2011 Series Holiday Romance Short Stories
Plus, a summer romance short story and sample chapters of other e-books available.
This book is the work of an Independent Author. Thank you for supporting the arts of the freelance community. Please make note that when an original story converts to various ebook formats, some typographical errors may occur.
Published by Smashwords and Copyright 2011 CJ Hawk at Smashwords.com
Discover other titles by CJ Hawk at
http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/cjhawk
Mistletoe Wishes
The predicted winter snowstorm had just picked up and gave itself the official title as the first blizzard of the year. It had been a mild winter so far but this storm had the weather media swirling with promises of heavy snow. I knew I should have just left work and headed straight home, but one particular man that served me lunch today remained on my mind. Blake O'Malley, the new owner of the pub across the street from my work. He was the type of man a woman would not easily forget.
Against my better judgment, I slipped my car keys back into my black leather purse and settled it onto my shoulder over my black wool winter coat. I opened the door from my office building and proceeded down the street towards the pub. The harsh icy wind slapped at my cheeks. Thick white snowflakes covered my black wool coat in white dots. My black wool cap kept my newly colored red highlights in my dark brown hair from getting too soaked. However, by the time I made it to the pub door, I knew I would need a quick ladies room checkup.
The pub looked empty except for a few customers that looked like regulars. Any sane person would be heading home before the roads got too bad, unless you lived in the downtown area.
I made a quick dash to the ladies room to freshen up. I shook free of my coat, letting all the snowflakes attached to it fall to the floor. I took off my wool cap and fingered through my hair to release it of all the snow that had landed in my shoulder length curls. I glanced in the mirror at my tight red sweater dress I had worn for work and hoped it grabbed his attention again for the second time today. If I had correctly interpreted his attentiveness, he had some interest in me at lunch today as well.
Walking back out towards the bar, I caught site of the man that held my interest all day. He was busy working away at cleaning bar glasses, having his back turned away from my direction. I let the sound of my heavy filled black leather purse hit the counter to catch his attention. The sound did not cause him to turn around from washing the bar glasses. I did catch a quick glance in the mirror of his eyes as he looked through the rows of alcohol. A quick flash of his eyes showed a moment of interest and I had to wonder if he remembered me from lunch today. When he looked back down to what he was doing, I felt a pinch of disappointment enter my soul.
I caught sight of a mistletoe hanging just behind me, reflected in the mirror behind the rows of alcohol. It hung in an interesting spot above a table for four, stirring a memory from earlier today. After today's lunch with my co-workers and being introduced personally to Mr. Blake O'Malley, I could think of nothing else all day but what his lips might taste like underneath that mistletoe.
Soft sounds of Christmas music filled my ears while I took a deep breath and let the sultry thoughts of him cross my mind. I had observed him serving lunch to us today with such an efficiency and eagerness to please, as any new restaurant owner might. However, what I remembered most was his features and how good they would feel as his arms wrapped around me. I liked tall men and he was at least six feet plus. His muscular build, solid jaw line with a hint of stubble, short thick dark hair and tight round ass I watched more than once as he worked the room in his faded jeans. Those reminiscent thoughts were making me feel yummier already. His crystal blue eyes lit a fire to my soul every time he smiled at me during lunch. He was the type of man I was attracted to and the type of man I thought showed a bit of interest in me earlier today.
Perhaps I had been wrong in presuming his interest. Particularly with the way he was acting rather irritated that I was one of the few patrons that decided his bar was a better place to be then on the icy snow covered roads. Maybe I had read his eagerness and intentions all wrong earlier today. I'm not a woman normally filled with self-doubt but his lack of interest in me right now, even as a customer, was beginning to weigh on my mind.
With a methodical placement of the last glass he was drying, he turned slowly to only see the top of my head. My long curly reddish brown hair was covering my face as I looked to be searching for something in my lap. I was searching for an excuse as to why I stopped in if he truly had no interest. A deep breath raised my bravado and I looked up as I blew out a puff of air from my lips and let the heavy expelled breath lift my hair out of my face. Our eyes met but I was not sure how to gaze his interest now.
Slowly he strolled over to me with sultry thoughts running through my head again. His voice was thick with Irish accent when he asked me what he could get me. He leaned against the bar looking cool and collected but my thoughts were starting to race hot and steamy. I smiled with a smirk like grin and ordered a house draft. I decided to lighten the mood by asking what part of Ireland he had just boated over from. I tried to sound witty and silly however, I got the impression he did not take my humor as funny but more as a prejudice.
As he set my beer on an O'Malley bar napkin and flipped the bar towel over his shoulder, he smiled kindly and then slowly sauntered towards the backroom with a single answer. "Dublin."
I wondered if all the men in Dublin were as gorgeous as Mr. O'Malley. I began to absorb the finer details of my friendly neighborhood bartender as he walked with a manly type swagger into the backroom.
As I sipped on my beer, I worked myself up thinking sultry thoughts. I envisioned him wrapping his strong muscular arms around me and slowly pulling me in for a long sweet kiss. My mental vision caused a soft gentle sigh from my lips.
