The spirit of Christmas...

His family’s business may thrive on Christmas, but Justin Hammond holds bad memories of the festive season. So being drafted in to make some tough financial decisions should be easy—until he meets executive Carli Tynan!

Determined to save her favorite Hammond’s store, Carli vows to remind Justin of the holiday’s magic—starting with a kiss in the snow! Can she show the reluctant tycoon just how special Christmas can be?

The Men Who Make Christmas

Meet the Hammond brothers—will they find their own happiness under the mistletoe?

For James and Justin Hammond, Christmas should be the most joyful time of year. It’s Hammond’s Toy Stores’ most profitable time of the year, and their Christmas window displays are legendary. Yet it reminds them of the most heartbreaking event in their family history.

But when they meet two delightful women for whom the festive season means everything, the Hammond brothers can’t help but be captivated by their infectious Christmas spirit! This year, can they make Christmas the most magical time of all?

Don’t miss this sparkling Christmas duet!

Christmas with Her Millionaire Boss

by Barbara Wallace

November 2017

Snowed in with the Reluctant Tycoon

by Nina Singh

December 2017

Snowed in with the

Reluctant Tycoon

Nina Singh

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Nina Singh lives just outside of Boston, USA, with her husband, children and a very rambunctious Yorkie. After several years in the corporate world she finally followed the advice of family and friends to ‘give the writing a go, already’. She’s oh-so-happy she did. When not at her keyboard she likes to spend time on the tennis court or golf course. Or immersed in a good read.

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To my mother and father. For all their faith.

Praise for Nina Singh

‘Ms Singh has done an interesting job with this novel...her characters came to life and you didn’t want to close the book on them.’

—Harlequin Junkie on Miss Prim and the Maverick Millionaire

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Praise

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

THE HOUSE WAS COLD.

Carli Tynan wasn’t surprised. In fact, she’d never once entered this mansion and ever felt warm. Regardless of the season. And, despite the myriad of Christmas decorations currently adorning the foyer, nothing about the home felt particularly festive. Or even like a home. No, the Hammond estate felt more like a staid museum.

The eleven-foot-tall pine Christmas tree that nearly touched the ceiling notwithstanding.

Shaking the thin layer of snow off her wool coat, she peeled off her faux leather gloves, the bound portfolio tucked under her right arm. The darn portfolio was the only reason she was here, the reason her usual morning routine had been so handily disrupted. Carli was not a fan of disruptions. She’d already had to deal with way too many in her twenty-six years.

Her boss, Jackson Hammond, had asked her just this morning to drop off the file on her way in to work. Right after she’d gotten back from her early-morning run. It had barely given her time to shower, let alone to put herself together as well as she normally liked. As a result, her unruly curls were now a mess of tangles hastily secured in a haphazard bun on top of her head. She hadn’t even had a chance to iron her remaining clean suit. The only other option was a stretch pencil dress that had recently shrunk after she’d accidently thrown it in the dryer. Comfortable, it was not.

But she had a day full of meetings in the office, and this was the best she could do. Not at all the way she would have preferred to start off her morning. Or any morning for that matter.

All because the prodigal son was returning home.

Justin Hammond, Jackson’s second-born, had been the one to request the portfolio. And apparently, he needed it before he could make it into the office. Carli had to accommodate him. Why was he suddenly heading back into town anyway? Justin hadn’t had anything to do with Hammond’s Toys since she’d been employed there. Now, suddenly, he was interested. Carli stepped farther into the foyer and couldn’t resist the urge to roll her eyes. No doubt Justin’s sudden interest was due to his older brother James’s recent distractions, so to speak. James had apparently met someone and was now taking a well-deserved break from the day-to-day business. Little brother must have concluded that this was an ideal time to strike.

Never mind that Carli should be the one next in line to take over any of the duties James may be ready to relinquish. She couldn’t help but feel a little insulted.

And hurt. Well, she’d just have to get over it. Then she’d have to work even harder to ensure she got the position she deserved.

She walked up to the foot of the stairs and yelled up toward the second floor. “Mr. Hammond, I’m dropping off the file.”

No answer.

Jackson’s hearing wasn’t what it used to be. She shrugged off her coat and dropped it on the nearby black leather settee, then walked halfway up the grand spiral stairway.

“Mr. Hammond, where would you like the files?”

Again, nothing. Carli let out a huff of frustration. She certainly didn’t want to risk having come out here only to have the portfolio overlooked because the Hammond men couldn’t find it. She would have texted Jackson, but he was notorious for wanting to have nothing to do with technology. He probably didn’t even look at his phone every day. Hence the request for a paper file. As for Justin Hammond, she barely knew a thing about him, let alone his cell phone number.

She walked all the way up to the hallway and toward Mr. Hammond’s suite. The shower was running. Great. She would have to yell through the door at the top of her lungs, or he would never hear her.

Could this morning get any worse? She didn’t think so.

Stepping into the master suite, she walked over to Mr. Hammond’s antique mahogany desk and dropped the portfolio atop it. Then yelled as loud as she dared across the room toward the closed master bathroom door. “The portfolio is on your desk, Mr. Hammond.”

A muffled acknowledgment sounded from the other side, and Carli breathed a sigh of relief. Now she could get out of here and finally start her day.

But the day had other plans. When she was midway down the stairs, the front door opened and a shadowy, tall figure stepped into the foyer. He dropped his suitcase to the floor and seemed to hesitate before entering any farther. Carli’s step nearly faltered as she took in the sight of him. Tall and dark with a firm square jaw and jet-black hair. There was no mistaking who he was—Justin, the other Hammond heir. All three men shared the same rugged features, but the one standing before her had a different vibe altogether. An aura she would be hard-pressed to describe.

Regaining her balance, she managed to finally make her way down the stairs.

Justin finally looked up as she reached the foyer. He seemed to do a double take. Most men did when they first got a look at her. A fact she was quite aware of. And quite uncomfortable with.

“I’m sorry,” he began, though he looked anything but. “I didn’t realize anyone was here.” He looked downright annoyed.

She tried to summon a polite smile, but her facial muscles seemed useless. Justin Hammond had eyes that a sorcerer would envy. The lightest shade of hazel littered with gold specks. What was wrong with her? She so wasn’t the type to notice men’s eyes, for heaven’s sake.

“Um, your father’s in the shower. I’m sure he’ll be right out.” In an awkward attempt to introduce herself, she extended her right hand. “I’m Car—”

But he stopped her midsentence. “Look, that’s hardly necessary.”

Carli blinked. Okay. No time for a quick introduction? Maybe he was just jet-lagged and tired from travel. Or perhaps he was just plain rude.

