Chapter 10
ten
Olivia
A sharp knock on the bedroom door jerks me from what might have turned into a seriously sexy dream. Gabe refused me again last night, saying I wasn’t ready. I understand the emotional readiness he insists on but my body was so ready I probably would have exploded two seconds after he touched me.
Rolling over I press my face into the pillow. How does he so easily read my emotions to know what I want or need? Even before I’m cognizant of them myself? So yeah, I was ready for sex, but not for any emotions attached to it.
Damn observant, moral man.
“Olivia?”
Angling my face I peer at the door with one eye. He’s standing there holding a small tray with a tall mug. At the slightly bitter aroma of dark roast coffee I lift my head. “Better really be coffee.”
“Of course. Sumatra.” He takes a step closer.
“Give.” While he moves toward the bed I push off the mattress and turn over, sitting with my legs stretched out in front of me. My pajama bottoms twist around my knees and I tug at the tight wrap before holding out one hand and wiggling my fingers. “Give.”
Chuckling, he turns the mug so I can take the handle. “Not much of a morning person are you?”
I glare at him over the rim of the mug while taking a cautious sip. Ah, the perfect temperature. The rush of caffeine fills my mouth and spreads outward. “And I suppose you are?”
“Guilty as charged. However, I’ve spent enough of my life around those who need some time to get going. I’ll learn how long you need before facing the day.”
He’ll learn? That sounds long term. Hiding a rise of elation, I take another sip then lift the mug in salute. “Thanks. This is perfect. Just how I like to start my day.”
“Noted. Do you mind if I talk while you caffeinate?”
His baritone vibrates through me. I could listen to him mumble nonsense and be spellbound. “Go on.”
“I’ve got a busy day today in the office and I was hoping you’d be willing to give me a hand.”
“But it’s Saturday.” I wince at the whine in my tone. Need more coffee.
“The photographer for the catalog has scheduled a part day on Monday to finalize backdrops, lighting, whatever she needs. I need to have the vignettes I’m thinking about set up. So I need to decorate for Christmas.”
This is a good time to let him know the decision I made during the long night awake and wanting him. I rest the warm mug on my knee and take what feels like a ginormous chance. “Do you still want me to model for you?”
His expression brightens and he fist pumps the air. Staring at his fist like he’s never had it act that way, he rolls his eyes before leaning straight-armed on the mattress. “Is that a yes?”
“If you still want me, I’ll do my best.”
His eyes grow dark, intense, and I feel like I’m falling. “I will always want you, Livi.” He stands and scrapes his hand through his hair. When he looks at me again the desire has faded behind a happy sparkle. “Now there’s hope for the catalog. And makes your help today even more important. Finish your coffee. Get dressed. Jeans. I’m afraid there’s only cold pizza for breakfast.”
I scoot to the edge of the bed and stand without losing a single drop of coffee. “I love leftover pizza for breakfast.”
He winks. “I knew you were my kind of woman. Don’t want to push but there’s a shit load we need to get done.”
As much as I’d love to linger over my coffee, his excitement is infectious. “Won’t take me long.”
Forty minutes later I wipe pizza crumbs from my fingers and grab the large travel mug filled with fresh coffee and follow Gabe to the elevator. He pushes the lobby button. “First stop is the security desk.”
He introduces me to the pleasant older man who takes a photo of me with his phone, promising to have my ID badge ready by noon. “Add access to the penthouse,” Gabe adds as we’re leaving.
“Yes, sir.” The guard’s grin grows wide and he takes a long look at me. Strangely, I’m not uncomfortable because his interest doesn’t feel like a leer or in any way degrading. Instead I sense approval. Like I had from the owners of the restaurant. Gabe is surrounded by people who care for him.
That’s a feeling I barely understand.
The elevator takes us up a few floors and we exit into a large lobby with a set of double doors centered directly across from the elevator. Gabe moves to the keypad and I turn my head to the side while he punches in a code. The door eases open automatically and I peer into the dark space.
The windows are covered with blackout shades but the light from the lobby glints off the shine of a polished wood floor. “Light’s coming on,” Gabe warns.
The room is huge, easily taking up the entire floor, but empty. There’s doors along the far wall and a slightly raised, curved front platform under a row of spotlights. “Since we had the room, Mom decided we’d have a space designated for private showings and other gatherings. Turns out, it’s a perfect space for our photographers to do their thing.”
“What’s back there?” I ask and point to the line of doors.
“Dressing rooms. Storage. Although we keep the larger items like runway risers in the basement.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to keep those up here?”
