Mistletoe & Kisses Read online

  “Please stop.” I covered my face with my hand and shook my head. If I could work up the courage to turn and run away I would, but my humiliation kept me planted in this spot before him.

  “I didn’t mean to embarrass you. I really don’t have much of a filter and I believe in straightforward honesty.”

  “Well, you did and … and … I don’t even know what to say.” I still couldn’t get the look in his eyes out of my head. He looked like a wolf and I was the lamb spread out on the table before him, ready for him to devour.

  “Don’t say anything. Accept it as a compliment and move on.” He took another swig of his beer. “It was meant entirely as a compliment. You have a great body.” He moved closer to me. “I wouldn’t mind seeing you again when I come to town to see my brother.” He reached toward me to brush a loose hair back behind my ear.

  “Are the two of you close?” Why did I sound so breathy? Seriously.

  “Much closer than we were when we were kids. He used to beat the shit out of me. Then I got big enough to pay back the favor and we have been friends ever since. Much to the happiness of our parents, especially my mother. She didn’t like that we fought. My father said it would make us stronger and closer.”

  “I guess he was right? I’m an only child so I had no siblings to fight with.”

  “Yeah, he was right. We still go away on family vacations together.”

  “That’s cool. We camped when I was a kid. I haven’t been in forever. Our vacations now seem to consist of ski lodges and beach days.” Damn, we really needed to branch out more again.

  “I haven’t camped in years.” He was now standing so close to me that his chest brushed against his jacket that was now covering my now aroused and erect nipples. “I wouldn’t mind sharing a sleeping bag with you and seeing where things might go.” He leaned his head toward mine as if asking my permission. Before I could respond and before he could continue to lean forward, his phone rang from the right pocket of his jacket.

  “Your phone is vibrating,” I smiled up at him.

  “Yeah, I heard it.” He leaned in brushing his head against my chin as he reached for his phone. “Shit! I gotta return this call.” He looked at the screen of the phone stepped away.

  “Okay.” I went to move away from him, but he grabbed my hand and started to walk me back toward the doors of the room where the holiday party was in full swing from the look through the window.

  “I’ll try to catch up with you in a bit,” he reached for his jacket and slid it off of my shoulders. I was going to turn to look at him, but he already had the door open waiting for me to step inside.

  ”It was nice meeting you, Murphy,” I turned to smile at him just as the door shut and I watched him walk back to the railing with his phone to his ear. Well, I guessed when the wife called you must return the call immediately. Ugh… I wondered if he was really married or had a girlfriend. Not that it would matter, he lived in Chicago and I lived here.

  Stupidly and hopefully not obviously, I tried to keep my eye on that door for Murphy’s return. I didn’t think I could have missed him come back into the room. I did check the head table more than a few times and I didn’t see him sitting next to Malone, or anyone else for that matter. He hadn’t taken his seat for dinner when it was served, nor as dessert and coffee were being served.

  During the dessert and coffee service, we began handing out the grab bag gifts. These were gifts that were randomly handed out like a raffle. The office staff each received a ticket for a prize and everyone cheered and oohed and aahed at the prizes. Since Monica had been the ‘host’ of the evening, she and I were in charge of handing out the grab bag gifts to the office staff. Just as we were about to finish and people were making their way toward the exit, Malone Scott stepped up to whisper something to Monica. Monica nodded, said congratulations to everyone, wished them happy holiday and turned the microphone over to Malone.

  “Good evening ladies and gentlemen. I just wanted to take this moment to say thank you to everyone for making me already feel a part of Daniel, Short, Leisenheimer and Soneira.” Everyone seemed to have returned to their seats to hear what the new partner had to say. I’m sure it had nothing to do with him being a hottie. “This evening has been a great way to be introduced to many of you. Those I haven’t had a chance to speak to yet, I’m sure we will in the near future. I look forward to working with you. I was informed earlier this evening about the raffle gifts; however, I had not had a chance to purchase anything. Since everyone has received a ticketed gift, I have offered to raffle off one last prize.” The room began to chatter.

