Secret Santa

Secret Santa By Destiny Wallace

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Secret Santa by Destiny Wallace Red Rose™ Publishing Publishing with a touch of Class! ™ The symbol of the Red Rose and Red Rose is a trademark of Red Rose™ Publishing Red Rose™ Publishing Copyright© 2011 Destiny Wallace ISBN: 978-1-4543-0138-7 Cover Artist: Dawné Dominique Editor: Lara Parker Line Editor: Zena Gainer All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews. Due to copyright laws you cannot trade, sell or give any ebooks away. This is a work of fiction. All references to real places, people, or events are coincidental, and if not coincidental, are used fictitiously. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. Red Rose™ Publishing www.redrosepublishing.com Forestport, NY 13338 Thank you for purchasing a book from Red Rose™ Publishing where publishing comes with a touch of Class

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Secret Santa By Destiny Wallace

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Chapter One

Kayla wiped the dust cloth across the end table and sighed. She’d come home from work for an evening of cleaning. She really needed to get a life. The door buzzed and she frowned. Who could be visiting? She abandoned the cloth and the end table to answer the buzzer. “Delivery,” a gruff voice answered. “I’m not expecting a delivery,” Kayla informed him. “Lady, if you’re Kayla LeCroix, I have a delivery for you, whether you’re expecting it or not.” Kayla frowned. “I’ll be right down.” She wasn’t about to let some man into the building; no matter what kind of package he held. She washed up, pulled on a pair of tennis shoes, grabbed her keys, and headed downstairs. The man stood on the stoop wearing a brown uniform and a scowl. Under his left arm was a large, rectangular box.

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“I’m Kayla,” she said. A glance at his nametag showed his name was Van. She thought that name fit him. He had shaggy blond hair, broad shoulders and somehow managed to pull off handsome, even in that unflattering uniform. Van shoved the electronic signature device at her and she scribbled a signature. He held out the box. “Happy holidays,” he mumbled. “Thanks. You, too.” Back upstairs, Kayla dropped the box onto the couch, gazing at it suspiciously. Across the top, in curly gold lettering was written, “It’s Haute in Here!” The box came from the only couture shop in town—Couture Corner. She’d never set foot in there before so someone had bought her a gift. But who? Her mother would never shop couture. Her dad couldn’t even pronounce it. Kayla hadn’t had a date in months and she didn’t have any friends that would spend that kind of money…at least not on her. Kayla opened the box carefully and gasped. Buried in white tissue was a red velvet dress trimmed in white faux fur. The front was a deep-V and the skirt ridiculously short. Kayla felt her face flush and she rooted around the tissue still in the box. There was a business card, but the only thing on it was a carefully drawn heart. She studied the outside of the box. No evidence as to who had sent it. "What am I supposed to do with this?" she asked the empty apartment.

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The dress felt so soft, she bit her lip and sighed. From what she’d heard, the return policy at Couture Corner was not exactly customer friendly. Even if she did get them to take it back without a receipt, what would she do with the store credit? Kayla shrugged and pulled off her t-shirt. She slipped the dress over her head, pulled off her jeans and kicked them away, hurrying to the door of her bedroom closet. The dress clung in all the right places, but her more-thangenerous hips made the skirt even shorter. She turned around. The dress displayed way more leg than usual. If she bent over she'd put on quite a show. "Scandalous," she muttered. Kayla smoothed her black hair down around her face. The red dress made her milk-chocolate skin glow...or maybe it was the fact that she was blushing as she stared at herself in the sexiest thing she'd ever worn. "I guess you can stay," sighed Kayla as she twisted her hips to make the skirt flare.

The next morning, Kayla was eating a yogurt in the breakroom before the start of the workday. The morning routine calmed her nerves. She tried not to think about the outfit still in the box at the foot of her bed.

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Rachel Walton bounced into the break room, her dark brown hair pulled into a high ponytail. She wore an emerald green blouse and a dark grey pencil skirt with teetering black square-toe heels. “Good morning, Kayla.” Kayla responded in kind and watched Rachel go about getting herself some coffee. “So…what did you do last night?” “Why?” asked Kayla. Rachel looked taken aback. Kayla sighed. Her tone was unnecessarily harsh, but wouldn’t it be just like Rachel to send her that gift as some bad joke about her love life…or lack thereof? “I was just going to ask if you watched last night’s episode of Dancing with the Stars,” Rachel said. Kayla sighed. “No, I don’t watch that show.” “Oh, what about Real Housewives?” “I’m sorry. I don’t watch reality television.” Rachel poured half the pot of coffee into her oversized mug. “Really?” Kayla shrugged. “If I want to see reality, I can walk out my front door. Those shows are exhausting and ridiculous.” Rachel’s back stiffened and Kayla immediately felt like the worst kind of jerk. “I’m sorry…I didn’t mean…”

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Rachel stepped toward the door. “I’ll talk to you later. I need to check my emails.”

"Kayla," Conrad Dougan said when she entered his office. "Good morning, Mr. Dougan." "How are the plans for the Christmas party coming along?" Kayla hesitated; a distressing thought just occurred to her. Was it possible her boss had sent her that little dress? "Kayla?" "Oh, I'm sorry.” She opened the notebook in her hands. “The caterer is set and a tasting menu will be brought over this afternoon." Mr. Dougan groaned. "Could you possibly stay late and go through it with me? I'm more beer and hotdogs than champagne and canapés." "Yes, sir. The bar is set and the bartenders are hired. The location is the banquet room at the Divinity Hotel and Suites a block over. We reserved two dozen hotel rooms in case anyone is too drunk to go home. Childcare is in a three room suite on the fourth floor. All the caregivers have been Red Cross certified and snacks will be provided.” "Nora will love that," Conrad said with a grin.

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Kayla smiled. It made her more comfortable when he brought up his wife. Mr. Dougan didn't seem to be looking for something on the side. "Sounds like you've got it under control, but send out one last e-vite so we can get a final count." Kayla scribbled a note. "Yes, sir."

At three-thirty Kayla escorted Blake, the caterer, into Mr. Dougan's office. After a brief introduction, Mr. Dougan pulled out a chair for Kayla to take. He sat in the chair beside her. Kayla glanced at the four empty chairs around the table and her stomach sank. Her boss could afford to shop at Couture Corner; his wife probably had a closet full of things from there. Blake gave them each a written menu and instructed them to make notes on them and feel free to ask any questions. "First," said Blake, "caviar on toast points." They both took a sample from the plate he presented. After eating it, Kayla took a sip of water. "Salty," muttered Mr. Dougan. Kayla bit her lip to keep from laughing. "The caviar is delicious, Blake. Could you possibly give it a cream cheese bedding to cut the saltiness?" Kayla and Blake both made notes.

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They proceeded to go through the entire menu: crab stuffed mushrooms, beef medallions with pureed cauliflower and peppercorn sauce, endive salad, crème brûlée and a chocolate torte. Everything tasted divine. After final approval of the menu, Conrad said goodbye to Kayla as Blake cleaned up their dishes. Kayla gathered her things and hurried to the bus.

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Chapter Two

The buzzer was less surprising that evening for some reason. "Delivery," a familiar voice called on the other end. With a resigned sigh, Kayla buzzed him into the building. Van actually smiled when she opened the door. He held out the signature pad and she scribbled on it. This box was smaller than the one from the day before, almost a perfect square. She turned it over in her hands. "Have a good night," Van said with a nod. Kayla ripped the paper off the box and yanked the flaps open. Inside, she found a black belt with a silver buckle and a pair of sheer black thigh-highs with lace across the tops. "Oh my," Kayla whispered. "We have accessories." She hurried to her bedroom and put the dress back on, adding the belt. She didn't put on the stockings. Kayla was too good at pulling runs to risk it. She ran her hands down the velvet arms and fluffed the white faux fur at her wrists.

