Mistletoe (7 page)

“Are you allergic to flowers?”

“No, but some perfumes get me going and that stench inside is stifling. It started just after I got here, but I didn’t want to leave until I saw you,” Jamie said, turning around.

“Oh.”

“I wanted to apologize for what I did at Phelan’s house. I had no right to force myself on you. I was enjoying your company, and I think I ruined the evening by doing what I did.”

“You wanted Phelan to kiss me?”

“What? No! Of course not.”

“Then I don’t think you have anything to apologize for.”

“You’re not angry?”

Of all the emotions that Diana had felt since meeting Jamie Nash, anger had yet to make the list. Surprise had struck the first night they had met, both at the jacket offered and Diana’s own reaction to the chivalrous gesture. Trust quickly followed when Jamie came to her rescue under the mistletoe, and anticipation began to heat her blood a few days later when she found herself walking through shops looking for the perfect dress with only one person in mind. Fear crept onto the scene as she stood in the bathroom repairing her makeup earlier that night, wondering if what she was feeling was real. And it was that feeling…that
emotion
…that was doing her head in.

How could she be feeling love for someone she didn’t even know? She had never been in love before. In lust – yes.

Intrigued – yes. Infatuated – most definitely, but what she was feeling for Jamie seemed to be more than all of those combined. Much more.

Brought back to the conversation by a slight breeze that sent a chill down her spine, Diana said, “Of course I’m not angry.”

Smiling at Diana’s response, and the fact that her sneezing fit had finally ended, Jamie wadded up the napkins and stuffed them in a nearby flowerpot.

Taking a deep breath of the crisp air, she reached into her pocket to find her cigarettes.

Taking a moment to admire the way Jamie’s tuxedo was tailored to fit her womanly curves, Diana broke the silence. “Nice suit, by the way.”

“Thank you,” Jamie said, bowing her head at the compliment. After lighting her cigarette, she casually exhaled and allowed herself the pleasure of taking in the sight of Diana Clarke. While Jamie had told her eyes
not
to stop at the dark valley between Diana’s breasts, her eyes apparently had a mind of their own.

After lingering there for a few seconds, she was finally able to force them upward, and when she looked into Diana’s eyes, Jamie said in a breath, “Awesome dress.”

The flutter that Jamie’s throaty whisper had caused meandered its way through Diana’s body and settled soundly between her legs with a thud.

Fighting the urge to close her eyes and relish in the feel of it, Diana took a deep, ragged breath, hoping that the crisp night air could somehow extinguish the fire Jamie had just ignited.

“Christ, you’ve got to be freezing,” Jamie said suddenly, hearing Diana’s shaky intake of breath. “You should go back inside.”

“Will you come with me?”

“Are you sure you want to risk it? I’m out of cocktail napkins. It could get quite messy.”

Grinning, Diana said, holding out her hand, “I’ll take my chances.”

Dropping the cigarette to the patio, Jamie ground it out and took Diana’s hand. It felt good. It felt right. It felt amazing.

W
hy am I not surprised?” Diana said as Jamie walked toward her carrying an open bottle of wine and two glasses.

“Well, you didn’t expect me to drink the swill that Lillian serves, did you?”

“Are you a wine snob?”

“No, but I prefer the ones with corks rather than screw caps.”

“Oh, you
are
a snob.”

“I like what I like,” Jamie said softly, handing Diana a glass. “It’s a Cabernet.”

As she brought the glass to her lips, Diana could smell a hint of black cherry and cocoa, and taking a sip, she smiled softly at the flavors of black licorice swirling with the oakiness of the wine.

“It’s delicious.”

“Thanks,” Jamie said, taking a seat.

Glancing at Diana for a moment, Jamie settled back and crossed her legs.

Although the pounding between her temples brought on by the potpourri hadn’t diminished, the sneezing that had plagued her for over an hour had finally disappeared. Taking a relaxing breath, she took a sip of wine and asked, “So, Diana Clarke, tell me…who are you?”

“What?” Diana replied, snickering.

Shrugging her shoulders, Jamie said, “All I know is that you’re Gwen’s friend.”

“What do you wan’s

“A little.”

“Why?” Diana asked, settling back in her chair and crossing her legs.

