Page 4 of Mistletoe Mistake
My self-control had won out, though, and now, I was simply bored and ready to return to my room. Tomorrow, I would get in touch with one of my contacts who could connect me with an agency here to provide women to meet any needs I may have. I preferred to handle things that way: keeping everything transactional to avoid any misunderstandings.
When my phone buzzed in my pocket, I gratefully took the excuse to leave the conversation, making my way out of the room and back to the hall where I took my phone out. The phone display showed my sister’s name and normally, I would let it go to voicemail at a business function. However, at this precise moment, I answered it as the lesser of two evils compared to the dull party I wanted to escape.
As I expected, her call was simply to check up on me. Every year at this time, the same thing happened: she called me nearly every day, as if I might have some kind of breakdown every time I saw a Christmas tree. I reassured her that I would only be in London for a couple of weeks and would still be home in plenty of time for Christmas so she could keep an eye on me in person. My tone seemed to reassure her even if my words didn’t, and after I'd hung up, I looked at the phone in my hand for a few seconds, wondering how upset Jackson would be if I just went back up to my room now and sent him a message to say I'd left.
Before I could decide, a flash of red caught my attention from the corner of my eye.
“I guess you have more Christmas spirit than I gave you credit for, Mr Lump of Coal.”
When I looked up, the gorgeous redhead from earlier stood in front of me with a smile on her face, and my pulse rate increased as I took in the sight of her again. She looked even sexier the second time I saw her, and I couldn't help imagining what she would feel like, and taste like, for that matter. It had been a long time since a woman had this kind of effect on me. My interest had definitely been piqued, but I would only act on it if we were on the same page.
I also had no idea what she was talking about. What had she said? Christmas spirit?
“What?” I managed to ask.
With a laugh, she pointed up to the ceiling. Following her point, I looked up to see that I had inadvertently stopped to take my phone call directly beneath a fake sprig of mistletoe.
“You know the rules,” she said as my gaze returned to her smiling face. “Anyone under the mistletoe gets kissed. Were you waiting here for me?”
Her tone was obviously teasing, but I never wasted time with flirting. I simply wanted to know if I had any chance of taking her upstairs with me. Could she be the kind of woman I was after?
“What would a kiss cost me?” I asked, trying to move the conversation onto more comfortable ground for me.
She laughed again, a light, musical sound that made my lips twitch against my will. “First one's free.”
With those words, she took a step closer to me, close enough that I could smell her perfume: a feminine vanilla and spice scent so enticing that I had an irrational urge to bury my face in her neck and inhale it more fully. Then, to my surprise, one of her hands slid up the side of my face and pulled me towards her as she stood on her tiptoes to plant a quick peck on my cheek.
The feel of her hand and the smell of her, her body so close to mine and the sight of those twinkling eyes damn near made me lose control.
“You call that a kiss?” The words came out rougher than I intended, and before she could respond, my hand found her waist, pulling her closer to me as I pressed my lips against her plump red ones in an almost electric collision, sending a shot of pure desire through me.
She didn't resist me. In fact, her hands went to my arms and brought me even closer to her.
The door to the hotel’s party opened, letting more people into the hall to join us, and the woman in my arms pulled back, giving an almost nervous laugh that made it clear to me that she wouldn’t have stopped if not for the interruption.
Just having her close to me had already begun to make me hard, and I wanted to get even closer, but first, I needed to clarify the situation.
“Why are you here tonight?” My hand still rested on her waist, feeling natural there.
She gave a half-hearted shrug, her green eyes locked on mine. “For work.”
So, shewasworking the party, as I thought, but in what capacity? “Dressed like this?” I asked, tracing the neckline of her dress with my free hand. The touch of my fingertips on her skin coaxed a sigh out of her, letting me know she felt this electricity between us just as much as I did.
“I just wanted to spread some Christmas cheer,” she said, making an effort to keep her voice steady though I could still hear the tremble in it.
I leaned down so I could whisper in her ear. “What else would you be willing to spread?”
A shiver went through her body as my lips grazed her neck, and though she didn’t answer me, her physical reaction told me what I needed to know: she wanted this too. Therefore, I moved on to more practical concerns.
“Are you finished for the night or do you need to go back?” Not sure how much longer I could wait, I internally prayed for the first option.
"I can leave. Are you making me a better offer?"
Her breath sounded shorter than before, and a satisfied smile began to spread across my face. That was exactly the answer I’d hoped for: she could be bought after all. I didn't imagine a girl like her would be cheap, but that had never been an issue for me. At this point, I would be willing to pay pretty much whatever she asked.
“What if I want the whole package?” I murmured, still keeping my lips next to her ear.
“Meaning?” Her hand pressed against my chest, sending the blood rushing south even more than before.
