Drawn Deep (Afternoon Delight 2)

I’d been putting him off because he was my employee, but the season was officially over tomorrow. At least the Christmas season, which pretty much floated most of my business for the year. Maybe if he asked me again, I’d have to just say yes for once.

Eyes the color of blue flame flashed into my head. Intense eyes. Hooded eyes with slashing cheekbones, giving his face arresting angles.

A man like that didn’t seem nice. He’d take and demand.

Damn if that didn’t give me a serious pause.

No. I shook my head firmly—not for me. The Jasons of the world were more my speed. My fingernails dug into my palms. I couldn’t even pull Jason’s face up at the moment. Kind brown eyes…maybe? Or were they hazel?

I straightened my shoulders and headed for the bar.

Those damn blue eyes were sticking. I had little doubt they’d follow me into my dreams tonight. Time to find Mel and get the hell out of here. I had a huge day ahead of me tomorrow anyway.

I could trust work.

I understood work.

Just one more day to get through.

Chapter 2

Kay

“Just one more day. One more party.” I’d been saying that same phrase since last night. I swapped out my battered sneakers for my suede ankle boots. One more party and I could curl into my bed and sleep for eighteen blissful hours.

“Kay!”

I fluffed the cowl neck of my sweater, ignoring the crazy person calling my name.

Nothing was going to ruin today.

I pulled out my lipstick and glossed the candy cane red across my lips.

“Kandy Noel Kane, you answer me right now!”

I winced. Yeah, that wasn’t good. Was there still time for me to duck out the fire escape?

Mel pounded on the heavy door. “Kan—”

I swung open the door. “Go down a few decibels maybe?”

She pushed me aside, then peeked back into the hallway before slamming the doors. “I can’t. I’m going to hyperventilate.” She plastered herself against the door.

I twisted a fat curl from my ponytail around my finger. Mel was prone to histrionics, but there was a whole lot of panic going on in her big brown eyes.

“The ice sculpture is here, the presents for the charity raffle are under the tree, I finished the place settings myself not even an hour ago. I watched the chef make his specialty.” For the entire two hours. This was my biggest party of the season. “Nothing is going to go wrong.”

“Yeah well, we don’t have a Santa.”

I blinked at her. The room sort of fuzzed out of focus and a soundtrack of waves and screams crashed in my head. “I’m sorry?”

“No—capital N, capital O—there is no Santa in the building.”

“But Jason said he was going to be here.” It was a two-fer. I was going to make sure we had a super sweet, super jolly Santa for the party and maybe let Jason ask me out one more time.

I was pretty sure I was going to say yes.

Sort of.