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She smiled at her reflection. This was fast becoming her favorite outfit. Kayla carefully put the dress on a hanger and slipped the belt over it, too. She put them in the closet and finally, tucked the stockings away in the lingerie chest in her walk-in closet. Once again, she emptied the box looking for a clue, and once again there was only a small, rectangular card. This time with a hand-drawn candle. Kayla walked over to the dresser and picked up the first card. The stock was thick, good quality. She ran her thumb over the cream-colored paper. The symbols were drawn with a fountain pen, not a ballpoint. She placed both cards on top of the dresser and sighed. All this speculation was getting her nowhere. The boxes, cards, and ink didn't tell her anything except whoever sent these things had expensive taste. After a shower, Kayla crawled into bed. She was only able to get a few pages into the trashy romance novel on the nightstand before she tossed it aside and picked up her cell phone. She scrolled quickly through her contacts, stopping at a name she should have deleted months ago. He answered on the third ring. "Dave, it's Kayla." "Uh…okay."

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Kayla sighed. What the hell was she thinking? She and Dave had broken up almost six months ago and they'd only dated a few months before that. Dave was pretty perfect; tall, green eyes, olive skin, and short brown hair. They'd met when Conrad interviewed him for a job. Dave hadn't gotten the job, but the two of them had fun for a little while. "What's up, Kayla? Is everything okay?" "Yeah...everything is fine." How could she ask this delicately? "I-uh-got a couple packages recently and there is no return address." "Okay." "I was just wondering if they're from you." "Babe," a soft voice said on the other end of the line. "Who's on the phone?" "Nobody," answered Dave quickly. Kayla did her best to ignore the annoyance she felt at being called 'nobody.' "I didn't send any packages," Dave said. "That's what I thought," she sighed. "I just wanted to check." "You know I care about you," he said lowering his voice. Ugh! She did not need to hear this 'let her down easy' speech again, not from Dave. She wasn't calling because she hoped the gifts were from him. She kind of knew he wasn't one to shop at such an upscale store. The only haute Dave knew was what a quarterback hollered before a snap.

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"Okay, thanks, Dave. Have a good night." She ended the call without waiting for his reply. Kayla punched her pillow and fell back onto the bed. Times like this she wished she had a television in her bedroom to distract her from her racing thoughts.

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Chapter Three

Kayla's fingers flew over the keyboard as she typed the minutes from the meeting Conrad held first thing that morning. Luke Clark walked into the office and gave her a brilliant smile. He worked in the legal department and was exceptionally attractive. His black hair was a little long, the curls just messy enough. His tie was gone and the top button of his white collared shirt was undone. He held out a large envelope when he reached her desk. "What's this?" asked Kayla. "I reviewed these contracts and they're ready for Mr. Dougan's signature." "Okay, thanks." Kayla slapped a Post-It on the envelope and scribbled a note. Just as Luke turned to walk away, Kayla said, "Wait!" He turned back around. "I never heard from you about the Christmas party. Will you attend?" He chuckled. "I don't know. Christmas isn't really my thing." "Are you Jewish?" "Half."

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"Oh...okay. Well, it's really up to you, but I think you'd have fun." Luke shrugged. "I'll think about it as long as you don't tell my mom." Kayla laughed. "I promise."

Kayla regretted her decision to leave the office for lunch almost as soon as she stepped outside. The wind slapped her in the face, blowing her hair backward. She gripped her pink wool hat and tugged it lower, wrapping her black and pink checked scarf around most of her face. With her head and face protected, the wind blew up beneath her black wool pea coat. A glance up the block showed Rachel headed to the cafe on the corner for lunch. She'd go in the opposite direction. Kayla didn't know what to say to Rachel after insinuating she was stupid for watching reality television. Apparently, she’d handle the situation by avoiding Rachel forever. There was a British-style pub nearby. She could really go for some fish and chips drowned in malt vinegar right now. Her conscience balked at the calorie content, but she ignored it. The deliveries had her thrown. She needed, well, wanted, some comfort food. Salty, fried, crunchy, fishy, starchy goodness, Kayla thought happily as she ate lunch. The food was definitely comforting. Before leaving, she ordered a cup of Earl Grey to warm her hands as she walked back to the office.

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Once she thawed out at her desk, Kayla resigned herself to the fact that her indulgence at lunch meant she'd have to go to the gym after work.

"I don't hate the treadmill," Kayla repeated to herself as she jogged at a good clip. She concentrated on her breathing. Even measured breaths—in through the nose, out through the mouth. "Looking good!" Sawyer Logan said, walking up to the front of the treadmill. "Thanks," breathed Kayla. Sawyer was a knockout: long blonde hair, big blue eyes and a gym body. Currently, her hair was pulled back into a loose bun. She wore a pink sports bra and tiny black shorts. Her belly button was pierced and her legs were impossibly long. Sawyer propped her hands on both hips as she looked up at Kayla. "How's Laura?" Kayla asked, slowing her pace so she could carry on a conversation. Sawyer rolled her eyes. "She moved out." "Oh, I'm sorry," said Kayla, hitting the big red stop button. She toweled her face dry and hopped off the machine. Sawyer shrugged. "Don't be like that," admonished Kayla. "You guys were together for almost three years."

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Sawyer dropped her gaze to the floor. "I know, but she's gone. I can't believe it, but there it is, you know? I don't think she's coming back this time." Kayla was at a loss for words. "I guess it's time to move on," Sawyer said with another shrug. Kayla grabbed her in a hug and laughed when Sawyer squeaked in surprise. "Call me if you need to talk," Kayla offered once they'd separated. Sawyer smiled and nodded.

Kayla took a quick shower when she got home and settled on the couch to watch the early evening news. She barely heard anything the reporters said because she was listening for the buzzer. When it finally went off, she leapt off the couch and ran to the door. "Delivery," Van said. She buzzed him up and paced in front of the door until he arrived. She scrawled something on the signature pad and laughed nervously when he handed her a small, flat garment box also from Couture Corner. "Somebody seems to be giving you a great Christmas," Van commented. Kayla shrugged and gazed at the box. Van's blond eyebrows came together. "Do you still not know who they're from?" he asked.

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Kayla grinned. "No idea." Van smiled. "That's pretty cool." "It actually is pretty cool," Kayla said. "Have a happy holiday," said Van, "if I don't see you tomorrow." "Thanks," said Kayla waving goodbye before she shut and locked her door. Kayla dropped onto the couch and pulled the box open. There was more of that annoying tissue. She tossed them onto the floor and gasped. Nestled in the paper that remained was a red thong and corset. "Holy crap," Kayla muttered as she ran her index finger over the rhinestone snowflake embossed on the front of the underwear. No one had ever bought her underwear before. It was embarrassing to think someone had gone into a store with the intent of buying her a thong. The corset was incredibly sexy; she traced the boning from below the bra cup to the bottom of the garment. She'd also never worn a corset before. Kayla fished around in the tissue for the card she now knew would be there. This time the number four was on it. Kayla tucked the thong into the lingerie drawer with the stockings and pulled off her shirt to try on the corset. Thankfully, it fastened in the front. She slowly connected each hook and eye before looking at herself in the mirror. The old jeans she wore took a little away from the sexiness of the corset, but the fit was

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perfect and the cleavage it made was fantastic. It would look even more fantastic under the V-neck of the red velvet dress. She glanced at the dress hanging in the closet and decided not to put it on again. She would feel ridiculous prancing in front of the mirror for a third night in a row. However, she refused to take off the corset until she changed into pajamas to go to bed.