She cleared her throat. “Oh, I guess—” She looked to the side, unable to bear his gaze much longer given the awkwardness. “I guess I’ll be on my way then.”

He merely nodded, then stepped aside.

Carli tried not to flinch. She’d just effectively been shown the door! By the man who threatened the job she’d been working so hard for, no less.

Straightening to her full height, Carli stepped around him and went to grab her coat from the settee. Then did the only thing she could. She left.

Her words about the morning not getting any worse mocked her.

* * *

Justin watched as the woman walked out and firmly shut the door behind her. Perhaps he’d been on the slim side of rude just now, but he so hadn’t been expecting a stunning bombshell to come down the stairs as he entered his boyhood home. Not that he’d really been expecting anything in particular after having been gone over two decades.

Looked like his father’s womanizing ways hadn’t changed.

He glanced out the side palladium window as the woman walked down the driveway toward the parked car outside. Ravishing. It was the only word that came to mind. She had curves that would stop a monk in his tracks. The dress she wore hugged those curves in all the right ways. His father apparently liked them much younger these days; she had to be barely in her late twenties.

Well, it was no business of his. He was only here for a few days to analyze some numbers his father wanted him to look at. Though why the old man suddenly requested his younger son’s help after all these years was a mystery, one Justin had no interest in investigating. He’d been ready to turn down the request and tell his father where he could go, but his mother had insisted he do Jackson Hammond’s bidding. The old man still held the purse strings after all. And his mother had always been all about the Hammond purse strings.

Even after she’d fled this house and his father all those years ago, taking their younger son, him, along with her. He’d been the lucky one to get whisked away in the middle of the night once his mother finally decided she’d had enough.

He hadn’t been back since. Until today.

Justin tried to get his bearings as he examined the foyer he hadn’t walked through since he’d been a small child. Everything appeared smaller. The traditional Christmas decorations were as spectacular as he remembered. The tall pine by the stairs glittered with gold and silver ornaments. Sparkling lights adorned the stairs and banisters, a line of poinsettias graced the walls. So festive. In a nauseating and annoying way. All that was missing was a background track of loud Christmas music.

Bah, humbug.

What was he doing here? He should have refused his parents’ requests and the hell with the consequences. Who did they think he was? Who did his father think he was? This was the same man who had ignored him until his older and rightful heir had decided last month that he’d needed some time off to go do...whatever he was doing. Justin had no idea, but it probably involved a woman. Maybe his brother had fallen in love.

Yeah, right, Justin thought as he made his way toward the living room. He sincerely doubted it. The Hammond genes weren’t really conducive to such things. Love wasn’t in their DNA.

More Christmas decorations greeted him in the living room, which had been updated with new furniture in addition to a slightly less dark shade of green painted on the walls. Or perhaps that had been the same color all along. He’d been gone from home a long time. Not that it ever really felt like a home to begin with.

Overall, reentering his childhood house so far felt somewhat surreal. Like he’d stepped into a previous life.

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs pulled him out of his musings. Steeling himself against the anger barely contained under the surface, Justin turned to face Jackson Hammond—the man who had watched a young Justin being yanked out that front door all those years ago without lifting a finger to stop it.

Past history, Justin thought as he turned to greet his father. Or more accurately, the man who had sired him.

To his surprise, Jackson hadn’t changed all that much. The graying at his temples had spread through to most of his thick, wavy hair. A few more wrinkles framed the area around his mouth. Other than that, Justin felt as if he could be looking at the same face he had last seen all those years ago.

“Thank you for coming, son,” his father said, and extended a hand. It was the most awkward handshake Justin had ever performed.

“You’re welcome.”

“I know what a busy man you are, so I really appreciate it.”

Justin merely nodded. No need for Jackson to know that if it weren’t for his mother’s insistence, Justin would still be on the other side of the country.

“Given your global reputation as a management consultant, I figured it was about time you did a full assessment of the company you’re part heir to,” his father added, then shook his head as if in disbelief. “Something I should have requested long ago.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Justin offered.

“You’ve accomplished quite a lot for such a young age,” Jackson added. “That consulting firm of yours is known all over the world.” Was that a look of pride on his face? If so, it was too little, and much too late.

“Business has been good.”

“So I’ve read. As well as reading about your fast rise in the industry.”

Justin processed his father’s words. Words that would have meant the world to him when he was a teenager, or even a college student. How many school events or sporting events had he desperately searched the audience on some small glimmer of hope that Jackson might have shown up? How many times had the phone rang on his birthday with none of the calls being from his father?

No. Justin had long ago stopped pining for any acknowledgment from the man standing before him. “Why don’t I get started then?” he prompted, changing the subject.

What had Jackson expected? If his father had any notion that this visit was to be a touching reunion between long-lost father and son, he was in for a disappointment.

* * *

Carli found herself becoming more and more annoyed as she drove away from the Hammond mansion. Of all the nerve! She’d never been dismissed by anyone in such a fashion—and she’d grown up in a houseful of siblings. Undivided attention wasn’t exactly something she was used to. But the way Justin Hammond had just practically ejected her had been downright insulting. To make matters worse, she’d done nothing but stood there like a stunned doe. How pathetic.

She took the curve around the next bend a little too fast and realized she was letting her anger get the best of her. Deep breaths. So what if her new boss was a rude, insensitive clod? She could handle it.

He would not get to her. She’d worked too hard and overcome too much to get to where she was in her career. Her job with Hammond’s Toys meant everything. And she was good at it, damn it!

Why did Justin Hammond have to show up and put all of it in jeopardy? But there was an even bigger question, she had to admit. Why hadn’t she stood up for herself? It was like she’d looked into his eyes and gone totally mute. Recalling his gaze just now had her drawing in a deep breath. Heavens, those caramel-hued eyes were the devil’s tool for distraction. And there was something behind them, a distant, haunted look if she’d ever seen one.

She hmmphed. Now she was just getting fanciful. He was just her new boss. And she had to deal with him, that’s all.

The honk of a horn behind her startled her out of her thoughts. She’d stopped at a red light and hadn’t even noticed it had turned. Time to get a grip.

Justin Hammond had already taken way too much of her time, and she had things to do.

That reminder became all too evident when she made her way into her office. Her assistant was already there at the desk, with a file of papers waiting for Carli’s signature or attention. The latest cost-cutting initiative was becoming quite the project—one she’d been given the primary responsibility for. Until Justin was called in, that was.

“Hey, Jocelyn. Sorry I’m late.”

The petite brunette gave her a friendly smile. “Don’t sweat it. You’re not that late.”

“Well, it’s late for me.”

“Please tell me it’s because you had a hot, steamy date last night that turned into a wild night. And that he wouldn’t let you get up out of bed this morning.”

“Last night was a Tuesday.”

