Secret Santa (novella) (6 page)

‘Sorry.’ He rolled his lips between his teeth and joined her on the stairs. ‘I’ll be quiet.’

They took the rest of the stairs in silence. When she reached the top she turned to the left. Her front door was right there and he realised her apartment faced the street, which explained how she made it downstairs so quickly when he’d picked her up the other day. He waited for her to pull her keys from her pocket and unlock the door. Before she could slip inside, he crowded her against the door frame.

‘Thanks for a great day.’ Morgan leaned in close so their faces were almost touching. ‘I’ll see you at work tomorrow?’

She smiled. ‘You mean today?’

He chuckled. ‘Well, yeah, today.’

‘Yes. I’ll be there.’

Morgan watched her. Waited to see if she’d make a move, either towards him or away. It didn’t matter which, he just needed to know where she stood. When she didn’t go anywhere, he dipped his head closer still. ‘You know I’m going to kiss you goodnight, right?’

Jenn’s teeth sank into her bottom lip, the sharp edges worrying the soft flesh as she gave him one small nod.

He took her mouth then, pressed his lips to hers and sought her surrender. He waited for her to open to him. She didn’t disappoint him. Her lips parted on a sigh and her body moulded to his as she wound her arms around his neck. Morgan gripped her waist and tugged her closer. Their tongues tangled, stroking and teasing until their breaths panted in and out and their hands began to roam.

She was like liquid heat against him. Every part of her burned, branded him with a need and want that filled his groin with throbbing desperation. He’d never wanted a woman like he wanted Jenn. He had to have her. Had to make her see they were good together.

Morgan knew he could use her desire against her. Knew it wouldn’t take much to get an invitation inside her apartment. Inside her body. But he couldn’t do that to her. He’d manipulated her enough already. If they had any chance of making this work, she had to come to him. She had to make the next step. It wouldn’t stop him from teasing and tempting her though.

With everything that he had, he made love to her mouth, poured everything he was feeling for her into his kiss. And when they were both out of breath and struggling to stand, he pulled back. He slowed their kisses, turned the desperate taking into a soft giving and cooled them both down until he parted their mouths completely.

Her eyelids fluttered open and her brown eyes appeared black her pupils were so dilated. He smiled at the sight she made. With her eyes all misty with arousal and her cheeks flushed pink, she looked like what she was. A woman well kissed.

‘As I said, I had a great day. We should do it again soon.’ Before she could argue with him he ushered her into her apartment and closed the door between them. Then he did the hardest thing he’d ever done in his adult life.

He walked away.

Jenn leaned her forehead against the cold door and listened to Morgan’s footsteps echo in the stairwell as he left. He’d kissed her stupid. She’d been on the verge of dragging him inside and ripping both their clothes off. She sighed and pushed off the door when she heard his bike start up. Racing across her living room she made it to the window just as he sped out of the driveway and down the street.

She wanted to call him back. Wanted to say to hell with the fact he was her boss and give him what he wanted. What she wanted. Another sigh left her as she faced the reality of her situation. She’d rejected him out of fear of losing him, only now she’d lost him before they’d ever gotten started.

Groaning, she spun around and made her way to the bedroom. She had a decision to make, one that would change her life forever. Popping the button on her jeans on her way down the short hallway that led to the two bedrooms and small bathroom, she considered the two different paths she could take. The first one, the one she’d told Morgan she wanted, was lonely. No matter how much she loved the people she worked with or how much she thought of them as family, they were just the people she worked with.

Barring Morgan, she’d never seen any of them outside of work. Moving to Sydney after university meant leaving behind the friends she’d made in her life. Not many relationships could stand against an eight hundred kilometre distance. Besides, everyone was moving on with their lives, forging in different directions; Jenn’s move interstate was the perfect example.

Today she’d thought about how lacking her personal life was, and yet she’d still hidden from her feelings for Morgan. The man was more than her boss, had been from the first time they’d met. And if she was being honest, and she had to be now, she’d wanted the job for more than what the position offered.

She’d wanted Morgan Campbell.

Jenn stopped in the doorway to her room and closed her eyes. She was such a fool. She’d rejected one of the city’s most eligible bachelors for the sake of her job.