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Chapter Four

Saturdays were comfortable and predictable. Kayla had a set schedule. She went grocery shopping in the morning, cleaned house in the afternoon, made dinner, and watched movies until she fell asleep on the couch. That day, however, there was one blessed difference. The buzzer rang. Again, this was out of the ordinary, but she had the feeling there would be another gift. Kayla put down the Reuben sandwich she had been eating and rushed to the door. "Delivery," Van said. Kayla buzzed him in and waited with the door open. As soon as she saw his blond head come out of the stairwell, she smiled. She vibrated with excitement at seeing what today's delivery would be. "You work on Saturdays, too?" she asked Van as she signed. "I never turn down overtime during the holiday season," he said as he handed her two boxes. One small and flat, the other was the size of a shoebox. "Two?" she asked no one in particular.

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Van smiled. "We don't deliver on Sundays, even during the holidays." Kayla laughed. "That's true." "Have a great holiday," said Van, "unless I see you on Monday." "Thanks," said Kayla stepping back into the apartment. She put the boxes on the coffee table and looked from one to the other. Who was she kidding? She’d open the big box first. Kayla pulled the tissue from the box and gasped. The black shoes nestled inside had red bottoms! She picked up one of the Christian Louboutin Mary-Jane platforms and moaned audibly. As she stared at the triple straps, and the shiny patent leather, her heartbeat accelerated. Those shoes were sexy. Fuck that, those shoes were sex. She thought about all the times she'd looked at designer shoes through glass windows, always admiring, but never willing to spend over a thousand dollars on shoes. Kayla kicked off her house slippers and put on the shoes. The fit was perfect, absolutely perfect. She teetered around the living room and melted into the couch, smitten. She stared at her feet, turning them this way and that so she could look at the shoes from every angle. "I'm in love," Kayla whispered, "with a pair of shoes."

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Kayla sat up and pulled the card from the shoebox. This one had a U printed on it. She ran her thumb over the heavy stock again. This person impressed her more and more each day. "Oh!" Kayla said suddenly. She'd almost forgotten about the smaller box. She pulled it from under the tissue she'd upended from the shoebox and opened it slowly. The clear plastic bag inside contained a red garter with red and black suspenders. She put the outfit together in her mind, the garters go over the thong and the suspenders would attach to the corset to hold up the stockings. She leaned forward and looked down at the shoes again. She was almost overwhelmed at the idea of wearing all that. Kayla turned over the box and the last card fell onto her palm. This one had a star drawn on it. She looked from one card to the other for a few seconds before going to the dresser in her bedroom. She lined the cards up in order and gazed at them. "Heart, candle, four, you, and star," she muttered touching each card in turn. She didn't quite get the message yet, so she was pretty sure there would be another gift come Monday.

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Kayla didn't wear her new shoes to her parents’ house for Sunday dinner. She thought about it, but decided against it. She didn't want to have to explain how she'd come to possess a pair of outrageously expensive stilettos. "Kayla Elizabeth!" her mother gushed when she opened the front door. "Mom, why do you say my name like you're surprised to see me every Sunday?" Her mother sighed wearily. "It's polite." Kayla nodded. Diane LeCroix was a couple inches shorter than Kayla and a few shades darker. Her black hair was sprinkled with gray and cut in a blunt bob that framed her seemingly ageless face. They hugged and Kayla handed her mother a peach pie. "Store bought?" said Diane raising an eyebrow. Kayla rolled her eyes. "Someone won't give me the correct family recipe." Diane smiled. "You'll get it when you need it." "When will that be?" asked Kayla. "When you have a family to feed." Kayla's eyes went wide. "Don't start it, Mother." Diane harumphed and carried the pie back to the kitchen. Kayla decided not to follow her mother to the kitchen since there was a risk of the conversation continuing in the vein of her unmarried childless state.

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Sometimes she wanted to tell her mother that most people don't get married at seventeen these days. Kayla was twenty-seven. When her mother was her age, she had been married ten years and was a housewife caring for a four-year-old. If her mother brought up grandchildren, Kayla would scream. She went into the living room. Paul LeCroix stood and hugged his only child when she approached. Kayla smiled when his arms went around her in a familiar hold. Her dad still smelled like Old Spice. His chin still rested on top of her head and his arms held her like she was the most precious thing in the world. "Hi, Daddy," she said into his shirt. "Hi, baby girl." Kayla glanced over him when he released her and returned to his seat in the recliner. His hair was almost completely white, and his copper-toned skin showed a few wrinkles. Her dad was from Louisiana and it was obvious by his skin tone and pale green eyes that there had been a few plaçage relationships in his family's history. "Come eat!" Diane called from the kitchen. Kayla loved it when they ate in the kitchen like they had done when she was small. The formal dining room was used for holidays and company. The kitchen table was where she had grown up.

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"What have you got going on this week, baby girl?" Paul asked once they had all been served. "The usual work stuff, and planning the company Christmas party." "Don't get drunk and do anything sloppy," Diane cautioned. Kayla almost choked on her bite of potato salad. "I hadn't planned on that." Diane nodded. "What's going on with you guys?" asked Kayla. "We wanted to talk to you about next week," Diane said softly. Kayla stiffened. "Okay." "We're going out of town for the holiday." She looked from one parent to the other. "Okay." Diane watched her for a second. "I don't want you to think we're dropping you, but we got an invitation from your aunt Dalia in Baton Rouge to stay for the rest of the winter and you know how your father hates to shovel snow." Kayla nodded. "You can come with us so you won't be alone for the holiday," Paul said. Kayla looked down at her plate of her mom's wonderful food. "I'll be okay. You two go down South all the time." "But it's Christmas, darling," said her father. "I know, Daddy. It's okay. I'll be fine."

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"We'll call you every day," Diane assured her with a pat on the hand. "That's not necessary, Mom. I'm grown." Paul smiled and gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "Now that that's over," said Diane, "have you met any nice guys lately?" Kayla groaned and shoved a heaping forkful of potato salad into her mouth so she could delay answering for as long as possible.

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Chapter Five

Kayla clicked through her e-mails, copying and pasting to a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet the names of all the employees who had confirmed they would attend the Christmas party. She'd use that spreadsheet to make sure they had enough Christmas gifts, actually more since it was safe to assume that at least ten or fifteen people would show up without an RSVP. She had ordered sterling silver pen and pencil sets as gifts. Mr. Dougan barely glanced at the set when she showed him an example. Both writing utensils were etched with the Dougan company name and nestled in black velvet in their boxes. She was very proud of herself for finding such nice gifts at a great bulk price. She glanced at the blotter on her desk. Today was the December Twentieth. The party was on Christmas Eve. She finished the list and smiled. She'd ordered more than enough gifts for all who had confirmed they would be attending the Christmas party. She printed the guest list and tucked it into her notebook. She knocked on Mr. Dougan's office door and he called her inside.

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"Oh, Kayla, thank goodness, I was just about to call you," he said when she walked in. "Could you come closer?" Kayla felt suddenly nervous. "Uh...sure." She walked over to his desk and stood to his left. On the desk in front of him was an array of catalogs. Women in various stages of dress smiled up at her from the glossy pages. "What's this, Mr. Dougan?" "I have got to find a gift for Nora," he grumped, falling back into his large black leather chair. Kayla almost laughed. "You haven't gotten her a gift? Christmas is in five days." "I know. I'm a bad person. Can you help me?" Kayla sighed. "Please?" he begged. "Why don't you go to Couture Corner?" Kayla suggested. "Is that a website? Do they have overnight delivery?" She laughed with relief. There was no way he was pretending with that clueless look on his face. He had no idea about Couture Corner. "It's a store downtown. They've got very nice things, I've heard." "What kind of things?" Kayla shrugged. "Expensive things."