Jocelyn gave her a blank look. “What’s your point?”

Why did she bother? “Never mind. Are those the latest data points?”

Her assistant nodded and handed her the thick pile of folders. “I printed them like you requested. The electronic file is in your inbox.”

“Thanks. You know where I’ll be for most of the morning. These numbers are going to take a while to get through. And I’m already behind.” Due to an unexpected project I was just given this morning, she added to herself. A project for the sole purpose of getting Justin Hammond up to speed on the latest business figures.

“Well, you can’t be working on them all morning.”

Carli lifted an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

“Mr. Hammond just called and asked me to schedule yet one more meeting. We have an unexpected guest coming in.”

Oh, no. Carli could venture to guess who it might be. “Please tell me it’s not Justin Hammond.”

Jocelyn gave her a curious smile. “I could do that. But I’d be lying to you.”

Great. Just great. Was the man sent here just to vex her at every turn? Apparently, she was supposed to jump whenever Justin Hammond needed anything.

Jocelyn studied her, the amused smile still on her face. “Something wrong?”

Carli tried to shake off the frustration. “I just have a lot to do. And he happens to be the reason I’m late to begin with.”

“Aha! So I was right.”

“Right about what?”

“You were indeed late because of a sexy man.”

Jocelyn just didn’t know when to let up. “Only because I had to prepare a report for him at the last minute and then deliver it before I got in today.”

Her assistant waved her hand in dismissal. “Details.”

“Honestly, Jocelyn. I barely met the man for a few scant moments.”

“So tell me. Is he as handsome as he appears in all the photos?”

“I didn’t notice.”

That earned her a disbelieving look. “See. This is why I worry about you. Justin Hammond is one of the most eligible bachelors on the planet. He’s on the celebrity sites weekly. Wealthy, successful and handsome. And you didn’t even notice his looks?”

“Not really, no.” She could fib quite well when she had to.

Jocelyn slammed her hands on her hips. “That’s just disappointing. Most of the female staff around here are breathless with anticipation at his arrival. And you act like it’s an ordinary day. You gotta give me something. Some small detail I can throw to them.”

“That’s just silly. He’s just the other Hammond heir.”

“Right. A mere handsome millionaire who not only has claim to half the largest retail toy company in North America but also made gobs of money on his own.”

She did have a point there. Justin’s life story so far was a bit on the exceptional side. She was about to begrudgingly admit to that when a small commotion outside her door drew both their attention. Looked like Jocelyn was about to find out firsthand what she was so curious about. Justin had arrived. And he was causing quite a stir, no doubt with most of the female staff. Carli heard “can I get you anything, Mr. Hammond” more than once.

Jocelyn jumped to the door. “Ooh, he’s here.” She gasped. “And he’s heading right to your office.”

A strange sensation spread through Carli’s chest. Despite seeing several photos of him throughout the years, she had to admit he wasn’t what she’d been expecting. All the pictures hadn’t really done him justice. They hadn’t captured the soft, tawny hue of his eyes. Or the way his hair fell sloppily over his forehead. She hadn’t realized she’d noticed so much of him during those brief moments in the Hammond foyer earlier.

A quick knock on the door, and then Justin stepped into her office. He blinked in surprise when he saw her. “You?”

What was that supposed to mean? Did he want her out already? Genuine surprise registered on his face. Was he here to lay claim to her office, having expected her to vacate it for him already?

Too stunned to speak, Carli was relieved when Jocelyn stepped up to him. “Mr. Hammond, I’m Jocelyn Sumner. We weren’t expecting you so early. The meeting isn’t until nine thirty.”

He hadn’t taken his eyes off Carli. She resisted the urge to look away from the intense stare.

“I figured I’d get started,” he answered Jocelyn. “I’m looking for the person who put this together.” He held up the file of papers Carli dropped off less than an hour ago. “I was told this is their office.”

Carli finally found her tongue. “It is.”

He blinked at her. “Can you tell me where to find him now?”

Him. “You have,” she answered, deliberately omitting further clarification. Let him hang in the wind a bit.

He lifted an eyebrow.

“I’m the one who put it together. I was dropping it off this morning when we...met.” She added some emphasis on the last word.

Justin’s eyes grew wide as understanding clearly dawned. Jocelyn stood between them, her gaze switching back and forth as if she were watching an exciting tennis game.

Justin cleared his throat. “You did this?” he asked, indicating the file in his hand. “It’s, uh, very thorough. Very impressive.”

Carli tried not to bristle at his surprised tone. How very insulting. This man didn’t know a thing about her. But he’d made his initial judgment already. She wasn’t surprised. Men like Justin always came to the most obvious conclusion when it came to her.

How disappointing that he was so typical.

CHAPTER TWO

GREAT, JUSTIN THOUGHT as the woman across the room shot daggers at him. He hadn’t realized this morning that she worked for the company. He’d managed to offend one of Hammond’s employees on his first day back in town. No, make that his first hour back.

She crossed her arms in front of her chest. “Well, you needn’t look so surprised. I’m a project manager at Hammond. I can put together a business report.”

“That’s not what I meant.” But what was she doing coming down from his father’s suite at that hour? He couldn’t be blamed for having jumped to the most obvious conclusion. And he still wasn’t sure he was totally wrong. But clearly there was more to the circumstances. “I’m just surprised to see you here, that’s all.”

“This is my office. Of course, I’m here.”

“Not here, in this room. Here at the company.”

She merely quirked an eyebrow. A gesture that seemed to add a haughty quality to her features. Her almond-shaped eyes were a deep chocolate brown. Several tendrils of hair escaped her tight bun and framed an olive-shaped face.

Not classically beautiful, but she was striking in an unusual and rare way.

And her figure—he didn’t even want to go there.

“Never mind,” she declared, and stepped around her desk. “My name is Carli Tynan. I’m regional project manager for Hammond Retail. James hired me, but I work more closely with Jackson.”

He reached his hand out to shake hers just as she said, “You, of course, need no introduction.”

Her tone suggested she didn’t mean that in a complimentary way. “Nice to meet you.”

She pointed to the file he still held. “Is there anything you’d like to go over?” This woman was all business. Regardless of what she’d been doing at the mansion earlier, he had no doubt she was an efficient employee who clearly had things under control.

“I made a few notes, things that I wouldn’t mind some further clarification on.”

She indicated the chair in front of her desk. “Have a seat. We have some time before the meeting.”

Justin hesitated. He wasn’t used to being ordered around; the feeling made him uncomfortable. As did the incessant echo of Christmas music playing in the lobby.

“Would you mind if we closed the door?” he asked her, already walking to it.

“Any particular reason?”

“I can’t focus with the cursed Christmas tunes playing in the background.”

