Thrill Seeker (Sinful in Seattle)

She took a step back into the hallway. “I’ll just wait for Jordan.”

“Since Jordan works for me, I think that means I get to know what the big secret is too.”

“I wouldn’t want to bother you with it. You’re getting ready to leave, right? That’s what you just mentioned.”

“Christmas parties aren’t exactly my scene.” I glanced down at her outfit. “Then again none of the elves at our previous Christmas parties looked quite like you.”

She flushed. “This is not my usual attire.” She nibbled on her lower lip, then huffed out a breath. “This sucks.”

I grinned. “It doesn’t have to. And neither do you—at least not right away.”

Her lake blue eyes widened again. I wondered if she’d make the same face while on her knees in front of me. Or would it be that slow, slumberous look from the dance floor?

“Look, I understand last night was…something else.” She tugged at her skirt. It wasn’t especially short, but her legs were ridiculously long. “That was then, and this is definitely a whole different kind of now.”

“Last night you wore those same boots, but today’s stripes on your stockings definitely make for an entirely new look.”

She stepped forward, gesturing to indicate we should go into the office. I obliged her. It made sense. She didn’t want our conversation to be overheard.

“You remember what I was wearing?” She shook her head. “Never mind. That doesn’t matter. The problem here is that I have forty kids—”

“Forty-seven.”

She pressed her bright red lips together for a moment and took a measured breath. It was quite fascinating, really. I was pretty sure she was a moment away from blowing up at me. Maybe even taking a swing. Not entirely sure I wouldn’t enjoy seeing her give it a try. How far could I push her?

Hmm.

I did like a challenge.

“So tell me, Miss Kane, is that seriously your name?”

She pressed her glossy red lips together so tightly a white line glowed from her skin.

“I’m going to take that as a yes. And that you get asked that a lot. I don’t like being boring, so I’ll just move on.”

“I appreciate that.”

“Based on the name of your company, and your last name—unless it’s a family thing, which I understand completely—I’m guessing the elf costume isn’t your usual attire?”

Her nostrils flared.

I grinned. Yeah, she really wanted to tell me off. “By my powers of deduction, and being an intuitive man—”

She let out a snort. Her lips did that white line thing again. I much preferred the lush red. She’d worn the same shade last night and I’d dreamed of kissing the red away. I’d also dreamed of my cock wearing that same shade when she took me in her mouth. I wasn’t picky.

Of course, that was a dream and my reality was a little trickier.

I raised a brow. “As I was saying, being an intuitive man, and catching the scent of panic in the air, I’m betting you’re about to give me some bad news.”

“My Santa eloped with my elf.”

It was my turn to press my lips together. “Of all the scenarios in my head, that wasn’t one of them.”

“Welcome to my life. And now there are forty-seven kids arriving at your annual party, with no Santa.”

“You don’t have a backup?”

She tilted her head. “You do realize it’s the twenty-third of December at approximately four in the afternoon.”