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Mr. Dougan chuckled, his deep voice rumbling. "That sounds about right." He quickly gathered the catalogs and tossed them into the garbage can. His eyes fell on a manila envelope and he picked it up. "Could you drop these forms at legal?" Kayla accepted the envelope. "Yes, sir. I was just on my way out. I'm going to settle everything at the hotel. A few more people confirmed so I'm going to see if we can reserve a few more rooms, just in case." Mr. Dougan nodded. "Go home after that. I'm heading out to find this Cutter place." "Couture," Kayla corrected. "It's on Main Street." Mr. Dougan grunted a distracted response.

Kayla got off the elevator on the second floor and glanced at the envelope in her hands. She wasn't exactly sure where Luke's office was on that floor so she'd just find an executive assistant who could pass it on. The floor was practically empty. She smiled. Holiday work hours were the best. Sometimes she wondered how anyone got any work done between Thanksgiving and New Years. "Nice shoes," a deep voice behind her called.

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She automatically looked down at her new shoes and smiled. They were so nice to look at, she'd never get tired of seeing them at the end of her legs. Luke smiled when she looked up. "I don't think I've ever seen you in such high heels." Kayla laughed. "They're new." "Early Christmas gift?" he asked. She nodded. "Nice." Kayla glanced over his form, once again appreciating his dark curls and beautiful grey eyes. Her eyes landed on a Star of David pendant around his neck. "Are you having a good Hanukah so far?" she asked. His dark eyebrows rose in surprise. "I am, thanks." She held out the envelope in her hand. "Mr. Dougan signed everything. He'd like these pushed through before the holiday." "No problem," said Luke accepting the papers. "Okay, bye." "I'll see you at the party," he said. "Yes, see you there!" Kayla called behind her.

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Kayla went to the gym after she settled everything at the hotel. She ignored the treadmill and hopped on the elliptical. That machine was less horrible in her opinion. She went as hard as she could for a half hour, envisioning her thighs shrinking with every stroke. It never happened, but it was nice to imagine. Sawyer walked into the cardio room when Kayla hopped off the machine. "Hey," the blonde said with a huge grin. "How are you doing?" Kayla asked, with genuine concern. "I'm doing okay. Time will heal and all that. Are you doing the spin class tonight?" Kayla shook her head. "I've got to get home. I'm expecting a delivery." Sawyer nodded slowly and Kayla noticed her face start to flush. "Well, I was going to ask you out to dinner afterward if you were going to spin," Sawyer said locking her gaze with Kayla's. Kayla smiled. "Maybe some other time." Sawyer winked. "I'll hold you to that."

Kayla was waiting for Van on the front stoop when he arrived that evening. He laughed when he saw her. "You seem excited about something." She scrawled her signature and bounced on the balls of her feet. "I'm not excited at all," she lied with a grin.

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Van placed a small box in her palm. A vision of an engagement ring flashed in her mind before she pushed it away. That was not even plausible. "Thanks, Van!" she said waving. "Until tomorrow?" he asked. "Maybe," Kayla said with a wave. She didn't open the box until she got into her apartment...which showed incredible restraint on her part. The black velvet box was the size of one that would contain an engagement ring. She rolled her eyes at the thought of a diamond ring and pulled the top open. There were diamonds in that box...a pair of drop earrings that dangled diamond snowflakes. The snowflakes resembled the one on the underwear she'd received the week before. Kayla let out a whoosh of surprise. The earrings were spectacular. Tucked in the top of the box was the business card, this time with a drawing of the sun. Her hands trembled as she took them out of the box. She ran to her bedroom and held them up to her ears as she stood in front of the mirror above her dresser. Her hair was pulled back from her face, and she smiled at the full effect of the diamonds against her brown skin. They seemed to bring out the flecks of green in her hazel eyes.

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She put them on and marveled at her reflection. Diamonds, beautiful diamonds. Now she understood why Marilyn sang that song. Costume jewelry brought an outfit together, but diamonds were magnificent all on their own. She could walk out of the house completely naked and no one would notice anything but those earrings! Kayla turned away from the mirror and frowned. What was she going to be expected to do in order to earn these expensive gifts? Her secret Santa had expensive taste, and some women did some low-down dirty deeds when they had a man on the hook who could spare the change. She wasn't one of those women. Hell, she'd been living like a spinster ever since she and Dave had broken up. She'd been so tired of faux relationships, where everything seemed perfect, but neither party could ever really be sure if their relationship was going anywhere. She hadn't been looking to get married and start making babies with Dave, but she'd wanted more than dinner, movie, sex, rinse, and repeat. Their relationship had hit a dead end and he stopped calling her. She stopped responding to his text messages, and then it was over. Kayla flopped onto her bed and stared up at the trey ceiling. If accepting these diamonds meant she paid with her body, the deal was off. She didn't earn things on her back. Her parents had taught her better.

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This person, whenever they came out from behind the boxes and hand drawn business cards, was going to have a rude awakening.

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Chapter Six

"Rachel!" Kayla called as she got off the elevator the next day. It was lunchtime and Rachel had a head start leaving the building. Rachel stopped walking before she got to the glass doors and turned to face her. Kayla did not like that look. "Hey, I haven't seen you in a while," Kayla said, putting on a brave face. "Yeah," sighed Rachel, leaning back and crossing her arms. "Do you want to get lunch together?" Rachel opened her mouth, no doubt to come up with some excuse, but Kayla interrupted. "I feel so bad about the conversation we had in the breakroom the other day. I'm sure I came off pretty harsh, but I have something going on that's pretty much blowing my mind and my filter wasn't working that day. I didn't mean to insult you and I apologize if I did." There, it was out! Rachel's jaw softened and she dropped her arms to her sides. "I'm sorry, too. I know you didn't mean anything by what you said. I also know you don't watch that much television, so asking you about those shows was pretty dumb on my part."

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"So," Kayla pressed, "how about lunch?" Rachel smiled. "Sure, as long as you plan on telling me about this mindblowing thing that you've got going on." "Deal," said Kayla.

Rachel sat staring at Kayla. She had barely touched the wedge salad she'd ordered before Kayla started telling her about the extravagant gifts that had showed up every evening. "Are you kidding me right now?" Rachel asked. "No, I'm not." Kayla shoved a forkful of her own wedge salad into her mouth. "Someone is sending you couture clothes, Louboutin shoes, and diamonds...and you have no idea who it could be?" Kayla nodded. "At first I thought it was Mr. Dougan, but I've pretty much ruled him out. He wouldn't know a Louboutin if a red bottom kicked him in his white bottom." Rachel laughed. "I even called Dave to ask if they were from him." Rachel wrinkled her nose. "The unemployed accountant with the small..." "Yes!" Kayla interrupted quickly. "Obviously they're not from him." "Who's left then?"

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Kayla watched Rachel finally dig into her lunch. "I don't know, some incredibly generous stalker." "If you don't turn up to work after New Years, I'll let the cops know some incredibly generous stalker knows where your body is buried." Kayla laughed. "Do serial killers shop couture?" "Probably not," said Rachel before collapsing into laughter herself.

Kayla tried to relax when the buzzer went off again that evening. She dropped the book she was reading on the coffee table and hurried to answer. She was surprised when Van wasn't on the other end of the call box. "It's Sawyer!" Kayla was disappointed, but set that aside. Maybe her generous stalker was done giving gifts. "There's some guy here with a package for you. Do you want me to sign for it?" Kayla grinned. "No, just let him in. His name is Van, right?" There was a beat before Sawyer responded. "That's right." Kayla waited anxiously at the door for the two blondes to make their way up to her apartment. She wondered briefly what Sawyer could possibly want, but pushed that away to wonder, instead, what today's gift would be.