He shut the door and turned back to find her studying him with curious eyes. “You have something against Christmas music?”

“Christmas is one day. But for some reason the whole world is burdened with listening to those blasted tunes for weeks on end. That doesn’t happen with any other holiday, now does it?”

“Christmas is hardly like any other holiday.”

“Only because the whole world insists on dragging it out. It’s one day, yet we insist on calling it the holiday season.”

“Some would argue it’s at least twelve days,” she countered.

Clever, she’d referenced another Christmas carol. “Don’t tell me you’re one of those types. The ones who make their shopping list in October. You pull out the tree and decorations as soon as the Thanksgiving turkey is consumed. Am I close?”

“And what would be so wrong about it if I was?”

He shrugged. He wasn’t going to try to explain it. Christmastime around his house as a young boy had usually meant the start of weeks of arguments followed by loud, drunken fights. With his father working long hours and his mother growing more and more resentful at his absence. Of course, there were problems throughout the year, but the holiday season seemed to bring out the worst in his parents. An excuse to purge their anger and throw everything in the open. By the time Christmas morning rolled around, he and his brother were more than ready to have it all over with. Even the toys weren’t enough to make up for the turmoil and chaos.

How had they even gotten into this conversation anyway? Justin wondered. All he’d asked was to shut the door so he didn’t have to hear the music from the lobby. He didn’t need to explain himself to a woman he’d just met.

Carli was still staring at him expectedly. She’d asked him a question that he’d left hanging. “Nothing. Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“Okay. But I feel I have to say just one more thing.”

Why was he not surprised? “Go ahead.”

“That you have to realize how—” she paused and glanced at the ceiling, as if scrambling for the correct word “—curious your perspective about Christmas is. Given who you are.”

Of course he realized that. He was heir to one of the most successful retail toy operations in the Northern Hemisphere. A business that earned most of its profits in the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve. Sure, it was true that as an adult he’d made his own way and had become a successful businessman in his own right. But he’d been granted worldly advantages at birth that most people could only dream of. He should be thanking his lucky stars for the gift of Christmas and the commercialism that surrounded it.

And to anyone on the outside, he probably sounded like an ungrateful, cranky Scrooge who didn’t appreciate all the blessings he’d been granted.

Judging by Carli’s expression, that’s exactly what she was thinking.

* * *

Carli watched as Justin walked out of her office half an hour later, relieved to finally have some time to herself. What a strange morning it had been. It had taken all she had to remain cool and professional once he’d walked in here. She’d pulled it off, but barely. The whole while she was speaking with Justin regarding the business, her insides had felt like jelly. Thank heavens she hadn’t eaten anything this morning. It probably wouldn’t have stayed down.

The problem was, she wasn’t sure what was causing all the turmoil. Sure, it had been upsetting when he’d so casually dismissed her as she was trying to introduce herself. And she’d known he was judging her by her appearance. But none of that was anything new for her.

People always underestimated her at first. She just made sure to prove herself, had been doing so her whole life. Not to mention, she’d had to find ways to somehow differentiate herself from her four siblings. Right smack in the middle, she was oh-so-easy to overlook. Tammy was the wise oldest sister, happily married with a lovely little boy. Janie, the beautiful one. People in their town actually called her JB, short for Janie Beautiful. Janie had the sort of looks that made men stammer when they spoke to her. While Carli was curvy and voluptuous, her next older sister was gorgeous in an angelic and soft way that Carli could never compete with. She certainly hadn’t been able to last year...

Don’t even start with that.

And the twins...well, they were twins. That fact alone made them stand out.

Carli was just the middle sister. Nothing special there. Barely noticeable in the crowd. So she made sure to work harder than any of them. Years of study and long hours, first at business school and then at the office, she hadn’t taken anything for granted.

And now the arrival of the other Hammond son might be threatening all of that. No wonder she felt so out of sorts when Justin was near. She had to do something to fix that, but what exactly?

Jocelyn tapped lightly on her door before she could answer her own question.

“Come in.”

“Hey, how did it go? Were you even able to focus?”

Carli shrugged as she opened her email inbox. “Of course,” she said, though it was a fib. “Why in the world wouldn’t I?”

“I’m sure I wouldn’t have been able to. Not with those deep dreamy eyes focused on me.”

Carli resisted the urge to grunt. “Not this again.” No way was she going to admit, not even to herself, that there might be a kernel of truth to Jocelyn’s words, that in fact it had been pretty distracting every time she’d looked up and found herself under the intense focus of Justin’s gaze.

“Jocelyn, you need a date.”

Her assistant groaned with frustration. “Don’t I know it.”

“Are you bringing anyone to the party tonight?”

She answered with a sad shake of her head. “I’m really looking forward to it, still. You’re very sweet to host one every year.”

Being sweet really had nothing to do with it. Carli loved throwing that regular yearly party. She’d been planning and shopping for it since October.

“Well, in any case, you need to stop focusing on Justin Hammond’s looks or his appeal,” she admonished the younger woman, though part of her was addressing herself. “For all intents and purposes, the man is our boss.”

Jocelyn pulled out the chair across from Carli’s desk and plopped into it. “I know, I know. I’m just admiring him from afar. I wouldn’t dream of going after the man who owns part of the company I work for.”

“Good, I’m glad to hear it.”

A mischievous smile formed on Jocelyn’s lips. “Besides, he hardly glanced in my direction when he was here. He was much more focused on someone else.”

Carli didn’t like where she was going with this. “I want no part in where you’re trying to take this conversation.”

Jocelyn leaned forward in the chair, gave her a smile that could only be described as wicked. “Oh, come on! You had to notice.”

“Notice what?”

“The way he was looking at you. Or more accurately, how he couldn’t look away.”

“All I noticed was how to make sure I gave him all the information he needed to get himself situated. He just needed more info about how the company operates.”

Jocelyn looked skeptical. “Right. Just admit it.”

“I don’t see the point.” The last thing she wanted to talk about, in her office no less, was the way men looked at her. The way Justin had looked at her. Recalling the way his eyes had roamed over her sent a shiver down her spine even now.

“Does there have to be a point to everything?”

Carli couldn’t help but smile. Had she ever been that lighthearted? She couldn’t remember a time. Not even as a child. There was always too much to do. Always a mess to clean up or a sibling to look after.

“I’d just like to figure out why he’s really here. After all these years,” she said, trying to change the subject back to business.

Jocelyn shrugged slightly. “I thought it was just because James is going to be away for a while. And that Mr. Hammond, as both their father and CEO, decided it would be a good time to bring him on board with his older brother otherwise occupied.”