“Yep, they’re a bitch to get into the freight elevator that’s back there, too. But Mom insisted the ‘ugly’ stuff be kept totally out of sight.”
“The informational material Abbot had states your mother started Angel Night.”
“She did. I’ll tell you more while we work, if that’s okay.”
“Sure. So, what are we doing again?”
He grins and starts toward one of the doors. “I told you earlier.”
“Before I had enough coffee. Until I’m at least a little caffeinated, I don’t retain much information.”
“I’ll remember. We are creating little holiday scenes to be used as backdrops for the photo shoot.”
I hold up one finger and tap my temple. “So the photographer can check lighting et cetera on Monday.”
“Exactly. See, mornings aren’t so terrible.”
“Says mister sunny rise and shine.”
He opens the door to a large storage room filled with green and red totes. Behind the stacks of containers is a line of assorted Christmas trees. “Mom loved Christmas. Decorated anything that wasn’t moving and some things that were. When I was around ten the family dog wore different elf hats and booties on every walk. Felt sorry for him but was also glad Mom didn’t dress me to match. Anyway, we had a tree in every room.
“Before she died, Mom shared her dream for the company and this Christmas catalog. I’m hoping to make it as close to her vision as possible.”
There’s sadness and the pain of loss in his eyes and I hesitate to ask, “How long ago…”
“Right after Thanksgiving last year. We put up the decorations for her around Halloween and she fought hard to make it to another Christmas.”
“I’m so sorry.” I set my empty mug at my feet and spread my arms. He moves quickly into my embrace and we hold each other for a long time. I wasn’t close to my parents and can’t imagine the depths of sorrow he feels. Maybe he’s right and I’m really not ready for anything emotional.
I kiss his cheek just above the edge of his beard and step back. His arms drop to his sides with slaps that echo in the large space. “Thanks, Olivia. That hug was perfect.”
Okay, so perhaps I do kind of know how to handle emotional stuff. I’m confused. This is something I need to work out for myself. When I’m alone and not distracted.
Gabe turns again to the storeroom. “When the staff took down the decorations, I had them stored here. Today we’ll use them for our backdrops.” His easy smile is in place when he glances at me. “Ready?”
Nodding, I retrieve my mug and follow him into the storage room. “There’s so much stuff. Where do we start?”
“Aha. Right here,” he says and picks up a tote that’s slightly larger than a shoe box. The lid releases with a snap and he turns his back to me to dig through the contents. “Perfect.”
Returning the tote to the stack, he faces me and holds up two green and red felt elf hats, complete with attached pointy ears. “Pick the one you want to wear.”
“You want me to wear… that?”
His grin fades a bit. “We always wore them while decorating. It’ll get you in the spirit.”
“Ho ho ho,” I reply and take the hat closest to me, shoving it on my head then spinning in a circle. “How do I look?”
He clears his throat. “Sexiest elf I’ve ever seen.”
I bite my lip to keep from making a self-disparaging remark. He tugs on his hat and adjusts the ears. Forget what I might look like, he’s one damn sexy elf. All he needs is a red vest trimmed with white fur. Open of course to show off the abs I’ve felt under his shirt. Maybe some low slung pants for more skin viewing. With the silver highlighting his dark hair and beard…
If I want to survive the day I’ve got to rein in my imagination. Time to work off some of my arousal with physical labor. “Okay, boss. What’s next?”
“The trees. We’ll put up the trees.”
By the time the security guard brings my ID and the lunch Gabe ordered sometime when I wasn’t paying attention, we have four completely decorated trees. We pulled chairs and side tables from another storage area to complete the mini rooms. Using rugs I found rolled up and leaning against a wall, we made the areas cozy.
I try to picture how I’m going to compliment the set dressing then give up. I can only imagine my short, thick body making the designs look bad. After he sees the actual photographs, Gabe will surely see I’m not the right choice. I dread that moment. Then there will be no reason to remain at Angel Night. I’ll be cut loose.
And on my own again with no prospects.
Backs pressed against the wall, we relax and share the huge chocolate chip cookie that came with our sandwiches. We spent the meal in comfortable silence, something I’m not accustomed to. Normally I feel compelled to fill the quiet with inane chatter, producing only monosyllabic responses from whoever I’m with.
Gabe has answered all my questions this morning and listened to my hesitant suggestions as though they were the most important words ever spoken. So now I’m not hesitant when I break the silence. “Tell me about Angel Night.”
Setting down the last of his cookie, he stares into the distance and smiles. “This was all my mom.”
“I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”
“I feel her presence here, especially when we talk about her.” He angles to face me and his eyes focus over my left shoulder, his pupils moving as he searches his memory.