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Sawyer gave her a brief hug before entering the apartment. Kayla watched Sawyer make her way to the living room and sit on the couch. Usually it would bother her when someone dropped in unannounced, but she was distracted at the moment. Van gave her a polite greeting as she signed for her package. "Your friend seems...nice." Kayla smirked. That was such a lie. Sawyer couldn't be bothered to be nice to most men. They didn't factor on her give-a-shit-o-meter. Sawyer knew where Kayla lived because of Dave. While they had been dating, he commented on her weight all the time. Sometimes she wondered why he'd asked her out in the first place, he'd seen her fat ass from day one. To combat his sardonic comments, she'd joined the gym a few blocks over where she'd met Sawyer and Laura. She invited them over for dinner and Dave had been upset when he spent the entire night being left out of conversations. "I agree," Kayla answered. "Have a good night." Van laughed. "Until tomorrow then?" Kayla smiled and closed the door. "You don't mind if I open this do you?" she asked Sawyer. The other woman shrugged.

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Kayla dropped onto the couch and opened the box. It was roughly five inches by five inches and black velvet, like the box that contained the snowflake earrings. When she lifted the top, the business car drifted out. She picked it up from the cushion beside her and frowned at the ampersand drawn on it. Then a glint drew her attention back to the box. She bit her lip when she saw the contents of the box: a silver chain with a diamond snowflake dangling from it. The necklace matched the earrings on her dresser to perfection. "Wow," Sawyer said beside her. Kayla hadn't noticed her lean closer so she could see what was in the box. "I know, huh?" Kayla breathed, touching the diamonds gently. "Who is that from?" asked Sawyer. "I have no idea," Kayla blurted. She shook her head and closed the box when Sawyer didn't say anything in response. She must sound ridiculous. Kayla put the box on the coffee table and turned to face Sawyer. Sawyer's gaze lingered on the box. Her pale eyebrows were pulled together and she nibbled her bottom lip. Her long blonde ponytail rested over her shoulder and she wore a fitted gray sweater over burgundy corduroy pants. The pants were tucked into a pair of beige Uggs. "It's not from you, is it?" Kayla asked carefully.

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Sawyer's blue eyes went round. "I wish I could afford to buy something like that. I'm a personal trainer and times are hard. During a recession everyone gives up on themselves and starts plumping up on cheap fast food." Kayla glanced at the box again. "I just have to ride it out until the economy bounces back. Men will start looking for trophy wives again and women will start looking to fit that label." Sawyer rolled her eyes. "Is that why Laura left? Money?" Sawyer dropped her head over the back of the couch and looked up at the ceiling. "In part, there was also the skank she moved in with as soon as she left." Kayla winced. "I'm sorry. I probably should stop bringing her up." "It's cool," Sawyer sighed. "I came by to take you up on that dinner." "I don't really feel like getting dressed again and going out," Kayla admitted. "Do you care if we order in?" Sawyer shrugged. "As long as we can watch television while we eat. You have this amazing flat screen in here and it's not even turned on." "It's hardly ever turned on," said Kayla. "You can watch whatever you want." She went into the kitchen to retrieve her takeout menus. They called in an order to the closest Chinese place.

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They sat on the couch watching the evening news for a while before Sawyer sat up straight. She turned to Kayla and sighed. "You're probably going to get mad at me for doing this, but I've got to get it over with before I start eating egg rolls and pepper steak." Kayla leaned forward to retrieve the remote from the coffee table and was shocked when Sawyer's lips pressed against hers. Kayla stiffened and panicked in her brain. She didn't want to push Sawyer away, which was her initial instinct, and hurt her feelings. She also didn't return the kiss. Sawyer's lips were soft against her, plush and warm. Nice lips by any standard, just not attached to someone she wanted to kiss. Sawyer leaned back and frowned. "Now it's awkward." "No, no, it's not awkward!" Kayla exclaimed. "It's surprising...and unexpected, but not awkward." "I'm sorry. I don't know why I do that. I am terrible at being single! I just thought..." Sawyer stood from the couch and started for the door. Kayla hurried after her. "Don't leave! You are not leaving me here with two orders of Chinese food!" Sawyer stopped walking, but stared at the door. "I'm sorry if I did anything to make you think I wanted you to kiss me, but remember that tall guy that was here last time you came?"

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Sawyer wrinkled her narrow nose. "The skinny guy with the over-processed hair?" Kayla nodded. "You're not still dating that jerk, are you?" "No, we broke up a long time ago." "Good," Sawyer snapped. "I heard him call you fat." "I know, I know. He's an asshole with a small penis. Does everyone have to keep reminding me?" Sawyer laughed out loud. "Wow. That was more than I needed to know." "Yeah, sorry about that over-share. The important thing is, he had one. I like those. I know they're not much too look at, but they're fun for me," Kayla said with a smile. "So you're not into girls at all?" Kayla shook her head. "Not even a little?" Kayla shook her head again. "Pity," Sawyer mumbled. The buzzer rang beside them and both women jumped. "Get back on the couch," Kayla said, "you've been through enough this evening. I'm paying for dinner."

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Chapter Seven

Kayla had the next day, Christmas Eve, off work. Everyone did. She spent the morning in bed reading. After a breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, and toast, she drank a large cup of hot tea. She was awakened from an early afternoon nap by the buzzer. Kayla mumbled some curses and trudged over to the panel. "Delivery," Van said. "You're early," Kayla groused. "Only Santa delivers late on Christmas Eve!" he answered. Kayla buzzed him in and tied the sash on her fluffy, purple robe. She did her best to smooth back her hair, which she was certain looked a fright. Van handed her the signature pad with a smile. "Merry Christmas," he said. "Not quite," Kayla said around a yawn. "Close enough," he said trading the signature pad for a rectangular box. "I usually open a gift or two on Christmas Eve." "Ah, see, my parents couldn't be convinced to let me do that. I had to wait for morning every year."

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Van pointed to the box in her hand. "Not this year." She smiled. "Nope, not this year." They said goodbye and Kayla went to her bedroom to open the box. She gathered all the cards from her dresser before climbing onto the bed. This box was about nine inches long and rectangular. Kayla shook it and whatever was inside shuffled softly. With a resigned sigh, she opened the box and turned it over onto the bed. A red velvet bag fell onto the duvet with a soft thud and the business card fluttered on top of it. Kayla picked up the card. There was an infinity symbol drawn on it this time. She put it with the others and picked up the bag. Whatever was inside was solid. She drew out the drawstrings and held her hand open. A long, thick glass candy cane fell into her palm. She gripped the hook and shook the velvet bag off completely and realized it wasn't a glass candy cane. There was a bulbous tip on the opposite end of the hook. She held a red-striped glass dildo. "Oh shit," she breathed. She hadn't masturbated in well over a year. In fact, before she'd started dating Dave, the batteries had burned out on her last toy and she had just tossed it. Her pussy wept at the possibility of getting to play with the toy in her hand. Kayla hesitated. Obviously her body wanted that dildo, but her mind hesitated to

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accept it. This wasn't sexy; there were serious implications when someone gave you a dildo. "A man gives a woman a dildo when he's going out of town and he doesn't want her playing with anyone else," Kayla mumbled to herself. "So why would someone send me a dildo? Do they live out of town?" If she had to try to think of the guys she knew that lived out of town and might want to see her in a thong and stilettos, she'd be racking her brain until New Years. There were guys from college, exes that had moved on and moved away. Even her high school sweetheart would be on the table. Kayla felt her clit begin to pulsate and squeezed her knees together. She shouldn't. No, she shouldn't play with this toy. The pulsating didn't stop; she could feel her underwear begin to cling. She shouldn't play with it, but she was going to do it anyway. Why waste a perfectly good sex toy? Kayla hurried into her bathroom to wash it in warm water. She fished around in a drawer until she found a bottle of sex toy cleaner and washed it again with that. She spread out a hand towel by the sink and left the dildo on it to dry. Once that was done, she lit a few lavender scented candles scattered around her room and took a shower. Wrapping the towel around her middle after patting

