Secret Santa (2 page)

“What can I do for you Jo?” He asked into the
silence, waiting for her to speak. She didn’t chatter much, at
least not to him. But he’d noted she had friends amongst the other
staff so he hung around the nurses’ station as he made his notes,
listening to the chatter. He liked to listen to her voice.
God,
that made him sound so pathetic.
Brushing the thought off in
irritation he focused his attention on her.

“Ermm, I was supposed to get you a Secret
Santa gift,” She looked uncomfortable and started to gabble. “I was
going to go out at lunch but then the RTA came in and everything
went manic and…”

Drew levered himself out of his seat, his
lips quirking a little as he realised what she was trying to
say.

“You didn’t manage to get out and you
forgot?” His prompt was voiced gently as he rounded his desk to
lean against the front edge, arms folded over his broad chest.
Closed off, closed off,
the people management trained part
of his brain screamed. Uncrossing his arms he rested his palms on
the desk either side of his hips.

“I am
so
sorry, I feel really bad
about it-”

Drew cut her off with a shake of his
head.

“Really, it's not a problem,” he said but she
wasn't listening to him, pulling some greenery from behind her
back. It was a testament to how long his day had been that he
didn't recognise the sorry offering. It took him a few seconds
before realisation kicked in but by then she had it held over her
head.

“Christmas kiss instead?” She offered with a
shy smile.

Oh god, he was looking at her as though she'd
gone and grown another head or something! Jo quaked in her boots at
the stunned expression on his face. Well, she would have been
quaking in her boots if she'd been wearing any. Instead she was
just quaking in her 'I've been on my feet for twenty hours and can
do without blisters' sensible nurses shoes. Which was nearly as
bad.

Her hand, the one holding the mistletoe over
her head, shook a little. She'd die of embarrassment if he laughed
at her. Already she wanted the ground to open up and swallow her
whole!

“A Christmas kiss, eh?” His slow drawl, the
one with the sexy hint of a Scottish accent, made her bite her lip,
nodding her head a little. Butterflies started to flutter in her
stomach as he pushed away from the desk, his eyes unreadable as he
held her gaze. Holding her helpless as he walked, no stalked,
towards her. His movements screamed pure male predator as he moved
to stand in front of her.

“Uh-huh, Christmas kiss. Mistletoe. See?” She
squeaked, shaking the already abused piece of greenery. A berry
fell off and rolled away under the desk. Amusement flared in his
eyes, coloured his voice as she almost took his eye out.

“Indeed.”

His large hand closed around her wrist,
moving the sharp points of the twig out of range of his eye. A
shiver went through her as his thumb stroked over the sensitive
skin on the inside of her wrist, causing a cascade of pleasure to
run down her spine. A cascade which set off the butterflies again,
whipping them up into a frenzy.

He closed in, the scent of expensive
aftershave over warm skin wrapping around her as his hand slid
round the curve of her waist. He pulled her nearer, until she could
feel the heat of his body against hers, even through her uniform.
Somehow that was more sensual than if he'd pulled her up flush
against him. An overtly sexual move that would have had her running
for the door in panic. She swallowed nervously. This was
far
different from the innocent kiss she'd been thinking of and he
hadn't even gotten near her lips with his yet.

His eyelids half hooded, concealing the
expression in his eyes as he leaned in. Her eyes latched onto his
lips. Full sensual lips. Lips which in the next instant brushed
against hers.

Warm and firm they pressed against hers in
the softest, gentlest kiss imaginable. The sheer sensuality hit her
like a truck. He moved, nibbling at her. His hands didn't move, the
light touch at her back and around her wrist holding her still, a
willing captive as she relaxed. Her lips relaxed as she started to
respond, returning his kiss.

He lifted his head, pulling his lower lip
between his teeth as though tasting her. The dark flash of need and
heat in his eyes made her catch her breath.

“Have dinner with me. Tomorrow.”