Carli knew that’s how things looked on the surface. But it still didn’t explain Justin’s sudden appearance. She was more than capable of holding down the fort while James Hammond was away. That wasn’t self-aggrandizing or conceit. The eldest Mr. Hammond had expressed the notion in countless ways over the years.

“I’m glad he is here!” Jocelyn exclaimed. “Things were getting way too droll around this place. We needed some excitement.”

“You just like looking at him.”

“No doubt!” Jocelyn actually giggled. “I mean, what’s not to like? He’s downright dreamy. I’ve been watching him for years in all the tabloids. With one exotic model after another. Or that actress, what’s her name. She was in that romantic comedy last year. I hear he’s single now though.”

“Uh-huh.”

“Personally, I’m of the opinion that he should try to find someone with more substance. I mean, what are the chances he would ever fall for an everyday, average woman though, right? Men like that never do. He’s way too glamourous and worldly for that. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Carli’s request to finally terminate this conversation died on her lips when she noticed someone had arrived at her open door. The blood left her brain when she realized who it was. Justin.

How long had he been standing there? And how much had he heard?

If the floorboards opened up and swallowed her whole, it wouldn’t be enough to lessen her mortification.

This was just fabulous. On top of everything else, now he was going to see her as nothing but an office gossip.

* * *

His reputation preceded him yet again, Justin thought as he hesitated outside Carli’s office door. He’d caught just enough of the women’s conversation to realize it was absolutely about him. Also that it was mostly one-sided. Carli had barely spoken a word. In fact, she appeared ready to give her assistant a hard shake.

The other woman’s back was turned to where he stood, but Carli had clearly seen him.

Damn.

This was awkward. Unable to come up with anything appropriate to say, he simply cleared his throat. Jocelyn, the assistant, actually jumped in her chair.

Carli didn’t take her disapproving eyes off her when she spoke. “Justin, something else I can do for you? Jocelyn was just leaving.”

“Yes, yes, I was.” Jocelyn bolted up and ran out of the room, making sure not to look Justin in the eye.

Carli motioned to the newly abandoned chair in front of her desk. “Please, have a seat.” She glanced at her watch. “Though we don’t have a lot of time before the staff meeting.”

Her cheeks were flushed, and she wouldn’t meet his eyes either. Still awkward.

“It’s okay,” he began, then sat. “This won’t take long.”

“What can I do for you?”

Justin swore under his breath. This was going to be even more uncomfortable after he’d walked in on the previous conversation. But it was too late to back out now. Besides, he owed her an apology. He took a deep breath. “Listen, I know we got off on the wrong foot. I mean this morning. At my father’s house.”

She quirked an eyebrow in surprise.

“I’m not usually so...”

“Rude?” she supplied as he trailed off.

“That’s probably an accurate description. In my defense, I’d been traveling all night. Not that it’s any kind of excuse.”

“I agree. It’s not any kind of excuse.”

Wow. She was a tough one. He didn’t need this; he was only trying to apologize. Albeit doing a terrible job at it. But instead of being annoyed by her directness, he found it somewhat intriguing. Refreshing in a way. Most people didn’t bother to challenge him under any circumstances. Carli Tynan was clearly not like most people. Her gaze pinned him where he sat. He hadn’t noticed before just how her eyes appeared to go from deep chocolate to hazel when the light hit her face a certain way. Or the fullness of her lips, even as tightly pursed as they were at the moment.

“You’re right. I just wasn’t expecting to see anyone in my father’s house that early. Especially someone like you, coming down the stairs at that hour. My mistake.”

Her eyes grew wide, and the color in her cheeks heightened to a deep shade of red. Her grip on the pen she held grew so tight that her knuckles turned pale. This did not bode well, he thought.

“What are you saying exactly, Mr. Hammond?” she asked through gritted teeth. Uh-oh. He’d just gone from being Justin to Mr. Hammond in the span of a few moments.

“Nothing. I mean, I’m simply trying to clear the air. To explain my reaction upon seeing you.”

“Maybe you should do that. Explain exactly what your reaction was when you first saw me this morning.”

She threw it out like a challenge. One he wasn’t foolish enough to even attempt to accept. He’d begun this apology all wrong. But the conversation he’d overheard between Carli and her assistant had thrown him off. Heck, Carli herself kept throwing him off. It was like he didn’t even know how to behave around her.

Where was it coming from?

“Never mind. It’s not important,” he said, hoping she would drop the whole matter.

Apparently, that was too much to hope for. He should have known better. She immediately shook her head. “No, please clarify. I’m very interested in what exactly it is you’re trying to say.”

The woman was relentless. “Look, it’s not important. I simply wanted to offer an apology.”

She studied him in a way that made him feel like a lab specimen under a microscope. Perhaps some sort of insect. If he wasn’t so damn uncomfortable, he would have almost laughed at her scorn at him.

“Which you still haven’t done,” she said.

“What?”

“I’ve yet to hear an apology. Or a valid explanation, for that matter.”

His mouth grew dry. Damn it, he was a successful executive, known for his cutthroat business style and ruthless negotiation skills. How was this woman cutting him off at the knees? And why was he almost enjoying it?

“Um? Explanation?”

She gave him a smirk of a smile, like he’d been caught. He supposed he had. “For why you behaved as you did. I was simply delivering a file at your father’s request. And instead of introducing yourself, you dismissed me and practically shooed me out of the house.”

Justin cringed at her description. He couldn’t believe he’d been such a boor to her. Nor could he believe the way he was botching this apology now. Not only had be managed to insult a valuable Hammond employee, he couldn’t even apologize for it in a sufficient manner. True to form, when it came to anything Hammond related, Justin was woefully lacking. He may have started his own wildly successful consulting firm and grown it from a one-man operation to a major international business. But when it came to being a Hammond, all he’d ever managed was failure. More proof that he didn’t belong here back in Boston. Or at Hammond’s Toys for that matter.

He had to pull himself together. Find a way to explain himself. But how? It’s not like he could come out and admit to jumping to the worst conclusion—suspecting Carli to be his father’s mistress. Though it was obvious she’d figured it out. If looks could kill and all that.

Nothing to do now but be completely straight. And hope the damage could be repaired somehow. He and Carli would be working together for the next several days. She was clearly a major asset to this corporation, and he had managed to insult her in a major way. He had to fix this.

“The truth is there is no excuse or explanation for the way I behaved. Please believe that it had nothing to do with you personally and everything to do with my father.”

She remained silent, not ready to give an inch.

“I can only say I’m sorry,” he added. “And that I will somehow find a way to make it up to you.”

She shrugged with derision, and though she didn’t say the words, her response was clear: as if you could.

* * *

Maybe she was being petty, but Carli wasn’t going to give him the benefit of a response. Justin Hammond had made a horribly insulting assumption about her and the older man she worked for. That’s something she would not readily forget.