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herself dry, she grabbed the toy off the sink and climbed back into bed. This time she settled under the covers. Kayla closed her hand around the glass phallic, feeling it warm with her touch. Suddenly her cell phone rang on the nightstand. If it was any other ringtone, she would have ignored it, but when Tupac Shakur's voice called out "Dear Mama," there was no masturbating afterward. “You have the worst timing, Mom,” Kayla said in lieu of a greeting. “Oh, really? What were you so busy doing?” Kayla chuckled as she shoved the dildo under her pillow. “Reading the phone book.” “Uh-huh. You should really get out more.” “What’s going on, Mom? When I called you the other day, you were too busy to talk. What do you want?” "I told you I was shopping with your aunt that day." Kayla rolled her eyes. Her mom shopped like it was her job. The woman could talk down anyone that willingly haggled and had probably never paid retail for anything in her life. "Besides, it's Christmas Eve and for the first time since you were in college, we're not together. I miss you." "I miss you, too, Mom."

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Kayla slipped her foot off the bed and used her toes to open the bottom drawer of the nightstand. It was almost full of those wonderful trashy romance novels, the perfect place for a sex toy to hang out until she got the guts to go for it again. She pulled the toy from under the pillow, dropped it inside, and pushed the drawer shut with her foot. "Let me tell you what I bought you!" "Oh Mom, don't you want to wait and let me be surprised?" "Goodness, no, Kayla. I'm not wrapping these things either. They will be post-Christmas presents. No need for all that pomp and circumstance." "Okay, Mom, tell me what you got." Kayla settled back onto the pillows and held the towel tightly around her as her mother launched into a laundry list of gifts and souvenirs Kayla could expect to receive once they got back from Louisiana.

Kayla decided to go ahead and get dressed for the Christmas party once she got off the phone with her mother. She grabbed the box from where it had fallen off the bed and walked to the kitchen. She was going to toss it in the recycling bin, but she needed to break it down first. When she broke the seam, a small white envelope fell out. She retrieved it from the kitchen floor and opened it. Maybe this would tell her who sent the gifts. The note was folded very small. She opened it and read:

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Kayla, Some of the gifts were presumptuous, especially the last one. I meant no insult. I just want to make you feel as good as you make me feel. Every conversation we have leaves me wanting more. I have thought for months of a way to ask you out that wouldn't be cliché. It would be easy for you to say no before you knew how much I adore you. Kids have crushes; men have infatuations. You are my infatuation. If these gifts made you think about me half as much as I think about you, meet me tonight at 11 p.m. in the penthouse suite of the Divinity Hotel and Suites. There will be an elevator pass for you at the check-in desk. I would love it if you wore some or all of the gifts (excluding that last one). If you are not interested, feel free to keep, sell, or donate whatever gifts you don't want and I won't bother you again. Sincerely, "Santa"

Kayla's felt her heart begin to race. This guy was going to be at the hotel tonight. He had rented the penthouse suite without knowing if she'd agree to show up or not. Kayla leaned over the kitchen counter and put her forehead on the cool granite surface.

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What was she going to do? Was it worth the risk? If she met him in that suite, wearing that dress, would she be able to convince him she wasn't for sale? She stood up again and scanned the letter for clues. Once again, she came up empty. She didn't recognize the handwriting. The paper was plain printer paper with no identifiable marks. Why couldn't he have written it on personalized letterhead so she'd know what she was getting herself into? Kayla tossed the box into the recycling and went back to the bedroom. She'd made her decision. She would to meet this guy. No way could she live the rest of her life not knowing who had bought her all those gifts. She went straight to the lingerie drawer and pulled out the corset. She had hand washed the thong and stockings so they were spread on the drying rack in her tub. Standing in front of the mirror, she pulled on the thong and fastened the corset. She took the dress off the hanger and slipped it over her head. Kayla walked over to the bed and sat down to carefully inch on the black stockings. Her hands trembled slightly as she connected the suspenders dangling from the garter to the tops of the stockings. She ran her hands over her face and took slow deep breaths. She slipped the black stilettos on and noticed the slight tremble was still there as she buckled the shoes. Finally, she put on the wide black belt and studied herself in the mirror. She looked sexy and the red looked amazing against her skin.

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Kayla went to the dresser to put on the earrings and the necklace. Her hands were still shaking, but she managed to get everything on without injuring herself. After a quick swipe of lip-gloss, she decided to leave her hair down. She pulled the brush through it a few times to make it as smooth as possible. Before she put on her coat to leave, she sent a text message to Rachel.

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Chapter Eight

Everyone stared at her. Any other time, in any other outfit, Kayla would tell herself she was being paranoid, or silly. It was a fact. She'd checked her coat in the hallway and walked in wearing what had to be the sexiest outfit in the ballroom. The skirt was long enough to cover the tops of the stockings, thank goodness, but she was careful to stand very straight at all times. Mr. Dougan walked up to her and handed her a flute of champagne. "You're late," he said. "You're never late." Kayla blushed. "I couldn't decide what to wear." His dark, bushy eyebrows shot up in surprise and Kayla laughed. "Kayla?" Nora Dougan said from behind her husband. Nora had dark hair and bright blue eyes. She was a decade younger than her husband and didn't seem bothered by Kayla's outfit at all. "Hi, Mrs. Dougan," Kayla said smiling. "You look amazing!" Nora exclaimed. "Thank you."

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"The party came together nicely," Nora continued. "I know you did all the heavy lifting here. Thank you so much." She waved a hand around the perfectly decorated room. A giant tree stood tall in the middle of the room decorated with gold and burgundy ornaments, mistletoe on every door jamb, red tablecloths on all the tables and each place setting had that year's Christmas gift waiting to be claimed. Waiters circulated with hors d'oeuvres and champagne for anyone who wasn't going to the bar for liquid refreshments. Everyone was talking and laughing. There were even a few people dancing. "Excuse us," Rachel said coming from out of nowhere and grabbing Kayla by the elbow. Rachel led Kayla to an unoccupied corner of the room before she started talking. "Are you seriously going to meet this guy in a hotel room tonight?" Rachel hissed. "Yes," Kayla whispered. "I have to know who he is." "You can't. It's not safe." "That's why I want you to stay in one of the rooms I booked for the company tonight." Kayla held out a card she'd been holding. "Here is the key. If anything goes wrong, I'll call you or text you. If you don't hear from me by eleven-thirty, try to contact me. If you can't reach me, have someone from guest services check the penthouse."

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Rachel took the key hesitantly. "Are you sure?" "Yes, don't worry. I'll be fine." Rachel looked doubtful and hugged Kayla. "Sit with me at dinner." Kayla snorted. "I don't think I can sit at all in this dress!" Rachel laughed. "Probably not, but we're having dinner together."