Unable to resist, Jamie stole a quick glance of Diana’s nicely-formed calves before raising her eyes and finding Diana smiling back at her. Remembering what Diana had asked, Jamie said, “I guess I always thought that prison officers were a bit more…um…
burly
.”

“Well, there are a few like that, but it’s not a prerequisite for the job.”

Allowing herself the pleasure of taking in the view of Diana’s shapely legs one more time, it took several seconds before their eyes met again.

Raising an eyebrow, Jamie smiled.

“Obviously not.”

Inwardly, Diana sighed at the woman’s sexual tone. Swallowing the moisture building in her mouth, Diana drank some wine to wash it down.

“Wait. You said you
were
a prison officer? You aren’t now?” Jamie asked.

“No, I resigned my position a few weeks ago.”

“Can I ask why?”

“I actually started as a teacher, but when budget cuts came along, they did away with most of the classes offered to the prisoners. Since I already had the training to be an officer, I took the job when it was offered. Unfortunately, the difference I thought I was making by teaching the women skills in the classroom all but stopped as soon as I put on the uniform, so I took my non-burly self and called it a day,” Diana said with a grin.

“So what now?”

“Well, I still have a teaching degree, so I’m hoping I can find a position in one of the youth offender programs. Maybe, in my own small way, I can actually help a few of them realize that there’s more to this world than just gangs and drugs.”

“So you still want to make a difference then?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Admirable.”

Deciding it was time to turn the tables, Diana said, “Speaking of admirable, since I already know what you do for a living, Gwen told me that you do a lot of pro bono work. Can I ask why?

“Because it keeps me grounded.”

“How so?”

“I live in a world of corporations and three-piece suits, where the higher-ups take home bonuses in the millions, while sometimes forgetting that there are people below them that struggle to make ends meet. I don’t ever want to be like that. I’m not saying that a free turkey at Christmas or some spare change dropped into a basket doesn’t help, because it does, but sometimes people need more than that. Sometimes they need a bit of guidance, or knowledge, or just a little help understanding words they don’t know.”

“And that’s where you come in?”

With a nod, Jamie said, “It started when I was in law school. I knew my father volunteered his time, and one summer he asked if I’d like to clerk for him on some of the pro bono stuff. Eager beaver that I was, I agreed, and before too long, I was there even when he wasn’t. And now, he helps me.”

“Wait. I thought your father retired?”

“He retired from the firm, but not from the law. He still practices, only now he does it for free,” Jamie said with a grin.

“It sounds like you like working with him.”

“I do, very much. He’s a brilliant man, and we both love being able to help people in need.”

“So if you love it so much, why not do it full-time?”

“Because I like nice things,” Jamie said as she refilled their wine glasses. “I like fancy cars and living in the country, and being able to afford to go on vacation wherever I’d like. My position at the firm gives me the opportunity to live the life I want, while helping those that I can. It’s the best of both worlds, and I wouldn’t want to give up either.”

“Even though you work with Phelan and Willoughby?”

Rolling her eyes, Jamie chuckled.

“I’ve learned to take them both with a very large grain of salt. Since we have our own divisions, our paths don’t often cross, and when they do, let’s just say I try to leave my personal feelings at the door. My work is far too important to me to let their idiosyncrasies get in the way. It’s not a match made in heaven, but it’s doable.”

“You’re amazing,” Diana said in a breath.

The sultry tone forced Jamie to shift in her seat, and taking a taste of wine, she waited for the throbbing between her legs to subside. Managing to find her voice a few seconds later, she said, “I’m just me.”

“I like just you,” Diana said, and then instantly blushed when she realized that the words she was thinking had just slipped from her lips. Swallowing hard, she quickly changed the subject. “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”

“Um…yes. I have a younger sister, Stacy.”

“Is she a lawyer, too?”

“No, a photographer,” Jamie said.

“How about you? Any siblings?”

“No. Just me”

“Well, then tell me something about your parents. What do they do?”

“Oh, um…they died when I was four. A car accident.”

“Christ, I’m sorry.”

Offering Jamie a soft smile, Diana said, “Thanks. It was a long time ago, and I have only hazy memories of them now. My father’s sister, Brenda, raised me.”

“She did a great job.”

“You think?”

“Absolutely,” Jamie replied, gazing into Diana’s eyes.