  “What could he be raffling off?” I whispered to Monica.

  “Could be almost anything. Concert tickets, show tickets,” she shrugged. “He is after all an entertainment attorney.” She winked at me.

  “The best way to do this is...” he pulled a pen from his inside pocket and handed it to a server standing at his side. She jotted something down. “Elaine just wrote a number down, the person who guesses closest to this number gets the prize.” He laughed when everyone started shouting numbers. “Why don’t we try it this way? We’ll go table to table. The number is between ten and one hundred.” He made to move away from the podium. “Monica would you mind helping me go around and gather up the entries? Olive if you wouldn’t mind as well?” He met my eyes with not only the question he asked, but as if he were checking me out, but not in a sexual or attracted way.

  Well, damn, if I help then I don’t get a chance at the prize.

  “Just jot down the names and guesses.” Malone handed us each a piece of paper and a pen he had gotten from a server. “Olive, you can give me your guess so it’s fair.” He turned to the server who was presently drooling over him. “Just hold on to this and don’t let anyone know what you wrote, so it’s fair for all,” he pointed to the piece of paper in her hand, smiled a panty-melting smile at her and she sighed then nodded with a shy smile at him. “Calle, would you mind helping as well?” Malone called. “You can give me your guess, too.”

  I had to admit that when he called Calle’s name and Billie’s face scrunched up in annoyance, I was totally thrilled.

  I winked at Calle as she and I took turns telling Malone our guesses. The four of us then moved quickly around the room. Monica, thankfully and I think strategically, was the one who got to get Billie’s guess. Once we were all done we handed Malone the lists which he then turned over to the server.

  “Thank you Elaine.” He said taking the piece of paper from the server. He held up the paper for the room to see the number, then he glanced over his shoulder at Elaine. “Do we have a winner?” Elaine smiled up at Malone and then handed him the lists back.

  “Well, when I was told that the staff here was close, who knew you were so close that three of you would all pick the same number? All three from different tables as well. Susan, Jean and Carey you are our winners and can decide which tickets you would like to choose from. I’ll have list on Monday available for you to pick from. Congratulations and again everyone, thank you for the welcome and happy holidays.” Malone said and then headed back to the table with the partners.

  I had agreed to help with the cleaning up of the decorations of the room. I had recruited two people from each department to help, so that with ten people it would only take about an hour. And it did. I thanked everyone for their help and was making my way back to my car when Suzanne, the event coordinator for the country club called after me.

  “Excuse me, Olive?” she waved her hand at me. “We have an issue,” she said sounding a bit out of breath.

  “An issue? Is something wrong with the room? We just finished the clean-up and I did go through and everything seemed fine.” My heart stopped. I knew I had checked that everything we had brought had been removed. No damage had been done that I was informed about. Oh, if something happened it was surely going to get back to the partners and once that happened everyone would know and I’d never be able to plan an event again and I h
ad plans for the company picnic in August. Yeah, I knew it was next year, but I liked to plan ahead...so sue me.

  “No, no there are no damages and the room is fine. We just have an issue with one of the guests.” She turned so I would follow her back into the building. No one had mentioned a problem with a guest and no one came to me with any complaints.

  “I’m sure whatever it is…”

  “Oh, it isn’t a what, it’s a who,” she smiled at me reassuringly.

  “I’m sorry what?” Oh God no! Please tell me someone wasn’t screwing around in one of the other rooms. Or worse, they got caught screwing around and now I have to take care of it.

  “Well, we were making our final rounds of the rooms before the night cleaning people came in and we found him.” She pointed to one of their other ball rooms.

  “Him? Found him?” My head was now spinning.

  “Yes, he was just sitting there with his head on the table. We checked for a pulse and tried to wake him up, but he seems to be intoxicated and passed out.” Suzanne smiled at me and I could see this wasn’t her first passed out person, but I don’t remember anyone…

  Holy shit! Holy shit! Holy shit! Murphy was sitting at the furthest table in the back of the room with his head down and he was snoring.