Kayla went to the reception desk at ten-thirty. She'd eaten dinner, done a little dancing and had a few glasses of white wine. The perky brunette at the desk grinned at her and handed her the elevator access card. "Have a wonderful stay, Ms. LeCroix." Kayla nodded and walked slowly to the elevator bank. She slid the card through the reader and waited. Riotous laughter erupted from the left. A few people from the company were leaving the party and going upstairs to one of the rooms. They waved at her, and continued their conversations. Kayla followed them onto the elevator when it arrived, ignoring the couple that started making out as soon as the doors shut. The crowd spilled out when the doors opened to the seventh floor and Kayla let out a sigh of relief. No one else got on the elevator so when the doors opened next, they opened to an enormous suite. Kayla stepped out into a tiled foyer. Past it was the sitting room. She walked around the room slowly, taking in the opulence. She'd never

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been in such a nice hotel room. The sitting room was furnished with large, overstuffed white couches and ottomans. A mahogany desk was tucked in the corner and a matching television armoire. There was a chandelier hanging from the vaulted ceiling dripping crystals and throwing sparkles off the diamonds she wore. Kayla walked up the staircase, dragging her hands over the black wrought iron banister. The second floor was a loft bedroom. The king-size bed was made with a white duvet and bed skirt that contrasted with the mahogany dresser in a similar way to the furniture downstairs. The bathroom off the bedroom was the same size as the bedroom. There was a standup shower, a sparkling clean Jacuzzi tub and double sink. Kayla gazed at herself in the mirror and tried to smile away her nervousness. When it didn't work, she went back downstairs. There was a kitchen off the living area and a powder room. The elevator chimed and Kayla jumped. A glance at her watch showed her only a quarter of eleven. "Please don't be early," she muttered. "Who is it?" she called. "Room service!" a male voice answered. Kayla waited as three bellhops wheeled in carts; one had food and a silver bucket with ice and champagne. The second one had poinsettias and small pots of

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white Narcissus flowers. The guy pushing the flowers set about placing the plants on any flat empty surface. The third cart had gift baskets full of chocolates, candies, wine, crackers and fruit. "I didn't order this," Kayla protested. "We just deliver the orders," said the flower guy as he walked past her. She stood in the middle of the room, watching as they set up the room. She held her coat tightly around herself until they left ten minutes later. Even though she wasn't hungry, Kayla picked a few grapes from one of the baskets and ate them. One of the larger baskets had a small teddy bear in it. She grabbed it and fell onto the couch. "What are we doing here?" she asked the bear who stared blankly up at her. The elevator chimed again and Kayla tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach when she stood from the couch. "What are you doing here?" she asked automatically before her brain caught up with her eyes. "Oh," she whispered as the butterflies slammed harder. "It's you."

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Chapter Nine

Luke pulled his hands through his dark curls and smiled. "Is it okay if I come in?" Kayla's shocked expression changed to a full-on blush. "Of course." She walked around the couch while he entered the suite. Kayla watched him walk in before she found her voice. "You sent me all those gifts?" "Yeah, did you like them?" Her hands shook as she lifted them to the diamond snowflake that rested against her chest. "They were incredible." Luke let out a breath of relief. "Good." "How did you know my sizes?" she questioned, pulling the coat even tighter. "I told the sales women how tall you were and described your body. The shoes were harder but I know the size of a person's foot is approximate to the size of their forearm. I measured that trench you're wearing from where the elbow creases to just above the end of the sleeve. That was probably the sneakiest thing I've ever done in my life, but you seem to like the shoes, so I guess it was worth it."

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"I do like the shoes." Kayla's eyes dropped to her feet and Luke swore he saw a smile. His nerves were shot trying to gauge her reaction to him being the one behind the gifts and trying not to sound like a crazy person for the measures he took to accomplish his plan. He'd decided months ago he was done pining and he had to let her know. He was crazy about her. Kayla had the most amazing smile, even though it was a polite, professional smile. She didn't make small talk feel like small talk, and she seemed genuinely interested in him. There were so many times he could have sent his assistant to give her correspondences, or just let them go through the intra-office mail, but he couldn't. He took every opportunity to see her. Office gossip had gotten back to him that she'd broken up with a guy, months back, and he decided to seize the opportunity. Kayla was beautiful. He wanted to touch her brown skin; he wanted to put passion in her hazel eyes. She was small and curvy and he had the hardest time not picturing her naked every time they came in contact. Luke dropped to the settee and leaned back. If he stood much longer, Kayla would see the erection forming.

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Kayla sat on the chair across from him, arms crossed in front of her and knees locked. "What did you hope to accomplish by giving me such extravagant gifts?" she asked quietly. Luke glanced around the room. Extravagant was one way of putting it. He'd certainly pulled out all the stops, even enlisting his older sister for advice. He finally met her curious hazel eyes. "I wanted you to give me a shot, but I'm not saying I'll spoil you like this all the time." "Spoil me?!" Kayla laughed. "Don't you feel spoiled?" Kayla gazed around the room and bit her bottom lip. "Maybe just a little." "I'm not trying to buy you," Luke said leaning forward. "If I had known..." Kayla sighed. He raised a dark eyebrow. "Never mind," she sighed. There was a beat of silence. “I didn't think you'd wear that outfit to the party." Kayla laughed. "I wore it to gauge reactions so I would see if someone there was my Secret Santa."

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"It's a good thing your back was turned to me when I walked in. You would have had me dead to rights if you'd seen my face." Kayla visibly relaxed. "I missed my chance." "I wouldn't mind seeing it again, up close." Kayla stood and took a slow deep breath. She untied the sash and let the coat fall onto the chair behind her. She looked up when Luke elicited a moan that sounded as if he was in pain. His hands were clenched on his lap, his gray eyes roamed over every inch of her body. Kayla was stunning. Luke stood slowly; he couldn't be this close to her and not touch her. The soft fabric of the dress, the fluffy white accents, the glow of her skin...he wanted to feel them all. Kayla looked down when he approached. He tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze to his. "You look beautiful," he whispered. She opened her mouth to speak, but he couldn't wait any longer. Her plush lips parting were a sweet invitation. He lowered his head and took her lips with his. He got braver when she didn't pull away. Instead she melted into him, her small hands clutching his sports jacket in her fists. She opened for him and his tongue searched for hers. His hands began to roam. Kayla was tactile heaven. She was soft, the clothes were soft…her hair was soft. Her lips were impossibly soft. She contrasted with

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him on so many levels. She was petite and had generous curves; he was tall and lean. His pale hands wrapped around the back of her neck. Her skin was like chocolate. He wanted to taste her. Luke dropped his lips to her neck, nibbling and licking. She smelled amazing. He wanted more. A phone went off somewhere in the room. "I have to get that," Kayla muttered. She released his jacket and stepped out of his grasp. "Really?" Luke choked. She leaned over to root around in her coat for the phone. Luke groaned again. The skirt slid up, her ass almost completely exposed. He grabbed his erection and squeezed. He was running the risk of creaming in his shorts like a teenager. "I have to answer this text or my friend might send someone up here after me." Luke nodded. "I'd rather not have company," he muttered to himself, returning to his seat on the couch. Kayla tossed the phone on the chair and pulled something else out of the pocket of her trench coat. She walked over to him. "Can you explain these to me?"

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Luke accepted the stack of business cards she held out. "Sure," he said leaning forward and placing them side-by-side on the coffee table. When he lined them up, he fixed his eyes on her and pointed to himself, then each card in succession. "My...heart...burns...for...you...tonight...tomorrow...and...forever." When he looked back up at her, she damn near swooned. Instead, she sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Where were we?" she whispered.

