Just One Spark (4 page)

Mason held Hannah’s hand as they crossed the street. Innocent enough, gentlemanly even, if not for the ever-present tickle of his finger against her palm. A tickle that intensified as it made its way straight to her core.

Stopping short, he jerked his arm forward, propelling Hannah into his open arms. Wrapping her against him, he whispered, “Wait for me here. Let me surprise you.”

She was stunned by the way he whirled her around and her breath had yet to catch up. She could only nod. He brushed his lips against her cheek and then released her and disappeared into a candy shop.

Hannah forced herself not to stare in the shop window and drool after him. Instead, she turned her attention to the display window of the neighboring store.

She decided headless mannequins made for a more attractive presentation. The painted faces and tacky wigs distracted from the clothes and accessories. Hannah admired the snub-toe tweed pumps in the display, studying them hopefully.

“Hannah?” A man’s voice said from behind her.
Not Mason’s.
Hannah looked into the reflection of the window. Jeremy Tolliver, one of the other store-manager candidates. Fixing a smile on her face, she turned around.

“Jeremy,” she said, not bothering to mask her annoyance.

He nodded, his gaze traveling up and down and up again.
Pig.
“I tried to call you today, but you’d already left.”

“Really?” she said, feigning interest. “Did you lose your buyer directory again?”

Jeremy gave a strangled laugh. “No, I wanted to talk to you about the management-training seminar. I offered to help you lead it.”

Hannah tried not to let her surprise show. The seminars were complete and ready to go. Her entire next week was devoted to traveling to the different stores in the metro area and rallying the management teams to holiday greatness.

“The seminar for your store? Your input would be helpful. We can target your newer managers directly.”

Jeremy shook his head. “All of the stores. Dean and Judy agreed you need the help.”

The heels on her boots gave her an extra inch on him as she met his leering gaze. He’d talked to the district and regional manager about her needing help? She schooled her face into a polite smile. She didn’t need anyone’s help, least of all a chubby deadweight like Jeremy Tolliver.

“We’ll be spending a lot of time together,” Jeremy continued, stepping closer.

Where the hell is Mason?
Jeremy had made passes at her before, but she’d always been able to deflect with humor or quotations from the Mendelssohn’s employee handbook. If Jeremy stepped any closer, Hannah might find another practical use for the heel of her new boots.

“Give me a call tomorrow at work and we can discuss what you can contribute.” She knew Jeremy well enough to know he wanted credit, not extra work. She’d give him the kudos if he’d leave her the hell alone.

“Let’s grab a cup of coffee and talk about it now. Or not talk about it.” He tilted his head downward. She saw no redeeming flecks of color in his black eyes.

“I’m actually waiting for someone.” Hannah backed against the glass. She took a deep breath and reminded herself she had to work with this guy. She’d pay for a bitchy brush off for years, especially if she wound up managing his store.

“I don’t believe that.” He lowered his voice. “No man in his right mind would leave you all alone.”

Hannah squared her shoulders.
Bitchy it was.

“I am a little bit crazy.” She heard Mason’s rich baritone drawl as he slipped his fingers around her clenched fist. She enjoyed every twitch on Jeremy’s face as the two men eyed each other. Mason handed the silver bag he carried to her and then stuck out his right hand. “Mason McNally. And you are?”

Jeremy returned the gesture. “Jeremy Tolliver. Hannah and I work very closely together.”

“Oh, Jeremy.” Mason turned and gave her a knowing look. “Right, Hannah’s mentioned you.”

She fought the grin playing at her lips. Mason played his role very effectively.

Jeremy scowled at Mason. “I just asked Hannah about going for coffee. Why don’t you join us?”

Mason looked quizzically down at the other man. Smiling as if he were about to laugh. “Hannah doesn’t drink coffee.” He shook his head and made a move to check his watch. Without looking at the time, he said, “It’s getting late. Hannah and I need to get to bed. She has to be at work early tomorrow. Nice meeting you.”

Hannah graced Jeremy with a smile as she gladly took Mason’s hand and let him lead her away.