I mentally rattled off all the pluses of my attraction to him as his recent demeanor had me wondering if he was at all interested in me. Unlike his flirty eye contact and warm gentle smile, that he blessed me with several times earlier at lunch today. That behavior was the one that told me he was interested and that was what built up my bravado to come in here now.
Although his crystal blue eyes had widened with interest as he looked at me when I first blew my hair out of my face. If I had not known better, for a split second, he was just as interested in me as I was him. So why the cold distant behavior now that was a far cry different from today's lunch rush?
As I slowly sipped my cold draft beer, I quickly envisioned what he would look like naked behind that bar serving me. Better yet, no one but us and the empty bar to ourselves. Those thoughts put a sexy smile on my face just as Blake O'Malley walked back towards me from the backroom and I liked the reaction it got out of him. I was now sure he was just as interested in me as I was in him.
Sure, he is sexy as hell, warm and inviting one minute, then put out and in a rush the next minute. I guess sometimes men had other things on their mind other than sex. Wait a minute, I need to retract that thought. Men always had sex on the brain. Maybe it was something else that was bugging him. However, I was not going to be pushing my womanly instincts to find out and fix. I was just going to give him another sultry sexy smile and watch the reaction that takes place.
This time I was sure he blushed as he turned with a smile, placing his back towards the bar and stared at me through the reflective mirror that held the bars expensive alcohol. It came very clear at that moment, Blake was a bit shy and when there was a roomful of people, it was easy for him to flirt and move around the room casting his eyes my way with interest. However, with only a few patrons in the bar and a woman like myself letting it apparent I was interested, perhaps he needed me to make the first move.
I looked over my shoulder at the few patrons left and smiled their way. They smiled back and a small conversation followed. "Looks like we are going to get that blizzard they've been talking about all day." I smiled and offered the suggestion their way that hitting the road would be a good idea. A few comments about the weather and roads started up and Blake turned around to join in on the conversation. As soon as I saw an opening, I offered up a mild suggestion with only a sexy tone to my voice. "Blake." He turned directly to me at the sound of my voice and smiled. I offered up the mild suggestion to Blake but intended it for the rest of the patrons in the room. "I suppose I should close out my tab as you might be wanting to close the pub soon?"
That got the other patrons talking as they began slapping cash down on their table and all talking about their dreaded drive home. The only response I got from Blake was a touch of his hand and a soft whisper of words. "Hang out a minute. It's on the house."
I knew at that precise moment, Blake and I were about to get to know each other just a little bit better.
A flash of warmth filled between my legs as I could think of nothing better than a slow linger of my fingers over his chiseled chest. Then letting my fingers wander on down. The thought of him in bed making me scream in the throes of orgasm kept slipping into my mind. I imagined that he was incredible in the love department. He had what looked to be very large masculine skillful hands, hands that could wander over every curve on my body and bring me to the brink. I fanned myself with my hand for second and tried to come back to reality. Smiling to myself with my devilish thoughts, I looked around the bar with a silly grin on my face from my last thought. I noticed the bar was almost empty except one lone patron in the corner that was holding up our progress.
Blake had walked over with that sexy swagger of his that made me tingle again. The bar towel was tossed over his shoulder as he cleared all the old glasses and asked the old man if he needed another drink.
I got a wry glance from the old man and then watched him look at Blake. He slapped a twenty on the table and grumbled something about the cold snow and keeping warm. Blake followed the man to the door, flipped the open sign to close, and locked the door.
As he turned to me, it hit me. I was completely alone with a man I just met today, that had me in a heated mess just thinking about what his kiss could do to me.
I let my lips smile upwards but I felt the heat in my face rise to a blush and then I quickly looked down at my draft beer and took a quick sip. By the time I looked back up Blake was back behind the bar standing in front of me smiling.
"Can I ask you to stay for a hot cup of soup and warm sandwich, Katelyn Crown?"
I was shocked. He remembered my name from lunch. Perhaps he had spent a moment or two thinking of me as well today. "You remembered my name?" I offered up with a wink.
"I did. But it was your beauty I remembered most." He said it with that Irish accent that let me know he was truly born in Dublin and had not been here long. I watched his hand reach out and touch the top of mine. As our hands touched, I felt something. A slight tingle or maybe it was just the cold dry air that caused a slight shocking sensation. I knew I should not try to fool myself; it was the electricity of our sexual desires. Sometimes it takes only one look, one touch of a man to know that chemistry has produced a smoldering link between us that can only be chilled after our yearnings have been completed.
"I would love a cup of hot soup." I practically let the words ooze out of my mouth with sexual suggestion. He smiled at me with a shy look and whispered 'terrific' as I watched him turn and start towards the kitchen. He was gone for a short moment but I heard him humming an Irish hymn from the back kitchen. It made me smile that I got this opportunity to see him tonight. The entire day since lunch, I had spent thinking about him and what he looked like, how he moved about a room working and how friendly and real he seemed with the customers.