Kayla could feel Luke's heavy erection against the back of her thigh. She wanted him. She'd wanted him before she got any gifts. She'd give it all back, including the wonderful shoes, to have him. He kissed her again and she leaned into him. It was a heady feeling to know he was hard for her. He wanted her just as much as she wanted him! They were out of breath in minutes. Kayla thought her heart was going to beat out of her chest. Her nipples were painfully hard, the thong was saturated, and she wanted more. Before she could talk herself out of it, Kayla took off the large belt. She pulled the dress over her head and squeaked when Luke gripped her waist and

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tugged her closer. His mouth descended on her cleavage, nibbling and nipping the pillows the corset created. "Do you have a condom?" Kayla asked. Luke nodded, never removing his face from her cleavage. Kayla wiggled off his lap. He fell back onto the couch and she watched him grab his dick through his slacks. "Let's go upstairs," she said, holding a hand out to him. Luke's gray eyes went wide. "You don't have to do that," he said quickly. "I'm not expecting...you don't even have to stay." Kayla was having a hard time understanding Luke. Didn't he want her? "I want you," he explained, "so bad. I don't want you to fuck me because of a dress or some shoes. I just want you to give me a chance...I can wait. I will wait. If you stay, I'll sleep on the couch." Kayla grabbed his hand and jerked. It wasn't as if she'd pulled him to his feet, she wasn't strong enough to do that, but Luke stood in one smooth motion. "I want to go upstairs," she said slowly, "with you, and the condoms. Do you want to go upstairs with me and bring the condoms?" "Yes, please," he breathed. "I'd love that." "We can date later," she said, walking toward the staircase. "Right now, I want to fuck."

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Luke planted his feet. "You're not drunk, are you?" Kayla tugged his hand, but when he didn't move, she frowned. "No, I'm not drunk. I know exactly what I'm doing and I want to do you." Luke bit his bottom lip hard and continued to follow her up the staircase. What he really wanted to bite was the brown globes of Kayla's ass left bare by the thong.

Once upstairs, Kayla shoved the jacket off his shoulders. Without thinking, Luke pulled off his shirt, losing a few buttons in the process. Kayla went to his belt, her slender fingers working quickly. Luke grabbed his wallet out of his pants pocket and pulled out condoms. He had three. When he looked up, Kayla had pulled down the bed covers and was waiting for him. She looked delectable in the middle of the white bed. She smiled and crooked a finger at him. He almost lost it, but bit the inside of his cheek to find his control. Kayla sat up on her knees and began to unfasten the corset. It seemed each hook only released a millimeter of skin; it was akin to slow torture. "Let me do that," he begged, tossing the condoms beside her on the bed and sitting in front of her.

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Kayla dropped her hands to her knees. She sighed sweetly when he ran his index finger down the small amount of brown skin she'd exposed so far. Luke held her gaze with his. "I've thought about your breasts so often. What they look like? What they taste like? Will she like it when I suck them? Will she like it when I take a little bite?" Kayla moaned. "Unwrap me and you'll see," she urged. Incredibly it was even slower going for his large, clumsy fingers, but the reward was the way her skin felt whenever his hands brushed against her. Not to mention the sighs and whimpers that told him that she was nearly as turned on as he. She held the top of the corset together when he freed the last hook. "Can you undo the suspenders?" she whispered. "I can try," Luke muttered. He put his palms on the top of her thighs, sliding them down to yet another hook. "If I had known this was so complicated I would have thought twice." Kayla giggled. "Do you need help?" "Nope, I got it." Once he'd figured out how to disconnect the suspenders from the tops of the stockings, it was easy going. All four were off in a minute. "Show me," he rasped.

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Kayla dropped her hands and the corset fell back onto the bed. Luke swallowed the lump in his throat. "They're even better than I imagined." Kayla gasped when he palmed both breasts in his hands. Her globes were full and heavy. Kayla's back arched when his thumbs dragged across her tight, dark nipples. His mouth was literally watering, and so was his cock. Kayla's fingers laced through his curls when he dropped his head to suck one nipple then the other. They glistened and puckered even more. "Beautiful," he muttered. "Luke," Kayla gasped. He stopped what he was doing to her breasts and covered her mouth with his for a deep, long kiss. She was panting when he pulled away, her breasts heaving. "Say it again," he hissed. Kayla's eyes came together in confusion. "Say what?" He unfastened the garter. "Say my name again." "Luke," Kayla whispered. "I want you." "Lie back," he growled. Kayla obeyed. He loved the way she looked on her back, her hair a dark halo against the white sheets. Her lips swollen from his kisses. Her breasts were wet from them, too. He spread her knees apart and touched the snowflake on the front

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of the thong she wore. Her knees began to drift back together, but he pushed them apart again. The same finger continued downward. "Oh," Kayla moaned when he reached her slit. "You're soaked," Luke stated. His eyes drifted away from where the thong clung to her plump pussy lips and met her gaze. "Is this for me?" "Yes," Kayla whispered. "I've got something for you, too," said Luke, reaching for the condoms on the bed beside them.

Kayla was on fire, her entire body was pulled rubber band tight as she watched Luke pull down his boxers and roll on a condom. Her pussy leaked even more, celebrating the fact Luke was more than well-endowed. Unable to wait for him to finish undressing her, she hooked her thumbs into the sides of the thong and pulled them down. She kicked them off once they dangled from one ankle. Luke came back for another kiss. After what felt like hours, he pushed into her weeping cunt. "Fuck," he growled, halting his progress. "You're so fucking tight." "Do you want to stop?" asked Kayla. "Fuck no, just...stay still for a minute."

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She waited for him; he buried his face in her neck, sprinkling kisses over her heated flesh. She wasn't expecting him to move just yet when his hips lunged forward and she screamed. "Are you okay?" "I'm amazing. You're amazing." "Wrap your legs around me," he growled. Once again, Kayla obeyed, hooking her ankles at the small of his back. His strokes went even deeper. Their cries and moans drifted through the suite. "Luke!" Kayla cried as her orgasm claimed all her senses. Every nerve in her body fizzled out of control. Her toes curled, she gripped his forearms hard enough to leave fingerprints. "I love the way you say my name," Luke growled before crying out his release into the condom.

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Chapter Ten

Sunlight streamed through a gap in the curtains covering the wall of windows. Kayla blinked awake, but didn't move. There was a strong, lightly furred arm draped across her stomach. The hand at the end of that arm cupped her left breast gently. Last night hadn't been a dream. She arched her back, pressing her ass into his lap. She felt his smile against the back of her shoulder. "Good morning," Luke rasped. His voice was hoarse, his speech slow and full of sleep. "Happy Hanukah," she answered. "Hanukah is over," he muttered, dropping a gentle kiss on her shoulder. "It ended yesterday." "Oh," said Kayla, "I'm sorry." The hand holding her breast squeezed gently. "Merry Christmas, baby." Kayla sat up and slid away from him. She pulled the sheet over her naked torso and apologized again.

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"What's wrong?" Luke asked. "I feel terrible. I didn't get you a gift and it’s Christmas day, so everything is closed." Luke chuckled. "You're my gift, Kayla. Just knowing that you feel anything close to what I feel for you is all I need. If you want to give me something, just spend the day with me. We can order room service and talk." "Can we do more than talk?" teased Kayla. "Gladly," Luke growled, moving toward her. She swatted at him. "Not until I take a shower and brush my teeth and do something about my hair." She smoothed it self-consciously. "You're beautiful." Kayla giggled. "You do realize that you've set the bar really high." Luke pitched a hand through his dark curls. "What do you mean?" "You came out the gate with jewelry, couture clothes, and Christian Louboutin heels. You can't follow that with a gift card." Luke laughed loudly. "I hadn't planned on giving you any gift cards. Just wait until next Hanukah. You’ll see.” “I’ll see?” Kayla asked, curious. Luke laced her fingers through his. “There's also Valentine's Day, and your birthday, of course...whenever that is."

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"You said you weren't going to spoil me all the time." Luke fell back onto the pillow. "I might not be able to keep that promise." Kayla smiled. "I'm okay with that."

The End

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Author Bio:

Destiny Wallace grew up in North Carolina. She’s been writing stories since the first grade. After graduating high school, she spent four years in the military. She currently resides in Florida with her husband and children.

Red Rose Publishing

Alone At Last Two of a Kind Party Girl, Inc, Snow for Christmas One Night Only

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Secret Santa

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