Once they were out of earshot, Mason asked, “Did I blow that? I guessed from the peppermint tea the other day you don’t drink coffee, right?”

“No, you were right. Talking about me as if I wasn’t standing next to you seemed strange, but I’m glad you were there.” As she squeezed his hand, he stopped walking and turned her to face him.

“That guy gives me the creeps.”

Hannah rolled her eyes. “Try working with him.”

“I mean it, Hannah, I don’t like the way he looked at you.” He slid his thumb along the back of her hand as he spoke.

Hannah forced a laugh to lighten the mood. “It’s a little early for you to be getting all possessive, don’t you think?”

Pursing his lips into a thin line, Mason nodded. Not exactly the brevity she’d hoped for.

“I’m still waiting,” she tried again.

Mason arched an eyebrow quizzically. “Oh, right. Your surprise.” He took the silver bag and plucked out a tiny silver box. He opened it and two chocolate truffles shone in the light from the streetlamps. “Try it. This one first.” He pointed to the chocolate dome in front decorated with shimmering gold flecks.

Hannah balanced the candy between her fingers and took a bite. She offered the other half to Mason. The candy fell into his mouth, but he caught her wrist, sending shivers up her spine as he sucked the melted chocolate from her fingertips.

The truffle melted in her mouth. The rich, sweet sensation grew as her mouth heated. Somehow, it tasted hot without being spicy, sweet without being sugary. “Is there chili in that?” she asked, savoring the last effects of the treat on her tongue.

Mason nodded and stepped closer. “I guessed from dinner you like things hot.”

Did she ever.
“What if I hadn’t offered to share?”

Mason leaned in and licked her lips gently. Her stomach tightened in anticipation. As she parted her lips in invitation, he went farther, sucking her bottom lip between his before kissing her fully.

She loved the flavor of the candy, but the feel of him melting with the taste of chocolate was exhilarating. Something about the clean way he smelled and the taste of him melding with the heat from the chili chocolate made her moan. He pulled away too quickly, leaving Hannah feeling she’d somehow been short-changed.

As her eyes fluttered open, she realized she wasn’t done with him. This man made kissing an art form, and she wanted to learn every nuance of his technique. She reached for him, but he stepped back.

“Try the other one.”

She wanted him, not chocolate. But as she came to her senses and the world widened, she realized eating chocolate was a much more appropriate activity for a busy sidewalk. She reached into the box and removed the plain chocolate cube. She stared into Mason’s eyes and popped the whole thing in her mouth.

As the truffle melted, she was overcome with the cool sensation. It wasn’t just mint. It was peppermint. Her favorite. She eyed him as she rolled the flavors over her tongue. He couldn’t possibly have planned it, but she’d give him credit for it anyway. Extra credit
.

“Are you going to share?” Mason whispered, gently brushing his lips across hers. A laugh hummed through her as the kiss began. She loved the firm feel of his lips demanding on hers. The taste of the chocolates and him mingled with his masculine scent and sent colors dancing across her closed eyelids.

Somewhere far away, she heard the bag drop and felt his hands come up to cup her face. Her knees weakened as he introduced her to his tongue, and she brought her hands to his chest for support. Her hands reflexively squeezed the rock-hard pecs beneath the soft sweater. She should take up sculpting. This man’s body was a work of art. She wished she wasn’t wearing a coat so she could press her body against his and feel every inch of him.

She inhaled deeply and released her breath in a long sigh. She drew away slightly, just enough to look into his eyes. She touched his face, tracing her finger over the lips she’d just savored. Pleasure propelled her forward to catch the smell of his skin and she began swathing him with soft, gentle kisses once more.

A whistle from another place and time echoed in her ears. Mason pulled away slowly and then stepped back out of reach. Hannah lifted a hand to her own mouth, amazed at the sensation. If he kissed like that, Hannah ached to know what else he could do.

Chapter Four

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Mason said when they came to a stop in front of the apartment building.

“What?” Hannah asked, turning and stepping in front of him without releasing his hand. “You have a problem with my building?”