  “I … I, ah…” I looked from Murphy to Suzanne. A nervous giggle escaped my lips. What the hell am I supposed to do? I barely even know this man. “I honestly have no idea what to do with him. As far as I know he was a guest of his brother. I’ve never even met him before tonight.” I turned back to look at him. His longish shaggy hair hung over his arm that his head was resting upon. His head was turned towards the center of the room. Suzanne and I both turned to each other and smiled when a gentle snore filled the room.

  “Is there someone you can call to help him home?” Suzanne asked smiling kindly at me.

  “I don’t even know who I would call.” I thought of Monica, but, but nothing she was the only one I would call. “I’m going to try my boss and see if she can get a hold of one of the partners who may know how to get in touch with his brother.”

  “I’ll give you few minutes while I check on the other rooms.”

  “Thank you, and I apologize for this.”

  “Oh, it isn’t the first time, dear. I doubt it will be the last,” she smiled and made her way out of the room.

  I spent the next fifteen minutes trying to get a hold of anyone I could. I called Monica, she laughed and told me to take him home and have my way with him which, sadly, was the response from most of the other attorneys I reached out to. Two of the six partners called me back and said they didn’t have Malone’s phone number. One partner called back and said he wasn’t getting involved in the drama. Two partners didn’t even bother to respond. The last partner said he had reached out to Malone, but only got his voicemail.

  What the hell was I supposed to do with him? I looked back at Murphy as I paced the room. He really was an attractive man. I remembered he was tall, had to be almost six feet. He had the build of someone who took care of himself. He didn’t snore loudly...it was more like a purring hum. I had caught myself reaching for his hair that had fallen over his brow just as Suzanne came back into the room.

  “Any luck?”

  “No,” I turned to her. “I really don’t know what to do. I mean I could call him a car, but I have no idea where to send them to drop him off.” I huffed and turned back to the sleeping man.

  “Well, it seems you have two options.” I turned back to look at her now hugely smiling face, which for some reason woke up butterflies in my stomach. “You could go through his pockets and find his identification with his address on it,” she sounded almost excited. “Or you could take him home with you,” she sounded even more excited by this suggestion.

  “Oh no, no I couldn’t take him to my… I don’t even know him,” I adamantly shook my head. There was no way I was bringing this strange man to my home. I didn’t even know him. Besides how the hell would I even get him in the house? I guess his identification would be the best way to go. I turned to look at Suzanne who now had an eager smile on her face and a sparkle in her eye. “Maybe it would be better if you checked his pockets. I mean this is your place after all.” I stepped aside for her to approach him. She started to shake her head then Murphy moaned in his sleep and she almost jumped away from him.

  “Well, if you …” she didn’t even finish before she was in his jacket pockets. I didn’t know if she was happy or disappointed that his billfold was in his inside jacket pocket and she wouldn’t have a chance to search his other pockets. She looked up at me before she made the final move and opened the billfold. “Um…” she looked from him to me then back at the billfold. “Apparently he doesn’t live locally and if he does he hasn’t had a chance to change his address. This says he lives in Chicago,” she smiled at me. “I don’t think the car service will take him that far,” she chuckled. “Maybe he has a cell phone and we can call someone.” Without hesitation this time, she reached into his jacket pocket then moved around to pat down his thighs. Before moving behind him she glanced up at me, almost unsure.

  What, did she expect me to stop her or step up to do the search? Not a chance. With my luck he would have woken up just as I reached his pant-covered legs.

  “It appears he is without a cell phone,” Suzanne looked up at me. “Or at least it isn’t where I can get to it,” she blushed. “I’d hate to have to call the police to have him removed,” she bit her lip.

  “I, ah, shit,” I mumbled. Where the hell was his cell phone? He had ditched me earlier for a phone call. He had it with him then. “I have no idea what I’m supposed to do here,” I chuckled. Yeah, I’m fucked. Am I really considering bringing this strange man home with me? Not weird strange, but strange to me. Oh, you know what I mean. Where the hell is his brother anyway? Why did he just leave him here? “I guess he didn’t have a set of keys on him either?” I looked over at Suzanne who just shook her head no. “Shit.” I mumbled.

