You Had Me At Christmas: A Holiday Anthology(53)

“Of course I did,” she hissed, realizing he was talking about last night. “You know I did.”

“I thought so, but something made you get up in the middle of the night and leave.”

Kate walked over to her couch and sat down. She patted the space next to her so that he would follow. When he sat it was close enough that their arms brushed and she could smell him. She wanted to lean into him and rest her head on his shoulder. She could honestly say she’d never had that impulse before in her life.

The way she’d treated him though, she doubted he would let her.

“It wasn’t the sex. The sex was amazing. At least I thought so.”

“It was amazing for me too. Usually women don’t go running out of my home in the middle of the night after amazing sex.”

Kate took a deep breath. “I freaked out.”

John nodded. “Okay. Something I can appreciate. Now you tell me why.”

Kate closed her eyes. She supposed the least she could offer him was the truth.

“The first time we talked, Christmas, I told you my father left when I was kid.”

“I remember.”

“He was a gambler, a bad one, which meant he also left us in a lot of debt. My mother and I worked hard and got through it, but it left its scar I guess. This place is a testament to my goal of getting as far away from that place of despair as I could. I never really grieved for him. I was too angry. Still am if I think about it. When people used to ask me why I never married, I used to say it was because I had to give everything to growing the business. But I think that’s not the whole truth.”

John turned to her. “I’m sorry your dad was an * but I’m not that guy, Kate. I don’t cut and run.”

“I know,” she said. “I think that’s why I was scared. I was lying there next to you watching you sleep… you’ve got this really cute snore, by the way.” She smiled. “Anyway I thought to myself that I had never wanted anything more. It scared the hell out of me, because then I thought about what it be like if I trusted you and you left me.”

“It would hurt. How do you feel now?”

“Pretty terrible.”

“You didn’t save yourself anything, but you deprived yourself of what could have been something wonderful.”

Could have been.

“Is that what you came here to tell me? That we could have had a good thing?”

John stood. “I wanted to know if I had done something to upset you. I wanted to know if you suddenly realized you’re too damn good for me.” He looked around the office. “I mean, look at this place. Your office is bigger than my whole damn boat.”

“No. And no,” Kate said firmly.

John looked at her as if deciding whether or not he believed her. Then his chin jutted out a little and she could see he’d made up his mind. “Go get me your phone.”

“My phone?”

He raised his eyebrows as if to say he was in no mood to be questioned, and Kate got up and walked over to her desk. She picked up the smart phone and handed it to him.

“Unlock it and I’ll put my number back in.”

Trying not to smile like some lovestruck girl, she unlocked it and handed it to him. He was going to give her a second chance.

She watched him tap in numbers. “Oh, and you have to…”

“Unblock me. Yep. Got it.”

Kate winced. “Sorry.”

He handed her back the phone with a grim expression. “It’s okay to be scared, Kate. I get it. I’m not going to lie, you scare the shit out of me too. But if it happens again, you don’t run. We talk about it. Deal?”

She put her hand out for him to shake on it. “Deal.”

“Okay,” he said, using that hand to pull her against him. “Let’s try this again. Kate McCullen, will you have dinner with me, John Abbott.”

John Abbott, she thought. It was a nice name.

“Yes, John, I will.”

“Good. Now kiss me, so I can get back to work. My boss is going to kill me. Fortunately he’s a sucker for romance.”

Kate offered him a peck on his cheek. “The glass, my employees.”

“Fuck that,” John said and dipped her over her his arm, kissing her as if he was Rhett Butler and she was Scarlett.

When he finally pulled her back to standing, Kate’s face was beet red and yes, her employees had gathered around her office to enjoy the show. The traitor Sally was front and center, giving her a thumbs up.

“I’ll never live this down.”

John gave her a quick swat on her backside, which had her blushing even more.

“I’ll call you,” he told her.

“I’ll answer.”

He smiled and opened her door, and the sea that was her extended family parted ways. John walked up to the receptionist Mary with a bashful smile. A smile even the stern Mary would forgive.

“Sorry for crashing.”

“Who is this man?” Mary wanted to know.

Kate smiled. “Everyone, this is John. And he’s…”

“I’m her boyfriend. Get used to seeing me around. Later, babe.”

She gave him a wave and watched him walk back down the hall. A few moments later she could hear the roar of his motorcycle taking off.