I got up from the bar to go sit under the table with the mistletoe. I stood under it for a moment dreaming of what his kiss will be like when he touched my arm with his thick muscular hand. I was mesmerized by the feel of his large strong hand gently holding my arm. He smiled at me as he looked up to see the mistletoe. What better way to cheer a lady up than with a sincere, warm and friendly, holiday kiss. As he looked back down to meet my eyes, he saw that his eyes looking up at the mistletoe had directed mine into the same spot. Then I looked back down from the mistletoe, stopping at his eyes. I seemed almost mesmerized as my lips took a slow sensual turn upwards at the corners. Obviously, that was the invitation he could not resist.
His mouth covered mine in what started as a slow sensual friendly sort of kiss than he felt my resolve. I felt as if I almost melted into his arms. My mouth opened eagerly and the kiss turned hot and steamy. His hand on my arm had moved to the back of my head, wrapping itself up in my curly hair while he gently held my head in closer to his. His other hand had wrapped around behind me to the small of my back rubbing slowly up and down against my dress. Wishing it was the naked skin of my back he was touching.
Just when I was sure he was going to pull away, my hands wrapped themselves around the back of his neck and I began to moan softly and continue kissing him harder, deeper.
I was not sure who was seducing whom and I really did not care. Because at that moment I was only thinking about how incredible his kiss felt.
I pulled away and was so breathless that I could barely get the words out. “Thanks.” I did not pull too far away but my hands had dropped to the front of his chest where I could feel his heart beat fast with the rise and fall of his chest, hard firm muscular chest, which was driving me insane. This man staring at me was so hot and speechless that I wasn’t sure if it was from the kiss or that the kiss we just shared was the best damn kiss I ever got or gave for that fact. There was something here, something magical.
The silence between us was making me nuts. I had to wonder what he thought and if he felt the same as me. I felt a bit breathless but I slowly let out the most natural thing everyone was saying this time of year. “Well. Merry Christmas.”
However, he did not respond nor did he let his hands leave from touching me. He looked back at my mouth and began kissing me again. I took that action in replace of words. The sound of a door chime made us both stop our kiss and pull away from each other.
A stranger's voice bellowed into the air. “So is this how you are getting new patrons into my bar. A little unorthodox don’t you think?”
A lighthearted chuckle filled the silence of the room. I felt my face flush with a feeling of heat to match my embarrassment and I closed my eyes thinking that would block the stranger from seeing me. I felt Blake turn and stand in front of me while his hand still touched me on my side. I wanted to move. Pick up my purse and coat and run. To think for a minute, or two or three, I wanted to seduce this gorgeous man's brains out. Instead, I might get him fired. That would just be insult to injury. I really didn’t know if I could handle the guilt on this one.
I was still in a flight mode, with thoughts of how to get out quick. Perhaps from the embarrassment of being caught, or the fact that these steamy thoughts I was having about him were only escalating instead of making common sense.
Blake's Irish voice spoke up. "Uncle. You brought me here to America to run your pub like an the Irish do back home. Any bloke that sees the sign is closed and locked would know better. But since you've let yourself in. Meet my lovely new friend, Katelyn Crown. Katelyn my uncle Michael, the reason I left Dublin.
I smiled and offered my hand out to the very old man that was using a cane. He shook it gently then laid a soft kiss on my cheek. "I see you've met my Blake. He's a catch dear. Many Irish tears were crying when he left."
I let out soft light laughter, as I knew internally that comment held some truth. However, I was sure that my Irish man was feeling rather possessive as his hand slipped into mine and led me over to the table under the mistletoe we were just kissing by. "Uncle sit. Let me get you some dinner. Snow storm bothering your arthritis?"
I watched as Blake talk tenderly to his uncle, asking him how his knee surgery went and if he was set on groceries. He went back and forth into the kitchen talking nonstop as he brought out a bowl of hot potato soup and a sandwich on rye bread. Then as he flitted back into the kitchen, his uncle laid his hand on me and smiled. "Blake is a great man, a real catch. I can see he is rather smitten with you."
"As I with him." I laughed lightly. The word smitten seemed so old fashioned to what my real feelings were for Blake. They were carnal and chemistry festering to a peak just before his uncle unlocked the pub door and let himself in. Perhaps it was a good thing we were interrupted before things got too out of hand.
As Blake came back with a bag full of food and set it on the table, he smiled at me wickedly and winked. That was all I needed to heat things back up. Blake quickly explained to me what his uncle was doing here. Apparently, he lived upstairs in the apartment above the pub. That he didn't bother stocking his own kitchen when the pub kitchen was well stocked. Yet the only way to get to the pub kitchen was through the stairs outside and use the front door of the pub. When I asked Blake where he lived, his uncle raised his eyebrows and slowly got up mumbling something about that being his cue to leave. I watched Blake carry the bag and help his uncle to the door. He turned with that wicked smile and told me to wait right there, he would be right back.
