Her Secret Santa

By Payton Lane

Twelve days to entice her...

Two years, two missed opportunities and Blaine Tucker refuses to have another chance pass him by. This Christmas he's going to risk it all to have Simone Michelson. Unfortunately the woman of his dreams, his wants and desires only sees him as her boss. There's only one solution: entice her with gifts. The kind of gifts that say he wants to be so much more than her boss.

Who in their right mind would take one look at Mousy Simone and want to leave her seductive gifts and love notes? No one she can think of. She hopes like hell it's Tucker, but if he felt anything for her, he'd have said it by now. The man could smile at any woman and get her to forget her name or morals. He's vibrant and she's drab. He's nice and she's prickly. Even if her Christmas wish came true, how could she trust what he felt was real?

Together they must face their fears and doubts to make this year's Christmas unforgettable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Payton Lane
• Release date: Dec 18, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386826262

Book preview

AT A GLANCE

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Other Titles by Payton Lane

CHASING FOREVER

CHASING TEMPTATION

ONCE UPON A DIAMOND

BLURB

Twelve days to entice her...

Two years, two missed opportunities and Blaine Tucker refuses to have another chance pass him by. This Christmas he's going to risk it all to have Simone Michelson. Unfortunately the woman of his dreams, his wants and desires only sees him as her boss. There's only one solution: entice her with gifts. The kind of gifts that say he wants to be so much more than her boss.

Who in their right mind would take one look at Mousy Simone and want to leave her seductive gifts and love notes? No one she can think of. She hopes like hell it's Tucker, but if he felt anything for her, he'd have said it by now. The man could smile at any woman and get her to forget her name or morals. He's vibrant and she's drab. He's nice and she's prickly. Even if her Christmas wish came true, how could she trust what he felt was real?

Together they must face their fears and doubts to make this year's Christmas unforgettable.

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CHAPTER ONE

With the sense of dread stifling the cramped space of the conference room, Simone Michelson came to grips with the idea that not everyone loved Christmas.

Then again…

Avery Smallman entered the room with a Santa hat stuck on his oversized head, a red sweater stretched across his birdlike chest, and his green trousers were creased military style.

Some people—she wasn’t going to name names—loved the holiday a little too much.

Thirteen days before Christmas, no one was shocked when he started with, It’s that time of year again!

The mental groans were almost palpable. He placed a singing reindeer on the table, squeezed the hand, and the song Jingle Bells rang out. The reindeer vibrated over the table, circling in all its cheer.

Lacey leaned over. Her braids swung forward with the movement. Every flipping year, she whispered. I’m telling you, that reindeer is going to come up missing.

Simone elbowed her friend and plastered on an expression of interest. Avery, one of the head managers, presented a glass figurine in the shape of Santa. Names of the doomed participants, i.e., the entire accounting firm, lay inside the glass bowl in Santa’s bag.

Make sure to keep the name to yourself, Smallman said. Like every year, I want the gifts to be a surprise. I’m not asking you to break the bank, but make the thought of Christmas count.

Avery plucked out a paper for himself and passed Santa on. Simone suppressed her frustrated sigh before it leaked out. Bad enough she had to deal with a case of holiday blues this year, but now she had to fight through it to do the annual Christmas exchange at work. This brand of forced cheer gave the holiday a bad rep. She could barely get excited for Christmas with her mother gone. It definitely didn’t help she’d likely get a crap gift one of her co-workers had splurged a whopping ninety-nine cents on, prior to D-day. She knew the gifts were from that store. She shopped there religiously. Truly, the thoughtlessness did count.

The Santa made it to her. She grabbed a paper on the top, not caring because, as always, she would get the person something nice, something thoughtful. The paper rustled as she unfolded it. She blinked and read the name again. Blood roared to her ears and her heart galloped in her chest.

Blaine Tucker.

Also known as Mr. Yummy.

Her fingers trembled, but she refolded the paper slowly, forcing herself not to gape at him. Mainly to keep her Secret Santa identity, well, a secret. Nothing could give her away faster than getting the name and then staring at him.

Another reason she refused to lift her head just yet, the reason making her palms damp: looking directly at him caused women in their menopause years to ovulate. Seriously, his long eyelashes, hazel eyes, and dimple could revert the laws of nature. Oh, my God. She was his Secret Santa.

Blaine Tucker.

Also known as the man who signed her time sheets.

She crumbled the paper. Act cool. Who’d you get?

Santa continued to make his rounds.

The evil wrench from accounting. Maybe I should visit a voodoo priestess for her gift.

She’s just unnaturally grumpy.

Lacey glanced at her paper again. Maybe a vibrator and nipple charms.

Simone coughed to cover her laugh. The Santa finally made it back to Avery.

Remember, he lowered his voice as if to grant his listeners valuable information, put your heart into this. It’s Christmas!

That’s all Simone needed to hear. She jumped out of the chair to start the exodus, heading back to her workstation. More like an escape to her second home. She frowned. Forty hours a week, no one to go home to, and the day job easily became her life. The harsh truth added another reason why she didn’t make puppy-dog eyes at her boss. There was no faster way to the unemployment line.

Simone watched her feet in an attempt to avoid eye contact with anyone. Lacey had to stay behind with Avery, since he was her best friend’s boss.

Three more steps to the door.

Two.

She’d almost made it unscathed when another pair of loafers came into view. The shoes had long, worn-out scuffs along the edges. The little flaw always made her smile, because everything else about Blaine was impeccable. He wore a cologne that managed to successfully combine a crisp scent and a deep masculine musk. Pretty perfect smell for a man. Breathing it in always sent a pang of hunger, even need, straight to her gut. The suits he wore were just as crisp, starched within an inch of their life. Impeccable also.

Except some days his hair had the just-got-out-of bed appearance, but it couldn’t be a fault if he still looked damn good. And he did, but she couldn’t stand there the whole day staring at his shoes. Simone sucked in a breath, prepared herself for what was to come, and met Mr. Yum— Mr. Tucker’s gaze.

Ah, there was the punch to the gut. Now all she had to do was not say something stupid. Ease into a conversation. He’s just another man. Your boss. You’ll be fine.

Oh, it’s you. Good morning. Wait. WTF? Oh, it’s you? She winced, and he chuckled.

Good morning to you, too. Blaine’s smile revealed the dimple that had produced many sighs. Ninety percent of them from her. Let’s get you some coffee. The laugh weaved through the deep timbre of his voice,