Free Kiss Me Katie! & Hug Me Holly! by Jill Shalvis

want to be like Matt. He liked himself just fine, and thought Katie probably did, too. She was just scared.
    And with good reason.
    He wanted to show her that risk could be good, certainly better than stability and neat desks. The scary part was, he wasn’t even sure why it all mattered so terribly much.
    Why she mattered.
    Damn, this was getting complicated. Normally, he was good at complicated. But despite having so many sisters, he didn’t really do well as it applied to a woman.
    â€œDefinitely need a new plan,” he muttered, rubbing a finger along the thick dust on his desk. “A good one.”
    He mulled over the facts. One, whether she admitted it or not, Katie felt safe and relaxed with Matt. Two, she did not feel safe and relaxed with Bryan. She felt out of control, hot and itchy.
    All he had to do was convince her that out of control, hot and itchy was a good thing.
    How hard could that be?

7
    M ATT CAME BACK to work the week before Christmas.
    The day he did, Katie hid out in her office, pretending everything was peachy, when of course it wasn’t. How could it be? In her quest for Mr. Perfect she’d overlooked one minute detail— his feelings.
    It went even deeper than that. She’d thought her needs simple—she wanted a nice, secure, happy life with a nice, secure, happy man. Someone who knew his goals and responsibly went after them, someone who didn’t let fun run his life.
    So why then had her dreams been taken over by a man who didn’t fit the criteria, a man who lived his life the same way he flew his airplanes? With wild, reckless, adventurous abandon?
    Now Matt was back and she was fairly certain her job was in jeopardy. Her stomach rumbled in spite of having bitten all ten fingernails down tothe quick, which was probably a lot more nutritious then her usual breakfast of sugar-coated cereal.
    Searching her desk, she came up with three candy bars and happily devoured them all. When she was finished, her skirt felt too tight, but at least the sugar gave her a sense of energy.
    Holly poked her head into her office. “My, don’t you look…stressed.”
    Suddenly Katie found a silver lining and managed a smile. “Be nice. This is probably our last day working together.” She spared a thought to wonder how much unemployment benefits paid. Or how she’d explain the reason for losing this job. Well, you see, ma’am, it all started when I gave our vice president a concussion while attempting to sexually harass him.
    Now wouldn’t that look good on the old résumé.
    â€œWhy would this be our last day together?” Holly asked.
    â€œI don’t think giving Matt a bump on the head—” not to mention making him paranoid about mistletoe “—is likely to get me a promotion.”
    Holly laughed and perched a slim hip on the corner of Katie’s desk. “You’re making way too much of a little accident.”
    â€œUh-huh. Oh, and by the way, thanks for tricking me at the party.”
    â€œI don’t know what you’re talking about. But then, I rarely do.”
    â€œI know what you did, and even for you, it was really low.”
    Matt walked by her office right then, his arms full of paperwork. He didn’t so much as peek in. Actually, he sped up, nearly running by.
    Holly grinned and looked at Katie. “Guess he’s in a hurry.” She rose and moved to the door. “Hello, Matt,” she called, and Katie winced.
    â€œDon’t call him in here!” she whispered in panic, slipping out of her chair and onto her knees behind her desk. She ducked. “I’m not ready for the firing!”
    â€œWell then, don’t let him see you.” Holly pasted a bright smile on her face as Matt reluctantly came back to the doorway.
    â€œDon’t worry,” Katie heard her say to Matt in a soothing voice. “The big, bad accountant is gone.”
    â€œI thought I saw