Falling Together

By Shae Connor

Mitch Jackson took a temporary job wrapping gifts at a Manhattan department store so he’d have some extra cash during the holiday season. He didn’t expect to get a bonus in the form of Austin Payne. Austin starts out as just another customer, though a particularly good-looking one, until he asks Mitch to dinner. Their whirlwind romance, touched by the magic of New York in December, soon grows from what could have been only a fling into something more—something like falling in love.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Shae Connor
• Release date: Dec 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386545248

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FALLING TOGETHER

By Shae Connor

This work is copyright @2017 by Shae Connor.

All rights reserved. Transmission or distribution of any part of this work in any form without express written consent of the copyright holder is forbidden.

This story is fiction. Any resemblance of characters, events, or locations in this work to real persons, events, or locations is coincidental.

Purchase of this book licenses it to the purchaser only. Duplication or distribution by any means is a violation of international copyright law and subject to criminal prosecution.

Cover Design by James, GoOnWrite.com

Falling Together

By Shae Connor

Mitch Jackson took a temporary job wrapping gifts at a Manhattan department store so he’d have some extra cash during the holiday season. He didn’t expect to get a bonus in the form of Austin Payne. Austin starts out as just another customer, though a particularly good-looking one, until he asks Mitch to dinner. Their whirlwind romance, touched by the magic of New York in December, soon grows from what could have been only a fling into something more—something like falling in love.

Acknowledgements

My thanks go out to the always fabulous Kat and Dani for reading an early version for this story a long, long time ago. More recent thanks to J.P. Barnaby for editing her way through the sugary-sweetness without tossing her cookies, and to Emily Meredith for turning a jaded New Yorker’s eye on this tourist’s viewpoint.

This is for everyone who loves fluff, holidays, and romance as much as I do. :)

Hello.

Mitch Jackson looked up from behind his gift wrapping station to greet his next customer and found himself staring into the brightest, clearest, richest blue eyes he’d ever seen. He didn’t see the rest of the face at first, too caught up in the beauty of those eyes, fringed by long, dark lashes and with small crinkles at the corners.

It took Mitch a second to process what the man was saying. … usually do this myself, but I didn’t know she’d be traveling next month, so we’re doing our gifts early.

Mitch shifted his gaze to the box the man held: a cashmere scarf and gloves set, and a high-end one at that. He lifted his head and smiled his professional best.

Very nice choice. He waved a hand to indicate the paper samples hanging on the wall beside. Any preference for the paper?

The man pondered it, longer than many other customers did, before pointing. The one with the gold stars.

Mitch reached for the roll of paper. I’ll have you ready to go in just a few minutes.

Working the gift wrapping counter at a popular Manhattan department store during November and December might not be the most glamorous job ever, but it paid the extra holiday season bills. The people were generally nice enough, with some allowances for the building gift-buying frenzy, and then there was the bonus of gorgeous guys like this one to ogle. Most of Mitch’s customers were men, in fact, though only a select few came close to the good looks of the tall, lean, dark-haired specimen in front of him.

Mitch checked over the box to remove the price tag and noted that even on sale, the item neared three digits. He gave the customer a subtle once-over as he worked. Most of the truly rich people in New York favored higher-end stores or their favorite designers’ boutiques, but the clothes the man wore, while casual, spoke of money and good breeding. He didn’t look any older than Mitch, though.

Trust fund baby? Mitch wondered, but he shook off the thought. Doesn’t matter. He’s just a customer.

The man leaned against the counter, checking his phone in between glances at Mitch. Mitch did his best to ignore the looks and soon had the package neatly wrapped, bow and tag attached. He gave his best smile as he held it out to the man.

That’ll be six dollars.

Awesome. The man pulled out his wallet and handed over a ten.

Damn. Mitch had been hoping for a card to get a name, but he hid his ridiculous disappointment as he cashed out the order and handed back change.

Happy holidays, sir, he said, mustering another smile.

The man smiled back at him. Thanks. Happy holidays. The man’s gaze lingered on Mitch’s face, but after a moment he turned to walk away.

His teeth are perfect, Mitch’s left brain told him. His everything is perfect, his right brain chimed in.

Mitch silently ordered both side of his brain to shut up as he turned to clean up the bits of paper left behind and prepare for his next customer.

Hello again.

It was the day after Thanksgiving, the dreaded Black Friday, and Mitch had just finished clearing out his third customer crush of the morning. He’d been working six hours already, since the store opened at 5 a.m., and while the extra cash for the double shift would be nice, his back and legs were headed toward full revolt.

But then he lifted his head and found himself looking at the brilliant blue eyes and shining white teeth from the weekend before.

Back again so soon? He regretted the words immediately. Out of the hundreds of customers he’d served since then, how likely is it that he would remember one?

The man didn’t seem to mind, smiling widely as he set another box on the counter, this one holding a men’s travel kit. My friends keep forgetting to tell me they’re leaving town for the holidays until an hour before we’re meeting up. He lifted a hand to rub at the back of his neck. "Not normally