As I sat in the chair under the mistletoe looking up at how the day had transpired I imagined this holiday season was going to be a great one. I thought back to the first glance I took at Blake and was instantly attracted. I thought of how shy he seemed tonight but how quickly he got over that. Before I could think another thought, I felt his lips drop to mine and warm my mouth with a tingling sensation.
"I couldn't resist." His Irish accent made me giddy with anticipation. "Doors locked and my uncle is settled in for the storm. I don't suppose you want to get back to where we were?"
There was no doubt in my mind this was going to be one of the merriest of Christmas's yet. "Why Blake O'Malley, I do believe we were wishing each other a very Merry Christmas."
The End.
Christmas Surprise
A holiday romance short story.
His fingers wandered slowly and methodically over my body. This time it felt different. There seemed to be a delicate nature to his kiss. It started on my mouth and slowly moved to my neck to the most sensitive spot right under my ear. Each time he was more delicate and sensitive in his touch. His eyes held emotion and his touch was all about me, touching me gently in places that I wanted to be touched repeatedly. I could think of nothing more at the moment when his eyes gently closed and his mouth covered mine again.
A noise of conversation and staff loading platters of food back up stilled our actions. We both let out a very quiet laughter covering our mouths. As our breathing began to resume to a normal pace, the thought of how horrific my hair must be and getting back into my heels on this chilly night had no highlight to it. When I would rather be wrapped up in a soft blanket, in front of a fire, with the man standing next to me.
His voice, so deep and rich, broke my mental thought process. "We should get back out there and mingle in the crowd." We should but I didn't really want to. However, something was nagging me in the back of my head. I ignored it and fixed my dress. I took my hair out of the jeweled holiday clip I had meticulously put it up with and fingered it through the mess we had made of it.
His thick timber voice caught me off guard again. "Don't worry. You look beautiful as always. Just tell everyone your hair thing broke. No one will suspect a thing. Shall I go first out of the pantry or you?"
I didn't answer so I guess he took that as he should go. He laid a quick peck of a kiss on my cheek and was gone out the pantry door, quietly closing it behind him. I heard him tell one of the staff he thought that was the bathroom. When I walked out moments later, I got a few raised eyebrows and a wink from a male staff. I was sure my face was as red as Rudolph's nose.
Earlier that evening...
With only five days until Christmas, my sister's annual friends, family and neighborhood party loomed over my head. She had casually asked, only a million times, if I was planning on bringing anyone and if so, could I not bring another disastrous man to her house. One year, only once, did I have a weird year and a weird boyfriend that I brought to her house. So he spoke loudly, mentioned off the wall political comments that offended everyone including myself, then broke her favorite porcelain nativity scene when he fell back drunk after drinking too much spiked eggnog. However, she was not going to let me forget.
This year I had been too busy with my new title of Divisional Manager that finding a decent date, let alone dating anyone was off my radar. The last good thing I had going for me was the coat check guy at the Annual Managers Business Holiday Fundraiser. I didn't get his name or number and I didn't know if that was someone who would enjoy one of my sister's uptight, for the rich only, holiday parties.
I had spent hours getting ready, making sure my outfit wasn't too slutty as my sister requested, but not too matronly or spinster. I settled on a classic pair of black leather boots, a long deep burgundy sweater dress, simple upsweep of my long brown hair, gold earrings and necklace and a gold watch. The watch was so I could keep time and make the earliest escape possible. I looked classic yet sensual on the off chance the guy Dan casually hinted might be there as a set up for me.
Dan's my brother in-law but he knows my sister like I do and knows that telling me ahead of time could avoid a war between my sister and I. It was their way of suggesting I should join the miserable ranks of the married folk. I on the other hand, just wanted to make it through the holidays with family and get back to my career.
My history with men was unwitting and I had charted a new course at the beginning of the year. No more men still in college that has outstanding loans, or who claim to be managers when really they flipped burgers and definitely no more political martyrs that drank too much.
Heading out to my sister's...
I left my condo to see that my car was blocked by a delivery truck for a neighbor and I was already twenty minutes later than my sister requested I arrive. I started my car to warm it up and then hit the button to open my trunk. I raced back inside to grab the load of gifts and slipped on the ice. I proudly landed on my butt and let out a loud 'grr' as I felt the cold seep into my burgundy dress. I clambered up and opened my front door. I grabbed the gifts and slowly walked back out to my car. I set the gifts inside the trunk and slammed it shut. I reached inside my car and turned it off.
By the time I made it back outside, now wearing the cream colored sweater dress that was my second choice as it was very sexy, I noticed the delivery truck had backed up and knocked my taillight out. No note on the windshield and I felt my phone buzzing with what was surely my sister calling wondering where I was at.
At that moment, my life sucked enough that I wondered if I could fake the flu. Something in me told me to suck it up and knowing that I looked rather good in the new cream cable knit dress that Dan's set up guy might actually take notice, if he was worth it.
I started up my car hoping the broken taillight would not get me pulled over and drove the side streets to my sister's expensive elite neighborhood on the ridge, where only the richy-riches lived.
