Holiday for HIre(12)

He shrugged. “I knew it would make you uncomfortable. So I asked for your number instead .”

She lifted her chin in challenge. “Were you planning to call me to tell me about the buttercream ?”

He laughed. “I was planning to call you, period .”

“And then you did .”

He was standing so close—when had that happened? She liked it. Liked the way she could see the tiny creases around his eyes and the length of his lashes .

“The rest is history.” His eyes zoomed in on her mouth as though it were still capped in frosting .

She had to resist the desire to lick the imaginary sweetness from her lip .

The air between them was thick and hot and charged, and she knew if she stepped back, she could stretch it out. Could ease the tension that hung like the lights he’d just strung tautly along her windows .

But she stayed perfectly still .

With his gaze still pinned to her mouth, Ian said, softly, “I wanted so much to kiss it off of you .”

Her breath hitched. Had he really wanted to kiss her? “We’d only just met .”

She wondered if he might lean in and try to kiss her now. She wondered more how she’d respond if he did .

But then he was brushing past her to finish adhering the lights at the bottom of the frame. “Makes a great story, though, doesn’t it ?”

“Right. It makes a great story.” Because that’s what it had been—a story, and nothing more .

Ian bent to plug the cord into the socket. Then he stood back to admire the work .

“What do you think?” he asked .

She crossed to stand next to him. “It’s perfect .”

Then, because she liked him enough to want to be honest and because she knew that he’d be leaving soon, but mostly because she wasn’t ready for this dizzy, buzzy sensation inside of her to end, she said, “I have a confession.” She turned toward him, bold and trembling all at once. “I looked your picture up online before you got here .”

His eyes gleamed with the reflection of the white twinkling lights in front of them. “I have a confession, too—so did I .”

She let out a relieved laugh. “I guess that’s the era we live in.” It probably should have concerned her if he hadn’t looked her up .

“Did you remember we’d met before?” He cocked his head, studying her .

The way he looked at her should have made her uncomfortable, but, instead it made her feel good. Good enough that she felt she could be honest with him. “I did, actually .”

“So did I .”

Her chest tightened with his admission. “And you still took the job .”

“You still offered .”

“I guess I did .”

The sun had set outside, and the room had darkened so the white lights were the only thing lit in the room. It made the atmosphere feel warm and intimate. This was Christmas. This was the feeling she identified most with this holiday, the feeling she seemed to spend the rest of the year chasing .

Funny how strong and easily achievable that feeling was this year. Usually it didn’t come until the big day itself, when the tree was perfectly trimmed and the candles were lit and Bing Crosby crooned over the speakers .

She wondered if Ian felt it too .

“You said that was all for today?” he asked then, breaking her trance .

Well, that answered that question. He definitely didn’t feel it too .

“Yes. I suppose it is.” She shook the melancholy off and smiled. “Thank you so much. You can’t know how helpful you’ve been. I’m never this far ahead of schedule.” At this rate, she’d be able to bake double the goodies for guests to take home after her annual Christmas dinner party .

“No problem,” he said, shrugging off the compliment .

What had she expected? He was hired help, and his shift was over. Of course he’d be eager to get home .

She followed him as he headed to the coat closet. He retrieved his jacket from inside. Then, putting one arm into a sleeve, he chuckled. “And you didn’t believe in the magic of Christmas wishes .”

Jane raised an intrigued eyebrow. “Whatever are you talking about?” She remembered that conversation from their first encounter, but couldn’t for the life of her figure out why he was bringing it up now .

Also, she was a bit flattered that he remembered it. And for that brief few seconds while she waited for him to answer, she held her breath, as though maybe there had been something magic, something she’d missed. Something that Ian hadn’t .

Answering as if it were as clear as day, he said, “Seeing each other again. What were the odds of that ?”

She let her breath out slowly, hoping her disappointment didn’t show. “Pshaw. That wasn’t magic. It was coincidence .”

Ian opened the front door and paused before stepping outside. “Was it? I don’t know. It seems like a wish come true to me .”

Suddenly she remembered that vague wish she’d made in the back of the cab. “But that wasn’t…” She cleared her throat, not wanting to reveal the silly thing she’d done. “I mean, I didn’t make a wish to see you again .”

“I did.” Then, with a wink, Ian crossed the threshold, shutting the door behind him .

Goosebumps sprouted on her arms, and she stood rooted, rubbing her arms for several long seconds after he’d left. Had he really wished to see her again ?