“Mom was full-figured and complained enough to Dad about not being able to find comfortable bras and lingerie. Dad’s family had made their fortune with imports, including fabrics, so he used his contacts to purchase this building, cutting and sewing machines, and of course fabrics. On their tenth anniversary, he put a huge bow on the door and presented everything to her.”
“Wow. That’s amazing.”
“He also gave Mom complete control over the business. Within two years she’d made this a local success. Another two years and the company went national.”
“When did you start working here?”
He chuckles. “Feels like I’ve always been here. And I suppose I have been. Did odd jobs all over the building when I was a kid. When I could legally pull a salary, Mom made sure I received training in every department. Yep, even maintenance and housekeeping. I wanted to be here. Wanted to know everything. And by the time I graduated high school, I had good, working knowledge of the company.”
Falling silent, he picks the chocolate chunks from the remains of his cookie. “Open,” he says.
“What?”
He holds out a piece of chocolate between his thumb and forefinger. “Open your mouth. You need chocolate.”
He touches the sweet bit to the center of my upper lip and my mouth opens in response. He slips the candy onto my tongue and sits back. “In college I majored in business with a minor in fashion design.”
“You’re a designer, too?”
“Haven’t drawn anything for a couple years. After college I worked here but didn’t pay much attention to anything but enjoying life. Had a girlfriend for a while—until I realized she loved my money and not me. Dad died six years ago and Mom devoted her entire focus to the business. Like a dumb shit, I believed everything was fine.
“Mom didn’t tell me about the cancer. I had no idea she was so sick. She tried to keep going but didn’t have the stamina to run the company. Angel Night began to flounder.
“She finally told me about the cancer when there was no hope for regression and the cells were spreading through her body like wildfire. I moved back into her house and took care of her. Running the business wasn’t important but Brenda kept everything running as smoothly as she could.”
I rise to my knees and reach for him. He moves into my embrace and rests his forehead against mine. “I won’t allow Mom’s dream to die with her. I’m counting on this catalog and our renewed advertising campaigns to regain our past popularity.”
“Then we will make this the best sales season yet.”
His eyes glisten when he eases back. “We?”
There’s no reason to play coy. I’m beginning to realize and believe in what I want. Ultimately, it’s Gabriel Winter. “Yes, we. I’m in. As a model, or if that doesn’t work out then just as an office grunt. I’m in. One hundred percent.”
“Olivia, thank you.” Our kiss is gentle, exploring and filled with possibilities. And definitely not long enough. He presses his lips to my forehead then pulls me to my feet. “Let’s get the rest of the displays set up.”
We finish in record time then organize the remaining full totes in case additional items are needed for the photos. I uncover an unlabeled container, grab a handful of the contents, and hold them up to show Gabe. “A whole box full of mistletoe?”
He keeps stacking empty containers as he answers. “Mom was a romantic. Every door and archway had mistletoe. Although she never hung any after Dad passed.”
“I can understand that.” An idea blossoms and I gather more of the plastic sprigs in both hands.
“What are you doing?”
Voicing my idea isn’t as easy as having it. I’ve never claimed to be creative. This idea though, I’m liking more and more as each second passes. “What if…maybe… oh, this is silly.”
“Just tell me.”
“What if we take a whole bunch of these and glue them together or something and create a giant mistletoe to use in some of the photos?”
“Mom would have loved that. Hell, Livi, I love it.” He fingers some of the plastic stems. “I don’t know if glue will hold. Maybe we’ll need to wire them together. Or use zip ties. I’ll look for something that might work down in maintenance.”
“How about we do that tomorrow?”
“What do you have in mind for now?” He crowds into my personal space and I relish how his heat surrounds me. The storeroom, the large space dotted with trees bearing tiny twinkling lights, the worry about my future all fade. All I see, feel, know is him. I sigh. This is what he meant last night. Not just making love. The emotions of love. Lust ignites my body but now I love. I love him. Heart, mind, body, soul. I fell in love in just three days.
He said he wants to make love with me. Is that truly possible without being in love? In this moment I know it won’t be for me.
“Gabriel…” I lose the words as his expression shifts. His eyes grow darker as his pupils expand. He drops his gaze to my mouth. He cups the back of my head and crushes my lips with a hard, demanding kiss.
Breathing harshly, we break apart and simply stare into each other’s eyes. He must like what he sees and rewards me with another fierce kiss.
Trailing kisses he moves to my ear and tongues the lobe. Shivering with growing need, I clutch his shoulders and a moan vibrates in my throat.
I sense his smile. “You’re ready now, aren’t you, my sweet baby girl?”