Still, she couldn’t help but feel more than a little touched at his genuine apology. Even given how badly he’d botched it up. He really did seem to feel remorseful. If the circumstances were different, if he weren’t the boss’s son and instead they were somehow new friends, she might have explained to him that she’d been dealing with such impressions all her life.

But he was a Hammond. And they definitely were not friends.

She would do her best to help him while he was here and hope that his tenure at Hammond’s Toys was a short one. The events of this morning proved that Justin was walking in blind. He’d had no clue who she was or just how much she was in charge of. She didn’t have time to babysit the prodigal son on a long-term basis.

She stood up from her chair and walked around her desk. “Well, I guess the prudent thing to do would be to move on and try our best to work together as productively as possible.”

Justin stood, as well. He looked notably relieved. “I agree. And I appreciate it.”

“We can start with this staff meeting. I asked Jocelyn earlier to forward you a copy of the agenda.”

He nodded. “I got that. Thanks.”

He followed her down the corridor to the meeting room where several employees had already gathered. After a brief round of introductions, Carli began the meeting with the first item on the agenda.

The first time she stammered, she chalked it up to feeling exhausted and due to the mishaps of the morning. By the third mistake, however, she had to admit that she was off her game. She also had to admit that it had everything to do with the new face sitting at the table.

Justin leaned forward, listening attentively and frequently jotting down note after note. He preferred old-fashioned paper and pen, which surprised her. Most of the executives she dealt with couldn’t wait to purchase and show off the latest technology e-tablet or the sleekest new laptop.

Aside from an occasional question or request for clarification, he was mostly quiet. Still, his presence was jarring.

She wasn’t the only one who seemed to think so. Several furtive glances were cast in Justin’s direction. One of the younger new recruits from sales smiled at him demurely, not even pretending to pay attention to Carli’s updates. Though annoyed, she could hardly blame the other women. Justin had a presence. Add to that the mystery surrounding his arrival, and people were having trouble feigning indifference.

Herself included.

At the conclusion of the meeting an hour later, she was more than ready to be done and to get out of there. A cup of coffee would be heaven right about now. She hadn’t been able to get her usual cup due to her detour, and a dull ache was beginning to throb behind her eyes. No doubt the caffeine withdrawal had been at least partly responsible for her less than stellar performance.

“Well, if that’s everything, I think we can wrap up.”

Everyone stood except for a few stragglers who stuck around to discuss their next to-do or to make small talk. Eventually, even they slowly filed out of the room.

In fact, when she looked up, Carli found that everyone had left except for one lone holdout. Justin remained seated. He studied her with avid interest. He clearly had something to say.

Carli set her jaw. Looked like her caffeine hit was going to have to wait. “Was there something else, Justin?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact. If you have a few moments, I think there are some things we should probably discuss. Sooner rather than later.”

Something in his tone made her stomach twist. She sat back down.

“Go on.”

“I’ve been going over the numbers, and Hammond’s profit margins are mostly impressive. But there are areas that are lagging.”

“I’m aware of that.”

“Then you also realize that a handful of the retail stores have seen steadily declining sales.”

“I’m aware of that too. There are several ideas in the pipeline to address this. As I just mentioned.”

He glanced down at the notes in his leather-bound notebook. “Yes, I heard. All well-thought-out ideas involving online expansion. The modifications to the website are particularly impressive.”

“But?”

“My concern is that there’s a need to remove some of the more sluggish units, so to speak. Hammond’s should be making some cuts.”

“What sort of cuts?” she asked, though she knew exactly where this was headed. The twist in her stomach turned a bit tighter.

“With your background and experience, I’m sure you’ve concluded which brick-and-mortar stores are just not pulling their weight. In fact, their only real profits register during the holidays.”

“It’s a very seasonal business.”

“Nevertheless. Some of these stores just don’t get enough foot traffic during the year to justify keeping them open.” He glanced down at the file she had handed him just hours ago. “There’s one in particular we need to seriously consider the future of. It hasn’t seen any kind of significant sales for the past half decade.”

Carli bit down on her lip. She knew exactly which store he was referring to. The one she’d started out in as a lowly retail clerk trying to save enough money for college. The same store that currently employed several people she’d grown up knowing and caring for. The one situated at the heart of Westerson, Massachusetts—a quaint, touristy spot along the inland coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. The same town she’d grown up in.

And Justin wanted to shut it down.

CHAPTER THREE

HER PARTY GUESTS were going to be here within the hour, and Carli was just now stepping out of the shower. So far, this day had been nothing but one big race against the clock. She should have started prepping as soon as she got home. Instead, she’d taken the time to go over the sales figures.

Not that there was any use, and Carli had known it. But she’d hoped for some small miracle that had somehow been missed. Something, anything she could use as leverage to argue that Justin should nix the idea of closing the doors of the Cape store for good.

Of all the retail stores in the Hammond chain, why did that have to be the one performing the worst? She’d practically grown up in that store. Mr. Freider, the manager going on twenty years, had always welcomed her with open arms. As a child, she’d go into that store by herself, just to pass the time in peace when things were just too noisy at home. During her teenage years, she’d spent countless hours in the Book Nook, the corner of the store dedicated to latest in children’s and young adult books. She’d devoured a world of stories in that small area, Mr. Freider never complaining about her lack of purchases—purchases she couldn’t afford. In fact, he’d been kind enough to bring hot chocolate on cold days and sweet lemon iced tea during summer.

That same kind man would very well lose his job if it were up to Justin.

There had to be something she could do. Perhaps she could go straight to Jackson. Plead her case. The only problem was, she didn’t really have a professionally sound one. Essentially, that would amount to asking for a favor, as his protégé. As steep as the stakes were, she couldn’t bring herself to do that. She’d never once approached Jackson Hammond as anything less than a professional and wouldn’t start now. Not even under these circumstances.

Carli blinked away the thoughts. She had to get going already; no doubt some of the invitees would be straggling in early, ready to party on this cold December Boston evening without much else to do. She hadn’t even towel dried her hair yet.

What had possessed her to plan a Christmas party on a Wednesday night anyway? And just her luck, it had happened to fall on the same day that Justin Hammond had blown into town and thrown her whole world into a spiral.

Now she was running late and dripping wet just as most of her colleagues were about to descend on her apartment for some yuletide Christmas cheer. A timer went off in the kitchen, a reminder to take the crab cakes out of the oven. Thank goodness she’d put out all the decorations weeks ago, the day after Thanksgiving. A tradition from her childhood. Exactly as Justin had guessed. The Tynan family may not have had much in the way of material things, but they made sure to celebrate their ceremonial traditions. Ceremonies that often got downright unruly and chaotic. She supposed that was to be expected in a family of five children.