I pulled up slowly, now officially an hour later than my sister requested. I knew she would be mad and she would find a way to put her digs in. I parked at the end of the driveway and noticed a few other cars. The party didn't officially start but all of five minutes ago and being fashionably late was my norm along with most of the party goers who would show at least an hour late. Case in point, being late for the Annual Business Holiday event led to something quite spectacular - the coat check guy.
With the snow falling in big white flakes I stood outside looking up into the falling flakes with my presents in hand and my heated breath leaving plumes of smoke in the air.
The climb up the steps outside my sister's perfect house left me exhausted. For the love of Pete, it was only five steps, I told myself. However, deep down, I knew it wasn’t the steps they were catching my breath, but the onset of dread from being lonely once again at the holidays that kept compressing my chest, gripping my heart.
By the time I made it to the door, the sound of an expensive car parking in front of the house caught my attention before I rang the doorbell. I turned to see a black Range Rover with expensive chrome wheels parked directly behind my car. I narrowed my eyes to try to see who was in the car but the darkened windows held the mysterious visitor. I wondered if it was some strange weird man my sister was trying to set me up with. Perhaps a lonely coworker of my sister's husband Dan, although I would bet he was partially bald and a good fifty pounds overweight, the classic Dan coworker. I was just about to press the button on the doorbell to let everyone know that lonely me had arrived, when the sound of the heavy SUV door slammed and a thick heavy voice cleared his voice. I turned to see the man of my fantasy dreams walking up the sidewalk with a few presents in hand. He carried expensive looking gold bags with red colored tissue sticking out of the top and expensive bows on the handles.
I let a grin spread across my face as our eyes greeted each other. I could not speak. I wanted to but words would not escape me. Instead, I felt my stomach do a flip-flop as his own gorgeous smile spread across his lips and an exquisite set of dimples displayed on his face.
He was no coat check hired help. He was somebody else, somebody special. I could see it in the car he drove, the expensive wool coat he wore and the pressed slacks that peeked out. His expensive Italian leather shoes looked freshly shined.
“Merry Christmas.” His rich and hearty voice sang out. I almost dropped my presents to the porch. Instead, I gathered my bravado and let out a sultry sigh thinking a million sultry thoughts in one about this man. "I don't suppose my sister hired you to do coat check at her annual Christmas party?"
Before his sexy dimpled mouth could reply, the door to my sister's house rushed open and Dan stood there looking a bit awkward. "Oops. I was hoping to introduce you after he got here. Cindy meet Mark. Mark this is my sister in-law Cindy. Mark is the new district manager over at work and well, Cindy, you know your sister." He winked at me.
I wanted to tell Dan that Mark and I had already met, at the coatroom at the Denver Business Managers Annual Christmas event. Instead, Mark acted as if he never met me before.
"Allow me to properly introduce myself." He said with a smirk on his face. Dan took the presents from my arms and I offered my hand out for a polite handshake. Although, I knew where those hands had been.
"Mark Strivers and you are?" I had to try not to laugh. We had been grossly engaged into each other not so long ago, amongst the winter coats of so many others and we had left without knowing each other's names. I had considered it an out of body experience that one should not have with the coatroom checker and he did not know my name when I left him there that night. Thinking I had left a very happy man to check coats. Thinking back, his tux that he wore that night was not wait staff help typical cheap tux. However, he had led me to believe that was who he was.
"Cindy Wilson." We let our hands rest to our side and I watched a wink from his eye. He leaned in and whispered into my ear. "I don't suppose we want to ruin Dan's set up by letting him know that we know each other already. He's been talking you up for days."
I smiled and looked down then slowly up. "He's a great guy. I would hate to ruin his surprise."
"Then shall we enter and pretend we have never met?"
"Sounds fun." Just then, my sister stuck her head at the door and asked if I could come help in the kitchen. In a matter of seconds, I was whisked off to the central station of all holiday parties and put to work. I felt a hum in my voice and a pep in my step, because as soon as I was done helping my sister, I could get out there to mingle with the other guests, especially one in particular.
It wasn't long into the party and three happy drinks later, my sister found the moment to bring up my Christmas past. The stories of the, oh so lonely sister, who only dates down and out destitute who tend to break her precious nativity scene. I stood there feeling the weight of the room close in when Mark dropped his glass of bourbon on the carpet. You would have thought that world war three broke out for my sister. I took that moment to escape, wondering if Mark had done it at my expense.
I quickly found the silence of my sister's basement laundry room. It was bigger than the walk-in pantry in her kitchen and it held ever semblance of show home quality just as a laundry room alone. However, it was the last place I figured anyone would find me. Mark opened the door and walked in slowly, looking at me with warmth. I watched him close and lock the door behind him, and within moments, I was wrapped up in his arms.
“I…?” I felt his delicious mouth cover mine in a deep sensual kiss that left my feeling as if the room was spinning.
As we pulled apart, he looked down into my eyes with serious concern. “You ok?” After my sister's personal attack in front of everyone, about failing one disastrous relationship after another, I had slunk out of the room with Dan's distraction to change the subject and found myself hidden away in the basement laundry room. I was just about to lock the door and cry when Mark knocked softly. Was I ok? Not then, but now everything seemed to melt away.