Drew had been like a cat on a hot tin roof
most of the day. He’d struggled to concentrate but at least he
hadn't had Jo around to distract him. Today was her day off and,
for once, he wasn't grumbling to himself and missing her.

Well, he
had
missed her but after
their kiss in his office last night, he wouldn't have been able to
think straight around her. Ripping a nurse's clothes off and making
mad, passionate love to her on the bed in the trauma room was the
sort of behaviour the hospital management frowned on. But after
that sweet, innocent as all hell yet
hot
kiss, he didn’t
think he’d have been able to stay professional today.

Sitting in the car outside her house he
shivered, replaying that little scene over in his mind. When she'd
pulled the mistletoe and proposed a kiss he’d been speechless. He
didn't know what had surprised him more; that Jo, quiet, restrained
little Jo, had offered or the desire which had slammed into him.
The instant desire which brought his body to full attention at the
merest touch of her lips against his. He wanted her, pure and
simple.

Drew groaned and rested his head back. Sure
he’d dated since his divorce but everything had been very
restrained. Quiet dinners with women in similar situations.
Amusement filled him, polite evenings ending with a peck on the
cheek and a promise to call which never materialised.

Never once had he felt the urge to pull any
of them hard against him and kiss them as though his life depended
on it. He’d never once wanted to take them to bed to slake the need
surging through his body and stay there for at least a month. For a
divorced guy approaching the big four-o that was a hell of a
shock!

Lifting his head he checked the time. Over
half an hour early, but he hadn't been able to stay away. Reaching
forwards he turned the engine off. Now he just needed to figure out
an excuse that didn’t make him look pathetically eager for showing
up at this time.

In the area?
Nope, wouldn't work. Jo
knew he didn't live locally so the only reason he had for being
here was to pick her up.
Finished early and thought I'd head on
over?
Nope, made him sound like he had no life. Which he
didn't, not really. All he'd done after work was drive home like a
maniac so he could get ready and get over to pick her up faster.
The truth it might be, but he had some male pride left.

Long drive so I thought we'd get a head
start?
Straightening up, he looked over at her house. The
lights were on upstairs as well as down. She must still be getting
ready. The snow which had started to fall earlier was thicker and
faster now so the line might just work. He wasn’t lying; he would
have to be a little more careful on the road to get them to the
restaurant.

Very exclusive, Ashton Grange was an old
manor house converted to a hotel and restaurant and like most old
manors it was out in the wilds. Nodding to himself, the beginnings
of a smile crossed his newly shaven face. Yeah, that could work.
That could definitely work. Removing the keys he got out of the
car, ducking his head against the snow as he headed for Jo's front
door at a dash.

*

Jo stood at the bottom of her bed, torn
between the classy little black dress and the more casual strappy
top and black pants laid out full length. Standing there in her
underwear, Jo nibbled her lip as she tried to decide.

She edged towards the little black dress,
but... could that be a little too formal for a first date? Pausing
again, she tried to quell the jitters in her stomach at the
thought. Was this even a date? Come on… men like Drew Carson, sex
on legs Drew Carson, didn't ask mousey divorcée's out on dates. Not
in this universe anyway. But he had. For some reason after their
amazing kiss last night he'd asked her to dinner!

She nibbled her lip again and hissed,
remembering her make-up. She'd spent ages doing her face and she
didn't want to mess it up before Drew got here. Turning to the bed
again she made a snap decision. Pants and top. She didn't want to
look desperate.

She pulled them on before she changed her
mind, zipping the pants up and smoothing them over her hips as the
phone downstairs rang. Her spirits crashed but she headed for the
door anyway. It would be Drew, calling to say he'd changed his
mind.

*

Drew reached Jo’s front door in record time,
using the meagre shelter offered by the tiny porch and stood on the
doorstep shivering as he rang the bell. Something moved behind the
frosted glass, a feminine figure appearing for a second before the
latch clicked and the door started to open.

