For one wild moment she didn’t care if he felt anything for her at all. Her feelings would be enough for both of them.

“The mistletoe?” he said, angling his head toward the seating area. “I’m sure Santa doesn’t want you wasting any more time than is strictly necessary. And I’d hate to have you leave without getting your Christmas wish.”

He took her hand and led her over to the couch, then pushed the glass-topped coffee table out of the way so they could stand directly beneath the mistletoe.

Eve practically shivered with anticipation. This was going to be a piece of cake. One fantastic kiss and out the door. One kiss and she’d be able to leave with the knowledge that she’d been daring and kissed her boss. One kiss and she’d never have to wonder again.

Because in the face of stark reality, how fantastic could one kiss be?

He smiled down at her. Their eyes locked and her breathing quickened.

“I’m going to enjoy this,” Nick whispered.

Not as much as I’m going to.

Eve closed her eyes and sighed. She totally surrendered with a feminine sound of pure, uninhibited delight. When his lips met hers, all her senses lit up like a Christmas tree with multiple strings of lights suddenly plugged in, glittering and sparkling.

He kissed her, and something deep inside her knew nothing would ever be the same. There were kisses and then there were
kisses
.

This was a
kiss
.

Her arms came up around his neck and she leaned into the hard strength of his body. Nick wasn’t an adrenaline junkie, but he was an athletic man. In a word, he was ripped.

He broke the kiss, then took her mouth again.

Okay . . . just one more . . .

He overwhelmed her, surrounded her, engulfed her. She even loved the way he smelled, no specific after shave, just a scent that was Nick’s alone.

Eve felt as if he was eating her up. One kiss blended into another, then another . . . She felt Nick slowly backing her up until the back of her legs bumped against the couch.

“You,” he said softly, his voice low as he kissed her, “are”, another kiss, this one on her neck, “absolutely exquisite.”

No one had ever called her exquisite before. No one had ever kissed her neck the way Nick did. This was so much better than any fantasy.

He eased her down on the couch, kissing her the entire time.

The voice of sanity intruded.
One kiss, you said one kiss, this is NOT a good idea!

That wicked little voice whispered,
If a few kisses are this good, can you imagine what the rest would be like . . .

Eve shut both voices off as pure sensation claimed her.
Just a little more . . . I’m still in control . . . kind of . . .

Who cares?
said wicked voice.
Go for it!

Not good, oh dear God
, said voice of sanity.

Shut up, both of you!
thought Eve. And they did.

Cool air washed over her body and she suddenly realized Nick had unfastened her sparkly red bustier. It fastened in the back with Velcro, but still – the man had talented hands. She was naked to his gaze from the waist up.

“Beautiful,” he breathed as he admired her body.

Her eyes stung. Her breasts had caused her endless trouble at previous jobs. No one seemed to believe that a woman with large breasts could also have a brain. When she hadn’t cooperated with two different coworkers and their unwanted advances, she’d been accused by both men of leading them on and had been let go. When she’d interviewed with Nick’s company, she’d worn the most powerfully minimizing bra known to womankind.

He was looking down at her, his head close to hers, his expression concerned.

“Miss Naughty?” he whispered.

She realized he was checking to see if she was okay, if she was still with him. This man was completely aware of her emotionally. That made her like him even more.

If her mind even hesitated, her traitorous body was all for betraying her. Her nipples felt so hard and aroused, her breasts were full and tender. The hot wet ache between her thighs couldn’t be denied.

She wanted this man like she’d never wanted anyone.

But she had to stop this.
Now
.

She couldn’t.

“What’s your real name?” he said.

Eve hesitated. This was it. Once she jumped off this cliff, there was no going back.

She wasn’t a girl, she was a woman. Granted, a woman who’d had pretty average, unspectacular sex throughout her life and had a chance right now to change that.

Did she dare?

She moistened her lips and thought wildly. He was her
boss
. She couldn’t
do
this. But . . . but . . . he’d never have to know who she really was . . . And really, how much damage could one night do?

A vision of her bookshelf at home with the complete novels of Jane Austen on the top shelf flashed into her mind. That was where the romantic in her dwelled, and she reached into Austen land for help.

“Darcy,” she whispered.

“Nick,” he whispered back.

She was committed. All systems go. She was going to take this night for herself and never regret it.

“I can’t tell you how fantastic it is to meet you, Darcy.”

She moved beneath him, nudging up against his impressive arousal. “Oh, I think I can guess.”

He laughed, a deep rich masculine laugh she’d never heard before, and for one crazy moment Eve felt jealous of her alter ego. Then she decided to just relax and enjoy. She wanted this evening with Nick like she’d never wanted anything in her entire life.

“It’s great to meet you, too, Nick. Now stop talking and kiss me.”

He laughed again, then got up off the couch and strode to the door. She heard the sound of the lock turning. Then Nick went into an adjoining bathroom. She had a pretty good idea what he’d gone to get and her stomach muscles quivered.

When he came back out, he tossed the condoms – optimistic man! – on the coffee table, lowered the lights, then stood next to the couch looking down at her.