His kiss did wonders but I felt a need to cry. He held me as I cried and shook from the sobs of tears. He guided me against the dryer, trying to get some sense out of me. He could tell I just needed to get it all out in the open even though my words were hard to understand between the tears. However, what he did understand was ‘I'm not the person my sister just made me out as.’ That was enough for him to hear.
By the time I seemed to be in sniffle mode, he had his hand under my chin and a clean washcloth from the laundry basket. I wiped my face with it as I watched a smile cross his face. "I know a way that will make you forget all that."
I was sure he did. He said it in such a way of sexual contentment that I was sure he could easily make me forget. However, my sister's laundry room was not the place. I continued to let my breathing become normal and then he laid a soft kiss on my lips and excused himself to get my coat and purse. "I'll let Dan know that I'm taking you home. He can supply your sister with the distraction while we escape out the backdoor and why your car is still there later when she asks."
"But..." His firm finger pressed to my lips. "No buts. No expectations. Let's just get out of here and go make our own good time."
As he let his lips cover mine once more I couldn't argue with his ideas. I wouldn't say my mind thought of romantic holiday things to do, instead I wondered if he would notice the ten outfits I tried on before I left to come here sitting on my bedroom chair or if we'd get that far. All I could think about doing was what we did in the coatroom and my sister's walk-in pantry that perhaps waking up to the gorgeous hero in front of me was the best holiday gift after all.
I watched him walk out and it wasn't long before he returned with my purse and coat and a very wry smile. "Dan's got us covered for the next few minutes. My car is warming up outside and by the time we are gone, he will explain to your sister that I took you home. You can decide what you want to tell her later."
That Christmas was the best one yet and the only explanation I decided to give my sister that night was the wedding invitation to our spring wedding we planned. Every Christmas after that, we reserved our time to ourselves. No more torturous Christmas friend parties at my sisters, just Mark and I making new Christmas memories wrapped up in a warm holiday blanket in front of a roaring fire.
The End.
Whatever I Please
How does one successful career woman survive the hard economic times of reinventing her career? By taking a step away from it all and breathing in the fresh ocean air while letting herself relax. It pays to have helped those in her past to be successful, now it is time to call upon those to help her get back on track. Turquoise Suthers played fair in the high stakes career of recruiting until the economy took her career down with it. The last thing she was looking for at this resort was a lover who might possibly help her career. What she found was the strength to call upon old friends and approach what might possibly be a disastrous situation with style.
Chapter One
In a world of high stakes jobs and fast-paced careers, I had carved a niche for myself. Then the economy tumbled down and my business with it. I was a high priced, well-paid recruiter. I was the go to woman that got the job for the person who had the skills. I was the one that could negotiate the salary and benefits and get the person a sign on bonus, taking my fair share of money from it. I was good. No, I was better than good. I was incredible. My client list was exquisite, my recommendations came high and my salary was beyond what one might imagine it to be for simply finding a person a job.
I am Turquoise Suthers, tall slender build, with a short professional haircut. My hair was brown but for this trip, I went platinum blonde. I am a now an unemployed, ex business owner and I am finding out that what once was, will not be again, for a while. Therefore, I have decided to take a week or two off from the stress of redesigning myself and just sit on a beach.
That may sound odd for a woman of my nature. One that worked seven days a week, fourteen hour days to get my clients the top job they deserved and me a huge chunk of that success. However, after spending a year out there, competing with some of those very same clients for jobs far less than what I had found them for previously and far less money than we deserve, I decided I needed to just do whatever I please for a while.
That's how I landed here. White sandy beaches, crystal clear blue water and a private exclusive resort that belongs to one of my favorite clients, Richard Gharry. Richard was a nobody bartender back in the states some years back. One very well made martini and a sales pitch later and I had found the version of me in a gay man's body. In less than one martini, he had convinced me to redesign him into a resort manager and get him a job anywhere there was sand, ocean and rich gorgeous looking men open for an adventure.
He was a fast learner and did everything I said. It took him only three years of job transitions and a marriage to a very rich gay man to get his own resort. He was living the good life.
He was also a man I could turn to in a crisis. Richard and his partner had invited me out to their private resort numerous times, all of which I had turned down. However, being lost in a sea of unemployed executives, trying to figure out their next move, I finally succumbed to his last offer and told him I would catch a flight as soon as I could.
So here I was. On the beach, the sounds of the ocean lapping against the shore, the warm soft crystal like sand under my toes and the cool ocean breeze is flowing through my short blonde hair.
I dropped my wrap and sandals next to the covered cabana. I laid back into the plush double lounger of white fluffy pillows and a side table. Within seconds, a gorgeous cabana man stood shirtless next to me and asked if I desired anything. His tanned body and rippling muscles gave me pause. I smiled inwardly at how I would desire a man like him but he was a bit too young for my taste. I liked my men bold and adventurous yet mature enough they knew their way around a woman without a map. Maybe it was my age of forty-two speaking this internal nonsense. I had never been one to turn down a gorgeous man, however this one was really only here to take my drink order.