“Look James, I don't know how you got this
number but it's over.” Jo's voice filled Drew's ears as he stepped
through the door, closing it behind him and shutting out the foul
weather. He frowned as he picked up the stressed note in her
voice.

“No James, I don't have to see you. That's
why the courts awarded the restraining order against you... yes,
yes... I
do
have the right to do that. You're not my husband
anymore.”

One look at her pale, drawn face and Drew had
had enough. His temper flared. Oh, this bastard didn't give up did
he? He moved up behind her, his male brain automatically
registering and appreciating the curvy figure under the shiny top
and pants as he reached around her to take the phone.

“I’m sorry, you appear to have the wrong
number sir,” He said over the male voice still ranting on the other
end. Then he cut the call off, putting the receiver back in the
cradle as Jo turned to him.

“Don’t let him get to you Jo, you don’t have
to put up with his crap anymore.”His hand lifted of its own accord,
his thumb whispering over her cheek in a soft caress. He wanted to
do more, so much more, but he restrained himself, acting the
gentlemen. A small voice in his head snickered.
You might be
acting it now but if she gives you
half
an opening to get
her into bed you’ll take it like a shot.

“Thank you,” Jo shivered, her eyes fluttering
closed as she turned towards his hand. Her lashes rose, those dark
eyes studying him. The shy, almost coltish air she had about her
hit him in the gut. All he wanted to do was pull her into his arms
and keep her safe from harm.

“Ahh what the hell,” he murmured, giving into
the impulse and pulling her into his embrace. His strong arms
wrapped around her, holding the slender female figure tight against
him as he dropped a kiss on her dark curls. “He can’t hurt you any
more sweetheart, I promise.”

She shuddered but didn’t fight his hold.
Instead she snuggled closer, nestling against him with a trust
which stunned him. After all she’d been through, that she could
still trust, much less a grumpy bastard like him took his breath
away. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, savouring the
sensation as she let him hold her.

*

“How far is the restaurant anyway?” Jo asked
as the snow hitting the car windscreen got heavier. Already Drew
had slowed the car to a near crawl, scowling at the blizzard
obscuring the view like bad static on a television screen.

“Might as well be the other side of the world
in this,” A frown on his face, he changed down a gear as a hedge
loomed large ahead of them. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think the weather
would get quite this bad.”

“No worries, I'm sure you'll get us there
safely.”

In truth Jo was glad the journey was taking a
while. With the snow pelting down outside around them the warmth
and soft music inside the car had created their own little world.
One she was in no hurry to leave. The call from James earlier had
rattled her. Her number was ex-directory and she changed her cell
number on a regular basis so he couldn’t track her down and harass
her. But when he did get hold of her, she never knew what to say.
Just hearing his voice made her freeze, all her pre-prepared
arguments flying out of her head as she struggled to frame a
response. She just wished she could hang up on him like Drew had
earlier but somehow she never managed to.

She slid her companion another covert glance.
Dressed in a suit he didn’t look much different to how she saw him
at work, maybe a little smarter. Normally his tie only lasted half
an hour into the day and the neat style of his hair suffered under
his habit of running his hand through it when thinking. His tall,
well muscled figure lounged in the driver’s seat. The action of
driving, pressing the pedals down in the foot-well making the
fabric of his pants pull taut over his thighs.

Oh my, what would it feel like to have
those thighs against hers, entwined with hers?
Heat flooded
through her and Jo hastily dropped her gaze. She should be locked
up if the sight of fabric over a guy’s thighs tipped her into a
hormone fuelled fantasy!

“I certainly hope so,” Drew ‘s concentration
was fierce as he navigated the big car around the twists and turns
of the small country roads. The silence between them stretched as
the speed of the car slowed and slowed until Drew hissed in
frustration. “It's no good, I think we're going to have to stop. I
can't see a thing and I don't want to drive us off the road.”

Jo looked from him to the scene outside in
concern. She'd been aware the conditions had been getting worse for
a while now but hadn't wanted to say anything to disturb him.