Free All She Wants for XXX-Mas: An Erotic Christmas Romance Story by Nathan Stratton Page B

he said, “That’s enough out of you. Why don’t you get back to work already?” He tried to make it sound like a joke, but Christie detected a definite hint of awkwardness in his normally confident voice. What’s that all about? she wondered.
     
    “Fine, fine,” said Rick, putting up his hands in mock surrender. “I’ve got some toys to sort, anyway. And a Merry Christmas to you , Michael.” He sauntered off, whistling the first few bars of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”
     
    Michael turned to Christie. He seemed to be searching for something to say. “Christie, I– ”
     
    Christie stopped him before he could speak. “It’s all right, Michael,” she said, putting her hand in front of her, as if to push away his words before they came out. “Whatever that was about, you don’t have to explain it. Anyway, we’ve got a lot of work to do today – we’d better get started!”
    She turned as if to go, but Michael caught her hand. His touch was an electric shock. She looked into his eyes. He seemed as surprised by his actions as she was. Suddenly, irrationally, she was gripped by a fear that Michael could read her thoughts.
     
    Just at that moment, still holding her by the wrist, the confidence in Michael’s eyes returned. The corner of his mouth curled up in a crooked smile, the type of smile that could send a girl’s stomach into fits.
     
    “Thanks, Christie,” said Michael. “I knew you’d understand.” He pulled her in closer, and gave her a hug. He was a good six inches taller than she was, and her face hit his chest. Christie gasped. She loved the way he smelled: clean and masculine, with a hint of cologne on his body. She pulled away before she melted.
     
    She looked up into his face, trying hard not to betray the whirlwind of emotions she was feeling. He was still wearing that same damn smile.
     
    “Don’t mention it!” she said breathlessly, and flashed a quick, nervous smile of her own back at him. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…” She hurried back inside, her mind racing and her heart pounding.
     
    Christie didn’t quite know what had just happened. She didn’t know which way was up, down, or sideways, for that matter. All she knew was that the warmth from Michael’s touch was still lingering on her skin, and that her face was still flushed and buzzing with pleasure.
     
    Yeah, okay, so maybe her crush on Michael was bigger-than-slight.

Chapter 2 : Fuel for the Fire
     
    When she got back into the office, Christie had to pause for a minute to catch her breath. Wow , she thought. It was the only word her mind could articulate at the moment. Wow, wow, wow.
     
    After she had a second to compose herself, she looked around to make sure no one had been watching. Of course, the office was still totally empty. Christie didn’t know why she felt so guilty all of a sudden. Even if someone had seen the exchange she’d just had with Michael, so what? There was nothing wrong with an innocent hug.
     
    But still – the charge she’d gotten when he’d held her… that wasn’t something easily forgotten, something you could just ignore.
     
    Christie decided the best thing to do was to head to the bathroom, splash some water on her face, and try to get a hold of herself. If she had any hope of getting any work done at all today, she had to try and shake all thoughts of Michael out of her mind.
     
    That was easier said than done, of course. When she entered the bathroom and caught a look at herself in the mirror, she realized how flushed her cheeks were. Not only that, she could see – and suddenly, feel – that her nipples were un-ignorably aroused, sticking out noticeably from under her sweater. Oh my God, Christie thought to herself. What if Michael had seen that?
     
    She copped a quick feel of herself, verifying what she already knew. Hard as ice. And just like ice, the mere sensation of her bra rubbing against her aroused nipples sent a shivering chill down her