By some Christmas miracle, she was ready when the first guests arrived: Jocelyn and some of the account reps along with a couple of regional managers. Carli didn’t even recognize two of the arrivals. That’s what happened when you posted an open invite. She didn’t mind. These people were her second family now, Hammond’s Toys was her second home. She was lucky to have such an opportunity with such a wonderful company. Current situation with the boss’s son notwithstanding.

In fact, an hour later when the party was in full swing and several champagne bottles had been corked, she found herself blessedly distracted and finally able to enjoy herself. Until one of the elderly secretaries walked in. She wasn’t alone.

“I hope you don’t mind,” Miranda Sumpter said, her gray hair framing her maternal face. “I brought someone with me.”

Carli tried to hide her surprise. Justin, to his credit, looked less than pleased to be there.

Miranda was staring at her expectedly. “I mean, it said open invitation on the company wide email. And Justin’s definitely part of the company. You don’t mind, do you?”

“Yes! No! I mean. Of course he’s welcome.” Now Justin just looked bemused. Carli gripped her glass flute in her hand tight enough that her fingers ached. Then she took a large swig.

Justin stepped toward her. “I didn’t realize you’d be the host, Carli.”

Well, how was she supposed to respond to that? Was the implication that he wouldn’t have come if he’d known?

Miranda stood staring at the two of them as an awkward silence settled. Carli cleared her throat. “So, how do you two know each other?” she finally managed to ask.

Miranda gave Justin’s arm an affectionate squeeze. “Oh, he and I go way back. I used to babysit this little hurricane when he was no more than a mischievous toddler. When I first started out in the Hammond secretarial pool and needed some extra cash.”

She turned to Carli. “They were always looking for a sitter for this one. Couldn’t handle him without a little help. He was constantly getting into trouble.”

He still was, Carli thought. If the tabloids were to be believed.

“I just about fell over when I saw him in the hallway this afternoon,” Miranda continued. “Almost didn’t recognize him.”

Justin gave her a playful wink. “I’ve changed just a bit, huh?”

“You still look plenty mischievous.” The older woman laughed. “You should have seen some of the disasters he used to get himself into,” Miranda said Carli. “Always in trouble. His parents were at their wits’ end most days.”

The tone was lighthearted, Miranda laughing merrily. But Carli couldn’t help but notice Justin fidgeted as she spoke. He turned the watch on his wrist and pulled on the band. He was clearly uncomfortable. Probably regretted having come here now that he realized this was her party.

“I’ve since matured a bit,” he offered.

“I would certainly hope so.” Miranda laughed again. “You were quite the hellion.”

“Yes, I recall my parents not being able to wait to rush out of the house as soon as you showed up.”

Carli detected an undercurrent in his tone, a hardness. As the middle daughter in a family with five girls, she could certainly relate to growing up in a chaotic, messy household. But she couldn’t remember her parents ever trying to “rush out” to get away from any of them. Lord knew, they’d given both Mom and Dad plenty of reasons to want to.

“At least I got to leave at the end of the night. Your parents were stuck with you, weren’t they?” Miranda gave him a playful pinch on the cheek.

“I’m surprised you kept coming back.”

“There were plenty of times I was tempted not to.”

For such a playful conversation, Carli couldn’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable. All she really knew about the Hammonds was that the parents had split while the boys were ten and twelve respectively. And for some unfathomable reason, one parent stayed with one son while the other took off with the other to live on the West Coast. She knew for a fact James hadn’t seen his mother more than once or twice since the divorce. And she suspected the same of Justin and his father.

It was an incredibly sad scenario if one really thought about it. For all the turmoil and hassles of growing up with four siblings, Carli couldn’t imagine years going by without seeing any one of them. Even after what had happened last year between her and her sister Janie.

She winced at that memory before realizing that Justin had just said something to her. Also, Miranda had excused herself and walked away.

“I’m sorry, I missed what you said.”

“I was commenting on how festive your apartment is. You’ve obviously put a lot of effort into decorating for the holidays.”

It was clearly an attempt to change the subject, but she couldn’t help but feel a little flattered at the compliment.

She was about to give him a warm smile and answer that this decorative effect had taken weeks to achieve. But then she remembered what he wanted to do with the Cape Cod store.

“Thank you,” she said with a curt nod. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have other guests I should attend to.”

* * *

Justin watched Carli walk away and grabbed a glass of wine off one of the trays sitting in the corner. It was hard not to appreciate the view as she made her way across the room. The woman was shaped like sin.

Looked like his apology hadn’t quite cut it as it was clear she was still unhappy with him. He wasn’t sure why that bothered him so much. It really shouldn’t have. He’d only just met the woman this morning. They wouldn’t even be working together for that long. He’d do what was asked of him by his father and return to the West Coast in a few days. Really, the opinion of some midlevel executive at Hammond’s Toys should be the last thing on his mind.

Still, he had to admit he was vexed. His transgression toward her this morning wasn’t that bad. Was it?

He bit out a silent curse as he thought about it. Yeah, he was fooling himself. It was bad. To assume she was his father’s mistress. Simply based on the hour of the day and the way she looked. He couldn’t blame her for still being upset.

Doubtful his older brother, James, would have ever been careless enough to make such a mistake. No, James probably always displayed the utmost professionalism and leadership. Usually, Justin wouldn’t hesitate to describe himself the same way. Apparently not when he was here, however. In Boston and around Hammond Enterprises, Justin was out of his element to the point of near incompetence.

Clearly, Justin was a Hammond in name only.

The question was, what was he going to do about it as far as Carli was concerned?

Someone tapped on his shoulder as he tried to find Carli from the crowd of people in her apartment. He turned to find a petite, dark-haired woman smiling at him. It took him a minute to recognize her. Jocelyn, Carli’s assistant. She looked different without the professional ponytail she’d been wearing this morning.

“Well, hello,” Jocelyn said, loud enough and with enough enthusiasm that two people turned to see who had spoken.

“Hello.”

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

He spread his arms and bowed slightly. “Here I am.”

“Fantastic. We were sort of sad that James was going to miss it this year. And here you are in his place.”

Justin tried not to snort with irony. As if there was any way he would ever be able to take his brother’s place in any way, shape, or form. Not as far as Hammond’s was concerned. And certainly not in his father’s eyes.

He gave Jocelyn a neutral smile. “Glad I could make it.”

“I’m glad Carli saw to it that you came,” Jocelyn said, and took a sip of her ruby red wine.

He had no intention nor desire to correct her. Actually, he had no intention of staying around much longer. There was no feasible reason he hadn’t left as soon as Carli walked away.

