6 Mountain Brothers for Christmas

I looked over at Violet who seemed so very lost as she also scanned the wine menu. “Whatever you like, Sebastian,” she said.

I wanted to push the issue, to have her pick something for a change, but I didn't want to embarrass her. While a submissive girl in the bedroom was usually a good thing, I didn't want her to always leave everything up to me. But she seemed intimidated and uncertain, adding pressure to the situation by asking her to make a decision would only make things worse for her.

“Paula, you pick then,

” I said with a smile, passing the menu over to her and looking at Violet a bit pointedly. “I don't always like being the boss.”

Paula chose the wines – a nice red and a nice white – and Violet just listened and watched, taking it all in. While she hadn't grown up poor, far from it, in fact, she also never experienced this kind of life either. Her father was a stickler for remaining humble and modest, insisting they live relatively frugally, which was probably why he'd managed to raise such an amazing daughter who took nothing for granted.

We ordered food and ate, drank a little too much wine while talking business, and Violet managed to hold her own very well. At times, it was hard to remember she had only been with my company for a couple of weeks, and that she was technically only my assistant. She had such an incredible mind and working knowledge of what we were doing, that I was blown away. I had to give the girl some credit, she was assertive and confident. I could also tell that she impressed both Steve and Paula, which was something in and of itself.

The wine was flowing, as per usual during our business dinners, and I noticed Violet's eyes were a little glassy and her skin was a little flushed, more than likely from the alcohol. Her rosy pink cheeks only added to her cuteness though, and yes, the wine made it hard not to stare at her at times. She smiled back at me, catching me staring several times, and looked away shyly.

“So, Violet,” Paula asked after one too many glasses of wine, “How long have you been working for Sebastian?”

“Only a couple weeks,” she said. “But I've known him forever.”

Paula raised an eyebrow and looked at me, as if asking maybe we were a little closer than just employer/employee. Which was why I shook my head and interjected

“Violet's dad and I were best friends,” I said. “Since college. I've watched her grow up.”

That took Paula by surprise, and she nearly choked on her wine. “Oh, I'm sorry. I suppose I just assumed – ”

“I know what you assumed, Paula,” I said, stopping her with a gentle smile. “But it's nothing like that.”

“Oh no,” Violet said, eyes wide as if she just now realized what Paula was getting at. “Not like that at all. Nothing like that. No. No way.”

She was blushing profusely now, and I could say that I blamed her. It made things a little awkward to know that people simply assumed that we were an item, which was probably my fault. I knew that my gaze lingered on Violet a bit too long at times, thanks to the alcohol and how beautiful she looked. But still, I knew it probably sent the wrong signal to anybody paying attention and probably even hinted that there was more than just a professional relationship between us.

Steve could sense the tension and stepped in, trying to fill that awkward void of silence. “So, what's your father do, Violet?”

Oh shit.

“Uhh well,” she said, her voice soft.

“Her father passed away a couple months back,” I said.

I gave her a gentle smile and tried to save her from having to tell her story yet again. I knew she'd had to tell it so many times already, and it never got easier for her. It was something I could understand entirely. She gave me a small, grateful smile as a thank you.

“Oh, wow, we're just digging ourselves deeper and deeper here with this conversation,” he said, scratching his head. “I'm sorry for your loss, Violet.”

“Thank you,” she said, holding her head up high, even though I knew it had to be hard for her. Hell, it was still hard for me.

“And with that,” Steve said, looking over at Paula, “I think we should call it a night. Before we get into any more trouble with our boss. Don't you think, Paula?”

“Yeah, I think so,” she said and gave me an apologetic look. “Plus, I have an early morning meeting with a realtor tomorrow to discuss a new piece of land coming on the market, so if you don't mind, I think I'm going to head back and get some sleep.”

We said our goodbyes to them, leaving just Violet and myself at the table. Well, us and half a bottle of red wine.

“We shouldn't let this go to waste,” I said, pouring another glass. “And thankfully, I'm the boss, so we can start a bit later tomorrow.”

Violet smiled at me, and I poured the last of the bottle into her glass too. It was a beautiful evening in paradise and her company was fantastic. But still, I had to admit, it was awkward being there with her. Sitting in a fancy restaurant, just the two of us, surrounded by the sounds of the ocean, the moon shining down on us, a beautiful wine, a fireplace, it was all very romantic. And it was exactly why I had originally picked the place back when Jessica was still coming with me. By the time everything had gone down with her and I'd arranged for Violet to come along, I hadn't even really given the restaurant a second thought.

“I'm sorry things got awkward,” she said. “I didn't mean for – ”

“Don't be sorry, it's my fault. Really,” I said, holding up my hand to stop her from apologizing.

She bit her lip and stared down at her hands, a look of despondency crossing her face. It was like a dark cloud drifting over the face of a full moon and it dimmed that beautiful light for a moment. But then she looked back up at me and that darkness had passed .