He shook his head and laughed. “I live here.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Hannah echoed.

“I moved in two months ago.” Mason reached forward and grabbed her free hand, squeezed them both. “4B. How did I miss you?”

Hannah shrugged. “I work a lot.”

So much for maintaining a safe distance and taking her goodnight kiss on the sidewalk. Pursing her lips together, Hannah looked deep in his eyes and quieted the niggling voice in the back of her mind that cautioned her with safe dating rules. The voice that reminded her that an entire coffee shop had thought he might be a stalker. She trusted him.
At least as far as her door.

“Shall we?” Mason punched the code and opened the door to the small lobby.

“Since you live above me, I guess I don’t have to invite you up,” Hannah said, entering the warm building. “Do you mind?” she asked motioning to the row of mailboxes. “I haven’t checked the mail yet today.”

“I haven’t checked mine all week.” Mason laughed.

As they opened their locked mailboxes, Hannah noted his was just four away. Flipping through her mail, she found it was relatively benign. Her fashion magazine, Kate’s stationary catalog, the electric bill and a card from her mother. “Trade ya,” she teased, looking at Mason’s hefty pile.

“Anytime you want to pay my bills, you’re welcome to them,” he said without looking up.

Hannah stepped closer. He had at least five magazines. “You must like to read.”

“I like to fantasize.”

Hannah peeked at the titles. Not a girlie magazine in the stack. He did seem to have an extreme-sports fetish though. When did he find the time to backpack, snowboard and scuba dive?

“You see anything you like?” he teased, offering the stack to her.

Too tempting an offer to refuse from someone she knew so little about. Taking the stack from him, she handed him her own.

“Hannah, I was kidding,” he said as she rifled through the envelopes. Mostly bills and junk mail. Two envelopes caught her attention. Both were large and thick and hand addressed on high quality paper. She held them up. “Two wedding invitations?”

“How can you tell from the envelope?’ He plucked them from her hand and checked the return addresses. “My frat brothers seem to have all decided to get married this year. I missed the memo.”

“I’m so glad I didn’t join a sorority.” Hannah returned his stack of mail. “You must go broke having to buy all those gifts.”

Mason smiled. “The gifts are no problem. It’s when they make you wear a tux and dance with the bridesmaids that I start to get annoyed.”

“You’re in those weddings?”

He shrugged. “One of them, yeah. It’s my third this year. Like I said, apparently there was a memo.” He paused as they neared the staircase. “Come with me.”

Hannah stopped mid-step. “That’s sweet, Mason, but you don’t have to do that.”

“Do what?” he asked, bounding up to the stairs.

“It’s our first date. Wedding invitations are sent out months in advance.”

He looked down at her from the first landing. “Gabe’s is New Year’s Eve. With as crazy as your schedule is, that will probably be the next time I see you.”

Hannah smiled, wishing that weren’t so on the mark. “A New Year’s Eve wedding sounds so romantic,” she said, beginning the treacherous climb in her stiletto boots.

Mason waited for her on the second floor. “You’d think so, but Gabe’s an accountant. He wanted the date for tax purposes.” They laughed and fell in step beside one another until the third floor.

Mason stared at the number on her door. “3B. You live right beneath me.”

Hannah nodded, standing in front of her door with her keys in one hand and her mail in the other. An alarm in her head reminded her they were on their first date. A kiss at the door would be the smart thing, but she wanted more than a kiss. Not much more, but a little. She wanted him to touch her, to be able to touch him.

“You’re deciding, aren’t you?”

“Deciding what?” She hated to play coy, but she hadn’t made up her mind yet.

“Whether or not to ask me in.”

She stared at him, the moment becoming heavy and charged with emotion. She wanted him. Wanted him to come in, kiss her, make love to her until dawn.

The last one scared her spitless.

She wondered if she had it in her to do casual sex. People did it all the time. And with as long as it had been since she’d had sex, and as good as he looked, she wanted to do it right now.

She put the key in the lock. Turning it slowly, she decided she wouldn’t sleep with him. But a girl could play.