The job wasn’t what made Morgan’s so great.

It was the man that held her enthralled, not the restaurant. There were plenty of other great establishments to work at. Any one of them would be happy to take her on if there were a position available.

Opening her eyes she entered her room and scooped up her pyjamas. She had a lot to make up for if she was going to seduce Morgan. First she’d grab a shower, wash off the layer of sweat and dirt wandering around the bush had coated her in and then she’d start to put the plan in motion. First up would be finding her spare set of keys. She was pretty sure they were in the desk she’d set up as a home office in the spare bedroom. She’d need some wrapping paper too.

Jenn smiled. Two could play at Secret Santa.

Jenn slipped into the dimly lit dining area just after nine in the morning. The rear of the restaurant was shrouded in darkness and she paused to listen, making sure she was the only one in the building. She doubted anyone would be here this early, the first day back after the two-day Christmas break. Making a beeline for the tree in the corner, she pulled out the small brightly wrapped box and laid it under the bottom branches. Smiling, she spun around and slammed into a solid wall of muscle.

A scream tore from her throat, but was quickly strangled when the man she’d crashed into spoke.

‘It’s me.’

‘Morgan? What are you doing here?’

‘I could ask you the same question.’ He gripped her upper arms, his fingers pressing into her flesh, but not enough to hurt.

‘Oh, I urn, forgot…’

He arched one thick blond eyebrow and she sighed. This wasn’t going to go as planned. ‘I was putting my Secret Santa gift beneath the tree.’

‘But you already did that.’

‘This is another part of it.’

‘Well I guess I better go see what it is.’ He grinned as he let her go.

She wanted to run. But if she was going to do this, if she was going to be brave and see where they could go, she had to face it head on. Every step of the way.

Taking a deep breath she turned around to face the tree. Morgan had the palm-sized parcel in his hands. He was turning it over, bringing it to his ear, and giving it a little shake…

‘For God’s sake, just open it.’ The suspense was killing her and she knew what was inside. Actually it was probably killing her because she knew.

He took his time peeling off each strip of tape before opening the folds of paper until he came to the matchbox inside. Glancing her way, he gave her a puzzled look.

‘Open it.’ Jenn held her breath.

Slowly, Morgan slid the box open until he revealed the shiny piece of metal sitting inside on a bed of tissue. His gaze darted to hers.

‘Is this…’

She nodded. Drawing in a deep breath she let it out in a rush. ‘It’s a key to my apartment.’

Morgan closed his eyes. ‘What are you saying?’ He needed to hear it. The key was a great message — a clear message — but he needed the words.

‘If you haven’t changed your mind, and I’d understand if you have, I’d like to date.’ He opened his eyes and stared at the woman who’d just given him the key to the rest of his life. ‘The key is a little more than dating, Jenn.’ Morgan took a step towards her.

‘Yes, I know, but I figure we’re past the first stage of dating. The getting to know you stage. We’ve been doing that for two years and I’m ready for the next stage.’

‘What’s the next stage?’ He had visions of waking beside her every morning.

‘You know, drawer space, toothbrushes at each other’s places.’ She shrugged. ‘That sort of thing.’

‘Can I leave my stubble in your basin?’ He’d been moving closer while they talked and now stood directly in front of her. ‘Can I rig the Secret Santa lottery every year?’

She smiled for the first time since he’d caught her sneaking across the dining room. ‘I think I can allow that.’

‘Are you sure?’ He needed her to be sure, because he was so sure he was ready to rush out and buy a ring.

‘Yes. I haven’t slept since you dropped me off this morning. I thought long and hard and I even wrote a pros and cons list.’

Morgan laughed. ‘I have to see that.’

‘I threw it out.’

‘Then tell me what was on it.’

‘Well there were a lot more pros than cons which surprised me. And the one major con wasn’t really one. I was holding onto that out of fear and, while I’m not going to lose that fear overnight, I think I’m strong enough to face it.’

‘And I’ll be standing right beside you.’

He kissed her then. Long and hard and deep. And when they finally came up for air, he couldn’t get her out of there and back to her place fast enough, so he could test out his new key.

The End

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