"I'll have a vodka tonic. Could you be a dear and tell Richard I am here."
"He already knows. My name is Jack. If you need anything else, feel free to ask. Mr. Gharry requested that you have only the best service and your every wish fulfilled."
He said it with extreme sexual notation to his voice and I had no doubt that Mr. Gharry, my Richard, would send someone to attend to me that could and would fulfill my every wish. However, a man was not what I needed. I needed a break from the rat race and a mind set to get a new career online.
Chapter Two
"Turquoise, darling. There you are. I told Jock to take care of you." The man I once thought was straight for the first few hours we met, had a flamboyant accent going when he said Jock instead of Jack, I heard the upper class tone of money oozing out. I didn't care. I loved him anyway.
I stood to give him a hug. "Richard. Darling. Thank you for inviting me."
"If only you came sooner. I would have rescued you from that nasty recession they are having over there in the states."
I laughed lightly. "Richard. They are having it everywhere."
"Not here darling. Although, it was rather clever of me to only accommodate the lifestyles of the very rich and the very famous. My private resort is only for those who have money."
"Well if I don't get back on track, I won't have any money left to my name."
"That bad?"
"That bad."
"Well, don't worry darling. Duke and I will take care of you. We have always wanted a gorgeous woman like you flittering around like eye candy. By the way, I love what you have done with the hair. It brings out the bright blue in your eyes."
I laughed at his flirtatious way of making me feel good. "Honey, if you wanted eye candy you wouldn't be bringing a forty year old to the table."
"You don't look a day over classic thirty. How do you do it?"
I did it by not allowing myself much sun or sugar. The two main ingredients to damaging skin and making a woman look older than she is. Add to the fact, I rarely drank alcohol but this trip was an exception. However, I wanted to toy with Richard as he was always so much fun. "It must be the facial yoga, darling."
"Oh my! Being unemployed must give you plenty of time to practice your facial yoga on your lovers. We have plenty of yoga classes here, however, if you desire a private yoga class to practice you're facial yoga on a hot young stud, all you need to do is ask."
I took a sip of my vodka tonic. "I see you know how to accommodate a woman's needs."
"Honey, we can accommodate you for anything you desire."
We began laughing at our own banter and fell back onto the double lounger with the white fluffy pillows. Richard lifted his hand and Jack appeared out of nowhere. "White wine spritzer darling and for you my dear."
I set my vodka tonic that I was nursing off on the side table and asked for a cold bottle of water. The flight into the resort and the limo ride here had me dehydrated. The few sips of vodka had already numbed my nervous edge that was humming through my body as soon as I stepped foot off the plane.
"So what's sar you doing deese days?" He spoke with a touch of accent.
"Richard. Where's the Richard I fell in love with at the bar that very first time we met. The man that had that bold daring sense to him? That kind of James Dean or 007 agent act."
"Only for you darling." His voice sounded so much more like the flirty Richard I met so long ago. I had a feeling the accent was only a show for those at the resort.
"Lately, darling, I'm not full of anything." I teased.
"Ouch. I can take care of that for you."
"Jack's too young."
"No he's not, but if you prefer older than I shall get you that."
"Don't. I would hate to hurt Jack's feelings as I think we've got an eye contact thing going. He looks at me like I'm young and hot and I look at him like I did at men a few years ago."
"Darling, you are young and hot. I'm not too sure about this short haircut. Whatever happened to your long flowing brown hair? And you're so white. Do they not have any sun over there in the states?"
I laughed until I almost started crying. "Richard, honestly it's tough out there. I'm competing for jobs far less than what I am accustomed to, against clients I used to find a job for, at a much higher pay rate. I could have fought it out and stayed in the recruiter business but with corporations cutting back on expenses I guess they think they could do a better job. Clients don't want to give up any percentage of their sign-on bonus, if they even get one, to have someone else find them a job. I suppose the hair got short when I needed a more professional look. The blonde I did just for you, right before coming here. You like?"
"You're amazing no matter what your hair looks like. With features like yours, you could wear a turban and look sexy."
I laughed and patted his hand. I let out a deep sigh and stared out at the ocean. The comfort of hanging with an old friend mixed with the sounds and sights of the ocean waves lapping against the white sandy beach forced my breathing to relax to a soft slow lull. Richards soothing voice brought my attention back to our conversation.
"Well darling, you are here to relax, refresh and stay as many days, weeks, months or years that you want. I miss you terribly."
We held hands and looked out to the ocean. "I missed you too. Thank goodness for Skype because international calls were cut from my budget." Richard gave me a look of concern and I was not one to be anybody's burden. I decided to change the subject with my dear old friend. "So things are obviously good here at the resort, when do I get to see Duke? Things are still good there?"
"For the most part. It's difficult having all these gorgeous men and women come walk our beaches every day. I'm not the hot young stud I use to be."