Other than some silly desire to see her again this evening. Funny how he’d never been a glutton for punishment until this very day. Carli didn’t want anything to do with him.

He spotted her coming out of the kitchen with more drinks. Several people stopped her along the way; she gave one woman an affectionate air kiss. Several men approached her as well, one taking part of the load off her hands. They seemed friendly but not overly familiar. These men were all clearly just colleagues.

Not that it was any of his business. For all he knew she already had a steady boyfriend or partner. Women who looked like Carli and who had as much going for them weren’t single for long.

Jocelyn waved a hand in front of his face. “Hello? Where’d you just drift off to?”

He smiled apologetically. “Sorry, I was just admiring all the Christmas decorations. Carli’s got quite a talent for it.”

“Really? Is that what you were admiring?”

Uh-oh. He had to be careful here. He couldn’t be caught ogling his father’s project manager. “What else?”

She gave him a knowing look but luckily dropped the matter. “Anyway, I’m glad two Hammond men will be at Carli’s party after all.”

Justin turned his full attention to her. “Excuse me?”

“You and your father. He never misses one of Carli’s soirees.”

Damn. The last thing Justin needed was to run into his father right now. Their brief meeting this morning had been awkward enough.

“I don’t see him yet though,” Jocelyn added. “He always seems to arrive much later. Likes to make an entrance.”

That definitely sounded like the attention-craving father Justin remembered from his childhood. And from everything he’d been told or had read about the man.

He still had the chance to make his getaway before Jackson arrived. All the more reason to leave right now. So, what was stopping him?

He should have never come in the first place. He knew it had been a mistake. He never even went to these events at his own company. But seeing Miranda again after all these years, remembering how she’d always been so kind to him. Even as he’d been making her life miserable with one childish antic after another.

Still, he had every intention of gently turning Miranda down. But the woman had not taken no for an answer.

Someone turned up the volume on the sound system and “Holly Jolly Christmas” started pounding through the room. Great. Now he was going to have to put up with the damn Christmas carols again.

Jocelyn squealed as the song came on. He’d almost forgotten she was standing in front of him. Again. “I love this song!” she exclaimed. “Let’s dance!”

Before he had a chance to protest, she pulled him into the center of the room where two other couples were already bouncing along to the tune. This wasn’t the traditional version of the song he was used to. It was a bouncy, bassy remake of some sort. With a bit of urban rap lyrics thrown in between verses. As if the original song wasn’t annoying enough. He was supposed to dance to this?

Pretty much a version of hell. Still, he knew what to do. Several years of mandated dance lessons thanks to his society-norm-conscious mother came in handy during moments like this. He matched Jocelyn’s steps and earned a girly giggle when he dipped her.

By the time the song ended, Jocelyn was smiling from ear to ear. “You are quite a dancer, Mr. Justin Hammond.”

“I am a man of many talents.”

“Well, I don’t want to hog you all to myself,” she said, and before he knew it, she had somehow managed to steer them toward where Carli stood talking to a middle-aged man with a bad comb-over.

“You are the host of this party. You should be dancing too,” Jocelyn admonished as she pulled Justin in front of her. “Justin is a terrific dancer. And he needs a partner.” She turned to comb-over guy. “Tom, may I have the honor of this dance?”

Justin watched with both bemusement and dismay as Jocelyn and Tom walked onto the middle of the floor and started dancing.

“My assistant is not subtle,” Carli said. “Obviously.”

“Does that mean you’re not interested in dancing with me?”

She tilted her head. “I’d never dream of making you dance. To a Christmas song, no less. I know how much you dislike them.”

With that flippant comment, she tried to walk away. But he wasn’t going to let her. It was about time they hashed out some stuff, he figured. Otherwise, he was just going to keep letting her get under his skin. That would not bode well for either of them. Even if he was only going to be around her for a few days.

“On the contrary, I’d love a dance,” he said as he gently took her by the arm and led her to the makeshift dance floor.

The protest died on her lips as he spun her around toward him and started swaying with her to the music. He was close enough to sniff a hint of her perfume, a flowery subtle scent. Jasmine perhaps. It suited her.

As did the cocktail dress she wore, a silky, drippy number that hung on her curves in a tasteful, flattering way. He noticed she had whimsical snowman earrings dangling from her dainty lobes.

“See, I can dance to anything. Even annoying versions of Christmas songs.”

She gave an exasperated huff. “How can you not like Christmas carols? There’s got to be one that you’re fond of.”

He shook his head. “Can’t think of one.”

“Not even ‘Jingle Bells’?”

“I find that one particularly grating.”

The look she gave him was one mixed with both sympathy and bewilderment.

Justin sighed. She must think him the biggest Scrooge. “Christmas wasn’t quite the jolly and wonderful time in the Hammond household as it was for most people,” he admitted.

He twirled her around playfully as he said it.

“Makes no sense, I know,” he added. “Given how we make our livelihood. In some ways it just made things worse.”

“How so?”

“Well, for one thing, my father became even more obsessed with sales figures and profit projections. He’d go into the office early and come home late. Even more so than usual. His increased hours gave my parents yet one more excuse to argue.”

He almost laughed at that. Argue was hardly an adequate word for the knockdown, soul-crushing fights his parents used to have.

“It made for less than a peaceful holiday,” he added. Why was he telling her these things? This wasn’t something he particularly liked to talk about with anyone. Let alone a woman he’d just met a few hours ago. A woman who’d made it painfully clear that she didn’t seem to like him very much.

“That’s so very sad. I can’t imagine Christmas being a time of turmoil for a young child.”

Well, now she felt sorry for him. “I wasn’t looking for sympathy,” he said, with a little more force in his voice than he’d intended. “Besides, it’s not like I helped the situation. I was a bit of a frustrating child. As Miranda just pointed out.”

“You were just a child.”

“A rambunctious, unruly, very disobedient child.”

She shook her head. “But still a child.”

The look in her eyes was intense, he had the disquieting feeling she was looking deep into his soul in the most intimate way. What a silly notion that was. They were in the middle of an office holiday party, surrounded by people.

Before he could respond, the music changed. The upbeat, bouncy rhythm of “All I Want for Christmas” transitioned to the slow, rhythmic melody of “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.”

Carli immediately stopped. But he wasn’t ready for this to end just yet. Whatever this was. Before he could give it too much thought and before she could turn to go, he stepped closer to her and took her by her waist. She felt warm and soft under the silky material of her dress. After a gentle nudge, she began to move with him to the slower tempo of the song.

Justin pulled her closer, until they were mere inches apart. Her eyes grew wide with shock but she didn’t make any kind of move to pull away.

Good thing, he thought. Because he wasn’t sure he’d be able to let her go.

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