He followed her in, stepping on an envelope. “You must have dropped this,” he said and handed it to her.

“I don’t think so.” She flipped it over. “It’s not even addressed. It must be from one of the neighbors. It’s not sealed.” She pushed back the flap and pulled out a card with a picture of a Christmas tree on the front. She opened it and found it blank. “Well, that’s odd. They must have forgotten to sign it.”

She moved to set it on the table, but Mason took it from her hand. His eyebrows knit together as he studied the front of the card. He looked at Hannah beneath his lowered brows.

“Did you look at this tree?”

“What?” She took the card back. An innocuous-looking Douglas fir decorated for the holiday. She peered closer and realized what he saw. Instead of a paper chain wrapped around the tree, this one had handcuffs linked together.

“You’re the expert on criminals, Kate. What do you make of it?” Hannah spoke into the phone while she peeled the plastic bags from her dry cleaning.

“Bankrupting corporate sleazebags doesn’t make me an expert, just a lawyer. But I’d bet it’s nothing. We probably have a kinky neighbor,” her roommate replied. “We could re-gift it since it’s unsigned. If I knew someone who would appreciate the humor of handcuffs on a Christmas tree. You probably would have better luck. Don’t you feel enslaved by the season?”

“Energized. It’s the best time to be in retail.” Hannah meant every word.

“If the card freaks you out, I’ll come home this weekend and walk the halls without my makeup on.”

“Come home if you want, but I doubt you’ll see me. I have this weekend to get my departments set and prep for the training seminars.” Which she’d finished preparing for, but Jeremy Tolliver’s new add-on sales ideas had her scrambling to give him time to present.

She still didn’t understand why the brass had even given him a shot at a district-wide program with his plan. It sounded like a lot of busy work when they should be focusing on keeping morale high. Higher employee satisfaction meant a lower absentee rate and higher employee retention. With a sigh, Hannah put her busy thoughts aside. She’d already given thirteen hours to the store today.

“You’re a workaholic.” The clicking of Kate’s pen echoed across the phone line.

“Right back at you, babe.” Hannah lined up her outfits for the week in the closet. She found it much easier to get dressed at four in the morning when you didn’t have to think about what you were putting on.

“You’re really not going to tell me.” Kate quieted her pen.

“Tell you what?”

“About your date. I’m stuck in K-Falls with no prospects. Let me live through you a little.”

She did the highlight reel for Kate, omitting Mason’s anxiety about the card. And that he’d made it inside the apartment. Kate would be even more disappointed than Hannah at how the card had ruined the mood of the evening.

His protective side had come out, and as attractive as it was, it had killed any thoughts Hannah had of sleeping with him. Mason seemed more boyfriend material than one-night stand.

“When are you seeing him again?” Kate asked with a sigh.

“Not for a while. I’m swamped at work. Which is why I never date during holidays.” Lying back on her bed, Hannah glanced at the clock. Eight-thirty and already so tired she’d dressed for bed. Thank goodness, she closed tomorrow and didn’t have to be in until after lunch.

“Exactly how long is a while?”

“I have next Thursday off, so he’s going to see if he can work his schedule so we can spend the day together.”

The rap at the door had her sitting bolt upright. Her heart beat in her throat. She hadn’t buzzed anyone up. The card had her more on edge than she’d realized.

“Somebody’s here.” She rose from the bed and flipped on the lights as she made her way across the living room and to the door. She peered through the peephole. “Mason,” she whispered into the phone.

“He’s there? Stop wasting time with me, honey. One of us needs to get a little action.”

Hannah ended the call and looked down, cursing her sister. Molly always gave her things from the upscale lingerie store she managed. Really great things Hannah couldn’t resist.

“Just a minute,” she called as she scurried to grab a robe to cover the sage-green stretch-lace chemise she wore. Hannah loved lingerie but wasn’t sure she wanted Mason to know just how much yet. He’d definitely get the wrong idea, she thought as she cinched the belt on an ivory satin robe.

She took a quick look in the bathroom mirror on the way to the door and cursed herself for having washed her makeup off already.