Smiling back at Jamie, Diana was about to ask for more wine when she saw Jamie’s face scrunch up as another sneeze came over her. Before Diana could say a word, Jamie was out of her chair and heading back outside.

“Shit,” Diana said under her breath, getting to her feet.

“Oh, this is getting fucking ridiculous!” Jamie bellowed, trying to hold back the sneeze that was forming.

“Please…not again.”

Sneeze.

“Crap!”

Sneeze

“Enough!”

Sneeze

“Oh, someone just kill me now.”

“That would be a waste of a very good woman, I think,” Diana said, coming up to stand next to Jamie. “Here, I brought you more napkins.”

“Thanks,” Jamie said.

Waiting until Jamie blew her nose a few times, Diana finally asked, “You doing better?”

Jamie turned and was about to reply, but the words got stuck in her throat.

Between the moonlight and the Christmas lights strung here and there, Diana was awash in a soft, white glow, and she was breathtaking. Her hair shimmered in the light, and while the valley between her breasts was dark, the swells rising above the fabric were like porcelain.

“Jamie, are you okay?”

Snapped from her thoughts by Diana’s voice, Jamie quickly removed her coat. “Here take this, you must be freezing.”

“I’ll be okay. You need it,” Diana said, pushing the jacket away.

“No, I don’t,” Jamie said, holding it open. “Between all the sneezing and the sight of you in that dress, trust me, the last thing I need is this coat.”

She hadn’t meant for her feelings to slip out so easily, but once they had there was no turning back. The flirting had been fun, but somewhere along the way, it had turned into something more for Jamie, and she needed to know if the feeling was mutual. When she saw Diana’s smile, Jamie got her answer…and her heart began to race.

Taking a deep breath, Diana turned around, placing her arms into the jacket as Jamie wrapped it around her, and for a moment they were in each other’s arms. The wool smelled of crisp cologne and cigarettes, and the red silk lining, already heated by the woman behind her, felt warm against Diana’s skin. Closing her eyes, Diana breathed in the moment, committing it to memory, and praying it would be the first of many.

Feeling Diana relax against her, Jamie sighed. Intentionally lowering her mouth to Diana’s ear, she whispered, “Warm enough?”

The feel of Jamie’s breath on her cheek caused Diana’s body to quiver with need. Swallowing hard, she opened her eyes and turned around. Even in the muted light, Diana could see the passion In Jamie’s eyes, but there was also a hint of mischief. Deciding to turn the tables, Diana purred back, “I’m getting hotter by the minute. How about you?”

Snickering, Jamie replied, “If we keep this up, I’m going to get a tan.”

Diana laughed, and while the seductive mood was broken, the feelings were not.

“You want to stay out here for a while?” Diana asked.

Breathing in the fresh air, Jamie nodded her head. “At least for a few minutes, if you don’t mind?”

“No, not at all,” Diana said. While Jamie disposed of the used napkins in a planter, Diana walked over and looked out across the back yard. Brick-edged gardens dotted the lawn, and each was filled with animated figures of snowmen, penguins, polar bears and reindeer.

“Extraordinary, isn’t it?” Jamie said, coming over to stand by her side.

A bit disappointed that Jamie seemed to like the overblown decorations, Diana asked, “Do you really like it?”

“I was being facetious. I can’t stand all this stuff.”

“You don’t like Christmas?”

“What? No, that’s not what I mean. I adore Christmas. I just don’t like it when people placard their properties with all this crap. It’s like they’re in some sort of competition to see who can use the most electricity.”

“I totally agree.”

“Fuck!”

Surprised by Jamie’s outburst, Diana looked up just as Jamie sneezed again, and then again.

“Oh, damn it all to hell,” Jamie growled, fumbling in her pockets for a napkin. Taking a few steps away, she sneezed a few more times and then hung her head in defeat.

“You okay?” Diana asked.

Running her fingers through her hair, Jamie said with a sigh, “I’m afraid this isn’t going to stop, and my head feels like it’s about to explode. I’m sorry.”

“What? Why didn’t you tell me you had a headache?”

“Because I didn’t want to ruin the evening. I thought it would go away, but I’m afraid that ridiculous potpourri has done me in.” Stopping as the pain between her temples pulsed again, Jamie said sadly, “I’m sorry, but I really think I need to go.”