Holiday for HIre(15)

“Just in case,” Ian said. This time, it was his hand she watched in the mirror as he stroked the back of it down her cheek before turning her to face him—the real him. His eyes searched hers, perhaps for confirmation that this was what she really wanted as he leaned slowly down .

And to show him how much she really, really wanted it, she went up on her tiptoes and met him halfway .

And then his lips were on hers, and she could hardly breathe for how very compatible they were. Forgetting completely that this was meant to be a mere test, she parted her mouth gently, and Ian immediately deepened the kiss. His tongue was warm and tasted of peppermint, and all Jane could think was, “Oh .”

There was no way on earth that Blake could have made her feel like this .

Which was why she slipped her hands beneath the jacket and gently removed it, in order to better enjoy the feel of his pecs under her palms. She imagined the kiss moving further, imagined Ian untying her wrap dress. Letting it fall, to pool around her ankles, exposing her. Unwrapping her just for him .

She’d have let him if he’d tried. That’s how compatible they were .

In fact, making out with Ian was so sexy, so all-consuming, so knee-weakening, that she had forgotten entirely that they were still in a velvet-curtained dressing room until she heard a gentle cough from outside .

With a final lingering kiss, Ian released her .

She turned away toward the mirror so she could fix her lipstick while she berated herself. What on earth had she been thinking ?

She wasn’t, that was the trouble .

The burn was hot on her cheeks as she wondered just what the salesman must be thinking. What Ian must be thinking .

After all, this was never a sex-for-hire arrangement, and her behavior had been entirely wanton just then .

She peeked up from retying a perfect bow at her waist to meet Ian’s eyes once more in the mirror .

He was smirking at her, but not unkindly .

“Whoops,” he muttered. A breath of relief whooshed out of Jane’s mouth .

“Whoops,” she agreed .

“For what it’s worth, I think the chemistry is going to read just fine .”

She bit back a grin as he adjusted himself. “Just fine, indeed.” Then she squared her shoulders and turned, prepared to open the curtain and face the music .

“Madam, sir,” the tailor waiting outside politely said. “Although it is entirely against store policy, I, too, have often found tailoring to be a bit of a hands-on business .”

Jane felt entirely justified .





6





“D oes it look even from down there?” Ian asked in his near-perfect neutral American accent. With only one day before her annual Christmas party, Jane had suggested—okay, commanded might be more accurate—that he spend the day in character. Tomorrow’s event would be his trial run, after all. The occasion where he proved he was ready for the big date .

After her party, there were only eight days until Christmas. Seven days until Christmas Eve. Three weeks of priming and primping had passed and Ian was ready .

So was Jane’s house. As soon as the nutcracker garland was up and in place, anyway .

“I think the end needs to be pulled up just a smidge,” Jane said from where she stood solidly on the sidewalk in front of her brownstone. Though she was bundled up in a warm coat and gloves, she shivered. It was cold out. A storm had rolled in the night before and fresh snow coated the small patch of grass in front of her unit. Ian had cleared the sidewalks before starting in on the final outdoor trimmings while she’d been warm inside by the fire. She’d only come out recently to provide visual assistance .

If she were cold down here, she thought, Ian must be freezing. She’d make him a cup of hot cocoa afterward. With a peppermint stick and whipped cream. Maybe he’d hang around long enough to try a bite of the poppy seed bread that was currently cooling on her kitchen counter .

She hoped he’d hang around. Even if he didn’t want to partake of any of her baked goods .

She peered up at him. He was standing on the highest rung of her six-foot ladder that was braced on the tiny platform at the top of her stoop. She shivered again, this time from the thought of the dizzying height. Or just from the dizzy feeling she got sometimes when she looked at the man who’d become a steady fixture in her life. It was quite possible, she realized suddenly, that she might miss him after this gig was up on Christmas Eve .

For the first time in her life, Jane Osborne had a reason to not look forward to Christmas .

“How about now ?”

Shaking herself from her thoughts, she looked up again to inspect the new position of the garland and grinned. “It’s perfect .”

“Fantastic.” Ian climbed down, and Jane pretended not to notice how good his backside looked while he did .

When he reached the bottom, he bounded down the stairs and joined her at the bottom of the stoop. He stared up with her to assess the finished product. “Not bad,” he said. “Not bad at all .”

“I think it’s amazing. The best my place has looked in years.” She wasn’t being the least bit kind with that statement. It was positively accurate. “Thank you .”

“My pleasure.” He winked, and that, along with his nearness, sent a tickle down the length of her spine .

Thank goodness her face was already red from the weather. That way he couldn’t notice her blush. “Now that’s up, we’re done,” she said, her voice higher pitched than usual .