Hannah opened the door slowly, hiding her body behind its bulk.

“I tried to call, but you didn’t pick up.” He stayed in the doorway. “I got my schedule for next month and I wanted to check it with yours before I volunteer for extra shifts.”

Hannah smiled. He looked so good just standing there in his work clothes. Judging by the duffle bag at his feet, he’d come straight from work, not even bothering to stop in upstairs.

Why was it she looked at him standing there and felt her temperature rise, her stomach tighten? Could he possibly be just that sexy? She opened the door wider but he stayed in the hall. “Do you want to come in or discuss it here?”

“I didn’t want to assume.” He dropped his bag inside the doorway and stepped inside. She crossed the room and grabbed her phone so they could compare calendars. She turned to face him and watched him swallow hard. Twice.

“Are you thirsty? I have wine and soda. Kate has four kinds of vodka in the freezer.” She smiled at that last one. Mason drinking green-apple-flavored vodka was a funny thought. Though she didn’t know what he drank.

“Did you know I was coming?” he asked, his voice raspy and dry.

“No. Why?” He’d barely stepped into the room.

“Are you seeing someone else? I know we’ve only been on one date, but I thought you were single.” His eyes were carefully fixed on hers.

“Mason, I can hardly find the time to date you. How am I going to juggle someone else?” Hannah sat on the corduroy sofa and tapped her stylus to her phone until December’s calendar came up.

“Do you always dress like this when you’re home alone? You are alone, right?” Hannah searched his face, grinning at her own power. She made him nervous. Maybe she shouldn’t have put on the robe. She could probably have him begging right now.

“This is how I dress for bed.” Her voice came out lower than usual, slower. She watched his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed again. Given the current state of his pants, Hannah felt pretty confident she could have him naked and in her bed in less than sixty seconds if she played her cards right. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be in the game just yet.

She looked down at her calendar. Next month was far better than November, she had three days off. “In December I’ve got the second, twenty-fifth and thirty-first off.” Her birthday, Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

“Right, the schedule.” Mason bent down and rifled through his duffle and pulled out a printed sheet of paper and a pen. He stepped closer to the couch but hesitated before sitting down.

“Relax, Mason, I won’t bite.” She patted the couch next to her, squeezing her thighs together in anticipation. She’d already sensed the smell of soap and aftershave and man that she’d memorized just last night.

“It’s not you I’m worried about,” he said under his breath as he sat. He circled her days off on his calendar. “I actually have all of those. Okay, what else?”

Looking up, he met her gaze and her breath caught. His eyes were so blue it almost hurt to look at them. “That’s it. I warned you the holidays were crazy. But if you stick it out they give you a week off in February.” She smiled and searched the schedule for any days when she could get off early and not be in until closing the next day.

“Did you take New Year’s Eve off for Gabe’s wedding?”

She shook her head. “I actually paid a thousand bucks for it last January in a United Way fundraiser.”

He smiled, his straight teeth gleaming. “Will you come with me to the wedding?”

New Year’s was still a long way off. “If you’re still speaking to me, absolutely.”

“I’ll make you a deal. You always answer the door dressed like this and I will until the day I die.”

She laughed louder than she would’ve liked. “If you like the robe you should have seen what I had on when you knocked.” His pupils dilated, his irises darkening at her taunt. She played with fire here. She looked away and studied the schedule once more. “I could do dinner on December eighth or nineteenth if you want.”

He bowed his head again. “I work on the eighth, but I’m in for the nineteenth. You probably have family stuff on Christmas, so what about the second? Do you ski?”

“Yes, I ski, but I can’t that day. It’s my birthday and my folks are flying in. We do our family thing then so my sisters can be with their in-laws for Christmas.”

“Birthday?” He grinned and that charming dimple appeared.

She wanted to ignore her thirtieth birthday all together. “Did you get next Thursday off?”

“I think so. I have to trade some December days, but I wanted to check with you first.”

“Good answer,” she smiled, setting her phone on the coffee table.

“I read that book.” Mason said, setting down his calendar. He’d circled her days off and noted her birthday.