I patted his hand and accepted my cold bottle of water from Jack, as Richard took his wine glass off the tray.
Jack discreetly walked away and I swore he disappeared into thin air but if I raised my hand, he would show. Therefore, I did and there he was in a flash.
"How do you do that?"
"What is that mam?"
I choked on the word 'mam' as I was taking a sip of my ice-cold water bottle. I knew it was a form of endearment but I was starting to feel my age from the stress of being jobless. Not to mention, no job meant no massages, no personal trainer, no professional sunless spray tan, no expensive organic juice stops, no facials or cellulite conditioning. One year off from all that and I felt ten years older. I knew I couldn't feel young forever.
I finally regained my composure. "I'm sorry Jack. I just wanted to see how quickly you would appear, as you disappeared so fast."
"That is my job Ms. Suthers." He touched my arm and I felt a nice sensation run through my body. In a pinch, I might take him up on all that he has to offer.
"I won't do that again unless I really need you." I laughed lightly.
"Jock, would you be a doll and let Duke know where we are lounging."
Then Richard turned to me. "We have a luau planned for tonight. Very island of us. Duke wanted to throw you a little show for his appreciation of bringing us together."
"Very sweet of him. Back to you. You were saying Duke and you...?"
"I was saying, with Duke being fifty next year and I am turning thirty five we are getting older."
I laughed gingerly and patted his leg. "You don't look a day over twenty five and I'm sure Duke still looks like Duke."
"Actually Turquoise, I'm a bit scared. See we have added some incredible spa services. Whatever you want over in the states, we have here on the island: lipo, botox, laser, we've got it. Duke is looking incredible these days."
"Maybe Duke is the one afraid of losing you." I decided the dehydration was really setting in, so I practically downed half my bottle of water. Thinking to myself that the Duke I knew had fallen head over heels in love with Richard and together they were a perfect pair.
"Perhaps, he has been rather possessive lately. Anyways, I've put some thought into this. I'm thinking of hiring a resort manager and there's a small island property in a small village that Duke and I were thinking of buying just off this island. That or we have some property on this island that isn't developed yet and we could have several acres all to ourselves. No gorgeous hot bodies flaunting around us all day to make us feel insecure. Although the idea of living so close to the resort wouldn't quite give us the feeling of leaving work. So we have been discussing both options."
"I completely understand."
"Anyways, we've come up with this idea to divide up the resort. Have a portion of it for the young rich and famous and another portion for those of us that have reached the mature arena. It's all in the beginning stages."
"Sounds interesting. To all of it. How far are you into the planning?"
"Not far. That's why we are dying for you to come visit us. I want you to take all the time you need to rest and relax. When you are feeling antsy, which I know you will be soon, I want you to come to the office and get settled in." He patted my leg and stood up while I sat there shocked.
"What are you asking, saying exactly, Richard?"
"Duke and I want you to work for us here at the resort for a while. Take over the transition, follow up on all of the business and perhaps stay and take over part of it while Richard and I make our grand escape."
I was shocked. I thought I was coming here for a rest and relaxation vacation, instead I was being offered a job. I did not want to look a gift horse in the mouth but I decided not to answer out of uncertainty.
"I take it you'll think about it?"
"Yes. But Richard, are you sure?"
"I could think of no one else I trust more. Besides, the beach becomes you." He stood with that air of confidence that women and men love. Left a soft peck of a kiss on the side of my cheek and was off walking in the sand in his full white linen suit and a white fedora. He looked stunning at thirty-five and there was times I wished the man wasn't gay. Nevertheless, life was what it was and I was still glad that man was in my life.
Chapter Three
I spent the next few hours playing in the ocean and adding color to my skin. Jack was there with every turn of my head. I took a moment or two to joke with him and he indeed confirmed that he was my personal assistant as long as I was on the island. A promotion he was competing for would depend on how good of a job he did for me. I had assured him that I would put in a good word. I asked him to set me up a massage for an hour from now as the salt water had taken its toll on my skin and hair, and my muscles ached for a kneading touch.
I headed back to my room to shower. On my way there, I caught site of a man a few years older. He was attractively stunning yet not the normal type of man I was attracted to. He had some gray hair sparsely placed on his deep chestnut brown hair. His face showed character yet I found him utterly fascinating. We said hello to each other in a pleasant passing and when I turned to look at his backside, he was turning to look at mine. That got a slight bit of laughter out of both of us as we continued walking on.
My room was lush with soft ocean colors for the decor, rich looking artwork on the walls and a view of the ocean from the balcony that could have me sitting there for hours. Instead, I caught a view of the man I just passed, laying in a hammock, looking as he had his eyes asleep and was enjoying the sun. His thick dark brown hair had slight graying throughout, his tan skin looked a bit leathered but his eyes had flashed a sparkle of a deep blue in passing, which held my attention the most. They were honest eyes. He had a bit of a dimple when he smiled as we caught each other checking each other out. I put him at late forties but his body was still in excellent condition for a man of his age.
Download this book for your ebook reader.
(Pages 1-21 show above.)