She felt small, feminine, and so very powerful. She smiled, thinking that she was about to be ravished by a Roman Centurion. Nick never broke eye contact with her as he kicked off his sandals, flung off his helmet, then went to work on his breastplate and the rest of his costume.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she saw him totally naked, a gorgeous man, her total fantasy. Best idea
ever
. Much better than just one kiss.

She arched her back, that wicked little voice and naughty elf Darcy taking over completely. “So, Nick, what are you waiting for?”

He eased his large warm body down over hers and kissed her. Kissing him while he was naked was even better. He reached for her mask and her hand stayed him.

“No, Nick. Leave it on this first time.”

“Darcy, I love the way you think.”

And Nick got down to business.

Eve had worked with her boss long enough to know that when he committed to a project, he gave it his total attention. It was thrilling to see him focus, work, and conquer.

She’d never thought about having that focus turned on her.

Conquer me
, she thought as his lips closed over one nipple. Then her eyes literally rolled to the back of her head and she finally understood the word
mindless
.

Neither of them could wait long. Eve moaned broken little cries of ecstasy as Nick slid his hand up her thigh and made short work of her red lace panties. After he whipped them off, her skirt followed, then her boots.

Faster, faster, faster . . .

She was breathing as if she were approaching a finish line. He touched her, found her ready, didn’t waste time. Nick came up off her, balancing his weight on his muscular forearms. He reached over and grabbed a foil packet, sheathed himself, then settled himself between her thighs and didn’t waste any time getting right where she wanted him to be.

The shock of his entry stilled her for a second, then filled her with pleasure she’d never felt before. She began to come before he’d stroked her even three times, clutching his hair and writhing beneath him, pushing up, opening wider –

“Darcy,” he whispered, his voice sounding as if he were in pain. “God, Darcy – “

“I know,” she whimpered. “Don’t stop,
please
don’t stop – “

She came a second time at the same moment he did and he collapsed on top of her, pinning her to the sofa. But she liked it.

#

The clock on the study wall chimed softly and Eve’s eyes opened. She’d never felt so relaxed, as if she were floating, mindless, careless, totally –

She glanced around the room and it all came flooding back.

Totally
fired
if she didn’t escape now.

She turned her head as carefully as she could without waking Nick. He was snoring softly on top of her and she smiled. Maybe she’d discovered his one flaw. The man wasn’t a cuddler, he was a snorer. Wham, bam and a snooze right after.

She couldn’t fault him, she’d wanted it as fast and hard as he had.

But now she had to exit, stage right.

She wiggled out from beneath him and glanced at the clock. Eleven thirty-seven. She had maybe ten minutes to get out of Dodge before someone came looking for Nick. Everyone toasted in the stroke of midnight, checks were given out, and people began to leave. She had to get out before that happened, before the stroke of midnight.

She hauled on her skirt and bustier, then pulled on her boots. Grabbing her elf hat, she smoothed the short wig and popped it back on.

Panties
. Where?

Nick moaned in his sleep and turned over on the couch. She froze. Eve looked wildly around the carpeted floor. Nothing. She realized those red lace panties were probably beneath him on the couch. She didn’t dare risk it.

Not wanting anyone to find Nick in too embarrassing a situation, she quickly draped a cashmere throw over his waist. Then she grabbed her small black velvet bag off his desk and ran lightly toward the door of Nick’s office.

Eve unlocked it and peered outside. She heard a voice, and footsteps coming closer.

“I’m going to go get Nick, he won’t want to miss our midnight toast!”

Damn. Time to go.

She’d worked at Nick’s house many times, so it was easy for her to find an alternate route away from the main staircase. She headed down the hall in the opposite direction and used another back staircase. Her legs were still shaky from sex with Nick but she forced herself to keep moving.

Once outside, she headed for her car, thankful that she’d had the foresight to park it down the street on this tree-lined neighborhood in San Marino. Southern California in December could be chilly, but tonight wasn’t bad. She’d kept her coat and scarf in her car and, once she got there and unlocked the door, she bundled up, the black coat completely covering her naughty elf costume.

Operation Stealth Elf was no more.

#

“Nick? You there?”

Nick rolled over, reaching for the dark-haired vixen he’d been dreaming about. He got hard just thinking about her and the evening he’d spent with her felt as if it had been seared into his soul.

“Nick?”

He heard a knock on the door. He sat up. What the hell?

He remembered her name. Darcy.

“Give me a minute,” he called to the young man outside.

“Sure, Nick. But it’s almost midnight and I thought you might want to come downstairs.”

“I’ll be right down.”

He sat up on the sofa and noticed the cashmere throw around his waist. He blinked, trying to clear his head. He hadn’t been drinking but everything felt kind of fuzzy, like he’d woken up from a dream.

Was his naughty elf just a dream? Maybe he had been working too hard. Had Darcy even existed?

“Darcy?” he said cautiously.

No answer.

This wasn’t good.

He stood up and winced. His body felt as if he’d run a full scale marathon, aching in some places, relaxed in others. Something had happened, he was sure of it.

Then he looked down on the couch where he’d been stretched out and saw panties. Red lace panties. Naughty Elf panties.