Holiday Sparks

“You are going to faint if you don’t get yourself together.”

Darcy laced her fingers together until her knuckles turned white. “Jaime, if I screw this up Miriam will have me back in the shoe department by nightfall.”

“Come on, Darcy, everything looks amazing. You and Ben did an amazing job.”

Darcy tried to block out the words amazing and Ben. Between the store and last night she was a wreck. “You don’t understand.” She shook out her rapidly numbing hands. “She told me this would pretty much make or break my chances of advancement.”

“The Black Widow likes to instill fear in all who are under her. You’re nothing but management in waiting. You know this store better than she does.”

Darcy dragged in a steadying breath. “Thanks. I’ve just got to get through this reveal and to the other end of Black Friday and then I can breathe.”

“That’s a whole lot of days without oxygen, mija.”

Jaime only fell into Spanish when she was worried about her. Darcy pasted on her best kick-butt smile and patted her friend’s shoulder. “I’ve got to go get Ben just in case the tree shorts out or something.”

The arches of her feet screamed and her dress pants pinched, the blouse was too big and the silky rayon kept untucking from her pants. She was so ready to hit the fire door and keep on walking. Gosh, she hated when the owners came in. She got to the break room and Ben was holding court. He had all the stock guys laughing as well as two cashiers on break completely enthralled.

She did not need his charm. Not right now.

He looked up and the quick half grin liquefied her knees. It was the same grin he’d given her in the shower when he’d been kneeling in front of her. And that thought needed to be banished. Now.

“If you’re done entertaining?”

His eyebrow rose and he pitched his empty soda bottle into the recycling bin. “All right, guys, I gotta go earn my keep.”

Her shoulders tightened. Again, she was reminded of the favor she owed him. She hated to be indebted to anyone. But it would be worth it if she could just get through this day. She backed out the door and into the blessedly empty hallway. “Okay, I just— What are you doing?”

He crowded her, his thighs pinning her to cool wall. “You need to relax and I know just the thing.”

She slapped her hands on his chest. “This is not the thing!” She looked down the hall. He dipped his head and she gripped his chin, turning his head before their lips could connect.

“Hey!”

“This is not the time, Ben,” she whispered. “My bosses are here.”

“Yeah, and you need to relax. They’re just people.”

“They are not just people. This is my butt on the line.”

“They aren’t any better than you or me.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t have to. Look, Darc, this is no big deal. We tested the lights last night and again when I came in a little while ago. They work and they look great.”

“It has to look great.”

“It will.” He laid his hands on her shoulders. “Hey, they’re going to love it and you’ll be employee of the century.”

“Ben.”

“Don’t get that school librarian voice on. I told you I’d get you out of this jam and I did.”

“I still can’t believe you came in and did it all.”

“Yeah, well, it’s the least I could do.”

She frowned. “What do you mean, least you could do?”