Sleigh Bells in the Snow. Sarah Morgan

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      “I’m not paying her to relax.” Brett produced a smile in response to Jackson’s raised eyebrow. “Sure, she relaxes. When she’s asleep. That’s the only time any of us relaxes. Drives my wife crazy. But Kayla’s adaptable, and she’ll do anything for her clients. If you need her to ski, she’ll ski. Wrestle a bear—she’ll wrestle a bear. No worries.”

      Jackson didn’t reply. He was willing to bet if Kayla Green saw a bear they’d hear the screams back in New York.

      For the past eighteen months, he’d thought of nothing but Snow Crystal, but suddenly all he could think of was joining Kayla in the secluded log cabin away from the outside world. His mind, starved of other outlets for creativity, used its creative talents to imagine her naked in the hot tub, cheeks pink, that smooth blond hair curling in the steam.

      Damn.

      Thanks to the influence of his family, he was taking unprofessional to a whole new level.

      “YOU’RE WORKING OVER the holidays?” Stacy stared at her in dismay. “Kayla, that totally sucks.”

      It was a dream come true. “It’s a bummer, but I’ll live with it,” Kayla said happily.

      “But what about Christmas?”

      “Christmas is canceled.” She resisted the temptation to dance across her office.

      “You’re being so brave about it.”

      “I’m gutted, but there’s no point in moaning.”

      “That is so unfair of Brett.” Stacy was outraged. “You should be partying. Enjoying yourself. I don’t mean to be personal, but when did you last go on a date?”

      “Date?” Why did everyone keep asking so many difficult questions? “Er—there was that guy from the twentieth floor—I saw him a couple of times.”

      “If you’re talking about the accountant, you saw him once.”

      “I’m not good at long relationships.” Kayla piled everything she had on Snow Crystal into her bag. “Did you call everyone for a meeting?”

      “Yes. And Kayla, one date is not a relationship.”

      “My point exactly.”

      “Are you sure you won’t come with us tomorrow? We’re meeting at 7:00 a.m. downstairs at the Rockefeller Centre for the first skate of the day. Full VIP package. Hot chocolate and skate concierge. We’d love for you to join us.”

      “What the hell is skate concierge?” Kayla reached for the bottle of water she kept on her desk.

      “Some guy or girl pulls your skates on I guess.” Stacy shrugged. “After that we’re going to Santaland at Macy’s. It’s the whole Christmas experience.”

      Kill me now.

      Kayla’s jaw ached from smiling. She wondered whether she dared ring Jackson O’Neil and ask if she could have the cabin early. The way she felt, she was willing to camp in the forest. “Sorry to seem antisocial, but I just can’t afford the time.” She leaned back in her chair, stomach aching, head throbbing from too much time thinking about Christmas.

      “Skating would be good practice for Vermont.”

      “I don’t need practice. I’m going to be planning their campaign from the comfort of my log cabin.”

      “Won’t your family be upset you’re not coming home this year?”

      “They’re understanding.” Now it wasn’t just her stomach and her head, it was her heart and her throat. Damn. She’d thought she was tougher than this. “Thanks to Jackson O’Neil, I now have enough work to keep me going through the next five holiday seasons, so if you wouldn’t mind—”

      “Brett should have gone.”

      “Brett has a wife and four kids, although when he had time to make four kids I have no idea given that he’s always in the office. Anyway, O’Neil asked for me—he’s going to get me.”

      Stacy’s eyebrows lifted and Kayla rolled her eyes.

      “Not in that way. He’s going to get the working, professional me.” She tried not to think about those blue eyes or the width of his shoulders.

      “Is there any other version? Kayla, you should not be spending the holidays alone.”

      “I won’t be alone. There will be moose, raccoons and—and—” she racked her brains “—other lovely, cute Christmassy furry things.”

      “Have you actually ever seen a moose?”

      “Not in the flesh, no.” Thank goodness. “But I’m sure they’re adorable. Why do you ask?”

      “Because a moose is not a cute furry thing. I’m checking, so you know what you’re getting into.” Leaning across the desk, Stacy tapped Kayla’s keyboard and a moment later a large image of a moose appeared, its elongated bony face filling her screen.

      “Dear God—” Kayla recoiled. “That is the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen.”

      “I rest my case.” Stacy straightened. “Still keen to spend Christmas there?”

      “I won’t be spending it with a moose, that’s for sure. It will be fun. I’ve always thought log fires were romantic.”

      “Not by yourself.”

      “I won’t be by myself. I’ll take a pile of DVDs. My gift to myself is a boxed set called The Ultimate Horror.”

      “Kayla, that’s terrible. Who spends Christmas Day watching horror movies?”

      “I do.” She picked up a stack of papers destined to be her bedtime reading.

      “What about food?”

      “According to Brett I feast on work, but I’ll probably take popcorn.”

      “Christmas Day is about sharing good food with people you love, not microwaving popcorn.”

      “I love watching horror movies. It will be a treat. Now, kindly remove that moose from my desktop. I have work to do, and I can’t do it with that thing watching me.”

       CHAPTER THREE

      HE SAW HER before She saw him, striding purposefully through the airport, her shiny blond hair drawn into a ponytail that swung across her neck and drew glances from the men around her. She wore a long cashmere coat in a pale shade of caramel that brushed the tops of soft leather boots the color of dark chocolate. Over her shoulder was her laptop bag, and behind her she dragged a medium-sized suitcase.

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