  “I can have someone help you with him out to your car. I mean, maybe by then he’ll wake up and all will be settled,” she smiled reassuringly, but it didn’t reach her eyes.

  “Actually could I impose on you a bit more?” I moved closer to her. “Could I ask to borrow one of your valets? I’ll use the car service to take Mr. Scott and myself so the valet can to drive my car back to my house and then have the driver drive him here for his own car.” Am I really doing this? Oh my God! This was just about the stupidest thing I think that I had ever done. This ass could have gone home with almost any woman in the room tonight and now he was coming home with me and he was completely passed out.

  “Of course, of course. Let me go get someone to help you with him to the car” she smiled and there was a hint of a laugh behind it. Did she see how nervous I was about this? Why was she even allowing or suggesting or agreeing to this? Why was I? Ugh!

  The next thing I knew, two valets came into the room, helped Murphy out of his chair without him putting up any sort of fight, and then walked/dragged him to the car waiting outside the front door. I handed my car keys to one of the valets and he agreed to follow us. After Murphy was settled in the backseat of the car, I slipped in next to him and tried to keep as much space between him and myself as I could. I called Monica again and told her the situation. She, of course, laughed and told me I could blackmail the shit out of him and be on easy street for years. I ended the call while she was still laughing. As we pulled out of the parking lot, my eye caught sight of the black BMW in the spot that was stolen from me earlier. Son of a bitch! Murphy is the asshole that cut me off earlier. Well isn’t that just to be expected. I nudged his knee with mine. Asshole.

  * * *

  Thank God for the short ride home. At this hour it only took about twenty minutes to go from the country club to my house. The driver and the valet helped walk/drag Murphy into my house. As soon as they crossed the threshold of the front door they turned and looked at me for direction
as to where to leave him.

  “Just lay him on the couch there, I guess.” I lifted an eyebrow at them as they exchanged a look. Wrong guys, sorry he isn’t going in my bedroom.

  After Murphy was settled on the couch, I thanked both men and tipped them both. I leaned against the closed door and from there I could see the top of Murphy’s head at one end of my couch and his black shoe-clad feet at the other end. My phone rang in my purse that I had dropped on the floor just inside of the front door. When I lifted out I saw that it was Monica. Yeah, no. I wasn’t talking to anyone else tonight about this unless it was Malone or a partner. I hit ignore and pushed myself away from the door. Now, you ass, you will stay here and only here. Don’t touch my stuff and don’t even think about coming into my bedroom, I thought as I yanked his shoes off of his socked feet and dropped them on the floor in front of the couch.

  I took one last look at him before I slipped into the bathroom to get ready for bed. I debated as to whether or not I should lock the door, then decided to stay on the safe side and locked it. I think I took the fastest shower I had ever taken in my life. Now I had to get from the bathroom and down the hall to my bedroom wearing only my fluffy purple robe. I unlocked the door and as quietly as possible opened it. I peered out of the slight crack to peek down the hall over at the couch to see that Murphy was, in fact, still sleeping. I quickly rushed tiptoeing down the hall to my bedroom and locked my bedroom door. I didn’t know how I did it with a stranger sleeping on my couch, but as soon as I had slipped into my bed and under my comforter, I was asleep.

  “Ugh. Fuck!” a grumbled voice sounded from the hallway waking me up. Scaring me is more like it. “Ugh, God! What the fuck?” was followed by a banging noise, sounding like something being hit between the hallway walls. I scrambled out of bed, swung my bedroom door open and charged out in to the hallway, only to be stopped by a man wall. “Where the fuck am I? Who the fuck are you? How the fuck did I get here? Where the fuck is my phone?” He looked at me like he had never seen me before. His hair was a mess and his breath reeked of old stale alcohol.